Over the past four months, the construction dragged by. But at least now, the looming mass of two by fours and shingles was beginning to resemble a house again. It was even finished enough that they could stay in it. Kelly was happy for that since she felt safer there than anywhere else. She helped decorate the mansion, doing as much as Phoenix would allow. He had become seriously over protective of Kelly and she found it was difficult to pick up an orange without his help. Not that she needed help. She got it whether she wanted it or not.
Being pregnant was also very interesting for her. After the initial three months, the dizziness and nausea had faded to nearly non-existent. She spent her free time reading books about pregnancy and what to expect. The whole idea of labor scared the shit out of her but she knew it would be ok.
One day, Jules was measuring Kelly’s growing waistline for her dress she would be married in when the oddest thing happened. Kelly was standing there, trying to be patient, when the mother of all hot flashes hit her like an inferno. “Mom,” she said, “I think I need a cold washcloth, I am burning up.”
“Ok, dear,” she said turning to get what Kelly needed.
“Oh! Really hot!” She was getting hotter. Hotter. Too hot. Much too hot! “Mom!” It was like touching a hot stove, the instant reflex to yank your arm or whatever out of harm’s way, only it was her whole body.
“Oh my,” Jules gasped, and turned on the sink. Kelly caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror before she blocked me again. She was literally on fire! Her head was covered in hot blue flames! Before Kelly could get worried about it, Jules doused her with a glass of water, extinguishing it.
“Are you hurt?” she asked. She was inspecting her daughter’s hair and head as Kelly did her own assessment.
“No, I don’t think so,” Kelly replied. No, she wasn’t hurt. It wasn’t the last time she broke out in flames either. The flames never caused any real damage, they were just very uncomfortable. It was like Phoenix’s fire. It was hot, but gentle. Phoenix, of course, thought it was wonderful. He thought it meant that either Kelly had taken a part of him or the baby inside her was at least a little bit like himself. He walked around as if he were ten feet tall, his whole body swelled with pride. Kelly didn’t think the gentle giant could get any taller, but he did.
.
By May, the preparations had all been made. Her dress was sewn, the gazebo decorated. They had even contacted Michael to perform the ceremony. Not as easy as they thought, getting in touch with an angel. Phoenix pondered over it until he finally gave up and started calling for him. “Michael!” he shouted, pacing the floor. “Michael, I know you can hear me. Get your butt down here! Michael....” He continued calling for their angel friend for half an hour until at last they saw his white light.
“What is it man?” Michael asked his friend, smiling. His white wings shimmered in the light, his body glowed. “I was in the middle of a poker game, and for a change, I was winning! Jolice will never let me forget it if she wins again. This better be important,” he feigned irritation.
Phoenix asked him about the wedding, and Michael agreed. “Love to,” was his response.
On the night of the fifteenth, Kelly spent the first night in a long time alone in her room. It was bad luck for her and Phoenix to see each other, she was told. Personally, she thought it was a bunch of bull.
She lay awake in her bed, gently rubbing her hand over her belly. She had a hard time not worrying when she was alone. There had been so many changes in her life in just one short year.
Kelly still worried a bit over all those demons. She knew that wherever Stephan was, he was in hell where he belonged. She knew the sisters had been killed. It pained her heart to know they had used and betrayed Phoenix the way they did. But it wasn’t just him, they fooled Jules too. That’s not an easy task, by any means. What worried her was what they didn’t know. It was unknown how many, if any, demons survived Phoenix’s fiery rage. It didn’t seem likely, but there was always an exception to every situation. If Stephan had made it here before, what was stopping him from trying again? Kelly kept waiting for one of them to come crashing through the door and hurt the people she loved. She hoped fervently that she was being over dramatic. She just couldn’t imagine raising a child in a world where demons could do the things she had seen.
She stared at her ceiling, pondering all the things that worried her. The age factor bothered her a great deal lately. Phoenix would live forever. He would certainly have to deal with his wife getting older and eventually, dying. There was a good chance that her child would outlive her by hundreds of years as well. Was there nothing she could do? Perhaps, she thought, maybe there was. She had all but decided to talk it over with Nick when Phoenix jumped into her head.
What’s going on in that pretty head of yours? Phoenix’s voice said in her mind.
I was just thinking, age doesn’t have to be an issue, she thought back.
I don’t think that’s a good idea, he said.
Why not, will you not love me anymore?
Don’t be silly, he thought, I would love you regardless, I’m just saying that you can’t even think that right now, we don’t know how it would affect the baby.
Well of course not, she thought, I would wait until after it’s born, until we are ready.
I don’t like the idea. What if it’s not a life you are prepared for? What if you don’t like being a vampire? Do you realize how dangerous it is to even try? You could be killed.
I trust him, I trust Mom, she thought. Are you sure this isn’t about me not being human?
Go to sleep, he thought. Wake up in the morning and marry me. We have time to discuss this later. I love you, now good night.
Love you too, she thought, sleepily.
But she didn’t fall asleep. She knew this conversation was not over, not by any means. She had died in Phoenix’s arms once, and there was no way she was going to put him through that a second time. She also knew that Nick wouldn’t act against Phoenix’s wishes, and Jules was not mentally strong enough to do it. Kelly vowed that she would find a way. She would decide, after the baby came.
“Hold still,” Jules said, pinning Kelly’s hair on her head. Her hair had grown quite a bit since she came home from Paris. The vitamins she was forced to endure also helped on that front. Her hair and nails were great. She was taken care of better than anyone. She was always being questioned about her condition and how she felt. She was measured and poked and prodded. Most of the time, she didn’t mind. They were just concerned. And why wouldn’t they be? The baby in her belly was the first anyone had ever heard of. No one knew exactly what characteristics it would come out with.
“There, done.” Jules proclaimed proudly. She shuffled Kelly to a full length mirror to see what she had done with her. Kelly’s now longer hair was flowing down the back of her neck, the front and sides pinned back away from her face. She was wearing the dress her mother had made for her. It was white and silky with thick straps over the shoulders, a heart shaped breast and a baby doll waist line to accommodate her growing belly. It hung down loosely past her knees, gathering a bit at the top.
“Ugh, I look like a cow,” Kelly observed.
“Nonsense,” Jules disagreed. “You are beautiful. Glowing, even.”
“That’s just the hormones,” Kelly pointed out.
“Still, I think you are lovely. There is no vision more beautiful than a woman who is pregnant.”
“Oh, look at you!” Andrew gushed as he entered the room. “I think I might cry, you look so beautiful!”
“Thanks, Andrew.”
“It’s almost time, are you ready?” he asked, handing her the bouquet.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. She was full of nerves by that point. There was no reason to be; she wanted more than anything to be tied to Phoenix forever.
“Better get going,” Andrew said to Jules. “Nick is waiting downstairs. Now shoo!” he said, ushering Kelly’s mother out of the room. Andrew t
urned to Kelly and hugged her close. “Thank you,” he said, “for making me your best man.”
“No problem, I couldn’t think of anyone better. And Nick is so nice to agree to give me away.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you.”
“What is it?”
“Something blue,” he replied, handing her a small box. “It’s a gift from Jared and me.” Inside was a delicate silver chain with a sapphire teardrop pendant. “It matches your eyes,” he said.
“Thank you Andrew,” she whispered through a veil of tears. Jeesh, she cried at the drop of a hat. Another wonderful side effect of being pregnant. Andrew took the necklace and secured it around her neck. It fit perfectly, the pendant nestled just above the center of the rise of her breast, which was also swollen past its normal capacity.
“Well, we’re up.”
And with that, he took her arm and they went to the place where the glass doors would eventually be leading into the yard.
Kelly stepped into the May sunshine and stopped. There, in front of her was Michael. She had known he would come to perform the ceremony. He stood proud in a white tux, white cummerbund, and a white bow tie. His dark hair and striking blue eyes stood out against his white attire. His wings shone brightly in the sunshine, they shimmered like they were covered in glitter. It was a beautiful sight. Kelly expected as much, so it was not a surprise. It was the man standing beside him that stopped her short. He was wearing a matching suit, a white rose in the front pocket. He was tall, brown curls framing his strong face, setting off his deep blue eyes.
“Daddy!” she shouted, running into his arms. Kelly couldn’t make herself care whether or not she was wrinkling her dress or messing up her hair. “How?” she asked through the blurry tears that were forming in her eyes.
“Did you think that after saving the world, the man upstairs wouldn’t allow you to have your dad at your wedding?” he asked, his teeth showing through his wide smile. “You look stunning,” he continued. “But don’t cry, you’ll ruin your make up.”
Kelly looked over to her mother, was holding Nick’s hand and smiling like the Cheshire cat. They knew about this and said nothing. “You knew,” she stated.
“Consider it a wedding gift,” Michael said.
“May I walk you down the aisle?” her father asked, offering his arm.
“Of course!” Kelly nearly shouted, then thought about that. “I mean, if Nick doesn’t mind.”
“I never intended to walk with you, Kelly,” Nick answered. “I was just playing along. I knew Joe was going to do it all along.”
“Well, let’s go then,” Joe said, looping his arm in hers. They followed everyone down the cobblestone walkway Phoenix made just for this purpose. He had never been more beautiful to Kelly than on that day. He was also dressed in a white tux, grinning from ear to ear. His long black hair was cascading down his back between his wings, his eyes were burning with intense feeling. He seemed to almost glow; it was like looking at the sun.
Michael used the traditional ceremony, filling it with a few thoughts of his own. When he asked, “Who gives this woman?” Kelly nearly burst into tears when her father responded. When it was time for them to say their vows, Kelly choked through the words. Phoenix said his with perfect clarity. They placed the rings that once belonged to Kelly’s parents on each other’s fingers. When they kissed, it was as if the whole world disappeared.
After the ceremony, they danced. Phoenix whirled Kelly around like they were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Her growing belly didn’t even affect her balance, although she thought it was more because of the secure grip Phoenix kept around her waist. Out of the corner of her eye, Kelly saw her mother holding hands with both her dad and Nick. Her heart swelled. She was surrounded with so many different kinds of love. She never had a big family growing up, it had just been her mother, her adopted father, and herself. Now, she had uncles and grandparents and a wonderful husband that she loved dearly.
Kelly smiled to herself when she saw Andrew and Jared dancing together. Her mother and father danced, and Nick didn’t even protest when her father kissed Jules to thank her for the dance.
Kelly danced with all of her new family, including her dad, which she never dreamed she would be able to do. “How long do you get to stay?” she asked him as he held her close in his arms.
“I’m not sure,” he replied. “As long as they will let me, but I’m sure they will be calling me home anytime now.”
“I don’t want you to go,” she told him. “Will you ever come back?”
“You just never know, Darling. I hope so. But I can check on you from time to time. I will always be near you.” She held his shoulders and cried when it was time for him to leave. But she had to let him go. It wasn’t his place here anymore.
Kelly was happier than she had ever been in her entire life. She had everything a girl could wish for, and more. She had her family, she would soon have a baby with the man she loved. She and Phoenix were married. It was not the feeling she expected. It was better.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
THREE MONTHS LATER...
July
Phoenix watched from the back porch as Kelly helped Rachel with the new flower garden. They were both covered in dirt, talking and laughing. The mansion was finally standing again, having been under construction for nearly five months. There were still many things to do, though, and apparently, the garden was one of them.
He had expressed his concern about Kelly doing anything that might stress her, but he was informed that since he was not female, he didn’t get an opinion. “Kelly needs to do exactly as much as she is comfortable, and no more,” Jules had told him. There was no way he was going to go against Kelly and her mother. That would be suicide. He remembered the smile Nick shot in his direction after that, knowing exactly how he felt.
He saw the women beginning to put their tools back in the small rolling chest, so he went over to them.
“Hey there,” Kelly said to her husband, “How about a hand?” Phoenix reached his hand out and lifted her by her elbow. She had trouble with getting into a standing position lately. It was no wonder, her belly was huge. She looked like she swallowed an exercise ball. When she was sufficiently standing, he moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her belly. He felt the slightest shift of her stomach under her hands. He kissed the back of her neck and whispered, “I love you,” in her ear.
She visibly shuddered at the touch. She turned around in his arms and tried to tip toe up to his mouth. Phoenix grinned and leaned down so that she could kiss him without throwing her back out. She backed away and put both hands on her lower back. “Oh, that feels good,” she said, stretching.
“So, how long, do you think?” he asked.
“Well, Doc says it could be as short as a couple of weeks, or as much as two months. We aren’t sure. I do know that if I get any bigger, you guys are going to have to push me around in a wheel barrel.” Doc King was a vampire doctor. He specializes in humans, but tries to keep a comprehensive knowledge of most creatures. Victor enlisted him as soon as they were able to care for Kelly. He didn’t know much about Phoenix, so that part was a mystery. Phoenix allowed him to test him in any way necessary to assist with Kelly’s care. In reality, they were going on educated guesses and speculation. The week before, when he performed an ultrasound, he asked if they wanted to know the baby’s sex, or if it was like Phoenix or Kelly. They opted for the surprise factor. All they needed to know is that it was healthy.
“Maybe you should rest,” Phoenix suggested.
“Nonsense,” Kelly replied. “I feel great. I feel like I could run a marathon!”
“There will be no running for you,” he said. “Besides, you would be more likely to roll,” he teased.
“Knock it off! You want to pack this around for a while?”
“Sorry.”
It was growing dark by then, the sun slipping behind the trees and leaving the sky a dark blue and
purple. Phoenix convinced Kelly to come inside and watch TV or something. He lost sight of her on the way to their room, but quickly found her in the nursery. He found her there often. There always seemed to be something that needed doing in that room. Whether it was rearranging the diapers on the changing table or remaking the mattress inside the crib, Kelly fretted over the room obsessively. She was standing over the crib they had only just built yesterday.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
“I was just wondering, do you think the baby will be like you?”
“I don’t know. But I’m glad we prepared for it, just in case.” And they had. The entire nursery and their bedroom as well had been covered completely in anti-flammable material. The contractors working on the house probably thought they were all crazy. They also invested in a couple dozen fire extinguishers, just to be safe.
“Will you be disappointed if he or she isn’t? I mean, if we just have a human baby?”
“Of course not,” he told her. She could be so absurd sometimes. “I will be happy no matter what kind of baby we get.”
“You really are a dream come true,” she told him, taking his hand. “I’m a little worried,” she said, fidgeting with the ring on his third finger. The ring he never thought he would wear and now couldn’t imagine his life without.
“What about?” he asked, taking her other hand and admiring the ring that matched his own.
“About the birth. What if something goes wrong? What if I don’t know what to do?” She looked up at him with sincere, worried eyes.
“Stop worrying,” he told her. “You’ll know what to do, we’ve practiced a thousand times. And nothing will go wrong.” He leaned over her to kiss her. It was his turn to bow over her body. Her belly simply got in the way. That didn’t stop her from trying to press herself closer to him.
They went to their room to watch TV. Or at least, that’s what Phoenix thought they were going to do. Kelly had other ideas though, none of which were very safe in his book. She rolled over to face him and kissed his lips, running her hands over his chest.
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