Page 53 of Betrayed Pregnant Mate

My phone buzzes on the dresser, and I pick it up when I see it’s Rosa.

“Hello?

“Hey bitch, where are you? The party is going down here,”

Despite everything running through my mind, I laugh, standing up and grabbing my Sharpie for autographs from my purse.

“I’m on my way,” I say, ending the call and hurrying down the steps, taking them carefully in my heels, then wondering if a vampire can even get hurt from falling down the steps.

Chapter 26 - Percy

Aris called us all in for extra security tonight, and unlike the kick-off party, I actually agree with him on this one. The streets of Rosecreek are absolutely packed, with bodies churning around, people dancing, eating candied apples, guzzling cider, and buying kettle corn bag after huge bag.

Part of me wishes I was part of the crushing crowd and participated in the festivities, but another part of me is glad that I’m on the sidelines. This is my first Halloween in Rosecreek, but for a lot of guests here tonight, this is an annual tradition.

The image pops into my head before I can stop it—Veronica and I, making adorable matching family costumes with our little one, coming every year, taking adorable pictures in the pumpkin patch outside town. Putting on ugly velvet suits and going to Christmas at the Cadell’s house. Having our own little Christmas Eve celebration, just our family. Flying my parents in to stay with us, making them very much a part of our kids’ lives.

Someone dressed up like a table lamp pushes into me, and I snap back to where I am.

I’m dressed as a male pop star, wearing a white tracksuit with red details and perfectly white sneakers. Around the front of my face is a thick, black, fake microphone that I keep thinking is a bumblebee when I see it from my periphery.

Earlier, when I left, Veronica had said, her voice slightly flat, that she just needed more time to get ready. She looked so unbelievably gorgeous in her little body suit, and all I wanted to do was get her close to me, but there was still something getting her down.

We haven’t had sex since before the meeting with Paul the vampire, and I wonder if she’s nervous about the vampires. It would make sense, because she was attacked by them less than a month ago, and it’s part of what started this whole thing.

It’s part of what led to us being blood-bound.

Every time I think about asking her about the double heartbeat, it just doesn’t seem right. She’s either sitting in the bathtub, gazing forlornly at the water, or sitting on the couch, staring forlornly at the wall. Each weekend, Rosecreek held Halloween festivals, and we came to each one, Veronica designing our costumes, but it just never felt like her heart was in it.

I remember her whispering with Rafael, but when I confronted him about it, he said she was just asking him about vampires, said she felt embarrassed asking the others and showing how little, she knew about the paranormal world in general.

I’m not a vampire, but even I could tell he wasn’t being completely truthful. But I trust her, and I know with certainty that she would never cheat on me, so I’m just waiting for her to come around and show her as much love as I can.

Bigby told me I should take her out on the lake if I want her to fall in love with the place, said taking Rosa and Kaila to the lake was the first step in convincing them to move.

Aris said I should try being the alpha, as that might convince her, then he’d considered for a second and clarified that he was not suggesting I challenge him.

“Why?” I’d joked, “Nervous, I might win?”

“No,” Aris joked back, “I’m nervous I might embarrass you in front of your new girlfriend.”

Last night, Byron and I sat at his apartment, playing video games late into the night. Wordlessly, previous week, I’d started joining Ado for coffee and a walk through the park on Sunday mornings like we used to go when we were working.

I’ve realized that the reason I wasn’t doing stuff with the team wasn’t because they hated me, it was because I was locking myself in my apartment and waiting for someone to come break me out, while they were trying to give me time to heal without crowding me.

More and more, I’ve been opening up, sharing with them what it was like while I was out in the woods, under the effect of the serum.

As the throngs of people pushed past me, I notice more and more of them dressed as vampires. My hand itches to look it up, or at least to call and ask Bigby, who probably knows how many people usually dress as vampires for Halloween.

Because this crowd feels skewed, like way more vampires than any other costume, and that can’t be a coincidence. I think about what Olivia said, about the current vampire trend, and I hope that’s the reason for the costumes.

“Dude,” I say, when I catch Byron later. His hair is very pale blue, and he’s half-heartedly dressed as a nerd.

“’ Sup,” he says, but he’s not in it. When we played games, I could tell something was bothering him, but Byron has never been one to talk about his feelings, so I’ve been waiting for him to open up about it to me instead of pushing.

“Do you feel like there are more vampires here?”

“There are vamps here?”

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