Chapter Ten: You Wanted to Kiss Me

Sylar's POV

"Isaac!" I roared.

Eden's knees buckled before I could reach her but I caught her around the waist.

Her body felt frighteningly light in my arms as I held her.

"I'm fine, Prince Sylar.” Her voice was weak.

"This isn't the time for sarcasm. You're bleeding." I said as I lifted her into my arms before she could protest.

"Put me down. I can walk." She retorted.

"I don't care."

Her hand instinctively curled around my shoulder as I carried her down the corridor as fast as I could.

"Isaac!" My voice echoed through the corridor..

Dr. Isaac appeared from one of the adjoining rooms.

"What happened?" His gaze immediately dropped to Eden.

"Bleeding and some cramping." Eden answered before I could.

"Bring her in." Isaac nodded toward the nearest examination room.

I carried her inside and placed her carefully on the bed.

"You can stop hovering now," Eden muttered.

I ignored her as Isaac moved around the room gathering what he needed.

"Give us a moment, Sir." Isaac looked at me.

"No." My voice was stern.

"Sylar." Eden frowned.

"I'll stay." My tone was sharper.

"Fine. Please stand back." Isaac sighed.

I moved several steps away but didn't take my eyes off Eden.

"Stop staring at me." Eden noticed my gaze.

“No.” I refused.

Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't have enough energy to argue.

Isaac examined her for several minutes while I watched wordlessly as every second stretched longer than it should have.

Finally, he stepped back.

"Did I lose the baby?" Eden looked at him.

My expression hardened at Eden's question.

"It's too early to determine whether implantation has even occurred." Isaac's expression softened.

"So the bleeding doesn't mean the procedure failed?" Eden swallowed.

"Not necessarily." He paused. “There are several possible reasons for light bleeding and cramping after what you've been through. Right now, the most important thing is rest and observation.”

"Can you tell if I'm pregnant?" Eden asked.

"Not reliably yet." He paused. "We'll monitor you and conduct the appropriate testing when enough time has passed."

"She stays here tonight, where she can be watched." I stepped closer.

"No. I don't need to stay in a hospital room." Eden immediately looked at me.

"You were kidnapped, tied to a chair, nearly shot and now you're bleeding." I countered.

Isaac raised a hand, interrupting our argument.

"Actually, I'd prefer she rests somewhere secure. She doesn't necessarily need to remain in this room unless the bleeding increases or other symptoms develop." He said.

"Then you're coming back to the estate." I looked at Eden.

"I want to stay near Claire." She folded her arms.

"You'll have access to her whenever you want. I'm not going to debate it." My tone left no room for an argument.

"You really enjoy ordering people around." She glared at me.

"When people insist on making stupid decisions, yes." I acted oblivious to her frown.

For a second, she said nothing.

Then she looked away before agreeing.

By the time we arrived at the estate, Eden had barely spoken a word.

I stepped out first and opened her door but she immediately tried to get out on her own.

I held out my hand to assist her.

"I don't need help." She shook her head.

"I know." I replied.

She stared at my hand for a heartbeat and then at me.

"You keep saying that." Her voice was stern.

"Because you keep refusing help you clearly need." My voice was calm.

Her expression hardened, but after a moment, she placed her hand in mine and let me help her out.

We had barely made it inside when Candice appeared at the top of the staircase.

Her eyes moved from me to Eden and instantly dropped to our joined hands.

"What happened?" Her face changed.

"Nothing you need to worry about." My reply was quick.

Candice descended the stairs quickly and her gaze shifted to Eden.

"You're bleeding?" Her voice was cold.

Eden's body instantly stiffened.

"How do you know?" I looked at Candice.

"There's blood on her clothes." Her eyes widened slightly.

My jaw tightened as Candice's gaze dropped toward Eden's stomach.

"So the procedure failed?" Her tone carried a hint of satisfaction.

My chest tightened as Eden's hand pulled away from mine.

"We don't know yet," I replied.

"If it failed, we should prepare another candidate immediately." Candice's expression sharpened.

Eden's face went cold beside me.

"Candice." I paused. "Not another word.” Cold leaked from my voice.

Her eyes widened as she looked at me.

"Sylar, I'm only being practic–"

"I said enough." My voice was stern.

"You can't seriously be considering wasting more time if she's not pregnant." She looked at me as though I was being unreasonable.

"She has a name." I took a step toward her.

"So now I'm supposed to pretend she isn't replaceable?" Candice stared at me.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you." My tone was controlled.

Candice's expression instantly hardened.

For several seconds, no one spoke a word.

Then she turned toward Eden and something unreadable flashed across her face.

"Of course." Her voice was cold as she walked away.

Eden's gaze followed her as she disappeared up the stairs.

"She hates me." Eden's voice was low.

"She just hates anything she can't control." I replied.

"That sounds familiar." Eden glanced at me.

My eyes shifted to her, catching a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.

I almost returned it.

"Come. I had a room prepared for you.” I said.

"But I already have a room." She wore a confused look.

"Not anymore. I moved your room closer to mine." My voice was calm.

"Why?" Her eyebrows rose.

"Security reasons." I shrugged.

"Of course." Her voice was laced with sarcasm.

I ignored the sarcasm and led her to her new room which was two doors away from mine.

James had already stationed guards at the end of the corridor.

"You expect me to sleep with guards outside my room? I feel like a prisoner." Eden stopped outside.

"You're free to complain about it in the morning." I said with finality.

“Bu–”

"Rest." I cut her off.

"You're unbearable." She glared at me.

"So I've been told." I turned to leave.

"Sylar." Eden called out.

I stopped in my tracks and when I looked back, her expression had softened.

"Thank you." She paused. “Thank you for coming to rescue me.” Her eyes locked with mine.

"You don't need to thank me." I held her gaze.

"Why?" She asked.

‘Because there had never been another option.’ I thought to myself.

"Get some sleep." I said, refusing to answer.

I walked away before she could ask anything else.

It was past midnight when I finally returned to my study.

Claire's files covered half my desk as Isaac had prepared every document Eden was legally entitled to review.

I had promised Eden everything and this time, I intended to make sure nothing was missing.

A soft knock sounded at the door drawing my attention.

Eden stood there wearing loose sleep clothes, her long black hair falling around her shoulders.

"What are you doing awake? You're supposed to be resting." I asked

"I couldn't sleep and I consider this resting." She replied.

"You're standing, not resting." My expression shifted into a frown.

Eden ignored me and walked inside.

Her gaze immediately fell on the files spread across my desk.

"Are those Claire's records?" She paused as she stared harder. "You actually prepared everything.”

"I said I would." I replied.

"Eventually." She rolled her eyes.

I looked at her, catching the faint smile on her face.

"You've become bold." I said.

Her smile grew and for a moment, the tension between us disappeared.

Then, her gaze fell back to the documents.

"Why do you want an heir so badly?" Eden asked.

My expression hardened as the question had come too easily.

"What does that have to do with Claire?" I evaded.

"Nothing, but I'm apparently supposed to carry this heir, yet I still don't understand why you need one so desperately." Her voice was calm..

"You know enough." I leaned back in my chair

"No, I know the contract but I don't know the reason.” She pressed.

"If I don't produce an heir, Julian gets something I can't allow him to have.” I answered.

“And that is?” She crossed her arms.

“Not tonight.” I looked away.

"You always do this. Give me half an answer and expect me to be satisfied.” She wore an exasperated look.

“You ask too many questions.” I countered.

"You hide too many things." She retorted.

Silence settled between us for a moment then she stepped closer to the desk.

"What does Julian get?" She pressed.

"Eden." I rose.

Her eyes looked up at me and I realized we were much closer than I thought.

Her eyes searched mine while I noticed the small movement of her throat as she swallowed.

My gaze dropped to her lips then back to her eyes.

She didn't move a muscle and neither did I.

The air suddenly felt heavier, and neither of us seemed to be breathing properly.

I raised my hand slowly to a strand of hair that had fallen across her face.

I brushed it aside, causing my fingers to graze her cheek.

Eden's body froze but she didn't step away, letting my hand linger longer than it should have.

Her eyes dropped to my mouth and that was all the confirmation I needed.

I leaned slightly closer, causing her lips to part, but then she abruptly stepped back.

"I still don't trust you." She looked away as her chest heaved slightly

"I know." I lowered my hand as her eyes moved back to mine.

"But you wanted to kiss me." My voice was steady, not a flinch in my tone.

"What? You're delusional!" Her eyes widened in innocent disbelief.

"You didn't move." I pressed, stepping even closer.

"Neither did you." Her face flushed bright red as she retorted instantly.

I paused, caught off guard by her rebuttal.

Eden's lips curved into a satisfied smile as she looked at me.

For once, I had no immediate response.

A long moment of silence enveloped the room.

"I should go." She turned away.

"You should." I said

She reached the doorway but then stopped.

"Goodnight, Sylar." She said with a soft smile.

"Goodnight, Eden." I said.

She disappeared into the corridor.

I looked down at Claire's records with a conflicted expression.

This was becoming more complicated than I had intended.

A knock sounded again on the door.

"Come in." I said, thinking it might be Eden.

James entered with an expression that told me immediately that something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We completed the first stage of the internal investigation." His voice was steady.

"And?" I straightened.

"We found out how John knew about the insemination, Sir." His face was calm.

"Who?" My expression hardened.

James hesitated as his eyes briefly moved toward the open doorway Eden had just left through.

"The information came from inside the estate." He said.

"Whose access credential was used?" My jaw tightened.

James looked directly at me as time seemed to stop.

"Mistress Candice's."