Vampire Claim: Real Men of Othercross

By Celia Kyle and Marina Maddix

The man was "Oh God I wanna have your baby" good in bed and now… well… she's gonna have his baby and he's nowhere in sight.

 

After one passionate night, witch Iris Holloway is left with more than just the memory of the sexiest vampire she'd ever met–she's pregnant. And the little bladder squasher inside her belly seems to take great joy in reminding her of its presence at the most inopportune moments. Like when she's sitting in judgment over another witch in her job as an Othercross Sentinel. It's hard to focus on justice when a gal's gotta pee.

 

It's also hard to focus when when the baby's father shows up at her work after seven long months, trying to claim her as his Beloved. Ridiculous! If they were truly fated for each other, he never would have left her. The smoking hot vamp is just jealous that Iris has moved on and found a guy who will stick around for more than just one night.

 

Right?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Summerhouse Publishing
• Release date: Mar 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215846230

Celia Kyle

Ex-dance teacher, former accountant and erstwhile collectible doll salesperson, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Celia Kyle now writes paranormal romances for readers who: 1) Like super hunky heroes (they generally get furry) 2) Dig beautiful women (who have a few more curves than the average lady) 3) Love laughing in (and out of) bed. It goes without saying that there’s always a happily-ever-after for her characters, even if there are a few road bumps along the way. Today she lives in central Florida and writes full-time with the support of her loving husband and two finicky cats.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

The baby wanted lunch.

There was no other reason for the ravenous hunger that wrapped around Iris Holloway’s spine and squeezed. Not only did Baby need an influx of calories and nutrients, but she also kicked her mama for good measure—to get Iris’s attention, just in case she’d forgotten there was a mini-me floating around in there.

Iris winced, shifting slightly in her seat in an attempt to dislodge the wriggling Bladder Squasher into a more comfortable position—one that didn’t threaten a spontaneous golden shower. That would be more than just a little embarrassing, especially since as an Arcane Sentinel she needed to maintain some semblance of dignity, even when flagrantly pregnant.

Aggravatingly pregnant.

Get-out-of-my-stomach-already pregnant.

Do you understand the charges against you? Iris spoke to Kelly Holloway, the young witch who stood before her for judgement.

Kelly grinned and saluted. Iris suppressed a sigh. The brazen young witch only had a year left as a ward of the Holloway coven before coming into her own at age twenty-five, and she clearly thought she could charm her way through this predicament.

Iris sympathized, but it had been years since she’d been allowed to charm her way into or out of anything—well, not counting the circumstances that led to the Bladder Squasher. Other than that wild lapse in judgment, the weight of her responsibilities as a Sentinel pushed out any room for frivolity on most days. Especially these days. Iris stared at Kelly, expression even, hoping the weight of her regard would signal to the woman to tone it down.

No such luck.

Absolutely, Kelly answered. I’m charged with heroically coming to the aid of my best friend, sans cape since I wasn’t really dressed appropriately for such a magnificent rescue at the time and casting a truth spell in a circumstance where one would otherwise take for granted the presence of said truth. I mean, why should a truth spell have to be cast inside a courtroom in the first place, I ask you? It says something serious about the state of our judiciary that officers of the court feel free to play fast and loose with our most sacred oaths.

Fast talking won’t get you out of this. Iris’s voice remained flat. Step into the circle, Kelly.

Kelly eyed the glow of the already cast circle sideways. That sounds an awful lot like ‘come and see my etchings’ but in the serial killer sense, not in the hot, brooding lover sense.

Iris suppressed another sigh. Fine. The girl was funny, but Iris’s amusement was dropping at the same rate as her urge to go pee increased. At any other not-pregnant time, she might have let her coven mate draw this out simply for the entertainment factor. And to be totally honest, Iris didn’t blame Kelly for casting the truth spell in the middle of a trial. But personal feelings had no place when she was sitting in judgment over someone. Not even her personal feelings of really needing to get this over with now so she could go find a toilet.

Delaying the inevitable isn’t helping your case, Kelly. In fact, it’s having the opposite of what I assume is your desired effect. Iris allowed a chill to enter her voice, hoping the subtle threat would speed things along. She shifted her weight again, squeezing her thighs together as tight as they would go.

Kelly’s lips thinned a fraction, the expression around her eyes taut. She was worried. Good, she should be. The first lesson any witch with the kind of power Kelly wielded needed to both learn and constantly be reminded of was the responsible use of her gift.

As Kelly inched into the casting circle, Iris gripped the arms of her chair and slowly pushed up, using a good deal of upper body strength mingled with hope. Just standing up these days was a major accomplishment; the elastic band she wore under her belly helping stabilize everything as her insides readjusted to an upright position.

Once she was reasonably certain everything inside her bulbous belly was in its proper place, she ambled toward the circle she’d cast. Kelly stood in its center now, her face a trifle pale. Iris gave her a small, reassuring smile. The young Holloway witch had, from all reports, done herself credit with her efforts in the courtroom. The truth spell she’d cast had been powerful enough to trip up a Falkov prosecutor as well as a judge, who should have known better.

But whatever tepid spell Kelly had cast was nothing compared to Iris’s. She guessed it was at least five times stronger, probably more. There was a reason she was Sentinel, even though she wasn’t even yet thirty.

It’s my job to determine how well you understood the rules you broke, the ones we all must follow, Iris said as her power flared. Whether your intent was benign, for example, and how to weigh your infraction against the circumstances surrounding it, and finally to determine a suitable sentence, if I decide you should be sanctioned.

Kelly’s eyes shifted to lock on a point over Iris's shoulder, a sign the young witch was now starting to take the proceedings seriously.

You should know I have nothing personal at stake here, I’m completely neutral. Our status as coven mates will not weigh on my decision, nor will my opinions on your actions. Only the facts will be taken into account in determining your guilt.

Kelly shrugged. I get it. You’re just doing your job. No hard feelings.

Truth. Interesting. That was good, the lack of resentment toward Iris’s position in judging her indicated a well-developed sense of personal responsibility. It also indicated Kelly had known the consequences of her actions prior to taking them. So pleading ignorance was an unlikely defense. Not that she could lie within the circle.

Let’s talk about those feelings.

Kelly cringed. Do we have to?

That’s pretty much all we’re here to do, Kelly. Start at the beginning.

She sighed. Alena called me.

Alena Falkov, the representative of the vampire on trial?

Yeah, her.

Go on.

She needed help with the case. She’d just been assigned—well, not really assigned, but she’d just taken up Luca’s defense and needed a way to prove his innocence. We didn’t have many other options except the truth spell.

A well-worded shade of truth that