“With-child? You are with child?” Patrick asks, taking a step closer to Victoria, seeing her swollen abdomen for the first time.
“Don’t come near me!” Victoria whispers, taking a step back. Her naked body glowed with the reflection of the full moon.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Patrick says, with a hint of strong anger in his voice.
“This is my child. Not yours. Leave us the hell alone!” Victoria yells, her eyes starting to turn a darker shade of purple. Tale signs that her dragon, Vina, is coming closer to the surface.
Since their pregnancy is farther along, she is unable to completely transform, but that doesn’t stop Vina from coming to Victoria’s aid when she is in distress. The desire to protect their young trumps that of the desire for their mate.
“Victoria…” Patrick starts.
“Stop! Do not Victoria me… you have no right to be here. You have no right to me. You have no right to even know my child. You pushed me away! You chose Kate over me. ME! Your God-given Mate! I know Kate gave her life for me and for that I will never hold anything against her, I owe her my life and that of my child. But you? You don’t deserve me! You don’t deserve my child! Leave us!” Victoria yells, her voice echoing off the tall rocks of the valley.
“You can’t keep my child from me, Victoria. I made a mistake. I let my dedication to Kate cloud my judgment. I let my love for her…” Patrick says then stops, realizing too late the last words that came out of his mouth.
Victoria’s eyes go completely dark. Vera’s stare pierces Patrick and he knows he screwed up.
“I didn’t mean…” Patrick tries to say but is silenced when he hears a growl and he then sees a strange color rising in Victoria’s throat.
The next second, Victoria opens her mouth, and flames in the darkest shade of purple come flying out of her mouth, heading straight towards Patrick.
His instincts tell him to jump out of the way, but he stands his ground. He knows he has to pay for what he said.
To pay for what he has done.
He won’t run from his mate again.
Patrick opens his arms and welcomes the flames.