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“Judging from what you’ve told me and what I can see, you’re nearly twelve weeks along in average human terms. Everything seems to be in order, although they seem smaller than most twelve-week babies. But other than that, a healthy baby is growing as he or she should,” she gushes, then turns her head to face us, and her smile drops. “Gosh, did I say something wrong?!”
Katherine has both her hands covering her face and is silently sobbing into them while our child’s heartbeat echoes through the room. This was all she wanted; to know whether or not our baby is healthy and now she has her answer.
“I’ll give you two a minute,” Autumn says after she’s wiped the gel from Katherine’s belly and packed everything away. “I’ll be right outside.”
The door closes and Katherine falls into my arms; her tears of relief land on my shoulder and I can hear her breathing out a pent-up sigh. Autumn’s checkup has put her at ease. That’s all that matters right now.
“Feel better now, little lamb?” I ask and kiss her hair.
“It’s pushed my worries away, yes,” she says in a muffled voice, sniffing. “He’s small, but he’s healthy - that’s all that matters.”
I knew that Autumn would be able to put her worries to bed, and I wasn’t wrong at all. After another meeting with her giving us a run down of Katherine’s results, we left and set off for the mansion again.
Katherine is quiet during the ride back. She cradles her belly with a content smile on her face for the first time in ages. I wonder if she knows how beautiful she looks when she’s like this. I doubt she’ll believe me if I had to tell her, anyway.
We walk into the estate with a full moon shining bright above us, illuminating everything in its path. A few weeks ago we stained this place with Pureblood vampire blood. Its residue has only recently left after permeating everything.
Our lives almost ended on this spot. I think it’s only fair that it starts up here again.
I stop walking and Katherine looks at me with a furrowed brow. “Is everything okay?”
Taking both her hands in mine, I kiss them and breathe out a sigh. “I almost lost you right here that night; I almost lost both of you here,” I say as flashes of those horrid moments play over and over in my mind.
She cups my face and kisses my lips gently. “And we came out stronger for it, didn’t we?”
“We did, but even though I regret what I put you through, there’s one thing that I regret above all,” I say while quietly removing the object from my pocket and dropping to one knee. “I regret not giving you this under the right circumstances.”
My mother’s ring glistens in my hand as I hold it in front of her left ring finger. Her free hand covers her mouth in surprise and out of the corner of my eye, I can see Valentine, Church, and Xenia standing on the stone balcony watching us.
“The moment I had a taste of you, I knew you were mine even if my mind fought against what I wanted. For years I kept the spot next to me reserved for the woman the Goddess Nyx chose for me, only to unwittingly invite her into it. You had my heart the second our eyes met, little lamb; now will you make me the happiest fucking undead man and become my queen?”
I hate seeing her cry, but knowing that it’s tears of happiness make it all the more sweeter.
“Yes!” she nods and I slip the ring on her finger once more.
This time it’s not ever coming off unless it’s to give it to my son to hand to his Fated. She throws her arms around my neck and, for the second time that evening, she sobs into the nape of my neck.
NOW everything is perfect; I have my Fated and my child is healthy. What more could I ask for?
* * *
“You didn’t want a big wedding?” Xenia asks when she sees the added bands on my engagement ring and I nod.
“I just wanted the papers signed and everything to be over with. Besides, I have so much more planned now, I doubt I would have had time to plan a wedding,” I say, looking down at the legal confirmation papers in my hands.
It’s been a long two months, but it’s finally happening; St Louise de Marillac Home is opening. I decided to devote my life to making it up to orphaned children and widows of the supernatural; all of the people I killed and families I left destitute. It’s the least I can do to give back.
“I still can’t believe you’ve started this,” Xenia says, smiling down at the paperwork. “I’m really proud of you.”
I beam at her words. “Thank you. I’m giving birth soon and knowing that hunters are leaving some kids without parents just doesn’t sit right with me. We did this all without knowing the damage we were causing, so it’s only fair that we repay them this way.”
“And how do you feel about that? Are you nervous?” she asks and gestures to my belly. “Looks like they’re on a growth spurt right now.”
I agree with her on this; the baby has grown immensely over the last few weeks and since I am two weeks shy of my due date, he or she lets it know that they’re ready to join us.
“I don’t think I’ll stop being nervous,” I chuckle, rubbing my swollen belly. “But I have Gabriel as my rock, so I think everything will be fine. I’ll have to wing the mother thing, though.”
Xenia shakes her head. “I think it will come naturally to you. If anyone can be the perfect mother, it's you, Kat,” she says before sighing and getting to her feet. “We should get going before Church comes looking for us again.”
