Giancarlo Ch 11

Gian could hear an odd rhythmic fluttering noise buzzing in his head. He woke up. He had woken up many times before. He laid still as he mentally assessed his body and ability to move. There were times that he would awake but find that he couldn't move or would want to speak but couldn't speak. There were times he woke up and could move a finger, a toe, an arm or leg but the effort to do so was so immense he fell back into a deep restorative slumber.

This time when Gian tried to move he could do so, his limbs painfully stiff. It took him some time, but he was able to pull up into a sitting position and his head spun. Gian ran a hand over his face, where was he?

He could make out an empty room the lights off, a sliver of light escaped through the cracked door. He heard voices and this incessant fluttering noise. Looking down at himself. He was on an air mattress bare of all but the sheet that covered him. He wore a fresh white shirt and boxers. Where was he? How did he get here? Where was Delia?

Something had woken him. A strange fluttering ringing in his ear. Even now it grew louder. Gian swung long legs over the edge of the mattress and tried to stand, tried. His legs were both stiff and unstable beneath him, he fell to the bed. After a few more attempts he was up and taking practice steps around the mattress. Once mastered he ventured out of the room.

The apartment in Oregon, Gian recognized it from the pictures. Why was he here? He passed through its small hallway into the living room. Delia and a woman he had never met were in the living room and looked up in shock as he entered.

The fluttering noise? Gian could see what it was. Delia lay on a foldable table in the center of the empty living room her shirt pulled up and exposing her yet un-showing stomach. The woman, whom Gian realized may be an OB/GYN held a reader coated with gel against her stomach. From a monitor attached fluttered loudly the heartbeat of his unborn child. Tears pricked his eyes. That was his child, and that was his Mate both safe both alive.

Gian looked between Delia's unreadable beautiful face and her stomach.

"I'll give you guys some privacy. Delia, I'll be in touch." The doctor said as she put away her equipment. Delia thanked her as she climbed down from the table. At the speed with which the woman packed her things told Gian that she was a vampire and Delia's ease around it told him that she was aware.

"Gian, I'm glad to see your recovery. I'm Rachel," she said, holding out her hand. Gian shook it slowly still processing the scene before him.

"I see your strength's coming back, you're going to need it to care for your beautiful family. I'll be back tomorrow night, nice meeting you."

When Rachel was out the door, Gian was alone with Delia and in between them stood all that had occurred since he phased away from her in his apartment in Fort Lauderdale. Gian was overwhelmed with gratitude, relief, pride for Delia's strength, and shame for his actions. He took steps toward her wanting to enfold her in his arms.

Delia stepped closer as well.

Crack!

Delia slapped him and left more than his face stinging. Gian looked at the anger on her face and sorrow in her eyes.

"That was for leaving me," she said with steel. He felt he deserved that and more. Delia, probably thinking the same slapped him again.

Crack!

"... and that's for the drugs and the female junkie you fed from." Delia said the last her voice cracking, tears flooded her face and her mask of anger crumbled.

Gian took a tentative step toward Dee then another when he was finally close enough he folded her in his arms holding her tight and pressing kisses to the crown of her head. Delia cried in his arms, emotions that had been held so long. He held her tightly and supported her when she'd gone slack in his arms. He felt his body straining, but he held on, he would be strong for her now because she had been so strong for him.

With his last gust of strength he picked her up and carried her to the room he awoke in and laid in bed tucking her into his side. Where he held her as she cried herself to sleep.

When Gian woke again it was from hunger, his body ached with it. Delia smelled deliciously of warm coconuts and the sweet tang HCG, the pregnancy hormone, it fed his hunger and arousal. His erection pressed closely against her. He knew instinctively to not feed from her, she needed her blood for the child she was forming. Gian didn't want to get up though he wanted to listen to the symphony of Delia's steady heartbeat shadowed by the fast fluttering heartbeat in her womb and her low vibrational breathing. He eventually pulled himself away and sniffed out the bagged blood kept in a small fridge in the room's closet. He guzzled down three bags of cold blood that brusquely satisfied his hunger but not his erection.

'Settle down, Lil Carlo' he told his erection. After what he'd put Delia through he didn't deserve to sink deeply into Delia's warm wet center. When Gian got back into bed Delia wasn't asleep. She pulled Gian closer to her, entwining legs and arms her lips resting at the hollow of his throat Lil Carlo throbbed in his boxers.

Delia pressed small warm kisses to Gian's neck setting his nerve endings on fire. Gian cradled her face in his hands pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead trailing them down the bridge of her nose and ending on her full lips. He drew them into his mouth. Delia pressed her body against his purring into their kiss. God, he wanted to taste more of her. He drank deeply of her lips as he peeled away her baggy tee and slowly trailing his tongue over her warm chestnut brown body, silky skin and warm thick flesh he wanted to bite into. No, he wouldn't dare, he continued his trail past her fluttering soft tummy and settled between luscious thighs. He inhaled her rich sweet scent and pressed his kisses to her swollen lower lips.

Delia inhaled sharply feeling his breath fan her sensitive skin between gentle kisses. Those kisses turned to gently licking then without warning she felt Gian's hot wet mouth cover her excited pearl sucking gently.

Delia shuddered at the divine stimulation. Gian lapped at her folds as she began grinding her hips to his motions. He continued this way until her moans became pleas and her thighs locked around him. She was going to cum and he the knowledges spurned him on. Hands braced on his shoulders Delia's whole body tightened then released in a long pent up wave of heat and pleasure.

Gian's body was on fire, his dick rock hard and his heart beating like a drum. He slid up her body pressing wet kisses everywhere. He didn't stop until Delia felt his swollen head at her entrance. Gian slid inside her wet confines with a groan. His strokes were slow as he drank in Delia's moans.

Delia writhed and gripped him. She missed him, all of him. She savored the feel of his hard heat pushing into her, filling her then retreating only to plunge deeper, harder.

There were no sound but their panting, the slap of flesh and Delia's whimpers. Delia felt her body tightening again, the sensations so intense. Gian wrapped his arms around her stoking slowly pushing her ever closer to her peak.

Delia came again her wetness gripping and releasing in rapid succession. His body said go faster, reach your destination. He wouldn't though. He wanted to drown Delia in pleasure. Let her sink into a euphoria that she deserved.

Gian pulled back, quickly burying his face between her legs lips locking onto her swollen clit. Delia cried out his name; her body quickly overcome by his actions. Gian cycled between slow strokes and pussy licks until Delia was a writhing moaning heap. When Gian felt his energy began to wane he held her close. Stroking her deeply.

"I'll never leave you," he groaned in her ear.

"You'll never have to do this alone." He picked up speed until Delia's whimpers turned to moans. With the rush of adrenaline, lust, and home Gian came, thrusting deeply into his Mate drinking up her pleasure.

"I love you,"

###

Delia and Gian's next three months dragged on slowly as they pulled their lives together. Their things slowly trickled in, packages sent by Stefan. Denise had even managed to send a few things from back home. These made Delia cry, as did a lot of things with the shifting of her hormones and the growth of her baby. Delia saw Rachel regularly every week and took keen interest in the developments. In turn Delia became really close to Rachel. She was a kind and bubbly woman not too much older than Stefan, a young vampire but a very skilled doctor and doula. She had been there to confide in, mostly her fear of childbirth and even greater her fear of her ability to be a mother.

Delia thought about getting a job to keep her busy but Gian was not having it. He encouraged her instead to explore the city and explore her passions while he made sure they had everything they needed. Delia could not and would not argue with him on this but she was left with the predicament of finding herself. What were her passions? What did she want from life? She didn't know. How was she supposed to be a good mother if she didn't even know what she wanted?

Shaking her from her thoughts one early evening Delia's phone rang. It was a video call from Denise. She wasted no time answering.

"Hey Nise, what's up?"

"Heeeeeeey, Siiiiiiis" She sang as her smiling face appeared on the screen, "Now, show me that belly!"

Delia rolled her eyes and smiled before shifting the phone down to show off her bump. Though she was shy of six months along her long body held the bump well, her belly protruding like a pot belly.

"Hey, there little Nise Jr." Denise said with so much excitement.

"He is sleeping now, no kicks until morning," Delia said shifting the camera back up to her face. Delia could hear her mother say something in the background and Denise laughed in response.

"Mom says 'How do you know? You're Camden and all of our first children were girls."

Delia rolled her eyes again. She and Gian have already decided to wait until everyone comes up to visit to find out their child's gender.

"So, how are you holding up?" Delia had last seen her sister a week after they'd first fled here.

"Okay, it's been okay. Gian's been working like a man possessed, you know,"

"Nearly dying will do that to you," Denise grumbled she still hasn't forgiven Gian for his relapse.

"Right, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a job. What do you think he does?"

Denise gave her a look that said this should be obvious. When it seemed Delia wouldn't get it Denise looked over her shoulder at her mother, then quickly made her way to the other room.

"He doesn't have to 'work' to get money. They can read minds and influence behavior, if Gian's any good at it he's out there finessing the money out of people's hands, pockets, or accounts."

"Ahhh," Delia said this explained why he left most early evenings just after waking. "Well, that still leaves me here alone most nights. I'm kind of feeling like how it was back in Gian's apartment. I want to go out but I just end up wandering around and coming back."

Delia talked to her sister until Denise had to go then it was back to surfing the Internet and waiting for Gian to return.

###

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Delia and Gian both shot up out of their deep sleep, it couldn't have been no later than three or four in the afternoon. Their eyes met and registered the same thing fear and a readiness to fight. Gian went first then Delia trailed behind him. Gian led them to the door and tentatively opened it. Their deep fear dissipated to relief to see Denise and Stefan filling their door. Denise rushed in to hug her sister, squealing with delight and cooing over her bump.

Stefan laughed and clapped Gian on the back, "Kid, you had murder in your eyes when you opened that door."

Gian laughed nervously, "I got a family to protect, you know."

"Chin up, kid, you're doing a good job. Delia looks happy, glowing like she's supposed to and apartment looking better than we last saw it. You guys start on a nursery?"

They took a seat on the chenille couch Gian had finessed from a Badcock a few weeks ago and watched Denise guide Delia off to the guest room with their stuff.

"No, not yet just working on the cash flow."

"I know how it is, being a broke young vampire." Stefan laughed, "Not being able to hold down a real job because of sun restrictions but not making the money quickly doing the mental manipulation hustle. What you need to do is find you a trade and get a job in the court of the supernatural."

Gian's brow pressed together in thought. He hadn't thought about the Court of The Supernatural in years. The Court is the upper echelon of "mythical" beings a governing body. Gian's last experience there was overwhelming. He was technically a Prince in this court but had been isolated from his family. This isolated him from the title. What if he can make something of the title and of himself?

"Oh before I forget," Stefan said snapping his fingers and shaking Gian from his thoughts. He looked over his shoulder in the direction of the girls as he rummaged in the inner pockets of his worn leather jacket. Stefan produced a small velvet box and opened it for him.

"I know you were born a vampire and see no need for this but Delia, she's human. It would mean the world to her. "

Gian took the box and admired the simple gold banded diamond ring with small emeralds surrounding it.

"I know it's not flashy, but it's sentimental. It's the ring I had bought for Sarah and never gave to her. I was your age when I did."

"What about Denise?"

"She's different, I'm pretty sure the sight of that would scare her more than me being a vampire. Even if I did, I don't want to give her a ring I bought in love with someone else."

Gian looked at Stefan and realized he loved him. He was the big brother he needed and represented the man he wanted to be.

"Thanks, big brother" Gian said throwing in a sarcastic misnomer.

Stefan laughed hugging him and clapping him once again on the back.

###

Stefan and Denise had made plans to stay for the remainder of Delia's pregnancy and possibly a little afterward. They all lived comfortably in that three-bedroom apartment. Denise pushed Delia to go out during the daytime and helped her decorate the nursery. Stefan using his connection to help Gian get a steady job at a vampire run nightclub. Gian took to bar tending quickly but found himself interested more and more in the many DJs and their music.

Delia found peace and fun in connecting with the people in that scene often spending nights at the club with her sister. For what it was they were finding a new normal and there were even talks of Stefan and Denise moving up to Oregon.

"What did you do, scope out sketchy warehouses when you got here?" Delia was saying as Denise drove them into the parking lot of a warehouse.

"It's my modus operandi,"

The two women pulled up near the front where there were at least a couple dozen other cars. As Delia maneuvered her growing belly out of the car, she took one more look around then down at herself. Denise did insist on her getting dolled up and even encouraged her to wear her low espadrilles. Denise had been against heel-wearing her entire pregnancy.

Denise paused at the entrance allowing her sister time to waddle up. It was such an adorable waddle paired with the look of confusion.

"Denise is this what I think it is?"

She rolled her eyes but couldn't keep the smile from her face, "Dee, don't ruin it."

In response Delia's face fell and her eyes became glassy and for a second Denise thought she had offended her, then Delia sniffled.

"Oh, don't cry," she said pulling her emotional sister in for a hug.

"I'm sorry," she hiccupped, "You are the best sister in the world and I don't deserve this."

"Awww, sweetie I am the best, aren't I?" They both laughed at her irreverence.

When they entered the warehouse, it was nothing short of immaculate. It was a huge metal room covered in white with vintage light fixtures and people everywhere in various shades of pink and blue.

People? Her family! The entire clan of Camden women, the women who raised nurtured loved and taught her, the cousins who teased mocked fought and defended her, and her mom. When her eyes landed on her mom Delia cried, crumbling into her mother's embrace. It felt like home, Delia ugly cried.

"Alright, alright, alright, there will be enough time for all of that mushy stuff." Denise said pulling Delia away after wiping at her own damp eyes.

Denise continued ushering Delia through the party, faces upon faces of people she never thought she'd see again. Just when Delia was beginning to feel overwhelmed with joy and love the crowd cleared. There was Gian sporting a brand new haircut, long on the top short on the sides. He wore a well-tailored sports coat, white tee, and crisp black jeans. He looked so good even more he kneeled in the center of her family and friends a small box clutched in his resting on his raised knee. Delia's heart flip as she took steps toward Gian grabbing ahold of his outstretched hand. He led her to sit on his upraised leg.

"Delia, I- "He began.

"Yes!" She interrupted excitedly.

He laughed, "Okay let me ""A million times yes!" She reiterated before pressing a kiss to his lips, her family hooting and cheering.

"I had to make it official," He said sliding the beautiful vintage ring onto her finger. "I wanted to let you and everyone you love know and understand that I'm yours forever."

The baby shower went well into the wee hours of the morning. The time zone change made it possible for her friends and family to adapt to her nocturnal hours. Everyone had fun, especially Delia. She got the opportunity to see her family, the Camden women, to once again be surrounded by so much love. They didn't do a gender reveal but there were many guesses and talks of possible twins.

It was when most of the guests were retreating to hotel rooms and lodges that they received their final guest. Denise was running after a cleanup crew Stefan had insisted on hiring. Delia sat folding baby clothes that were gifts while Gian and Stefan stacked all the bigger gifts near the entrance. All four froze when their last guest walked in, as if a cold wind blew in.

Delia was the first to move rising slowly to swollen feet and looking over at Stefan and Gian who were locked in shocked wary expressions.

"I'm sorry to intrude on your celebration."

"It's no intrusion at all, our child's your grandkid too." Delia said offering a friendly smile.

Delia had long ago figured out that Rachel was help sent from Analise. Here she stood, in a smart expensive dress with graceful hands perched on a burgeoning belly of her own. Delia had also realized that whatever vampire witchery she had performed on Delia and Gian when they last spoke was the reason her child lived in her womb that day.

At Delia's smile everyone kicked into gear. Stefan pulled up a chair for Analise, Gian helped move the folded baby clothes and Denise stood protectively at Delia's left.

"I know you may feel unwelcome but I'm glad you came anyway." Delia said pulling her into as much of an embrace as the two pregnant women could manage. When Delia pulled away Gian took her place. He looked down on his mother with a hard green gaze that began to melt.

"Mom," He said softly before folding into the arms of the petite woman.

"My boy!" She said, holding cradling and rocking her eldest born.

The scene sent the over emotional Delia in to tears. When Gian and his mother released each other they all sat and talk. Delia had the chance to tell Analise how she had met Gian and fell in love. Analise talked about when she first found out that she was Durante's Mate. They spoke about what they endured at Durante's hand and what they'd been up to since the move to Oregon. Analise asked them what their plans were for the future and as they answered she looked grim.