Authors: Cassandra Cole
“It’s not about romance, Kitty. It’s about safety. I don’t want hunters coming after you for carrying my child.”
Kitty didn’t want him knowing that the money he was giving her in exchange for having his baby was going to go towards becoming a hunter. If he knew that he probably wouldn’t have agreed to meet with her and she wasn’t willing to risk, it now. Most creatures were not in favor of the hunters and some even spoke out against them and attempted to get legislature passed that would have made it Illegal for hunters to execute creatures without a fair trial first. They argued that if humans were brought before a jury before execution, then why shouldn't creatures?
Many politicians seemed to agree with the proposed policy, though many people suspected it was to get support from creature sympathizers (creatures were banned from voting) since soon after elections all lobbyists working towards the new law disappeared and were never heard from again.
Kitty wasn't going to say that everything hunters did was right but it didn't change her desire to be one. She knew that she would do right by the creatures and the humans and never take an innocent life. She suspected Chad didn't have any interest in hearing her speech, however, so she just pushed the envelope back towards him and nodded.
"Alright. I'll come live with you but you'll have to pay my rent so I can keep my apartment. It's not easy getting a place down town. And I expect to have my own bedroom."
He nodded and offered her a pen, turning to some blank pages with lines that he’d written in so that she could detail her own conditions. He was not an unfair man.
"Of course. I will be happy to pay your rent and after the...consummation and fertilization you will be more than welcome to sleep in your room."
Kitty knew what he meant. She'd done plenty of research about dragon pregnancies and knew that artificial insemination was not possible. She was going to have to get pregnant the good old fashioned way. She couldn't say she was too upset about it since Chad was a beautiful man, but she was nervous.
Being turned down and made fun were two of Kitty's biggest fears. Her self-confidence was shattered in her early childhood and she'd never gotten it back. This prevented her from seeking out romance and so she was still a virgin. It was one of the cards she’d played when messaging Chad, hoping it would give her a leg up on the competition. After all, dragons liked virgins, didn't they?
She added in a few of her own conditions and signed the bottom, offering him his pen back. The cool metal and heaviness told her that it was an expensive pen that only a rich business man would have owned. She assumed he’d want it back.
Chad tucked the folder and envelope away safely, smiling and tilting his coffee cup to her. The waitress came back and put it on the table at some point, though she’d been so silent he didn’t even notice.
She tilted her own chai latte up and smiled.
“So, you’re hiring the movers, right?”
*****
Chad did indeed, hire the movers, which was a damn good thing because Kitty would find out soon enough that his house was in the middle of nowhere. Kitty was born and raised in Nashville and she’d always been a city girl. Her parent’s house was in the suburbs but Kitty still considered herself to be a city girl. It was exactly the reason she bought a condo near downtown. It cost her a pretty penny but she thought it was worth it.
After realizing she wasn’t going to be able to be a hunter, Kitty become invested in many artistic pursuits. She found solace in art but her true love was photography. There was something magical about watching the world pass you by from behind the lens. It was like a looking glass.
Kitty was following the last U-Haul that was transporting all of her studio equipment. Just because she was going to be pregnant didn’t mean se was going to stop working. She was already coming up with excuses as to what she was going to tell her more regular clients regarding her pregnancy. Just about everyone knew that Kitty was chronically single, though most people struggled to figure out why. She always got the ‘but you’re such a pretty girl response’. She didn’t quite believe it and would just shrug and smile nervously in response.
The U-Haul pulled up to a set of huge iron gates and honked the horn a few times. The gates swung open at a creaking pace and Kitty found herself mesmerized by the huge mansion she was currently driving up to. Her jaw fell slack as she took in the monstrosity of a home. It was three stories tall and the towers rising up on either side of the home made it look like some castle out of a Victorian era gothic horror novel.
The entire outside was painted in varying shades of gray and black with white pillars supporting a huge wrap around porch. She caught sight if the topiary’s as she pulled into the driveway and felt a little uneasy about them. Kitty always thought the idea of bushes cut into the shape of animals was a bit strange.
She put the car in park just as Chad came down the main steps, his shows clicking against the expensive stone as he moved along towards the moving truck. He waved at the man in the driver’s seat and walked over to him, instructing him as to where her space in the house would be. A few papers were signed and then Chad walked over to Kitty, beaming.
He was dressed down today and she felt a smile creeping across her face at the sight of him in a light blue Henley Shirt and a pair of dark jeans that were faded from one too many washes. The leaves blew through the trees that surrounded what she would call the ‘castle’ and it carried with it the scent of fall. It would be nice to actually be where she could see the leaves change. There wasn’t much foliage in the city itself and she only got to see it on her rare drives out to the country.
Kitty slung a duffle bag over her shoulder and smiled up at Chad, waving at him as she started to walk by him, still in awe of the huge house rising up among the hills and trees. It looked so out of place here but she fell in love with it immediately. It inspired her to draw dark stormy nights and crows with grotesque beaks, that were open in a caw.
She was lost in her own thoughts when Chad stole the duffle bag from her, carrying it into the house for her. Kitty blinked and followed, rolling her eyes a little and shaking her head.
“Are you going to treat me like an invalid my entire stay? Because if that’s how you think this is going to work, we need to have a chat.”
He smiled back at her, holding the door open for her despite her almost playful jabs. She was sarcastic to the point, but he detected a sense of humor under that tough exterior.
“You’ll have to forgive me. I was raised to be a proper gentleman. It is in my nature.”
“Of course you were.” She said as she smiled and looked around the large Foyer.
The atrium was high and open with a large window that allowed sunlight to shine in and dance across the dark wooden interior. The long hallway let out to two rooms on either side and the one on the left appeared to be where she was staying. It looked like it used to be a study before all of her boxes were put in it.
A large fireplace was situated on one side of the room and the walls were lined with shelves that contained century old books and knickknacks from around the globe. A large window that faced the sunrise we nearly ten feet wide and rose from the floor to the ceiling. It was all so grand and she almost felt guilty for taking the room from Chad. She then realized that there was probably another ten rooms just like it in the expansive house
He set her bag down and walked over to the large archway that opened into the spacious den and pulled at a sliding door.
“This opens and closes when you need your privacy. It doesn’t lock but I will respect your privacy when it’s closed.” He assured.
She turned to him and chewed her lip, starting to feel guilty over the fact that she’d been so cold to him and was essentially going to stab him in the back once he gave her the money. Chad noticed her silence and looked over at her for a moment.
“Does it suit you?” He asked curiously.
She smiled and nodded, glancing up at him.
“Yeah. It’s beautiful! I’m just…Um, I’m tired. It’s been a very long few days.” She informed, walking into the beautiful space.
The sun was filtering through the large window and casting little flurries of color on the floor. She’d taken her shoes off in the entry way and despite the chilly wind outside, the floor warmed her cold toes.
Chad smiled, enjoying the sight of her more than he probably should. He was constantly reminding himself that she was a contract working and once her obligations were fulfilled she would most likely go on her way. Even so, he was still trying to impress her, hoping that perhaps they could get to know one another better.
“I will leave you to your unpacking. I don’t expect you to fulfill your contractual obligations for the first few days. I know you’re going to want to get yourself set up.”
Kitty smiled over her shoulder, walking over to him and considering her next move very carefully. She stood on her toes and pecked him on the cheek, smiling gently.
“Thanks.”
*****
The days passed and Chad kept his promise. He didn’t ask her to come to bed with him or even insist that they spend any time at all together. He was a patient man with a kind heart and she found herself seeking him out so that they could get to know each other better.
Over the week or so that he allowed her to adjust, she realized that he really was raised to be a proper gentleman. He always let her walk through doors first and almost seemed to have to stop himself from bowing his head towards her when she walked by. It was a relief since the only attention she seemed to get from men was when they catcalled her on the street. It didn’t mean much to be cat called by construction workers. If it had legs they would probably holler after it.
Chad certainly stared at her, but when he did it almost seemed like he was looking at her with a certain amount of reverence. It always made her shiver and tug her bottom lip between her teeth. She liked the way he looked at her and it almost made her want to dress in something sexy and strut through the house. There was a spark of confidence starting to come back to her, though she didn’t put too much thought into it. She didn’t want to get her hopes up and then get pushed aside like every other time she’d ever dared to believe in herself.
Kitty did find herself feeling giddy, however. Tonight was the night that they were going to consummate their contract. She didn’t like saying that. It made it sound like a job and incredibly clinical. She knew that it was the reality of the situation and that she was the one to insist that they keep this professional. She insisted on a separate room and she insisted that there be no romance. Now Kitty was regretting it all.
She stood in the mirror, running her hands through her blonde hair and trying to figure out what she was going to do to get ready for the occasion. She almost felt like she was getting ready for a date. She leaned over the counter and ran the red lipstick along her lips, smiling in the mirror to make sure she looked nice. Was she doing too much? Kitty sighed and put on a touch of eyeliner and mascara, happy with the way her eyes sparkled in the clear lighting of the bathroom.
When she stepped out of the bathroom and walked back into the room that became her little apartment, she noticed a beautiful black, sheer robe on her bed. Kitty looked around to see if Chad was in the room and when she didn’t see him she wandered in and picked up the pretty garment that was still on the hanger, running her fingers along it. She could tell by the smooth texture that it was a very expensive piece and probably vintage. She brought it to her nose, enjoying the smell of cedar and the feeling of the soft material against her cheek.
She shed the towel she was wearing, letting it fall to the floor before she slipped the black robe on. She felt beautiful for the first time in her life and heat rose to her cheeks. She pressed her hands to her face and took a deep breath before walking out to the foyer and making her way up the marble stairs.
Kitty knew that Chad’s room was the first door on the right and even if she didn’t, she could have guessed. The large set of double doors that led into the silk clad room were very telling. She pushed against the heavy doors and they opened with a sigh and creak. The smell of roses filled her nose and she smiled as she stepped inside.
The windows were open and a light fall breeze was blowing in. It felt good on the part of her legs that were exposed and she felt a blush creep along her cheeks when she realized that he’d be able to see the smooth, curvaceous outline of her figure. The sheer gown didn’t leave much to the imagination.
The room was empty and Kitty was starting to wonder where Chad was when he stepped out of the attached bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist. He looked at her and a soft smile came to his lips. He considered telling her she was beautiful but decided against it and instead walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking down at her.
“It fits you perfectly. I knew it would.”
She smiled up at him, feeling the sudden urge to flutter her eyelashes, hoping to get his attention. How was he doing this to her?
“And how did you know?”
“I have a good eye for clothes.”
Kitty’s eyes wandered his sculpted body and she swallowed thickly. Her hand seemed to come up of its own volition and she reached out to feel the tight muscles of his chest and abdomen. Even when he breathed they became taut and rippled with pure, masculine power.