Ignite (Circle of Light Book 2)

by Margeson, April

  The doctor asked that Eric and I accompany her to her office to talk. We followed her down the long hallway and into a barely decorated office. The walls were empty except for her diplomas. I could tell that she wasn’t much for clutter since her desk was as bare as the walls. Only a small stack of patient files sat were on it along with a few pens, a note pad and a telephone.

  As we took our seats, she began to explain what we were to expect in the duration of my pregnancy. She told me several things that I needed to be watchful of. Most of what she told me was relevant to any other pregnancy, but she also described some more common things that happen with multiple babies. Early labor was one thing that she went into detail about.

  I listened meticulously, hanging on every word that came out of her mouth. I didn’t want to misunderstand any of the information, so I asked her many questions. Eric had had a few of his own.

  “I want her off her feet as much as possible from here on out.” she told us. I also would like for her to avoid things such as climbing stairs or carrying anything heavy.

  It looks like Eric was going to get his way about me using the downstairs bathroom now.

  When we were both certain that we understood her instructions, we thanked her and she escorted us to the receptionist to make another appointment for two weeks from now. She felt that it was necessary for me to start coming in every two weeks now.

  The receptionist wrote the date, time of my next appointment on a card, and handed it to my doctor. My doctor wrote a phone number on the back of the card and explained that I could use it to get in touch with her at any time. She then handed me the card and told us she would see us at my next appointment and Eric and I left.

  “I am so happy that we are having twins Bailey.” Eric said as we walked to meet our parents in the parking lot. “Yeah, me too I replied.”

  The entire way home, I was on my cell phone listening to the endless ideas of our parents from the other car. I was tired of holding the phone, but I was sure that I was going to hurt their feelings if I ended the call. Putting the phone on speaker, I laid it in my lap and tried to get comfortable.

  Eric joined in on the conversation, telling them that we needed to get everything in order and that we were going to have to go ahead purchase the rest of the items that we were going to need for the babies.

  They were discussing the idea of having a baby shower for me and when I was asked my opinion on it, I could not decide either way. It wasn’t like we really needed anything. What we do not already have, we were going to order today, so I didn’t see the point in it. But I guess it was more for my family and friends enjoyment instead of mine. I’m sure that it would be fun to do anyway and it would give me an excuse to see some of the members of my family that I had not had the chance to see in a long time.

  That idea brought back memories of my aunt Ellen. She had passed away several years back, but I still miss her exactly the same way I did after her death. She was very good to me when I was younger. She always made it a point to take me shopping when she was here on a visit.

  She was a very kind person. I don’t think I could remember ever seeing her angry about anything. Even when she had gotten sick, she was always optimistic. The doctors had told her that they could not do anything else to help her and that it was only a matter of how much time she might have left.

  I can remember her smiling and telling them thank you. All the while, without a hint of fear or sadness in her eyes. I could only hope that I would be that strong when the end came for me.

  My mother handed to me a catalog from across the table. I wondered if she just did not like going to the stores and seeing the items before she actually bought them. But in reality, I knew that it was only because she never had the time to go shopping.

  Eric and I thumbed through the pages taking careful consideration of each item on our list. Now everything was going to have to be bought in pairs. All except the clothes. Knowing the sex of the babies made everything a lot easier.

  We picked out the cribs and Eric's mother insisted that we get bassinets as well. It seemed like a waste to me, but how could I possibly know about what we needed? I had never done this before and everything was new and confusing to me.

  Eric seemed to be having a lot of fun doing this. After we picked out everything we needed for the babies, and some things that we didn’t t need, Eric gave the list to his mother and she began the tedious job of getting the list in more organized so she could call in the order. She wanted to get it done today because they were all leaving in the morning to go on another vacation.

  I was growing more tired with each passing minute. All I could think about was going home and getting in bed. Eric told them that he was going to take me home so I could get some rest as he rose from the chair. I took his hand and slowly got up from my seat. I could not believe how tired I was. I don’t think I had felt this tired. Well… Ever.

  I got into bed fully dressed. The sheets were cold and I loved it. My temperature seemed to run a bit hot lately. I didn’t notice if Eric had gotten into bed with me or not, being that I think I was actually asleep before my head hit the pillow.

  I knew I was dreaming, but I could swear I was seeing my children. The strange thing was that I could see them, but I couldn’t make out their faces. I guess that is how dreams were sometimes, giving you just enough to want to see more.

  I was watching them play in the meadow where I had to meet the other Queens. Their laughs were infectious and I could not help but to giggle along with them. I knew this was a dream because if it was not my Queens would be here with us.

  It felt like we had been there for a very long time. Their playing had ended and we were sitting beside the pond admiring the vibrant fish inside.

  “Mom, something’s coming! They screamed. I looked around to see if we were still alone, but I soon realized that we were not.

  The Dark Union had found us in the meadow, unprotected and alone. I was on my feet in an instant, pulling my children behind me.

  “Leave now and I will let you live I screamed at them, but they kept coming. I called for the other members of the Circle, but no one came.”

  “Mommy, we can help.”

  I was at a loss. I didn’t know what to do. Should we try to run or should I allow my children to be involved in this battle? It was sure to be an ugly one and I didn’t want to subject them to any violence, but I didn’t have time to get them to safety.

  The closer they got to us, the more tense I became. A few of them began to attack us with fireballs. One of them almost hit me in my effort to keep the children safely behind me. The children demanded that I let go of them.

  “We are going to die if you don’t Mommy!”

  The thought of someone hurting them distracted me just long enough for them to wiggle out of the hold I had on them. What I saw them do was shocking in a way that I was convinced I would never forget as long as I lived, dream or no dream.

  Both of my children extended their arms as if they were reaching for heaven. I heard them chanting in unison and their power swirled in the air around them. Blasts of light shot out from them and hit several members, killing them instantly. It only took them a matter of seconds for them to desecrate every single person that was coming toward us.

  I stood looking at them both in horror and amazement. My children had saved us. Their power had been stronger than I had realized. My babies, my beautiful babies.

  I wasn’t sure if I should praise them for what they had done or if I should explain the value of life to them. They should know to respect life above all else.

  In my moment of thought, I had been too distracted to notice that someone had walked up behind us. It was too late.

  I felt the burn of fire on my back. It took my breath. The pain was intense and it coursed through my body relentlessly. I was dying and my children were alone.

  I was powerless to help them against whoever had taken advantage of my moment of distraction. How could I have be
en so foolish? I should have checked to see if they had missed anyone, but I didn’t and I was going to pay the price for that mistake with my life.

  Breathing became harder and my vision was clouded with pain, but I refused to scream. I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of hearing that. Eric came to me in my last thoughts, Bailey, where are you? It’s time to bring the children home.

  Eric, we are in the meadow. Come quick and bring help! Help our children! I love you. I replied to him weakly.

  I heard him saying something, but I couldn’t quite make out the words. I was so tired and I could feel my heart beating more slowly.

  This is it, my last moments. I could feel it and I was scared. Scared for my children and frightened that Eric would not get her in time to make them go to safety.

  I tried to take in another breath, but I wasn’t able to. My lungs refused to draw in any breath that might prolong the end. My pain had turned into a feeling of being completely numb. Darkness fell over me as I slipped away into death.

  Chapter 10

  I sat straight up in bed and screamed for Eric. He was in the room with me in no time. I could see the panic in his eyes as he begged me to tell him what was wrong, but I couldn’t. All I could do was point to my head, and he immediately entered my thoughts.

  He watched the horrifying replay of my dream. I could feel his fear as he watched me die in the meadow.

  “It was just a dream Bailey.” He said to me shaken from the vision he had seen.

  “I’m not so sure that it was.” I managed to say through my sobs.

  It had to be a vision of the future. Nothing had ever came to me as clearly as this had. The events were forever burned in my mind and I was confident that I wouldn’t forget a single detail of it for as long as I live. Maybe even beyond that.

  Eric wondered if Silas would be able to make sense of my dream.

  “Would it make you feel better if I spoke with him about it?” He asked.

  “Yes I think so.” Eric called for Silas, and as soon as he did, there was a knock at my bedroom door.

  Silas walked in without being invited. He immediately began searching around the room for any sign of danger. When he found none, he apologized for his intrusion. “I’m very sorry, my Queen. I thought something was wrong.”

  I was not sure how he had gotten the idea that something wasn’t right, but my concern was quickly withdrawn by his explanation. He told us that he and Maggie had been sitting outside with some of the witch covens. They had been discussing the actions they would have to take in order to keep everyone safe if the Dark Union found out about the other baby.

  “That was when he felt a surge of power on the grounds. Obviously, Maggie and the witches felt it too, because they instantaneously directed their attention on our houses. Maggie could feel that you were in trouble, but not in a direct way. Meaning that it was not a physical attack. That was when I heard Eric’s call and burst in the room like an idiot.” Silas said staring at his feet in shame.

  “Don’t beat yourself up about it. I called for you.”

  Silas believed that my dream might have been the result of an attempted attack on the Circle, but he wasn’t sure.

  “It is still possible that it was a premonition as well.

  That wasn’t the words that I wanted to hear. He said that I should be aware of the meadow if at any point that my children I are going to be there, just in case it was a vision.

  Eric thanked him and sent him back outside with the others. I asked Eric if it would be a good idea if I had either Maggie or Silas with us at all times. He didn’t waste any time giving me his answer.

  “Which would you prefer?”

  I thought carefully before making my decision. “How could I choose between them?” Maggie was capable of sensing feelings unlike Silas, but she could not notice other power as quickly as he could. Silas was the best option, seeing that he was with great power. Honestly, I needed them both at my side. Together their power is unlimited.

  “I thought you might say that.” Eric said with a smile.

  I was being selfish, I know, but my children and I are going to be hunted relentlessly by the evil of the Dark Union. That was a good enough reason for me to want the things I wanted. Safety was my number one priority right now.

  I felt like I should apologize to Eric because of it, but I couldn’t. He understood that. I was sure of it. As sure as he knew that my heart beats with the love of him and our children.

  More days passed without the slightest indication of an attack. Each day was spent preparing for the births of our children. I mostly stayed busy decorating the nursery and making sure that all the clothes that we had ordered were washed and placed in the appropriate areas.

  Silas and Maggie were visibly at my side for the most part. When our parent’s came to visit, they stayed with me. Completely hidden from anyone else’s eyes. I always knew they were there, I could hear them as they made silly jokes at each other or was silent with thoughts. Unfortunately, I heard those too.

  Sometimes, I would hear something that was not meant for me to hear. Like the way Silas had come to feel about Maggie. He adored her, but was afraid that she would not accept him in that way, because he was a vampire and all. I caught myself giggling at him for just a second.

  “What's so funny?” Maggie asked me.

  “Oh. Nothing. I was just having a thought. It isn't important.”

  Silas got the notion that I had heard him during his most private thoughts. He sulked like a child that was told that they had to clean their room. It was funny, but depressing for me. I knew how he felt because I too had felt that way about Eric in the past. Before we knew what we both know now.

  I played those memories in my mind, making sure that I had his attention. His irritation soon eased and it was clear to me that I had made an impact on his decision to tell Maggie how he felt about her.

  “That's my boy.” I said aloud before I realized it.

  Eric had already known what I had meant, but my mother rushed to my side like a bullet. “Are they moving?” She asked.

  “Yeah, a little. I think they are beginning to run out of room.” I joked.

  It really was not funny. I was gaining weight like crazy and it was getting harder and harder for me to move my body the way I wanted to. Each day seemed to last longer than the day before and I had noticed I was getting more tired easily. I guess that comes with the territory.

  Our parents didn’t stay long. They had other things that needed to their attention. I never liked to see them leave, especially Eric’s parents. We couldn’t just walk over to their house to see them like we could my parents. I had grown exceptionally fond of his mother and father.

  Maggie and I sat in the floor outside the nursery watching Eric and Silas put the final coat of paint on the walls. Silas had insisted that we buy odorless paint, but was still not letting us come in the room. They do tend to take things a little too far at times.

  Maggie had suggested that she could paint pictures on the walls if I wanted her to. I was pleased by her offer. I think that would be a great addition. Maybe I could get her to paint a scene something like Candy land. That would be great, I thought to myself.

  Maggie had become my best friend in the short time that I had known her. Eric and Silas had grown closer to each other as well. Any feelings of jealousy between the two of them became nonexistent and I don’t think I could go a day without seeing either of them. Maggie, especially.

  She was more than a friend to me. We were like sisters now. Sharing every little thing about our lives with each other. Secrets, dreams, and fears. I knew everything about her and she knew everything about me as well. We did not try to hide anything from each other.

  Silas had finally got up the nerve to tell Maggie how he felt about her. It had taken longer than I thought it would, but at least he did it. When Maggie stepped in to kiss him without saying a word to him, she rather freaked him out. He was expecting her to tell him tha
t she did not feel that way about him. They have been inseparable from that moment on.

  I was coming up on week thirty-six of the pregnancy. My doctor was now scheduling my appointments once a week and I hated it. Getting in the car was something that I was not very fond of doing. It was beginning to become impossible, but I didn’t complain about it.

  Our lives had been strangely quiet for the most part. The Dark Union has not even attempted to contact us, but I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they did. When they did, it was going to be a full on suicide attack on their part. That is the way that I liked to picture it anyway.

  Somehow, I knew that our side was going to win any battle that they would wage on us. My children were more powerful than I had first thought they would be. Their powers seemed to be a mixture of every supernatural creature that we knew about and some that we were not so sure about. Even the power of the creatures in the Dark Union flowed through their veins.

  I didn’t like that part. It was unsettling to say the least, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. What was done is done. All I could do was hope they would always choose to use their power for good.

  “Silas! You idiot!” I heard Eric shout breaking me out of the worried thoughts and the sound of his voice frightened me. I had never heard him speak to another person like that before.

  Eric was standing there furious at Silas for some reason. I couldn’t tell what had happened from where I was sitting in the hallway. All I could hear was Silas laughing uncontrollably.

  Maggie helped me get up off the floor and I heard Eric yell at Silas again.

  “What did you think you were doing!”

  “I thought that I was painting, dumbass!” Silas laughed.

  When I went into the room, I saw what had made Eric so mad at him. Silas had painted a huge smiley face on the front of Eric’s shirt. As soon as he realized I was in the room he calmed himself.

  “What is wrong with you two?” I asked and broke out in laughter.