Pregnant with the billionaire Vampire Heir

Nyra's point of view

It's my wedding day, and my groom is a vampire.

This statement which, considering the way he looked at me during the rehearsal, ranks second only to "it's my wedding day, and I think my father just sold me."

The venue is every gothic bridal fantasy, if your fantasy includes haunting organ music and guests who might literally be a hundred years old. The wall is carved from obsidian stone with flickering lanterns casting long shadows. Vampire nobility sits in silence on the pews, watching my every step as my father and I walk down the aisle.

I look regal in my white flowy dress and too-long veil. My bouquet trembles in my hands. Not from nerves-well, partially nerves- but mostly because I'm resisting the urge to bolt.

Then I see him.

Ardonis Stepanov. The vampire Lord. My groom.

Tall, aristocratic, impossibly composed dressed in a tailored-to-perfection all black suit. Like he was attending a funeral, not his own wedding. The only color on him, is his long honey blonde hair and his ocean blue eyes. There's a knot between his brows, not interest, not excitement. Irritation. He looks like he'd rather be elsewhere.

Which is flattering. I think,

He doesn't offer a smile as I reach him. Just a cold glance, then his gaze shifts away as though he wants to get this over with. My father places my hands in his, and nods at Ardonis with a smug look on his wrinkled face. He probably feels like Einstein for initiating my marriage to the big pharma tycoon.

The officiant starts.

"Do you Nyra Hearthe, take Ardonis Stepanov......"

"I do," I answer despite everything inside me saying I shouldn't.

"Do you, Lord Stepanov, take Nyra Hearthe. ..... "

His jaw tightened and a long beat passed.

"I do."

Business transaction completed.

"Bound by the accord of coexistence of the clan, I now pronounce you Lord and wife." The officiant croons finally.

The rings are exchanged. The kiss is quick and clinical. His lips barely touch mine before he pulls away. My father gives a satisfied nod from the second row.

And just like that I am Mrs. Ardonis Stepanov.

Later, the ball room at the Grand Asteria shimmers with glass and gold, flooded with high-ranking vampires and influential politicians. Soft music plays, and waiters move silently between the tables.

Ardonis disappeared almost immediately. No explanation. So, I'm left forcing a smile through carefully worded congratulations from guests, trying to ignore the whispers. "Poor mortal girl.... she'll be lucky if she survives the wedding night."

I barely manage a sip of champagne before my father grabs my arm and pulls me toward a quiet corner.

"You're not smiling enough." He spits through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry. I hiss. "I'll try to look more thrilled about my corporate sacrifice."

He grips my arm tighter. "Do not test me, girl. You owe me this. Act like a good wife and make him happy."

"What about me dad?" I whisper "What about my own happiness?"

"You don't matter here. So you Listen to me."

He paused and said in a dark voice that frightened me. "I would let the entire clan fuck you if it means saving my own skin. You understand?"

I nod stiffly. "Yes, father".

He harshly releases my arm and flitters away. Probably to go find some alcohol and drink himself to stupor as usual.

My gaze drifts across the hall and I freeze.

Ardonis stands near the balcony, locked in hushed conversation with a powerful figure – Lord Marcus Stepanov, his uncle. Both men wear matching tension. Ardonis' hands are clenched behind his back. Marcus gestures sternly, his expression just as stern.

Marcus suddenly turns, spotting me. His expression hardens even more, then he mutters something to Ardonis before leaving.

Before I can process what is happening, Ardonis suddenly appears in front of me.

He grabs me by the elbow and says harshly. "We're dancing."

No warmth. No request. Just command.

He leads me to the center of the dance floor. The room falls quiet. We begin to waltz, his hand resting lightly on my waist. Goosebumps spread all over me.

"You disappeared." I ask him tentatively. What am I doing? Trying to make him hate me more than he already does?

"Necessary." was his terse reply.

"That conversation seemed heated. Everything okay?"

"None of your business."

"You seem... unhappy."

"I am." He replies flatly, meeting my eyes. "But it changes nothing."

I attempt a smile. "Well, this is going off to a good start."

He doesn't respond.

We dance in silence for a moment. Then I ask quietly. "Why did you marry me?"

His steps don't falter, but his gaze does.

A pause. Then in a deep low voice; "Kitten, I think with time you will come to realize that some of us are born with certain. Obligations."

I ignore all he just said and focus on the only thing that registered in my brain. "What did you just call me?"

He doesn't answer and before I could ask more, he releases me, stepping back.

"We're leaving." He commands.

"But the reception-"

"Is unnecessary." His voice is devoid of softness. "Come. the car is waiting."

I pout my lips. "Do I at least get to have some cake first?"

"No."

Minutes later, I sit across from him in the Limo. He doesn't speak or look at me. Outside, protesters slam signs against the windows – no more Vampire Expansion, Human Rights First. Someone throws red paint, at the car startling me. and it streaks against the window like blood.

My nerves shoot up. Perhaps our union was a mistake, maybe its best humans and vampires stay away from each other after all.

I turn to him. "How often does that happen?"

He doesn't glance up or even acknowledge the protesters. "Ignore them. They're losers with nothing going on in their lives. And besides, loud minds accomplish little."

I breathe in and out slowly. Trying to force a calm that is not there.

And this is how my marriage begins. In silence. In protest.

Across from me, my husband closes his eyes like this entire day is something he intends to forget.

But now we have to deal with what comes after the wedding.

The wedding night.

Ardonis' point of view.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing the cold expanse of my penthouse. Nyra followed me out, with nervous steps, as if her presence was unwelcome. The wedding had been a spectacle, every forced smile she gave the cameras, every polite nod she gave my associates, was all a lie that I paid for.

"Home sweet fucking home" I groan.

I don't spare her a glance as I head down the hallway and finally into my bedroom. The lights were low and the king-sized bed was laid neatly to perfection. I turned to her. Her wide green eyes were fixed on me, a look of fear I'd grown tired of seeing swam in them.

"Take your dress off", I ordered. My voice flat, devoid of any warmth.

She flinched but didn't argue. With trembling fingers, she went to the back of her dress. The white fabric whispered as it slid down her body, pooling at her feet leaving her in nothing but a set of lacy white bra and panties.

I took her hand and led her to the bed; she lay down stiffly looking like a sacrificial lamb. This was the part I have been dreading, touching her. But it was necessary, a biological procedure. I knelt on the bed, parting her legs with my hands. Her breath hitched. I ignored it, leaning down and pressing my mouth against her core.

She tasted clean and pure. I spread her folds with my thumbs, my tongue finding the sensitive nub of her clit. I sucked, hard, knowing the reaction that would cause. Her body jolted, a strangled gasp escaping her lips. Good. A response meant arousal and arousal meant a higher chance of conception.

I worked her methodically, licking upwards of her cunt to her stomach, my mouth finding the tight peak of her nipple. I bit down gently, then soothed it with my tongue, feeling her body arch beneath me. A shudder ran through her and she let out a soft cry. She orgasmed. One box ticked.

I slid a finger into her, then two, feeling the tight unyielding barrier of her. She tensed, a whimper of pain escaping her.

"Please", she begged, her voice barely a whisper. "Be gentle. I've never done this before."

I ignore her and scissored my fingers inside her. Stretching her, preparing her. It was a matter of efficiency. When she was sufficiently slick and widened, I rose and unfastened my trousers, freeing my cock. It was a tool, nothing more.

"Look at me", I command. "I want you to look at me when I take you.

I positioned myself between her legs and drove into her with one sharp thrust. as I tore through the barrier of her innocence, she cried out, a raw pained sound that grated on my nerves.

I felt her tear, as the brief resistance of her virginity gives way. I set a hard, fast rhythm. My only goal was release, to deposit my seed and be done with it. I watched her face turn to the side a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. Pathetic. I closed my eyes, focusing on the friction, on the end goal. Finally, my own orgasm hit, a wave of pleasure that was more relief than ecstasy. I came deep inside her, then pulled out.

The sound of her silent tears filled the room. I stood, putting on my clothes without a backwards glance. Without a word, I walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind me and leaving her inside. I make way to my home office.

In my office, the silence was a balm. I poured myself a stiff drink, the whiskey relaxing my tense muscles. I pulled out my phone and dialed Elara's number. She answered on the second ring.

"Well?" she purred. "How was the wedding night husband? Did you enjoy deflowering your little bride?" her tone was smug, amused.

I downed the rest of my drink in one go. "It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do," I said, my voice low and tight. "She just lay there crying. It was like fucking a corpse."

Elara laughed a low husky sound. "Poor baby. But you did what you had to do for us. For our future."

"I had to." I confirmed, staring out the window into the city lights. "The sooner she gets pregnant, the sooner I can serve her the divorce papers. I can't wait to be done with her."

She laughed softly, the type that turns me on. "You sound bored. Good thing I'm here to......liven things up. How soon until you come to me?"

I stared out the window into the night. "Soon. My love. I tire of pretending. She's fragile. I miss being with someone who understands who I am."

"Someone who wants what you are." She said, then lowered her voice. "You'll come back to me, won't you? After you've done your duty?"

"Yes," I said quietly. "I can't wait to be with you again. To feel your warm...." I cut myself off, tightening my eyes. "To feel all of you."

A brief silence floated between us before she spoke again.

"Just remember Ardonis.... The clan sees everything. Your marriage is not the only thing they are watching."

"I know the consequences."

She hummed. "Good. Because if you forget...well, your uncle's warning wasn't a suggestion."

And just like that the memory crashed into me.

I stood before my uncle, high lord Marcus, inside the ancient stone chambers of our clan hall. Torches flickering along the walls.

His deep voice boomed along the aged walls "You are the last of your line Ardonis. In the past decade, we have lost three of our strongest males to this disease." He pauses then continues. "They're targeting us. At first, they say they want to make peace with us but now, they turn around to stab us in the back. Slowly killing us off one by one."

I remained silent.

Marcus leaned forward, laying his cold grip on my shoulder. "Whether you love her or not is irrelevant. You will marry. You will breed. Our bloodline must survive."

I don't flinch.

"If you die without an heir, our enemies win. If Elara can't give you one, then you will find another woman. Do what you must."

I inhaled deeply as I come back to the present.

"I haven't forgotten," I murmured into the phone.

"Good." Her voice sharpened. "Then don't get distracted by her tears."

I clenched my jaw. "I won't."

I ended the call without another word.

Outside my study, I could still hear the faint echo of her tears. And for a single fleeting moment......

No..... I just need a child, and I'm done with her forever.

Nyra's point of view.

I wake up feeling like someone relocated every bone in my body. It takes a moment for me to remember why everything aches.

Wedding night.

Consummation.

Then nothing.

I haven't seen him since he took my virginity last night. I slip out of bed and make my way into the massive bathroom. I stare at myself in the mirror. My face is lined with dried tear streaks and my hair is tragically mussed up from last night.

"You survived", I whisper to myself. But it doesn't make me feel any better.

I head downstairs to the kitchen. A woman in her early fifties stands near the counter sorting fresh produce. She's human, judging by the way her eyes widen slightly when she sees me.

What kind of Vampire hires humans? Probably one that marries them I would assume.

"Good morning Mrs. Stepanov," she says gently.

"Nyra," I correct softly, forcing a smile. "Please. And I'd like to make breakfast, if that's okay."

She hesitates. "We usually-"

"Please," I repeat. "I just...need to do something normal."

She nods stepping aside. And then leaves the kitchen.

I crack eggs into a bowl and grab a whisk to beat them.

The small television screen above the counter plays the morning news. A news reporter stands outside a government building that looks half destroyed.

"-third attack this month on human administration facilities. Authorities suspect extremist vampire factions protesting the recent rise in deaths linked to "Heamatodipsia" a nerve disease killing majorly the vampires..."

Images of vampires being dragged into armored vans fill the screen.

"-leaders claim the virus was engineered as a targeted biological weapon. Tensions between humans and vampire communities continue to escalate...."

I freeze.

Engineered?

Before I can process the thought, the screen goes black.

I turn. Ardonis stands at the doorway, remote in hand. Fully dressed, black suit immaculate. He looks like last night didn't exist.

His tone is sharp. "Don't watch that."

I set the whisk down. "It's just the news."

"Its unnecessary." He steps further in. "You don't need to involve yourself in political matters."

"It's my world too," I say quietly.

He doesn't respond. Instead, he grabs his coat.

"You're leaving already?" I ask

"It's a workday."

"I was.... making breakfast," I offer. "Would you like some?"

"No."

I swallow. "Do you want me to do anything while you're gone?"

He sighs. "Just stay out of my way."

"I took leave from work," I remind him. "For our honeymoon."

He pauses for the smallest moment.

"Honeymoon?" he scoffs. "Honeymoons are for real couples in a real marriage... this" he points between us. "This is not a real marriage so do whatever occupies you. Just, don't expect anything from me."

My chest tightens. "So, I just occupy myself then?" I pause then continue. "at least tell me...is it always going to be like this?"

Silence.

Then-

"That depends on how efficiently this arrangement achieves its purpose."

And then his gone.

***three months later***

The morning sickness had been subtle, then violent. For three weeks I blamed it on the stress from working at the lab. But this morning, I went to the hospital for routine tests.

When the nurse confirmed I was pregnant, I became overwhelmed with a sense of hope. That perhaps there was a chance that this marriage could be real. Maybe this was a bridge, that would finally change things between us. A baby. An heir. A family. He was a man of duty, after all and a child was the ultimate duty.

I head straight to the penthouse. It was the middle of the workday; the house should have been empty. But a distinct sound drifted down the hallway from the master bedroom.

Laughter. A woman's laughter.

My heart pounds against my ribs as I moved down the hall as if being pulled by an external force. I stopped in the doorway, and my world shatters.

The sheets, usually pristine and spotless, were a tangled mess of white silk. Ardonis lay his back against the headboard, his chest bare, looking more relaxed than I'd ever seen him. Beside him, her head resting possessively on his shoulder, was Elara. They were both naked as the day they were born.

I clamp my hand over my mouth, pressing myself against the doorframe hidden against the angle of the wall.

"You have to go soon," he murmured, using his fingers to idly trace patterns on her arm. "Nyra usually returns from work by three."

"Let her come," she scoffed, shifting so she could look him in the eye. "I'm tired of hiding, Ardonis. This bed is more comfortable than the hotel anyway." She paused, her voice turning sharp. "Did you keep doing what we discussed? With her?"

He sighed, "Yes. I slept with her again last week. I made sure of it."

My knees almost give out. I grab the walls to steady myself.

"Good," Elara purred. "Because my patience is wearing thin. I want to be the lady of this house, not the secret kept in the dark."

"it's a matter of biology now, Elara," he says, his voice clinical. "The moment she conceives, the clock starts ticking. We will need the heir to secure my bloodline and my place in the clan."

"And the mother?" Elara asked tracing a finger down his chest. "What happens when the baby comes?"

Ardonis chuckled darkly. "Once the child is born, we will take custody. The lawyers are already drafting the paper work. We'll paint her unstable. Unfit. She'll be cast out with a settlement, and the baby remains here."

"With me." Elara corrected softly. "I'll be a mother to it. A better one than she could ever be."

"With us," he agreed kissing the top of her head. "Just wait a few more months. Once we have the child, we discard the vessel."

The vessel.

That is all I am to him. A means to an end.

The tears stream down my face. Hot and silent. The ultrasound picture in my purse felt like it was burning a hole through the leather. they didn't want a family, they wanted a product to use as they pleased. They were planning to steal my child and hand him to this woman-this woman who was plotting to destroy me in my own bed.

A moment of clarity hits me. If I walked into that room now and screamed, I would lose. They would lock me up and monitor my every move until I gave birth, and then they would take everything.

I had to disappear, become a ghost.

I backed away, step by careful step, until I reached the foyer. I grabbed my keys and the emergency cash stash I kept in my old box. I don't pack any bags, not even a coat. That would look too suspicious if they checked the cameras later.

Once in the car I drove with no sure destination in mind. I drive aimlessly for a while until I reached a grimy gas station on the outskirts of the city. I parked in the shadows, and took out my cell phone and dialed the only person I could count on now.

"Hello?"

"Kelly," I choked out, the dam breaking once more as sobs racked my body. "Kelly please I need your help...I'm in trouble."

"What do you need?" she asks with a resolve that told me that I could count on her.

"I have to disappear. Now."

"Done. Tell me where you are and I'll come pick you up."

I tell her my location and hang up.

Then I pulled the Sim and battery from my cell phone and tossed it in the dumpster.