#valeb

"What's going on, Apollo?" I asked him point blank. He stared at me for a bit, trying to figure out how to say his news. I knew it had be important.

"You know how Naya has been interviewing some famous vampire lately?' Apollo asked me.

I made a face but nod. It's almost all Naya talks about when I message her. That and AJ.

"It's Inna Cents." Apollo stated.

I stood there, frozen. My mind trying to process his words. Of course, nothing stays secret when you drop a bombshell like that in the room next to a vampire.

Caleb came storming in there, at vampire speed, demanding answers. I haven't seen him this worked up in years.

Apollo launches into telling us how Naya has been interviewing Inna but had no idea that Caleb had turned Inna. That there was any connection between her and Caleb at all.

"She just happened not to tell Naya all this, hmm?" I asked, wondering what her motives are.

Apollo scratched the back of his head repeatedly. "Yeah. Naya said Inna never said anything about Caleb officially....but did ask a few questions about him off the record."

"What questions?" Caleb asked, his voice tense.

"I didn't ask, to be honest. I booked the first flight I could get to come here." Apollo admitted.

Caleb went silent. The kind of silent I haven't seen from him since before we got together. He was brooding. Angry. And I don't blame him. I'm mad too but not at Naya. Clearly Inna figured things out and used these interviews to gather information on Caleb and his life.

I just don't know what - if anything, that we are going to do about it.

"I will never complain about seeing you in lingerie but is there an special occasion, tesoro?" Caleb asked me after I grabbed him on his way to bed.

"I never want you to think that I don't love and appreciate you." I replied softly, I almost teared up a bit. "We've been pretty busy for months focusing on the girls and life with everything that's been going on. We really haven't spent much time focusing on each other."

Caleb's features softened and he caressed my shoulder. "Vera. I have never doubted for one second that you love me. I hope you feel the same."

I do feel the same. I was just worried about how he's been feeling. Seems I was worrying for nothing.

But it never hurts to check and make sure.

“What if you’re walking into a trap? What if she wants you to confront her?” I asked. Too many what ifs. Too much that can go wrong.

“Lilith is going with me.” Caleb assured me.

It made me feel only slightly better. I stood up and tried not to pace.

“I will be back. Remember all we have come through?’ Caleb asked me after pulling me close to him.

I do. We’ve been through a lot. Even up to Este’s birth when we thought James might try something. I blew out a breath and tried to focus on all that.

"We'd love to! I know it won't be easy with her past but we love her so much already." Zoe said excitedly while Dominic grinned at his wife. 

We discussed the legal part, the same lawyer who handled The Brown's estate will handle the adoption. We also talked about the transition. Ellie will slowly start spending more and more time at Dominic and Zoe's house. Thankfully we don't live that far away from each other, it will make things easier.

I took Caleb to a restaurant in Newcrest I had once tried with Aubree.

We talked about ideas for the backyard come spring and summer. With our cow passing away, we decided to sell the cow shed and put in a little pool for Este and maybe a outdoor doll house.

Things had been so good at the restaurant in December and accidents do happen.

"Oh miss, I seemed to have dropped your food. I'll uh...go have them remake it." The waitress told me, before hurrying off. 

I was feeling pretty hungry at the moment and Caleb had to tell me to breathe and calm down.

We waited. And waited.

"I suggest we go somewhere else." Caleb suggested, while gesturing to the food that had yet to be cleaned up. I had been given a complimentary dessert before I even got to chance to eat a main course. I ate it quickly and left with my husband. 

After a quick check in with Rashidah via my cell phone, we ended up at the vampire nightclub to try to salvage our evening. I had to use the restroom and was followed in there by a handsome fellow.

Luckily I had already did my business and washed my hands.

"Sir, I believe this is the ladies' room." I whispered playfully before Caleb dragged his tongue across my pulse point. My mind and body turned to mush after that. Caleb has never bit me. Never. I'd be lying if I said sometimes I didn't wonder what it would be like when we are in the mists of passion. 

"I locked the door." Caleb declared before kissing me on the lips.

"I think we should start trying for another baby." I blurted out. Sure, I had been kicking it around in my head a bit but I hadn't given it serious thought. 

While I know Lilith is happy for her cousin, still, it has to be hard watching a happy couple get married. Caleb stuck close by her during the ceremony as did Este. I think she sensed that her Aunt was feeling down.

To our surprise, one of the werewolves from Kristopher and Lily's pack joined us. Wolfgang Wilder. Extremely intelligent fellow. He fit in well with everyone.

Caleb and I have shared many dances in this house. The first dance started us on our path to falling in love. 

Sadly, Lilith ends up being right.

Two things came to light that fateful night. Vera is a vampire.