Page 38 of Eleazar

Andrew’s eyes widened as he slapped a hand over his mouth and raced toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Shayde looked at Eleazar with a raised brow. “Is he that squeamish?”

If what Eleazar suspected was true, his second-in-command would find out. “Did you do as I asked?”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure why you wanted Dr. Caldart to draw some of Andrew’s blood. The doctor was here twice within the span of an hour.”

Eleazar forced himself to his feet so he could check on his mate, but just then the bathroom door opened and Andrew came out with a hand on his stomach, taking deep breaths.

“I’m okay.” Andrew held up a hand. “I don’t think Sonny’s dinner agreed with me.”

Despite how he felt, Eleazar smirked. They were both saying they were fine, but neither of them was telling the truth. He eased back down to the bed then kicked his shoes off before he fully lay down.

Shayde looked hesitant, as if he wanted to finish their conversation, but Eleazar needed rest. He wasn’t going to discuss the possibility of being pregnant until Dr. Caldart confirmed his suspicions.

“Let me know if there’s anything you need,” Shayde said before he walked out of the room.

What Eleazar had noticed since rescuing Andrew’s friend was how Shayde hovered near the human’s room. Whatever Chainsaw had given Zach, the human was going through withdrawal, and either Andrew or Shayde was with him.

Andrew curled up next to Eleazar, resting his head on Eleazar’s shoulder. “What do you think he tainted your blood with?”

“I have no idea,” Eleazar answered. “I don’t know that he even did.”

Andrew lifted his head. “What do you mean?”

He explained to his mate what had taken place with Maximus and the words exchanged.

“Growing soft?” Andrew snorted. “Where would he get an idea like that?”

His human had no idea just how ruthless Eleazar truly was. So far Andrew hadn’t seen that side of him, and he wouldn’t if Eleazar had anything to do with it. Eleazar didn’t want his mate to see his dark side, ever.

“I don’t know if he truly poisoned me or if the mere suggestion made these symptoms manifest.” Eleazar would never have confessed that to anyone, but Andrew wasn’t just anyone. Eleazar wouldn’t even have told Shayde his worries, but Andrew was his mate, and he was the one man Eleazar felt he could be vulnerable with.

Eleazar also prayed it was all in his mind, because if it wasn’t, and Maximus had truly poisoned his blood, would Dr. Caldart be able to counteract whatever Maximus had done?

He pulled Andrew closer and rested his chin on his mate’s head. He’d never felt this way about anyone, so Eleazar would go so far as to say he was falling in love with the human. It had to be love, because Eleazar had been ready to kill every vampire in Ridgeway when he’d discovered Andrew gone.

He was willing to do anything Andrew wanted, to shower him in diamonds and furs, to protect him from every danger that threatened his life. Andrew was his mate, his destiny, his reason for living. Eleazar didn’t care if others saw their relationship as a weakness, as he knew that loving Andrew made him stronger.

His thoughts were interrupted by Andrew’s soft voice. “I’ll take care of you, Eleazar. I promise.”

Eleazar couldn’t help the small smile that graced his lips. “I know you will, my sweet. And I will take care of you too.”

Andrew looked up at him. “It’s just a stomach bug or something. It’ll pass.”

If his mate was indeed pregnant, he and Andrew would face a whole new set of challenges. There would be those who would want to use their child to gain power and others who would see it as a threat.

But for now, as Andrew’s breathing slowed and his body relaxed in Eleazar’s embrace, Eleazar pushed all thoughts of the future aside.

For now, he just wanted to enjoy the peace he found in his mate’s arms and the knowledge that, despite the dangers that surrounded them, they had each other.

“Why did Dr. Caldart take some of my blood earlier?” Andrew asked. “All he told me was that you asked him to.”

“I was hoping he could figure out why you are so sick.” It wasn’t a flat-out lie. If Andrew wasn’t with child, then Eleazar wanted to make sure it was a simple stomach bug or discover if it was something else.

“I’ve never heard of blood tests for intestinal distress.” Andrew began to run his palm back and forth over Eleazar’s chest, and Eleazar found it soothing. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then he felt a presence. He jerked from the bed fast, ready to fight, but then he saw it was Shayde.

“You’ve been asleep for the past six hours,” Shayde said with a smirk. “I didn’t mean to startle you, but you didn’t answer my calls.”

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