**Ch 320: Suspicious Eyes

One week has passed since Madeline and Rose had their sons. Yesterday Madeline went back home to her husband's clan and coven. To help out the new parents, Chester, and his family went to stay with them. Today was another Friday, and I was almost twenty-one weeks pregnant. After eating lunch with Mia and Sharlene, we went to visit Rose and her baby. Once she finished nursing him. Rose rocked him in the rocking chair as Sharlene and I went through her maternity clothes. I'm not sure how it happened so fast, but now my jeans are getting a little tighter from a week ago.

"Don't you have any other colors aside from black?" Sharlene grumbled as she was flipping the pile of clothes over her shoulders from the bed. Meanwhile, Mia was folding the clothes on the coffee table before she bagged them.

From looking at her baby, Rose peeked up at us at the bedside as we were sorting through the pile of clothes. "Does it look like I wear color?" she replied with a straight face.

Sharlene gruffed while Mia and I giggled though I have the same taste as Rose, whereas Sharlene loved pink and vibrant green colors.

"It wouldn't hurt to add a little more color in your life!" Sharlene lectured as she turned toward the bed, and started to fold the clothes into neater piles.

"I despise the word," Rose answered quite seriously.

I still laughed at them as Ace came in with Ivan to find that the bed and floor were covered in clothes because we emptied Rose's closet.

"Don't worry, we are cleaning it up," Mia reassured him when she saw his shocked face.

"I hope so," Ace remarked doubtfully.

Mia laughed as she continued to put the clothes we didn't like in the bags to be donated. I filled my bag with the clothes I wanted as Ace went to Rose. He bit his wrist and filled a glass baby bottle halfway full with his blood, and he gave it to her to feed the vamp baby.

Being a vampiress, her flawless figure was back to being fit and slender. Though her skin tone was slightly discolored to a brownish yellow, which told us, she was in a weakened state from the loss of blood. Ace was now feeding triple times the amount of blood to feed Rose and the baby, plus himself.

"He's so content," he smiled at his son as Rose fed him the bottle of blood.

"He's a happy little one." Rose fawned over her baby as we heard him sucking on the bottle.

"Doesn't it just make you want one?" Mia hinted to her husband on the couch, but Ivan acted like he didn't hear her by looking at his phone. Everyone knew he hated human kids and just tolerated vamp kids a little.

After we were done cleaning the room, Sharlene declared. "We're going shopping."

"Let me get my purse, and I'll be ready," I confirmed just when my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and expected it to be Kai. But I was shocked to see it was Crystal calling me. I recognize her unknown number so Kai wouldn't suspect anything from beforehand.

"Is that Kai?" Mia questioned. She knew I haven't heard from him much lately. As usual, he hasn't been home.

"No, it's a friend, so give me a second," I replied, without lying completely.

Before anyone could ask me any more questions, I left Rose's bedroom as Ace and Ivan eyed me suspiciously if as they knew, or was I only being paranoid?

"Hey," I whispered into the speaker as I walked into the nearest living room.

"I'm so glad you answered!" Crystal chimed into my ear. "I've been so worried about you after what happened."

"I'm fine."

"You can be honest with me." Crystal sulked. "You've been going through so much lately. I can't help but worry about you."

"Honestly, I am good," I reassured her as I peeked around to make sure the coast was still clear.

"Are you free tonight?" she randomly asked. "The college is having a memorial tonight for Elena, Ben, Billy, and Rebecca. I was wondering if you'd meet me there."

"I-I..."

"Please, Orlando could use your support." She quickly throws in to coax me.

"How's he holding up after Rebecca's death?" I asked in wonderment about him.

Crystal sighed, and clarified. "He's not upset about Rebecca. He's still mourning over Ben. They were getting close before he got murdered. So will you come?"

"Ok, I'll be there, but I have to go," I told her, and she acknowledged what I verified before we hung up.

Once I left the living room, I ran into Ivan and Jack in the hallway.

"Is everything good?" Ivan asked.

"I was talking to my friend. I'm going to go to the memorial tonight." I told them, being somewhat candid enough though they eyed me suspiciously.

To my luckier fortune, Sharlene came down the hall and asked me. "Are we ready to go?"

"I just have to get my purse." I dodged that one with Ivan and Jack and bolted between them.

As we walked down the hall together, Jack chased after us. "Do you need any money to buy clothes?" he asked Sharlene.

Of course, she shot him down by saying, "I can support myself and the baby."

Jack didn't say anything as he stopped following us. I wanted to say something to her but what is there to say? Rex is the reason why Sharlene bares his offspring and that sacred mark. In so many ways, they should be together, but I guess Sharlene feels differently.

~~~

After shopping, I finally arrived at the college. It was nearly dark, and a large crowd gathered around the center of the campus. Candles were available and so were lighters if anyone wanted to light one. I didn't get a candle but stood in the crowd and stared at the pictures of Elena, Ben, Billy, and Rebecca. They were each the victims Rex and his clan had killed because of me. No one around me could know the truth, which cut my heart deeply.

"Hey, beautiful."

I felt a gentle nudge on my left shoulder. So I looked up to see Alejandro next to me. Without saying another word, he hugged me tight, but not too tight to smash my babies.

"Where is Crystal?" I looked around everywhere but didn't see her.

"She's coming," replied Alejandro.

I kept watching out for her and Orlando, but then a hair-raising chill ran along my spine when I saw Seth and his clan. My heart only started to tremor harder when his eyes met mine before a mocking sneer curved his mouth, which was downright bloodcurdling. Matters only got more alarming as my gaze veered away from his.