Chapter Sixty-four Anton paid off his tab and stopped by the main desk to get another copy of the key to his room. He ignored the snide looks that he got from the desk clerk when he said the room number. He also ignored the looks he got from the few vampires he passed on the way back as well. Right now he didn't care about anything but trying to patch things up with Bryn and crawling into bed. When he got to the room, he was relieved to see that it was back to normal. But there was no sign of Bryn. Frowning, he checked the bathroom. No sign of her there. In fact, it looked like that she hadn't been in the room since it had bee put to right. Starting to grow concerned, he stepped out and knocked on the door where Nathaniel and Lindy were. Inside, playing with Liam on the bed, Nate frowned. "Find out who that is, will you?" he asked Lindy, who was lying across from him. "And don't open the door until you know it's safe." "Why don't you get off your lazy butt and do it?" she asked, already having stood up and headed in that direction. "Because I don't really feel like talking to anyone right now. But if it's your parents, I'd like to know if there's a problem." She sighed, nearing the door. "Who is it?" "It's Anton, open up!" She reached for the door knob, pulling open the automatically locking door. "What's up?" "Have you seen Bryn?" Lindy made a face on smelling his breath. "Anton, have you been drinking?" "Yes. But have you seen Bryn? She's not in our room." "No, I thought she was with you--" "Tell him to crawl into bed and sleep it off!" Nate called out, from around the corner. "Have *you* seen Bryn?" Lindy asked Nate. "No. I don't keep tabs on her. Then again, neither does he. The only person around here who does is Natasha. Why don't you go ask her if she's seen Bryn?" Anton hung his head. "Oh God. She said something about she might as well ask Natasha to end it." "Whoah," Lindy said, shaking her head. "Back up a moment Anton. She said what?" "She was upset about the Council's decision not to do anything but tell us to play nice. She said that since I couldn't keep her safe, she might as well stop trying to delay the inevitable and ask Natasha to kill her." He passed a hand over his eyes and forehead. "What if she has?" "She wouldn't do that, Anton. Not with Max...if she dies, so does he. And she loves him." She placed a hand on his upper arm to steady him, wincing at the alcohol scent that seemed to be leaking from his pores. "Why don't you come in and sit down. I'll make a few phone calls and we'll see if we can find her, okay?" He nodded, still looking miserable, and allowed her to lead him over to a chair. Nate sat up slightly on the bed, pulling Liam back towards him as the boy started to crawl to Anton. "She probably just got tired of waiting around for you and went out somewhere." Anton rested his head in his hands and made a soft moaning noise. Lindy shook her head and picked up the phone, dialing an in-hotel number. "Hi Walter. I just wanted to know if you...Yeah, that's what I was calling about. She's fine? Good. No, I'll call you back in a moment. He's here right now. Okay. Love you." She hung up the phone. "Bryn is safe and sound and sleeping in my parents' room." Anton let out a soft sigh. "Thank God." Nate settled back down on the bed, letting out a sigh. "I think you should probably go sleep it off, Anton. She's fine now, and I don't really think we need to interrupt Lindy's parents anymore than we already have." "No," Anton said. He got to his feet rather shakily. "I'll go down and see her." Lindy stepped in front of him. "Anton, you're drunk. The best thing you can do now is go to bed, sleep it off, and talk to her tomorrow when you can think clearly. Okay?" He looked like he was about to argue the point, but gave in. "Okay." Lindy saw him to the door, and watched as he stumbled into his room. "Good night, Anton." She closed her door and leaned back against it. "Thanks for the help, Nathaniel." "Hey! Don't bitch at me, Alinda. If you want to be pissed at someone, be pissed at Anton for accusing me of helping Natasha murder one of his fiancˇes." He sat up, triumphant at the look on her face. "Yeah, that's right. Had the balls to say it right to my face. If he wasn't drunk at the time, I would've kicked his ass." "He probably only said it because he was drunk." It was a weak defense, and she knew it. "But you're right. He shouldn't have said that." Lindy sat down on the bed beside him. "We're all under stress after that fiasco of a meeting. If I had known how it would end up, I wouldn't have let Bryn talk me into sending that email." "Do you really think it makes a difference? Whether or not you sent the email, it would've turned out the exact same way. I was already planning to talk to the Council when we got here. And I knew exactly what Natasha would say to defend herself. But I was foolish if I thought the council might vote in our favor. If we don't have evidence, we don't have any defense against her at all." He sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. "But I'll tell you one thing, that's the last time I'm going out in search of Anton. It's the last time I'm leaving you alone. I don't care if I have to follow you into the ladies room in the lobby. I'm not leaving you unprotected. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if staying for the rest of the Gathering is such a good idea. You and Liam would be a hell of a lot safer at home." "What exactly are you saying, Nathaniel?" Lindy crossed her arms over her chest. "That we should go hide? Run in fear? Be afraid to show our faces in public. Cause that's exactly what she wants. And I sure as hell refuse to live my life by her terms." He let out a heavy sigh and sank back to the mattress. "You know, that rebellious streak of yours drives me insane sometimes. I don't know how to keep you safe, Lindy. And I don't like the idea of inviting disaster. But if you want to stay, we'll stay." "That's just it. I don't know what to do." She also fell back on the mattress and then rolled onto her side. "But as far as keeping me safe, remember, you were the one who reminded me I wasn't a 'weak little flower.' Besides, would Natasha really try something here and now with the Council breathing down all our necks?" "Well, hopefully not. But I don't trust her at all. I wouldn't put it past her to get someone else to do her dirty work for her. I'd be willing to bet you that's how she gets away with most of the stuff she does anyway. She certainly tried it when I was with her." Lindy nodded, trying not to think of the time she had broken into Natasha's hotel room and smelled to men there. She didn't even want to consider that someone in the warehouse could be working for Natasha. She snuggled a little closer to Nate's side. Liam decided he wanted to use his mother as climbing equipment and tried to climb over her hips to land on the bed behind her. Her smile was tempered with worry as she tousled his hair. "Is there anyone here who would help her?" "You'd be surprised. I've even wondered if someone on the Council might be under her thumb. I can't be sure who, but it's a feeling I have." He sighed. "It would certainly explain that ruling they gave us." Lindy sighed and started gently stroking his stomach. "Well, then maybe it's time we made some allies of our own." Bryn let out a heavy sigh as she headed back to her room. It was midmorning and Jess, Walter, and Alex had decided to go out to breakfast. They'd invited Bryn to join them, but, since she had already disrupted their sleep and invaded their hotel room, it didn't seem right. Rather than staying in their room all alone, she figured it would be just as easy to do the same in her own. Unlocking the door, she quietly stepped inside and set down her purse. She didn't bother to check and see if Anton had returned--he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Instead, she headed into the bathroom, stripped out of her clothes, and stepped under the hot spray of the shower. Anton forced his eyes open when he heard the water start. Moving somewhat gingerly, he sat up and looked at the clock. It was 9:30 AM, way too early for him to be awake as far he was concerned. His head was pounding and he felt slightly queasy. Nothing that a little fresh blood wouldn't take care of, if he was able to keep it down. Once Lindy sent him to his room, he had merely collapsed on the bed, still dressed. He wasn't able to sleep though. He missed the sound of Bryn's breathing. He felt cold, missing her body warmth. Only the knowledge that she was safe with the werewolves kept him from going out and finding her. Staggering to his feet, he started towards the bathroom. He wasn't sure what to say to her yet. But this would have to be worked out one way or another. The queasiness grew with each step. He staggered with more speed to the bathroom, Bryn having to take second in his concerns. The first was not making a mess on the carpet. He managed to drop to his knees in front of the toilet before the retching started. Bryn paused in the middle of rinsing her hair, her nose wrinkling as she heard him. [Eww...] She winced as the shampoo got in her eyes and quickly finished rinsing it away. Then, taking a few steps to the end of the tub, she pulled back the shower curtain a bit to make sure he was okay. She grimaced as he vomited again, backing up a step. "Do you need help?" "No, I don't think so," he said rather weakly. He sat back on his knees, massaging his forehead with one hand. He made a face as he stood up slowly, but his head felt a little clearer. At least he didn't feel that his guts were trying to turn inside out at the moment. She turned off the shower spray for a moment, keeping the tub running. Grabbing the washcloth she'd brought in the shower with her, she ran it under the water. Squeezing out the excess and folding it into quarters, she handed him the cold washcloth. "Here. This might help your head." "Thank you." He put the washcloth over his head, the edge of it covering his eyes. He took a deep breath and made a face. His mouth felt nasty. Feeling around for a glass, he filled it with enough water to rinse his mouth out. After spitting out the water, he turned back to Bryn. "I am so sorry about last night, Bryn." "I bet you are, with the hangover you have." She adjusted the water temperature and turned on the shower spray once again. "You don't have to worry about paying for the room. I already did, out of my savings." "You don't have to, Bryn. You had every right to throw a fit." He put down the wash cloth and massaged his temples with the heels of his hands. "I'm sorry I left last night. I shouldn't have." She didn't have a reply to that. She certainly wasn't going to say 'that's okay', because it wasn't. Not one little bit. Picking up her facial cleanser, she squirted some into her hand and quickly rubbed over her face. She was determined to finish her shower and get out of there, before he knew exactly how hurt she was. He listened to the silence for a few minutes before speaking again. "I know you don't like me that much at the moment. And I don't blame you. *I* don't like me much at the moment for leaving you and getting drunk. So I'll leave you alone now. When you're ready to talk, I'll be there. When you're ready to scream at me, I'll be waiting. And this time I promise I won't walk away." She blinked a few times, trying so hard not to cry. "I won't be here, Anton. I'm going to talk to the Council as soon as I'm done getting dressed. I don't care if I have to stand outside their hotel rooms and shout, they are going to listen to me. Because I'm sick of being ignored." Anton took a deep breath, fighting his first instinct to tell her not to do this. The Council clearly didn't understand the gravity of the situation. This was not an ongoing tit- for-tat fight between him and Natasha that they seemed to think. This was something more dangerous, and would become deadly if not stopped. She was right. They had to be made to listen. "Do you want me to come with you?" "You can if you want. It doesn't matter to me." [I can obviously do things on my own.] She swallowed heavily, then rinsed her face. She shaved under her arms, then quickly removed any stubble on her legs. It wasn't as easy now, trying to maneuver around her belly, but she made do. "You might want to hear what I have to say...then I won't have to repeat myself later." He took a deep breath, trying to screen out the ache in his head. And his heart. "Okay. When you finish your shower, I'll take a quick one. We'll go do this together." Still a bit unsteady on his feet, he grabbed his toothbrush and turned on the sink. It had taken nearly twenty minutes to convince the Empress's assistant to let them into the suite. He gave them a dirty look as he wrapped his robe around him and led them to a seat in the spacious sitting room. Bryn sat down in one of the armchairs, taking deep breaths, trying to collect her thoughts. While the assistant went to wake the Lilith, and to call the council to an emergency meeting, Bryn glanced at Anton and noticed the rings under his eyes. Even if she was angry at him, she couldn't help but be concerned. "Did you sleep at all?" "Maybe three hours," he mumbled. He rubbed his eyes and gave a tug to straighten the jacket he was wearing. He'd done little more than wash his hair and brush his teeth to make himself presentable. He knew the Council would not be pleased at all with this interruption, and wasn't sure if this would be considered one of the 'incidents' he was warned about. But this had to be done. "You ready for this, Bryn?" "Yes," she said, quietly. She hadn't slept at all, despite pretending to every time someone checked on her. She'd been too busy weighing her options...and she'd ached with her entire body when she realized what she'd have to do if the council wouldn't hear her. She could only hope and pray that they did. It took almost twenty more minutes for the council to convene. Most of them wore pajamas and robes. A few had gotten dressed. But when the Empress walked into the room, causing everyone to stand up, she was wearing a long satin kimono...and what appeared to be nothing underneath. "Be seated," she said, quietly, accepting a cup of tea from her assistant. "Can I ask what was so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow?" one of the councilmen asked. "We're getting to that, Edward," Lilith said. She turned her attention to Bryn, assessing her with probing brown eyes. "The council heard your case already, have they not?" Bryn straightened her posture, setting her purse on the floor. "Yes, but I want to appeal." "In that case, you'll need to ask for an official hearing so the defendant may be present." "That's exactly why I didn't ask. Her presence, I feel, is what gave us the verdict we have." Lilith shook her head, smiling benevolently. "Exactly. She has every right to speak her piece." "No, she doesn't! Please, just listen to me. You can't leave her to do whatever she wants. She's a danger to society, and if she's free, someone is going to end up dead. I guarantee it." Richard, the sole African American member of the Council leaned forward. "Isn't that being a little melodramatic?" "It wasn't melodrama when Sabryn came out of a car accident that should have killed her. Or when Alinda survived a poisoning that would have killed a human," Anton responded. "Ah, yes. The car accident. Your wife appears to be in perfect health now. If the accident had been as severe as you claim, she would, at least, be having motor skill difficulties, if not some more severe form of brain damage." "I can get my doctor to send my medical records to you, if you'd like," Bryn said, coldly. "My survival was nothing short of a miracle, and I have my child to thank for that." She placed her hand over her stomach. "I know this is going to be hard to believe, but this child wasn't conceived through a sperm donor, and I most certainly didn't have an affair. This is Anton's son. I don't know how, but like I said, I can have my medical records sent to you if you need the proof." That caused a minor explosion of outbursts, forcing Lilith to call for order. She fixed Anton with a keen gaze. "Is this true?" "Yes. I don't know how, I don't know why. But this is my son that Bryn is carrying. I know it is unheard of in our long history. But I've seen the genetic test results. There's no doubt about it. He is my son. And I will do anything to defend him." [Anything to defend *him*,] Bryn thought, somewhat bitterly. Mentally shaking off the thought, she fixed Lilith with her stare. "This is Anton's only chance to have a child, and you can't take that away from him. Any of you might sell your soul for that chance." She closed her eyes briefly, pushing away a surge of emotion. "I love my husband more than anything, and I promised him that I would never leave him. But every day I fear for my life. I fear for my son. I rarely ever leave my house anymore, because I'm too afraid of what might happen to me. Natasha has done everything in her power to hurt us, and she's succeeding. A dear friend of mine could've died, because of me. I have done nothing to Natasha Falconieri. Before this Gathering, I had never even met her. And yet she's trying to kill me." "I will protect my son with my life, but I know he's not safe now. And even though I swore I would never leave Anton..." She sucked in a sharp sob, tears leaking from her closed eyes. "I'm beginning to think that's my only option." "What?" Anton looked at her in blatant shock. He forgot about the Council sitting across from him as he got out of his chair to kneel in front of her. "Bryn, please tell me you're not seriously considering that." He bit back a sob when she nodded, unable to meet his eyes. "Bryn, please. I swear, I'll do whatever it takes to protect you." "Even if it means violating the Council's ruling?" Edward asked. "Even if it means violating the Council's ruling." Anton affirmed. "I will do all I can to honor the laws you have set down. But if it comes to a choice between breaking them and protecting my wife, there is no choice." Another explosion of voices filled the room. Bryn squeezed her eyes shut, trembling. "I'm sorry, Anton, but you can't do that. I won't let you. I wouldn't--I wouldn't keep Max from you. You could visit him whenever you wanted to. I know how much he means to you." "Bryn, please. I don't think I could live without you again. I don't want to lose you again, not after everything else we've fought through to stay together." "You're assuming," Miguel said in his accented English, "That Natasha Falconieri will not abide by this ruling." "I know she wont," Anton responded, looking back over his shoulder. "No more than she's responded to my requests for her to leave me alone." He turned back to his wife, taking both of her hands between his. "Bryn, what's to say she won't come after you once you're gone? You may be in more danger alone than with me." "Then I'll go somewhere where she can't find me." She sucked in a sob, tucking her chin against her chest. "If we have to, we'll get a divorce. Maybe that will stop her. This isn't about me, Anton. It's about Max. I won't let her hurt him!" Anton leaned his head against her knees. "If that's what it takes, Bryn. It'll rip my heart out, but I'll do it." "Not to break up this touching scene," Richard said. "But getting back to the child. Is there any indication of what he will be? Human, vampire, or both?" Anton swallowed and turned to face the Council again. He didn't return to his seat, didn't even stand up. He remained on the floor beside Bryn, clutching her knee. "We're not sure. Bryn has required transfusions, but we won't know for certain until Maxim is born. Bryn shook her head. "I should've known none of you would listen. Why the hell do you care what happens to a human?" She stood up and grabbed her purse, not even bothering to look at them. "The whole lot of you of you can go to hell. I'm leaving, while I still have the ability to do so." Without a second thought, Anton got up, following after her as she went out the door. "Bryn- -" "Mr. Rudenko, wait." Anton turned to look back at Lilith reluctantly. "You will provide us with medical records supporting your claims?" "Yes," Anton snapped back. "Now if I may be excused, I have to go console my wife." He turned and put his and on the door. "It is not our wish to break up your marriage," Lilith said as he opened the door. "With your decision, you're not leaving us much choice." He stepped outside, leaving the Council a little stunned in his wake. By the time he caught up to her, she was in the elevator and the doors were closing. He sprinted the last few feet, shoving his hand against the door until it started to open again. Bryn was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed, tears continuously flowing down her face. "I hate this place. I wish we'd never come here." "So do I, Bryn." He pulled her into his arms, burying his nose in her hair, tears falling from his eyes as well. He wished that pushing the stop button would halt time as well as the elevator. Just so they would be together forever. She shuddered before unfolding her arms and wrapping them around him as well. Letting out a loud sob, she pressed her face to his neck and lost all control. She sagged against him, only his grip keeping her upright. He held on to her for dear life until the elevator opened it's door on the 9th floor. He gently guided her out into the hall and into to their room. He gently sat her down on the bed. "I have to call Anne to have her fax over her records. Then we're going to sit down, and we're going to figure out what to do." He pressed his lips to Bryn's forehead before picking up the phone. She sank sideways onto the bed, raggedly breathing, and silently watched him make the phone call. She hadn't removed her shoes or let go of her purse, and she lay there shivering uncontrollably. [Why bother?] a voice in her head asked, but she couldn't seem to say the words. [Why bother giving them what they want when it won't change a damned thing?] After directing the fax to be sent to Lilith's room when it arrived, he hung up the phone. His heart broke when he saw her shivering on the bed. Moving quietly, he took the purse out of her hand and pulled off her shoes. Leaving her otherwise dressed, he pulled the blankets, urging her to get under them. He then got into bed himself and pulled her close, trying to warm her up. "I'm s-so cold." She shuddered again, snuggling closer, and pushed her feet between his legs. She closed her eyes as he began briskly rubbing her arms. Burying her face against his chest, breathing in the scent of his shirt, she quietly said, "What are we going to do?" "I don't know, Bryn. But we're going to do it together." He kissed the top of her head and tucked the blankets tighter around her. "Do you want to skip the gala tonight and leave early tomorrow night? Somehow I don't think I'll be voted onto the Council now." He gently wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye with his thumb. "I just want you to be safe." She shook her head. "This is probably the only place I am safe. They're watching her, here. Besides, I've already embarrassed you enough. I'm sorry, Anton. I shouldn't have acted that way." "You haven't embarrassed me, Bryn. You've had every right to react the way you did. Maybe with the exception of trashing our hotel room." He kissed her forehead again. "But I need to ask your forgiveness, Bryn. I should have been supporting you, staying with you. Not going off and getting drunk." She swallowed heavily, staring at his lips. "I was so mad at you. But I guess you had every right, too. We both had to work out our frustration somehow." "I just hope the next time, we can figure out a way that won't cause throbbing headaches." The adrenaline of the confrontation was wearing off. He tightened his arms around her. "Do you want to talk, or do you want to try to get some sleep?" "Both," she said, sitting up a bit to remove her pants. "I know you probably don't want to talk about this, but I need to. I don't want to leave you, Anton. It's the last thing I want to do. But I'm honestly not sure we'll be able to avoid it. Those people weren't listening to me. I might as well have been talking to a potted plant." He pulled off his shirt. "I think you had their attention, more than you know. After all, you managed to convene a full hearing, in the middle of the day." Deciding to leave his pants on for the moment, he gently stroked his hands up and down her back. She sniffled, then pushed out of her underwear. "Anyone would convene just to shut me up. That doesn't mean they actually had to listen. They were too interested in Max's paternity to care." She unbuttoned her shirt and let it slide off her shoulders. "You don't think they'll tell anyone, do you?" "They'll do what they decide is best. Not necessarily for us, but for the whole of our kind." Anton pressed his lips against her neck. "Knowing how conservative they are, they'll probably keep it quiet for the moment." Now he gently kissed the corner of her jaw. "Now that they do know that Max is mine, maybe they'll do something more about Natasha." "I hope so," she said, quietly, leaning in to him. She reached behind her to unhook her bra, needing to be pressed against his bare skin. He was so warm, smelled so familiar. Welcoming and safe. Although he couldn't protect her every moment of the day, she always felt safe in his embrace. Dropping her bra to the floor, she scooted closer still. "I'm sorry I was being a bitch to you this morning." "It's okay, my dear." Gently, he continued to kiss her jaw, working his way towards her chin. He unzipped his pants and worked them off. He urged Bryn onto her back, and straddled his arms over her. "We're going to make it through this, Bryn, somehow." He leaned down and kissed her, nudging her lips apart with his tongue. She let out a whimper, opening her mouth to him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him close. She couldn't help but clutch him possessively. If she was honest with herself, she wasn't sure she could walk away from Anton, even if it did keep Max safe. It was almost impossible for her to survive without him. Just spending a night apart made her ache for him. 24 hours without him just might drive her insane. "I love you, Anton. I love you so much." "I love you so much too, Bryn." His hands started to slide over her shoulders, rubbing against her skin. It was killing him that she'd have to leave for her safety, felt that he'd failed her somehow. But if that was what needed to happen to keep her and Max safe, he'd struggle through it somehow. But at this moment, he was intent on making memories to see them through. He started kissing down her neck, hands now sliding down to cup her breast. She cried out, pressing herself into his hands. She closed her eyes as he continued to touch her, her lips quivering. Unable to keep her emotions at bay, she let out a sob and reached for him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, crying on shoulder. "I can't leave you. Please don't let me go, Anton, please. Tell me you'll come with me, and we'll hide somewhere she can't find us. Please?" "Yes," he hissed. Pulling her tighter against him, he slipped his legs between hers. "I'd follow you into daylight if you asked me to." He kissed her with a sense of urgency, shifting his thumb over her nipple. "We'll find place where she can't find us, touch us. And we'll never be apart." She kissed him back just as frantically, wrapping her legs around his thighs. She trembled with need, fear, excitement, and relief. "I need you so much. I can't even sleep without you...I can't even imagine trying to live without you." She kissed him again, sucking on his tongue, her fingernails digging in his back. He grunted, the hand on her breast tightening slightly. "I have lived without you, Bryn," he whispered. "And I'm never going back to that loneliness." He started to kiss his way down her neck and across her chest. "Never again." His lips closed around her nipple tightly as he flicked the tip with his tongue. "Ummm..." She moved her grip on him up to his shoulders, lightly scratching over his skin. She thrust her chest forward, dragging her heels up his thighs and spreading her legs. "Anton, mmm yes...oh God...sugar, will you take me from behind when you're ready? Please?" Anton rumbled in response, his hand sliding down her body to cup her sex as he nipped at her breasts. One finger slid inside her, teasing her wider open. Lazily, he drew circles around her nipples with his tongue, working inward at a maddeningly slow pace. She moaned, rocking her hips rhythmically against his hand. She needed to touch him, to be reassured by his embrace, but she couldn't tell him to stop what he was doing. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she said, "Sugar, please tell me you know how much I love you. Please don't hate me for saying what I said. I don't want to leave you. I'd never want to leave you." "I could never hate you, Bryn. I know you're only trying to do the best for Max. And that it killed you to consider it." He withdrew his hand from her and grabbed her hips. Urging her to roll over and get on her hands and knees, he climbed on his knees behind her. "If you have to leave our home, I'm going with you," he whispered, pushing his cock into her. "I'm not going to lose you again. Not to Natasha, not to death. Never again." He leaned over her body, kissing the base of her neck. "I love you, Sabryn Lailah Rudenko." Bracing herself on one arm, she wrapped her other hand around his arm and turned her head to kiss his bicep. "Thank you, Anton. I love you, too." Bryn gently squeezed him inside of her, trying to caress him as much as she could. Her feet hooked over his calves, anchoring him closer to her. She felt covered, sheltered, surrounded, possessed--and she wanted that. She wanted to be his, and have everyone know it. She wanted to feel like the lion's mate...the vampire's consort. "You know you own me, don't you?" "Yessss...." Anton's kisses turned into nips with just a hint of teeth along the side of her neck. "Mine and no one else's." Supporting his weight on one hand, he cupped her breast, measuring its weight in his palm. His thrusts became a little more forceful. "I'm not letting you get away from me." "Ohh! I don't want to!" She backed into his thrusts, slamming herself hard against his hips. Her fingers curled, fingernails digging into the sheets below her, purring like a kitten. He was so powerful, dominating, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming in ecstasy. She was unbelievably wet and tight around him. Panting, Anton moved his hand from her breast to her sex, rubbing his fingers around her clit. "Prove you're mine, Bryn. Cum for me hard." His balls had drawn tight up against his body and he thrust even harder. Desperate to mark her, to claim her like she requested, he bared his fangs and drew them across her neck. A thin line of blood appeared, which he immediately lapped at. At the first taste of her blood, he let out a pained grunt and came, flooding her. Bryn squealed, her body starting to spasm, feeling as if a wild animal had just clamped his jaws down around her neck to hold her in place. She froze, squeezing his cock tightly before rippling into orgasm. He sucked lightly at the wound he'd created, fangs dulled, just barely drawing any blood. Panting heavily, she carefully lowered them both to the bed, their knees bent to protect her stomach, her sex still quivering around his softening cock. She closed her eyes, resting her head on her pillow, her head tilted slightly as he continued to suck on her neck. Lazily, he rolled onto his side, taking her with him. Spooned in tight behind her, he still sucked at her neck, no longer drawing blood, but raising a hickey. His hand roamed over her side, resting on her belly, brushing by her breasts, caressing her waist. Eventually he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You're mine, Sabryn. Don't even think about going anywhere without me." She grabbed his hand and wrapped his arm tighter around her. She pressed her back firmly against his chest, snuggling in like a pig in a blanket. "I'm not going anywhere. Always with you. Always yours." She let out a soft sigh, then turned her head to lightly kiss his lips. "I love you so much. I'm only safe in your arms." It was two hours before the Gala was supposed to start. Lindy was putting on the last of her make up and checking her hair. She had slithered into the skin tight black dress, and had managed to tie it up. She only hoped she'd be able to walk, and dance, in the platform heels she was wearing. Looking back to the bathroom, she called out to Nate. "How are you doing?" "Fine," he said, downing the rest of the rum from the little bottles he'd found in the mini bar. Dancing along to his own tune, he murmured, "Bum ba bum ba ba...nuh na nuh na na...I'm an old cowhand, from the Rio Grande..." Finishing tucking his shirt in, he pulled up the suspenders and looked in the mirror. "But my legs ain't bowed...and my cheeks ain't tanned..." Grabbing his white tuxedo coat, he picked a flower out of the arrangement on the dresser and tucked it into the button hold on the lapel. He pulled the jacket on, squared his shoulders, straightened his black bow tie and pants, and gave himself a charming grin in the mirror. "Yippie-yi-yo-ki-yay." Lindy half winced, half laughed at his yodel. "Nate, what are you doing?" After one last look in the mirror, she went out to check on him. Her eyes slid over him, admiring his tuxedo, and almost missed the empty bottles. "Nate, how much have you had to drink already?" "Not much, just a few really--" He trailed off, his heavy-lidded gaze becoming a bit more coherent as he looked at her. "Wow, Lind." He walked over to where she stood, his gait not wavering in the slightest, and used his body to push her up against the wall. He looked her up and down, and sly grin coming to his face. "Wanna stay in, instead? You look real pretty." He leaned in closer, almost looming over her, and kissed her insistently. Passionately. His arms framing her in. "Real pretty, baby." Her nose wrinkled slightly at the smell of alcohol on his breath, but that didn't stop her from kissing him. "I thought you wanted to show me off, Nate." Her breathing sped up as he began kissing the pulse point below her jaw. "Hmm...I guess you're right. Besides, they'll want to call you up on stage, so you can introduce yourself. It's not required, but it could be a chance for everyone to welcome you and the other new initiates." He back up a bit, so he wasn't breathing directly in her face. "Besides, you'll have a chance to tell everyone you're with me, and make me look good." He grinned. "You are going to dance with me, aren't you? I've been practicing my lambada. I don't think the cleaning lady was very impressed, but I'm getting better." "You've been practicing the forbidden dance of love with the cleaning lady? I may have to hunt her down and kill her." She straightened his jacket lapels and brushed one strand of his hair back into place. "Have I mentioned yet how handsome you are?" "No, gorgeous, I don't believe you have." "Mmmm...shame on me then." She leaned forward and put her arms around his neck. "You have got to be the most handsome man I've ever seen. I am so proud that I'm going to be escorting you tonight." As she leaned forward to kiss him, they heard a knock at the door. "Nate, are you expecting anyone?" "No...but after drunk Anton showing up last night, I suppose we should be ready for just about anything." He started heading towards the door. "I wonder if he and Bryn ever made up." Turning the knob and opening the door, he raised an eyebrow at Lilith's assistant. "Is there a problem, Seth?" "The Empress requests your presence at her suite, immediately." Nate grinned back at Lindy. "Word's spreading...even the Empress knows how sexy I look in this tux." As Lindy rolled her eyes, Seth's expression remained dully annoyed. "She requests both of your presence. I am not to take no for an answer." "We'll be there momentarily then." Lindy gathered up her purse. She didn't have to worry about Liam, her parents having picked him up before they started getting ready. This summons to Lilith's presence was a bit surprising though. "Any idea what this is about Nathaniel?" "I don't have a clue," he said, checking his appearance in the mirror once more. "Maybe she wants to welcome you personally before the gala begins." Satisfied that he had everything he needed, he held out his arm for her. "Shall we go, gorgeous?" "Let's." She took his arm and they followed Seth out into the hallway. She wasn't quite sure she entirely believed Nate's explanation, but no other made sense to her. Seth's face was unreadable as the rode the elevator up to the 15th floor and as he led them to the Empress's chambers. And Nate's explanation made even less sense when they found that Bryn and Anton were already waiting as well. "What's going on?" Lindy asked. Bryn shook her head, indicating that they didn't know. She was sitting on the ornate couch, pressed very close to Anton, her fingers entwined with his. Dressed in the black and white gown Lindy had bought her, and with her dark hair slightly spiked on top of her head, the ruby on Bryn chest and the similar diamond on her finger were the only bits of color she had on, save her lipstick. Speaking quietly, so as not to be heard by the council members standing nearby, she said, "We think they might want to talk to us about Max." She swallowed heavily. "We told them he's Anton's son." "And they believed you?" Lindy asked. "Not without proof," Anton said quietly. "They requested Max's records be faxed over. They haven't said anything since. Just summoned us here." Anton's gaze darkened as the door opened one more time. "And apparently we weren't the only ones summoned." Nate and Lindy turned to see Natasha enter the chambers, and give a little start seeing them there. She quickly covered it with a sneer, but said nothing as she sat down on one of the overstuffed chairs. Bryn wrapped an arm around her stomach instinctively, and leaned even closer to Anton, just an inch or so shy of sitting in his lap. Her eyes shot daggers at Natasha, who merely raised an eyebrow at her in return. Her flame-colored dress was almost completely transparent, leaving very little to the imagination. Bryn wrinkled her nose in disgust--the woman was for all intents and purposes flashing her tits at Anton, and it made Bryn want to grab her by the hair and snap her neck. Suddenly she felt a little self-conscious, being covered from head to toe. Anton, for his part, gave a snort of disgust and turned slightly, making it clear that he was looking at Bryn. He wondered if groping Bryn in front of Natasha would constitute another incident. "Please stand," Seth said quietly, his hand on the doors to Lilith's chambers. Everyone did as he asked, some a little slower than others. Seeing the trouble Bryn had getting off the couch so quickly, Natasha snickered. They didn't have time to react before Seth swung the doors open wide and the Empress entered the room. Shimmering in a heavily beaded gown, Lilith looked around the room. "I see everyone is present. Good. It will make things much easier. Please be seated, seeing as we don't have much time before the gala begins." She waited silently, her gaze sliding over everyone, skipping and then returning to Natasha. She looked at the vampiress's gown, her eyes narrowing slightly, then turned her attention to the council chairman. "Hadrian, proceed." The chairman cleared his throat, readjusting his tuxedo coat. "We've called you all together to inform you that despite last night's ruling, new information has been brought to our attention which will considerably change future events in this matter...and possibly in all matters, concerning vampires worldwide, from now on." Natasha's brows furrowed. "What information?" "Information that Sabryn is carrying Anton's child." "Impossible," Natasha sneered. She waved her hand dismissively in Bryn's and Anton's direction. "This is obviously a desperate attempt by them to manipulate the Council." "As we thought at first," Hadrian responded. "However, we have proof in the form of genetic analysis that it is true. For the first time in both our races's histories, a vampire and a human have conceived a child." "This child will be one of a kind," Richard said. "And it is in our best interest to make sure that this child is born healthy. It would be too much of a disruption to request Mrs. Rudenko to move so late in her pregnancy. " "Therefore, and with the approval of our Empress," Hadrian continued. "Immediately after the Gathering, Natasha Falconieri is to relocate to her choice of Europe, Asia, or Australia. There is to be no contact between her and any of the parties present, until further notice." "You bitch!" Natasha screeched, standing up and staring in the Empress's direction. "You can't do this to me! I've done nothing to these people and this is a blatant lie! Damned forged documents--" She turned in Anton's direction, picked up a tea cup from the table and hurled it at his head. If he hadn't immediately pushed Bryn away as he ducked, it might've hit her instead. "Fucking son-of-a-bitch! I can't believe you did this!" She was starting to round the coffee table, headed in their direction when Nate stood up and blocked her path. "Get a grip, Tasha!" He grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her backwards, causing her to trip over her own heels and fall on her ass. He cast a glance at Lindy, his mouth twitching with the need to laugh, and mouthed, "Oops!" Natasha screeched angrily at him, looking for something to throw, when Lilith calmly looked at the councilmen and said, "Get her out of here. Take her upstairs and throw her in the pool or something...just get her out of my sight." As Seth and Richard each took her by an arm and lifted her off her feet, she continued to spew threats. "This is outrageous! Don't think I won't appeal to the Grand Council!" The male vampires both started carrying her out of the door. "Put me down!" Anton gave a sigh of relief when the door swung shut. He was a bit stunned by the turn of events. He hadn't expected for Natasha to be banished to another continent. He was relieved. But he wasn't quite ready to let his guard down. Not yet at least. He turned to Bryn, helping her sit back up. "Are you okay, my dear?" "I think so," she said, quietly, still in shock. She glanced back at the door, her hand tightly holding Anton's as if she thought Natasha might come back. After a minute or so, in which the remaining council members quietly conferred and Nate sat down next to Lindy, still grinning, Bryn turned her attention back to Anton. "I can't believe that just happened." She swallowed heavily, then leaned closer to kiss the side of his mouth. While close, she whispered, "It's still not over yet, is it?" "No," he whispered back. "Not by a long shot." He turned back to look at the Council and the Empress. "Now what is to happen?" Hadrian answered his question. "We are to be informed of any changes in Sabryn's health, and to have a copy of her medical records sent to us. The same with the child once he is born. And if Natasha makes contact to with you, we are to be informed immediately." "Why do you need to know about the kid?" Nate asked, his arm loosely looped around Lindy's shoulders. Although he was extremely pleased by Natasha's dismissal, he didn't trust the Council one bit. "He has absolutely nothing to do with you. Despite being the first hybrid, or whatever, he's their kid. His life has absolutely no bearing on your own...unless you're planning something for him. Is that it? Got something up your sleeves?" "This child has genes that are both human and vampire," Miguel said slowly, as if pointing out the obvious to a slow pupil. "Watching him carefully, seeing what abilities he inherits may give us new insights, new opportunities that we had not thought possible - from finding out why we are so dependent on blood to possibly allowing us to go into sunlight unharmed." "Because some may consider this child a threat, no one is to reveal the child's true paternity to any others. That will be strongly impressed on Natasha." Hadrain gave Bryn and Anton a sharp look. "Who else knows of this?" "Bryn's family, Lindy's family, and two trusted friends of mine who is aware that I am a vampire. No one else." Hadrian nodded. "See that it stays that way." "I won't let you touch my son," Bryn said, her eyes slightly narrowed. "If I even think that's your intention, Anton and I will disappear." Lilith let out a small laugh. "Such melodrama. We aren't with the US Government, Mrs. Rudenko. Any and all contact with your son will be with your expressed approval. Otherwise, you are free to live your life as you choose. We have no interest in acquiring a lab rat. We merely want to know if it's possible that he really isn't one of a kind." Bryn looked at Anton, squeezing his hand, before returning her gaze to Lilith's. "And what about my husband? Now that you can see we were telling the truth about Natasha, will you still consider Anton's nomination to the council?" "Our decision will be announced tonight at the gala," Hadrian said. He looked up as Seth and Richard returned. He consulted his watch. "Which is due to start in about an hour. So we will leave you to your preparations, and see you there shortly." The council sat expectantly, waiting for them to leave. Pushing herself to her feet, with Anton's help, Bryn took his hand and followed Nate and Lindy outside. She stuck close to her husband, her eyes darting between each end of the hallway, waiting for Natasha to leap out and attack them at any moment. "Well, that was the verdict I wanted to hear, but somehow it's not as thrilling as I expected it to be. Instead of jumping up and down excitedly, now I feel the need to watch my back more than ever." "Same here," Lindy said. "But it was worth it to see the expression on her face as Lilith told them to toss her into the pool." There was a faint grin on Anton's face as well. "The Council has ruled that she will be sent out of the country, and that will happen. It's keeping her out of the country that concerns me. But as to tonight..." Anton shrugged. "For her to try anything would be suicidal." "That makes me feel a little bit like dancing," Bryn said, smiling, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Actually, it makes me feel a little like going up on the roof and laughing at the drowned rat in the pool...but I won't push my luck." She turned to Nate, after a twirling dance step of her own. "Nice job on defense, Nate. Maybe you should join a football team." "Only if Lindy will wear one of those skimpy cheerleader outfits." Lindy lightly punched at his arm. "Dream on, Nate." Anton smiled as they hit the elevator button. "Anyone curious why Natasha's first reaction wasn't aimed at me or Bryn, but at Lilith?" "Maybe Lilith is her lesbian lover," Bryn joked. "In which case, the Empress has really bad taste." "Other people have been accused of worse," Nate muttered. He wrapped his arm around Lindy's waist, pulling her tight against his side. "I figure she was aiming her reactions at everyone. It's a good thing she didn't have more tea cups...or anything in them." "True," Bryn said, wincing at the thought of such a bad burn. She leaned against Anton, watching the other two. It took her a moment to finally make the comment. "Um, Lindy...are you wearing rubber?" Lindy grinned, blushing a bit. "Um, yeah." She twirled around, holding the skirt out for Bryn's inspection. "Yeah. Like it? Nate bought it for me." "It's cute. I wish I could look that good in something like that." She had Lindy turn around once more, so she could look at the lace-up back. "Very cool. It's almost as shiny as your diamond." She glanced back at Anton. "If I ever look that good, remember to take a picture." Anton smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I'd go through a roll of film hourly then, my dear." He grinned at everyone. "So shall we go join the party?" End Chapter Sixty-four <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->