Chapter 1- Sacrifice
I held Kiya's hand, and my breath, as I watched Carlisle work.
"Alright Kyle, take a deep breath for me." He instructed listening to his breaths, needing no stethoscope. He looked exactly the same as I remembered him thirteen years ago. His golden eyes the same shade as his hair, his perfect face in no way mirroring his age.
My first encounter with him I was shocked into silence, though this was Carlisle's first time meeting my children, my three year old son looked at him as if his stunning beauty were completely natural. Kyle kicked his legs nonchalantly breathing in and out.
Kyle and Asima had both been sick lately and even though their primary physician had assured us that their fevers and other flu like symptoms were easily remedied with antibiotics, I wanted a supernatural second opinion.
Kiya, even though she had never become a shape shifter herself, was from Jennah, and that worried me. I begged Asima and Ness to bring Carlisle along for their bi-yearly visit to Florida. Even though they felt like I was overreacting they promised to ask anyway.
I was relieved when Carlisle called letting me know that him and Esme were planning on heading west anyway, and he would stop by a week before to give Kyle and Asima checkups. If there were any abnormalities in their heart rate, growth rate, blood, even scent, he would know.
"Alright Kyle you are finished." Carlisle smiled helping him down from the kitchen table. Kyle smiled and stared up at him. Not an ounce of fear, but as if he were magic, the first time he noticed the difference.
"Okay little Asima, it's your turn." Esme said walking into the kitchen with my daughter on her hip, placing her on the kitchen table before taking Kyle by the hand leading him out of the kitchen. "Let's go play with your blocks Kyle." She suggested as he more than willingly followed her.
I held my breath again as I watched Asima get her physical. She held out her tongue, letting Carlisle use a depressor to get a closer look, requiring no light.
"Hmm" Carlisle's forehead creased looking harder.
My heart stopped and Kiya's hand tightened around mine, trying to ease my panic. "Is something wrong Dr. Cullen?" Kiya asked calmly, which surprised me because I was panicked beyond the ability to form words.
"Well I can see a hint of reddening in the back of her throat. Might turn into "strep" soon. I want to change her antibiotic to a different one, try to get it before it gets to that point." He answered just as calmly. "Alright you're done." Carlisle smiled helping her down. She barely hit the floor before she was running back out to join Esme and Kyle.
Kiya let go of my hand to stand near Carlisle, continuing their conversation. "So other than a little redness, everything's alright?" She asked leaning against the table, crossing her arms. She bit bottom lip, staring at him with attentive green eyes, listening, as he spoke.
"Yes Kiya, they are perfectly fine. Heart, lungs, both normal. No abnormalities that I can tell. They're just a little under the weather. To be honest I would worry if they didn't get sick." He reassured handing her a prescription.
Hearing that, I felt better, and melted from my panic, rejoining at my wife's side. "Thank you Carlisle," Now that it was over I felt foolish. "I'm sorry to take you out of your way." I apologized.
"Not at all, you're a parent, it's natural to worry, and you have a little more reason than most." He was overly kind.
Esme entered the dining room silently, if Carlisle didn't turn to acknowledge her I wouldn't have even known she was there. She held her hands together apologetically, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but the sun has gone down now. If we want to make it to Denali by tomorrow, we'll need to leave."
"I'm sorry it's so soon, but we must make our leave, we have quite a ways to travel." Carlisle said packing his medical bag back up.
"Oh of course, we didn't mean to keep you." Kiya apologized.
"Oh no, not at all, were glad to help" Esme answered following us towards the front door.
"We appreciate it Carlisle." I thanked him again shaking his cool hand.
"Thanks for coming Mrs. Cullen." Kiya thanked hugging her, not fazed by the temperature.
"Anytime dear. They really are angels." She smiled watching them play with their blocks.
Asima put down her blocks, standing up, her coal black hair already to her back. She ran over to Carlisle hugging his leg. This shocked me because she usually had to warm up to strangers. "Bye bye Dowckter Cuwen." She smiled up at him.
"Good bye Asima and Kyle." He laughed.
We all shared a laugh, as she went to hug Esme. Esme knelt down to hug her, "Good bye precious Asima, goodbye Kyle." She smiled before getting back up and disappearing out the door with Carlisle.
Later that night, while washing the dishes and Kiya giving the twins their baths I received a call from Asima.
"How did it go?" She asked with a smile in her voice.
"Like you don't already know?" I answered sarcastically waiting for the 'I told you so speech'
"Alright I do but I know no action is an overreaction when it comes to your children." She explained. I could hear a lot of bustling in the background.
"Really? No I told you so?" I asked skeptically drying the last dish.
"Of course not, I mean, you already know that I told you so, what's the point of repeating it?" She laughed into the phone.
"Yeah, yeah." I smiled putting away the plates and glasses. "Are you still going to be here Friday?"
"Of course, but this time, I am bringing Ciyan and Phillip, and Ness is bringing Rosabella."
"Finally, I get to meet them." I sighed leaning against the counter.
"Of course, well we will see you Friday at sunset." She promised letting me know she had to leave.
"I will be waiting. Bye." I said hanging up the phone.
We put the children to bed, it took them two stories to wind down enough for bed. "Whew, that took forever." I sighed going into their playroom to turn the chaos into order, Kiya followed in behind me.
"So who were you talking to earlier?" She asked curiously as she picked up blocks.
"Asima, they'll be here Friday." I reported still at work.
"Lovely," I could hear the smile in her voice from across the room. "It'll be good to see the princess again."
It always took me off guard when she called Asima "Princess". She was always just Asima to me, so it would never quite sink in that she was anything else. Even though she was unlike any other person I knew.
"Yeah, they're bringing Ciyan, Phillip, and Rosabella with them." I thought in silence at the moment to finally meet my godchildren. "I wonder how they'll look."
"I guess we'll see when they arrive dear." Kiya smiled hanging clothes. "Did you see Asima and Kyle's reaction to the Cullens? No fear at all. I don't think that taking them to Jennah will be much of a problem."
She really wanted them to be able to spend time in Jennah, but we were unsure how they'd handle it once they were old enough to become aware of their surroundings. "It's possible." I answered thoughtfully.
Now that the thought of them was back in my head I abandoned tidying the play room to peak my head back into their bedroom. I wondered how much of a childhood they could really have, would them being a part of the world we knew existed take it away form them completely.
Kiya wrapped her arms around my waist gently trying to tug me out of the doorway. I silently shut the door turning around to kiss her.
"They're going to be fine." she whispered as if she were able to read my mind.
"I'm not so sure." I confessed with a sigh pulling her closer, kissing the top of her head.
Though we had this conversation several times before she didn't get impatient, nor did she get upset, she just smiled, planting kisses as she spoke.
"I am sure…I turned out fine…"
I was starting to forget the cause of my distress, taking deep breaths. She knew the effect that she had on me. Kiya's warm lips moved from mine, lowering to my neck, planting kisses on my neck and collarbone.
"You were exposed …and you turned out fine…." she whispered as she continued.
"I did?" It meant to come out a lot clearer than it did, my voice holding a hint of a groan. I was unsure what we were talking about anymore.
"Mm Hmmm…" She whispered kissing up my neck to my ear; she took my earlobe in between her lips before she whispered, "very fine."
My lips connected with her once again feeling the electric current that constantly drew us together. I scooped her up into my arms, my eagerness causing a giggle to slip from her lips. My lips met hers again, and a low moan was the last sound that escaped from her lips as I carried her to our bedroom.
The week went by fast; I wasn't home from the office for a full hour before the front doorbell rang. "I wasn't expecting you all until later. I said opening the door.
"Well life is full of surprises." Ness smiled walking through the front door. "How are ya doing Phil?" She asked hugging me.
"I'm well, glad that you are finally here. These bi-annual visits are going fast enough." I admitted hugging her.
Her bronze hair was in a ponytail, giving her a more youthful look. Though I was completely over the shock of her never aging it still made me feel old.
"I have someone I would like you to meet." She said opening the front door a little wider.
The girl walked carefully around the door, her black Mary Jane's not making a sound. I wasn't sure if she was afraid of me or if she thought I would be afraid of her.
She was taller than any four year old I had ever met. The girls she was introducing me to had to be at least ten. Her skin was a shade darker than Ness's, almost a pale honey color. When her eyes met mine, I was certain that she could be no one other than the product of Ness and Jacob. Ness's chocolate colored irises matched this girl exactly. Her jet black hair was the same color as Jacobs's but held the same wavy pattern as her mother's. We both stared at each other in silence, though I was unsure why.
Ness watched both of our reactions carefully. After a full two minutes of silence Ness intervened, standing behind her, putting reassuring hands on her shoulders. "Rosabella, this is your Uncle Phillip. Phil… this is Rosabella."
She extended her hand, no longer cautious, giving me a familiar crooked smile, "Nice to meet you Uncle Phillip." Her voice was musical, too delightful to not smile back.
"It's nice to meet you too Rosabella." I smiled taking her hand. I expected her skin to be warm, but what surprised me was that it was also soft. I expected her to have a thick shell of protection like her mother.
Ness smiled reopening the front door. "Come on in guys." She called impatiently, before turning back to me. "They're getting things from the car."
A tall boy walked into the door first. "This is Phillip and Ciyan." Ness introduced as the boy walked through, followed by a girl a foot shorter than him.
His skin was the color of cashews; he looked about thirteen, though I knew he was only six. His black hair cut short. Ciyan's skin color matched his exactly. Her black hair to her shoulders her azure eyes standing out. Phillip's brown. It surprised me, neither of them had Asima's green set. They had an athletic build to their youth. Not very muscular, but like a child that played sports. Their faces were lean, Phillip's jaw already becoming defined. Ciyan was the same height as Rosabella.
"Nice to meet you." I said extending my hand."
"Nice to meet you sir." Phillip said shaking my hand, his to was soft, his temperature a little off, I expected him to be warmer, but it felt like the average ninety-eight point six. His voice was slightly deeper though, his grip a little firmer.
I let go of his hand to shake Ciyan's. She stared at it and smiled gently extending her arms for a hug. "We're family Uncle Phillip." She smiled wrapping her arms around my waist. I bent to hug her, her hair smelled like honey.
"It's nice to finally meet you all." I smiled looking at them all.
"What did I miss?" Asima said coming into the house with bags. I could hear Asima, and Kyle from the other room, becoming antsy.
"Nothing I was just introducing ¾"Ness started, but was interrupted by my children bursting though the door. Kiya on their heels.
"Sima Sima Sima." Kyle laughed coming through the door. She dropped the bags letting him leap into her arms.
Asima ran to Ness screaming, "Nezi Nezi Nezi."
"Hello little Asima." She smiled putting her back on the ground crouching to talk to her.
"Pictor pictor." She asked jumping up and down.
"Awe, you want to see pictures huh? Hold out your hands." She asked after looking to Kiya and me for permission. Kiya laughed urging her on, and I just shrugged.
Asima's tiny palms met Ness's and she her eyes became alight, yet unfocused at he same time. "Ooooo."
We all laughed as we watched her, we introduced my best friend's children to the rest of my family before dinner.
Ness and Asima and I didn't eat but sat at the table with everyone, keeping conversation going. "You know I'm surprised that they remember us at all. We've been gone for over a year." Asima admitted crossing her arms.
"I know, I was wondering the same thing when they ran out to meet you all." Kiya pondered picking up the dishes, Ness floated from her chair to help her.
The twins barely made it through half of their food, too distracted by Ciyan and Rosabella next to them. Ness hesitated collecting their plates glancing at Kiya.
"Oh might as well, they won't eat anymore tonight." She smiled picking them up.
"cowor cowor." Asima repeated over and over kicking in her chair.
"Looks like someone wants to color." Ness acknowledged, walking over to the sink.
"Alright, color it is." I smiled starting to get up.
"Oh no, we have it Uncle Phillip. Just tell us where." Rosabella volunteered getting up, Phillip rising behind her, both of them unsnapping the trays on the high chairs and pulling the twins out.
"Oh, ok, first room on the right." I told them grateful for the break.
The five of them disappeared upstairs, the twins squealing in delight. "Your children are delightful, Asima, and Rosabella in enchanting Ness." Kiya complimented.
"They really are." I seconded glancing over at my best friend. "So…do they…?" I let the question trail off.
"Oh no, not right now at least. No special abilities, no shape shifting, no vampire stuff, just normal. Other than the growth at least." Asima answered understanding my question.
The four of us talked for another two hours before Kiya excused herself to get the twins ready for bed. We followed her up stairs to see the five of them already passed out on the floor. Ciyan holding Kyle in her arms sitting in the rocking chair. Phillip holding Asima in the one next to it. Rosabella holding a story book asleep on the body pillow next to her.
"Let's get these guys up." Kiya cooed in a whisper.
I pulled Kyle from Ciyan's hold as gently as I could without waking either of them. I took him to the next room as Ness followed with Asima in her arms. We laid them in their beds tucking them in.
We went back in to pick up Rosabella and Ciyan, and Asima followed us with Phillip towards the guest room. Kiya was making the bed and setting up the chaise for Phillip before we made it that far. I laid a surprisingly light Rosabella in the large bed next to Ciyan. We exited quietly shutting the door behind us.
"I'm going to take a shower and hit the sack." Kiya announced leaning up to kiss me. Her lips met mine and didn't pull away until a yawn escaped from her lips. Her yawn turned into a tired laugh before turning to Asima and Ness. "It was good seeing both of you again. I hope your still here in the morning."
"Of course, we won't leave before saying goodbye." Ness promised before she went off to bed.
The three of us stood in silence in the hallway for only a second before Ness sighed, "I'm starving."
"Time to eat." Asima said walking back downstairs.
"To the fridge." I smiled following them, picking up where our traditions left off.
They stayed a little longer than there normal one day visit, I was sure it was because of the twins becoming attached to their children. Even though there was a difference in their physical appearance, they played with Kyle and Asima like they were long lost younger siblings.
The sun set on day two of their visit and it was time for them to go. "Alright guys time to go." Asima said softly, her emerald eyes looking down at her watch.
"Must we leave already mother?" Phillip asked playing with Kyle and his blocks. Phillip would see how high he could stack them before Kyle knocked them down and laughed.
"Yes, we have to meet your dad in La Push to visit Grandma Sue." She explained pulling her hair up.
"Alright, alright." Ciyan groaned getting up from the tea party her and Rosabella were having with Asima.
We were in the middle of our goodbyes and hugs, promises to visit sooner when Rosabella interrupted calling. "Mom the gifts," before running to the bag by the door.
She came back with two little white boxes handing them to Asima. "Oh I almost forgot these." She admitted taking the lid off of one.
Asima squatted next to her namesake, who was smiling wide-eyed in a princess dress. I wrapped my arms around Kiya we both watched Asima open the small box pulling out a gold necklace and holding it by the pendant handing it to her. "This is for you little Asima."
"Oooo pwety." She smiled.
"A cartouche?" Kiya asked surprised, walking over to get a closer look. Our daughter handed it to her, and she ran her fingers up the engravings on the pendant stopping at the top gasping.
I got closer to see what the problem was. The symbol for sun was an emerald with a dozen small diamonds symbolizing the rays. I started to protest but Asima stopped me. "Don't say you can't accept it Phil. It's not for you anyway." She smiled grabbing the next box. "This is for you Kyle." She said handing it to Phillip to present to him.
Phillip opened the box pulling out a similar necklace; the only difference was that his sun was a sapphire with diamond rays. "It's just like mine." Phillip smiled pulling his out of his shirt.
Kyle just stared at it. "Mine?" He asked Phillip.
"Yes it's yours." He laughed putting it on him. The necklace hung on his neck, his size too small. He hopped quickly across the room to show his mother the necklace.
Kiya carefully took it off of his neck putting it back in the box. "I think that we should put these away until you are a bit older." Her eyes connected back to Asima, "Thank you."
"Of course." Asima smiled before giving her a last hug goodbye.
"Take care Phil." Ness hugged me giving me a familiar smile.
"You too Ness." I said before hugging Asima strongly "I love you guys. Don't be strangers ok?"
"We love you too Phillip and we won't." Asima promised, and I believed her.
My family stood in the doorway as they all drove away.
"That went well." Kiya reflected thoughtfully putting Asima her pajamas. She had to struggle a bit because the twins had been live wires of energy since Asima and Ness left.
"Yeah, I know. I think this is going to work." I added pulling Kyle's shirt over his head, trying to grab an arm to put through the sleeve. "Hold still buddy."
"They'll be ok." Kiya reassured finally setting a fully dressed Asima on the floor.
"They just got to play until their tired I suppose." I put Kyle down on the floor letting them have at it. "I'm going to see if I can get some work done."
"I'll take the kids downstairs with me to give you some quiet." She smiled taking them by the hands; they jumped following her towards the stairs. "Alright guys movie time."
"Movie! Movie! Movie!" Was all I could hear them repeating as I shut the door to my office.
I couldn't really think about work as I sat at my desk twirling my pen between my fingers. Physically I was exhausted, whenever Asima and Ness visited, I would stay awake all night and day with them since they required such little sleep. My own way of trying to keep up with my younger days. The only problem was, I wasn't young anymore.
Almost as if fate was reiterating my thoughts, my laptop went into sleep mode allowing me to see my reflection in the blackness of the screen. My thirty-one year old face looked nothing when I first met Asima and Ness. Sure there were similarities, the eye color, hair color, the small bump from where I broke my nose in the fifth grade. However the differences stuck out to me more. The subtle lines appearing at the corners of my eyes, my body no longer the same epitome of youth and fitness. Sure I still worked out, but I found myself having to do it twice as often, and twice as long to attempt to keep up.
My appearance didn't matter anymore, because in the middle of my thoughts I heard the sound of glass breaking downstairs. "Ah!" I heard a short yell echo upstairs.
"Kiya." I gasped as I jumped out of the chair so fast that it fell to the ground. I ran down the stairs skipping the last few steps and jumping to the ground.
I ran through the entryway of the family room and froze taking in what I saw. The look of horror on my wife's face, I had never seen her petrified in our entire ten years of marriage. She was in the corner of the room with the twins behind her pressed against the wall. Their expressions the exact expression of their mother's.
About ten feet in front of them was a man, his back turned to me. He was tense; the only movements were his shoulders going up and down as he breathed in and out. He was a little shorter than me, his stature lanky.
I grew angry running at him. "Get away from my wife!" My intentions were to tackle him to the ground, and hit him with something heavy, not to kill him, just to knock him out until the cops got there. That plan became instantly erased when I hit his back and it felt like running into a solid steel wall.
I fell backwards, unable to breath from the blow, he didn't even stumble forward. When I hit the ground it suddenly connected in my head. He wasn't human.
He turned around to look at me. His red eyes holding a mix of anger and curiosity. "It isn't you, so who is it?" He asked himself turning away from me as if I wasn't of any importance. He took another step towards Kiya.
"Get away from us!" She ordered, her face not leaving his red eyes.
His head tilted a fraction of a degree to the left before he spoke again. "Maybe it's coming from the children?" He said to himself ignoring Kiya's words completely.
It didn't take a second for him to appear in front of Kiya. I could hear Kyle and Asima whimpering as Kiya pressed her back against the wall pushing them closer together. I knew that I didn't have the strength to fight him, but I couldn't just lie idly while they were hurt and killed, or worse. I pulled myself up using the coffee table, and with a spit second of thought I grabbed the vase on top and hurled it at the back of his head flowers and all.
He froze when the marble vase crashed into the back of his head; he directed his attention back at me. "That's really annoying." He growled deep from within his chest. "So it's not from any of you. No matter, I'll just feed here and try to follow it later." He said once again talking to himself.
What was he talking about?
Though the unfamiliar vampire was fast, I could process everything that was happening as if it were slow motion. I could only describe it as pre-death alertness. I could feel his weight on me; Kiya was screaming her lungs out. Asima and Kyle were hiding behind her; at least she was diverting their eyes. I wanted them to run out, to get in the car and drive until they ran out of gas. But I couldn't bring attention to them now, he might decide to change targets at the last second and I would die before I let that happen.
My entire life flashed in front of my eyes and I couldn't help but think if I never met Asima and Ness this wouldn't be happening. Yet if I never met them I wouldn't have been able to experience the happiness that my best friends brought me. If I never met them I wouldn't have met Kiya, and had the most wonderful children in the world.
So did I have regrets? Yes. Definitely yes. Would I change them? No. The only thing I wish that I had control over would be that my family didn't watch my end. But I couldn't change it, so I couldn't spend the last few seconds of my life obsessing over something I couldn't change.
"Kiya, leave." I requested sternly once I was sure he wouldn't be changing his mind. Vampires could only hold out on bloodlust for so long. I could feel my heart racing, so I knew it was coming. As his lips pulled back and his teeth glistened, I closed my eyes, preparing for what was coming, accepting my fate. I am at peace with this.
His lips went to my throat and I couldn't feel them, his weight was gone, only coolness around me. A loud crash forced me to open my eyes. The immortal stranger left a hole in the wall over my head. "What the hell?" He growled picking himself back up. Only to hit an invisible wall. He snarled trying to lunge only to be stuck in the transparent space.
Asima's firm grip helped pull me off the ground. Her expression was cold and unreadable. She took my chin in her hands tilting my head slowly to the left, and then to the right. Looking for a wound of any kind. Then her eyes went back to the vampire. Still making no comment.
"Is anyone hurt?" The familiar voice of Ness asked, yet it was unfamiliar, the thick coat of malice sounded strange on her docile tone.
"No, we're fine." Kiya answered.
Rosabella and Ciyan stared at the trapped vampire as he hit and punched around him. "What is going on? Let me out now!"
They didn't seem frightened, yet not completely use to it. Rosabella picked up Kyle and Ciyan, Asima, holding them tightly, and as if they were listening to instructions headed quickly towards the stairs.
My eyes shot to Asima, but her eyes were on the intruder. I looked back to Ness for answers but she gave a single nod before taking Kiya by the wrist. "Come one Kiya, let's get out of harms way."
Kiya followed anxiously without question. I had every intention of staying with Asima until a firm hand gripped my shoulder. "Let's go Uncle Phillip." Phillip instructed leading me up towards the stairs.
He lead me up to my office where the rest of my family sat in a corner, all hurdled together, a little calmer than before.
Asima's soft whimpers were the only sound coming from upstairs. "Shh, shh it's alright Asima. Don't cry." Rosabella consoled her patting her head. Her protection almost automatic relief.
We could hear grunts, slams, and things breaking echoing upstairs. Several minutes went by and the sound didn't stop. "Aunt Ness, what is happening?" Phillip asked calmly, I was wondering the same thing so I was glad that he asked.
"Asima is going to kill the vampire. It's taking a bit longer because she has to do it the conventional way. Her shocking talents faded a few years ago." She explained as if she were telling a secret no one was to know.
"Oh no." Kiya gasped taking my hand.
"She'll be alright; she still has all of my family's talents. That's how we knew to come back to you all." Kiya still looked iffy, so Ness continued. "All she has to do is -" She was cut off from the sound of something breaking downstairs. Something louder than all of the others, this one shook the foundation of our home, the pictures of Kiya on the wall fell.
Phillip was no longer calm. "Was that mother?"
Ness's expression fell for a second, and then became composed. "She's alright Phillip, I'm going to go help her, if anything goes wrong take them to Jennah." She ordered before running downstairs.
I don't know why, but I felt compelled to follow behind her, probably because I knew when she was lying, no special skill required. I ignored my wife's words insisting to stay put and pushed my feet leaping to the bottom of the stairs.
"Phil go back upstairs." Ness ordered pounding at the air; her fist's making a loud sound, like pounding on glass. "Let me in Asima!"
Asima was on the ground, the wood from my hard wood floors splintered around her in pieces. I could see her shape in the concrete foundation underneath. She was bleeding. I could see it on her shirt, just not where it was from. "No, he'll get out." She grunted trying to push the vampire off of her.
"Asima Clearwater you let me in now, don't die over stupidity!" She hit again but there was no sound this time. She slid her body through and I tried to mimic her only to run smack dab into invisible steel. Ness grabbed the vampire by the shoulders, barely able to move him. It was enough for Asima to pull her feet closer to her chest and push him off.
Ness tried to snap his arm behind his back only to be tossed over his shoulder. I could tell by the way she hit the wall that there was no more shield. Asima jumped on his back pulling at his head but he rammed backwards into the stone fireplace causing Asima to loosen her grip and fall.
Ness speared him in the torso knocking him down and I ran to the kitchen desperate to help. I pulled the drawer open puling out the lighter that we kept there incase we needed to burn candles for emergencies.
"Asima." I called sliding her the lighter across the rubble covered floor.
She grabbed it quickly striking a flame. She put her hand over it and pulled it back quickly with a loud gasp of pain.
Don't tell me that talent has faded too!
Ness stomped him on the arm and I head a crush. She ran to Asima helping her up and striking the lighter again. "You can do this come on."
Asima put her darkened hand in it again and it held. She cupped her hands together making a ball and gasped again quickly shaking the flame from her hand. It disappeared before it even hit the ground.
Ness looked at her forcing a smile. "It's alright, we'll find another way."
Asima stared at the vampire reattaching his arm. "Again." She ordered as he crouched.
Ness struck the lighter and Ness put her hand in the flame again, she brought her hands together again just as he prepared to lunge and shot one quick blast at him. He was covered immediately.
The thick smoke and screams filled the house. Asima's hand was also covered in flame. I ran to her quickly using a throw from the couch to put it out before it caused anymore damage. "Thank you." She managed to get out before her eyes closed and her head dropped with her last exhale.
"Asima?" Ness called her shaking her anxiously. "Asima?" A weak moan escaped her lips and Ness's heart along with mine restarted. "Oh thank goodness. She'll be alright. We need to get her upstairs, give her about an hour to heal."
I picked her up, and took her upstairs allowing Ness to deal with the vampire mess. I laid her in the guest bed as Kiya and Phillip burst through the door. I stopped them before they could think the worse, I knew how that felt and didn't want them to feel it not even for a second. "She's going to be alright. She just needs to heal for an hour." I sighed sitting in the chair next to the bed, preparing to wait the longest hour of my life.
It took a little over an hour, but she awoke with everyone around her. She didn't wake up gracefully or peacefully like a princess in the storybooks. She shot up with heavy gasps, her body automatically tensed for battle.
"It's alright." Ness assured the first one to step forward. "Everything is taken care of."
"That was a close one." Kiya admitted. "I'd never run into vampires outside of the Cullen's before. I must say it's an experience that I wouldn't like to repeat again."
I had to agree with that, I looked down to a sleeping Asima in my arms. I was too afraid to leave her unattended even in the safety of her own bed. "He came and was disappointed with what he found."
"My scent." Asima groaned as if she were the problem. She muttered something about a 'vampire magnet' before covering her face with her hands.
"Your scent. I don't see how," Kiya wondered aloud.
"I told you before; my scent is too…" she searched for the right word. "intriguing, and if any vampire crosses its path it immediately follows it. My scent is all around this place. I should have thought about that."
I gasped, "You mean, if you didn't come, this wouldn't have happened." I asked not thinking it through before it came out. The color of my tone sounding more like an accusation, that it was her fault a vampire was in Miami.
Her face fell and she nodded. "Yes, that's right."
Everything in my mind raced at one time. My family, my children, my wife, all could have been killed tonight. The most important people next to my family couldn't be the reason they were in danger, if so… I couldn't think it.
Asima's eyes grew wider, and then she closed them softly, taking a deep breath.
Did she just read my mind, she couldn't have. She wouldn't, she never reads my mind.
"It's a danger for us to be around you." She sighed, reopening her eyes. "We must leave, and never come back."
"Wait a second." Kiya interrupted holding Kyle closer. "Our family is alive tonight because of you; you aren't a danger to anyone. You and Ness protected us."
"But what if she was too late, what if one of us were bitten or killed before she got here?" I argued looking down at the floor, not even sounding like myself.
"What are you saying Phillip?" Kiya asked, questioning my sanity."
"I am saying that Asima is right, it's not safe for them to be here. What if they aren't here the next time a vampire decides to retrace her steps and they lead to us. I can protect us form anything our world can throw at us, but their world, I don't stand a chance." I had to think about my family.
"Their world is our would too Phillip, or have you forgotten where I come from? Our children have a right to experience both sides." Kiya's voice raised a fraction of a decibel.
"Alright everyone let's just think this through..." Ness imputed trying to be the voice of reason. "Vampires are everywhere…"
"Yes, he could have came to our home whether you visited or not." Kiya demanded.
"But it came because of our scent. We might not be able to protect you next time Kiya. We are thousands of miles away." Asima answered quietly.
"We promised ourselves that the they would have safe normal lives Kiya, and we can't do that if there is a vampire bursting through our window every time they come." I added feeling my chest get heavy.
"Ness, please explain to them that our family can have both and be normal." Kiya asked looking to my other best friend for backup, the only one on her side.
Ness was silent for a moment; she looked at Kyle in my arms and wiped his hair from across his face. Her eyes softened, and then a tear built up in them, yet not quite spilling over. "I think that it's best…that we don't tempt fate. We'll leave you both to your lives."
Kiya became stiff, "The children love them, they won't stand for that and you know it Phillip. It's not just us we must think about."
"It is them I am thinking about Kiya. Only you and them. If this was still the single Phillip thirteen years ago I wouldn't care, but it isn't." I tried to plead with her for understanding.
"What are we going to tell them? That they love you but they aren't coming back anymore? Oh and forget about your new friends too? We can't do that to them Phillip."
Ness put a hand on her shoulder. "Kiya, they're three. They'll forget all about us in time. The human mind is always changing. If you don't bring us up, it'll be as if we were figments of their imagination. Merely a dream. I don't want it this way, but I won't risk your family either." Ness sounded more like an adult than ever.
"Princess Asima. Please don't do this." Kiya begged quietly, trying not to wake our sleeping son. "Don't take this choice from them."
"I'm sorry Kiya, but we have to stay away." She sighed getting out of the bed. She hugged Kiya and said something in their native language before Kiya ran out of the room in tears.
My heart fell, I didn't want to be the reason she was sad. But I knew that she would understand the choice after she thought about it. "She'll understand." I sighed.
"Give her time, this isn't just about you and the children, she knows they'll forget eventually, they're young enough. She isn't, were telling her to forget about herself too." Asima explained, her tear dam also filling.
"Kiss them goodbye for us." Ness requested before pecking me on the cheek and heading out the door for the stairs. "Goodbye Phil."
"Goodbye."
"Alright guys time to go." Asima said trying to force a smile. "Tell Uncle Phillip goodbye."
I bid them all adieu as they said their goodbyes and walked out and down the stairs. I looked at Asima, and I couldn't say goodbye to her. I just couldn't form the words, like by saying it I would be committing the worse form of blasphemy.
She read my mind and smiled. "I know, I can't say goodbye either."
Her silent tear dam broke as she blew me a kiss with two fingers and walked out the door. "Love you Phillip."
I cried holding Asima in my arms for a few minutes before picking up Kyle too. Angling them both so that they were cradled around me. I held them both trying to remind myself that it was for the best. Yet even though I knew I was right, it didn't ease the pain of knowing that I would never see those immortal faces again.