54
I was vaguely aware of beeping machines deep in my subconscious. My limbs felt too heavy and I couldn’t move them. I knew I was dreaming or hallucinating as I smelled Rylee’s scent close to me and I could swear someone was holding my hand.
I felt tired and I hurt and for some reason I couldn’t open my eyes or speak. This process repeated itself about four times and I had no idea how much time had passed. This time when I came to my senses, things felt different.
I still struggled to open my eyes and I was aware that I was on my stomach and I could smell her again. It was like she was right there with me, stroking my hair with one hand while the other one was entwined in my own hand.
I felt her hand move and I gripped it tightly. “Please don’t leave me,” I whispered and I could feel her breath on my face.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said in her soft voice.
“Is he waking up?” I heard Hannah ask.
“Yes,” a reassuring voice said.
“I’ll call Stella,” Hannah said and I heard her footsteps as she left the room.
“Rylee?” I asked as I tried to open my eyes again to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.
“I’m right here Lucas,” she said and I felt her squeeze my hand.
“I love you,” I said to her but there was only silence in return.
“Welcome back to the land of the living Sire Lucas.” I heard Stella’s voice.
“I think I prefer being dead,” I said and I heard her laugh.
“How so?” Stella asked me.
“Because Rylee’s there where I am, it’s better,” I said.
“You can turn on your back, it’ll still be tender but it’s healed,” Stella said and it took me two tries to turn on my back.
“I’ll call you to come back in once I’ve finished the examination,” Stella said to someone and I heard footsteps and a door open and close.
I blinked a few times as my eyes adjusted to the light and Stella came into focus. She smiled at me and I felt her take my blood pressure. Baz groaned in my head and then I saw him stretch and flap his wings.
“Finally,” he said and lay down on his side again.
“How long?” I asked Stella.
“Nine days Lucas,” she said to me.
“Shit,” I said and she smiled again.
“They gave you a lot of dragon venom, you took ages to heal, but you’ll be back to your old self in a day or two now that you’re awake. I took you out of the induced coma on day six,” she said.
“What did I miss?” I asked her.
“Quite a bit Lucas, but I’ll let them fill you in on everything,” she said as I heard their voices in the hallway.
“When can I leave this damn room?” I asked her.
“Right now,” she said as she started unhooking the machines and handed me sweat pants and a t-shirt.
She pulled a curtain around the bed and I pulled the paper gown off and got dressed in the sweat pants and pulled the t-shirt over my head.
“Congratulations Lucas,” she said as I opened the curtains and walked barefoot to the door. I frowned at her as she turned back to finish her notes in my medical file.
I pulled the door open and they were all on top of me. Hannah, Martha, Tessa, Rev, Preston, Jasper, Timothy and Brandon. I was hugged and patted on the back and my hair was ruffled a few times by Jasper as I slapped his hand away.
“You gave us a huge fucking scare,” Jasper said as he hugged me again.
“It’s not like I planned it,” I said disappointed to be awake again because now Rylee was gone.
“What do you want to do first?” Brandon asked me.
“Geez Brandon, give him some room to breathe,” Timothy said and I smiled at him.
“Have you been living in my house this whole time?” I asked him.
“Don’t act like you mind, we all know you secretly like having me around,” he said and I laughed slightly.
“Give him some space, all of you,” Hannah commanded.
“Martha said she’s making all your favourites for tonight,” Preston said and rubbed his hands together.
“I think I’d like to shower first,” I said as we started making our way back to the house.
“Yeah you sort of smell,” Rev said with a laugh.
“Did you all really barge into the Elder’s lair to break me out?” I asked as we stepped into the foyer and I turned towards them.
“We’ll tell you all about it at dinner,” Brandon said with a mischievous smile.
I left them all downstairs as they settled down in the living room and I headed up to my room. I opened the door and did a double take as Rylee sat on the bed and looked at me. I just stared at her and I couldn’t move or say anything.
“Lucas?” she said my name.
“You’re here,” I finally managed to say.
“I’ve been here for a while,” she said and I still couldn’t move.
She stood up and her bump was very prominent now as she walked over to me. She stood in front of me and looked up at me. Mixed emotions flashed through her eyes and then I opened my arms and pulled her towards me as I started crying.
“Are you crying?” she asked me suddenly.
“No,” I said as I wiped my face with one hand and she laughed.
“It’s okay to cry Lucas,” she said softly.
“I’m so sorry,” I said to her.
“I know,” she said as she hugged me back.
We stood like that for a long time as I breathed her in and I held her tighter for just a moment before letting go. She looked up at me and then wiped a single tear away that decided to escape right at that moment.
“Go shower and come down for dinner,” she said softly.
“Will you be there?” I asked her.
“Yes,” she promised.
“I don’t care Rylee, that they’re not mine, I want them, I want you,” I said to her as I turned in the doorway of the bathroom.
“You should’ve read the paternity test Lucas,” she said and walked out of the room.
I showered and got dressed in clean jeans and a t-shirt and pulled socks on. Those words were stuck in my head and I hurried out of my room to my office and opened the laptop. I searched through the deleted mails until I found the one from Stella titled Paternity Test Results.
I clicked on it and read through it as my breath quickened. I didn’t understand and I read it again to make sure that I had read it right the first time. I was their father. I was going to be a father! Baz sat up in surprise as I looked at the results.
“Well I’ll be damned,” he said and I laughed suddenly.
Everyone was waiting for me downstairs in the dining room. Rylee sat in the chair next to mine and she smiled as I walked in and sat down. I didn’t even realize how much I had missed her until I saw her in our room and I grabbed her hand as I moved my chair closer to hers.
“So fill me in,” I said as I looked at everyone else.
Rev, Hannah, Preston, Jennifer, Brandon, Kimberley, Tessa, Nadia, Timothy, Jasper and an unknown woman sat around the table full of smiles and I noticed that Jasper was holding the woman’s hand and staring into her eyes.
“Shit, you’re whipped!” I said loudly as Jasper blushed slightly and then laughed.
“Lucas this is Haley, my bonded half,” he said and she smiled at me.
“It’s a real pleasure to meet you,” I said to her with a genuine smile.
“I’d say the same but from all the stories I’ve heard I’m not sure if you two are such a good influence on each other,” Haley said and Jasper and I started laughing again.
“Oh did I tell you she’s a feisty bitch?” Jasper asked and I shook my head.
“Oh you love it,” Haley said confidently as Jasper kissed her hand.
“Right, so you took a really long nap after Baz destroyed the Elders. Three other Elders have already been singled out by the dragon realm and they’ve settled in and asked after your welfare. They want to meet with you as soon as possible. Carson’s still in the dungeon because the new Elders want to speak to you first. We’ve received numerous threats from Joseph to release Carson but so far we’ve just ignored him. As you just heard Jasper met his bonded half and is totally whipped as you said. She’s nice though and keeps him on his toes literally. The shocker was that Nadia and Timothy have become chosen mates, that’s why Timothy wasn’t leaving and as you also probably realized, Rylee came home,” Rev said as everyone stared at him open mouthed.
“Thanks Rev,” I said and turned to Timothy who looked sheepishly at me, “congrats Timothy you’re very lucky to have Nadia.”
“Oh I know,” he said as he put his arm around her.
“What about the women?” I asked.
“They’ve all gone home or been integrated into our lair,” Preston said.
“I can’t tell you guys how much I appreciate you,” I said as I looked at each of them in turn.
“Lucas,” Jennifer began but I stopped her.
“Don’t even say it Jennifer, it was my choice and I knew they had their knife in for me,” I said to her.
“I’m so sorry,” she said as she looked down and Preston hugged her.
“Baz was a complete bad ass, killing dragons left and right,” Brandon said with a laugh, “you won’t touch my host imbeciles!”
“I don’t sound like that idiot,” Baz said as he pushed through and my eyes glowed yellow for a bit.
“You kind of do Baz,” Jasper said and Baz glared at him.
“Fuck you Jasper,” Baz said and I laughed as he gave me control back.
“Now I see that Lucas is the bad influence on everyone,” Haley said and we all laughed.
“I missed you guys, each and every one of you,” I said as my eyes stopped at Rylee. I had missed her the most.
“Can we eat now?” Preston asked holding his stomach.
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