I sighed silently. I hadn’t thought about my cat in a long while, what with all the events that’d been going on. Stubby ran away right after Drake moved in and I hadn’t seen her since. Feeling a tear escape, I wiped it away, looking out the window. I know some would consider it strange to have such an attachment to an animal, but I had found her outside as a kitten, barely coping with her missing leg. It was really sad. I thought she got along with Drake, but when she ran off that day, it was obvious she wasn’t pleased.
“We’re almost there,” Ethan said, grabbing my hand.
“Good, because I need some food.”
I was hungrier than usual. My morning had started off as shit because I couldn’t fit into my jeans anymore, so I had to wear a pair of leggings. Ethan promised he would take me shopping, but what was the point when the pregnancy was going to go quicker than normal. I needed more leggings. That was what it basically came down to. It depressed me. I was not a fan of pregnancy clothing.
We left the city and drove toward the country. It was peaceful, yet guilt ate at me as I thought about the demons. I shouldn’t be enjoying anything right now. I needed to be back at the campus, coming up with a game plan. But when I walked into the gym where the Magicteers and Nightshades were training, Brian insisted that I leave. He said he would check in later with any information. Since when did everyone team up against me?
We slowed down and turned. I glanced to where the road sign should be, noticing it had been torn down at some point. That gave me no clues as to where we were going. I didn’t travel outside of the city that often, so it was hard to know where he was taking me.
After about a mile, we went down a narrow back road flanked by trees. Finally, we slowed down and turned into a driveway. Whose house was this? Unsure of what was going on, I clenched the door handle.
“Relax, Sophie,” Ethan insisted.
“It’s not a magical place? A trick? An intervention to make me a better mother?” I raised my eyebrows at him.
Ethan scowled. “You’re going to be a great mom.”
As we drove down the driveway, a clearing appeared, revealing a large, impressive manor. It smelled like freshly cut grass. I examined the grounds, finding that it was kept up well. I didn’t see any other vehicles, so I wondered what the hell was going on. When I gave Ethan a questioning look, he grinned.
“Welcome home.”
NOT SURE WHAT TO SAY, I stared at the large house. “It’s amazing, but why...” I trailed off.
Ethan turned in the seat to face me. “You deserve your own home, Sophie. Our children deserve to be away from the politics of Witches. We need our own space.”
“Is this your way of saying you’re moving in?” I chuckled.
He raised an eyebrow. “I thought that was obvious. I’m here for the long haul.”
“Ethan–”
“Sophie, if you don’t want me to move in, just say the word and I won’t. If you want me to leave, I will. All I ask is to be able to see my child.”
“I never said I wanted you to leave, Ethan. I’m trying to come to terms with my feelings. And now these babies are in the picture.” I smiled. “I do want you to stay.”
He grinned, pulling me in for a kiss. “Good. I was scared for a minute. I understand if you change your mind. It’s a big step.”
Turning to look at the house again, I sighed. “I never had someone get me a house before. I don’t like the idea of you spending money on me like that.”
“A gift for the children. They need a stable environment.” He opened the door and climbed out of the car.
I took a deep breath, not sure this was wise. But what would be the difference from the way it was now? Was it because I made it official? I said the words out loud and changed everything?
Shaking my head, I reached for the door handle, but he’d already made it around the car to open it for me. I stepped out, enjoying the cool breeze. It was usually hot, but storms from the night before had brought in the cool air. It felt good.
Grasping my hand, Ethan led me up the steps of the manor, glancing over at me. I smiled, enjoying this carefree side of him. He unlocked the door, pushing it open. We were met with a stale smell from it not being aired out in a while.
I gaped as I looked around. It was huge! Just as I was about to explore it, my cell phone rang. I sighed, glancing over at Ethan, who shook his head.
“My work is never done.” I gave him a small smile as I pulled my cell out of my purse.
Glancing down at the screen, I saw Roark’s name. My stomach dropped. What if it was more bad news? What if Drake was out hunting again? I hesitantly pressed the button to answer.
“Hi, Roark.”
“I hope you plan on meeting him for lunch today. It’s all he’s been talking about. I don’t want him to be disappointed if you don’t show up. I don’t know if he can handle that kind of rejection right now.”
“Hi, Roark,” I said again.
He sighed audibly. “Good morning, Sophie. Now, about lunch... Are you going to show up?”
Glancing over at Ethan, he raised an eyebrow, unable to hear the conversation. “I’ll be there.”
“Good. Come alone. Don’t bring the Mage or your other lackeys. I think Drake wants to have some alone time with you.” He went quiet for a second. “Alone time with
