“It’s ok,” he repeated.
An awkward silence filled in around them like a thick cloud.
He didn’t want to make her any more uncomfortable, so he jerked his head toward the door. “Let’s go pick out a room for you.”
She smiled. “Ok, that’s a great idea.”
“Good, let’s go.”
Isabella gently picked Jaiden up and cradled her in her arms. “She can sleep with me tonight; we can set up the bassinet tomorrow.”
“If that’s what you want.”
Alex held out his arms so Isabella could transfer Jaiden to him.Jaiden opened her pretty eyes and looked up at him.
“Hi,” he said softly to her. In response, she opened her mouth and yawned.
“You can have any room you like, but there is one I want you to see. I think you will like it.”
He led the way up the curved staircase to the second level, then down an art laden hallway.
“So tell me about your brothers and sisters. How did you come to be their only parent?” He could see her begin to look uncomfortable.
“My parents left when my youngest brother was two. I was all they had, and there was no way I was going to let the government separate us into foster homes.”
“How old were you?”
“Fourteen.”
“Wow, that’s young.”
Alex was surprised she had even been able to commit to something so big at the age of fourteen, an age when most young girls were worried about makeup and boys.
“I’d rather not talk about this right now; I’m worried enough about them.”
“You do know you can use the phone whenever you want.”
Isabella lowered her head. “We don’t have a phone.”
Alex tried to hide his shock. He could tell that she was embarrassed about admitting they were so poor. He paused in the hallway and stared into her eyes.
“Tomorrow night, I can take you to visit them. Would that help?”
“Yes, I would feel so much better knowing they are doing alright without me.”
He watched her eyes take on their glitter again.
“Here we are.” He flung the door open with his free hand.
Isabella walked in and her hand immediately went to her mouth. “Oh.” She turned in circle to see all of it.
A queen sized bed with champagne colored silk bedding stood against one wall, complete with canopy. All of it was trimmed with white lace. On the other side of the room, there was a large oak dressing table and armoire.
“Oh, Alex, this is beautiful.”
He watched her as she walked across the snow white carpeting to the window, whose curtains matched the bed, and sat down on the window seat. She sat there for a moment and stared out the window with her hand still raised to her mouth.
“Are you alright?” he asked her.
“Yes, it’s just that…this room…” A tear escaped from the corner of her eye. “This room is something I have dreamt of for my entire life.”
She moved her hand away from her mouth and caressed the curtains.
“So you like it, then?”
“I love it.”
He looked down at Jaiden.
“She likes it,” he whispered to the baby.
Jaiden yawned again as if she were bored with the whole ordeal. Isabella still examined the room. The white walls were completely bare except for a large floral painting beside the door to the adjoining bathroom.
Alex followed her. Once inside, he was again filled with pride as she ran her gaze over the large walk-in shower with a glass wall in the shape of half an octagon. Nestled at the base of the glass wall, there was a very deep bathtub, complete with jets and a wide ledge scattered with candles of various sizes.
Alex cleared his throat. “There is a room straight across the hall that we can make into a nursery; would you like to see that now too?”
“Yes,” she managed to say.
When he opened the door to the room across the hall, they set their eyes on a room painted a pale green with white accents.
“We will have to take out the bed to make enough room for the crib, but I think most everything else can stay.”
“Yes.”
“Isabella, are you alright?”
She snapped out of it with some embarrassment. “I am so sorry; it’s just that I never thought that I would be living in a place like this. It is so beautiful.”
And now there is beauty to fill it.
“Thank you. You know, I decorated all of this.” He waved his free arm around.
She raised her eyebrows. “Were these rooms designed for a particular person?”
He could hear the curiosity dripping in her voice. “No. I only thought that one day I may have a lady visitor and she would be happy in a feminine room. And you, lucky lady, just so happen to be the first one.”
“Oh, I feel extra lucky, then,” she said teasingly.
“Well, you probably want to get settled, and I have some things to do, so I am going to leave you two, ok?”
“We’ll be fine.” She held out her arms for Jaiden.
Softly, he placed Jaiden into Isabella’s waiting arms.
“Good night, Alex.”
He stayed in the hallway until she had gone into the room across the hall and closed the door behind her.
10
The next night when Alex opened his eyes, he felt something which he had not felt for years: excitement. He actually wanted to get up and find Isabella and Jaiden. It was terribly weird that in the middle of everything going on he felt so good.
He dressed and went to the kitchen where a fresh pot of coffee awaited him. He peeked into the den, then the sitting room, and finally found them in the sun room. Although he didn’t technically need to eat or drink human food, coffee was a treat he favored and adored the scent of.
He began to enter the room and stopped short in the doorway, unable to say a word. Isabella sat on an antique iron bench with Jaiden in her arms, singing a children’s lullaby.
Fully bloomed roses of red and white formed a half circle around them while ivy climbed wildly up the gray stone walls. The moon glowed brightly through the large windows, reflecting off her blond hair as well as Jaiden’s sleeping face, causing them to appear dreamlike.
This is it, now it’s a done deal. Seeing them like this is almost straight out of a love story. He had gone and done it; he had fallen in love with her.
It won’t be long before I fall in love with Jaiden too. If only I hadn’t lost everything I ever loved, it would be so much easier.
The door bell rang and his trance was broken. Isabella turned and saw him watching her. Their eyes met and he could tell she was not nearly as embarrassed as he was.
Alex turned quickly to answer the bell. When he opened the door, Chris stood on the stoop. He looked uncomfortable in the business suit he had to wear for work.
“Hey, Alex.”
“Come in, Chris. Sorry I haven’t been in touch; I’ve been pretty busy lately.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“What do you mean?” Alex widened his eyes innocently.
“You look…happy.”
“You must be imagining things. Remember, I’m a boring, no fun kind of guy,” he said teasingly with a bland voice.
“Stop it, you’re scaring me.”
Alex chuckled lightly and waved Chris inside. “Come on, I’ll tell you everything.”
Once they were in the sitting room, Chris folded his long figure into a chair while Alex stood next to the fire place.
After Alex had explained the entire situation in excruciating detail, Chris jumped up from the couch.
“You brought home a human baby?”
He spat the words out like they tasted badly. Alex nodded.
“Are you mad? How in the world are you supposed to take care of a human child? You’re a vampire, Alex!”
Alex appreciated Chris’s reaction, but he knew it would only be a matter of time unt
il Chris came around and would be happy for him.
“I have argued with Danielle about this and I have argued every reason that you can think of, but she has convinced me that this is what is right.” Chris shook his head. Alex ignored him and continued, “Apparently, the baby, whose name is Jaiden, is a huge part of the future. It is now my job to protect her and also to be her father.”
“My God, Alex, I think you have finally gone crazy.”
“Christopher, when you really think about it, it doesn’t seem that crazy. We know angels, dark angels, we see things that humans can only imagine, and we know that God is a part of everything, just as the devil is. So how hard can it really be to believe that this is meant to be?”
“I believe you, but why you?”
“Jaiden is a powerful natural witch. Danielle says that she needs to love, because if she grew up full of hate, she could be harmful.”
Chris shoved his hands up into his messy brown hair. “This is just too much.”
Alex nodded. “I know. I felt the same way like you do right now; I have had a while to think things over, though, and I will do what God wants me to do.”
“What happens to the baby in the day time? You can’t take care of her.”
Alex threw his hands up. “Oh, I totally forgot to tell you about Isabella. She’s a friend of Deanna’s and a strong natural witch who is going to live here to help take care of Jaiden and also help with her training.”
Chris shook his head. “I don’t like this at all; it’s just way too strange. A human baby and a human woman living in your house. What if she gets pissed at you and decides to kill you in your sleep?”
He couldn’t think of anything more ludicrous. “She wouldn’t do that, and besides, no one knows where I sleep.”
“If you say so, Alex, but I’ve never known you to be so trusting before. I mean…you sleep on the other side of a maze buried beneath your house. That’s not exactly a trusting kind of person if you ask me.”
“Don’t worry about it; you’ll meet her in a few minutes and see for yourself.”
“Fine.”
Alex didn’t blame Chris for being upset. If the roles were reversed, he would be skeptical too. He motioned toward the door. “Let’s go see Isabella and Jaiden.”
Chris nodded and reluctantly followed Alex as he led the way into the sunroom. Alex knocked softly against the doorjamb and peeked in.
Isabella still sat among the indoor garden with Jaiden, who, he noticed, was finally clothed in a little pink pajama suit.
“Isabella.” He spoke softly so as not to wake Jaiden. “This is Christopher Cavanaugh; you’ll see a lot of him around here.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Isabella whispered. “I would shake your hand but…” She glanced down at Jaiden in explanation.
Chris held his hands up. “Don’t worry about it. I’m pleased to meet you too.”
At least Chris knew to mind his manners, even when he was upset.
Alex nodded down at Jaiden. “And this is Jaiden.”
“Look at all of her hair,” Chris exclaimed.
Alex laughed. “That’s what I thought too. Do you want me to take her?” he asked Isabella.
“We’re fine. I love it out here.”
“Ok. I’ll see you later, then.” Alex bid her goodbye, but didn’t move. Damn, Damn, Damn. This is ridiculous for me to be acting like this. Move body!
Isabella smiled her perfect smile for Chris, who had been watching quietly while they conversed.
“Later,” she whispered.
As soon as they were safely out of ear shot, Chris cornered him. “Alex, I can see it all over your face when you are with her.”
Alex tried his best to look surprised. “What are you talking about?”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m surprised she’s still here, with the way you stare at her.”
He’s right; why hide it now. “Fine, you’re right; just don’t hassle me about it. I know I have to get past it.”
“Well, do it fast.”
“Chris, how am I supposed to control my feelings?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well then, I don’t think you have very much room to talk.”
Looking somehow defeated, Chris admitted, “You’re right about that. I just don’t think it would be good for anything to come of this because…if you two fall in love, you will have to make a decision that I know you don’t want to make.”
Alex nodded. “Don’t worry about it; I know what I have to do.”
The doorbell rang again and caused a premature end to their conversation.
When he opened the door and saw Danielle and Damion on the other side, he marveled at how weird they looked together. Danielle was so dark while Damion, the dark angel, was so light. He motioned them inside.
“We have information about Deanna’s progress,” Damion began as they entered the sitting room.
“Are we still going to use slayers?” Alex asked.
Damion grinned and flopped down onto the sofa. “Yes, actually, Deanna is on the job as we speak. If anyone can talk her way into something like this, she can.”
Danielle appeared curious too. “How does she do that?”
Alex was surprised. “You don’t know?”
He and Danielle both took seats in the recliners while Chris remained standing.
“No, Damion wanted to wait until we got here to talk about it.”
Chris, who was totally confused, asked, “So, are you going to tell us, or not?”
Damion still grinned from ear to ear as he told them, “She’s telling the slayers that she is part of a group of vampire slayers who have been hunting Malcolm for years and she’s gathering as many slayers as she can from around the world to take him as a united front.”
Chris actually laughed, but Alex was impressed, really impressed. “That girl never ceases to amaze me.”
“Then you should see what she is wearing.”
“Damion,” Danielle exclaimed, appalled at his remark.
“Well, it’s true. Deanna is hot!”
“Stop it!” Danielle ordered.
Damion did his best to look shamed, which wasn’t very good. “Sorry, Danielle.” He looked her over carefully. “You know, you’re kind of hot too.”
Danielle glared at him.
Ignoring her piercing eyes, Damion continued with his report. “Ok, ok, anyway, she is doing a great job but the bottom line is that we don’t yet know where Malcolm is. That leaves us with the fact that we can’t do anything, including finding Stewart.”
Chris raised his hand like he was asking the teacher a question. “What will the slayers do when they find out they are the only ones there, instead of, um…a united front?”
Damion looked absolutely proud to inform them of Deanna’s work. “Hopefully, they won’t be the only ones there. Deanna has taken this to a level which no one would have thought her capable of. She actually is going to slayers all over the world to ask them to take part.”
“No way!” Alex shouted, completely shocked.
“Did you know she was going to do that?” Danielle asked Damion, who in turn gave her a sarcastic look.
“Of course I knew; strategy is my job.”
Alex was still taking in the fact that Deanna had come up with so many great ideas. She was truly a blessing to the council.
“Is she safe?” he asked.
Danielle folded her hands prayer style. “Right now, I don’t think any of us are truly safe.”
“I hope she’s ok,” Chris said.
“We all do, Chris, we all do.” Alex put his hand on Chris’s shoulder.
11
Deanna got off the plane in London and went in search of her luggage. It was the third country she’d visited in the past two days. She was tired and sweaty and couldn’t wait to get to the hotel where she could take a hot, steamy shower and get ready for her meeting in the morning.
The band of slayers she had alrea
dy met with had been more than willing to help. She literally had had to calm them down again when she had mentioned going into battle with Malcolm. The council would decide if they could be trusted enough to use them later.
She retrieved her bags, took a cab to the hotel, showered, and then checked her cell phone messages. Chris had called to check in on her. His message told her he was worried about her safety. It made her smile that he thought enough of her to call. She dialed his number.
“Hey Dee, where are you?”
“In London, I have a meeting tomorrow and then I will be heading home.”
“Be careful, those slayers can be like cave men sometimes. I just wanted to know you were ok.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re a vampire. Do you want to meet me at the airport tomorrow night?”
“Ummm…Ok, if you want me to.”
“I want you to.”
After they had arranged their meeting, Deanna hung up the phone. She rolled over on the bed and fell asleep.
She slept hard through the night but awoke when of the dim light of morning sun shone into the small room that she occupied.
Slowly, she got up and staggered to the bathroom where she looked into the mirror while she put tooth paste on her tooth brush.
“Let’s do it,” she said to her reflection and viciously shoved her toothbrush into her mouth.
After a fifteen minute shower, she put on black leather pants, a sexy red tank top, slipped a huge silver chain belt over the perfectly tight pants, and then donned a pair of black high heeled boots. She chose to wear her long red hair down and flowing. The clothes she chose were not normally her style and she felt very uncomfortable in them, but she had to appear as if she was one of them. She only hoped she looked like a vampire slayer and not a hooker.
Last, she slid on her black leather coat which ended about mid thigh, and headed out of the door. She hailed a cab and gave the driver her destination. She had him let her out about a block from where she actually needed to be and walked the rest of the way.
A man with frumpy blond hair and a rough face loitered in front of the building where she was supposed to be. He wore blue jeans and a parka. The building happened to be a large two story ware house which looked abandoned.
Birth of Jaiden Page 6
