Darkness Chapter 52: Protect

**Vincent**

I stood there once again with my foot in my mouth. I couldn't help it. I needed to keep her safe. Our baby is safe. She could take care of herself, or she wouldn't have gotten away.

“Vincent, don't make me hurt you,” Nelly threatens.

“Baby…”

“Don't baby me!” She yells. Nelly pokes me with her fingernail. “I can show you where he kept me a hell of a lot quicker than the wolves. Now are we going?”

I shake my head and hang my head in defeat. I knew she was right, and if I wanted to get Peter, I needed to let her show us. “Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “However, you wait outside. I will not concede on this.”

She rolls her eyes and nods. “Whatever. Now are we gonna do this?”

We follow her to the cars, where she directs us to where Peter held her. “Stay here. Do not get out.

I'm not playing games with you,” I growl.

“I said I would wait,” she huffs.

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. This woman didn't know how to follow directions. She wavered when it suited her. But it also made her a better fighter as she could see other ways to fight. It was one of the reasons I loved her. Even though she drove me batshit crazy.

We surrounded the house and when we made our way in through the mazes of hallways we found the room he held her but he wasn't there.

Quinn sighs, “He's in the wind. Must have left after she escaped. We can try and track him, but I don't see it doing us any good at this point. It might be best to wait for him to show himself again. We know he will. He's not capable of staying away.” Quinn cocks his head. “What did you do to him that made him hate you so much?” He knows about Bianca. But it can't just be that.

When we get back to the car, to my surprise, Nelly is still in the car. She's curled up in the backseat, asleep. She does that more as the baby has grown. Quinn smiles at her before he gives me a nod and says, “How are you holding up? This whole father thing. Ya know it's not gonna be easy.”

“Yeah, I know. I'm scared and worried.”

“Why?” he asks.

“We aren't supposed to sire children. So what if this child is deformed, stillborn, or harms Nelly? I couldn't bear the thought of losing her, Quinn. She's everything to me.”

“I get it, but the elders all say she's good, and so is the baby. You need to relax. She's taken to the pregnancy like it was natural,” he replies.

“That's because she's thinking like a human, not a vampire. She's new. She's still getting used to this. She still struggles with feeding. Since the pregnancy, she has hated the taste of human blood. Instead, she feeds on animals that aren't as strong and filling, meaning she has to hunt more often.”

“Good to know. Keep her away from my neck,” he jokes.

I smirk at him. “There's an idea. Let's get back. Peter, I'm sure, is regrouping.”

Quinn nods, “Without a doubt.” We head back to the chateau. I pick her up and carry her to our room. She nuzzles into me. I will never tire of her body pressing into mine. I set her down on the bed and covered her. Before doing it, I looked at her growing belly. Our daughter. A little Nelly. 

I lean down and kiss her stomach, and then lightly kiss her lips. “Rest, my angels.”

I gently close the door and go to see Alec and Quinn. Alec says, “The wolves have settled in and seem to be adapting.”

“Why wouldn't they? There are over a thousand acres of land for them to run on,” I reply.

Quinn grins, “Thank you, by the way.”

Alec nods, “Oh, boss, this came for you.” He hands me an elegantly addressed envelope.

When I open it, it's an invitation to the Count’s New Moon Ball. He hosts every year, but I have always turned it down.

I sigh. “It's the Count’s ball.”

“They still have that shit?” Quinn asks.

“Yes. The Count is very revered in our community.”

Alec asks, “So are we going this year?”

“Yes, but I want Nelly protected. He won't take to us being here and not coming. So we will attend.”

“I'll let him know that we will be coming with some wolves. It would be good for them to see we are breaking boundaries,” Alec adds.

“Agreed.” I look at Quinn. “Own a tux, Quinn?” I grin at him. I know he's not one for this kind of things but honestly it would be good for him to meet Stephen.

“No, but something tells me I need to.” He huffs. “When is this damn thing?”

“Tomorrow night.”

Quinn gasps, “Fuck. Really?  You'd better tell your wife. She's gonna need a dress.”

“Why do I need a dress?” Nelly asks. Looking up there coming down the stairs my beautiful wife. Her hands resting on her stomach protectively.

I walk up to her and kiss her. “We've been invited to a ball tomorrow night.”

“Uhhh...hello future whale in the making here. Where do you expect me to find a dress?” she retorts.

“You are absolutely beautiful. I can have the seamstress come here when you find a dress, Nelly.”

“Ugh!” she yells. She storms out. Damn those hormones. They were a mighty bitch when they reared their ugly head. 

Quinn chuckles. “Imagine a pack with multiple females expecting pups.” He turns. “I get to leave the mess. Enjoy your cold shower, I need to go find a tux,” he says as he walks away whistling.