Gabriel nodded at him and cracked open the car door.
"Gabriel?"
He looked up at Halina as she stepped up to the car. Maybe it was a trick of the lights coming from the spacious windows of the home, or the mixing of every vampire's dimly glowing eyes, but Halina seemed...nervous as she approached him.
Maybe sensing that, Gabriel closed his door. "Yes, dear?"
Looking over at Teren and I, then Starla and Jacen, she lightly grabbed his hand, pulling him towards her. "May we...talk for a moment, before you go?"
Gabriel smiled widely, then nodded. "Of course."
They walked towards the house and I watched them curiously, wondering if Halina was about to break up with him. While she'd seemed like she'd decided to let him into her heart, the woman was a mystery and could have easily swung herself the other way. Maybe, since we no longer needed his assistance with me, she felt this was a good time to end things. I hoped not. Regardless of her worries, I knew that she loved him and love should be celebrated, not pushed away.
Teren and I watched Halina separate from Gabriel and then take a running leap to the top of the house. She landed effortlessly on her hangout, the covered section of the roof where we'd had our girl talk not too long ago. Gabriel looked up at her and smiled, then took a couple of steps and jumped. He landed as effortlessly as she had. I frowned that my attempt at that jump hadn't been nearly as graceful as the two of theirs.
Beside us, Starla giggled and I heard the rear car door slam shut. Glancing down at the dark car, the sounds of lip smacking resuming, I shook my head at the eager girl. Teren chuckled lightly then slung his arm around me. "I could tuck you in before I go?" he whispered in my ear.
I shook my head. "I don't think I'll be sleeping anytime soon." My hand covered my stomach, a tension knot forming. There was just no way to fall asleep after someone tells you that you only have twenty-four hours left to live. His pale eyes tracked the movement and he nodded. Sighing as I leaned into his side, I murmured, "I just want to stare at our children for awhile."
He nodded against my head, then led me into the house. As we silently walked up the stairs to the twins' room, conversations from the roof drifted down to me. I didn't really want to listen, it being a very private conversation and all, but blocking out sound wasn't always possible, and I was curious if Halina was going to end their relationship.
Climbing up the steps with my arm around Teren's waist, I heard Halina casually state, "I just wanted to tell you that I've...grown fond of you." I smiled and looked over at Teren; he smiled too, also listening. Halina sniffed and I pictured her standing tall and straight, her chin held high as she reluctantly poured her heart out. "I enjoy your company and miss you when you are gone."
I heard Gabriel's light steps as he approached where I sensed her. "I miss you too," he said quietly, a warmth in his voice that I didn't usually hear.
As Teren and I reached the top step, Halina's voice lost some of its casualness. Sounding much more like the teenager she resembled, she told Gabriel, "I may...have feelings for you."
Teren smiled wider and shook his head. She may? I was pretty certain that she did. Gabriel seemed certain too. "You may?" he asked softly. I pictured him cupping her cheek. I pictured her with tears in her eyes. Of course, she may have been smirking for all I really knew.
"Maybe...possibly..."
I smiled and bit my lip to not laugh at the normally confident woman. She would hear it, and I didn't want to disrupt her outpouring by embarrassing her, even though she wouldn't think twice about doing the same thing to me. She delighted in embarrassing me.
Approaching the door that my sleeping children were behind, I heard Gabriel laugh softly. "Are you trying to tell me that you are in love with me, Halina?"
I paused with my hand on the doorknob and looked up to the roof. Teren looked up as well as we both waited for her answer. In true Halina fashion, she scoffed at his question. "Of course not." I frowned at her stubbornness, but then I heard the distinct sound of a kiss. After that, she muttered, "Maybe...I don't know."
Teren looked over at me, smiling as he nodded at the closed bedroom door. Silently, I twisted the knob. A patch of light from the hallway highlighted the sleeping bundles in the large bed they shared. Spike had come with us again this trip and he was in his favorite place, huddled between them. He lifted his head at us as we stood in the doorway, then lowered it, his bushy tail slightly wagging at his master's return.
Teren sighed contently as he watched the chests of our children rise and fall, almost simultaneously as they obliviously slept. Unaware of just what had transpired tonight, they held hands across Spike's body. Tears sprang to my eyes as I watched our tiny miracles slumber. Whatever price I had to pay to remain with them, I would. Teren clenched my hand tighter, kissing my head as we watched the lives we'd brought into the world.
From up above us, I heard Gabriel sigh at Halina. "I...have developed feelings for you too, feelings I never expected to feel again. You have...taken me by surprise, Halina. I do believe that I am in love with you."
A wide smile broke out on my face as I looked over at Teren. He smiled and tilted his head, listening for his great-grandmother's response to an outright declaration of love. I nearly wanted to cross my fingers that she'd finally admit it back to Gabriel.
"I...I..." She paused for so long that I'd have sworn that she'd jumped off of the roof, if I couldn't still feel her up there. Sighing, she finally said, "I will miss you. I wish I could help you clean up the mess you've been left with."
I shook my head at her and Teren shrugged. Some things Halina was just not ready for. Admitting love was one of them. Gabriel lightly laughed again, not at all bothered that she still couldn't say it. If anything, Gabriel was exceedingly patient. "It is nearly dawn, my love, you cannot come with me. But, as soon as I...settle some things, I will return to you."
I heard light kissing, then Halina murmured, "I suppose I should stay here anyway, at least until Emma is safe. I wouldn't want her to die on my watch." I frowned as I looked up at where she was. Teren let out a soft chuckle and I switched my frown to him. Halina's seeming indifference to me was sort of a joke around the house. But I understood enough about Halina to not take offense to it anymore. Well, most of the time anyway.
Returning my gaze to my children, I heard Gabriel chuckle and lightly kiss her again.
Chapter 9 One Last Supper
When Halina and Gabriel finished up with their touching moment on the roof, Teren blurred down to drive Gabriel to our place. Smiling as I listened to Gabriel break up Starla and Jacen's canoodling, I heard Halina tenderly wish him a safe trip home. As Teren's vehicle departed along with Gabriel's, I heard Halina sigh, nearly with content.
In the silence of the sleeping household, I told her, "I'm glad you didn't break up with him, Halina. You two are good together." I smiled as I thought about how similar they were. Both had been alone for a long time, having lost their respective loved ones ages ago, Gabriel even longer than Halina. Both were the protectors of their families and both could be ruthless when they needed to be. Yet, in this, in falling in love again, they were equally new and inexperienced. Almost...innocent.
Halina scoffed, blurring into the doorway beside me. "Well, I do enjoy having intercourse with him." She sniffed. "I wasn't ready to give that up yet."
Like I said...almost innocent.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at her as I stared at my children. I could feel Teren pulling away from me in my head and sighed softly, hoping he hurried back to me. The warmth of our reuniting would help ease the growing knot of anticipation in my belly. My head couldn't stop mentally ticking off the moments. Every heartbeat I had, every breath I took, every second of time I felt passing by, was one less that I'd have...alive.
Silently watching me, Halina tilted her head, her dark hair flowing down her bare arm in the strapless dress she was wearing. "Are you freaking out?" she asked curiously.
Frowning at her, I shook my head and crossed my arms over my belly, subtly pressing in that ball of tension. "No, of course not. I know I'll be fine."
I lifted my chin, but even I felt the lie in my declaration. She surprisingly put a hand on my shoulder. "My own transformation was different from what you'll be facing, but after having watched Imogen and Alanna go through the torment, I'd be fearful of it, if I was about to experience it."
My eyes widened as the ball in my stomach grew considerably larger. Was that supposed to make me feel better? Noting my features, my accelerated heart, she shrugged. "I don't believe in coddling you. This will be painful." She raised an eyebrow. "But it is only pain and you have overcome far worse. I know you can do this, Emma."
Nodding my head at her, I actually did feel a little comforted. Looking in on my children, she smiled softly. "I'm going down to my room." Looking back at me, she gave me a serious expression. "Enjoy every moment of your last day as a human." Shaking her head, she whispered, "You won't get another."
I gave her a swift hug, even though she didn't look to be asking for one from me, then watched her languidly head down to her rooms below the earth. Once her presence was settled downstairs, I walked into my kids' bedroom. Needing to feel connected to the people that made this scary process worth having, I crawled into bed with them.
Spike shifted to lie at our feet as I nestled in-between them. Disturbing them only temporarily, I felt Nika murmur, "Hi, Mommy," across my skin as she wrapped her little arms over me. Julian muttered the same as he wrapped himself around me too. Closing my eyes, I inhaled their scent: the grass, the dirt, the baby shampoo, and the distinct essence of them. It calmed me, and that horrid knot melted away.
The next morning Teren and I filled in the rest of the family on what had happened the evening before. Imogen and Alanna were sympathetic, each giving me long hugs as we discussed my fate over breakfast. Trying not to worry, I watched my children build houses out of their French toast. I wasn't hungry, but I made myself eat. I knew that this was the last breakfast I was ever going to have, so I wanted to enjoy it. I savored every bite that I made myself take.
Jack sighed and put a hand over mine as I popped a slice of bacon in my mouth. "I'm very sorry for what you'll be going through, Emma." His warm brown eyes clearly showed that while he adored his vampiric family, he had no desire to go through it. He had no desire to become one.
I rested my hand over his, locking in the memory of how similarly warm our skin was. "Thank you, Jack."
He nodded, his eyes glassier than normal. Shifting his gaze to his wife, he asked her, "Should I stay the night somewhere else then?"
Alanna immediately nodded, her eyes protective. She didn't look at me, but I wanted to vow to her, on my very soul, that I'd never hurt him. I couldn't though. Having watched Teren suffer through it, I knew that there was a very good possibility that I might go after Jack. I hung my head at the thought. My next one immediately brought my eyes back up.
"The children!"
My panicked eyes flew to them. I could clearly hear their heartbeats, even across the table from me. Surely, they would seem appetizing to a creature literally dying of thirst? Hadn't Halina confessed that she'd nearly killed Imogen? The thought of harming them made bile rise in my throat. My trembling hand covered my mouth just as Teren rubbed his hand over my back. The combination gave me chills.