"Well, I guess they're smarter than you and what do you mean summon me to you?"

We walked more. Pallo tipped his head back and rolled his it around,stretching. He looked a little uncomfortable with what he was about to tell me. "You know that I can summon my people."

"Yes, but I'm not...." I reached down and touched my swollen belly. "The baby, they wanted you to contact me through the baby. Can you do that?"

"Theoretically, if the child is mine, yes."

I put my hand out and stopped him. "Do it."

"No, Gwyneth, I do not wish to know. I would rather live in ignorant bliss than to know the child was not mine."

I glared at him. "Do it!"

He sighed, then gave me the quickest of kisses on my cheek before he vanished into thin air. I spun around in a circle looking for him. He was gone. Walking to my right, I stopped in mid-motion as my stomach cramped up. I backed up and headed the other way. The cramps eased and I felt compelled to run.

I ran until I came to a large dark oak tree. I knew to turn left there. I did and continued running. I pushed through a large bush and into a gra.s.s clearing. I didn't see any sign of Pallo but I knew he was there.

"Stop lurking and come out, I can feel you near me," I said.

Pallo touched my shoulder. My entire body reacted to him. I felt alive, free, and in need of him. I put my hand on his, letting him turn me around. I buried my head into his shoulder and cried.

"You cry because I am the father." His voice was low.

I pulled back from him a little and looked up into his brown eyes. "I'm crying because I should be upset that it's you and I'm not. What does that say about me?"

He exhaled out slowly and relaxed. He kissed my forehead, and wrapped his arms around me tighter. "I am the wrong person to ask, I am biased."I laughed and pulled him close to me. "What did they do to us?"

"They helped us create a child together."

"But why?"

"That, I do not know."

Pallo ran his hand over my stomach. The baby kicked and Pallo felt it. He leaned down to put his head closer to the baby. I leaned in and met his lips with mine. His hands moved up around my back. We pulled close to each other with our lips still locked together. He reached around and slid his hand under my sweater. His hands were warm on my skin. He traced tiny circles on my stomach. Taking a step back from him, I pulled my sweater over my head. This left me nude from the waist up. I hadn't been able to wear a bra because my b.r.e.a.s.t.s were enlarged and were sore.

Pallo glanced down at me. "What about Caleb?"

"He left me, remember, and the engagement is off. Besides dream s.e.x doesn't count right?" A nervous laugh escaped my throat.

He rubbed my stomach. "What are you thinking?"

"I think that I need you right now."

"You are feeling this way because I called you to me. You will regret this when you wake."

"I haven't ever regretted sleeping with you. My only regret is that we always end up fighting. Were we always this way?"

Pressing my body against his, I moved my hands over his lower abdomen. I let my fingers dance along the edges of his black pants. I moved my fingers into the tiny line of hair that started just below his navel. I undid his pants and slid my hand in. His c.o.c.k was thick and hard, ready for me. I wrapped my fingers around him and stroked him gently. He gasped .

"Fata mia-- anima mia.""I never know what the heck you're saying to me. For all I know you could be calling me a six breasted seal maiden.

Pallo's face lit up as a sly grin washed over it. "Six b.r.e.a.s.t.s? Hmm, that would be something to see."

I couldn't hide my shock. Here we were, trapped in some f.u.c.ked up dream state and he managed to be funny and s.e.xy. Maybe they had training for that when he was young--how to woo the ladies, Italian style.

"No, it was more on the lines of winning the love of your immortal mate than wooing, but if you would prefer to think of it as such, then who am I to stop you?" His grin turned wolfish and the strangest feeling of Deja vu came over me. "Gwyneth?"

I closed my eyes and leaned into him. The feel of his hard chest under my cheek made my body quake with need. It didn't help that my hand was still down the front of his pants. The minute he began to run his fingers through the back of my hair I knew--this was how it used to be between us. Pallo had been happy, full of life and excited about his future.

"No, Gwyneth ... I was excited about our future." He began to grind his hips against me, leaving my hand working over him, stroking him. He seemed to grow even bigger as we went. It was clear--he wanted to do this as much as I did, maybe more. I pulled his c.o.c.k out of his pants and held him tight in my hand.

"You want me too."

"Voglio fare l'amore con te," he whispered sweetly as he lowered our bodies to the ground. Pallo grabbed my arms as I went to lay back and pulled me to him, laying himself down on the hard ground. I looked into his brown eyes and put my lips to his. I knew he was lying down to keep me off the cold, damp, night gra.s.s.

I sat up to slide my panties off. I was no longer graceful at it. Now with my slightly rounded belly I was having problems. I managed to get them off. Pallo never said a word. He just smiled at me and pulled me towards him. I kissed him tenderly and moved my head down--finding his erect c.o.c.k waiting for me. His skin tasted salty, warm, delicious. It was the first time I could ever remember it being anything but cool. I licked around the base of his c.o.c.k, taking in his sweet scent. A small moanescaped his throat. I moved my lips over the head of him and took it into my mouth, allowing my tongue play with him as I moved my head up and down. I used one hand to help steady myself. I used my other hand to work his pants down a little further.

"Gwyneth..." He tugged gently on my shoulders and eased me back towards his face. Straddling him, I pulled my long blue skirt up. His c.o.c.k sought me out, seeming to know exactly where I would be. As he neared the opening of my p.u.s.s.y, I leaned forward to kiss him. My belly was too big to get to his lips. He laughed softly and moved my hips ever so slightly so he could slip the rounded head of his shaft into me. He eased in slowly. I drew in a deep breath and put my hands on his chest to balance. I let the weight of my body come down thus driving him deep within me. I rode him gently at first and then I increased my pace.

Pallo's hands moved to my hips. He helped to direct my body to move in the most stimulating way for the both of us. Numbness swept upwards from my toes. It moved into my calves, inner thighs, before finally settling in between my legs, causing me to cry his name out and lean forward. His hands found mine. He laced his fingers tightly in mine and pulled me to him. Our mouths met and he pushed his hips up hard causing his c.o.c.k to thrust even deeper into me. My body was still tingling from my own o.r.g.a.s.m when his struck. His c.o.c.k throbbed deep within me, filling me with his essence. The idea of spending eternity soaking him up sounded perfect to me.

I tried to lean down and kiss him again but it was too uncomfortable for me. The look on his face screamed contentment. I entertained telling him how much I loved him but it didn't seem like enough--it never seemed like enough with Pallo. Telling him that I couldn't breathe without him was more appropriate but I didn't have the nerve.

I slid off him slowly and moved down to lie next to him. I lay there with my leg up over his naked body and my head tucked neatly into the crook of his arm. He turned and kissed my forehead as he brought his other hand around to touch my arm. Holding onto him like this felt perfect.

The baby kicked. Pallo moved his hand down to touch my stomach."Did you feel that?"

Sadness filled his eyes. "Yes Gwyneth, but I do not sense a child so much as my own power within you. I cannot explain it..." His arm stiffened and he leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Cover yourself and move to my other side."

I didn't question him. I grabbed my sweater and slid it back on. I pulled my skirt down and slid across him, pulling his pants up as I went. He kept a hand on my chin the whole time to look as though he was only paying attention to me. I knew better, I could see it in his eyes. He'd sensed someone or something near us and he wanted me out of the line of fire.

I moved to the other side of him and tried to stand. It wasn't as easy as it used to be. Getting off the ground now took a great deal more effort.

Pallo rose to his feet and put his hand out to me. I took it. He pulled me to him and put his face into my neck like he was kissing me.

"Whoever lurks there waits for permission to come forward. Stay behind me and if I should change again here, do what you must to keep me at bay.

You have the child to protect now."

I appreciated him letting up on the whole kill him thing but was nervous about the person hanging around watching us. I wondered how much of the show they'd been privy to. My guess was the entire show.

Pallo looked out into the darkness. "Come."

He pulled me completely behind him. I couldn't see anything there. It was like trying to see past a linebacker! I poked my head around the left of him to see who our visitor was. The very fact that we had a visitor didn't surprise me in the least. I knew we were in some sort of magically charged dream. I had a feeling that every move we made was under close surveillance.

My stomach cramped tightly and I had to grab Pallo's shoulder to keep from falling over. His hands moved to steady me but he continued to look out into the darkness."I can help her," a familiar voice said.

Pallo never took his eyes away from the direction the voice had come from. The pain gripped me again. This time it was so intense that I screamed out with it and clawed at Pallo's arm. He didn't seem to mind.

"Come," Pallo said.

I watched a figure come out of the darkness at us. He wore a robe, but instead of brown like the others, his was dark red. He seemed much taller than the others did. I wasn't planning to line them up side by side for a comparison, so I didn't dwell on it too much. He came within ten feet of us and Pallo told him that was far enough. He nodded. I tried to catch a glimpse of a face beneath the robe but all I saw was darkness.

The red-robed man put his hands up in a manner that suggested he was harmless. I let out a small snort. About as harmless as a starving crocodile! Pallo turned to me and frowned. I couldn't help myself. From my viewpoint, these guys were the reason we were neck deep in trouble.

"I've only come to help." I knew that voice. Somehow, it was familiar to me, yet I couldn't come up with a reason why.

Pallo moved his body in front of mine. "Who are you?"

"That is not important. What is important is the fact that she is dying."

Pallo reached back and grabbed my hand. I held tight to him as he caressed me with the lightest of touches.

"I'm sure you have noticed her growing colder, acting stranger and then there is the obvious..." He gestured towards his stomach. "The power that grows within her is draining her life force. She cannot sustain it much longer. My mistress hoped the faerie would be strong enough to bring it to term, but it is plain to see she is not."

I doubled over in pain again. The red-robed man took a step forward. "Her body craves blood and her senses are turning more vampiric by the minute.

She shares your power and your strength each time you enter her body, but she needs more. She needs another power source. I can offer her that. Let me enter her--allow me to give her my seed, my power, and I can give her my magic as well."Chanting voices sounded from all around us. The red man took another step forward. "Feed the seed, feed the seed."

"Leave us! You will not harm her or our child," Pallo said, his voice deeper than normal.

s.h.i.t, a shift was on the horizon if he didn't calm down. As much fun as standing behind a "daddy demon" sounded, I'd have to pa.s.s.

The red-robed man let out a maniacal laugh. "Do you really believe a child is in her? No, you know better than that, Vampire! She is carrying part of your power in her and that of another, but no child will come of it. She is empty, merely a vessel."

No child? Merely a vessel?

"What the f.u.c.k is in me?" I tried to step towards the man but Pallo grabbed me and refused to let me move.

The chants grew louder. "That is something only you can answer. Look within."

"Great, I get an OB-red-robed-a.s.shole for a spiritual adviser."

"Gwyneth," Pallo said, his voice stern.

"No, I need to know. If I'm not carrying a baby ... our baby, then what am I carrying?"

The "fountain of wisdom." He lifted his arms. "Look within, faerie."

I closed my eyes to block some of the pain and a sad reality hit me.

"It's raw power! OhmyG.o.d! It's evil, full of hate and rage and ... I won't survive the birth ... will I?"

"No," the man said, and disappeared. The chanting stopped.

Pallo turned to me and pulled me close. He began to say something comforting. I put my finger on his lips. "No, there's nothing you can do to fix this. Don't tell me it will be okay. I want to be brave and tacklethis head on, Pallo, but I'm scared."

"So am I, Gwyneth."

Chapter 29.

Something touched my stomach. I opened my eyes, saw the familiar content s of my room and breathed a sigh of relief. I turned to see who was touching me hoping that it was Pallo. It was Dr. Gideon Matthews. Pallo was pressed against the far wall, carefully watching every move the doctor made.

"How far along is she?" Pallo asked.

Dr. Gideon looked down at me and shook his head. "I've never seen anything like this and I've seen a lot. I don't have the right equipment here, but I would guess somewhere around the fifth month, according to a human cycle. The heartbeats ... or whatever they are, are strong."

We both stared at him. "Heartbeats?"

"Yes, I hear more than one, but it's strange, unlike any heartbeat I've ever heard before." He stood up and pulled my sweater back down over my stomach. "Gwen, I can't tell without the proper equipment, but this doesn't seem normal--well, as normal as you would be pregnant. I'm concerned with the fact that you were taking ma.s.sive doses of what you were told were birth control pills. When Pallo called me and told me about your situation, I immediately began running tests on the pills Dr.

Brown left for you. The pills weren't for preventing pregnancy at all."

I sat up fast, a little too fast. "What?""They were actually more of a fertility drug. It's the strangest thing I've ever seen. I know that a spell had to have been put on them. I just don't have the background to know what kind it is. I'm sending some over to the local coven ... Don't worry, I'll keep everything very hush, hush."

Pallo walked closer to us. If I didn't know better, I'd say he seemed hesitant to come near me. "Can you tell what grows inside her?"

Dr. Gideon scratched his chin and shook his s.h.a.ggy head of red hair. "No, I think we should look into doing an ultrasound on her soon. I do know that it's human, but then again neither are either of you."

I nodded and another wave of pain hit me. Dr. Gideon ran to me. The pain worsened. Pallo touched my hand and it let up. They exchanged looks, nodded, and headed out into the hall together. Pallo pulled the door closed behind them. I listened and was surprised to find that I could hear them, even through the thick door.

Vampirism has its perks.

"This thing, it told her that she would not survive the birth, do you agree? Will Gwyneth die attempting to bring this to term?"

I heard the hushed voice of Dr. Gideon next. "I'll be amazed if she makes it through the pregnancy ... let alone to term. These things in her are not normal. They are draining her at an alarming rate. Bring her in to my office tomorrow. I'll take a look at her there. I can't make any promises. I'm going to go make some phone calls about this. Oh, Pallo ...

make your peace with her now. At this rate she'll deliver within a week, and well ... you know."

"Thank you, Doctor."

The door opened and Pallo stepped back in. He forced a smile onto his face. I looked towards the wall. I didn't need his false smiles to soothe me. I needed the truth.

He walked towards me. "Are you hungry?"

I shook my head no. He came and sat on the edge of the bed. I heard a movement downstairs and then I heard James cursing silently under hisbreath about dropping the bread on the floor.

"I don't want to eat anything he's sending up right now. My luck the sandwich will be hairy."

Pallo appeared shocked. "You heard that?"