Page 60 of My Master
Victoria shrugged. “Next time you volunteer to stand guard for the patient, make sure you don’t fall asleep. I’m hungry, okay? And hospital food sucks.”
He growled something inaudible that Ezzy couldn’t quite hear but made Victoria laugh. Esmeralda sidestepped them and walked ahead, but not before catching the glare that Terrance shot her. Convincing Victoria that she was sorry was one thing. Convincing Terrance, on the other hand, was another matter entirely. And from the look on his face—well, it was obvious he wasn’t forgiving her any time soon.
* * *
“Ezzy’s pregnant,Isis. To be honest, I’m scared to death. I don’t know if I’ll be a good dad or not. I just—” He paused, searching for the right words for what he was feeling. “I just don’t want Ezzy to be disappointed in me. I don’t want to fail the kid.” He felt tears prickle the inside of his eyes but wouldn’t let them fall. He cleared his throat and reached for Isis’s hand, holding onto it, warming it. “I really do want this child,” he whispered. “We could name her after one of our mother’s. ‘Maria’ or ‘Katheryn’. Or we could name her after you and nickname her ‘Izzy’.”
“That’s a wonderful idea!” He turned, startled, to the doorway. Ezzy was standing there holding a bottle of blood, smiling with tears in her eyes.
He stood up abruptly.
“If we have a daughter we can name her after Isis! It’s perfect!” She wiped away tears from her cheeks. She gasped and put a hand to her stomach. Antonio was instantly worried and in front of her.
“What?”
Ezzy laughed. “Our kid is kicking, feel.” She grabbed his hand and placed it on her hard belly. His eyes widened. This was the first time he had touched her stomach and he could feel the little pulse of the baby underneath. He smiled. “Talk to her,” Ezzy encouraged.
Antonio hesitated only a moment before bending down and lifting her shirt up. Antonio kissed the bare skin on her stomach and whispered against her flesh. “Hey, Squirt,” he smiled. “It’s me, your daddy.” If he was honest with himself, he wasn’t even sure if the kid would hear him. He had heard that babies could hear the voices of their parents—even recognize them. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but there are just a few words of advice I want to give you.”
Peeking through his eyelashes up at Esmeralda, he saw her raise her eyebrows, but there was humor on her face. “I don’t know if you should be giving out advice; our child is sure to turn out a wreck.”
“Quiet, you,” he demanded and stroked her stomach. “Anyway, Squirt, a few words of advice: don’t argue with your mother, because she likes to be right, even if she’s wrong.”
“So not true!” Esmeralda argued.
“See, Squirt? She’s wrong, but you admit she’s right, every time.”
Esmeralda swatted at him playfully, but let him continue.
“Another thing, please don’t be sad that you can’t see the sun. You’re a vampire; you’ll turn to ashes, so it’s best if you just avoid it completely. Don’t be sad about it because, honestly, being a vampire has advantages: night vision, super senses, not to mention being a total bad ass.”
“Antonio, watch your language around my child.”
Antonio smiled and said one last thing to his child before standing up, “I can’t wait to hold you.” He stood and pulled Ezzy into his arms, holding her close to him. If he could, he would hold her there forever, relishing in that familiar smell; the smell of home and familiarity and love, always love.
“Antonio,” Ezzy whispered.
“Yeah?”
“I’m really happy.”
He smiled and brought her in for a kiss. “I’m happy too,” he mumbled against her lips.
“Okay, gag. If you guys are gonna make out get a room first. Particularly one that isn’t occupied with my sleeping corpse, please.”
Antonio turned and his heart danced wildly in his chest. Isis was sitting up, rubbing her eyes. Ezzy called out her name and ran to her bedside and threw her arms around her neck. Isis closed her eyes and held on to Ezzy.
“Glad to have you back.” Antonio smiled, making his way to the other side of the bed.
Isis released Ezzy but held her hand close. “I feel like shit,” Isis complained. “Did I roll around on pointy knives?”
Ezzy gave her a worried look. “Isis, don’t you remember?”
Isis laughed, a dry throaty sound. “I remember enough,” she said bitterly. “Please tell me Caesareon’s dead and will stay that way forever?”
Antonio nodded. “You killed him. The FBSI took his body and burned it, and they killed all of his little followers.”
Isis blinked. “All of them?”
