Page 7 of Destined for Eternity
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, understanding it must have been frustrating for her to fail again in such a gruesome way. They had allies who would love to walk in the daylight, and it would make them more useful when the days were long in Alaska. “I’m certain you will succeed and make it work soon.”
Cori nodded. “I’m afraid the problem is who I’m testing. Derrick gives me these really bad guys who’ve hurt innocent people, and it’s hard to want to give them that special power—never mind that they’re just gonna get staked afterward. I’d love to try it on someone who deserves it, but if they die…”
“You’d feel terrible,” he finished.
“Exactly.”
“Don’t worry about that too much. I have full confidence in your abilities,” he reassured her, then glanced at the clock on the wall, noting it was almost four in the afternoon. “When do you finish here?”
“Ten minutes, but I have to make a run to the bank to make a deposit.” She paused, her expression changing. “Did you hear about the museum robbery in Chicago?”
“I did.” He’d seen it on the news just before going to the nerou compound. Now that a demon had made its way to Fairbanks, he was less keen on Cori traveling around town by herself. “Allow one of your employees to go instead.”
She lifted her chin. “I always do it…but you can go with me.”
Bartol had to resist the urge to make her go home where she’d be safe. Without her cooperation, he couldn’t flash her. Cori was at least part sensor. She’d received one recessive gene from one of her parents, which would normally be dormant, but consuming Melena’s blood last year had activated it. So while she wasn’t entirely immune to magic, she could choose when it worked on her or not. He had to try reason if he wanted to get his way.
“Consider the baby,” he said.
Her hand crept over her belly and she glanced down, her gaze lingering there for a moment before meeting his eyes again. “Our child is fine.”
“A demon was found in Fairbanks this morning.”
Cori stiffened. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not. I’ve just come from vanquishing it.”
“Well, then…” She worked her jaw. “Then you will be the perfect company while I go to the bank. You’ll know when one is close, right?”
He could, but only once it was within a dozen or so paces from him. Only a sensor could track them farther out. “That isn’t the point.”
“Look, Bartol.” She clenched her fists. “We can’t live our lives in fear of remote possibilities, especially if you’ve already killed the demon. In six weeks, this baby will be born, and then we’ll have to worry about his or her safety every time we take our child out of our home. Cars, planes, asteroids…anything could be a hazard whether demons are around or not. Believe me, I’ve learned that lesson all too well. This isn’t any easier on me, but I promised myself I would not let my past affect my future and I need you to help with that.”
Gut-wrenching pain entered her eyes as she said the last part. This was a woman who had lost her five-year-old daughter because of her ex-husband’s carelessness while drinking and driving. He’d had their little girl for the weekend as part of their divorce agreement, so there was nothing she could have done. Bartol had seen the grave Cori regularly visited, and he could tell she’d never fully gotten over it.
At least the fool who’d killed her daughter was finally dead and gone. He’d gone up in flames in the sun last year—as a result of becoming a vampire—and had tried to take Cori with him. She’d nearly died from extensive burns, but a heavy dose of Melena’s immortal blood had saved her. Going through that had forced Bartol’s mate to relive the trauma of her daughter dying and had changed her irrevocably, though she did her best to hide the pain and suffering she felt.
Cori had held herself together remarkably well as impending motherhood approached for the second time. It might have helped that this baby would be far more resilient and potentially immortal once it grew up, but there would be a period during its childhood where it would be vulnerable.
The nerou, who had the most similar genetic makeup to his and Cori’s unborn child, never faced a day of sickness in their lives. They could heal quickly from everything except the gravest of injuries. They didn’t even need very much oxygen or food to sustain them. But because they grew up in Purgatory where nothing could harm them, no one knew for certain what vulnerabilities they might have faced in their youth if they’d been on Earth. With nephilim, they healed slower during childhood, and they didn’t have any abilities to help defend themselves until well into adulthood.
“I know this can’t be easy for you,” he began.
“It isn’t.” Cori hugged herself. “And it doesn’t help that you aren’t able to…”
“Comfort you properly,” he finished.
He took a step toward her. They were a mere five feet apart, but it felt closer to him—more like a breath away. He required a good deal of personal space, but he could see that she needed him. A few more steps and he stood directly in front of her. Cori gazed up at him, standing nearly a foot shorter. Cautious hope entered her eyes. It wasn’t often he braved touching her intimately, despite feeling the need all the time when they were apart.
Bartol braced himself, took a calming breath, and pulled her into his arms. She sank into him, careful not to clutch him too tightly. He closed his eyes and rubbed her back. His throat was tightening, his chest felt like a boulder was crushing it, and he had the urge to flee, but he did his best to ignore all of that and just be there for his mate. He had to give her all of him that he could, and desperately wished it could be more. Cori wasn’t one to allow others to help her often, and she preferred not to show vulnerability, but sometimes with him, she let her guard down. He cherished that she trusted him that much. For a long minute, he held her. It was difficult, and yet it felt right deep down inside. They loved each other—for better or worse.
He kissed her forehead and pulled away. “I will go with you to the bank.”
Cori let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“And God help anyone who tries to harm you along the way.”
“I know, right?” She gave him a saucy smile. “I’ll shoot them to Hell and back.”
“You’re not taking a gun with you, are you?”
She gave him a careless shrug. “I do what I must.”
Sometimes, Bartol had no idea what to make of the woman he’d fallen in love with, but one thing he did know above all else was that they were made for each other.
