The Billionaire’s Baby(53)

He sighed in frustration, flopping down on the bed next to her, arm finding homage between her chest and stomach, face cuddling up against her own, seeking the usual heat that emanated from her. It didn't hurt that she still had a fever and there should have been even more heat than usual.

Instead of her normal warmth, however, her skin was damp and slightly cold. He cuddled closer, something in his heart aching and pulling – he assumed it was just Nia's soul lost somewhere inside of him, out of place and lonely, looking for its home in Nia's own body.

It was funny to think of it that way, that part of Nia was stuck inside of him. It reminded him of some dirty joke and made him want to giggle. Though it would be a lot easier to giggle when he knew for sure that the tiny redhead would be back to normal. He'd share it with her later, when she could laugh with him again.

His fingers tapped imaginary piano keys on her hip, tracing imaginary pictures through the sheer fabric of her nightie. Through it he could see the white cloth wrapped tight around her middle, tinted funny colors of pink and ugly brown with lost blood. He touched it gingerly, feeling guilty, and that was when he heard the soft reverberations of a chuckle drift through her chest.

He looked up to find her watching him, giving him a tired but sassy grin. He smirked back and sat up, "Hey, sleepyhead. Want me to go get Nana?"

She shook her head, resting her head back against the pillow, one finger aimlessly tugging on the edge of the blue ribbon that tied her hair, the other moving up to touch the residing bite mark on her neck, "You really knocked me out, huh?"

The last thing she remembered was Ellis’s attack.

He pouted, shaking his head, "It wasn't my fault!" He cried, huffing a bit, "It was George!"

She stared at him, puzzled, until he explained everything. Everything about how he'd sucked out her soul and how he'd managed to find Nana even though he'd been blind and how he'd borrowed Kellen's clothes and how he had to stay near her.

It was at this point that she stuck out her tongue childishly and said, "So, you just couldn't leave me, right?"

He stuck his tongue back out and climbed off the bed, "Why don't we get you outta bed for a bit, shorty?"

She must be tired of just lying there for so long, he'd decided. Plus, he was bored of being in the room.

She nodded, swinging thin legs off the edge of the bed, taking his extended hand and walking slowly towards the door. She leaned heavily against him, the medicines that Nana had given her were working diligently, but she was still so weak.

He opened the door for her and led her out, still gripping her tiny hand gently in his own. She looked like such a little child beside him, dressed in a frilly night gown with her hair braided so neatly, and so unlike Nia's typical mess of a braid.

Nana was sitting once more on the couch in the living room, large book balanced on her knees making her, too, look like a tiny, aged doll.

It was then that Ellis decided that this family was a family of midgets, though Kellen and Dag seemed to be the exception.

With a start, the vampire realized that Nia didn't know about Dag yet, and his heart sunk just a little bit.

It had been a long time since Ellis had a family, and he no longer knew the face of his mother or father, he no longer knew if he had ever had siblings. He supposed that if he did have a brother or sister, that it was possible they were still alive somewhere. Though they would be old and decrepit, like Nia's grandmother.

Ellis did not know many things about his own family, but he did know that when Nia, who had never truly known her father, found out she had been so close to Dag without realizing it, she would be devastated.

Nana slowly closed the book, setting it down softly on the floor by her feet and clearing her throat. For such an old woman, she sat so straight with her weathered hands folded so gracefully that Ellis could have mistaken her for a queen.

"Come sit, Nienna." She murmured, and it took a whole minute for Ellis to figure out that she was talking to Nia, who hurriedly rushed to sit beside her grandmother.

He could only assume that 'Nienna' was Nia's full name.

It didn't fit her though, when he imagined a Nienna, a pretty, tall, gorgeous woman with huge breasts came to mind. He sniggered to himself childishly, following Nia to sit at the other side of Nana.

Nana gave him half a worried glance at his chuckle then turned to her granddaughter, who was just a bit taller than she was, opening her withered mouth to speak.

It was Nia’s voice that rang out instead, "Nana, I need to tell you something." She said hurriedly, eyes wide and confused, "Ellis told you about how we escaped, didn't he?"

Nana’s lips slowly pursed, chin ducking solemnly.

"The…the tunnel, it had tree roots wrapped around it, Nana! It was formed by roots!" Nia continued hurriedly, her brow creasing into a deep trench on her forehead.