NEVER FALL FOR THE FORBIDDEN (NEVER FALL SERIES) (16 page)

Chapte
r Twenty-Eight

              Triton did not slumber at all that day, excitement and concern fought each other in his brain. Thankful she was fine, alive, and unaffected by the war that unknowingly raged around the city, Triton put into motion a plan he had been plotting for months. Watching the clock, every second he burned to be with her. Every tick on the second hand sounded like he was standing next to a church bell as it rang. Sunset finally came and he rushed to the gallery, careful not to be followed.

             
Quickly rushing into the door, the young sales clerked looked startled, “Can I help you?”

             
“I was looking for Annasara.” Triton said.

             
“She did not show up today.”

             
“What? Why?” he implored the girl to tell him.

             
“Not really sure.” The girl with a nonchalant shrug..

             
He thought as he raced out the door.
Had they got to her? Was she safe? Did someone follow him the other night?
Triton panicked as he found her house dark, he drove around trying to pick up a sense of her and the baby.
Where is she?
Dialing her cell phone, he got a voice message. He passed some small neighbor hood shops and the little restaurant they loved but no sign of her. Tears welled up in his eyes, all this time he fought and killed, to protect her, to keep the other vampires away from the city for what? They would surely be able to detect the child had been spawned from a vampire.              

             
Stopping the car, he leaned over the steering wheel, sobbing out his centuries of pent up emotions, months of frustration with out her. Triton immortal heart ached. His shoulder shook as the grief released itself until all the tears were exhausted. Lifting his head, he rested it against the headrest and stared at the ceiling. He wiped his tears off his cheeks with his sleeve when something hit him, a familiar scent filled the air.

             
With a few bags in hand, she walked out of a small baby boutique and onto the sidewalk. So occupied by looking in the bag, she bumped into him with her protruding belly.

             
“Excuse me.” She said placing her hand on her stomach. No response came so she looked up. Looking up at the man the recognition took a few seconds to process. Dropping the bags, she let out a squeak, her eyes rolled up into her head, and she fainted into his arms.              

             
She heard her named called, but felt like she was in a foggy dream.

             
“Where am I?” she asked.
              “You’re home, you fainted.” Triton said taking a cool cloth to her head.

             
“Triton, am I dreaming? Oh my love you’re here!” She went to sit up and bumped him with her large belly. He placed his hand on over the baby, and looked confused.

             
“I wanted to tell you, wanted to call you every day. But you said not to contact you, no matter what.” she said.

             
“How can this be?” he said in disbelief.

             
“Do I need to explain it to you? The birds and bees?” she said.

             
They shared a long over due kiss. They were both breathless as they pulled apart.

             
“No, you don’t understand. I did not think it was possible.” He said.

             
“Why not?” she asked confused. Triton’s bewilderment kept him staring at her round belly.              

             
“I did not think we, I mean I could have a child with my condition.”

             
“Then it’s a miracle.” She said. Triton could not contain his emotions, his throat closed, his eyes reddened, and he sobbed like child in her arms. He could not control this new feeling, helplessness, happiness, sheer terror. What exactly would this child be? Would the baby be human, vampire, or some strange blend of the two races? She calmed him down gently stroking his forehead.

             
“Shhh, don’t worry.” She said.

             
“You have no idea what I have done, the mess I have created. You have been alone all this time while I was at war.”

             
“I was not alone.” She said rubbing her stomach. He placed his head over it. She spoke again. “What do you mean war?”

             
“Oh, Annasara, how can I be a father when I live in darkness?”

             
“We’ll manage. It’s not your fault you have this medical condition.” she said and tried to cheer him up. “I have something I want to show you. Help me up.”

             
Rising to his feet, he held out his hands pulling her up. She waddled down the hall to the spare bedroom, opening up the door, his heart melted at the tiny room she had decorated with light pastels and small animals. The room reminded him of the nursery in Januar’s mansion and made him shutter.

             
“You did this all by yourself?” he asked amazed at the room.

             
“Yes. I was nesting.”

             
“Nesting?” he asked.
              “You know when a woman gets everything prepared for the arrival of the baby.”

             
“I guess I am not up on those kinds of things.” He said.

             
“Here.” She smiled and handing him an oversized paper backed book. He turned it over and read the cover. “What a New Father Should Expect.” Giving her a lost look, he thumbed through it.

             
“It’s like a training manual, for expecting fathers.”

             
“I have a lot to learn.”

             
“Haven’t you ever been around babies?”

             
“No, never.” He said honestly.

             
“Oh!” she held her stomach. Triton panicked, “What’s wrong? Is it time?”

             
“Nothing’s wrong, here.” She took his hand and placed it on her belly. Kicking out the baby thumped his hand and Triton jumped.

             
“It kicked me.”

             
“This baby has been very active today.” She said. Falling to his knees, he placed his face on her womb, speaking to his unborn child.

             
“I promise I will always protect you.” He said softly. Annasara ran her fingers through his thick dark hair and he rose to meet her gaze. She yawned in his face.

             
“Sorry, I have been exhausted this last month. I have been working as much as possible so I can save up for my time off.”

             
“You will never have to work again. I will take care of everything financially.”

             
“Triton, I am doing just fine; the baby and I will be okay.” She said.

Her thoughts were that she was unsure if he would stay or not and could not depend on him to help her out.
Triton read them and felt slighted.

             
“I promise I will not let you down. Annasara I want to be in your life and the child’s. The least I can do help you with money. I want to send you some but if I did, they could have traced it. I have plenty. Millions.”

             
“I don’t want millions; I want you here when I wake up in the morning, when I fall asleep at night, when our baby says its first word. I know tonight when I go to sleep you will be gone and I will be alone. I have accepted it. It’s fine.”

             
“No, it’s not, don’t you see I want to be here.  I never want to leave your side, but—“

             
“But what? What is keeping you from us?”

             
“The war, it raging all around us.”

             
“War, are you in the mafia or something?” she barked.

             
“I can not tell you, I don’t want you involved. I have to protect you.”

             
“Maybe you should go.” She said wearily.

             
“What?” he snapped. Annasara’s face showed an unmistakable fear.

             
“If you are in this much trouble, I think you should go, leave us be. I do not want my child put in danger. So go, leave us in peace.”

             
“I would never do that, I have been gone so I could protect you.” He said and fell to his knees. Grabbing around her waist, he felt so torn apart. How could this ever work? The clans would hunt them down, capture, possible kill them and their child. If they did run away, he eventually would have to explain to her why he never aged or got sick and why he would have to go out and hunt for her kind. He decided there was no way around it; he would have to tell her. He would wait until after the child was born. He knew enough that the stress could harm her and the unborn child, until then he would have to be extremely cautious when coming here as not to let anyone follow him. Begging her, he pleaded for another chance Annasara started to cry and clung to him with a death grip. He stood and wiped away her tears. “Why are you crying?”

             
“I don’t want to go.” She said.

             
“I will stay, I promise.” He said, lifting her chin up and kissing her gently. He read her mind, she was exhausted from the pregnancy, and the newly surfaced emotions brought on by Triton’s return.

             
“Let’s go to bed, you need your rest.” Triton told her. He climbed in her bed and watched her undress. Swollen breasts, belly protruding she seemed embarrassed, and he jumped from the bed and stopped her putting the pink nightgown on.

             
“Triton, stop.” She said as he went behind her and caressed her breasts.

             
“You look so beautiful. I want to make love to you.” He said kissing her neck and cheek.

             
“I am as big as house.” Annasara said.

             
“You are more lovely now than ever. I wanted so badly for this moment, to be here alone with you, naked in each other arms. Oh, Sara you make me feel alive again. My world is bright because of you. You are my everything.”

Spooning tightly against each other
, him from behind, they made love. It was over quick as he was over excited and finished quickly. He apologized as Annasara told him it was okay. They lay together in the soft light of the night lamp. Triton spoke softly into her ear.              “Never for a second did I not think of you. I have something to tell you. I am who I portray myself to be.” He hesitated but had to tell her. “I am a creature of the night. A vampire.” Her silence deafened the room. Nerves pulsing he waited for her response.

             
“Do you understand what I am telling you? Sara?” He looked over her shoulder and found her fast asleep not hearing a word he professed. Triton laughed softly, pulled the covers over them, and holding his true love in his arms he watched her sleep and thought,
I made the right decision.

             
Surprised filled her face as she awake just before dawn to find her self in his warm embrace, Triton smiling down as he brushed aside a loose strand of hair from her pretty face.

             
“You stayed.” She said in breathy tone.

             
“I watched you all night. I had to study every inch of you, I missed looking at you.”

             
“You didn’t sleep? Oh that’s right you are on the opposite schedule. You want breakfast?”

             
“No thank you, I think I am going to sleep for a while.”

Annasara
kissed him, waddled from the bed, closed the curtains and threw the covers over his head. Every once and a while she would check on him, amazed he was here, finally after all these months. She spent the day cleaning the house, organizing the baby’s room. By the mid afternoon, her feet swelled and she needed a nap. Pulling up the covers, she laid down next to him, resting against his muscular naked form. Instinctively his arm went around her pulling close and they rested together until the sun was just setting.

             
“Waking up with you in my arms, I could not ask for anything more.” He said.

             
“I have waited so long for this. I never gave up hope you would come back to me, to us.” She told him.

             
“I can’t believe we’re having a baby.” He said.

             
“Imagine my surprise. I was taking birth control, but I guess not everything is 100%. I wanted to call you so bad and tell you. Although, I wasn’t quite sure how you would react.”