His entire life, he had been taught to be fierce, a warrior beyond comparison. Mikhail may have been prince of their people, but here in Brazil, Zacarias was the king of this turf. No one questioned him. His word was law, never wavering. He was strength, a protector. Strong, fierce, very old. He never believed he would find his lifemate.

Brutality coursed through his veins. Zacarias knew how to kill, almost relished in it, the glory of ripping the heart from his enemy's chest and incinerating it with all the power he wielded.

Even growing up, Zacarias was sure a lifemate would never find their way into his life. He was too dominating, too aggressive and demanding. No woman would ever want a man so constrictive.

The moment he heard Samia's voice over the Carpathian common-path was the moment his whole world flipped inside out. When he had learned she was Draven's daughter, it seemed to make perfect sense to him. He had conspired to over throw Mikhail in his younger days. Why shouldn't his lifemate be the daughter of one of the most hated vampires?

Draven had always been twisted, but Samia's voice over the common path betrayed any indication of her parenting. At first, Zacarias had thought Mikhail and Raven had a daughter in secret they kept locked away, as irrational as it sounded.

After announcing his claim over her across the entire Carpathian common-path, Zacarias and Samia would communicate across the path, since they had not shared their own private link yet. Eventually Samia had convinced him to call her on a phone, so they could have more private discussions. She always preferred subtlety, privacy, and though he did enjoy their simple questionnaires, he had to admit she opened up so much more over the phone.

It had been heaven to get to know her in such a way. Over the phone, it gave them time. Time to learn each other, and it kept her at a safe distance, away from his temptation to claim her completely until she had become more comfortable with him.

Fate had a tricky way of working, and for Zacarias, Lady Fate had been especially peculiar. Samia always joked that because Zacarias was so powerful and insistent his word was law, Lady Fate saw this and decided to remind him just who exactly was in control. It wasn't Zacarias's place to decide if he would or would not have a lifemate, and Fate made sure to remind him of just that by giving him the most modern, outspoken woman there was.

Samia was tattooed, there wasn't a limb on her body that wasn't inked in some way or another. Down the length of her right arm, she bore mehndi tattoos, which represented healing and purity. Given that Samia was a phoenix bird, it made perfect sense.

Phoenix's were incredibly rare in the world, even in history. They were guardians of the world, watching from above. When a child - pure and innocent in every way- is in grave danger, a phoenix will merge themselves with that person to save them. From then on, the phoenix would pass its genetics through the children in that family line. Samia had explained it to him, that they would have a half-phoenix, half-Carpathian child.

Since phoenix's were protectors, their defenses were impeccable. Not even Zacarias and all his brothers together could break through her force fields. But she could not fight, not using her bird. Her offense was low, all she was really able to do was spew fire and launch fireballs from her hands. Those skills she had developed on her own.

Now, as Zacarias propped Samia in her lap for the delivery of their first child, Zacarias found himself completely baffled by the turn his life had taken, almost unable to believe it was really happening.

He ran a hand across her sweaty forehead, hoping to help cool her off. Zacarias had never felt so helpless in all his twenty-four centuries of life. Samia was in so much pain and he could do nothing to keep it from happening.

"You are doing a wonderful job, songbird, I am so proud of you." He whispered to her, not caring that other around them could hear.

"Now I see why Carpathian women are only allowed to give birth every fifty years! It's so their bodies can recover from the pain!" Her voice was strained with exhaustion.

Zacarias looked to Gregori. "How close to delivery is she?" Zacarias did not bother trying to hide the anger in his voice.

Gregori remained calm. He knew full well Zacarias would be very protective. Zacarias had been so close to the edge when he claimed Samia, and the beast was still very close to the surface in him. Looking Zacarias in the eyes he said, "Samia has been in labor for several hours now. The baby will be here within the next half-hour. She is almost there, Zacarias. You must remain calm for the sake of your lifemate."

Samia wrapped her hand around her life mate's arm. Her eyes met his, gentle and compassionate. "I love you so much, Zacarias. I could never have made it this far without your strength." Laying a kiss on his arm, she never let her gaze waver from his.

Zacarias's heart softened all over again. It was not right for a woman to have so much power over a man, but Samia wielded it nonetheless and used it to make him most vulnerable at times.

"Ow!" Samia crunched forward, taking in a sharp breath of pain and releasing it very steadily as she pushed. Her feet on Gregori's shoulders cramped to the point it caused her toes to curl in pain.

"Good, csitri. Very good." Gregori smiled at her reassuringly. "I need just a few more strong pushes from you."

Samia's screams filled the chamber. Her face was red with hard work. Muscles tired, drained to the point of nearly passing out, she gave one final hard push, holding her breath, Samia's nails dug into Zacarias's arms as she heard the wailing cry of an infant fill the room.

Samia collapsed into her mate's lap, breath coming to her in pants. "That hurt…" She groaned, laughter evident in her words.

Zacarias couldn't keep from smiling. It was like an epidemic. "I love you, Samia. I love you with everything inside of me." He kissed her forehead over and over again, tasting the salty product of her hours of labor.

The other family members materialized in the room. Samia had specifically requested a private birthing, wanting the experience for herself and her lifemate alone. They had all agreed under the condition they be allowed to enter as soon as they heard the baby cry.

The men held their women tightly to them. Ginny and Paul came through the door that lead to Zacarias's and Samia's bedchamber. "Look at the baby!" Ginny squealed, watching over Gregori's shoulder as he cleaned the baby and wrapped it in a swaddle cloth.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Juliette added, clasping her hands in front of her mouth in delight.

Samia scooted into the safety of her lifemate, and he helped her prop up into a sitting position. "Come here, baby boy." She let a tear slide down her cheek as the Dark One set the infant into her arms.

"Look Zacarias. He's perfect! Just like you!" Samia's eyes met Zacarias's and he drew her head to his for a kiss.

"He's got so much hair!" Colby pointed out, wrapping her arms around Rafael's body.

Samia leaned forward, holding herself up. "Do you want to hold him?"

Zacarias's eyes fell to the baby, never leaving the sight of his son. "He's so tiny. Fragile."

Samia sensed the hesitation within him. "You are his father. You won't hurt him." Having her final say, Samia placed the bundled infant into her life mate's arms.

Zacarias tucked the precious parcel into the shelter of his body, holding his breath. "Never in all my life did I believe this moment would happen. Never." He breathed the words. Pulling his son close to his face, Zacarias laid a kiss on the black whisps of hair atop the infant's head.

A curious feeling overwhelmed Zacarias as he watched his son be passed from one of his siblings to the next. A sense of contentment washed him, cleansing his will. He determined from that point on, he would dedicate his life to being the greatest father in the world, and the best lifemate to Samia. All his thoughts were clouded with the need to provide and supply for Samia and their son. Nothing in the whole world mattered, not even his loyalty to the Prince.

Samia curled up tightly to Zacarias. Satisfied that her son would be taken care of, she began to doze in the comfort that she believed was divine. Her lifemate. Such a perfect man, a perfect warrior, a perfect husband. Her life was the best, and she sincerely believed everyone should be jealous of her.

As her eyes closed, succumbing to the call of rest, Samia whispered "I love you. All of you."