Page 60 of Love & Monsters
“There’s more.” When I said that, Ilya closed her eyes again. “The note says that if Vadric is victorious over Rykan, he’ll send someone to escort us back to the city.”
“I suppose that makes sense.” She deflated into the chaise. “He’ll need to reassert himself as the rightful Lord as soon as they win the battle. Which will include settling the city after the war. It’ll be easier for Knox and Vadric to focus on their work if someone else brings their mates home.”
“Uh, yeah.” I dropped the note on the desk before curling my arm back around Minak, sleeping against my chest.
It wasn’t the first time Ilya made the comment that I was Vadric’s mate. I’m sure it wouldn’t be the last either. In the beginning, she seemed to hate the idea, but now she acted as if it was a fact. I didn’t know how possible it was.
The sensation of her crimson eyes burned into the side of my face. The silence stretched as she stared at me while I willfully ignored it. I knew I had unquestionable feelings for Vadric, but did that translate to the mate-bond the Nefellim had?
“You always sound as though you doubt Vadric is your mate. Do you not want to be his mate?” Her sudden question startled me. My blood went cold, running through my veins, and I shivered.
“I don’t know if that’s possible, Ilya. We don’t know if I can give him what you and Knox have.” This wasn’t the first time I’d thought about it, either.
On Earth, I always knew I wanted a large family. As an only child, it had been a dream of mine to have as many children as I could with someone I loved. My heart and soul thought that dream had died when I fell through the portal.
“Do you mean children?” Ilya’s question hit the nail on the head. My heart sunk. It didn’t help the shadow over my shoulder while I was holding a lovely baby in my arms.
“Maybe. I’m only human, after all.” How likely was it that a demon and a human could start a family together?
“Vadric treated you as a male treats his mate, without a doubt. I have no question that you are.” Ilya waved her hand passively, as if her opinion was final.
“How do male Nefellim treat their mates any differently from other females?” My lips pursed into a thin line as I waited for her answer.
“He feeds you first before himself. Though Vadric went so far as to hand feed you, that’s devotion you rarely see. I’m assuming he was enthusiastic for you to climax during mating?” Ilya prompted. My face went as red as a tomato.
We might have gotten close over the past two months, but this was never a topic of conversation.
“I suppose so.” Not knowing how to answer that, I shrugged and gnawed on my bottom lip.
“Does your climax last for much longer with him compared to other males?” Her lack of shame in asking that only made my embarrassment swell higher. Soaring into the sky like a blushing balloon.
Instead of answering with words, I stared at the floor and quickly nodded my head.
“That only happens with mates. With Nefellim, the female will orgasm for longer with an enthusiastic partner to allow her body to become with child. If Vadric is not your mate, then that wouldn’t happen.” One brow twitched up as she waited for my response.
“Well,” the word spilled from my lips, “I definitely have feelings for him.”
I wanted to get the conversation flowing in another direction. Nefellim didn’t have the same hang-ups on relationships as humans. I still wanted to avoid that conversation with his sister.
Ilya sighed while nodding her head. “That’s obvious. You have that longing in your eyes that I had the first time that Knox and I were apart. Vadric sent him away on business after finding us together. We hadn’t told him we were mates yet, and he was upset. When Knox came back, things calmed down, but I didn’t let him leave my bed for at least a week.”
“That sounds about right.” From everything she told me about her mate-bond with Knox, I could easily picture the time she spoke of. Although I didn’t exactly want to.
Ilya went back to staring at me. This time, I met her speculative gaze. Raising my brow in a silent question, she tilted her head to the side and looked at me from head to toe. Her eyes briefly stopped on her son in my arms before returning to assessing me.
“Have you had your cycle lately?” The moment my brain registered her words, all the blood drained from my face.
“I haven’t thought about it.” Not once since Vadric left for war had I thought about it. If I did, it was to think about the first time that he smelled my blood and fucked me senseless with his tongue. That night had to be about three months ago now.
“Since before Vadric left?” I heard Ilya’s words, but my thoughts were spiraling.
My stomach twisted into knots as I tried to think if I’d had my period since arriving here. Since all those intimate moments with Vadric, I couldn’t remember another instance of it at all.
“You know, when I fell through the portal and lost my family back on Earth, I didn’t think I’d ever have a family again.” My cycles were always regular, and now I was stunned and wondering if the impossible had happened.
My life had turned upside down, and I never stopped to think about it. With the whirlwind of the war, looking after the fortress in Vadric’s absence, and helping Ilya with Minak, it didn’t occur to me once. I hadn’t had my period in three months. Not since the night I met the Nefellim I fell in love with. The night that prompted the start of our unusual relationship.
“We are your family now, Mina. You are my sister.” Ilya smiled, and I saw the firelight reflected in her red eyes. “Vadric is your mate. And if you carry the Lord of Nadirn’s heir, you can no longer deny it.”
