Eternal Faith - Book 4 (The Ruby Ring Saga) (9 page)

“Of
course not,” I said, and the crowd stared at me as I broke into a fit of
laughter. “Surely I jest! Just be lucky you have toothpaste in this century. We
are forced to use mixtures of herbs and abrasives or even burnt rosemary ashes.
It is rather nasty, and sometimes I feel compelled to down some medieval ale
just to get the taste out of my mouth.” I made a face, then frowned at the
memory. I had scolded Liz about wanting to meld too much of our world into theirs,
but I had every intention of taking a large supply of toothbrushes and
toothpaste back with me when we returned to Tastia.

The
crowd roared with laughter.

“She’s
so good!” the production manager said. “If I didn’t know any better, I swear
she’s really brushed her teeth with herbs a time or two.”

The
woman who ran the theater smiled. “Yes, she’s definitely a natural. I’m gonna
have to give these two a raise. If we’re not careful, we’ll lose them to some
big-time Hollywood agent.”

We
answered questions for the next hour. By then, my feet had swollen up like
balloons, and I was dying to get home so I could lift them up in the recliner
and snuggle with my medieval hottie. I was just glad we had Colgate instead of
burnt rosemary, because that made kissing him all the more delightful.

W
e
rented a house in the woods, surrounded by quite a bit of land, and we even
bought a yellow Labrador for a pet. Liz and Charles lived down the street and
got jobs at the theater too. I enjoyed showing Victor around, sightseeing in
California, and teaching him all sorts of slang. Before long, he began to sound
and look like everyone else, a real California boy if there ever was one,
except that he still insisted on exercising with heavy logs instead of weights.
 

My
life felt perfect. I had everything I’d ever wanted, from my friends and family
to my kind, sweet husband to the perfect house with the little white picket
fence. Nobody ever suspected our true identity, and we lived quite incognito. Victor
fit in more and more every day, but I knew he had no intention of staying in my
world. He’d promised me he would stay until our baby turned eighteen, but I
knew the second that happened, we would have to return to his kingdom. I tried
not to think about it so I could just enjoy my time in my world. I would watch
my baby grow up, spend time with my family, and make the most out of every
single moment I had in California.

I
couldn’t help but admire my king. He had gone from living in a huge castle and
being royalty to living in an average-sized house, working for a paycheck, and
living as a normal person, with no real luxuries. Still, with modern technology
at my fingertips after living for a year in a medieval kingdom, I felt like I
was living the high life; by comparison, Tastia reminded me of the Stone Age.  

I
was thrilled when Liz stopped by with salads from Burger King. After eating, I
loosened the button on my jeans. “These things are so tight,” I said, tugging
at the waist of my blue jeans.

She
blinked. “Those used to be so loose on you!”

I
bit my lip. “I know. I don’t feel pregnant, just fat. My face is rounder, my
boobs are swelling like watermelons, and my butt is growing faster than my
stomach.”

“It’s
normal for your figure to round out a bit. Besides, guys love curves!”

“Why
aren’t you wearing any of the maternity clothes Mom bought? They’d definitely
flatter your changing shape. You should look like a glowing, pregnant, gorgeous
mom-to-be, not squish yourself into jeans that are too snug on you.”

“I’m
trying to hold off for a little white longer.”

“You
can’t, Sarah! You’re pregnant, and you’re gonna have a baby bump. Don’t get
caught up in all this weight stuff. You’re gonna get bigger—everywhere. You’re
carrying another human being inside your body, for goodness sake. Just embrace
it...and enjoy it.”

“I
don’t want to be unattractive to Victor,” I said.

She
shook her head as if I was being silly. “Come on! The man’s crazy about you.”

“Every
beautiful woman stares at him. Maybe Victor is out of my league. What does he
want with somebody like me anyway?”

“Don’t
get insecure on me, sis. That’s definitely not you talking.”

“I
guess it’s the hormones. I’m happy one minute, crying the next, and eating a
spoonful of peanut butter on top of a pickle.”

She
made a face. “Uh, that’s really gross.”

“I
guess it’s pretty common in the first trimester. At least that’s what I found
on Google.” I shook my head. “I’m an emotional mess.”

“Pregnancy
can be stressful and overwhelming, but lucky for you, I’m here.”

I
smiled.

“Hey,
not to change the subject, but remember that girl you got into a little spat
with?”

“Lynn?
The one from the theater who says I can’t act?”

“Yeah,
that one, the wench with ten years under her belt.”

“What
about her?” I asked.

“She’s
missing. She went out clubbing and never came home.”

“That’s
awful. It seems like a lot of people are going missing, and that gives me the
creeps. Good thing I’m Immortal. A serial killer tries to mess with me, and
I’ll show him a thing or two.”

“Maybe
we could look for her and see if we could dig up any clues,” she said.

“Sounds
good. She’s a little snotty at first, but she’s really a nice girl once you get
to know her.”

“Nobody
deserves to get kidnapped.”

“Or
killed.”

“They’ve
never found any bodies,” I retorted.

“I
wonder what the dude’s doing with them?” she asked, shuddering.

“I’ve
got no idea, and I don’t want to start imagining it. All I know is that the
whole thing creeps me out.”

* * *

T
hat
night, Victor was drinking wine out of a medieval goblet he’d bought from the gift
shop. Our dog was lying at his feet.

I
blew out a breath when I noticed Victor hadn’t taken his costume off after work.
“You’d rather stay in a costume than normal clothes?”

“Normal
is a relative term, my dear. This
is
my normal.”

“Victor,
I didn’t mean anything by that, and I don’t really want to fight with you.”

He
nodded but didn’t say another word. His lower lip quivered.

Even
though I could tell he was upset, I thought he looked adorable. “Have I ever
told you that you’re sexy as hell when you’re mad at me?”

He
didn’t even look up at me.

“You
can’t stay in those clothes,” I said.

His
mouth pressed into a hard line. “You criticize my wardrobe when you insist on
wearing
those
?” he asked, pointing to my shoes.

I
glanced down at my flip-flops. “My feet are swollen twenty-four/seven. I have
no choice. And don’t you dare try to deflect the attention off yourself.”

“I
wish to be alone,” he said in an authoritative voice.

“This
isn’t Tastia, your castle, and I’m most definitely not your servant, Victor. I
won’t be talked to in that tone or in that manner, and I refuse to be ordered
around.”

“My
apologies, My Queen. If I need to leave for any reason, I will change into more
suitable clothes for this world.”

I
rolled my eyes and left the room.

A
few hours later, he changed into something more appropriate and sat silently on
the couch, staring out the window.

His
brooding silence and constant mood swings annoyed me.
How can he go from
being the charismatic, charming king everyone loves to this?
He was a
complicated person whom I couldn’t even begin to understand, and taking him out
of his element was not helping our relationship.

“You’re
hurting,” I said. “You’re homesick, so you’re lashing out at me. I get it, but
you should understand that I was hurting, too, when I was forced to leave
everything I loved to stay with you in Tastia. You’re not alone, Victor,
because I, too, have felt the sting of missing my home world. If anyone knows
what you’re going through, it’s me.”

“I
don’t think I can do this any longer, Sarah,” he said, his voice growing
louder.

“I’m
here for you.”

He
swallowed hard. “I know, but you’re also asking too much of me.”

“I’m
asking you to do this for your child, your firstborn son.”

He
pulled me close, and his eyes sparked to life when I kissed his soft lips. “I’ve
never loved anyone the way I love you,” he said, staring deeply into my eyes. “I’ll
do anything I have to do to protect our family, but I’m having a hard time
adjusting to this world.”

“We’ll
get through this together,” I said. “I promise, baby, but you have to let me
in. Please don’t shut me out.”

We
embraced in a tight hug. I loved the man, and I would fight for him no matter
how many mood swings I had to deal with.

With
our Immortal hearing, we both caught the faint sound of a twig snapping
outside. Sparky barked, and I called him over. Victor reached for a gun
strapped to his ankle, then whipped it out and aimed carefully at the door.

My
jaw dropped. “Where did you get that?”

He
met my gaze straight on. “Your father.”

“Hmm.
Well, just wait till I talk to him.”

“I
need it to protect you if those blue-ringed Immortals drain my power. Also,
it’s much more accurate and far more lethal than a sword.”

He
opened the door and breathed in relief as a stray dog took off running from the
garage can and into the brush.

I
shut the door. “How long have you had a gun?”

“Your
dad gave it to me a few days ago. We have been practicing at the shooting
gallery.” He slipped the gun back into his ankle holster, then gripped my
hands. “I cannot protect you and the baby without a proper weapon, Sarah. Honestly,
I think you should have one too.”

“Just
be careful. You’re not even a legal citizen, and if you get caught with it, you
could get thrown in jail. They’re really cracking down on guns these days.”

“No
jail could hold me.”

I
glared. “Victor, I’ve seen how things work in your kingdom when it comes to
jail, but if you get arrested here, in this time, there are legal ways to get
out. You should never try to break out, or there will be worse consequences to
face.”

He
shifted his stance and looked away.

“Promise
me that if it ever comes to that, you won’t blast the police station with fireballs
and wind. It just doesn’t work that way in my world. You’ll only end up on
every news station and the front page of every single newspaper across the
nation.”

He
smiled and kissed my lips. “You have my promise.”

“It’s
strange to see you with that gun. I have this image of you as a warrior king in
medieval gear, swinging a sword from atop your horse, and now here you are in
black pants and a shirt, holding a gun.”

“The
gun won’t kill them, but it’ll slow them down, giving us enough of a head start
to flee.” He stared at me with intense eyes. “I do not run from battles,
Sarah—not ever—but with these Immortals, we have no choice. I must put my pride
aside for the sake of our unborn child.”

“I
agree. We have to be prepared.”

“And
we will be,” he said firmly.

I
called Liz the next morning and told her the entire story about our mini-fight.
She assured me that Victor just needed time to adjust and told me not to give
up on him. Victor was a complex person, and sometimes I wondered if I could
really handle him. It was daunting and draining, as if I was trying to tame a
wild horse. I was thankful that we had the day off from the theater.

When
I went into the kitchen, Victor greeted me with the biggest, brightest smile,
and I was impressed to see that Victor had made pancakes and eggs that were
almost as delicious as the cook himself.

* * *

I
balanced on a ladder and painted the wall robin-egg blue. I was six months
pregnant and dressed in a white t-shirt with giant-sized denim overalls
splattered in blue paint. I must’ve looked horrible with paint smeared across
the side of my face; it had somehow gotten all over me. The early morning
breeze from the open window blew through my hair, and a beautiful fragrance
from nearby flowers drifted in on the breeze. June was my favorite month of the
year, and the sweet aroma covered the smell of fresh paint that was lingering in
the air. My heart exploded with joy when I saw how fresh and clean the walls
looked; I’d been dying to paint the nursery for such a long time.

I’d
rearranged the baby accessories, toys, and clothes a million times in a fit of
nesting, and now I was painting like a maniac. I felt a powerful urge to
prepare for the arrival of my little one, to make sure everything was ready for
my son to make his grand entrance into this world.

“Getting
the baby’s room ready is a time-honored tradition,” I said. “After we paint, we
still have to install shelves and build furniture.”

“We
still have plenty of time,” Victor said. “You’ve been cleaning, organizing, and
shopping for months now.”

“I
know, but I’m so excited.” I felt a drop of paint hit my face. I reached out my
hand and focused on the clean white rag in the corner, coaxing it to fly up in
the air and straight into my hands.

“I
could’ve gotten that for you,” Victor said.

“My
powers barely work, but I can handle simple tasks.”

Victor
set his paint roller down, and I watched his amazing muscles stretch under his
shirt. “I declare this wall done,” he said, stripping off his paint-splattered shirt.

I
glanced around. “It’s beautiful, baby!”

He
smiled as he met my gaze.

“I
think your shirt is ruined.”

“It’s
an old one anyway.”

“We’ve
made this nursery a safe, warm, loving place.” I nodded, satisfied. “We’re
quite the team, aren’t we?”

Happiness
was evident in every detail of his face. “This is a sweet room for a precious
new life.”

“Definitely,
and I think we’ve nailed the color perfectly.”

He
held the blue swatch up against the wall. “Perfect match.”

A
tingle of excitement spread through me. “I want Alex’s room to be fun and
inviting.”

“It
is all of that and more, my dear. When it dries, we’ll adorn the walls with decals.”

I
tapped my chin. “About that...I know my mom bought them for us, but I want more
of a personal touch.”

He
glanced up at me on the ladder. “What are you thinking?”

I
grinned widely. “Well, you’re the artist in the family, and I know painting is
you’re passion, so...”

“Are
you challenging me to create something fantastic for our son?” he asked.

“You’re
the best artist I know, Victor.”

He
met my gaze. “Hmm. I may be willing, but I must warn you that I will ask for a
lot in return.”

I
shot him a flirty grin. “I’ll make it up to you all night long.”

“I
shall hold you to it.”

Cupping
his cheek, I felt the stubble from his unshaven face. “You got me, baby.” I
motioned to the wall. “Perhaps you can paint an ocean mural.”

“I
can paint the perfect underwater dreamscape.”

“You’re
hired!” I smiled. “I just know it’s going to be
perfect
.”

“Sparky!”
Victor yelled.

I
couldn’t help but laugh as our yellow Lab knocked over a can of paint, dotting
his fur with flecks of blue. Victor patted him on the head as I smiled. “I
guess he wants to help too,” I said with a laugh.

“Apparently.”
Victor’s biceps flexed as he picked up the bucket of paint, and sweat rolled down
his shirtless chest.

When
Victor set the cans down and walked over to me, I dropped the paintbrush and fell
into his arms as he spun me around. I loved the life I’d chosen for myself.

“You
have speckles of paint in your hair,” he said.

“I’m
a mess,” I said.

“A
hot mess,” he purred in my ear, trailing kisses down my neck.

“I’m
a hot, fat mess of raging hormones.”

“Your
body is carrying our amazing miracle. I think you’re beautiful,” he said,
setting me back on my feet. “I’ve never been happier, Sarah.”

I
gazed into his eyes as we shared a slow, deep kiss. “We have everything I’ve
ever wanted. We have our own place, I have a wonderful husband—”

“Who
absolutely adores his stunning, gorgeous wife,” he chimed in.

My
face lit up in a grin. “And we’re having a baby!” I yelled excitedly.

He
touched my stomach lovingly. “I can’t fathom it myself. I’ve waited for this
moment for hundreds of years. I didn’t think I’d ever be happy and assumed I’d live
my life alone, but then you walked in and changed everything.”

“I
couldn’t be happier either, Victor.”

He
stroked my face. “Do I deserve to be this happy?”

“The
past is the past. Let’s focus on the present. You deserve all of this. After
everything you’ve been through, it’s about time.”

He
stared into my eyes. “I can’t believe I’m holding the woman I want to spend the
rest of my life with. You have no idea how long I waited to find you.”

“We’re
gonna have a great life, Victor,” I said.

He
smiled. “And a fantastic room for our baby.”

Tears
welled up in my eyes. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? Wait until we have the crib, the
curtains, and that fish diaper-changing table my mom got us. It’s gonna be
fabulous and...”

I
was stopped mid-sentence by the kicking of our child, and I glanced up at
Victor and smiled. “Your son’s moving. See?”

He
put his hand over my stomach and grinned as Alexander kicked. “I felt that!” he
said. When the baby kicked again, Victor pressed his face gently against my
stomach and kissed it. “Yes, baby boy, I love you too.”

Tears
welled up in my eyes because it was such a beautiful moment. Watching his
reaction was nothing short of amazing. He could feel the life growing inside me
for the very first time, and the love and joy in my husband’s eyes was
overwhelming. Through the nausea, heaving, mood swings,
anxiety, swollen feet, and irritability, I was having some truly amazing moments
during the pregnancy, and I wouldn’t have traded any of them for anything. I
couldn’t wait to write all about that Kodak moment in the baby book Liz had
given me so that Alexander would know how much his father loved him before he
ever laid eyes on him.

“Whoa!”
I suddenly said. “Super Baby is really kicking up a storm. I think he’s going
to be an acrobat or a soccer player.”

He
chuckled. “We have a very strong son.”

“Just
like his dad,” I said as emotion overwhelmed me.

Victor
glanced at me, and neither of us could stop smiling. We were bringing a new
life into the world and couldn’t wait to meet him. The countdown had started to
that amazing moment when I’d hold my precious bundle of joy in my arms. We were
the happiest parents of all time, and we hadn’t even held our baby yet.

* * *

H
olding
a screwdriver, I sat in the middle of the nursery with the crib in pieces. I
held up the directions and squinted and decided that building it would be a
breeze.

The
door opened, and Victor walked in with a bottled water. “I’ve brought you something
to drink.”

“Thanks,
hon.”

“What
are you working on?”

“Building
the crib,” I answered, cool, calm, and collected, as if it was a normal thing
for me to be doing so late at night. 

“It’s
midnight, my love.”

I
shot him a look, warning him not to give me a lecture. “And?” He set the bottle
down on the dresser I’d just built an hour ago. I couldn’t stop nesting and I
was a building machine.

“Let
me help you,” he said.

“I
know I should be crocheting a cute little blanket, but that’s just not me, and—”

He
captured my lips in a long, soft kiss.

“You’re
not helping me with
my
project.” I laughed.

Victor
tried to grab the screwdriver out of my hand, but I refused to let go. He
lowered himself onto me, hungrily bringing his mouth down on mine. “Surely this
can wait till tomorrow,” he said in a deep, husky voice.

I
buried my hands in his soft, tousled hair. “Hmm. You can probably convince me
if you try hard enough.”

He
took me up on my invitation, and his lips and tongue gently played against my
throat, leaving a trail of kisses up and down my skin. Dropping the screwdriver
in my hand, I wrapped my arms around him and let out a soft moan. He slipped my
shirt off, and I pulled him down hard in another passionate kiss. Electric
chills swept through me as he cupped my breasts in his large, warm hands. My
body shivered from the feel of his tongue sucking my erect nipples with a
gentle force. I trembled under his touch; it felt so good, and I loved every
second of it.

“I
burn so hot for you,” I moaned, digging my fingernails into his back, my tongue
dancing sensuously with his.

His
kiss grew bolder and hotter as his mouth devoured mine. Burning with desire, I
practically ripped his shirt off and traced the firm muscles and ridges of his
powerful chest. His hands roamed over my body and skimmed the curves of my hips
and bottom. I kissed his chest, a solid wall of muscle. He scooped me up and
took me to our bedroom.

In
spite of my pregnant belly, I slipped into a sexy black nightie. Victor loved
curves and stared at my plunging neckline. My breasts were bigger than ever,
and Victor couldn’t get enough of them. I hadn’t expected to feel sexy with my
big, bulging belly, but I did.

After
a night of passionate lovemaking, one of our best nights ever, we talked for a
long time, strengthening our deep emotional connection. We talked about
everything, from the first day we met to our new life and addition to our
family. Victor wouldn’t talk about his past and only talked about his life
after he met me. I found it frustrating that he wouldn’t open up to me, but I
was willing to be patient.

I
stared into his beautiful blue eyes and ran a hand through his dark, black
hair. He smiled. I knew we were going to last forever and that nobody could
ever tear us apart. We both saw through the same Immortal eyes, sharing
experiences and feeling connected, for we were both just trying to survive in
the world.

I
trusted Victor and let him into my heart. I told him about my greatest
accomplishments and deepest fears. My king held me, kissed me, and cherished
me. Our hearts and souls were intertwined. Not only was he the world’s best
husband and most passionate lover, but he was also my best friend. With that
thought in mind, I fell asleep in my husband’s strong arms.