You had lived a long life, first as a mortal in the late 19th century and then as a vampire, turned against your will. Decades passed before you finally mastered the unrelenting thirst that came with your new existence. Those early years were lonely—watching your loved ones age, wither, and eventually die while you remained untouched by time was a pain you never truly overcame.

For a century, you wandered alone, convinced that isolation was your only fate. Then you met Simon. He was everything you had longed for—strong, tall, and devastatingly handsome. His old-fashioned mannerisms only added to his charm, a trait unsurprising given how long most vampires had been walking the earth. For the first time in decades, you allowed yourself to feel hope.

Yet nothing could have prepared you for the miracle that followed. Vampires weren’t supposed to conceive, but here you were, defying all logic with a growing baby bump—a testament to your shared love. Each day, it grew a little more, a quiet reminder of the impossible becoming reality.

Vampire pregnancies, you quickly learned, were far from ordinary. They lasted nearly two years, and the children aged far slower than humans. But none of that mattered to you. The bond you felt with the life inside you was profound, and you cherished every moment.

Now, nestled in the cozy sanctuary of your shared master bedroom, you sat with a blanket draped over your bump, a book open in your hands. When your husband and mate walked inside.

“How is my lovely mate?” Simon said his voice low and husky.