Shadow Watcher (Darkness #6)(16)

“There’s no way,” I said softly.

The first line was deep red at this point, but the second line was a ghost. So light I had to look away and look back, adjusting my eyes. Trying not to stare. Trying not to focus too hard.

The very light pink turned a shade darker.

“Does it count if it’s way lighter than the other one?” I muttered. If felt good hearing a voice, even if it was mine. I didn’t feel quite so alone.

I should’ve called Ann for this. I needed someone to hold my hand.

I got up, with my pants around my ankles, and waddled to my purse. I fished out my phone and called Ann.

“Sleeping,” came a grumpy voice on the other end.

“I need you,” I said in a panic. “Please come to the Mansion.”

“What? Why?” Suddenly the sleep cleared from her voice. “What’s happened? Are you okay? Where are you?”

“I’m…I don’t know. Just come to the Mansion, please. Secret house. Don’t tell Tim. Call me when you get here.”

“I’ll be right there. I’ll have to sneak out, though, so have some clothes for me. I’ll be in animal form.”

“’Kay. Bye.” I dropped the phone back to my handbag and picked the test back up for a second viewing.

The second line was decidedly darker. There were two lines.

I didn’t know how to feel. I wasn’t ready for this. I...

I shook my head. My heart started pounding. I’d barely earned my place, and my mate, and my new life—I was just starting to get used to all the changes, and now this.

I needed another deep breath. And a second opinion.

I waddled back into the bathroom and summoned up another trickle of test material. It was probably heavily diluted with the large amount of water I’d drank, but…well…

I still didn’t know how to feel.

The liquid climbed up slower this time. The wait was excruciating.

The first red line flared into existence. And then I noticed something. On the test, pregnant showed the two lines, but the not-pregnant result, with only one line, matched up with the second line on the pregnant result. In other words, it was the second line that was the control line—the line that would come up regardless. The first line was the actual test line.

And that line was really, really red.

Oh, shit. I’m pregnant.

“How did this happen?” I asked the test. “How?”

I looked at the box. It confirmed that two lines, even if one was faint, meant a positive test. And that test was really, really red. Pregnancy red.

I was going to have a baby.

Before I could react a loud crash announced someone coming through the front door in a temper. A moment later, a face covered with rage loomed in the still open bathroom doorway.

“Jesus, Jonas, that face would kill newborn puppies,” I said as I dropped the test to the other side of the toilet and out of view. “How about a little privacy, huh?”

“Where the f*ck were you, human?” Jonas demanded, stepping into the bathroom. Apparently people on the toilet did not embarrass him as much as it did me.

The front door crashed a second time. “She in here?” I heard Charles yell. “Oh yeah, here’s her purse.”

Charles face loomed behind Jonas’. “What the f*ck, Sasha? I had to enact the phone tree with the Mata. Why the hell have you been playing speed racer all over this city? Are you trying to get me killed?”

“Why didn’t you tell us the meeting was this afternoon instead of this evening?” Jonas demanded in a deep, anger-filled voice. “You left yourself vulnerable.”

“Can we talk about this after I get off the toilet, please? This is kind of awkward…” I let my eyebrows reach my hairline as I huffed. Attitude and embarrassment sometimes dislodged Jonas’ scrutiny.

As hoped, his gaze took in my precarious position. He took a step back and glared at Charles to get out of the bathroom so he could, too.

My stomach swarmed with butterflies.

Charles was staring in confusion at the box that’d held the pregnancy tests. He slowly, as if finding a piece of gold and unsure if it was real, picked up the white plastic test and inspected it.

“Get out!” I yelled. I needed to hash this out with Ann. I didn’t need all my uncertainty known by the male population. That just wasn’t how these things were done.

“Is this what I think it is?” Charles asked in a wispy voice I’d never heard before. It was filled with pride, hope, and wonder. It was as if he was looking at a unicorn. He tapped Jonas on the shoulder.

“Charles, seriously, get out!” I yelled frantically.

Everything turned to slow motion. Jonas’ shoulders swiveled toward Charles. Both of their gazes fell to the little white wand in Charles hand.

Charles picked up the box. Jonas took it from him with a delicate, gentle grip. Their gazes went to the directions. Then back to the results. As if synchronized, both heads turned toward me. Their faces were blank. Completely unreadable.

I felt heat soak into my face, but not because I was sitting on the toilet with my pants around my ankles. Suddenly I felt more vulnerable, more exposed, than I ever had in my whole life.

“I didn’t mean to,” I said overcome by an irrational need to defend myself. “I didn’t plan it. I don’t know how it happened…”