Forever (Fallen 3)

He chuckled. “Hurry and get cleaned up. I can’t wait for you to see our babies.”

That was the only thing he could have said to get me back into gear. I found that as a vampire I was easily distracted. I hoped that didn’t last. I jumped in the shower to rinse the dried blood off my body. I was surprised that the smell didn’t appeal to me but I guessed it was because it was my own.

I pulled on a pair of jeans and a flowery top. It suited my mood. I had thought I’d wake and feel angry after all the unendurable hours of burning but instead I was quite cheerful. Jonathon was stretched out on the bed with his hands behind his head.

He smiled. “Ready?”

“I can’t wait,” I took his hand. I stopped him halfway down the spiral stair case. I swallowed though the action was unnecessary. “How long was I out?” I asked.

“A day and a half which is surprisingly short. Normally it lasts three or four days.”

I nodded my head. I don’t know why I had wanted to know, I just did.

As we rounded the corner I heard the sound only adults make when talking to a baby. I laughed and Jonathon smirked. “Those two have us all quite wrapped I can assure you. I hope you have some names picked out because right now they’re nameless.”

“I do now,” I smiled. It felt so good to know that my babies had made it. I had worried so that I would have another failed pregnancy. They were my little miracle. My two beautiful baby boys.

We started down the stairs and I was surprised to see that the baby talk was coming from Danny and Mason and even Joseph was joining in. I held back a giggle with my hand. Jonathon smiled.

We stopped just behind the couch. Danny held one baby and Joseph and Mason were fighting over the other. “Don’t hurt him!” I scolded and they gave Jonathon a peculiar look that I didn’t understand.

Danny turned and smiled. “I’m so happy you finally stopped screaming. It was scaring the babies.”

“Ha, ha,” I said sarcastically. My eyes turned gooey and I held my hands out to Danny. “Can I hold him?” I begged.

“Sure,” said Danny. “He’s your kid.”

I cradled my arms and reached for my son. He was so tiny and perfect just like I remembered. He was swaddled like a little burrito in a blue blanket with brown polka dots. His dark brown curls stuck slightly out from beneath his hat. His tiny little nose crinkled in his sleep and his mouth pouted.

“He’s even more perfect than I remember,” I crooned. “Aren’t you Ren? My beautiful Byren Jonah.”

“Byren Jonah?” asked Jonathon with a smile.

“Well, your dad’s name was Baron so I thought Byren would be appropriate. They sound similar without being the same and then your name is Jonathon, so Jonah represents you.”

“It’s perfect,” said Jonathon. “I love it.”

I cooed to the beautiful sleeping Byren in my arms. I couldn’t stop touching him. His heartbeat and blood didn’t call to me like I had worried it might. I rocked him in my arms and sang softly to him. His lips twitched in his sleep like he was trying to smile. I gently rubbed his eyelids. His skin was so soft, so perfect, it was olive-toned like mine had been but I could tell it was hard like a vampires. I handed him to Jonathon and turned to Mason.

“Let me see my other son,” I reached my arms out. Mason relinquished the tiny baby to me.

I growled and then hissed. “Why on earth is my son wearing pink?” I spat the word.

Jonathon smiled. “Because our son is actually a daughter.”

I cradled her against me. “What?” I gasped, stunned. I looked up at Jonathon with wide eyes. “But you said there were no girl dhampirs,” I accused.

“She’s special,” he said with a gooey look. He handed Ren back to Danny and came to stand by me. He motioned for me to hand him our daughter, so I did. He undid her blanket and pulled her right arm out into the light. “Look.”

A silver symbol was embedded in her wrist. “What is it?” I asked. “How is this possible? She’s just a baby.”

“She’s going to be very, very powerful, and very coveted. The prophecy predicted her arrival. That’s why I kept saying we’d have to wait and see until the baby came. She’s the catalyst to the war. The Originals will want her.”

“What can she do? Why would the Originals want her?” I asked, worried for my baby daughter’s life.

Jonathon stroked her face. “She can bring the dead back to life.”

The rest of the family had joined us and all their heads snapped up. This was obviously the first they were hearing of this.