My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

Raelynn shifted in bed, the soft brush of fabric the only sound as her eyes opened groggily. Shadows filled the room, broken only by a sliver of moonlight sneaking past the curtains. Her heart was oddly restless.

She turned her head, instinctively reaching toward the other side of the bed. It was empty, the sheets cool to the touch. Raelynn paused, her fingers lingering on the fabric. A chuckle slipped past her lips, low and amused, as she let her hand fall back to her side.

"Why am I even thinking about him?" she whispered to herself, shaking her head as though to dismiss the thought. She figured she'd gotten too used to having Elion next to her.

But sleep wouldn't return. The room felt too large, too silent, and too heavy. With a sigh, Raelynn swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her bare feet pressing against the cold tiles. Hugging herself, she slipped out of the room, moving as silently as a shadow.

Warm light from the sconces lined the walls, but it didn't stretch all the way to the ceiling. The mansion seemed to breathe in the quiet, with creaking tiles and rustling leaves outside making it feel alive.

As she moved quietly down the hall, a faint sound stopped her in her tracks. The sound was so soft it was nearly missed—a low, whispered murmur floated through the silence. Her steps faltered as she tilted her head, trying to place the sound. It was coming from Elion's study.

Curiosity piqued, Raelynn made her way toward the door, her fingers brushing lightly against the wall for balance. The door was ajar, and the room beyond was cloaked in darkness, save for the faint outline of Elion's silhouette seated at his desk.

He was eerily still, his shoulders tight and his posture stiff.

Only his head moved slightly, tilted as though he were listening intently. A faint glow caught her attention, drawing her gaze to his eyes. In the darkness, they glinted faintly, their unnatural glow sending a chill through her.

Raelynn blinked, leaning slightly closer to confirm what she was seeing. His eyes were glowing. Literally glowing, like a faint lightbulb had been switched on behind them.

Her heart raced, but her thoughts went somewhere completely unhelpful. What is that? A built-in lamp? Is he part flashlight now? She bit her lip to stifle an awkward laugh bubbling up, her ridiculous thoughts were nearly more overwhelming than the strange scene.

Raelynn hesitated, her hand resting on the edge of the doorframe. She was about to say something, but Elion's deep voice broke the silence.

"No, that won't work," he said coldly.

A slight frown crossed her face as a wave of discomfort hit her. There was something different about his usually calm voice.

"I don't care what it takes," he continued. "This needs to be handled immediately."

The unclear meaning of his conversation added to her growing discomfort. She leaned slightly closer, her breath shallow as she strained to make sense of his words.

"You know what's at stake," Elion said sharply, his tone dropping lower. "I'll handle my end. See to it that you handle yours."

His eyes flashed briefly before fading, and he released a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing a bit. "We'll talk again soon," he added. "But this is the last warning."

His eyes flashed briefly before fading, and he released a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing a bit. Raelynn stood frozen, her heart hammering in her chest. She didn't understand what she had just heard, but it seemed big—like she'd uncovered something about Elion she wasn't meant to know.

Before she could retreat, Elion reached for the lamp on his desk, the sudden brightness flooding the room.

"Raelynn," he called, his face calm, like he'd known she was there all along. His glowing eyes had returned to their usual deep shade, though the remnants of strain lingered in his expression. Sitting back in his chair, he studied her. "What are you doing here?"

Raelynn startled, her hand jerking away from the doorframe as though she'd been caught doing something forbidden. "I—I couldn't sleep," she stammered, her cheeks flushing.

Elion's gaze softened slightly, though his sharp features remained stoic. "Did you need something?"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I was just… walking around. I heard something and thought I'd check."

He arched a brow, his lips curving into a faint, almost amused smile. "Heard something? My, you're more curious than I thought."

Raelynn tried to smile, but it felt weak even to her. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll go back now." She turned to leave, her movements hurried and awkward.

"Raelynn."

She stopped in her tracks at his tone, gentle but commanding. She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his gaze.

"If something's troubling you, you can tell me," he said. "You don't have to wander the halls in the middle of the night."

For a moment, Raelynn hesitated, her hand gripping the edge of her pajamas. She couldn't shake the image of his bright eyes or the strange things he'd said, and it made her nervous.

"I'm fine," she said finally. "Goodnight, Elion."

Not bothering to wait for him to reply, she quietly left the room, her soft steps fading into the hallway.

Back in her room, Raelynn leaned against the closed door, her hand pressed to her chest as she tried to steady her breathing. The events of the past few minutes replayed in her mind, each detail standing out vividly—his glowing eyes, the stress in his voice, and the strange words from his call stayed with her.

His eyes stayed on her mind, bothering her more than anything else.

Her rational mind tried to dismiss it. Maybe I imagined it. Maybe the shadows played tricks on me.

But deep down, she knew what she'd seen. And it scared her.

Sliding down to sit on the floor, Raelynn wrapped her arms around her knees, her thoughts spinning wildly. Elion had always been a mystery, but tonight, she felt as though she'd glimpsed a part of him that was darker, more dangerous, and completely unknown to her.

She didn't sleep for the rest of the night.