My eyes follow the nurse as she carries the baby across the room to be weighed and checked out by the doctor. But the nurse is right – everything went well, and the baby looked fine to me. I don’t anticipate any problems. “You lucky thing,” Ella murmurs, sitting down next to me and holding her h
Cora “He’s amazing,” Roger says, beaming as he raises his head look at me in wonder. “I didn’t – damn it, Cora, I didn’t know I could love someone this much –“ “What about me!?” “Someone besides you,” Roger says, rolling his eyes. “You’re my mate, Cora, obviously that’s different.” “
“What a little tiger,” Sinclair murmurs, grinning at Jesse and running a broad palm over the baby’s head. “May I?” Henry asks, eager to meet his grandson. And Sinclair smiles, waiting patiently as Ella darts over to lift Rafe out of Henry’s arms so that Jesse can take the place of honor. “We
Cora “Well,” Hank says, sighing contentedly as he wraps an arm around Sarah’s shoulders. “With Ella here in the city able to patch up anyone pretty much instantly and cure a variety of diseases just by holding people’s hands, there’s not as much use for me here.” “Oh!” Ella squeaks, and I l
“You might have to,” Sinclair says, raising his eyebrows. “I’ve heard the packs in the northern provinces are very tight-knit and have…strange magics.” “I’ve heard that too,” Hank says, nodding. “Their healing practices are said to be quite unique. I’m very interested to learn from them.” “W
It takes a little over two hours, but finally the last of the doctors leaves, the door clicking shut behind them. “Finally,” Roger sighs, falling back into the linens of the freshly-changed bed. “Now we just have to get our stupid family to leave and we’ll get some sleep –“ “Excuse me,” I sa
“Oh,” I scold, giving him a light smack on the chest. “They will. Besides, shut up, I want to watch this…” And the two of us lean forward as Sinclair sits Rafe on the bed, letting him lean forward and continue to reach for the baby. “Lay them down,” Ella says softly, her voice a little awed,
Ella I see a yawn stretch over Cora’s face and immediately start to get to my feet. “You’re exhausted,” I say, “we’ll let you get some rest –“ “No,” Roger says, suddenly a little frantic again. “You guy can’t leave – what if – what if the baby cries and Cora sleeps through it – I have no ide
He shakes his head at me as tears fill his own eyes and he leans forward, pulling me against him while somehow miraculously managing not to crush our children between us as he holds me tight in his arms. “So, I guess it wouldn’t matter,” he murmurs against my hair as I sniff back my tears and nod.
“Even more than the kids!?” I gasp, my mouth falling open a bit. “I mean, the kids,” he says, shrugging as if they’re not much, which makes me laugh. But then he goes a little rigid as he realizes something, raising his eyes to glare at me a bit. “Wait, are you saying you like the kids more than m
Ella “Nope,” Sinclair says, heaving himself out of bed and grabbing his phone off the bedside table as he does. “I can’t live like this, Ella – I’m calling Roger, I’ve got to know –“ “Dominic!” I say, laughing and grabbing for him, trying to catch the edge of his pajamas and failing because I’v
She laughs and I look first at Sinclair, who shrugs, and then back at my sister. “Come on,” Roger says, nodding at the crowds of people waiting to congratulate us and at the small table of refreshments. “Let’s decide this over some champagne.” Sinclair nods at me and I sigh, moving with my famil
The last image, though, lingers. Ariel, with Rafe and Jesse on either side – as they always are – and her two mates behind her. All standing together on a battlefield with Ariel at the center, magic welling between her hands and passing to her brother, to her cousin. Their faces are serious as t
Cora The images of Ariel’s future come in quick flashes, and somehow I get the impression that the Goddess is eager to share these glimpses of her life. The ones that come first are what I sort of expected, especially after seeing some images of Rafe’s childhood and hearing about the ones that
“We are not,” Cora scoffs, gently taking Ariel into her arms as Sinclair and I laugh. Roger grins, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek before passing Jesse to me. “You know I’m kidding, right, Ells?” he whispers. I smile at my brother-in-law and gently pat his cheek. “When in doubt, Roger,”
Ella Three weeks later – Ariel was born under a waning quarter moon, not a new moon like her brother and her cousin – I stand anxiously in the woods, my little girl held tight in my arms. “I’m sensing some anxiety,” Cora says, grinning at me with a little too much glee as she comes up to my sid
“Oh my god,” I say, the words spilling out of my mouth. “Oh my god,” I sit up straight, staring at Henry, my eyes flicking to his legs – because honestly, I don’t even notice his chair anymore, or think of him at all as someone whose abilities are hindered. Or of me as someone who is able to do an