Prisoner of Chaos (Redemption Book #4)

Chapter 12

Wes stares at me as if I'm speaking another language, then the shade of skin on his face goes from northman ivory tones to red as an Underlund sunset. He closes his mouth and walks over to where he threw his robe. He picks it up, puts it on, and knots the tie.

I can tell he's trying to be calm.

"Sit down by the fire, Kyla," Wes states, motioning a hand at the seats he has there.

He could be reacting worse to the news, so I appreciatively do as he gestures.

Wes joins me and pours himself a goblet of wine. "This evening didn't turn out how I expected," he says dryly, before taking a long sip.

"Yeah," I say, staring at the fire. I raise my own goblet to my lips. Oh, I shouldn't really drink if I'm pregnant. I set the goblet down.

"Were you really trying to cover it up by sleeping with me?" Wes asks, he doesn't make eye contact, instead I see his forehead crease in hurt.

Poor Wes. He's smart enough to figure that out.

I swallow down another sip of wine and nod. "I'm--I'm sorry." Lies lead to more lies. They always have in my life, except this lie I couldn't go through with because I'm still in love with Rift, despite everything, and it wouldn't be fair to Wes.

"How did it happen?" Wes asks.

"He wouldn't help me bring my father back to his human form unless I made--made a deal with him," I mutter. "I got pregnant from the deal, if you know what I mean."

"The bastard," Wes growls, shaking his head. "He really is depraved."

"I know," I say.

"This is really messed up, Kyla," Wes says, he finishes his goblet. "Why didn't you tell me right away?"

"I wanted to--but I wasn't really sure I was pregnant and figured it wasn't worth mentioning until I started getting sick and missed my---woman's time," I tell him.

Wes pours himself another goblet full. "So what should we do?" he asks me, finally looking at me again.

"You don't want to leave me?" I ask him, blinking at him in disbelief while I meet his gaze. "After what happened?" I can't believe he's not getting angry with me or shouting.

"We can pretend the baby is mine I suppose," Wes murmurs, pursing his lips in thought.

"What?" I'm shocked. I raise my eyebrows at him and suddenly realize I'm crying. "Why would you do that for me?"

"I want peace, just as much as you. There is a tension in the air, the kind of tension that occurs before a war, but if you and I are united, maybe we can stop it. Besides, I have a secret too," Wes says.

"Really?" I lean toward him. "What is it?"

"I'm almost positive I already have a son," Wes murmurs. "With Diana. Bjorn thinks it's his."

"How do you know it's yours?" I ask him, my eyes widening. Okay, so Wes is not a virgin then.

"Bjorn is notoriously impotent," Wes says. "With all the prostitutes and women and he sleeps with this has become a proven fact."

"Ah." I nod.

"Diana and I--we aren't intimate anymore. Bjorn almost caught us once and he was getting suspicious," Wes murmurs, he sighs and adds, "but what was going on between you and I... It wasn't very authentic, was it?"

"Not really," I say, I suddenly can't help my mouth twitching with a smile at the thought.

Wes bursts out laughing. "I'm sorry," he says, as he tries to stop laughing. "Kyla, this is just--just so relieving. I knew something was going on with you. It's not that I don't want you. I think you're beautiful and sexy, but I'm really--uh--intimidated by you."

"By me?" I ask him, I laugh with him now. "What's so intimidating about me?"

"You'd be surprised," Wes says with a chuckle.

"Let's wait until we're ready to marry, Kyla," Wes states. "Before we become intimate."

I nod at him. "Okay."

"I have to ask though. Is the Dark Lord still alive?" Wes asks me. "Does he know?"

"I don't know," I mutter bitterly. "I haven't seen him since it happened."

"So you are pregnant with a powerful dark mage's baby and you're a Cursed," Wes says slowly. "What does that even mean?"

I shrug my shoulders. "That's something I'm trying to figure out. I think the Dark Lord wanted this to happen."

"What does that mean for your other--um--body form?" Wes asks. "Can you transform while pregnant? Have you tried?"

"No," I shake my head. "At least not since I suspected."

"Maybe you should, so you don't have to worry about what kind of baby you're going to have," Wes suggests, but he is solemn and apologetic a moment later, "I'm sorry, Kyla, that was a rude thing to say."

"It's okay," I tell him, surprisingly I don't feel angry about his brisk way of treating it. I reach across from my chair and put a hand on his arm. "Wes, thank you for--for not throwing me out."

"I'd be a hypocrite," Wes mutters. "Things were so easy between Diana and I. I don't want to try that again until I know we can just go through with it, I'm very no nonsense when it comes to lovemaking. That's the best way to enjoy it in my opinion."

That sounds very dull, but what do I know?

"Okay," I say. "But if we never get there?"

"I wouldn't blame you after what happened with the Dark Lord," Wes mutters. "That bastard... he must have messed you up really good."

You have no idea. I nod and sigh.

"Kyla, I'm so sorry," Wes says, and he takes my hand and kisses it. "You were probably scared by the sight of me."

No, my triggers are not associated with masculine nudity.

"Don't even worry about it, Wes," I say. "The Dark Lord and you have nothing in common."

Wes sighs and takes another drink. "Do you want to stay here?"

"Overnight?" I blink at him.

"We should sell it, that I claimed you," Wes says.

I glance at the door out of Wes' bedroom. "I suppose it couldn't hurt."

"You're going to be noticeably pregnant soon, Kyla, and if you do intend to go through with the pregnancy we can't have them suspect your baby isn't mine, my father would declare war in a heartbeat," Wes explains.

"Alright," I say, but I'll sleep on the floor on this fur rug," I tell him.

"C'mon, let me be a gentleman and take the floor," Wes says with a grin. "I feel bad after knowing what you went through. I'm sure some of the stuff I said came out pretty scary to you."

Not really, but I'll let you think so since you're such a dear.