I Know You're Still Just A Dream - Chapter 4 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Elijah POV

18 Weeks

Baby Bonnet was officially wriggling and Elijah was beside himself with excitement over it. Sometimes he would cradle Lucia’s stomach while she slept to feel the small movements. Until she began to wriggle in her sleep and kick him off, that was. He couldn’t wait to be kicked by his first child, too.

Lucia was slightly less enthusiastic lately. At first he thought it may be the pregnancy symptoms getting to her. He had never vomited before, but he understood it was quite distressing. However, her sombre mood returned at random moments unrelated to the sickness and he was struggling to track her highs and lows. She was lost in thought often, an uncharacteristic frown pulling at her perfect face. Something on her mind that she was trying not to think about, perhaps.

Tucked up in bed together, he finally broached the subject.

“You’ve not been yourself lately,” he said, running his fingers through her dark curls.

Lucia hummed questioningly into his chest.

“Please tell me what’s going on. I’ve been worrying about you.”

Lucia pulled herself up to face him. “It might be nothing…”

“That’s fine. Tell me what’s wrong, sweetheart.” His tone was far more firm than he intended to be, but it did the trick.

“I…” She looked up at him with round, wary eyes. “I keep getting this awful feeling that I’m being watched,” she whispered.

His insides clenched painfully. “By who?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed. “I’m not sure. I mean, when I’m all alone it feels like someone is secretly watching me. I can’t see them but they can see me.” Her expression pinched and she looked away, as if waiting for him to snub her feeling. He said nothing. He absolutely trusted her gut. She finally added, “I feel so paranoid. Someone or something is putting me on edge and… scaring me.” The thought of Lucia feeling afraid of anything was Elijah’s worst fear. She was concerningly courageous, always getting herself into trouble. That was scary enough for a worrier like him.

He frowned and took a moment to calm himself at least a little before responding, “I hate to stress you any more than necessary, but it has to be asked.” He drew a slow breath. “You don’t think it could be-”

“No,” she breathed. “I don’t want to think that.”

“It’s an option we should be seriously considering if you feel this unsettled.”

“Why would she wait this long?” She huffed, “We are married, she can’t have you now,” she added with a territorial flare to her eyes. It only added to her lioness beauty.

“Vampires can wait eternity for revenge,” he said. He hated having to say it. He hated that he knew it was true. Alyssa wasn’t a normal vampire, either. She was stubborn as a bull and twice as strong. “I doubt she would struggle to spend nine months lying in wait.”

“I’m pregnant with your child,” Lucia argued. Alyssa wasn’t the only stubborn woman in Elijah’s life.  “She can’t swoop in here with her research and give you something you already have. What does she possibly have to lure you with?”

Elijah pressed his forehead in to hers and said as softly as he could, “If it is her, and she is stalking you, then it could very well be that she intends to take you as the lure, my love.” The thought terrified him, but it wouldn’t help them in any way to ignore the worst possibility.

Lucia’s hands wrapped around her stomach as one would hold a heavy bag.

“Crazy bitch can try,” she grumbled. “She should know by now that I never go down without a fight.”

“I don’t want you taken down at all.” He sighed, knowing his next words would get his ear chewed off. “I will be upping your security in the morning.”

Lucia threw herself sideways onto her body pillow with a long groan.

“It’s for your own protection,” he added, already knowing it wouldn’t help. Lucia had never grown too fond of the clan staff that protected their family within the Bonnet mansion.

Lucia grumbled into her pillow, “Those goons your family hire couldn’t protect a tree from fish.”

“They’re vampires, that’s the minimum requirement at this point,” he reminded her. “And they’re all loyal members of the Bonnet clan, probably far too eager to impress you and climb into your good graces as the new Mrs Bonnet.”

“Am I hearing the sweet, sheltered Elijah Bonnet recommending manipulation tactics to ensure my bodyguards are loyal to me?”

“If that stops you complaining about their presence, you can take my words however you please, my love.” He kissed her cheek.

Lucia huffed, but her eyes were already twinkling with possibility. Elijah’s wife was tenacious. It was a trait he loved and feared in equal measure. She could rule the world with an ounce of interest in the position.

“I’m tired,” she said quietly. “Let’s not talk about this any more tonight.”

Elijah nodded, but a seed of worry was already burying down in his chest.

Lucia rolled onto her front, allowing her small bump to hang in the shallow dip created in the centre of the pillow. Elijah flicked off the bedside lamp and tucked himself up against her. He stroked his fingers along her back until she fell asleep.

Once his precious wife had been softly snoring for an hour or so, Elijah slipped out from under the covers.

Sariyah was waiting for him in their agreed lounge room. She had draped her tiny body over one of the many plush armchairs and had a book dangling lazily from one hand.

“I need your advice,” he announced as soon as the door was shut behind him.

“Of course you do,” she answered without looking up. “You’re a man.”

He shook his head and dropped into the seat opposite her. “I recently learned of ‘push presents’ and want to get one, or lots, for Lucia.” he explained. “I don’t know what is expected, though. Has she mentioned anything to you?”

“Push presents?” Sariyah hummed. “I’m not familiar with this.”

“I’m assuming it is the new name for an eternity item,” he guessed. “My mother received an eternity ring from my father for my birth, and then another for Eden’s.”

Sariyah huffed out a half-sigh. “The way you phrased that made us sound so old.”

“Would you rather be old or mortal?”

“You have a point. I will do some investigating about the push present with Lucia.”

Elijah gave her an alarmed look.

“But gently!” Sariyah reassured him. “So that she doesn’t become suspicious. I will feign ignorance and say that I saw the term in a magazine.”

Elijah laughed. “We don’t need to feign it, we are clueless.”

“You’re most likely on the right track with jewellery, though. Sparkly items always make good presents, regardless of the occasion.”

“Yes, but I want to know how large and how precious the item should be. If I gift her a tiara, will she laugh at me? If I got her a simple diamond ring, would she be disappointed?”

“Yes, she would laugh at you. No, she wouldn’t be disappointed. Knowing Lucia, she probably isn’t expecting anything.”

“I don’t want her to feel different from anyone else,” he blurted, voicing a worry he had been tightly holding inside his heart for far too long. “I want her to have everything that everyone else has and more.” The small excerpts of her background that Lucia had shared hurt him to think about. It wasn’t fair.

Sariyah sighed again, but with a small smile. “Cousin, you are sweeter than honey. As long as you’re doing your best, she’ll continue to live her happy life.”

Elijah twiddled the bottom of his pyjama shirt. “You think she’s happy?” he whispered.

“Told me so herself,” said Sariyah with a wink. “Now, go back to bed before she notices you’re gone. She hasn’t been sleeping well lately and she won’t like to wake up alone.”

Elijah nodded obediently, gave his cousin a grateful smile, and scurried back to his beautiful wife.