Jonathon patted Ren’s stomach.
“He eats like a pig,” I laughed. Ren had hardly been sucking on the bottle a minute and it was a quarter empty.
“That’s my boy,” he grinned. Jonathon’s lips quirked. “Maybe he’s Danny and Mason’s kid?”
I laughed. “And maybe it’s a dhampir thing.”
Jonathon shrugged. “Maybe,” he said. He pulled me into his arms while I held Byren firmly in mine while he slurped down the formula. The stuff smelled gross to me, had when I was human too, but it was even worse now.
Jonathon looked from our son to me and a look of sadness crossed his face.
“Jonathon,” I whispered. I wished I could touch him but that was impossible with the hungry child in my arms. “I want you to know that I don’t regret my decision.”
He smiled sadly. “Are you sure?” he kissed the side of my neck. “I don’t want you to regret this.”
“I would’ve made this decision no matter what,” I looked at Ren. I glanced back up at Jonathon. “I told Diana, when I suspected I was pregnant again, that if I lost the baby,” I swallowed thickly, “that I was going to have you turn me.”
“What?” He asked, stunned.
I nodded my head. “You are my forever, Jonathon. Now, I have two bonuses,” I looked between the sleeping Makenna and the hungry Ren in my arms.
Jonathon pressed his lips to mine firmly. His hand cupped my cheek pressing me more firmly to him.
“Jonathon,” I smiled pulling away. “The baby.”
“Sorry,” he grinned. He leaned down to my ear. “It’s just… I haven’t had you to myself much since you woke up and I desperately want to make love to you.”
Color flooded my cheeks and I was startled by the sudden warmth. Blushing didn’t feel like this when you were human. My cheeks felt like twin flames.
“Jonathon,” I hissed.
He smirked.
“Well, it’s true,” he grinned like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar, my cookie jar.
“Later,” I smiled as Ren took the last sip of his formula.
I put him up to my shoulder and he promptly produced a burp and fell fast asleep. I laid him down in the basinet by his sister. I lovingly patted Makenna’s plump pink cheek. I couldn’t believe these two perfect beings were ours.
Jonathon’s arms came around my waist and he pulled me back against him. I sighed longingly.
His lips brushed against my ear.
“You’re mine now,” he whispered.
“Yours,” I conceded.
* * *
It was the next day, and Jonathon and I were lying in the bed having some much needed ‘us’ time. His finger traced the naked skin of my arm. It felt nice. I had thought that maybe once I became a vampire I wouldn’t feel. But I did feel. I felt everything so much more powerfully. It was… amazing.
“That feels nice,” I purred.
He grinned and moved his finger down to trace my waist and hip.
“Jonathon,” I said.
He stopped and looked at me, noting the seriousness in my voice. “What is it principessa?”
“I- I want to see my mom,” I confessed.
His silver eyes widened. “You do? It’s been-”
“Years, I know. Four years to be exact,” I frowned. “But seeing Makenna and Ren- I would hate for them to feel towards me, what I’ve felt towards my mother. I need to make peace,” I sighed. “I want her to be in my life and her grandchildren’s life. I want my mom back,” I breathed.
Jonathon smiled. “I’m thrilled to hear that. You’re lucky to still have your mom. You’ll feel better making peace with her.”
I put my hand against his warm cheek. When I was human his skin had always been cold. But now it felt warm. Not hot, but warm. I snuggled against him and he tucked my head under his neck.
“When can I see her?” I asked.
“Anytime,” he played with a strand of my hair.
“Now?” I asked hesitantly.
“Now,” he confirmed and I could feel his smile even though I couldn’t see it.
I hopped out of the bed, pulling my clothes on; Jonathon’s eyes followed my movements. His gaze was so intense that I found myself embarrassed.
“Stop looking at me,” I squirmed under his gaze.
“But you’re so beautiful,” he grinned, chuckling.
I pulled a shirt over my head, eyeing him. “Get dressed.”
“Are you sure about that?” He asked me with a smirk.
I ducked my head. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
He grinned and stood. Now I was watching him. “Stop looking at me,” he mimicked.
I stepped forward, kissing his smooth lips. “You’re mine and I can look all I want.”
He kissed me back. “If you keep saying things like that, we’ll never leave this room.”
* * *
Finally dressed, we made our way downstairs. Amelia and Diana were sitting with the babies and no one else was to be found. I figured they were off discussing our imminent demise with Gabriel.
Glancing up at Jonathon I wondered if one day this might be taken from me. Suddenly, just holding his hand took on a much more significant meaning.
“Where do you want to do this?” he asked. “Do you want her brought here?”
“That’s probably best.” I paused, “She won’t hurt them will she?”
Jonathon smiled. “No, she won’t. Have you tried to hurt them?” He quirked a brow.
“No,” I answered.
“Remember, they’re dhampir they don’t smell right. You don’t think of them as food,” he said. “Besides, your mom has had several years to learn to control herself. You on the other hand… It won’t be safe for you to leave the house for quite a while.”
“Great,” I groaned.
He chuckled. “I think you’ll live.”
“Ha, ha, you’re so funny,” I rolled my eyes. “Seeing as how I can’t die and all.”
His lips turned up in a grin. Sobering, he asked, “Would you like me to get your mom, or would you prefer for one of the others to do it so I can wait with you?”
My hold on his hand tightened. “Don’t leave me,” the words came out as a plea.
“I won’t then,” he smiled, bringing my hand up to his, and placing a light kiss on the skin between my thumb and forefinger.
My heart—well, if my heart still beat, it would be racing in my chest right now.
He let go of my hand and leaned over the couch to speak to Diana and Amelia. They nodded when he explained what he wanted. Amelia handed Ren to Jonathon and Diana relinquished Makenna to me. In a flash, they were gone.
I cradled my daughter close to my chest, inhaling her unique scent. I tenderly kissed the top of her head as my nerves set in as I prepared myself to face my own mother for the first time in a very, very, long time.
“Stop stressing,” Jonathon eyed me from where he sat on the couch with our son sleeping in his arms.
“I’m not,” I lied.
“I’m a lot of things, principessa, and stupid isn’t one of them,” he rolled his silver eyes.
“Okay, so maybe I’m a little nervous,” I admitted, pacing the length of the room, bouncing my wide-eyed daughter in my arms. A smile graced my lips as I looked down at her. How had I gotten this lucky? How was it possible that all of this was mine?
“She misses you,” Jonathon whispered.
“I miss her too,” I whispered. “But after what happened when we first moved here…I needed to be away from her for a while. I was angry and I needed space.” Having my own children though, had made me realize what I was missing out on. You only have one set of parents and I’d already lost my dad. It was selfish of me not to have spoken to my mother in so long. I would never want my children to treat me the way I had treated my mom.
I bounced Makenna in my arms as I prepared myself to see my mom.
“Kylie, don’t shake her to death,” Jonathon warned.
&nb
sp; “Oh,” I mumbled, glancing apologetically down at Makenna. “Sorry sweetie,” I murmured, kissing her plump pink cheek.
My spine stiffened as my ears registered noise outside the front door.
She was here.
The door opened slowly—or maybe it only seemed to slow to me—and then my mom stood before me.
“Mom,” I gasped, staring at the vampire in front of me. She looked almost exactly as I remembered, only now her once olive-toned skin was a pearly white, and her eyes were silver. Her brown hair was still styled in a bob, but instead of straight, the ends had a slight wave to them.
“Kylie,” her smile was small—almost embarrassed.
I handed Makenna off to Amelia, who now stood beside me, and closed the distance between my mom and I.
I wrapped my arms tightly around her and a strangled sob escaped my throat—it was a funny sound, nothing like the sobs of a human, and no tears touched my eyes.
“I’ve missed you,” she confessed, running her fingers through my long hair. “I’m so sorry for everything that happened. I only hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“Of course,” I replied, still not pulling away from the hug. “I should have a long time ago, and I’m sorry for that.”
She grabbed my arms and pushed me back a bit so she could look me up and down.
“You’re beautiful, Kylie,” she smiled. “Now, where’s those grandbaby’s of mine that everyone is talking about.”
Jonathon stepped up behind me, placing a hand on my waist, and handed Ren to my mom.
She immediately started cooing at the baby, a wide smile on her face. “What’s his name?”
“Byren,” I answered, “but we call him Ren.”
She raised a questioning brow at the name. “My father’s name was Baron,” Jonathon explained. “Kylie thought naming him Byren would honor his memory.”
“Oh,” she nodded. Smiling, she said, “Your accent…it’s different…not quite Italian…but it doesn’t sound like anything I’ve heard.”
Jonathon’s hand rubbed slow circles on my back. “Yes, it is. I was born in Italy but after I was turned, I spent hundreds of years traveling. My accent is a mix of everything.”
“Hmmm,” she nodded, gazing at Ren. “He looks like you, Kylie,” she smiled at me.
I laughed. “He does, and Makenna looks like Jonathon.”
“Makenna,” she repeated. “That’s a pretty name. Different.”
“She’s special,” Jonathon smiled proudly, “therefore she deserves a special name.”
“That she does,” my mom said, handing Ren to Jonathon. She held her arms out to take Makenna from Amelia.
I smiled as I watched her with my daughter.
Family truly was the most important thing in the world and I’d been so stupid to force my mother from my life. I might not have agreed with her choices, but they were her choices, not mine, and I should have respected them.
Eventually, everyone disappeared and I was left alone with my mom.
We sat side by side on the couch, each of us waiting for the other to speak first.
Finally, I reached for her hand and held it in my own.
“I meant it, mom. I forgive you for what you did. At the time, I was…I was young, and I was hurt, and I was scared. Here I was in a completely new place, where I didn’t know anyone, and my mom….the only person I felt that I had left, killed herself. Or tried to at least,” I took a deep breath even though I didn’t need the oxygen. “I was angry at you for a long time. But I’m not anymore. Having my own kids makes me see things in a different light. I wasted years on being angry, and that was extremely immature of me. I hope that you can forgive me for wasting that time.”
She smiled, rubbing her fingers across my cheek, and then tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. She had done the same thing many times when I was a child.
“What’s to forgive when we have forever?”
Chapter sixteen: Battle Strategy
Days later, we are all gathered in the living room, my mom and Gabriel included. My mom had already been filled in on everything that was going on…the prophecies, my power, and the war that was imminent.
“We need a strategy,” Gabriel paced in front of us. All of us were quiet, our eyes on the brooding vampire. “A great one, not some half-assed one. These are the Originals we’re talking about. We can’t just wing it. We need numbers too. Patrick,” he stopped his pacing and glanced at Patrick, “did you speak with the Coven like I asked?”
“I did,” Patrick nodded, “they’re in.”
“Excellent,” Gabriel rubbed his hands together and I half expected him to start cackling. “I’ve contacted some…friends of mine, but I’m waiting to hear back from them.”
“You say ‘friends’ like it’s a bad thing,” I stated.
Gabriel’s silver eyes flickered to mine. “If you haven’t noticed,” he smiled widely, “I’m not the nicest guy. I use the term ‘friend’ loosely.”
“Great,” I rolled my eyes.
Gabriel chuckled. “I’ve been in hiding most of my existence. Very few vampires know about me.”
“Wait,” I looked up at Gabriel and then back at my vampire family, “then how did you guys know about him?”
Patrick smiled. “We’re much older than most vampires, so I crossed paths with Gabriel many centuries ago.”
“Back to the original topic,” Gabriel sneered, “there’s power in numbers. We need more than just the Coven and us. This fight will make what we experienced with Selena seem like a piece of pie.”
“Cake,” I laughed.
“Huh?” He looked at me.
“You said, ‘a piece of pie.’ The saying goes, ‘a piece of cake.’”
“Whatever,” Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t have time for technicalities.”
“There’s a pack of shifters not far from here. I think I can find them and get them to agree to help us,” Patrick said. “If my memory is correct, the Originals haven’t been very nice to them.”
“Good,” Gabriel cracked a half-smile, “they’ll definitely be more than willing to help. Do you know what type of shifters they are?”
“A little bit of everything,” Patrick shrugged
“Excellent,” Gabriel’s eyes brightened. “Our odds are looking a bit better.”
“A bit?” Mason snorted. “A bit isn’t a lot.”
“It’s better than nothing,” Gabriel countered, pacing again. “Before we get anyone else involved though, we need a plan of attack. That way, everyone knows what’s going to happen, and we don’t have others chiming in on a plan of action.”
“You’re the one that knows that layout of the castle—” Jonathon started but Gabriel interrupted him.
“They don’t live in the castle anymore,” Gabriel glared at Jonathon.
“They don’t?” Danny asked.
Gabriel shook his head. “They’re still in Romania, but not the castle. They’re underground, and that’s where things get difficult. There’s only one way in and one way out. Both are heavily guarded.” He stopped, looking at each of us closely. “I can tell you right now, some of us will die. If you’re not prepared to have eternity cut short, then leave now.”
Jonathon’s hand twined with mine. No one moved.
“I should’ve known,” Gabriel smiled. “Patrick, when you speak with the shifters, you need to tell them that as well. After all, they are mortal, their chances of death are higher than ours.”
“Of course,” Patrick nodded.
“Is there any paper? And a pen?” Gabriel asked.
Amelia disappeared and seconds later flitted back into the room with the items he had requested.
Gabriel sat on the floor, placing the piece of paper on the coffee table. He began to sketch, his hand blurring in the process.
He held it up. Pointing, he said, “This is where we enter the compound. We won’t be able to leave that way. If we manage to get in, this entranc
e will close in around us. This is the part where we have to hurry. Alarms will go off and we will be attacked. The only other exit is here,” he pointed to another spot on the map he had drawn, “which is in the room where the Originals stay. This exit is impossible to see from the outside. Therefore, we are forced to wind through the compound, and hope we get to the Originals wing before they get out. I hate to say this…” he paused, “but if they get out before we reach them, chances are we’ll never find them.”
“So, basically you’re saying, we have to move fast?” Danny asked.
“It’s more than that, though. The compound is designed to confuse you. It’s easy to get lost. And chances are, at least for mortals, if you get lost you’ll wander until you die.”
“Doesn’t that sound exciting,” Mason snorted.
Gabriel continued like Mason had said nothing. “We should be prepared for anything.”
Well, that sounded ominous.
“Can you give us an example of what we should expect?” Amelia asked.
Gabriel frowned, tapping a finger against his lips. “Sorry, but no. I know enough to expect something, but that’s it. The Originals…they always have tricks up their sleeves.”
Mason rubbed his hands together. “We can handle them.”
“Don’t get cocky,” Gabriel warned. “Cockiness leads to mistakes.”
Mason rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“Now,” Gabriel said, “We’ll need to park our cars several miles from the exit we’ll take from the compound, and then come in by foot. We’ll be making a large loop around the compound. Since it’s underground, we’re not going to see it. But I assume there will be guards patrolling the land. Don’t let yourselves get distracted. We’ll need to stay quiet. Our ears are our greatest asset, so we should hear any disturbance before they attack us.” Rubbing his jaw, he said, “Our goal is to get in the entrance without setting off any alarms. There will be nothing we can do to keep our presence unnoticed beyond that point. But if we’re discovered before we’re in the compound…game over.”
A heavy rock settled in my stomach.
Forever (Fallen Series Book 3) Page 18