Page 6 of Devotion

Chapter

Two

SUNDAY

Anticipation buzzed under my skin as I lit the final candle decorating my beautifully laid table. The guys had given me the day, as requested, and taken Eden to play with her grammy and Auntie Trouble. She was their little darling, and they spoiled her rotten. I loved it.

I’d spent the better part of the day cooking and preparing mysurpriseannouncement. Caleb and Kingston had promised me they wouldn’t spill the beans—again—and as far as I was aware, they’d honored that.

My hand shook slightly as I set out the mini envelopes with their names on them. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about their reactions to the news. Well, just one reaction. Kingston and Caleb were over the moon, and Alek had made it abundantly clear he wanted a full brood of babies. It was my other vampire I worried about.

Even though Noah was an amazing father, he hadn’t exactly been thrilled the last time he found out I was pregnant, and I didn’t think I could go through that again. It had nearly broken me the first time.

The house was filled with the aroma of my homemade lasagna and freshly baked bread I’d left warming in the oven, and I’d dimmed the lights and turned on some soft music to set the mood. Anyone would think I was trying to seduce them, but really, I just needed this to be special. I needed something to ease my fears as well. Try as I might, I couldn’t erase the trauma of giving birth to the harbinger of the apocalypse and nearly dying. Or of watching Caleb die in my arms.

A little shudder worked its way through me. I never wanted to go through that again.

My phone danced across the countertop in the kitchen as a call came through, jarring me out of my dark thoughts.

“Hey, Rosie. What’s up?” I asked after accepting the video call. I set my phone on the counter as I grabbed a corkscrew and began opening the bottle of red I’d gotten specifically for my vampires.

“I’m dying over here. Did you forget to call me? Did you tell them yet?”

“Rosie, you’re a vampire. You can’t die, remember?”

“Oh, hush. Just put me out of my misery. Do they know? Are they thrilled? Is Eden so excited she’s going to be a big sister?”

“Eden isn’t even two. I don’t think she cares one way or the other.”

“Sunday!” Rosie’s lips turned down in an expression I’d seen on her brother more times than I could count. I teased Noah endlessly about the Blackthorne frown.

I chuckled. “I haven’t told them yet. They should be here soon, though. The sun is going down, and dinner is ready.”

Rosie clapped her hands, her smile showing off her fangs. “You must tell me the moment they know so I cancongratulate my big brother and then share some news of my own.”

“What news?”

Rosie’s eyes sparkled with excitement just as her mate Ben came up behind her, pulling her back into his chest.

“D-did you tell h-her, sugar?” he murmured.

“Not yet. Would you like to do the honors?”

I knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth. There was no mistaking that look of male pride on his face as he grinned into the phone. I’d seen it too often on Kingston’s face not to recognize it.

“I h-hope you w-won’t mind s-sharing the spotlight this t-time, Sunday.” His smile widened. “We’re h-having twins.”

My heart swelled, and tears stung the backs of my eyes. Eden wasn’t going to be alone like I had, not by a long shot.

“That’s amazing! How far along are you?”

“Only just found out a few days ago.”

“I s-smelled it on her f-for about a w-week,” Ben admitted.

“But the handsome menace didn’t tell me. He wanted me to figure it out on my own.”

I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. “I wonder what that’s like. Kingston can’t help but shout it from the rooftop every time he figures it out.”

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