Queen of the Vampires

Chapter 7: How's This Work?

Ellie

“How are you feeling?" I asked Kate as we headed down to breakfast.

She laughed. “I feel great. Today is going to be the best day ever."

I frowned at her. “Why?"

Kate grabbed my bicep and shook me. My feet tripped over themselves as I tried to walk but she held me up and kept us moving forward.

“Because we're alive and living in a mansion full of beautiful people."

I eyed some of the vampires we passed. They were extra beautiful. I was usually pretty confident in my body and myself, but I couldn't help that they made me feel a little frumpy. It wasn't like they were even trying hard. They were just naturally beautiful, and I couldn't decide if that made it worse or not.

“And that makes it the best day ever?" I asked.

Kate nodded as we entered what could only be called a banquet room. “Every day we're here is the best day ever."

I shot Kate a smile. I'd forgotten how lively she was before she got sick. Now it was like all that energy had been released and she was spewing life from every pore.

We took our seats in the middle of the long table. A vampire came and we placed our order for breakfast like we would at a restaurant. They brought us our drinks a few minutes later then left us to serve the others around the table.

Across the table from us, a tall female vampire pulled out the chair.

She had to be at least five foot ten and built athletic and strong. Her skin was a warm medium brown and her eyes were dark with long curled lashes. Her hair was in thin braids but held up in a high bun. Her features were strong yet striking. She wasn't a woman you could take just one look at. You needed a second and a third to take her all in.

She sat across from us and locked her dark gaze on me as she ordered.

When the server left, she spoke in a deep, silky smooth voice. “So, you're our King's baby mama."

I smiled and nodded. “I'm Ellie. This is my sister Kate."

Her eyes darted to Kate then back to me. “I'm Nia. I'm one of the clan warriors."

Kate clapped her hands. “Will you teach me to fight?"

Nia eyed Kate. “Will you stick with it?"

Kate tilted her head from side to side then laughed. “Probably not."

“Then no," Nia said.

I grinned. “I'm about to get pregnant so I imagine it wouldn't be safe for you to teach me."

Nia shrugged. “I could show you a few defense moves and give you some exercises you can do while you're pregnant. As long as Dr. Val clears you, of course."

I nodded. “That would be great. I work out a few times a week, but I'd love to learn some new moves and how to take care of myself."

“Just come find me out on the training fields. I'm usually there," Nia said as the server set down her drink.

Our food was delivered shortly after, and Kate and I focused on our meal. We were about halfway through when something hit me in the side of my face.

My eyes widened and I looked to Kate as a chunk of biscuit fell into my lap.

“What did you do?" I asked on a chuckle.

Kat laughed and tore off another chunk. I jerked backwards and it flew past me.

I watched, as if in slow motion, as it sailed right into the glass of a vampire two seats down.

The vampire blinked at their cup then looked at me with narrowed eyes.

I held up my hands. “I am so sorry. It won't happen again."

I turned to Kate and shot her a glare. She grinned back at me before shoving the rest of her biscuit in her mouth.

For some reason my eyes shot to Nia. She gave me a gentle smile but when she looked at Kate her eyes were a little harder.

I focused back on my plate and tried to shrug the whole thing off. It was good that Kate was playful. She'd always been the fun one growing up. She'd gotten me into so much trouble time and time again and I'd loved her for it. It was good that she was back to normal, but she was older now. Shouldn't she be a little tamer?

I couldn't even count how many times her practical jokes had gotten out of hand. I hated to think that she'd start doing that again here.

***

After breakfast, Kate went her own way and I headed downstairs to where the clinic was. Dr. Val was waiting.

“Are you ready?" she asked.

I sucked in a deep breath and nodded. “Are you going to watch?"

“Watch? I'm going to be the one doing it."

My head whipped around, and I blinked at her. What did that mean? I'd been horrified enough at the thought of her watching Cohen and I have s*x, but what did she mean?

I looked around the room and found it empty but for the exam table.

“Where's Cohen?" I asked.

Dr. Val frowned at me. “I assumed you wouldn't want him in the room."

Not in the room?

I was missing something.

“So how is this going to work?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

“You're going to get on the table and I'm going to place the semen in the best location to get results."

A lightbulb went off in my head and I hated myself a little for thinking anything else.

Of course Cohen and I wouldn't be having s*x. We didn't even know each other, and I was pretty sure he half hated me. Not that I knew why, but still. Why would he have s*x with someone he hated when Dr. Val could do it.

My heart clenched. I was... disappointed. I didn't really understand why I'd cared so much that our baby be conceived the old-fashioned way but now that I knew that wasn't the case, I felt let down.

Obviously, it would have been incredibly awkward to have s*x with a stranger and I was still under the impression that Cohen would be a terrible lay, but still. I couldn't help how I felt.

After that, things moved too quickly. I laid back on the table and put my feet in the stirrups.

Dr. Val probed places that shouldn't be probed while I stared up at the ceiling, trying to picture what it'd be like to be pregnant.

I wished my mom was around to coach me through it, but that was just one more thing we were all missing out on. One more thing I had to do without.

“All done," Dr. Val said.

I leaned up on my elbows and closed my knees. “That's it?"

“Sure is," she said and removed her gloves.

“Now what?"

“Vampire pregnancies move faster than human ones. We should know in about a week. I've got a bag of pregnancy tests for you to take to your room. Start testing in like five days and then let me know when it's positive. I have no doubt that this round will be successful."

I nodded, feeling a little numb, and took the bag of tests.

As I left the clinic, I shoved all thoughts of being pregnant to the back of my mind. I didn't want to think about it. There was no point. It was something that was going to happen, and it was totally worth it for Kate to be healthy. No point thinking too hard on it.