Bloodlines

by S. C. Stephens

Chapter 22 And Then There Were Four

 

  Relief, exhaustion and stress finally took its toll, and we fell into a deep sleep after our celebratory reunion. A sleep that I'm sure would have lasted for a solid twenty-four hours. Would have, if just before dawn, the door to our bedroom hadn't been busted open. Stalking into the room, Halina glared at our naked, tangled bodies, barley covered in loose quilts. Ignoring my squeals of protest, she blurred over to Teren, grabbed him around the throat, and lifted him, one-handed, off the bed.

  "You disobeyed me. . . again," she snarled.

  She was holding him in the air with one arm, his feet not quite touching the floor. She glared at his face, ignoring that he wasn't wearing anything. She also ignored my plea for her to let him go. He struggled against her, looking more embarrassed than hurt. Finally prying her fingers away from his airway, so he could speak, he bit out, "I'm no longer a child, Halina, and I don't need your permission. "

  Her eyes narrowed at the use of her name and she lifted him a little higher. He squirmed, pried her fingers loose again, then added, "Emma couldn't wait. She needed the shot. "

  Halina seemed to remember that I was in the room at that point. She glanced over at me and I clutched the sheets around my body, like she could somehow see me through them. She ignored my nakedness as assuredly as she was ignoring her great-grandson's. She tilted her head as she listened to my heartbeat. "It worked?"

  Her head twisted back to Teren and he nodded, or tried to anyway, she was still clenching his throat. Loosening her fingers, he squeaked out, "Can I get dressed now?"

  She looked down, finally noticing that he was buck-naked. She smirked as she lowered him to the floor. "I've been changing your diapers since the day you were born. It's nothing I haven't seen before. " Teren rolled his eyes before blurring away to the closet.

  While he dressed, Halina came around to me. A soft smile on her lips, she reached out and placed a cool palm on my stomach. The twins inside squirmed at her touch, one kicking my bladder. She smiled at them, her teenage face full of wonder. I ignored my desire to be dressed as well, as I watched her. "Amazing man, that Gabriel. He assured me it would work on you. " Her eyes flicked up to mine. "He was right. "

  She was still smiling at me as Teren came back, dressed in gray lounge pants and a basic white tee. She glanced at him as he slid back into bed with me. Straightening, she said to Teren, "Interesting house of vampires down there. " She raised one corner of her lip. "I may need to visit again. "

  Teren slid his arms around me, covering my bare body more with the sheets. "Yes, I hear you and Gabriel. . . got along well. "

  She grinned and sat back on a hip. "Repeatedly. "

  I groaned and lowered my head to my hands while Teren chuckled and kissed my head. "Can we go back to bed now, Halina?" I peeked up at her through my fingers. "You can ream Teren out tomorrow night, okay?"

  She smirked at me, then frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Don't think I won't. " Abruptly her frown shifted to a soft smile. "I'm really glad you are okay, Emma. " Then she blurred from the room. I heard her swish into her daughter's room, waking her up. Then the giggling started as she relayed her trip to the woman that seemed more a best friend to Halina, than her flesh and blood. Both of them were laughing as Halina went over horribly graphic details of her encounter with Gabriel. They had apparently spent several hours of the dawn in a lightproof room downstairs, "getting to know each other". I groaned, holding my hands over my ears and wishing that I hadn't inherited Teren's super sense of hearing.

  Teren chuckled again and whispered into my hair, "Welcome to my world. "

  We celebrated my birthday with gusto. Mom and my sister, Hot Ben and Tracey, all came out to help the poor, pregnant, bed-ridden woman celebrate turning twenty-six. We laughed and talked around my bed while they showered me with gifts, many mainly for the upcoming babies, although, Teren did surprise me with a beautiful, antique heart locket. The intricately detailed gold pendant folded out into four small pictures, and he'd already placed tiny ones of him and myself inside. He'd left the other two blank and my eyes watered at the thought of filling them. Kissing him thoroughly, I marveled at how amazing my man was at jewelry shopping. Again, the benefit of being raised by three strong women.

  Mom massaged my swollen feet while Ash laid her head on my stomach, trying to hear the beats I could hear more clearly all the time. Alanna brought us some cake and everyone still eating enjoyed the rich, chocolate dessert.

  As Mom stuck a large forkful of cake in her mouth, she indicated where Teren was sitting, and not eating, and asked how Teren's allergies were going. Immediately after the wedding, we'd convinced my mom that he'd developed a severe allergic reaction to certain foods, and, until we could narrow down which foods were toxic to him, he was staying to a strict home-based diet. But he'd joined us for meals anyway, scoring great husband points with my mom. Whenever we'd eaten and he hadn't, merely holding my hand while he watched me eat, Mom had questioned him repeatedly on what foods he thought might be causing the problem, and Teren, having researched it, gave her thoughtful and insightful answers. It had made me grin every time I'd listened to them talk about it, since every answer he gave her was correct - every food was toxic to him.

  That cover story had played off better than we'd hoped and Mom had never thought it odd whenever he didn't share meals with us. Smiling at her concern, even after all this time, he assured her that his doctors were still narrowing it down, but she shouldn't worry, he was getting enough to eat. Hot Ben laughed when he said that, earning himself a strange look from Tracey.

  Halina and my sister went over Russian baby names while I relaxed in my mammoth bed, warmed that everything really was going to be okay. I wasn't sure how I felt about not entirely being human anymore, but at the moment, it didn't matter. Our kids were going to have a shot at making it full term, that's all that mattered. Of course, I still wasn't excited over the whole "exiting" process, but I pushed it out of my mind, for now.

  When my friends and family grudgingly left me, the vampires broke out some fresh blood and we had a celebratory toast to me successfully getting older than Teren. I reminded them that technically he would always be older, even if he had stopped "aging". They all thought that was funny, and we all laughed away the last few months of tension.

  When weeks started going by, my body started doubling, and I swear, tripling. I went past the cute, 'obviously pregnant' stage, straight to the 'I swallowed a house' stage. Teren told me I was adorable, and I tried to feel that way, but mainly, I felt stretched. My vampire sensitivity felt every centimeter of my tight skin. But I relished the life inside of me, and didn't begrudge the loss of my trim figure. Teren could help me get that back anyway.

  He injected me with Gabriel's formula every day. We did it right before bed, and he watched me anxiously for a few minutes, every time he did it. After the third straight week, I tried to ease his mind, telling him that it was working and my heart wasn't going to suddenly stop, but he worried anyway. Worry was a big part of love.

  Gabriel checked on my progress, calling me on his cell phone. That was shocking to me at first. He was so old, it was a little startling that he'd adapted to technology; I couldn't even get my grandmother to use an answering machine when she'd been alive. But he had a vampiric mind, self healing, and surging with a free-flowing supply of brain cell enriching blood. I suppose he'd always have his mental faculties, and he'd already proven he was smart. Me just being alive, proved that.

  He was always interested in the state of the twins when he called. I had a feeling he was keeping notes on me and my progress, and we were being studied discreetly. I hoped his inquisitiveness didn't become a problem after they were born. Teren didn't want them treated as science experiments. Neither did I.

  After a month of injections, Teren finally let me leave the ranch again. Feeling assured that I wouldn't convert during dinner, he took me out to a nice restaurant, ordering
a plate for himself for show, but letting me snack off it. We stayed out of San Francisco, just in case we ran into someone that we'd told my cover story to - I shouldn't exactly be out and about if I was on bed rest. He took me to a small town nearby the ranch and we ate, went for a short stroll, talked about trivial things, and seemed like a normal couple again.

  With no more fear over their fate, we finalized our baby names and guessed what sexes we thought they'd be. We discussed what we thought they'd look like, Teren assuring me that they wouldn't necessarily be carbon copies of him. We laughed and flirted and kissed softly in the moonlight. It was disgustingly romantic, and I cherished it.

  Not being able to see doctors anymore, I relied on the women of the house, who had all successfully carried children before. They listened and felt my body, assuring me that everything was going just as it should. I smiled, trusting their abilities and experience, but still wishing I could have another ultrasound, just so I could see for myself. I even considered asking one of them to steal a machine for me. I didn't though.

  Mid-May, I was done with being pregnant. I was done with being huger than really seemed physically possible. I was done with my back aching. I was done with not being able to get truly comfortable at night, even with Teren's cooling arms. I wanted to be able to bend over again. I was tired of aching, swollen feet. I was tired of not being able to go home. I was anxious to see our creations and I was ready to be a mom.

  I may have started to get a little snippy. I really don't think I could have been faulted for that, I had so many hormones flooding my mixed blood, but even so, after snapping at Imogen for waking me up in the middle of the night, when she and Halina were laughing downstairs about another rendezvous Halina had had with Gabriel, I cried afterwards, I felt so bad. And of course, Halina found my emotional mood swings hilarious.

  By the end of May, I started cursing Teren and his defying the odds super sperm. I let him know on several occasions that my physical torture was completely all his fault. He would smile at me, a little smugly, a look of pride on his face. He only once replied with, "It takes two, you know. " I pelted him with every object I could find after he said that, so he never said it again.

  He started appeasing me with ice cream drizzled with blood. I know that sounds disgusting, but trust me, it's unbelievable. It worked miraculously well, and my moods started calming back down with the cold, creamy treat.

  When June started, I was sure I was going to be pregnant forever. It was the second week in, when I started to think that maybe being pregnant forever was okay. Because, in the second week of June, I started having contractions. At first it was mild, just an ache in my low back, not much different than the aches I'd been having for the last few weeks, maybe just a little stronger. Then those started shifting into painful throbs that had me sitting down and breathing steadily through my mouth. It first happened when Teren was at work. I'd wanted to call him, to have him rush home so he wouldn't miss it, but Alanna waived her hand at me and assured me that they weren't consistent enough to be the real thing.

  With my blank look, she explained that when I was truly in labor, the pain would be longer, stronger and closer together. With a smile, she patted my belly and assured me that I would have no doubt when those started. I was not in the least happy that I was being treated to fake labor pains. The universe has a twisted sense of humor.

  But she was right. They lasted on and off for a few more days. And when they were over, I would have given anything to have felt them again.

  It was morning, one week before my due date, when the first true contraction hit me. I was in bed, kissing Teren goodbye for work, when the pain wrapped around my entire abdomen. I breathed through it while Teren asked me what was wrong. Shaking my head, I told him it was another fake contraction. Sensing something that maybe I couldn't, he called into work, letting them know that he was staying by my side today. I tried to convince him that that wasn't necessary, but then another one hit me. Clenching his hand, I decided he was right, he should stay.

  Those uncomfortable squeezing sensations lasted all afternoon long. At first I thought it was just another false alarm, but right around dusk, I knew my body wasn't joking. The vampires could sense it to, and before I had much say in the matter, I was in a loose nightshirt, propped up in my bed while Imogen felt around my lady parts. Caring more about the approaching event than my modesty, she assured me that I was nearly ready and the babies were in the right position. Trusting her, I laid back in the bed, Teren's cool arm around my shoulders, and waited for the next round of pain.

  Alanna gave me a cup of small cubes of blood that she'd frozen. I sucked on those, grateful for the way my body felt slightly relieved, like blood was a natural vampiric endorphin releaser; even the tiniest amount, somewhat relieved my pain. The coolness on my scorching mouth helped too. My fangs dropped down, but I ignored it, another burst of pain taking my focus instead.

  As the rounds started coming closer together, and even my inexperienced mind knew I was really, really close, I asked Teren to call my mother and sister. He looked over my pained face, my forehead already slick with sweat, and nodded. I was a little surprised; I thought he'd argue.

  I heard him calling them in the hallway, heard my mom's excited reaction and her oath that I'd better wait until she got there. I laughed at that, until more pain hit me. Then I stopped laughing, focusing on breathing through the pain condensing in my core.

  Teren came back a moment later, crawling into bed with me. He scooted behind me, placing his knees on either side. I clutched them, grateful for something to hold on to. Placing a light kiss on the back of my neck, he began rubbing my lower back. His cool hands combined with his vampiric strength, was a godsend. I nearly wept with relief.

  My water broke about twenty minutes later, making me panic at first. There's nothing like that feeling, to let you know that this is absolutely happening - there is no going back. Alanna assured me it was alright and Teren rubbed my shoulders, soothing me. I felt a little bad for getting their bed all messy, but none of the vampires seemed to care as they went about prepping for the delivery. Halina and Imogen began setting up an area for the newborns, to clean and examine them. The smell of antiseptic hit me.

  I dropped my head back on Teren's shoulder behind me and prayed for strength.

  I felt something deep in my body, just as I heard the tires of my mother's car in the driveway. Every vampire turned to look at the door. My mom had just shown up. I started to hyperventilate. My fangs were out; I was too distracted to keep them in. I just couldn't do it and she'd see.

  Alanna swished to my side. "Jack will let them in, dear. You focus on the babies. That's all you need to care about right now. "

  She stroked her hand down my cheek and I nodded.

  Imogen checked me again as I heard excited exclamations from downstairs. I pushed aside my fear at Mom seeing me like this, and struggled with the new sensation in my body. Under my breath, I muttered, "I want to push. "

  I felt Imogen's cool hands, checking internally to see if my body was ready for what it wanted. Pulling back, she smiled up at me. "Go ahead, Emma. If you want to, you're ready. "

  Teren squeezed me, whispering encouragement. "You can do this, Emma. " I hesitated, fighting the building sensation. I could hear my mom approaching; I could hear her fast footsteps. I didn't know what to do, but the choice wasn't really up to me. My body was going to push, whether I wanted it to or not.

  Leaning back into Teren, a contraction hit me and the desire was irresistible. Using every muscle in my core, I pushed down as hard as I could. I could feel the movement, and I could feel the pain. Babies weren't exactly the same size as the area they came out of. I squeezed Teren's arm and paused, momentarily spent. Imogen encouraged me to try again, right as my mom walked into the room.

  I was tired, but fear made me look over at her. Her eyes were wide and shiny, excited for her daughter birthing her first grandc
hild. Then her eyes locked onto my mouth. They widened as she took in the new, unnatural element on me. I wanted to cry and explain, but the urge to push hit me again and I bared down. Ashley went to wait patiently in the corner, being respectfully quiet. My mom rushed up to my side.

  "What's wrong with her?" As I ignored her, focusing on pushing, I heard her address Teren. "What's going on? Why are her teeth like that?"

  Teren sputtered and could only say, "We'll explain later. "

  A cry escaped me as the baby shifted positions. Imogen called for another push and I ignored my mother asking for more details. As the baby was squeezed farther down, the head nearly ready to come out, the pain intensified. I contained a scream as the pain ripped right through me. Nothing could possibly hurt this bad. I'd rather be knocked out again. I'd rather have my neck ripped open again. I'd rather be doing almost anything, than having my body torn from the inside out. Teren brought his arms around me in an attempt to sooth me. It didn't help, it was excruciating, and I needed relief.

  Since the thing I really needed was right there, I instinctually made myself forget that my mother was standing a foot away from me. I grabbed Teren's arm and clamped down on the tender, inner area, my extended fangs slicing right through his skin. He flinched as my teeth tore through his flesh. He hissed, but didn't remove his arm from my teeth. The blood welled in my mouth, heavy and heavenly. I sucked down the tangy coolness, letting the almost heady feeling of drinking steal my mind away from the pain ripping through me. Teren didn't pull away from my attack; he let me drink as long as I needed. In fact, he let me drink so long that his arm started trembling. He still didn't pull away though and I didn't stop. He left his arm in front of my face and let me drain him. He even whispered encouragement into my ear as I began the final push.

  My mother, on the other hand, went ballistic. She grabbed his arm and tried to pry it from my mouth. I think I may have growled at her, but before either Teren or I could do anything about it, Halina pushed her way from us.

  "She is vampire, as are we all, and she needs this. Either deal with it, right now, or leave this room. " Her voice was commanding and intimidating. I had to image that she'd dropped her fangs as well, to emphasize her point. Even in my turmoil, I was a little surprised that Halina was giving her a choice. If she truly wished, the pureblood vampire could compel my mother to sit quietly in a corner, or quack like a duck. Sometimes it was intimidating to think of just how much power that teenage vamp had.

  I heard my mother sputter a few times and then she came around and sat next to me, holding my free hand.

  I didn't have any more time to worry about it though, the baby was coming out. I sucked deep on the already free-flowing blood as I pushed hard. Imogen's cool hands pried the shoulders loose and Alanna helped slide the baby out the rest of the way. Teren's arm started to obviously shake, but he still left it in my mouth, letting me take in his cool, endorphin releasing blood. I wasn't too worried about harming him. He was already dead; I couldn't kill him by overdrinking. It would really only make him a little weak, and if my southern "area" had to be ripped to shreds, then he could suffer through a little bit of weakness.

  I smelled the baby first. Something unmistakable hit the air. The scent of new life. The scent of me, mixed with Teren, even under a haze of all the blood in the room and in my mouth. I released Teren's arm as the relief of not having to push anymore hit me. He shook his arm out, the skin healing right before my eyes, since my teeth were no longer in the way, and kissed my head, laughing in happy relief. I ignored the sensation of blood dribbling down my chin, ignored my mother mutter, "My god, Emma. " Instead my tired eyes watched the bundle in Alanna's arms as she and Halina cleaned up the child. A tiny, insistent cry filled my ears, doing odd, protective things to my body. I could just make out a thick patch of dark hair on a small, blood-smeared body, and that was it. Just when I was going to ask to see, another round of instinct hit me.

  Imogen, still playing the part of doctor, patted my knee and told me the second baby was ready. I nearly sobbed, forgetting in my thrill of possibly seeing my firstborn, that I had another one coming.

  Feeling too tired to do it, I shook my head. Tears running down my cheeks, I muttered, "I can't. I'm sorry. " It was like running a marathon and then having the judge tell you that they'd extended the race another six miles and you had to keep going.

  Teren massaged my shoulders, then wiped hair away from my sweaty face. "You can, Emma. You're the strongest person I know. If anyone can do this, it's you. "

  My mother, still stunned into silence at my side, squeezed my hand. I weakly looked over at her, more tears running down my face. She smiled, a little nervously and finally spoke. "One more, sweetheart. I know it's hard, but one more. . . and then you're done. "

  I swallowed, my resolve refortifying. Mom didn't understand yet, that I literally was done with one more. This was the only chance Teren and I had to have kids, and I wouldn't selfishly risk the life of one by refusing to push. Not that it really was my choice anyway. My body would evacuate these kids one way or another. I grit my teeth and pushed.

  The second one came out easier, my body pretty much stretched to the limits it needed to be, but I still cried out at the last painful push to get the shoulders out. When Alanna was reaching past Imogen for the second child, a second healthy cry filling the air, I collapsed back into Teren, too exhausted for words.

  He was lightly crying into my shoulder and telling me that I did great. I closed my eyes, mumbling some response to that. As Imogen and Alanna tended to putting my body back together, I heard Halina and Ashley cooing over my babies. My mother was still silent, holding my hand. I had so many desires, I didn't know which one to tend to first. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to tell my mother I was fine, and that everything was going to be okay. I wanted more blood. And I wanted to see my children.

  That desire rose over everything else and I opened my heavy lids. Ashley was holding one bundle of blankets while Halina held the other. Teren behind me kissed my head and told me they were beautiful and perfect. I didn't know how he knew that, since all I saw was fleece, but his senses were more advanced than mine.

  "Can I hold them?" I whispered. Ashley didn't hear me in her cooing, but Halina immediately twisted to me.

  Her face beaming, she brought over her bundle. Ashley noticed that and looking up at me, followed her. My mother, oddly quiet again, released my hand and patted my knee. Ignoring the tugging sensation in my lower area, as Imogen presumably repaired the damage done in the birthing process, I held my arms out for my baby.

  "It's a boy," Halina whispered, as she laid the bundle in my arms.

  I stared down at the most angelic face I'd ever seen, a face I'd seen countless times. It was as if all of Teren's features had been softened and miniaturized. Looking at his son, was like looking at a baby picture of Teren. He was perfect. Shockingly dark hair peeked out of the top of the blanket in a jet-black shade that matched all of the vampires. His eyes were closed in slumber, but I could see them shifting behind the pale lids. He had pudgy, healthy cheeks, full pink lips, and a cute little nose. One hand was out, clutching the warm blanket he was nestled in, and I rubbed a tiny digit. His skin was unrealistically soft, like nothing I'd ever felt before. Perfect skin, untouched by the harshness of the world. As my finger moved over the tiniest fingernail you could imagine, that little hand reached out and grabbed my finger.

  My entire world shifted in that exact moment.

  I sobbed and kissed his forehead, my tears dripping onto that perfect skin. Teren behind me sniffled and reached around with his not-drained arm, to run a finger down his cheek. "He's perfect, Emma. You did great. " He whispered, his voice breaking.

  I looked behind me, at his tear-filled eyes. "We did great. " I kissed him briefly, before shifting back to my son. Ashley, standing at the edge of the bed beside my silent mom, startled to giggle as she looked him over. "He looks just like Teren, Em.
" She glanced down at the bundle in her arms. "I think she looks more like you. "

  As what she said hit me, my mouth dropped open. "She?" Ashley looked up at me and nodded, holding out her bundle for me to take. Shifting one child, I took the other on my other side. I felt like I was moving in slow motion. Even though they'd been jostling around in my body for awhile, they seemed so fragile, like the tiniest wrong movement would break them.

  Ash laid my daughter in my arms and I stared at her, amazed. She was right, she did look more like me. She had a light splattering of brown hair; she looked almost blonde next to her brother, but I knew that hair would eventually grow out into a shade that matched my own. Her eyes were open, as she examined this strange world around her and those eyes were clearly dark, clearly going to be brown, like mine. I nuzzled her face and she opened her mouth, like she wanted to suck on my nose.

  Teren shifted his hand to stroke her head. His finger gently passed over the tender spot of her skull. The bone there wasn't fully formed yet and the skin pulsed with her heartbeat. He left his finger there, feeling the pulse of life. Outside of my body, her heart was louder, perfectly matching the rhythm under Teren's finger. "She does look like you, baby. " His voice came out wondrous, like he really hadn't been expecting that.

  I sobbed again, and squeezed them tighter, all pain and discomfort from birthing them, gone. After a few moments of familial bonding, my mother beside me finally cleared her throat. I looked up at her, my eyes watery from tears. Her eyes locked on my mouth and I realized my fangs were still out. Popping them back up, I bit my lip. "Mom. . . ?"

  Her eyes started watering and she shook her head. "Can I. . . can I hold them?" She finally spoke.

  I nodded, more tears splashing down my cheeks. I handed her the miniature version of Teren and her face melted. I thought that at that exact moment, she could have cared less that she was in a room full of mythical creatures. At that moment, I don't think she was even aware that anyone besides her and her grandchildren were in the room. She laughed and stroked his cheek. His little head moved back and forth as he grunted and squirmed.

  Laughing, I handed her my daughter. She lightly kissed her pink cheek and I swear my little girl smiled. Relief flooded through me and I sank back into Teren's arms. He wrapped himself around me, his coolness feeling wonderful on my tired body. Imogen and Alanna finished tending to me, removing some blankets and towels that they'd placed down, that I could clearly smell were soaked with blood, and modestly covering me. Then Alanna went to get Jack, since the gross part was over with. I smiled and closed my eyes, exhaustion taking me over.

  Amid the chorus of "they're beautiful, they're perfect, they're so tiny", I heard a pair of perfectly strong heartbeats. I nestled into Teren's back as I listened to those beats. So many times I'd been afraid I'd never get to hear them, and I relished every wet, steady thump. I smiled into Teren's skin as he gently swayed me back and forth, a deep chuckle coming up his throat as he watched our families welcome the new lives.

  "I love you, husband," I whispered, too low for the humans to hear.

  He kissed my forehead. "I love you too, wife. "

  I sleepily peeked up at him as Jack entered the room and was instantly handed a child. "Are you disappointed?" I asked.

  Teren looked away from where his father was congratulating us and peeked down at me. "Disappointed? Why would I be that?" His brows scrunched together as he looked over my face.

  I sighed. "You told me once, that you never wanted me to change. " I shook my head and dropped my mouth open, slightly extending a fang. "I changed. "

  He smiled with one side of his mouth, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. "I've been told my entire life, that if I ever fell in love with a human, I'd have to one day let her go. " He shook his head, his eyes watering back up. "I came into this relationship, never thinking I'd get to keep you. I can't tell you how. . . not disappointed I am right now. "

  I cupped his cheek, a tear sliding down mine and across his fingers. Smiling, I leaned up and kissed him. Our brief moment of connection was interrupted by my beaming with happiness mother.

  "Do these little miracles have names yet?" she asked, twisting away from Ashley to gaze at me on the bed. I smiled. Teren and I had talked about names all throughout the pregnancy. Well, actually, we'd stopped when we weren't sure if they'd make it. We'd put everything on hold during that scary time, but afterwards, we'd picked up again. We hadn't mentioned anything to anyone, wanting it to be a surprise. Since we didn't know the sexes, we'd picked out multiple sets of names, one for every scenario. We'd already decided on the boy/girl set. I glanced over at Teren and he nodded, willing to let me make the announcement.

  I sighed and swept the room. Staying on Halina, who was cooing at my daughter, I met her eye. "Her name. . . is Nika Alexis, in honor of Nicolis. " Halina's mouth dropped open, her eyes quickly filling with blood-red tears. They dripped down her cheek as she looked back at Nika. Nicolis was her husband, the husband she'd inadvertently killed after her conversion. She mourned him daily.

  Smiling at her reaction, I turned to my mother, her eyes transfixed on Halina's bloody tears. Clearing my throat, she brought her attention back to me. Watching her pale face, I softly said, "His name. . . is Julian Wyatt. " My mother had much the same reaction as Halina, my sister too for that matter. Julian was my father's name. My father that had sacrificed his own life, to save my sister's. It was the one male name that Teren and I had never wavered on.

  With tears dripping down her face, my mother stared at me in awe. I didn't know if she was overwhelmed by what we'd done, or what we were. I hoped that she'd be okay with the latter. I didn't really want Halina to have to wipe all of this from her mind. I had a feeling that in the next few years, learning how to raise children, let alone vampire children, I'd need my mother. And really, I had no idea how to hide what they were from her. Not forever. Not when their teeth came in and they started experimentally biting people. How do you explain that to someone that doesn't understand the reason?

  Timidly, I tried to start the conversation with her. "Mom, I should explain. . . " I could hear the reluctance in my own voice, could feel Teren minutely squeeze me in support. Halina's eyes shifted to my mom, ready to move in on her, if needed.

  My mom immediately started shaking her head. "Are you happy, Emma?"

  The largest smile possible spread over my face and tears sprung into my eyes. "Yes," I whispered.

  She swayed Julian in her arms, back and forth, and smiled peacefully at me. "Then I don't need to hear it. Whatever is going on with you. . . " her eyes flicked over to the other vampires in the room, "with all of you," they came back to mine, "all I care about, is your happiness. "

  A sob broke out of me that my mother might accept my strange new family, that she might accept me. Until just then, I hadn't realized how much I'd wanted her to know. Seeing the emotion break over me, she quickly came over to sit on the bed beside me, Julian still clutched in her arms. "I love you, Emma, whatever you are. " She gave me a kiss on the cheek and then she placed kisses all over Julian. "Besides, these are the most perfect children I've ever seen. "

  Being one of her children, I tried to not take offense to that, as I laughed and leaned into her shoulder. She laughed as well and kissed my head. I felt Teren shift out from behind me, to lay over on the other side of me in the massive bed. Mom helped me lay back on the pillows and then placed Julian in the crook of my arm. I cooed at him and kissed his soft cheek. Mom kissed my head again and then exclaimed, "I'm going to go call my girlfriends, tell them I'm a grandma!"

  I grabbed her arm as she rose and she looked down on me. Seeing my concerned face, she added, "I'm going to tell them that I'm a grandma to two perfectly normal, regular, healthy, and beautiful children. " I nodded at her that she understood. That what we were, what they were, needed to be kept secret. She nodded back, and then flitted from the room to go off and brag about them.

  A
shley walked up next, giving Julian and then me a kiss. She looked over my shoulder at Teren and then back to me. "You guys did great. You were amazing, Emma. " She giggled and added, "And I'm never having children. That was disgusting. " I laughed and smacked her arm and she laughed and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to go call Tracey and Ben. " I nodded and watched her leave.

  Imogen swished from the room and came back moments later with handmade knitted blankets in blue and pink. Looking sheepish she said, "I couldn't help but make a whole bunch in different colors. " Smiling as she swaddled Julian in blue and then Nika in pink, she added, "I was really hoping for one of each.

  Taking Nika from Halina, she placed her in the crook of my other arm. Halina looked at her longingly, not seeming to want to let her go. With a sigh, she did though, and backed away from the bed. Staring at Teren and I and our children, she looked at her daughter and grand-daughter. "Well girls, how about a celebratory drink? I know I could use it. "

  Alanna and Imogen smiled and nodded. Alanna turned to me as Imogen and Halina left the room. "We'll be downstairs, dear. " Her eyes flicked down to my body. "Holler, if you need anything. "

  I smiled, nodding, knowing that I knew exactly where they were in this house, and I knew they'd hear me if I casually asked for anything. Alanna's comments were sweet though. As she and Jack left hand in hand, I sighed and settled into Teren's side, sort of happy to finally be alone with our new foursome.

  Teren's arm went under my shoulders, holding me close in the beautiful bed I'd birthed our children in. His pale eyes locked onto mine as a soft, peaceful smile settled on his face. We stared at each other for several quiet minutes before he spoke. "You know, now that they are safely out of you, you could stop taking the injections, if you wanted. "

  I stared down at the two bundles in my arms, one a mass of cotton-candy pink, light-blondish, fuzzy hair poking out the top, the other, a sea of powder blue, with a patch of thick blackness at the head. I kissed each soft and warm tuft of hair and closed my eyes, reaching out with my new senses. In the distance, I could hear Jack and Alanna talking quietly in the kitchen. I tuned them out. In the dining room, I could hear Imogen and Halina laughing as they clinked their glasses and sipped their blood cocktails. I tuned that out. I heard Ashley on her phone, talking to Hot Ben, who said he was hopping in his car now and he'd be here soon. I heard Mom on her phone, gloating over how her grandchildren were perfect angels, and one of them bore her late husband's name. Next to me, I could hear Teren softly mimic breathing, waiting for my response. I tuned them all out.

  Pinpointing my abilities, I listened for the two tiniest beings in the room. Their breath was faint, but I could hear it. They hiccupped and sighed and stopped and started with their breathing, still getting the hang of it. I squeezed them just a smidge tighter and listened for their hearts. Like a musical sympathy, the beats filled my ears. The longer I concentrated on only hearing those specific sounds, the louder they became. I let my own heartbeat fill my ears and smiled as the three of us fell into a similar pattern as they lay near my chest. My heartbeat was slower, one of mine equaling two of theirs, but the rhythm was perfectly in sync.

  Opening my eyes to Teren, I sighed softly, contently. "Not just yet. I want to stay like them for awhile longer. " He nodded, his eyes as content as mine, as he reached out and stroked a dark clump of Julian's hair with his finger. "Are you okay with that?" I whispered.

  His eyes snapped up to mine. "Of course, Emma. " His finger traveled up to linger on my cheek. "I will stand behind any decision you make on this. It's your body, your choice. " He leaned in and gave me a soft kiss. "And I've always said, I'll take you any way that I can get you. " He leaned back and gazed at me, his face still pale from the amount of blood I'd taken from him. "If I get you young and beautiful or old and elegant, I'm happy. " He smiled, his eyes brightening. "Because, either way," he cupped my cheek, his eyes watering, "I get you forever, and I never thought I'd get that. "

  I smiled, my own eyes watering. "I didn't either. I love you so much. "

  He grinned crookedly at me. "I would say I love you too, but I think I've gone too far past that, so I'll just say. . . " his grin turned serious, "you make eternity something to look forward to. "

  I gave up on trying to contain the tears after that. Darn emotional vampires.

  ***The End***