Unraveling Mathias by Marisa Maichel (reading women TXT) 📕

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Things had gotten worse between my main group of friends. Noah and Mason had a huge fight over Rouge and were now not speaking to each other at all. Duke said he didn't want to get involved, but he had clearly chosen Mason's side.

When I tried to warn Noah away from Rouge, he promptly told me to fuck off. Duke wanted nothing to do with the drama, Amara was still feeling jealous. Mason and I were the only ones truly looking out for Noah, or so I thought. I wondered if I was just being prejudiced because of Sarah's history with Rouge and what I'd been told about my family's history with the Fae court.

When I suggested this to Mason, he sighed and said that it was a possibility.

"How are your parents?" I asked.

"They're talking about who should get the house. They don't want to finalize anything until they've figured out what goes to whom. Especially me."

"Who would you rather live with?"

"To be honest, my mother is easier on me, but I'll probably end up with Dad, just because of who he is." Mason's father, Krauvas, was the most powerful warlock in the world.

"Anything on the Scarlett front?" I asked this carefully, because of Mason's love for Scarlett.

"I can't believe I fell for that bitch. She used me. If I'd only fallen for, say, Jordan, it would have never happened."

"You don't know that for sure."

"I do. Scarlett let it slip that she's relearning everything I taught her and then took away at the dance. Speaking of which, how is Sarah?"

"She's fine, I think. Glen is serious about "winning" her. He won't leave her alone. Is there anything you can do?"

"Magic can't get rid of love that's already there, but I can make her life a little easier. I can give her a potion that will force Glen to tell her why and how."

"Do it. And I need to talk to her."

"All right, I'll talk to you later."

"See you later, buddy."

I hung up and turned around. What would I say to Sarah? If I mentioned Glen Crow's name, it would only upset her. Would it? She was the strongest person I knew.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She was sitting with her back against the wall, holding a bottle of tea. She looked worn. Still, she got up to hug me when I entered To Bean Or Not To Bean.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Tired," she said, then yawned. "Little dude kept me up all night."

"Do you want to go home and get some sleep?"

"Can't. I work today."

"I can ask my father to give you a night off. I'll call him right now."

"I need the money."

"I can give you money."

"You do that and you'll never live to see the light of day." I looked out the window. It was sprinkling.

"When my mother was pregnant with me, Father said that he got death threats about five times a day."

"I'm sorry, Reese, I'm just exhausted." I pulled out my phone and called Father. "Who are you calling?" Sarah asked nervously.

"Hello?"

"Father, can Sarah have a night off? She says she's exhausted."

"Um, sure, she can, but why isn't she calling me herself?"

"She says she needs the money." Sarah threw me a dirty look.

"She's on the family payroll. Where is all the money going?"

"To Alicia."

"Say no more. I'll give her a paid night off. Tell her that she can take off as much time as she wants, and it won't affect her pay."

"Will do. Thank you, Father, and Sarah says thank you, too." She had gotten up to hug me.

"Am I on speakerphone?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Hello, Sarah."

"Hello, Mordecai."

"Well, I have a meeting to get to. It seems that several of the mall store owners want a smaller rent."

"I still can't believe that you own the mall," Sarah said.

"Believe it, my dear. I can get you a discount at several stores, but we'll have to discuss that later. I'm late."

"Thank you again, Father," I said.

"No problem. Bye, Sarah." He hung up then.

She sighed. "I'll have to work at the hair salon part-time."

"You'll do no such thing. Besides, I thought you said the other girls hated you."

"They were mad because I earn just as much even though I'm younger and a receptionist. But if they didn't cuss so much and give crappy cuts, they would get more clients! Fine, what about the cafe where my cousin works?"

"Um, I don't think so. Isn't that where someone pranked your boss?"

"That's true. They wanted her to strip me naked and search me." She shuddered. "I don't even know why me."

"Babe, you were most likely chosen at random. Someone had you as a waitress and thought you were too pretty." I squeezed my cup of water so hard that it broke. She looked around, nervous.

"Let's go home."

"We'll go to my place." Despite all the super-hearing vampires, that was where we would have the most privacy, as everyone mostly respected each other's space.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She laid on her back on my bed. I had one ear against her stomach, listening to her "little man". He was very active. He made a lot of noises and kicked a lot.

"Ow, ow, ow," she said, gently touching her navel. "I think he hates me."

"Or loves you," I said tersely. I pulled myself up and crawled on top of her. I was vaguely aware of us touching each other. I grumbled hotly. I was still peeved about everything, but she didn't need to feel my wrath. She bit her lip, looking vulnerable. The predator in me wanted to take her right then and there and turn her. As the ultimate hunter, I was bound to protect my much weaker, pregnant, female, human mate.

Even female vampires are generally weaker than males, although there are some exceptions, such as age or brute strength as a human. Females are also coveted because there are so fewer of them than male vampires. It's not unusual for a male vampire to attach himself to a female human in response to loneliness or need.

Was I lonely when I met Sarah? Yes, but I still had friends and family. I growled now as need washed over me. I needed to protect my sweet mate from the other males. I felt very little attachment to the baby, as he's not biologically mine. But she still loved him, and therefore, I loved him as well, though not as much as Alexander, Mother, and Sarah.

The due date was in a month, and everyone was growing excited for his arrival. He seemed to feel the tension, as Sarah reported that he was getting more active by the week. She looked at me now with large eyes, looking like a frightened little rabbit in the face of a wolf.

Cirino must have felt ignored, because Sarah gasped and clutched her stomach.

"He's hungry," she said.

"What does he crave?"

"Applesauce and a strawberry-banana smoothie."

"Well, we definitely have applesauce for just such an occasion." She licked her lips.

"Apple gravy. Apples dipped in turkey gravy." She giggled at my horrified look. "And strawberry and walnut ice cream. And goat milk with rare hamburger."

"Um, no. Let's do applesauce," I said. She pretended to pout.

After she was fed and had some milk, I took her to back to my bedroom, where she lay on her side. Satisfied, I imagined her full of my own brood. That dose of happiness caused me to purr. I growled possessively and climbed on top of her. She is mine.

"Want to take a walk?" she asked suddenly.

"Um, sure," I said. It was a cool day, overcast and it had rained. I put my boots on while she put her shoes on.

We walked down the sidewalk holding hands. I noticed a shadow here and there, and he finally revealed himself after about an hour.

"Hello, Sarah," Glen Crow said, standing in front of us.

"Glen, I told you, I don't want to be with you," Sarah told him, sounding aggravated.

"I just want to talk. Sarah, did you know that your boyfriend is a vampire?"

"Yes," she said lazily. "I found out quite a while back."

"You found out? You mean, he didn't tell you? You had to find out?"

"Go away, Glen," I growled. He smirked.

"What else has he been keeping from you? You know that he's had sex with a guy, right?" She looked at me. I bit my lip, nervous.

"I sort of figured he might have. I knew that he dated Evan, but he wouldn't really say how far they'd gone."

"I didn't want to scare you away," I said. She stood on her toes and kissed my chin.

"That's okay, Reese. I've fooled around with guys before I got with you."

I looked over at Glen. His face was red, and he looked ready to blow. Momentarily sidetracked by the thought of him blowing up, I grinned cheekily, which only aggravated him more.

"Melissa was right, you're a tough nut to crack," he said to Sarah.

"Melissa?" she questioned.

"My sister." He grinned at me. "I believe you know her as Madam Indigo."

My mind blew. "W-what?"

"Madam Indigo is actually Melissa Crow, who is my sister. We actually have a nice little scam going. She overcharges suckers for her gift of fortune-telling, and I read her mind and tell her what to say. We're twins, actually. When I saw you, Sarah, in Reese's mind, I knew I had to have you. It worked out because Louis used to be an old friend of mine. Even though we grew apart, I was able to fake wanting a friendship with him again, and he invited me to the Holiday Ball out of obligation. I didn't expect to see you there, Sarah, but I was excited when you showed up. Especially in that curve-hugging dress that matched your eyes."

I couldn't believe it. I'd been tricked. How else would Glen know about Madam Indigo, unless he read one of our minds? Sarah was so shocked that she'd frozen completely. Then the yelling started.

"You are the biggest asshole to walk the Earth! Do you realize what you've put me through? I've been stressed out of my mind because of you! I had suicidal thoughts because of you!"

I looked at her in horror. She'd been having suicidal thoughts? I didn't know that! If I had, I could have gotten her some help!

Glen looked furious. "Sarah Harper Cresley, you listen to me! Yes, I messed up, several times, but my intention was never to hurt you! I'd never hurt you deliberately! I love you!"

"If you liked me at all, you would just leave me alone!" He stepped back as if she had struck him.

"I can't! You're hurting! I can't leave you when you hurt so much!"

Sarah opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Tears were in her eyes. I spun her to face me and licked them away. During our moment, it had started to rain. She looked up at the sky, then pointed toward a shelterhouse.

The entrance to the shelterhouse was covered in spiderwebs, which Glen magicked away.

"See what I can do?" he said sarcastically. She sat on a bench. Glen sat on her left side, while I sat on her right side. He wrapped an arm around her back, putting a hand on her stomach.

"How is the baby?"

"He's okay," Sarah sniffed. "We're naming him Cirino."

"That name means 'like the sun'. A perfect name for a baby." He was likely picturing her with his babies. I growled at him, which he ignored. "When is he due?"

"The C-section is scheduled for July fourteenth."

"If you were with me, you wouldn't have to have a C-section. I could ease your pain."

"I don't want any pain. Besides, I'll be on epidural."

"You'll be knocked unconscious while you have a C-section? Oh, Sarah."

She looked at me and scooted closer. "I don't know if I'll really be on epidural, I just want Glen to leave," she said quietly. Then she got a mischievous glint in her eye. Then she started describing all her physical problems.

I saw what she was doing. She wanted to creep him out enough for him to