The Blood-Book III

Chapter 49: Cigar Smoke

"Baby girl?"

"Ya, Dad?"

"Come on, Margaret made a pie!"

I sighed and rubbed my face. I had cried myself to sleep again. I had a dream about Ethan jumping off of our balcony that had me screaming in my sleep. My mother rushed in with my father, both afraid that something had happened.

Eve told me it would get better over time. That it would get easier. I think your body just grew more numb. I think you just forgot how to truly feel again.

Lizzie zipped into my room. She eyed me as my head poked out of my comforter and sighed. "If you don't come out of there, then I am dragging you out."

"You're so dramatic," I said with a tiny smile.

Lizzie laughed then eyed me. "What's wrong?" I smiled as my eyes watered and shook my head. She zipped to me, sitting on my bed with worried hazel eyes that had blue mixed with gold. At first, I thought they were all brown, but it seemed that they changed, became more blue, with her mood. "Tell me?"

"I had a dream he killed himself, after Sylvia–I just–"

"He's not here, you would know," she replied. "And you know why with Sylvia, she just–she's been with Leo for so long Charlotte. Centuries."

Sylvia starved herself of blood then walked into the sun and burnt herself alive after she heard what happened to our packs. Leo greeted her at the entrance to the moon; a bittersweet moment. She was a lovely lady. Kind and funny. She came to visit often and always insisted that she make me something to eat while we chatted.

I didn't know it, but technically Leo could live up in a 'higher' realm, or that's how Susie explained it, with the original children–his other siblings. He chose not to, though; he wanted to be with his friends. He said he had enough of his family and that an, 'extended family vacation,' was not something he thought sounded like fun at all.

"Sorry, it just really screwed with me I guess," I replied with a tired smile.

"It's hard, I know," she said. "But you know what helps? Pie. Pie helps."

I bit back a laugh and sat up then let her pull me up into a hug. "Thanks."

"You can thank me after we trim your hair you're starting to get ratchet," she teased.

"Lizzie!" I chased her out of my room where Lydia was pouring some wine while Susannah rolled her eyes as Lizzie and I chased each other around the living room. Amber just shook her head, her hand on her pregnant belly while she chatted with Margaret in the kitchen.

"Get her Lee!" Gramps called out with a laugh.

"Charlotte!" Lizzie called out as her eyes dilated. "Stop moving."

"What?!" I was fuming as I was stuck frozen in place. Susannah bit back a laugh as my father just rolled his eyes. "Lizzie this is not fair at all!"

Lizzie just stuck her tongue out at me while I squirmed and tried to move. Billy walked in and eyed us then chuckled. "Damn Charlie, you look a little stuck."

"Trouble Char?" Amber teased.

"Piss off Billy!" I growled out while I squirmed some more. "You too Amber!"

"It's not nice to make fun of a pregnant lady!" she shot back with a smile, her blonde hair she chopped short bouncing as she laughed. She was so happy, and I wanted to be so happy for her but it was so damn hard. It was hard when I saw her belly and felt my heart break for the future I may never have.

She found her mate right when she crossed. A Quickfoot who was at one point a Master of Arms that never found his mate. He apparently died in battle over two hundred years ago, and has waited ever since for her–he never even took a bondmate. Even in his previous life, he was fiercely loyal to whoever his mate would be.