The King's Consort Ch. 02

Caitlin withdrew from the bathroom, her hands still trembling from the violent retching of morning sickness. The bell would call Marianne, who could make tea to wash down the awful taste.

But before she made it across the room, an acute pain gripped her stomach. She collapsed to her knees, landing hard on the wooden floor with a cry.

With her hands tight around her stomach and her forehead pressed to the floor, she cried out for help. "Kalen! Amandine... anyone..." She knew it was pointless to call for him while he was so far away, but she was beyond rational thought at the moment.

Amandine was there before she collapsed. "Caitlin, it's alright, I'm here." She lifted her up and cradled Caitlin to her chest, sweeping her to the bed. "How long has it been since you've eaten?"

Caitlin could barely keep her eyes open.

Another vise clamped around her stomach, drowning her under a wave of agony. She clutched at Amandine's black gossamer gown, trying to banish the pain. She'd never felt anything so dire; the pregnancy up to this point had been difficult, but not painful. Now, she thought she could very well lose the child.

Her life was hinged on the birth of Kalen's son, and if she miscarried...

She didn't want to think about the possibility, bracing for another ripple of invisible needles that worked over her stomach. At some point, she realized Amandine had set her down, and was now stroking her back as Caitlin lay on her side. "Breathe for me, Caitlin." That soothing voice broke through a prison fashioned from her own mind, drawing her back to the surface. "Breathe. I've already rang Marianne, and she will call the doctor. You're not well."

Caitlin scoffed between great undulations of pain, but had learned months ago that sarcasm wasn't the most effective way to communicate with their kind. "What's- happening?"

Amandine only shook her head. She, herself, had gone through the same, arduous process of bearing a royal child, but from what Caitlin understood, it was a rather average birth, despite the fact that it lasted three years. And the mother always perished.

Three years, Caitlin thought, right before another contraction seized her belly. Her scream echoed off the bedroom walls as she held her stomach tight.

"I will see what's keeping her."

Amandine moved to stand, but she caught her arm. "No! Stay- stay with me. Don't leave."

"I'll only be gone a moment." She gently detached from her and vanished into thin air. They were fast, too fast for her to register as another squeeze clamped down on her and the child. Tears chased down her cheeks as she clutched at her only connection to life.

"Caitlin!" Marianne's shout roused her, though only slightly. "Oh, dear!" A warm hand grabbed hers. "Don't you dare give up. You're stronger than that."

The cool, impassive part of her brain found amusement in her words, but all she could do was let out an unfettered scream. She was not strong. She'd never been strong before, or after, she met Kalen. She wasn't strong when her father's successor, Gabriel, kidnapped her, only to conduct a test to draw Kalen out and kill him, planning to destroy the child inside her afterwards.

"Dr. Gray will be here as soon as she can," Marianne reassured her, running a thick hand up her arm. "It's going to be okay." Caitlin suspected she was trying to convince herself, more than anything. When a fleeting moment of clarity passed her, she saw the middle-aged woman's greyish-green eyes huge with worry. She'd never seen Marianne so shaken in all her time at the mansion.

"I can't- I can't lose him!" Caitlin arched with another spear of pain, clutching her stomach, her core shaking violently with the release of each contraction. It had barely been three months since Kalen did his princely duty, at the instruction of his father.

How could she last three years, if her body rioted so?

Marianne's voice was desperately hopeful, and lacked any convincing edge. "You won't, dear. The doctor will make sure of it."

The door burst open and she saw a wild mop of gray curls enter the room. "What's going on?!" Janice ran to her side and leaned over her, brushing back Caitlin's sweat-laced hair from her eyes. "She's too pale! Look at her!"

Caitlin shook her head, not wanting her mother to be this frantic as her body revolted. It was bad enough that this searing pain bore into her body.

She felt more than saw Amandine's return. After Gabriel's injections, sensing her mother-in-law was as effortless as feeling Kalen's energy approaching the mansion, even in a fit of agony.

"Janice. Marianne." The Queen's voice was cool in comparison to their panic. "I will take it from here. I appreciate your concern, and I'm sure Caitlin does as well, but you can't help her right now. Caitlin will need to eat when the wave passes. Please attend to her lunch."

Marianne was quick to rise, but Janice, not so much. "She is my child."

"She is." The words came out as daggers. "And if you care for her at all, you will do as I say." The voice gentled again, "Trust me, Janice."

Caitlin felt a pair of hands release so she could be alone in her agony. There was only one set of hands she wanted to feel, and they were not here. Amandine's, though, were a close second. When the room finally went blessedly quiet, the contractions slowed, just a little. "Caitlin. Open your eyes."

She screwed them shut, tossing her head to the side.

A had cupped her cheek. "You have to drink this, child." A warm drop touched her mouth, and her eyes flew open. Amandine had put a slender finger against her lips, having let out a little of her own blood on the tip, and was pressing it into her mouth. "It will help with the pain."

The drop passed between her lips before she could object, and a palliative calm rushed through her. She'd never tasted vampire blood before. Kalen was waiting until the moment the child was out of her before transitioning her. She had two choices once the child was out of her, become one of them, or die a human. Caitlin chose the former, if it meant meeting their son.

But what Amandine did... it was abrasive to their plans. And yet, so were these horrible contractions that racked her body. When the last of them ebbed away, she could breath without gasping. "Amandine... you-"

"I did what I had to, to save both of you." Amandine leaned over the bed, cupping Caitlin's face as a mother might her most cherished daughter, her eyes filled with concern. "Your body was attempting to reject the child. Don't tell Janice or Marianne what I did. They won't understand."

Caitlin passed her hands over the small bump that was only beginning to form. "Of course, I won't." There was no reason to worry her mother, or the servant. She rolled her tongue around her mouth, tasting the sweet metallic of Amandine's blood. She closed her eyes and threw her head against the pillow in relief. "Thank you."

She didn't not answer right away. "It won't come without a price."

Caitlin felt the guilt of it weigh down her words. "Nothing ever does, it seems."

*

Caitlin was already sitting up in bed when Kalen threw the door open, still dressed in his long coat that he often wore into the city. "Caitlin. I head what happened. Are you alright?"

She smiled in earnest, pushing the bowl of soup away. Janice, ever present after the episode, had been helping her eat the brown broth and bread Marianne prepared for her. Caitlin did her best to speak past the slight trembling in her chest. "I'm alright. It was just a few false contractions."

Janice didn't seem at all pleased to see the prince. She stood, exuding more rage than could fit in her lean little body. "You did this to her. You put that thing inside my daughter and it's killing her!" She got within Kalen's reach, her fists balled up as if she were about to strike him.

"Mom." Caitlin's voice was still shaking. "Leave him alone."

Her mother ignored her, glaring up at the vampire who didn't seem to respond to her fury. He sloughed off his coat and folded it over one arm. "May I see Caitlin, please?"

"No, you may certainly not-"

"Mom!" Caitlin had had enough of her hovering for one day. She understood the need to protect, but Caitlin was not a child anymore, something her mother failed to comprehend.

Janice whipped around, seeming oblivious to the danger of turning her back on a creature such as Kalen. "What."

"It's okay. I'm okay. Can you go away for a bit?"

Her mother balked. Many things had changed since Caitlin had been brought to the mansion, and though Janice was her only parent, she didn't have the authority to make decisions for her, anymore. That exchange of power was still difficult for Janice to accept. "If- if that's what you want, honey." Her jaw clenched as she exited, staring Kalen down on her way out.

When the door shut, Caitlin could finally breathe. "I'm... sorry about that."

"Never apologize for another's actions." He closed the distance between them in an instant, cupping her hand gently in his. "You're certain everything's fine?"

"No," she said truthfully. "But it's okay for now. I didn't mean to cut your trip short-"

"That's the least of my worries." He thumbed her cheekbone, relief etched in his handsome features, marred only by the puckered scar on his cheek. "It was only my father's errands. And, well, you know what he's like."

She swallowed involuntarily. "I do."

"Then you understand." He ran his long fingers through her tangled auburn hair. "I'm just pleased to see you've recovered." Kalen glanced over at the modest meal. "They're being cautious with your lunch, it seems. Has eating become any easier?"

"Not really." She reveled in his touch, beyond grateful to have him back sooner than anticipated. "You got here fast. I thought- that I'd have to wait out the week before seeing you again."

"I came as soon as I heard." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, sending a little chill down her spine. "I'm just glad to see your color is improved. When my mother called- I feared the worst."

"Well, don't." She levered up and grabbed his collar, feeling confident in her strength again. "I'm fine, and so is your son."

He offered a small smile, but his eyes were sad. "That doesn't mean I won't worry when I'm gone."

"Then don't go anywhere." She leaned in closer, catching a whiff of his heady musk.

Kalen caught the back of her neck, thumbing the hollow of her throat as his gaze bore into her. "It's not that simple, Caitlin. You know that."

She caught his shoulder, pulling herself up to his level, their faces within inches of each other. "And why not?" So close, she could almost taste the invisible shadows steaming off him. Caitlin wanted to wrap herself in that familiar darkness and stay that way forever.

His eyes flickered to the pout of her lips. "Because, I have responsibilities to the crown."

"And you have responsibilities to me, too. Don't you?" Her nose brushed against his, ever so lightly. "We need you here, my prince."

Kalen sighed, then he planted the smallest kiss on her lips.

When he broke away, she grimaced at the paltry offering and held tighter to him. "Give me a real kiss. I've missed you."

Without hesitation, he complied, pushing her back on the bed, with an arm on either side of her. Kalen's lips brushed hers lightly, then his tongue darted in. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she opened herself to him, accepting the forceful flick of his tongue against hers. If he wanted, she knew, he could let his teeth out in an instant, but he didn't.

Instead, he froze as if struck by one of her mother's punches.

His hand caught the back of her neck, less gently than before. Kalen pulled away, his eyes the purest black. "You will have to excuse me a moment. I must speak with Amandine."

The way he said his mother's name sent a different sort of chills down her spine. Not 'my mother', just Amandine. Caitlin had an inkling, but she wasn't sure he'd know just by tasting her. She'd tried to wash the metallic flavor down with tea and soup, but it apparently wasn't enough.

She grabbed his arm before he slid away. "Please, wait."

Kalen turned to look at her, the fierceness of his gaze made her throat close up.

"Don't- she was only trying to help."

His face was unreadable behind a mask of indifference, but she felt a furious darkness roiling just beneath the surface. "I know." And with that, he was gone.

*

What an idiot she was, asking for a 'real' kiss.

But Amandine had only done what was best for her and for the child in a dire situation. She had to stop him for punishing his own mother for saving them. The situation had been out of everyone's control, and Caitlin didn't know if even the doctor could have helped.

Amandine didn't deserve to be condemned for it.

Exhaustion weighed on her limbs, but she roused anyway, checking her appearance quickly in the vanity mirror. Her hair was a tangled mess after the contractions, but no one cared either way. So, she slipped out of her bedroom, still in her night clothes, and found the stairwell leading down to the lowest level, where the master suite lay.

The enormous studio opened into a parlor, with a baby grand piano in an adjoining room. Little golden cherubs lined the fireplace that was dark and cold without a roaring fire. There was no sign of Kalen or his mother, but just beyond the master bedroom lay a catacomb of sorts, where he often slept. Caitlin followed her instincts, and a slight trace of darkness that drew her to the handle-less door in the bedroom.

She pushed on it, and it gave, opening to an unfurnished cellar.

In here, the darkness engulfed her, and she felt the child inside her swell with shadowy energy. Distracted by the creature in her stomach, it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the complete blackness.

Then, she saw them.

Kalen and Amandine stood facing each other in silent rage, neither saying a word. Even her presence didn't interrupt their unspoken battle of wills. Surrounding them, the darkness had coalesced so that it pressed in around the pair.

Caitlin was frozen for a moment, holding in a breath.

Slowly, the spell broke, and Kalen turned his head to face her, his eyes seemed to be empty sockets in the dimness. "Go upstairs, Caitlin."

Amandine, too, turned to her, and Caitlin sucked in another breath. The radiant woman who she'd grown so close to these last four months looked, for the first time, absolutely frightening. Her pale, pale skin accentuated those eyes that roved over her, as if they were unacquainted. A hunger danced in them that she'd never seen before, and Caitlin gave a great gulp. "No. You can't-"

Kalen had her pressed to the cold stone wall before she could blink, his hands on either side of her head. She might have thought he was drawing near for a kiss if she didn't see the expression on his face. "Do as I say."

She hadn't seen him this angry in a long while. His fury plumed off him in waves of darkness, but she wouldn't be silenced, no matter how frightening he was. "Don't blame Amandine for this."

Caitlin reached out to touch his face, but he grabbed her wrist tightly. "Now is not the time. Go upstairs. I will be with you shortly." He released her arm, more gently than she anticipated, and stayed between her and Amandine.

She glanced to his mother - who looked poised to pounce at any moment - and suppressed a shudder. Caitlin looked back up to Kalen, steadying herself. "You know we both could have died if she didn't help us. Please. It's not her fault."

His dark eyes bore into her, but she refused to concede. Kalen's hard face relaxed, just a little. "I understand, Caitlin." He backed away, just enough for her to reach for the door, and nodded, silently urging her to go.

"Thank you," she breathed, taking her leave as swiftly as she could. She did not bother to glance back, knowing she couldn't stand the raze of their basest natures any longer, and shut the door. Caitlin readjusted the wall curtain so it looked undisturbed. But she couldn't leave the suite, opting instead to tracing the round faces of the cherubs. If she wanted, she could light a fire and wait for their standoff to conclude. It could take a very long time.

Kalen had great respect for his mother. She knew that much. The cherubs he'd had installed throughout the house for her; he'd also claimed that he could never deny Amandine anything. And Amandine herself had been so good to Caitlin these last few months. She'd also been the one to teach Kalen the definition of mercy when his father trained him to slaughter the innocent in Europe.

Now, two people - creatures, vampires - that she'd come to care for very much, were at each other's throats, and she couldn't stay Kalen's hand, whatever his decision.

All she could do now was wait.

*

Caitlin sat at the piano, plunking the keys and creating a simple melody in the minor chords, the tune never deciding what type of song it was. She was beginning to pick up on the notes when long arms wrapped around her body, and his chin rested on her head.

And all at once, she was home again.

Caitlin leaned back into him, glancing up at his troubled face, his eyes returned to the rich red-brown she was accustomed to. "What happened?"

He looked beyond her, as if his mind were elsewhere. "I decided to send her away for a while. We don't know what that interference will do to you in the long run. What she did was... unnatural." His arms tightened around her protectively.

She glanced back down at the keys, putting her hands into position for D minor, but she couldn't depress a single key. "Where will she go?"

"I don't know," he said. "She is her own creature, and I have every faith that she will manage. But enough about her." He finally looked down to her, his face untroubled. "The sun has set. Are you interested in taking a walk with me?"

She smiled up at him, doing her best to banish her troubled expression. "Of course. I mean, doctor Gray did tell me I need to keep a routine. Speaking of, will she be staying again, after..."

Kalen helped her up from the bench with a gentle hand, drawing her close. "Yes. We need to know what happened in order to prevent another occurrence. She'll be staying until you are stabilized at the very least. But-" He glanced up again, as if distracted by something. "-she is rather far away. It will take her some time to get here. Unfortunately, she's only human." His mouth twitched as he said it, almost apologetic in nature.

"'Only human'," Caitlin repeated, not as offended as she might have been in the beginning. "You really must quit disparaging my kind. It's 'only' humans who built your mansion, manufactured your cars, tend to the stables, care for your 'consort'."

Kalen sighed. "And you really must understand-" He left a kiss on the bridge of her nose. "-present company is excluded, of course."

"I'm no different from them."

"But you are." He tilted her chin up, so she couldn't look away. "You will be a Queen."

"If we survive your father." She saw his mood shift, ever so slightly souring. "I'm not an idiot, Kalen. You have to win this war, first. He won't offer his neck to you willingly."

"Ever the realist." His eyes softened as he panned over her face, and she thought he could be teasing her, in his own way. "My father's illness is progressing. He's no longer reasonable."

She leaned back a little in disbelief. "I am shocked to think that man was ever reasonable."

Kalen made a noise in his throat, not quite humored, but not spiteful, either. "It makes him weak, though. He will not anticipate where I strike. And with my contact on the inside, I will know his plans long before he makes a move."