Midnight Eternal (22 page)

“It’s so hard to say. It was very different. First, she was in really bad shape physically, as in, had she not been full of Bocaj come she’d have been dead. Of course, I didn’t know that was why until recently. And she was also paralyzed. She didn’t move for about an hour after I found her. I assumed that meant they were with her two hours, but I suppose it could have been longer or shorter. She had some broken bones that healed right away once she went through the change, as did the rest of her physical damage. It’s the emotional damage that she’s still working on, which is why I never really pushed her to talk about it. Besides, up until now, it wasn’t important.”

“I think that we just need to give it a bit of time,” Sydney said. “I know you two made love…”

“Twice,” I interrupted.

“Twice,” she smirked. “And that usually makes Bec feel stronger, but as she said, it does wear off, and lately it wears off faster. Why don’t we just enjoy the afternoon sun, see what happens, and in an hour or so, see how she feels? If it didn’t work, then we can try to figure out what to.”

She was right; it really was the only thing to do, so I lay with Bec in my arms, enjoying the sun and pretending, just for a moment, that everything was going to be alright. I imagined that the change had taken place, that the child had survived the paralysis and was still growing inside of her, and that she and I would be together forever.

butterfly

I might be a Bocaj or I might still be human, just with Bocaj characteristics. I might be pregnant or I might…no, I wouldn’t even say it. The one thing I knew for sure was that I was Oliver’s mate. That was for certain. For a while I wondered if he’d want me, but I never doubted if I wanted him.

I still wasn’t sure if I was his submissive or not, though. We hadn’t even talked about that, but there were much more urgent matters than our sexual fantasy life.

The problem was, no matter how urgent, we weren’t going to be able to get answers right away.
There were a few things we did know. I was feeling stronger rather than weaker, and I could tell you that the moment Oliver bit me, there was this warmth that spread throughout my system. It made me so sleepy my entire body relaxed and wouldn’t move, but when it wore off just a few minutes later, I had never felt more alive. That feeling only continued, and it was incredible.

Lying in his arms was wonderful, as well. I’d planned on falling asleep, but I really wasn’t tired. Oliver did look a bit tired, however, and I recalled what he’d said about not really eating or taking care of himself while I’d been staying with his parents. I knew just what he needed.

I sat up and held his hand. “You look so tired,” I said, pulling him to his feet. “Why don’t we take a walk on the beach and you can get some extra nourishment?”

He knew exactly what I meant because he stood and smiled at me.

“Do you feel strong enough? I don’t want to put you in danger until we know for sure if the transformation worked.”

I started to tell him that I was fine but Payton stood up and stepped between us, her back to me. “Bec is right, you do look tired.” She stepped closer to him and put her hands on his shoulders before running them down his biceps. The movement caused something inside of me to boil. I watched, frozen, as a Payton opened the top few buttons of his shirt.

“Payton! What are you doing?” Oliver questioned as he took a step back, his chest now exposed.

“Well, Bec pointed out how tired you look. I know I have the nourishment you need, and she’s in no condition to give it to you.” She mimicked his steps, and as he moved back, she moved forward, staying close. Not even conscious of what I was doing, I also followed their movement, keeping my proximity to Oliver, and in turn, Payton.

I knew in my head that she was a member of the family and a Mistress, whom I should treat with respect, but her words and actions had me feeling like fire was coursing through my body.

Oliver seemed confused, too, and stepped back once again. “Payton, I’m not sure what you’re saying.”

“I’m saying,
Oliver
…” she responded, moving even closer to him and placing both hands on his chest, “…that we can find a quiet place and I’ll spread my legs so you can dine until you feel strong again.”

It was about when she said the words ‘spread my legs’ that the low rumble started coming from my chest—I couldn’t help it—but when she moved her hand slightly and touched his mating mark, I lost any control I had left. I felt a primal rage come over me. My entire body tensed and I let out a feral roar. Payton spun around and dropped to her knees, putting her hands up defensively.

Her motion confused and disarmed me, and the smile on her face caused me to pause. I swallowed once, twice, only then noticing the intense amount of what I thought was saliva in my mouth. It wasn’t.

Oliver was staring at me with his jaw dropped. Payton stood slowly and moved away, her smile morphing into a smirk. “Never mind, I see that Bec is quite well enough to take care of you herself, and, judging by those fangs, it looks like the transformation worked just fine.”

“Fangs?” When I spoke, I felt them—fangs had emerged from behind my teeth. Payton no longer appeared to be a threat to me, so they disappeared somewhere inside my mouth.

Oliver pulled me to him and held me tightly. I ran my hand over his mating mark, feeling the need to reclaim him. Though I realized Payton really wasn’t a threat, I couldn’t help myself. I kissed his lips softly, and in response, he pulled me close to him and crushed his mouth against my own. “It worked, you’re mine,” he breathed, pulling back just an inch but keeping his lips on mine.

“
That
was a very dangerous test,” Caleb chuckled from somewhere behind me.

“You would have stepped in and helped me,” Payton grinned, moving close to him and kissing his cheek.

“Maybe,” he teased, “but like Shane, I do like me some hot girl fights!”

The look she gave him told me that he’d be paying for that comment later, and I wondered if I’d see the return of the chastity device on Wednesday at Verde. That’s when it hit me, would I even be going? Oliver and I were back together, that was for certain, but I’d removed my collar, and as much as I wanted it back, it probably wasn’t that simple.

Oliver must have sensed something was wrong because he lifted his lips from mine and kissed my forehead. “Wanna tell me what’s wrong?”

I shook my head, fighting back the tears. It was all so overwhelming. I’d just found out that I was a Bocaj, and that I’d be able to be with him for the rest of our lives. But there I was worried about being his submissive when I should have been worried about the baby, which made me feel terrible.

Without a word, he took my hand and pulled me in the direction of the beach. Walking toward the water, he stopped in the cabana and sat in a chair, pulling me onto his lap. He was quiet for a long time, his chin resting on the top of my head. “Is it the baby?” he finally asked.

I nodded, though that wasn’t entirely true. “I just…I feel strong and not so tired, and I wonder…”

He silenced me with a kiss. “Let’s enjoy today, celebrate your change, then later, we can worry about that. There are doctors we can go see that aren’t far from here—Bocaj doctors.”

I sighed when I heard his words. “There’s something else, though, isn’t there?” He lifted me and turned me around so I was facing him.

“Yes…it’s…” I swallowed. “It’s…”

“Your collar?” he answered, lifting my chin.

I bit my lip. “Yeah. I’m sorry I took it off. It’s just that I…”

“There will be consequences,” he interrupted. “If you want it back, that is.”

“I do!” I said, hugging him tightly, thrilled that he wanted me to have it.

“Good, then let’s start figuring out a way for you to earn it back, and perhaps on Wednesday, I can collar you in front of everyone at Verde.”

“I’ll do anything,” I said, truly meaning it.

“Anything?” he smirked.

I stood and started walking down the beach. “Let me prove it.”

Feeling more alive than ever, adventurous, and wanting to please my Master, I followed my nose down the beach. I could hear, smell, and sense Oliver only a few feet behind me, but I didn’t turn around, needing to show him that I could take the lead.

As we rounded the corner, the place he’d taken me that first afternoon we’d come to Sunday brunch came into view. This time, though, as I’d expected, it wasn’t vacant. Shane sat in one of the chaise lounge chairs with Sydney between his legs, earning herself a snack. His eyes opened wide for a moment when he saw me, and even wider when I smiled at him. “We’re just about finished,” he groaned, “then the place is all yours.”

“Stay,” I smiled before turning my back on him and facing Oliver. I wish I could have seen the look on Shane’s face when I removed my clothes, giving him an unobstructed view of my ass.

“Are you still hungry, Master?” I asked, moving slowly toward the chairs, leaving an empty one between Shane and the one I chose to sit on.

“Starving, babygirl,” he said, then looked at Shane and Sydney. “Are you sure you’re comfortable here?”

I smiled. “I’m sure.” Shane was rubbing Sydney’s hair, and though he glanced at me occasionally, he was focused on her.

The exhibitionist in me liked the idea of being watched, and apparently it made me wet, because Oliver was moaning as he lapped up my juices. My orgasms came fast and frequently, and before I knew it, he was smiling up at me, the exhaustion gone from his face.

He continued coaxing climax after climax from my body as I lay on my back, knees falling to the sides, moving back and forth with each stroke of his tongue.

“Oh, fuck, like a butterfly’s wings. I get it now,” Shane moaned, fisting Sydney’s hair. I noticed he was watching my legs move as I arched my back and came once more.

With a slick face, Oliver kissed his way up my body. “That was amazing, butterfly, and yes, Shane, that’s one of the reasons why.” He covered my body with his and we kissed for a while before he rolled us, pulling me onto his lap. “Hungry?”

I thought he’d never ask, and I wasted no time sliding down his body and opening my mouth for him. It wasn’t like I’d forgotten what his come tasted like, but no matter how many times it touched my tongue, I couldn’t help but moan at the flavor. “You taste so good. I’ve missed this.”

I brought my head back down on his cock and started working work his shaft, earning precious beads of come.

“I taste delicious, too,” I heard Shane say. “Wanna try a new flavor?”

“Not this century,” my mate responded, instantly making me smile and suck harder. We went back and forth dining from each other, sometimes at the same time, as did Shane and Sydney. Hours later, satiated and revitalized, the four of us headed back to the house to join the others.

“How are you feeling?” Gabriel asked after we were all back in the living room.

“Pretty good,” I responded with a smile. “I’m not tired like I was before.” I tried to keep the smile on my face, but I could feel it fading.

“You know, I get feelings about things…prophecies, so to speak. They don’t always come true, but they are usually pretty accurate. Without giving away too much information, I truly believe things will be fine.” I hugged him. “I also know that for piece of mind, you might want to see for yourself.” He held up what looked like a small briefcase. “I got an ultrasound machine today. It’s not all that advanced, but it should give us what we need. Would you like to use it?”

I nodded. Although I was afraid of getting bad news, I needed to know.

Caleb hooked the machine to a monitor and I lay on the couch. Oliver sat next to me on the floor, holding my hand. Caleb took the wand from Gabriel, and after squirting a bit of cold gel onto my stomach, she began moving the wand around.

No one in the room made a sound as he moved it back and forth methodically. “I’m not…this isn’t really what I do,” he apologized as he continued moving the wand. “If I can’t find anything, maybe it’s me. I’m not even sure what I’m…oh!” He stopped talking and his hand froze. There, on the screen, was the tiniest little thing. It looked like nothing really, and I would have missed it except for the fact that it appeared to be twinkling as fluid flowed through it.

“Oliver, do you see?” I asked, though my voice broke. I tore my eyes from the screen long enough to look up at him. I’ll never forget the look of pure joy and relief on his face.

“It’s the most precious thing I’ve ever seen,” he said, squeezing my hand tightly. He then leaned over my stomach and whispered, “You have a very stubborn mommy, little one. I’m glad you made it.” He lifted the wand and kissed my stomach. “As much as I enjoyed seeing my child, I think it’s time to take my girl home so she can get some rest in our bed. Thank you so much for taking care of them,” he said to Caleb and his father. “And as much as I hate it, thank you all for contributing what you did.”

“Of course, Oliver. She’s part of the family,” Caroline responded as she wiped down the machine for Caleb and put it away before sitting next to Gabriel once again. “You are always welcome here, but we understand if you two need some alone time for a while.”

I wasn’t tired when I got in the car, but somehow the rhythmic flashing of the white lines passing under us as we drove down the highway lulled me into a trance-like state, and before I knew it, I was in Oliver’s arms being carried into the penthouse.

“Shhh, Babygirl, don’t even open your eyes. Please rest.” And for the first time in nearly a week, I felt truly at peace and slept, nestled in Oliver’s arms while our child was nestled safely inside my body.

The morning found me well rested and in the kneeling position in the playroom. Our session was spent with me trying to earn back my collar, as were all of the subsequent sessions that occurred between my coming home and our weekly visit to Verde. Oliver pushed me to my limits while always being careful not to work me too hard. I seemed to feed continuously, and although I was pregnant, I’d never felt stronger.

On Wednesday, I was nervous as hell as we drove to the club. He wouldn’t tell me anything about the ceremony, other than that I just needed to be the good girl he knew I was and everything would be fine. He’d gotten a new outfit for me to wear, and I’d never felt sexier. It was white, and mostly just a series of ribbons he’d tied around me in Kinbaku style. It had taken Oliver over an hour to dress me, which made me feel even sexier. The outfit was art itself, and everyone at the club seemed to agree.

The other times I’d gone to Verde, I’d felt like I’d just blended in; tonight was different. It was as if they were expecting something, and all eyes were focused on me. I felt like a bride, dressed in white and on center stage. Everyone seemed to come up to Oliver to talk to him, many asking for permission and then touching me. It was usually on my head, but sometimes on my cheek or hand. I was introduced to many of his friends, as well as a man named Andres, who I learned would be officiating our collaring ceremony later.