Constantine waits for more and then has to prod Cole for further information. “Well? What is it?”
He flushes and says, “When I made the decision for Liv to turn me, I put aside something that I hoped we would use one day.” He clears his throat, but Constantine has no idea what he is trying to say.
“And what was that?” he snaps, losing his patience.
“My sperm,” Cole says, his flush deepening. “I hoped that we could use it in the future and have a child that was at least half of ours…”
“Oh, for fucks sake,” Constantine mutters. “Is it possible this woman knew about it and used it?” He is angry that Cole had this foresight and the opportunity and means to carry it out.
“Maybe,” Cole replies insolently. “I doubt it though. No one knew. Not even Liv.”
“Hm, well give me the name of the place and Nico will do the rest,” he says.
Cole hands over the information and he emails it to Nico. “We will be able to find out for definite. Do not even think about saying anything to Aefre about this until we get a confirmation. She needs all of her strength at the moment.”
“Do you think she will be mad?” Cole asks quietly.
He wants to say yes, that she will be furious and never want to see him again, in fact it would be best he leaves now for his own safety and remind him of the destruction she caused in the poolroom over something more trivial than this. He really wants to say all of that and more, but he shakes his head. “I don’t know,” he lies. He knows she will be upset over this; hopefully so upset she will never want to see Cole again.
“Fuck,” Cole says again. He looks up and says, “Thank you, for taking care of it.”
Constantine is startled by the heartfelt thanks and it throws him off his game somewhat. He just nods back and says, “I’ll let you know the outcome.”
Cole nods and then he leaves, presumably to go and sit with Aefre. Most of him wants to go up there and interfere - that is, the man part of him - the Vampire in him knows he has to leave them alone for a short while because even he can see that Cole is slipping. Not that he cares about him, but he does care about Aefre and this will be affecting her too. Instead, he goes off to find the girl, Jess.
He finds her in the kitchen and says to her, “There is a new theory, go to the store and get a bunch of marigolds. As fresh as you can find.”
Jess nods at him and scampers off to do his bidding. He takes a moment to appreciate the fear that still emanates off her that causes her to jump at his every word. He needs more people around that will fall all over themselves when he speaks. Things around here are just too lax, there is no chain of authority anymore. He sighs and wishes that it was like the old days when Vampires knew their place. He considers the past morosely and then decides that enough is enough and he goes up to the bedroom to find Aefre. He is more than a little pissed to find her fast asleep with her arms wrapped tightly around her sleeping charge. Her haggard features are more relaxed though and he grudgingly allows them the contact. But only for a moment as he decides that he is in need of some contact of his own. She is still his charge after all, and even though he doesn’t have the same ties that lesser Vampires do, that doesn’t mean that he missed her any less, or is any less deserving of her attentions. He takes his shoes off and lies down gently next to her on the bed.
She turns her face towards him in her slumber, as he knew she would, and he feels a sense of triumph. His bond may not be as instinctual to her as hers is to him, but she needs him in a way that only he can provide. He stares at the ceiling wishing that Nico would hurry up and get back to him. He has to know if Cole had fathered a child before Aefre turned him. She will be furious and upset and while he doesn’t want her to feel pain, he hopes it will weaken her bond to Cole. Even more so if he assumes responsibility for the child. Although, how that will work is a bit of a worry, but there is no way that Aefre will accept a child that is not her own. Christ knows she will struggle to accept a child that is her own. He knows she gave him what he wanted, but he also knows that she thinks she came to that decision because of Sebastian. That is not the case. She decided it all on her own. He wanted to have this discussion with her after she came for him, but with this coma it has not been possible. He must find a time to bring it up without her getting upset with him.
She s
ighs and he looks at her, loving her more than he ever thought possible in that moment as she lets go of Cole and turns fully towards him, resting her head on his chest. He tangles his fingers in her hair and he is content as is she. He wants to sleep with her. He sleeps so little, even less so since she fell ill, not wanting to take his eyes off her for very long. He finds himself getting tired and he closes his eyes as he tightens his hold on his beloved wife.
He awakes as he feels her shift and kiss him lightly on the lips. He was dreaming of the past, an unpleasant dream of her and his right-hand man back in the thirteenth century. It has left a bad taste in his mouth, but he curves his lips into a small smile, and he opens his eyes to stare directly into hers.
“You are sleeping,” she accuses him gently and he chuckles.
“Well, it isn’t fair that Cole gets all of your attentions while you sleep together,” he says, hiding his bitterness behind his smile.
“True,” she says with a seductive smile and lowers her eyes at him. Oh, the gods, he feels himself go hard and he wants to flip her onto her back and take her again and again. “I wouldn’t want you to feel left out. That wouldn’t do at all,” she adds as she props her chin on her hands on his chest.
“Be careful, my sweet,” he warns her. “You are tempting me into doing something a gentleman shouldn’t do to a lady of your delicate constitution.”
She snorts and says, “You are no gentleman.”
“I am wounded,” he retorts. “You think me but a cad who would take you wantonly without a care for your condition?”
“I am hoping that you are a cad that will take me wantonly,” she says, and he groans with absolute pent-up sexual frustration. She is killing him. He meant it when he said he would never be with another woman again and he hasn’t, even through this torturous three months when he could have done with a release for his worry, anger, and pain. But his wife is not well. She is trying and he loves her for it, but he won’t push her.
“Aefre,” he says seriously, and she rolls her eyes at him. The action wants to make him either take her across his knee and give her a resounding slap to her buttocks or kiss her sweetly. He is torn, as always, with her. She infuriates him with her impertinence, but he loves the challenge she gives him. “I will not take advantage of you while you are still so weak,” he finishes his thought and she sighs.
“You are not taking advantage if I am offering myself to you,” she says quietly. He knows her feelings are hurt that he has all but rejected her. He doesn’t understand it as such, but she has told him enough times how it makes her feel.
“My sweet, sweet wife. You have no idea how much I want you. I have been married to you for three months and yet I have only made love to you twice. I am desperate for you, but I love you and don’t want to hurt you. You need rest, not a roll around the bed.” He hates saying the words because he wants a roll around the bed, and the floor, and any other place she would be willing to have him. “You wouldn’t really enjoy it and I am not partial to doing all the work,” he says with a slight laugh, so she knows that he is joking.
Fortunately, she accepts the jest and says, “Fine, but the next time I say I am ready you will, without argument, take me where I stand.”