Chapter 85

Almara

The rising sun painted the sky in fiery hues as I made my way down the familiar path towards Noah's house. The large house on the hill exuded an air of tranquility that always put me at ease. Their daily meetings were a cherished routine, a sanctuary from the whirlwind of everyday life.

As I entered Noah's home, a warm embrace of cinnamon and wood greeted my senses. As always, there was also the underlying scent of paint. The cozy living room, with its plush armchairs and shelves lined with well-loved books, felt like a haven from the outside world.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to enjoy it as much as I usually would. My headaches were becoming more frequent, an unwelcome symptom of being pregnant. Today was no exception; the familiar throb started to pulsate behind my eyes.

Noah, sensing my discomfort before I could even say anything as he so often did, moved with a graceful urgency. With a gentle smile, he offered to brew a medicinal tea, an elixir he'd perfected over the years.

His presence was always a balm to my soul, and I nodded gratefully, sinking into a cushioned chair. I closed my eyes and listened as Noah puttered away in the kitchen. His teas always made me feel better.

While Noah continued to work his magic in the kitchen, I let herself be enveloped by the soothing ambiance. The distant hum of birdsong and the trickle of water from a nearby stream blended into a lullaby that seemed to ease the tension in my body.

The tea arrived in a delicate porcelain cup, tendrils of steam rising like ephemeral wisps. I inhaled its earthy fragrance, my eyes meeting Noah's with gratitude.

The first sip danced on my palate, a symphony of herbs and warmth that cascaded down my throat. It was as if the very essence of healing had been distilled into this elixir. Noah had always been so good at this.

But then, like a sudden eclipse, darkness veiled my vision. My limbs grew heavy, my eyelids betraying my will. Panic surged through my veins, but it was too late. The world slipped away, swallowed by an abyss of unconsciousness.

When I awoke, the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and mildew. And underneath it was death. Many people had died in this room. I could just smell the old blood, buried beneath.

The room was stifling, its walls rough-hewn and foreboding. I tried to move, but my limbs were ensnared by a chilling embrace, the iron bite of chains binding my wrists and ankles. What was going on?

Lily? I asked and for the first time since I could remember, Lily didn’t respond. I closed my eyes and looked inward. She was curled up, asleep. Whatever was in that tea had been potent enough to knock Lily out as well.

I turned my hearing inward as well. I could make out the faint rapid heartbeat of the baby. I sighed in relief, sagging against the chains. The baby was okay. Everything would be okay.

Still, I wasn’t out of danger yet. My heart pounded like a wild beast caged in my chest. Panic surged, my eyes darting around the unfamiliar surroundings. It was a cellar, dank and shadowed, far removed from the comforting familiarity of Noah's estate. The realization was a sickening weight in my stomach, a truth I dared not accept.

Just then, the echo of footsteps reverberated through the stone chamber, sending a tremor through my fragile composure. The figure emerged from the shadows, his form distorted by the feeble light filtering through a narrow slit in the wall.

Noah.

His presence was an amalgamation of dread and disbelief. The same features I’d come to know and trust now held a predatory gleam, his eyes ablaze in crimson red with an unnatural hunger. My breath caught in my throat as the truth settled like lead in my chest.

"You were right, Sweetness," he purred, voice dripping with an intimacy that didn’t match the situation. "I am what you thought I was so many months ago."

Vampire. The word echoed in my mind, a chilling refrain that punctuated my descent into a waking nightmare. The reality was stark, undeniable. I was trapped with a creature who drank the blood of the living.

I vaguely recalled the dream I had after the disaster of a wedding. He’d drunk my blood in it and now I couldn’t help but wonder if that wasn’t a dream after all. Vampires were still a bit of a mystery. I didn’t have a firm understanding of all the powers that they could wield.

Even knowing that nothing would be there, I quickly glanced at my wrist. It was completely whole and unblemished. No sign of teeth marks, anywhere.

Noah chuckled fondly, as if he found her actions cute and amusing. “I’m glad that you didn’t completely forget that night. Don’t worry, Sweetness. You don’t have a scar on your body. I would never do that to you.”

Maybe not, but he wasn’t above kidnapping. I had no idea what to do. The man in front of me wasn’t my friend. I didn’t recognize him at all. I wasn’t even sure what I should do or say. I was terrified that something would set him off.

Fear and anger warred within me, but I knew I couldn't afford to lose myself to despair. I met Noah's gaze, my eyes softening with an affection that I no longer felt. "Why am I here, Noah?"

The crimson faded from his eyes as he regarded her, the violet glowing with what I would guess was love. “We can finally be together, Sweetness. We can get what we always wanted. I know it might be a little uncomfortable, but we can’t afford the alpha finding us before the ritual is complete.”

Cold fear washed over me, but I shoved it down. I didn’t want him to smell it on me. He obviously believed that I felt something for him and perhaps it was my fault for everything that happened between us in the beginning. But I would play along with it, for now.

“What ritual are you talking about…my love?” The words tasted like ash as they left my lips, but I could tell it was the right thing to say. Noah immediately grinned, showing off his two delicate fangs. He really was a vampire.

“Oh, it’s nothing too fancy. I’ll take your blood. You’ll take mine. And that’s it. You’ll be a vampire. We’ll be together forever. Isn’t that wonderful?” Noah asked, clapping his hands together in excitement.

Something was wrong with him. Other than the obvious. Noah didn’t usually show this much emotion. Indeed, there was a fervor in his eyes that was akin to madness. Even if he were a vampire, he had never looked crazed like this.

“That sounds lovely, Noah. But what about the baby? I don’t know much about vampires, but surely they can’t support pregnancies,” I said, having a small glimmer of hope. If the baby didn’t come early, it might give Arthur enough time to find her. Or for her to escape.

Noah nodded, like the question was understandable. “You are quite right, Sweetness. Female vampires cannot support pregnancies,” he answered, but before I could even feel the slightest bit of relief, he continued, “And that is why a doctor will be performing a c-section in a week.”

I smiled at him, like the thought of having my baby ripped out of me was the best news I’d ever heard. But inside I was dying. I had no way of knowing if the baby would even make it to next week.

I reached for the mate bond, intending to shove every bit of fear and panic that I was feeling to Arthur, but it wasn’t there. Well, it was there, but it was transparent. My hand went right through it.