NEVER FALL FOR THE FORBIDDEN (NEVER FALL SERIES) (17 page)

             
“You calling could have jeopardized our safety, the signal could have been traced.” He told her.

             
“You make it sound like you were on a secret mission.”  

             
“Let’s not speak of it now; what you do need to tell me is when our child is going to be born.”

             
“Six weeks, can you believe it?” she gushed. Triton tried to hide his surprise, “A month and a half? Do you have a doctor?”

             
“Of course.”

             
Triton sat up on his elbow, “And the baby is healthy? What did the doctor say? When is your next appointment?”

Annasara
felt suspicious, “Why do you ask?”

             
“What if I asked you to go away with me?”

             
“A get away would be great but I have to use my vacation time when the baby’s born, I don’t have any maternity leave and I can’t afford to take any more time off.”

Triton’s tone turned deadly serious,
“I meant I want you to move away with me.”

             
“What? Triton, I am about to have a baby, I can’t move now.”

             
“I want you to leave with me, next week.” He pressed.

             
“Next week? Are you serious?” She asked but could tell by his expression that he was very somber. “I’m not sure I can travel this late into my pregnancy.”

             
“Please my love, we must go. If we stay, it could be very dangerous. I am asking you please trust me. I promise I will take care of everything. You will not have to lift a finger.”

             
“But I just set up the baby’s room, and my job.”

             
“You will never have to work again; all you will have to do be is a mother to our child and I will do everything I can to make you happy for the rest of our time together.”

             
“You mean what I think you mean?”

             
“Sara, let’s leave this place, start fresh, you, me our baby. I will give you anything in the world you desire. I bought a villa in Italy. You can take the baby to art museums, you can buy art, I’ll buy you an art museum. Please say yes.”

She hesitated,
“If the doctor says its okay, then I will consider it. But this is so sudden.”

             
Triton placed his hand over her stomach, “Think of it as a new beginning, just the three of us. No more lonely nights. Just you and I and our child together forever.”

             
“This is all so overwhelming Triton; I have to have time to think about it.”

             
“What did you want the most the whole time I was gone?”

             
“For you to come back, take me away and raise our baby and be happy.”  She said.

             
“I can make that dream a reality.”

             
This was exactly what she wanted to hear from him but still felt hesitant. Triton pulled her to him, “Oh Sara say yes. Everything depends this. Our very existence, our happiness, our life together.”

             
“Italy you said?” she agreed. Triton kissed her lovingly and cried again.

             
The following day Annasara went to see the doctor. Triton waited patiently for the news. Checking his voicemail, he heard the word that he wanted. Making the necessary calls to arrange for her belongings to be packed, shipped, and set up by the caretaker of the villa he had purchased, Triton then had to make the hardest call he would ever have to.

             
“Brother, I need favor…”

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

              Triton watched out the window as the darkness of the skies offered him no comfort. Only the whirling of the engine and her soft breathing as she slept filled his ears. His stomach turned as the plane dipped to avoid the turbulence but more so from what he had just done. Leaving the clan, running away with a human and their love child, asking his best friend to keep his secret and help in fleeing. The weight of his conscience rested heavily upon his shoulders. It was all worth it he thought as he looked upon her; he loved her and the child more than his unending life. Stirring next to him, Annasara leaned her head against him.

             
“Are you awake?”

             
“No, I am dreaming.” She said as he gently brushed the hair from her eyes.              “Dreaming about what?”

             
“Italian food, donuts, ice cream.” She said laughing. Triton summoned the private attendant to bring Annasara dinner. The kindly attendant named Mimi quickly delivered a variety of delicious eats. Annasara made him take a bite of her dinner, he slyly slipped the food into his napkin as he pretended to wipe his mouth. Shortly after dinner was over, they had to prepare for landing. The private charter touched down gently onto the Italian soil.

             
“Don’t be nervous.” He told his love.

             
“How did you know I was?”

             
“I read your mind.”

             
“You did? What am I thinking now?”

             
“You wish your feet were not so swollen and you want a back rub.”

             
“You read that in the book, and you can see my fat feet. What am I thinking about now?”

             
“You are thinking of the orange snow jacket you got when you were seven, it was the best Christmas present you ever got.”

             
“How did you do that?” she said.

             
“I told you I can read your mind.”

             
“Amazing. How long have you had this gift? Where you born with it?”

             
“No, I learned it, it took years to perfect.”

             
“Can you tell what the baby is thinking?”

             
“No, I tried when you were sleeping. But he was not sending me anything.”

             
“You said he. You know it’s a boy?” she gleamed.

             
“I do have a fifty-fifty chance or so the book says.”

Tears filled her eyes and he
pulled round frame to him but her belly prevented them from being able to close their hug.

             
Leading Annasara to the waiting town car, he instructed the driver to hurry to the villa. Salty breezes filled their noses as the ocean crashed against the hillside the house rested upon. Meeting them as the approached the house, the kindly caretaker turned over the keys and conversed in Italian to Triton as Annasara scoped out the view over the white stucco walls, breathing in the fresh warm night air. As the men talked Annasara let out a grunt as the baby gave a swift kick to the lungs. The elderly man threw up his arms and came over to dote on her, placing his hands on his saggy jowls and then onto her belly all the while expressively speaking to her. Triton had to translate his well wishes for her and the baby.

             
“He says his wife is a nurse and has delivery every child in this village under the age of thirty.”

             
“She may be delivering one more soon.” Annasara said bracing her back with both hands. “This baby definite takes after his father, sleeps all day, up all night.”

             
Triton stopped in his tracks, thinking once again of what this child will be. The old man bid goodbye, snapping Triton from his worries and the two entered into their new home. Rich in texture but sparse in furnishing, the house seemed cozy and warm. She wandered the few rooms, finding the nursery all prepared just as she envisioned it. He observed her taking it all in.

             
“Do you like it?” he asked.

             
“Yes, I would like to see the rest but I am exhausted.” She sighed, “Let’s go to bed.” Triton agreed as the trip had worn him out.

             
The call of the sea birds filled her ears, the sea air teased her, and the sunlight warmed the room. Stretching her arms, feeling rested and happier than she had been in the last nine months, Annasara kissed his arm that overstretched over her and held her tight. Stroking his hand lazily, she intertwined her fingers within his bring them to her lips, the softness resting on the back of his hand.

             
“Good morning…” he whispered barely getting the words out before shrieking loudly as the rays of the Mediterranean sun seared the flesh of his foot and calf that stuck out of the cool white sheet. Annasara screamed and sat up as fast as her body would let her.

             
“Triton! Oh my god! You’re burning.” She yelled and ran to the window and shutting the wooden shutters.

             
“Why didn’t you close the blinds? Give me that blanket!” he shouted at her, making the waterworks flow.

             
“I’m sorry.” she cried. “I was so tired last night I forgot.”

             
“Damn it.” He said grabbed his clothes and rushed to the cellar and slammed the door behind him. Prepared just as he had instructed, the under ground room, held no windows and the door completely shut out all natural light. Confused and scared Annasara retreated to the nursery and wept. Anger rose in him causing the change. Pissed for allowing himself to let his guard down, for forgetting for a brief moment in time that he was normal, better yet human, he agonized. The change brought about a quick healing of his wounds but the emotional scars felt freshly ripped apart as his superhuman senses filled his ears with her silent weeping. Triton calmed a bit and thought how could this ever work? Pounding his fists against the walls in frustration, but stopped when he felt her presence on the other side of the door.

             
“Are you okay?” she spoke softly. Triton opened the door, “Please, Annasara, accept my apology. This is in no way your fault.”

Not answering right away, she simple said okay and went back upstairs.
Triton sensed her sadness and loneliness. She would be alone all day with Triton in hiding, so he made a call to the caretaker and asked if his wife would come over to see Annasara. Marina showed up to the villa and introduced herself. She had the looks and grace of Sofia Loren and persuaded Annasara to go to market with her. Marina spoke excellent English and looked much younger than her husband who waved goodbye to them as he tended a flowerpot at the edge of the villa driveway. Annasara appreciated the female company as Marina and she sat in a small café. Talking of babies, motherhood, and Italy, Annasara told the kindly woman how she they came to be here and of Triton’s condition. Understand more than she thought, the woman reassured her that his condition although it was medically rare, it does effect some, not to worry and of new breakthroughs in treating the condition.

             
Returning to the villa in late afternoon, Annasara waved goodbye to the caretaker’s wife, entered the house, surprised to find Triton waiting for her.

             
“What are you doing?” she asked letting him take the groceries from her.

             
“The sun is on the other side of the house; I’ll be okay as long as it is not direct contact.”

             
“Oh, you should let Marina look at your burn.”

             
“Its fine, I have taken care of it.”

             
“If the sun does this, why did you pick this place, why didn’t we go somewhere dreary and rainy like London?”

             
“Would you have been happy?”

             
“Yes, if you were in less danger.” She said. Triton thought that is exactly why he chose here. More sun, less vampires but he could not explain that to her. Not now, not ever. Trying hard to read her, the pregnancy hormones must have some effect on her thoughts. He tried again but without success, “Sara, you feeling alright?” Her face went ashen.

             
“I’m um, not feeling so good.” She said before starting to wobble, lost her balance, and put her hands on the back of a kitchen chair to steady her body. Triton stepped forward just her legs went limp and she fell into his arms. Triton feared the vampire DNA was affecting her. He carried her to the sofa, lying her down. Rushing to the kitchen is gathered a cool rag, brought it back and placed it over her forehead.

             
“Has this happen before? Maybe I should call Marina back.” he felt over concerned.

             
“No, I think I just over did it, that’s all. I’ll just rest for a minute.”

             
“You should eat something.” He said.

             
“I’m not hungry, my stomach is upset.”

             
I will you bring you a glass of water” He brought it quickly, his hands almost trembling as he handed it to her. He had a bad feeling, something did not seem right. Annasara closed her eyes, Triton went back to the kitchen and called Marina. She agreed to stop by and check on her in an hour and instructed him keep a close eye on her. Taking the advice literally, Triton placed a chair directly in front of the couch, and chewed on his thumbnail as he observed her resting. Triton nearly fell off the chair as she opened her eyes wide and cursed like a sailor as the first hard contraction hit.

             
“What should I do?” he asked her.

             
“Quit staring at me!” she snapped as another wave hit. Less than two hours later, Triton paced as the infant boy cradled in his large strong arms. As if the child was made of glass, he held the fragile infant. Perfect in everyway, Triton’s tears fell over the babe and the two cried at each other. One wailing at the new world, the other shedding a tear that he could not escape his old world curse.

             
“He came so quickly in to the world. He just could wait to get a hospital.” Marina said the new parents.

             
“Our son. He’s beautiful.” Triton told her handing him over to her.

             
“He looks like you.” Marina told him. “What are you to call him?”

Triton
looked to Annasara, “I had not thought of that.”

             
“I was thinking, Brenden.” She said.

             
“Brenden Umbriel.” Triton said with a proud gleam in his eye as he scanned the tiny face of his first born son, pink cubby cheeks, and round mouth opening forming a small O that produced a noise unlike Triton had ever heard. He moved in closer kissing the boy and then gave Annasara a kiss as well. Standing back, taking the sight of mother and child in, he captured the happiest moment in time, knowing someday they may be hunted for what he had produced, an heir unlike any other their respective worlds had ever seen.