Undying Love

by JD Penley

  They spent the next few months up until the delivery preparing for the baby’s arrival. Lucas took great care of Eryn and kept a close watch on her health to ensure there would be no complications. In his spare time, he took the time to write a spellbook of sorts to guide their daughter when she became old enough to learn to use magic. He used a spell to bind the book so that she could not open it until her sixteenth birthday so that she would be old enough to understand and he would have time to explain things as he did for Alice when she was younger. He hoped that this time he wouldn’t have to explain things sooner than planned and that she would be afforded the chance to grow up and make the choice on her own if she wanted to become a vampire the way he had hoped for Alice. Eryn and Alice prepared the nursery as they counted down the days until Eryn’s due date. Galen and Lucas put together the furniture and hung decorations, while Eryn and Alice picked out all the necessities for the baby’s room. Lucas and Galen painted the nursery just a few short weeks before the due date and set up everything so it was ready for the baby’s arrival. Everyone was excited, especially the children. Jaidyn couldn’t bear to wait another day and he was so excited to meet his new baby sister, and Alice was just happy to be able to help with delivering the baby so she could be a part of her father’s happiness. Lucas pulled Alice aside to speak with her to make sure she was ok with everything that was happening. “Alice, are you sure you’re ok with all of this?” Lucas asked. “Of course I am daddy, why wouldn’t I be?” Alice replied. “I just don’t want you to think that you’re any less my daughter because Eryn and I are having a child together little one” Lucas replied. “Oh daddy, nothing could ever change that. I know that you’re still going to love me like you always have and I am happy for you both. I know that this baby doesn’t replace me, she’s just the little sister I always wanted but I had to wait for. Now I have her and Jaidyn, so I have the family I always wanted just like you did” she replied as she hugged him. “I’m happy you feel that way my dear, little Leliana will need all the guidance she can get in the ways of this world, and who better than her big sister. I’m so proud of you Alice, the woman you’ve become, how successful you’ve become, and how you’ve grown since I first brought you home. I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter than you, and I only hope Leliana follows in your footsteps and wants to help others just as you did” Lucas replied. “She has you for a dad, and Eryn for a mom, so she’s either going to help others or become a warrior just like mom was. Either way she can help people, it’s just a matter of finding the way to do so. I chose this path because I had you as an example daddy, and I wanted to be just like you so I became a doctor like you used to be. Leliana has you both and I’m always here to help you both. She has everything she needs in this house, and she has us all to help her” Alice replied.

  The final days up until the baby’s birth seemed to move slowly, and Lucas took advantage of it. He spent his days frantically preparing everything for the baby’s arrival. He made sure all the finishing touches on her room were completed, packed the bags for the trip to the hospital, and made sure everyone knew their role so that everything would go smoothly. Eryn explained how everything would happen without too much detail and let Jaidyn know that Krystal and Galen would be watching him while they were gone and they would be bringing his new baby sister home very soon. Jaidyn was excited at the prospect of being the big brother, and it brought such joy to Eryn knowing that he was ready to be a big brother. She had worried just like Lucas had that he might react differently to news that he was no longer the baby of the family. To their surprise he was excited and ready to pitch in to help as if he were older than his actual age. Lucas and Eryn were both proud of him and the way he was so ready to step up to be her protector and how happy he was to become a big brother. Alice was excited too. She now had a little brother and soon-to-be baby sister and she felt whole, and happy that she finally had a family like she always hoped for since she was a little girl staring out the window of the orphanage. Galen and Krystal were excited to become an uncle and aunt once more since they got married, and Galen was excited to see and hold a newborn baby as he never had the experience as a warrior in the past. Krystal hoped that seeing and holding a newborn would make him want a child with her sooner rather than later even though she was happy to travel the world and raise Susan with him in the meantime. Galen hid his fears well, but Lucas could sense them even when he was trying his hardest to hide his thoughts. “You seem a bit nervous brother, something on your mind?” Lucas asked. “It’s just that this baby has gotten everyone excited, including Krystal and I don’t want to let her down. She’s being so patient with me, and waiting for me to be ready to have a baby with her, but I’m terrified Lucas. I don’t know what kind of father I’d be, or if I’d even be any good at it. Susan is easy, she’s already past the hardest stages and I missed that part. I’ve always been a warrior, and this whole father thing scares the life out of me” Galen replied. Lucas chuckled before putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Relax Galen, you’ll do just fine. Take a deep breath, and remember who you are and where you are. You are among family here, and you will never do it alone. You were a warrior, but you don’t have to be one anymore. The only thing that will need protecting now is the children, until they are old enough to choose for themselves if they want to live forever. Let go of your fears brother, this is a task you would not be undertaking alone. If you truly have the desire to be a father, then know that you will always have your family behind you and your wife beside you, and that is all the preparation you will need” Lucas replied. “Thank you once again, Lucas, you’re a great brother. I don’t know what I’d do without you” Galen said as he hugged his brother. “You shall never have to find out Galen” Lucas replied.

  Galen felt a newfound sense of confidence and his fears had been laid to rest, and Lucas felt a sense of pride that he could be there for his brother. They had become close in such a short amount of time that you’d never know that they didn’t grow up together. Lucas and Galen shared a bond that Galen had only had with a few of his closest men when he was still protecting the kingdom against the dark wizard, and all of those men died at the wizards hands. Galen cherished his brother even more because of this and Lucas knew how much it meant to him to be able to come to him for advice. Lucas had always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling as he spent centuries thinking he was alone, and now he had Galen in his life and it was as if all those years alone faded away. It was odd for him to think back on his life and all the years he had spent in solitude and in pain wondering what it would be like to have a family, siblings, and for his mother and father to still be around and now he finally had all of that. Life was strange that way, a mysterious story that goes on one chapter at a time with the next one always unwritten. For Lucas, the majority of his story had been filled with sorrow, tragedy, and loss followed by loneliness up until the day he found Alice. The day he took her home his life changed for the better and the darkness slowly crept away as he spent his days trying to keep it away from her life. He spent so much time trying to make her happy and to help her live a happy life to forget about her sorrow that he forgot his own problems, and now he had everything he had ever hoped for. Soon, he would be a father for the first time in a way that humans take for granted every day and he still couldn’t believe how far his journey had taken him. After more than four centuries he went from normal man to immortal, common man to prince of a kingdom, lonely and miserable to happily married, and father of one amazing woman to now a soon to be father of three children. He thought back to the day he first attempted to take his own life and he couldn’t believe that he was ever so lost now that he had everything he had ever hoped for. He felt a sense of shame that he could have ever let himself fall so far that he would give up, and yet it was the reason he was still here. After more than four centuries on this world, he had everything, and he would never let go of that again.

  Alice had grown so much since the day he fir
st saw her sad lonely eyes from the rooftops. She was no longer that sad and lonely girl that cried herself to sleep at night. She had blossomed into a beautiful young woman with a fierce intelligence and a heart of gold. Lucas was so proud of her and the woman she had become. She was kind, loving, and loyal and she put others before herself which made her an amazing doctor. When she wasn’t constantly trying to take the kids so that everyone could get a break, she was picking up the slack that was left behind at the hospital after Leliana’s death. She had become one of the most highly sought after doctors and was respected by all of her peers, including those with more experience. Lucas saw himself in her, the way that she constantly came to the aid of others or offered to help people so that they themselves could have a chance to sit back and enjoy life. She was selfless, and he was so grateful that he had her for a daughter. Although he had hoped that she would get the chance to make the choice for herself on immortality, he was glad that he wouldn’t have to watch her grow old and die. His greatest fear as he came to terms with his immortality over the years at the beginning was always watching those he cared for grow old and die, leaving him inevitably alone for eternity, and yet now he was surrounded by his family, something that he never thought he would have. Deep down Lucas hoped that one day Alice could find love just as he did, so that she could have those same things. He hoped that one day she would find someone that would spark in her the same fire that he felt for Eryn, that she would find someone that could be for her what Eryn was for him. Eryn was his rock, his partner, his lover, and his best friend. Lucas wished that one day Alice would find true love as he had, and that she would know the joys of becoming a mother and having someone to love her the way that Eryn loved him. He had already been granted his greatest wish for her, that she would grow up to be happy, healthy, and successful. She had become more than he had ever hoped for, and her birth mother would have been proud of the woman she had become if she had not died when she was a child.

  Of all the happy moments in his life, Lucas didn’t think he could be any happier than he was in this moment. He had everything he had always dreamed of and more. He had a happy family, two children that loved him and that he loved as his own, a brother he never knew he had and he had his mother and father back in his life. Being a prince was just a bonus and something he never expected, but he preferred his life on Earth. Ruling over a kingdom felt like something that he couldn’t do regardless of how much his father believed in him. He was happy as a writer and a father, with a publishing company where his employees were happy and they loved what they did. They were like a family to him, and it was like his own kingdom on Earth, but he didn’t rule over them, they were a team. He enjoyed bringing stories to people and writing them, and ruling a kingdom would keep him from doing that. Even with everything he had, and no matter how happy he thought he was, nothing would prepare him for what was to come. The days seemed to fly by as the due date approached, and everything was falling into place perfectly. Lucas was calm for the first time when it came to planning ahead, because he had made sure to get everything ready and had checked it every day for the last several weeks ensuring everything was packed and ready for the moment it was time for the baby to be born. He had worked with Galen and the nursery had been painted, decorated, and everything was perfectly in place and was just awaiting the arrival of little Leliana Grace. While he was worried about how he would do as a new father and how he would handle raising a newborn, Eryn assured him he would be amazing at it. Like all of his fears or doubts she pushed this one aside with ease. No matter what he felt, or how scared he could possibly be, she was always his biggest fan and his biggest supporter. She believed in him in a way that no one ever had, and she gave him the strength and courage to do anything even when he felt he would fail. With her by his side, there was nothing he couldn’t do, and that is why he had no reason to be worried about failure or if everything would be perfect this time. For this time he was ready for anything with her by his side.

  Sixteen

  A Royal Bundle of Joy

  After months of planning and waiting, the day had finally come. Both Alice and Lucas had been timing contractions, checking vitals, and using their vampire hearing to check the baby’s heartbeat. Everything had been planned perfectly with backup plans for anything that could possibly happen. Everyone was excited about baby Leliana’s arrival, but none more so than Lucas and Eryn. This was their first child together, and the first time he would get to have a child and watch them grow from the day they were born. Lucas would finally have everything he had ever wanted and he didn’t think he could ever be happier than he was in those moments leading up to that moment, but he would soon find out just how wrong he was. They took the chopper into the city to the hospital where Alice worked, and she had called ahead to let them know they would be arriving soon. Lucas dropped everyone off and he and Galen quickly flew the chopper nearby to his normal drop off where he had a driver waiting for them. They raced back to the hospital, the driver weaving through traffic with ease as they rushed back trying to make it before baby Leliana was born. They arrived with time to spare, just as they were taking Eryn to her room. Alice and her team were ready and waiting and they had Lucas get scrubbed in to assist with delivery. Eryn was relaxed and at ease thanks to Lucas and Alice. Alice had spent weeks going over how things were done on Earth since the last time she was here and how technology had changed when it came to childbirth. Lucas had been there with her every step of the way, holding her hand, and indulging her cravings by taking her hunting at night to feed her thirst before the baby was due. He stayed by her side and took care of everything for her, allowing her all the rest she needed. Jaidyn helped as well, running to get pillows or blankets whenever mommy needed them. Everyone had been more than happy to chip in and now she was more relaxed than she ever thought possible.

  After a few hours of labor, Leliana Grace was born. She was eight pounds six ounces, and perfectly healthy and beautiful. Lucas was smitten at once, and he was hypnotized the moment his eyes met hers. He could immediately sense the magic within her, and it was as if she could speak to him without saying a word. Her eyes were like a mirror of her mother’s and Lucas could see that she would grow up to be just as beautiful as her as well. Her power was undeniable to him, and through her eyes, he could peer through time and see that she would grow up to do great things, but he wouldn’t dare look too long for fear he might spoil the opportunity to see her grow up for himself. He saw so much of himself and Eryn in her. She had her mother’s eyes and her smile and he could sense she had his strength and his power. He had seen enough of her future to know that she would need to be protected and taught how to use magic responsibly to hide it from the humans. Magic had not been used on Earth in millennia, and the humans were not ready for the revelation that magic was real, let alone that vampires really walked the earth. He knew he would have to teach her in secret and show her how to hide her abilities. Lucas was already head over heels over her and Eryn was too. She was crazy about her the moment she saw her and she knew that Jaidyn was going to love her. There was a glow about her as if her very presence in the room could bring about a calmness that was unexplainable to anyone that was oblivious to magic or their kind. Leliana was quiet, content to take in the room, look into the sea of faces and take in the sights and sounds of the room. Lucas could tell that she was taking everything in, processing it, and trying to understand everything even as a newborn. Her power and her curiosity were far beyond anything that he had anticipated, and he was certain now that she may even be able to surpass even him one day.

  Thanks to her vampire abilities, Eryn’s recovery time was shorter than anyone ever to come in for childbirth at the hospital. Luckily for her, Alice had seen to it that she was the only one to be in the room for the delivery so no one knew how quickly she healed. Thanks to Lucas’s time as a doctor in the past, he was allowed to assist Alice, which allowed them to keep anyone else from knowing their secret. They carried on as humans wou
ld and waited to be discharged to avoid arousing suspicion, and they returned home with baby Leliana safely. Lucas and Eryn got Leliana settled into her nursery and brought Jaidyn to meet her. He was like them, smitten from the moment he laid eyes on her. He wanted to hold her desperately, so they sat him down and placed her gently in his arms. He rocked her slowly and as he held her, she reached up and touched his cheek. He laughed and she giggled in return, and Lucas and Eryn looked at each other and tears began to well up in their eyes. She was everything they had hoped for, and Lucas could sense how happy she was. He was amazed by her, her ability to take in everything around her, and how such a small fragile little being could bring such immense joy to him. He had been wrong before, thinking that he couldn’t be any happier. He had everything he had ever hoped for, but he didn’t count on this tiny little girl bringing him such joy. He had even more than he ever imagined, and more than he could have ever thought he deserved. He had Eryn, Alice, Jaidyn, and now Leliana, along with Krystal and Galen, and Susan he had a family larger than he had ever imagined. He had his company, his family was now complete and he was about to complete yet another novel. Everything was working out for him in ways he could never have imagined. Jaidyn would come and talk to Leliana every day before and after school and he would sing to her at night as he rocked her in her bassinette. Alice would come and visit her and help change diapers or take her at times to give Lucas and Eryn a break, but they were never far away from their little girl. Lucas would sit with her for hours holding her in one arm while writing with his free hand. She would stare at him as if she were trying to read his thoughts, to understand what he was doing, and he would stop and smile at her inquisitive nature. He could sense she was taking in everything, every sight, every sound, every smell, and trying to gather as much information as she could possibly process even for her to be a newborn. She was the first of her kind much as he was, a baby born to vampire parents, and born with magic in a world that had been void of it for millennia. He worried that someone might discover her secret one day and that humans might discover that vampires and magic were not just something from fiction, but a reality to be exploited for personal gain. Lucas knew that he would have to take every possible precaution to protect her, but that wouldn’t stop him from enjoying every moment he could with this precious child.