Page 88 of Kentucky Nights
“Be safe.” I throw my arms around his neck to hug him.
“Look after my friend for me. He feels deeply. I’m not sure how long it will take for him to come back from this. Congratulations, by the way.”
“On completing our bond? Finally, right? Just in time.” I’m careful when I take a step back with Kentucky’s hat. I don’t want to lose one single ash of the son he never knew about.
“My god, he really knows fucking nothing, doesn’t he?” Lorcan rubs his temples. “He makes my head hurt so much. You’re pregnant, Dru. It’s early. You wouldn’t be able to tell. He should have noticed a change in your smell.”
“But…” I press my hand against my stomach in disbelief. “I’m on my period.”
“And? You met a vampire. Do you really think that matters?”
“But Daphne…”
“Daphne was a Dimseer. The moment she decided to be with Kentucky, not only did she sacrifice herself to a half-life, but also the ability to have children. Dimseer children cannot be born to anyone else except another Dimseer. It’s how their power is so strong,” he explains. “I’ll leave it up to you to tell him the truth. He doesn’t know any of that. Daphne didn’t want him to. For good reason. Kentucky is hard on himself, and he was struggling with life up until he met you.”
I don’t like hiding anything from Kentucky. That’s something I’ll really need to think about. I’ll tell him the truth, but I won’t right now. We are still strengthening our bond, and I don’t want anything to jeopardize that. I’m jealous Daphne got to love him first, and I want my own time to build our trust and truths before spilling hers.
He tilts his head to the side and rolls his eyes. “I’m coming! No need for the sass, Abaddon,” he yells. “I need to go. Holler if you need me.”
He’s gone in the midst of smoke.
I’m standing alone in the arena where this was supposed to be a fun night, where Kentucky got to bring home a trophy. Instead, I’m holding the ashes of his dead son while pregnant with his child. Would he even want another child after what has happened today?
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt? I felt it. You’re uneasy. You’re sad. Talk to me, Dru.” Kentucky is at my side in the blink of an eye, his tear-stained face red and blotchy.
“Is it true about Romeo?”
“It is, but I’ll figure that out. Since Louisville is dead, I can hear the animals at the stock farm again. They’ve been talking about a kill pen near here where the owner takes their animals if they don’t win. I’m going to start there. I’m going to buy every single horse at every single kill pen. If that doesn’t work, I’lladopt from every shelter. I’ll find his mate. He has been loyal and by my side. I won’t fail him now.” His hand fits with mine like a missing puzzle piece. “Talk to me, Darlin’. Besides what happened tonight, what’s wrong? I feel it.” He brings the top of my hand to his soft lip to place a kiss.
“It’s just a long night. Let’s go home and get Romeo set up in his stall where he will be safe.” I begin to walk away when Kentucky snags my waist and pulls me close.
My back is against his chest, a place that envelopes me in comfort.
“You just lied to me. I’ll let it slide since the night has been so heavy. I feel your emotions. They are all over the place. Talk to me, Darlin’.”
“I’m fine. I promise. Let’s go home.”
“You just lied to me again.”
In one swoop, I’m at the truck, the passenger side door open, and I’m tucked into the seat with Kentucky bracketing me in with his arms.
“I’m sorry about everything tonight. The way we had to finish our bond?—”
I silence him with a finger over his lips. “I’m happy. I don’t care how we had to complete the bond. I’m glad I was able to get through to that stubborn head of yours. Plus, you can always make it up to me with a special date, and we can recreate what you had in mind. Saving our lives tonight doesn’t seem like a bad way to complete the mating, right?”
“I waited too long. None of this would have happened if I had been honest with you. How long have you known that you’ve been my mate?”
“A few days. Lorcan told me because he knew how hard-headed you are.”
He stares into the ashes in his hat, a heavy sigh drifting the ashes in a circle. “If I had listened, maybe I could have saved my kid.”
“Don’t go down that road, Kentucky. You’ll torture yourself with thoughts like that. Louisville was a terrible person. I’m sorry he was your son. I’ll never forgive him for what he did to me.”
“I won’t either. I just hate that something that was a part of me could ever think of hurting you. I can’t help but think of what could have been.”
“You gave him more grace in the end than he would have ever given anybody. Don’t be hard on yourself. It isn’t your fault you were not around. It was your maker’s. Louisville made his own choices, and he could have chosen differently. This is his fate due to his own wicked deeds. Stop punishing yourself for something you had no control over.” I kiss the middle of his forehead.
I debate on telling him the truth. The words are on the tip of my tongue, and yet I can’t seem to speak them. I’m nervous. I think he needs more time. Too much has happened tonight. He went from thinking he couldn’t have children, to having a maniac son, to killing him, to being with him in his final moments.
