Chapter 44
“King Harvey, my forcefield I created hours ago was kind of a forward forcefield, is that normal?”
“Yes, Elena. It was one to push away an intruder. It is the equivalent of slamming an enemy back with the shield to gain way to raise your sword.”
King Harvey sits across from me at the small white table that he got from us and is busy creating small finger sandwiches for us. He is very invested, making sure all the cuts of meat are good parts.
“King Harvey…” I start as I lean over the table to grab his hand. “I don’t mind about the food.”
“Tradition demands you get the best cut, always. Even before our kin.”
I freeze. My husband’s senses are stronger than mine.
“Am I pregnant?”
“No, Elena.” King Harvey replies somberly. “At least, not yet. I would feel pure disrespect to not feed you properly, so.” King Harvey aligns five small finger sandwiches together, all the best pieces of meat and gently hands them to me.
“Thank you.” I whisper, making sure to start to eat, so he knows I am grateful.
King Harvey nods as he fixes his sandwiches. “Elena, would you mind sitting in my lap?”
“Oh, and completely be distracted by you?”
A lurid smile graces his face. “Is that an issue, my bride?”
“Hardly.”
I am in his lap before I can think twice, and he wraps an arm across my stomach lightly as he eats to keep me in place.
“My mating cycle starts late January and lasts until March. Luckily for you, it is one child at a time. I have no idea how your pregnancy will be however.” King Harvey states between bites of his sandwich.
“How long will I be pregnant for?” The sandwich in my hand drops at the thought of his mating cycle.
Can I last that long with him? Will my desire for him match?
“Werewolves last up to 75 days, Elena. How long is it for you?”
“Nine months! Do you think it would be that rapid?”
My mind spins at the idea of it being that fast, would it be a healthy baby?
“No, Elena… you are human… it must be longer. We will have to get in contact with my aunt. She is human, and her son, my cousin is the half-breed.”
“Oh, are you close?”
King Harvey bows his head. “No, Elena. Mother never allowed me to be in contact with him or my aunt. My father took my aunt well because she married into my father’s side of the family. He has always said she is very kind but lacking in power.”
“But, King Harvey, wouldn’t she be a luna? Your dad has power so his brother must?”
“He was wounded during the Great War. He mated successfully with his wife, but he never recovered his powers fully, so his wife never received all her powers… but she did master some ability, I was not told.”
I nod. “They sound kind.”
“My uncle loves her beyond anything. I know I have inherited that.”
King Harvey smiles sweetly down at me and I look up to smile back, then shift to kiss his lips. He kisses me back gently then cracks his neck.
“I slept the best last night, minus your nightmare. I must believe it has something to do with our bond. How do you fair, Elena?”
“I feel very happy and at peace, minus the issues with your mother.”
King Harvey nods sagely. “They will be resolved as you master your luna powers. We will rest in our honeymoon as well, do not worry.”
“Your mating cycle is very long, King Harvey… and I have a period… and I am human…”
King Harvey laughs. “You are worried, Elena? Do you think I do not desire you even now?”
I blush as he twists me to straddle him, but I stay there because I can wrap my arms around his neck and rest with him. His hand cradles my lower back, keeping me safe and up against him. The healing warmth of his body and the soft beating of his heart under my chest is hypnotic.
“It is not so much about desire, but can I keep up with you, or carry our kids to term?”
“Term?”
“Completion. You know, fully created.”
King Harvey thinks for a moment. “Couldn’t I just heal you if something is wrong? Say the mating cycle exhausts you, could I just heal you?”
“I have no idea! I don’t believe a woman’s body works that way, King Harvey. As for your mating cycle, what if I get exhausted? Would you just carry on?”
“No… that is not very kind, but my mating cycles feel as if fire is being poured through my veins. It would take a monumental amount of restrain… we should write down these questions for my aunt and uncle, Elena.”
King Harvey stands and places me in his chair, in a blur, he returns with a piece of paper and pen. He writes so quickly that his hand is nothing more than an attentive blur. Handing me the piece of paper so I can read it over, he smiles at me.
-How does a human woman carry a half-breed to full term, how long is the pregnancy?
-How is mating season for the wife (human)?
-Can healing be administered during sex or mating cycle if painful?
“Those are good questions, King Harvey.”
King Harvey nods, then folds up the paper and places it in a small tube necklace he has tucked away.
“We do not need the world knowing of our questions. They will use them against us. When we go to meet my aunt, I will have this necklace and can ask. If you would like to add anything, please let me know.”
“Thank you, King Harvey. Please, sit with me.”
King Harvey picks me up and places me on the edge of the bed and sits beside me, simply running his hand through my hair.
He looks well rested, but there is underlying stress in his eyes.
“Elena, do you truly believe you could have sight of the future?”
“I may. It felt extremely real.”
“I have nightmares of the war. They feel real too, but I lived it. You haven’t lived this, Elena. Yet, she is very intimidating. Could be your fear being fed off.”
“Anything is possible. The extent of my luna powers is dependent on you and how much I can take, right?”
“Yes.”
“Would mating be the same, King Harvey?” I question. “Perhaps I would feel the same level of desire as you?”
“It seems very likely… do humans have sex while pregnant?”
“Yes.”
King Harvey sighs. “I do not believe you and I should, it seems very dangerous.”
“Yes, but I would have more luna powers by then, King Harvey. Maybe it would balance something?”
King Harvey laughs. “It should. Unfortunately, we really are in the dark…” King Harvey stands suddenly and walks away from me, going to fetch his sword that he keeps at his side of the bed. “Elena, I have something for you.”
Watching closely, I see King Harvey unsheathe his sword and snap off the tip of the sword. He splits the tip of his blade in half with one talon in one simple motion tracing down the center of his palm. Then with a soft burst of red flame, contained in his palm, he kneels at my level and presses it into my hands.
The tip of the blade is still warm and in two pieces. There are two small silver shards, beautiful thin flat like diamonds in my hand.
“What is this?”
“Earrings, Elena, from my most victorious blade. It will keep you safe, connected to me and it is a sign of pride. I love you, dearly.”
“I love you too!” I hug him closely to my chest as I close my fist around my earrings.
