by Martha Woods
* * *
Calla had been resistant to the idea spending any time alone with Tessa. After everything, Tessa just made her leery. It wasn’t like Calla wanted to stay hurt and bitter toward her, but after being kicked out of her family for the second time… It certainly made it more difficult. However, Calla was mature enough to recognize that she couldn’t stay upset forever. At the rate things were going, she was always going to be involved with Tessa and the vampire family, so it was best to sort out the problems they had so that they could get rid of the tension that lingered in their home. So, when Tessa approached her, asking if they could go out for the evening together, Calla agreed.
They borrowed Kristian’s car to go into the local town. Tessa attempted to make it a “girls night”, taking Calla to shops, trying to bond and talk with her. Admittedly, Calla had been very reserved at first, but slowly managed to work her way to making small talk with her. “How have things with you and Jared been, if you don’t mind me asking?” Tessa asked as they browsed the racks of an urban clothing store.
“I don’t mind,” Calla softly replied, her eyes and hands focused on the clothes. “We’re actually really good. We had gone through a bit of a rough patch when we were on the road, but things are so much better now that we’ve settled in.”
“That’s so great, Calla,” Tessa beamed. When Calla glanced up to her, Tessa wore a grin on her olive face. “I’m sure him being gone all the time put a strain on the relationship.”
“Yeah, and just staying cooped up in motel rooms with nothing to do,” Calla added with a mumble. “It made me really bitter about everything.”
A tension rose in the air between them. Tess wasn’t dense, so Calla was sure that Tessa knew she had played a heavy hand in her not having anything to do. If Tessa hadn’t gone with the Calder, then Tessa and Calla could have gone to stay with the Firehaven while the vampires were gone. Granted, that would have put a different sort of strain on hers and Jared’s relationship, but it wouldn’t have left Calla feeling like a prisoner or pet. Tessa stepped toward Calla, placing a cool hand over hers that was rested on the coat hanger. “I know that I’ve done almost nothing to help you. All I’ve done is use you and leave you high and dry… And I’m sorry. I know you know that I wasn’t in my right mind when I left with Bethany, and that knowing that doesn’t make the repercussions of my decision to go with her, sting any less. Know that now things have settled a bit, and no matter what lies ahead, I want us to have a genuine friendship. I think we could both use a friend, you know? I’ll do anything I can to make that happen.”
Calla’s throat dried from her emotions getting the best of her, tears collecting in her blue eyes. She was glad that Tessa was coming back in connection with her Firehaven powers, and could feel what Calla did. It made her understand Calla’s hurt more, and actually give a meaningful apology. She was right with everything she said. Calla was well aware at that point that Tessa had been enthralled by Bethany, and it made it impossible for Tessa to make a decision for herself. Even with that, however, it didn’t make those months of feeling betrayed and completely useless hurt any less. “It’s big of you to say that,” Calla murmured, clearing her throat in attempt to keep her emotions in check. “Thank you… I would like for us to be friends at some point as well. It may take a while, but I will work on keeping an open mind.”
“I think that’s all I can ask for at this point,” Tessa agreed. Then, in a move that surprised Calla, Tessa threw her arms around Calla’s neck. Hesitantly, Calla’s arms wrapped around her as well, giving into the friendly embrace. As they hugged, Tessa quietly continued, “Thank you for all you have ever done for me and this family. I know none of what has happened is ideal for you. You’re a kind and giving soul for staying with us for this long. I hope that this was all meant to be for you, that you find a forever in the family and with Jared.”
Damn, was Tessa trying to make her cry? Her words touched Calla’s heart since she had waited so long to hear it from Tessa. She hoped that they truly could grow a friendship between the two of them. It would make everything a lot easier all around if the tension between the couples were gone. Jared would be a harder one to get on board. He tended to carry enough angry for the both of them, since Calla was such a tender heart and was quick to forgive others. It came from a good place, though. He was just trying to guard her heart for her, since she was constantly getting hurt by the family and Tessa. Calla pulled back from the embrace, quickly wiping her eyes to keep any potential tears from falling. “Thank you,” she managed to get out evenly, though her voice was meek.
Tessa patted her shoulder, “Sorry to get emotional on you… I just know that had needed to be said for a while, and I didn’t want to wait any longer to say it.” Calla could see then that Tessa’s eyes were glossy too, though Calla knew tears would never fall from her vampire eyes. “Let’s get on with our night, okay?”
And that they did. They finished shopping at there, and continued to work their way down the boulevard, stopping at all of clothing stores, book shops, and even a couple of antique stores. Calla noticed Tessa gravitating toward certain items, like an antique crib mobile, and some stylish baby clothes. It saddened Calla to see. It must have just been hitting Tessa that she could never have children. It was a hard pill to swallow if you wanted them. Calla was still trying to wrap her head around the fact, knowing that within the year, she would be turned a vampire as well. It was a trade-off she was willing to make, however, to be with Jared forever. Tessa didn’t linger on the items long, always jumping right to something else and speaking to Calla about the new item, as though to push down the feelings the baby items had rustled in her. Calla thought about trying to talk to her about it, maybe help her through it, but at the same time, she didn’t want to upset Tessa any further.
They returned to the cabin close to midnight, having stayed out in all the shops until they closed, Tessa got Calla something to eat, and then making the long journey back home. When they walked in the door, bags in hand, they found Kristian and Jared sitting in the living room. It gave Calla pause, her eyes immediately going to Jared’s face to see how he was feeling about the situation. His aura was relaxed, but still carried an inkling of the tension that had arisen in him quite some time ago. For the most part, however, he was at ease. When his eyes met Calla’s, the corners of his lips turned up into a sly smile. Joy overcame her soul and she moved over to him, placing her bags on the ground before sitting down in his lap. Jared’s strong arms enveloped her and face nuzzled into her shoulder. Never had Calla known the sensation of feeling at home quite like she did when in his arms.
“How was shopping?” Kristian asked Tessa from the other couch as she joined his side.
“It was really nice, actually,” Tessa chortled as she curled into his side.
The couples then made idle talk between themselves, discussing their finds in town and any interesting items they saw. As their conversations dried up, a newfound aura started to come from Tessa and Kristian. Calla’s attention slowly turned to them, analyzing their auras individually as well as their expressions and posture. Something was certainly up. They were starting to stress about something. The way their eyes continued to shift over to Calla and Jared, Calla’s stomach twisted into a knot. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they had something to ask Jared and Calla. Whatever it was, it was big or else they wouldn’t be so stressed to ask it of them. Calla’s fingers instinctively went to the back of Jared’s head, lightly scratching his scalp to try and keep him relaxed, unsure how he was going to react to whatever was about to come out of their mouths.
“So,” Kristian began, clearing his throat loudly. “There is something that we’ve been wanting to talk to the both of you about.”
“Oh?” Jared questioned, straightening his posture, one hand going to Calla’s hip.
“I suppose there is no better way to put it than to just come out with it. From where I’m still human, Tessa and I have been thinking about t
aking advantage of the opportunity. Perhaps the timing isn’t ideal for this sort of thing, but now is the only chance we could possibly ever have to do this… We want to have a child.”
“A child?” Jared blurted out from shock. “What… How…”
“We’ve found a witch that is willing to help us turn Tessa human in order to have the child be biologically hers.”
Calla was just as stunned as Jared. Did they really think that then was the best time to have a child? They had just reunited just a short time ago, what if something else happened and they split? There would be a child involved and with the way their lives were, it would be far more complicated than a child midst a mortal divorce. Not to mention how dangerous things were all the time… It was no environment to have a child in, let alone raise one. That also meant Tessa staying human for several months, at least until the child was born. It would leave her unbelievably vulnerable. Yet, it wasn’t a decision Calla nor Jared could make for them. There was nothing they could do to stop them, since they had clearly made up their minds. It also struck Calla then that this was why Tessa had been gravitated toward nursery stuff when shopping.
“I see,” Jared murmured. “Well, I wish you both the best of luck with this endeavor. I’m sure it’s not a decision you came to lightly.”
“It wasn’t… But that isn’t all we wanted to talk to you about,” Kristian began. He sat forward, rubbing his hands together. “The witch we spoke with had some words of advice. Of course, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the conditions in which we are having this child in to be the best. After everything… Well, Tessa is a big target. The child would potentially be a bigger target. So, she suggested we consider getting a surrogate.”
Jared scratched his chin, “Well, I suppose that seems wise. Keep the unborn child hidden and safe, and Tessa can become a vampire again.”
“Exactly,” Kristian nodded excitedly, relieved that Jared saw the logic in it. “The only catch is… Is…” His eyes went to Tessa for help.
The words didn’t have to leave her lips for Calla to know what they were about to ask. She wasn’t a naïve witch. Her breath caught in her throat and her body stiffened just as Tessa spoke, “The surrogate would have to be a witch.”
Both of their focuses were zeroed in on Calla then, watching for her reaction. She was completely frozen in shock, a flush coming to her cheeks from the two of them staring at her so intently. After a few intense moments, Jared broke the silence, “Wait… You guys can’t be seriously asking if Calla will be your surrogate…”
Kristian wrung his hands together, nibbling on his lip nervously. “I know this isn’t a small favor to ask. Calla is the only witch we know and trust well enough to do this for us.”
“So let me get this straight. You guys have been using us and everyone else to clean up your messes for nearly a year now, you spend the evening getting us both to be friends with the two of you again just so you can ask this ludicrous favor?” Jared scoffed, clearly insulted by the notion that they had only been kind to them that day so that they could ask for the favor. Calla had to admit, that’s what it felt like to her as well.
“No, please don’t think of it as that,” Tessa chimed in. “We really have been wanting to make everything up to you guys. I know this is really unsavory timing… It’s just one of those things of time being of the essence. And would you have even heard us out if we haven’t made up with you guys first? We want things to be friendly and civil, we do. We just also have to jump on this opportunity while we still have it. It would mean the world to us if you, Calla, would even consider doing this for us.”
“Don’t single her out,” Jared snapped at Tessa. “You know all too well that she would just because you are technically her High Priestess. That simply isn’t fair. This would be a decision we would make together because you’re talking about using my mate’s body to have a child that isn’t mine. Knowing that we can’t have one ourselves.”
“What if you could?” Kristian interjected.
“What if we could what?” Jared fired back.
“Have a child of your own,” Kristian explained. There was a moment of silence, the thought clearly knocking Jared off track. “If you guys help us with this, then we’ll connect you with this witch. She’ll turn you human so that you guys can have a child of your own. However, I’m not going to give you her information or make a meeting for you guys until our child is born. I’m sorry to make it that way, but I see it as we all get what we want out of this.”
Calla looked to Jared, wondering what his reaction was to an offer like that. He was wide-eyed and already staring up at Calla. She knew how much he had wanted a child in his time, and how her having the option of having a child was important to him. Doing this would mean they could have a child of their own together. His hand rested on her cheek as he stared into her eyes, an entire conversation happening just locked into that eye contact. Jared’s thumb ran across the soft skin of her cheek. This could be their opportunity, and with having to get through Tessa’s pregnancy first, they would have time to think it over and become stronger as a couple before getting pregnant themselves. Within just a couple of minutes of silent communication, she knew they had their answer. Just like Tessa and Kristian couldn’t waste that opportunity, they couldn’t pass up an offer like that. She turned to Tessa and Kristian and nodded. “I’ll do it.”
* * *
The following week was filled with chaos and ever shifting plans. They had to find a clinic to get the entire process done, and visit so that Calla was prepared for the implantation of the embryo. The main bump in the road was getting ahold of another witch that would be willing to help, but thankfully, Benjamin was able to find one. Her name was Abigail, and just like Edna had suggested to find, she was the granddaughter of a council member. She was around thirty-five years old, and surprisingly enough, she was holding onto her youth quite well. Calder witches typically looked like senior citizens by her age from how hard the magic was on their bodies. Tessa couldn’t stop looking at her as she and Edna neared her, preparing to perform the spell on her. Abigail had such strong bone structure, reminding Tessa of a lioness or something of the sort. While the magic showed its wear in the fine lines around her eyes, that was the only damage it had done. Honestly, she was rather gorgeous. She had the air of a strong, independent woman that would be a force to be reckoned with. Honestly, Abigail was intimidating in appearance, but a deep sadness lingered in her eyes. Like Edna, she hadn’t liked the direction that the clan had gone in, and her final straw had been Bethany stepping into power. The depression that hung over her like a storm cloud was the loss of an entire family—a feeling that Tessa, as well as Calla, knew all too well.
Just as they laid their hands on Tessa’s shoulders, her eyes flickered across the room to the others that had come with her. Kristian, Benjamin, Jared, Calla, Morgan, Charley, and Cody all stood against the far wall, watching in a mixture of fascination, worry, and perplexity. Her eyes couldn’t help but lock onto Kristian’s, holding eye contact with him, trying to find the courage in the gaze that they shared. It was only broken when Edna spoke to her, “Are you ready child?”
Tessa could only nod in response. There were so many thoughts running through her head. Like the possibility of a Calder attack during the short time she was human, and not to mention Kristian. In a blink of an eye, both of their lives could end. It was ridiculous how much trust they were putting into two witches that they didn’t even know. She was thankful for the knowledge of the Calder language through Bethany’s rituals, so she would know they were at least performing the correct spell.
The two witches bowed their heads, and began to murmur the spell lowly to themselves. Tessa closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of her cold body. The incantation flowed breezily from their mouths. Within just a few minutes, Tessa could feel a heat prickling at her skin just beneath their hands. It wasn’t to the point of burning, and instead resembled more like the intensity of a heating pad.
It spread like a sunrise across the horizon, gradually touching every inch of her skin. Then, the warmth moved inward. When it seeped into her chest, it reminded her of the same warmth that a shot of liquor provided. Tessa became so lost in the sensations, that their words were bled into the background.
Like a flip of a switch, the peculiar and comforting sensations went from like a gentle rain, to a hurricane. The warmth was suddenly like a wildfire, surging through every molecule of her body. As it reached down to her bones, Tessa sucked in the largest breath of air that her lungs could take, gasping as though it was her first. She panted from the pain. In the distance, she could hear Kristian calling out to her, but it was deafened by the sudden violent thumping radiating through her body. Each pound felt like a blow to the chest. A pulse. A heartbeat. It was then that Tessa realized that she wasn’t actually burning, she was becoming body temperature. It was the sensation of life returning to her dead body. She could tell her heartrate was different. Instead of pounding like a constant drum, it puttered and skipped several beats before having a few consistent pounds. Would that what their child’s heart would be? Tessa did her best to remember every sensation, wanting to know what their child would go through. Her own heartbeat hummed in her head, cementing it to her memory.
As soon as it began, it ended. The moment their hands peeled away from her, Tessa crumbled to the floor like a house of cards. Exhaustion and ache consumed her, feeling raw in a harsh world. Kristian and the others rushed toward her. He kneeled right in front of her, lifting her head for her and looking deep into her coffee eyes. “Tessa, are you okay?”