Waking the next morning, she found herself unable to recall the night before, only that blood had soaked the bed and her dress was on the floor along with his clothes except his trousers, though they were unbuttoned and hung dangerously low on his hips.
She didn't feel afraid or even angry, only fascinated at the sight of him there, a hint of light shining through the window and yet and sun didn't burn him.
Lifting her hand, she placed her hand in the light, curious before she pulled her hand back and no, nothing happened.
Cautiously, she reached out and touched the spot, pressing gently but he didn't burst into flames.
His eyes had opened at some point and he watched her playing with the light, a hint of a smile on his lips.
"The house is protected," he murmured, looking sleepily content.
She looked from him to the window and back again, putting two and two together and finally understanding.
"You can be in sunlight here?" she asked, waving her hand in the beam to make the light dance on his hip.
"Mhm," he murmured, reaching for her and drawing her back to him.
Settling down by his side, she snuggled herself into his arms and sighed gently. The chains had vanished at some point and having full range of her arms was liberating.
"You're in a good mood," she said gently.
"I have a full stomach, a beautiful woman and the sun. What do I have to not be happy for?"
The reason for their non-happiness burst in the door only a few minutes later.
Kai went bright red at the sight of them and although her back was to him, it was more than she had ever wanted him to see of her.
Jaia jerked the blanket up over her hips, eyes wary.
"They must have known, they're coming," he said, breathless and shocked by the two of them in bed.
Jaia groaned, frustrated. Pushing himself out of bed, he caught his pants to keep them from falling down and quickly did up the buttons, both men locking on her as she sat up, her long hair covering her backside from Kai's view. It was odd, she didn't think they had slept together regardless of how the situation might seem from the outside. She thought he might have touched her though, explored her body while they fed, but she didn't feel any of the signs that they had been intimate.
Pointing to her dress from the night before, Jaia collected it for her and she pulled it on, her eyes focused on Jaia and the way his body moved as he hurried to dress.
Glancing at Kai, she found him staring back at her, a look of concern and sadness on his face that he wiped away quickly.
Crawling off the bed, she accepted Jaia's hand and he led them from the room and out onto a balcony that ran across one wall.
Kai pointed and she squinted, just able to see the dust cloud.
"How did they know?" she asked but then she thought she might have an inkling.
First Izziah's betrayal, then where to look on the compound, then knowing where to go in The Underneath. All the lies and misdirection…
"He's still monitoring me!" she yelled, stalking forward and glaring at the cloud as though she could spear the lich right through the chest with her glare.
"Monitoring how?" Jaia asked sharply.
"A crystal ball for all I know. He knew where to find me every time!" Turning to the two, she fumed but they were looking scared and she knew why, the house being damaged would expose them to sunlight.
The sudden terror at the loss of Jaia bit at her stomach and it clenched, making her feel sick.
"Basement?" she asked and they nodded. "Go. I'll wait here."
They didn't argue, instead Jaia touched her cheek and they left, hurrying to get down into the basement where they would be safe.
***
Several hours passed before the cloud was close enough for her to see them clearly, a large number of horses heading their way.
Finally when they were close enough, she simply walked from the building towards the group, feeling a little awkward but there he was, Epharis looking huge on a horse… That was blowing smoke out of its nostrils and had green flame for eyes.
That took her aback and she did her best to ignore it, instead looking up as her husband approached.
She didn't recognise any other faces in the crowd, no werewolf or anything.
"Etani, come."
Her eyes narrowed at his choice of words, like she was his dog.
"No," she retorted and the horse pawed at the ground.
Climbing down from the horse, he approached her slowly. He wore armour over his robe to cover his chest and sword arm, the armour steely grey and tarnished gold but it worked surprisingly well for him with his glowing green eyes, dark violet robes and long silver hair.
"What did you say?" he asked as he approached her, coming to stop a mere foot from her.
"I said no," she replied, her chin lifted to look up into his face.
He looked very much like he wanted to hit her, but he resisted the urge with her belly between them.
He studied her and a slight frown came over his face.
"You have gotten bigger," he said.
That wasn't very nice, she was offended for a second but then she realised he meant her belly.
"That happens when you're pregnant," she quipped but they both knew what he meant.
She was growing at a rate in which was uncommon for most species and at her current speed, it was likely she would give birth in perhaps three more months.
"Don't get smart. Where are the vampires?" he demanded and she could see his fists clenching and unclenching.
"Gone. They left in the night," she lied easily.
"Gone where?" he barked. His anger didn't scare her, she had a shield of protection in the form of a tiny creature in her stomach.
"I didn't ask."
His eyes rolled from the house down to her and then narrowed, his teeth bared in response to her raising her eyebrows.
"What happened?"
"Jaia and I made a deal," she was enjoying this, far too much.
"What deal?" the man had gone still, burning eyes boring into her then flicking down to her swollen belly. She knew perfectly well that he wanted to hurt her. Very, very badly and in new and unique ways, but he couldn't right then and not for months longer.
"That you, along with Alaric and that king in the basement will not harm, accuse, or prosecute them for taking me. That my blood will be at Jaia's beck and call when he needs it, and… A favour," her mouth twisted down at that last, hating the thought of it.
He reached for her and she immediately danced back, her arms going around her belly in an instinctive defence that was entirely new to her.
Snarling in fury, he suffered impotent rage.
"And what if I refuse?"
"Then I go back to being his blood doll… and become his bed mate," she tacked that last on, only because she knew it would enrage him with how possessive he was of her.
Green sparked in his eyes and the fire began to burn, but she forced herself to remain calm, forced herself to think rationally.
"You promised this did you?" he asked through gritted teeth. She nodded.
"Very well. We will wait, call back your pet vampires and we will return tonight."
She smiled, glad to have finally gotten something, but as she turned, he grabbed her arm and his lips were at her ear.
"If you set even one hand in a bed that isn't mine, I'll make you wish you had never existed."
The cold threat made her shudder and she looked back at him, fear in her eyes.
She nodded once and turned away from him, heading back in the direction of the house.
Calling them out, she trembled and ignored everything they said to her as they waited for the sun to set.