Page 64 of My Master
She shrugged. “If he was as strong as you say he was then that is the only reasonable explanation I can think of. Of course, I know very little of vampire mates except that they feel what their partner feels, so it was just a suggestion.”
Isis thought about it for a moment. While she couldn’t really see Caesareon having a mate the possibility was still there. And the most probable mate would have been Demetria.
Esmeralda said she had hit Demetria’s head against the concrete. Hadn’t Isis done the same thing to Caesareon? And hadn’t a lot of blood been produced from his injury? Had it been too much blood for such a little blow? Not to mention that, as Isis was killing him, he called out Demetria’s name and, Ezzy said, that Demetria had called out Caesareon’s name. Maybe they had died at the same time? Whatever the case, it was over with now and Isis tried not to fret over it.
“Thanks for listening.” She looked up into Anya’s eyes and, for the first time, noticed that they were the bright color of grass, flecked with brown, blue and, to her surprise, silver.
Anya touched a hand to Isis again and the sparks were back, fire entering her veins and piercing behind her eyelids. She gasped in amazement.What the hell?She wondered incredulously, but she was fascinated as well. What was this?
She had been told one time that when a vampire finds their Soul Mate that they know automatically because the first time they touch it’s like an icy fiery sensation all at once over the body for both parties. Is this what they meant?
The thought had Isis holding Anya’s gaze.
And then a baby’s cries interrupted her thoughts.
Isis jerked her head to Ezzy’s hospital door and stood up abruptly. “Her baby’s been born!” She walked towards the room. At the last minute she stopped and turned around. “Are you coming?” she asked.
Anya shook her head, remaining seated. “It is not my place, but I shall wait for you here.”
Isis gave a brisk nod and went inside, all thoughts of Caesareon and Demetria and armies and wars pushed from her mind as she walked through that door. The smell of new life hit her; the cries had diminished into soft whimpers, causing her to smile to herself. No, there would be no need to fret much over the past when her family was right here, right under her nose.
And she was planning on keeping them forever.
* * *
Antonio never thoughtthat childbirth would take that long or be quite as painful. Esmeralda’s face had gone a deep shade of red as she attempted to push. She squeezed his hand to the point where his entire left arm had gone numb.
He swiped away hair from her forehead in an encouraging gesture. “You can do it,querida,” he whispered, feeling anxiety down to his toes.
Ezzy let out one last cry before it was drowned out by the baby’s cries. Ezzy dropped her head back to the pillow with an intense sigh. Antonio squeezed her hand and turned to his child. The doctor was wiping away blood and residue from the child.
“Is it a girl?” Esmeralda asked a little weakly.
“It’s a boy…” the doctor announced proudly, handing him off to Antonio, wrapped in a little blanket. His child fit perfectly into his arms, settling instantly, and when he looked at him for the first time, he gasped. His son had wild untamable black curls matted around his head. And when he opened his eyes, Antonio was felt a jolt of surprise. His son’s eyes were a dark blue—darker than Esmeralda’s. Where hers were the deep ends of an ocean, their son’s eyes were a dark sky, the iris rimmed in dark black and red. He whimpered now, in Antonio’s arms, a soft pleasant sound that threatened to fill his eyes with tears.
“Hey, Squirt,” he smiled down at his son. “Wanna see your mommy?” He passed the baby on to Ezzy, who was all too eager to take him.
“God,” she whispered as tears fell from her eyes. “He’s so beautiful. Hi darling, hello.” She bent down to kiss his forehead and Antonio reveled at the sight of Ezzy holding their child.
“So much for the name ‘Josefina.’” Isis materialized at Ezzy’s side, still wrapped in a hospital blanket. “What will you name him?”
Ezzy tore her gaze from the baby and looked at Antonio for help. He knew she wanted him to choose…
He looked down. “Viktor,” he whispered. “Viktor Santiago.”
Ezzy smiled and looked back down at the baby, who studied her curiously. “Viktor,” she whispered, rocking him in her arms. “It’s perfect.”
“What, no middle name?” Isis mused.
Antonio shrugged and looked to Esmeralda. “Yes,” she said firmly. “Viktor Ignacio Santiago would be perfect.” She smiled. “Just perfect.”
* * *
It had beena month now and Viktor lay sleeping in his crib, snuggled up next to Tony Bear, the teddy bear that used to be Ezzy’s when she was a child. Her child was completely perfect in every way. He had his father’s curls and his mother’s eyes. Ezzy smiled with satisfaction and tucked the little blue blanket over his body. He stirred for a second, making noise then settled back in.
“Oh, Antonio.” She sighed, tears prickling her eyes. “He’s simply perfect.”
She had been so excited when the doctor announced they could leave the hospital, claiming that the baby was perfectly healthy and fine. At first she had been worried that there would be a problem, since Viktor didn’t even develop the full nine months before he decided to make an appearance.
