Chapter Ten
The sun had barely sunk her fiery face beneath the horizon when Requiem's heart jumped to life. Waking slowly he allowed the soil to crawl back away from his resting place at a leisurely pace. A soft smile crept into the creases of his mouth as he gazed down at his sleeping lifemate, calling her heart to beat once more for him. He watched her eyes flutter open, his heart swelling to know that he was the first thing she saw when she woke up; the first thing she saw when she awoke to her new life as a Carpathian woman. Her sleepy eyes were smiling up at him as she stretched lazily, showing no lingering signs of the pain she had been put through during the conversion. In fact, she looked better, healthier than he had known her to be. She was glowing with a radiant beauty and a newfound good health.
"Good evening little one." Requiem smiled, kissing her brow softly before rising and helping her out of their earthen bed.
"Mmmmmm where are we?" Sakura pondered, brushing the dirt from the dress her lifemate had fashioned for her and looking around at the cavern.
"A place where I used to go when I was young to think. The earth here is rich with minerals and for the most part untouched. I thought it would be a good place for us to sleep while you healed."
"There's something very peaceful about this place that I just can't explain. I like it here."
Requiem's chest tightened as he watched his lifemate dance about the cavern. She looked so lustrously beautiful, so delicate and graceful. The Carpathian blood only enhanced her natural grace; her movements were so fluid it was as if her feet never even touched the ground. She looked so happy. A light shone in her eyes he had never seen. It was as if the piece of her heart that had been torn from her so long ago had been wrapped up in a bow and handed to her. Perhaps, it had been.
"You're so beautiful Sakura." he breathed, unable to keep himself from reaching out for her and folding her safely into his arms.
"I feel so alive Requiem, like the world is so brand new!"
"In a way it is I suppose." He had never known that musical note of joy in her laughter nor the dreamy glitter that now shone in her eyes. There was so much about her he hadn't seen or discovered but this was a find so precious and without price his heart felt as though it would burst with the pure joy radiating from his love. The world did feel brand new, so new and bright, so hopeful and exciting. Life truly was beautiful.
Requiem's hair fell like a curtain around them as he bent over to capture her lips with his mouth. She submitted to his kiss, surrendered to him every time and it drove him out of his mind.
"You're going to make me lose my control little one." Requiem moaned against Sakura's loving mouth.
"Then lose control. You have before."
"We need to talk about a few things right now." Seriousness etched its way into Requiem's already stern features.
"Mikhail…" Realization washed over Sakura's delicate face. "No one knows…They're gonna be so pissed off at me…"
"No you Sakura. You will never have to go through anything alone again. I'm here, with you always. Remember that my lifemate." He nuzzled her lovingly, more as comfort than anything else. "But that is not the most important thing we must discuss."
"What do you mean?" she queried.
"Sakura do you remember much of anything after the conversion last night?"
"No not really. It hurt like hell thanks and I don't remember anything after the pain subsided. It's not your fault so don't blame yourself for it, it was my choice. I just don't want to go through anything like that again. Ever. And if labour is like that do we have to have kids? I mean is it imperative?"
"Yes Sakura. It is."
"Why?" She blinked, slightly taken aback.
"Because you're with child my love. Our child."
"I'm what?"
"Pregnant." Requiem beamed. The idea had taken root somewhere deep in his heart. A child of their own, a living, breathing testament to their love. Children were so rare amongst his people and he would be able to give Sakura the family she deserved.
"You're kidding me right?"
"My love there is no doubt. I scanned your body while you slept and I found our child tucked safe and sound in your womb. It's a girl. We're going to have a beautiful baby girl." he beamed with pride.
"Oh gods…I can't be…" Sakura shook her head in disbelief. How could she not have known? She had always been able to tell when something was different in her body. And it was so soon too…
"I too was taken aback love, but there is no doubt." Requiem's eyes were dancing with joy. He had never dared dream of this. It was far too beautiful and too perfect.
Sakura rested her head upon Requiem's chest, shaking slightly. Without even needing to look down he knew she was crying.
"Little one, whatever is the matter?"
"I don't know, I just don't know." she sniffled.
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know. It's just that, three days ago, I was just a teenager being taken care of by some friends. Now…now I'm immortal and tied to a man, whom I just met, for all eternity. And I'm pregnant! It's just too much too fast and I don't know what to do."
Requiem held her close to his chest letting the beating of his heart calm her. "My love none of these are bad things. They are all very good things, happy things you have wished for your whole life. Things I dared not even dream of. The others will not be vexed with you, how can they? They will only rejoice in our love and happiness, you'll see. If it makes you feel better we can tell them all without delay and you will know that no one will be angered at either of us. It might be good if we visited the prince and Raven for they have raised a child of their own and will be able to offer us advice. Would that ease your mind little one?"
Sakura nodded, wiping her tears on the back of her hand and sniffling softly. She looked so very cute when she was vulnerable like that, even with her eyes puffy from crying and her nose running. She raised herself to her tiptoes and kissed him gently.
"Thanks baby."
"Hmmmmm to what do I owe the honour of my lady's kiss?" Requiem teased, grinning widely.
"Oh shut up."
"It's baby hormones love. We'll get used to you being all weepy and irrational. I've been told a woman's brain melts once she's with child."
"Requiem!"
"Don't worry baby, I'll learn to live with you."
Requiem laughed true and deep despite Sakura hitting him as he took to the skies holding her tightly in his arms. Where he had been extremely careful before, he gathered her in his arms and was even more so know with his love, life and family enfolded in his arms. One day she would be able to fly but he was going to prolong her knowledge of such for as long as possible.
XxX
Raven sat on the porch, gazing up at the clear night sky and sighed deeply. The nighttime held such a mysterious and tranquil aura; she rarely missed her days of walking beneath the sun. She'd become so accustomed to the twinkling of the diamond stars and the way the trees whispered their soft lullabies she couldn't imagine being happier in any other life. Mikhail came up behind her and gently rested his hand on her shoulder as she closed her eyes, savoring even the simplest of touches bestowed upon her by her lifemate.
"Good evening lifemate," she smiled, "it's beautiful out tonight."
"That it is my love. We should be expecting company very soon." The prince's eyes searched the midnight skies for traces of their visitors.
"Requiem and Sakura?'
The prince's face darkened as the hunter and his lifemate landed majestically in the snow before them,
"Requiem! I was wondering when I would see you next my friend." Mikhail greeted, grabbing Requiem's arm.
"I am not here to apologize for anything my prince for I do not regret anything I have done in regards to Sakura."
"That much I had deduced, thank you Requiem." he replied. "I was referring more to the news that we would like to hear first hand from you."
"You knew Sakura had taken the third exchange?" Requiem demanded.
Raven jumped forward from where she had been seated on the porch. "Sakura are you ok?"
"I'm fine, thanks Raven." Sakura assured her.
"Well I didn't until you just told me." the prince responded grimly.
"Then what…?"
Everyone followed Mikhail's gaze down to where Sakura held her stomach protectively. She jumped, surprised at her newfound instincts.
"You knew my lifemate was with child before the conversion and you didn't think to warn me?" Requiem exploded.
"Well I didn't think you would be so hasty to convert her after hearing all our warnings." he retorted.
"Is my baby ok?' Sakura cried out, worry seizing her body.
"Our child is perfectly alright, ainaak sívamet jutta, I made certain of that."
"You're positive?"
"Yes Sakura. I am." Requiem reassured her, pulling her further into the shelter of his body. "I would never let anything happen to you or our baby sívamet."
Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"But how did you know?" Sakura asked gently.
Anger welled up deep in the pit of Requiem's stomach at his long-standing friend. "How could you do that to me? How could you not tell me Mikhail? Something could have gone wrong and hurt both my lifemate and my child! That is not something you do not report immediately."
"Watch your tone hunter." the prince warned darkly.
"Mikhail." Raven shook her head indicating this was no place for a fight for pride.
Mikhail sighed in defeat. "I simply thought that you two would wait before converting such a young woman. I know she is your lifemate but I thought you would proceed with extreme caution after all of our warnings. But I am happy for you my friend, truly I am. There was a time when I thought I would lose you forever to the darkness and feared beyond all fears that I would be the one to destroy what would have been left of you.
I am overjoyed for you Requiem. You have a beautiful light to your life now and I know you will protect and care for her, as you truly are an honourable man. You both are very lucky to have found each other and Sakura; you couldn't have found him at a better time. And a child! So soon! This is good news indeed for surely you know Sakura, how rare and prized children are amongst your people."
"Yes, I have come to understand that."
"Forgive my earlier concern, I was taken by surprise and I sincerely apologize. I am truly sorry and I rejoice in your wonderful news."
"My prince? Saying sorry? For what do we owe this momentous occasion?" a deep male voice teased from behind the party in the snow. Byron and his lifemate Antoinetta had just finished shifting at the edge of the forest clearing and he was helping her towards the crowd.
"Byron!" the prince welcomed warmly. "You've arrived just in time to hear some wonderful news."
"More wonderful news? Should I start becoming suspicious of so much good fortune?"
"You're too pessimistic." Antoinetta scolded. "What's the good news?"
"Requiem has found his lifemate and they're expecting a child, a daughter if I'm not mistaken."
"This is good news indeed. Congratulations!" Antoinetta smiled.
"So soon? That was very quick moving Requiem it's about time. You were always a tad bit slower than the rest of us." Byron smirked.
Sakura felt her lifemate stiffen at the light teasing and remembered how sensitive Vikirnoff had been at jabs at his pride. "Thank you. I'm Sakura. Nice to meet you both."
"Forgive them," Antoinetta hastily apologize, "I'm Antoinetta and this is Byron. We live in Italy for the most part but we came to Byron's homeland for the prince's celebration."
"Ah yes, I remember you." Sakura smiled. "Vikirnoff was telling me that you are blind."
"As a human I was yes, but ever since the conversion I have been slowly regaining my eyesight. It can be quite frightening at times."
"I can't even imagine." Sakura empathized.
"And I can't imagine ever being pregnant! When are you due?"
"I actually have no idea, I just found out this morning and I've barely had time to get used to the idea."
"What's to get used to?" Requiem whispered softly. "We will have a family of our own. What more of a miracle could we have asked for?"
"A little more time." Sakura replied dryly. "I don't have a clue what I'm doing and to be honest, it all seems very scary."
"I know it is sweetheart," Raven smiled understandingly, "but you won't be alone and I can help you. I have a daughter who is now expecting children of her own."
"Oh yeah, I forgot Savannah was your daughter. It's going to be weird getting used to this non-aging thing." Sakura mused.
"It does take a bit of getting used to but it's definitely not a bad thing. Why don't you come inside, you too Antoinetta. We can have a cup of tea in the kitchen and have a woman talk. I think we're boring the men with talk of babies when they would rather be out proving themselves by almost getting themselves killed repeatedly." Raven jumped to her feet, beckoning for Sakura and Antoinetta to follow.
Requiem kissed Sakura gently. "Go ahead little one. I'll be right here, I'm not going anywhere without you. I just need to talk to Byron about a few things ok?"
He was rewarded with a smile before he watched his lifemate disappear into the house where they had only just met a few days ago.
"Wow, Requiem, times sure have changed you. I can't remember the last time I saw you and I do remember you never ever smiled. You were always so serious, the strongest hunter I've ever know and now look at you." Byron chuckled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Requiem scowled.
"It means that you've been grinning like a mad man since Sakura waltzed into your life and you've been looking like a fool ever since." Mikhail teased.
"You're no better with either of your lifemates." Requiem retorted.
"But it's you Requiem." Byron pointed out. "Next to Gregori, you're the boogie man of our kind. It's just going to take some getting used to see the big bad Requiem in love. She looks so young and delicate too, when did you meet her?"
"Three nights ago."
"You mean to tell me," Byron started slowly, "that the slow calculating, must have a plan for everything Requiem I once knew, met, converted and got his lifemate pregnant within the span of three nights including going to the ground?"
"Sounds about right." Mikhail smirked.
"Will you stand down the both of you?" Requiem snapped, slightly exasperated.
"You must admit that it's slightly amusing to think of you as a daddy." Byron said.
Requiem scowled angrily. He had always been taken seriously, respected as an accomplished warrior and now he was being made a mockery of.
"Oh come off it Requiem, we don't mean it." the prince said. "Everyone one of us has endured the same teasing once we've found our lifemates. It's called friendship. There will be many changes in your life now and all of them will come hard and fast. Some of these things will force you to change a bit of the way you live or how but that doesn't mean anyone's going to disrespect or think any less of you for it."
"I suppose you're right…."
"Besides, you're gong to have to get used to change. Two females your household? You're going to be going absolutely insane my friend and you're probably going to wish you had faced the dawn."
"I could never wish for that, Sakura is everything to me."
"We can see that." Byron observed.
"Byron, you married your lifemate in human tradition didn't you?" Requiem asked, changing the subject.
"Yes. She comes from a large family and it was expected of her. Her grandfather was a good friend of mine and it did him great honour to oversee our union. Despite her protests, I believe she was secretly overjoyed. It seems to be a human woman fantasy of sorts; it must be the attention. Why?"
"I thought it would be something that would make Sakura happy." Requiem admitted.
"I guess you're trying to ask for help? Not quite sure about how to go about it and what it entails?" Byron asked.
"Something along those lines."
"Have you asked her to marry you?"
"No. I wasn't sure as to the etiquette or formalities of it all."
"You're having a very hard time asking for help aren't you Requiem?" Byron said, slightly amused.
Requiem was having a very hard time asking for help from another hunter he had not seen for a couple hundred years.
"Ok hunter, if I am asking for help…" Requiem began.
"I'm not a hunter anymore Requiem, I'm a gem caller as I was born to be and right now, we have an engagement ring to sort out. I'm sure Raven wouldn't mind keeping our women company for a little while longer."