Rose
"Hey girl friend," I said completely surprising Sydney. She jumped like a cartoon cat that would stick its claws in the ceiling when it was startled. "I guess a 'thank you' is in order, since you did save my life with your little book." I held her book up and wiggled it.
"Rose, good to see you up and about." She replied with a hint of sarcasm. She eyed the book in my hands. I could tell she was trying to think of a way to take it from me. I chuckled, she had balls, I'd give her that.
"So there are a few things we need to talk about. I studied your tome of fairy tales and realized one very important fact." I tossed the book on the couch behind her. "I can't read this chicken scratch, what the hell does it mean?" She opened her mouth already prepared with an answer so I cut her off to save time. "…And before you give me the song and dance you've been working on since you arrived in this room, let me remind you that at any time I want, I can compel you to tell me everything I need to know."
"So why ask me like this? Why not just hypnotize me right now?"
"Because during the time we spent together before my awakening I learned a few things about you. The foremost being that your brilliant mind is more useful to me of your own free will than as my pet. Plus I miss our verbal sparring matches. I don't get too many of those anymore, one of the few downsides of being the Queen. The only one really"
"So that's what omnipotence sounds like."
"See? That there! Nowadays everyone just says 'yes my Queen' or 'understood my Queen' not that I don't enjoy getting my way all the time. But how else will I keep my wit sharp? Now, Dimitri told me about the prophecy but I'm thoroughly lost. Explain it to me."
She looked at the floor and let out a sigh of defeat. "Got anything to drink around here?" I smirked at the knowledge that I'd won. She was so afraid of loosing her mind she would give me everything I needed. Sure I would compel her anyway but I'd save that for later. "Wine, beer or something stronger?"
"Stronger…"
"Stronger coming right up"
Two minutes later a bottle of Russian vodka was brought to the door. She eyed me strangely as I poured two classes of the potent clear liquid. "Strigoi drink?" I raised my eyebrow at her choice of words. She rolled her eyes "Stuff that isn't blood I mean."
"Why not? We don't get liver failure and it still gets us drunk. But we can control the stupor; if necessary we can just brush it off and return to normal. It's more recreational than anything."
She chugged her glass and poured another. "Slow down cowgirl, I need you to be at least a little bit functional. Just think of this as a girl's night. Only it's during the day and we will be discussing vampyric divination instead of watching The Bachelorette or Sex and the City."
'I hate both of those shows."
"Sex and the City yes but don't knock the Bachelorette. It was all I watched when I stayed in this room, so romantic."
"Ok, if my only two options are listening to you drone on about that retarded show or explaining how you and your boyfriend are going to bring about the end of the world, I'll go with doomsday."
"Husband, and I see the vodka is working. Now spill."
"Alright, here it goes." She sat on the couch tucking one leg underneath her and began. "The first line 'When the Lord and Lady of darkness have bound their souls, the power infused in their blood must be shared to hold their demise at bay.' That's referring to you and Dimitri. In order to keep the balance of power you need to drink from each other regularly."
"What about drinking the blood of others?"
"I am imaging that's still a necessity for sustenance. This is just to keep the two of you from another overdose. The next line 'Apart they will whither and perish. Together with the sharing of blood their power shall flourish. They shall cross all boundaries of their race and consume the gifts of all Earth's creatures' You get the apart from each other concept but the rest of it means the more you share blood with Dimitri the stronger the two of you will get. Apparently you will eventually be able to do everything Dhampir, Moroi and Humans can do."
"We will have Moroi magic? Walk in the sunlight?"
"If I'm interpreting this properly, at some point, yes. I don't know how developed your powers are right now but if this is true, the two of you will be the most powerful couple in the world. That leads us to the next line, 'When the crowning of their supremacy disembarks they shall conceive a son born of pure grace and pure malevolence. By his hand will the world collapse into utter darkness or transcend into pure light' "
"A son? You mean Dimitri and I can have a child?" Warmth filled me at the thought, a little boy with his father's eyes and smile. All dark haired and pale skin, he would be the most beautiful baby ever born. Instinctively I placed my hand on my womb. Could I be pregnant already? I looked at Sydney, encouraging her to tell me more.
"When the two of you have reached the summit of your power, walking in sunlight, elemental magic and all that jazz. It's quite believable that the ability to conceive would be part of the package. Judging by the text, he will be the one to either save the world or destroy it."
"Explain,"
" '…born of pure grace and pure malevolence" That's basically saying he'll be a coin toss, capable of great things and also terrible things. Depending on how he is raised he will either be an angel or a demon. I'm going to guess the latter given his parentage. Together you three will make some kind of unholy trinity."
Not totally sure if I was shocked or excited, I got up and walked to the door. Before opening it I turned to Sydney one more time. "Thank you for the lesson lets do this again some time." Realizing I'd left the book still in her position I took a step to take it back from her. Then an idea occurred to me. I reached out my hand towards the book and tried compelling it to come to me. The same warmth from my brain stem I usually felt while compelling living things started up. The book began to shake then darted across the room and into my hand. I looked at a very astonished Sydney wiggled my eyebrows and began punching the code to leave the room. As I closed the first door I heard the distinct sound of liquid being poured into Sydney's glass.
Dimitri was waiting for me on the other side of the second door. Before I could say a word he pulled me into his arms.
"I'm guessing you heard everything?"
"Roza, a child. Do you know what this means?"
"That it's a good thing Strigoi don't need sleep?" Strigoi didn't produce tears but if they could, one or two would be sliding down my cheeks now. Given the sensitive nature of this conversation we both decided it would be wise to continue it in our suite. But before leaving that wing of the manor, I instructed Stephan to get some food to Sydney ASAP. "…And make sure it's full of carbs. She's going to need something to soak up the vodka before she gets alcohol poisoning. Make sure you see her eating it too."
"Yes my Queen." Stephan said and went to carry out his orders.
Once we had returned to the safety of our suite Dimitri and I dissected my conversation with Sydney. We covered the power balance and increase in abilities then finally got to the part we both were anxious for: the topic of our impending son.
"I thought that would be something we would never have, even as Dhampir we would have never been able to have a child. That's why I was so afraid you would run off with Tasha Ozera way back when. Because she could give you what I couldn't."
The sad truth was Dhampir/Dhampir relations couldn't produce children. They could only have children with Moroi or Human's. Meanwhile Moroi could procreate with other Moroi, Dhampir, and humans. It was one of the biggest unfair limitations of Dhampir life.
"It was never important to me Roza. I realized back then that I would only want a child if he or she came from you; if that wasn't an option then I didn't care. That's why I stayed in St Vladimir's. What I felt for you was stronger than any desire I had for anything else. Now those feelings are a thousand times what they were then, and today we learn that the one thing that escaped us can be a reality. We were right all along, we are fated. How could this be possible any other way?"
My emotions were all over the place. I wanted to run in circles from pure joy at the same time I wanted to grab and kiss my husband senseless. "Sydney said we will conceive him when we reach full power. I doubt we are there yet but I was able to move her book with my mind before I left, so there is something developing."
"I saw you! That was amazing. We will have to start training together as soon as possible. If the prophecy is correct we have much work to do on top of our royal duties. We will have to push back your reveal till we are more underway with our powers..." Dimitri was already planning the next few months of preparations. If he was motivated before the news of our prophesized child, he was a locomotive now. He was pacing back and forth spilling out everything that needed to be done from now till the little guy was conceived. "…We will also need to find a doctor, one who treats Moroi mothers and compel them. You will need to be monitored regularly. We have no idea what the pregnancy will be like or if we will even know when you get pregnant…"
"Slow down there Comrade, how about we start with picking out a name."
"I'm getting carried away aren't I?"
"Only a lot, and I love you for it." I smiled and went to him taking both his hands in mine.
He took a breath and kissed me tenderly. "I just never thought anything like this was possible. I want everything to be perfect."
"It will be. We can start by converting the ballroom into a training facility. He won't come if we aren't at our best. It's up to us to get there."
"You're right, I will have Stephan and his team get everything we will need. It would be wise to allow the army to watch our training sessions. It will instill their loyalty to see what their King and Queen are capable of should they get any bright ideas."
"They're going to shit themselves when they see us in action. Most of them were human before we awakened them. They've probably never seen real magic. "
"I'm debating whether or not to tell you to start watching your language since you will be a mother someday."
"Our baby's parents are two Strogi who spend their time drinking blood, having sex, and conquering Eastern Europe all the while completing an end of days prophecy. You're concerned he may learn a few naughty words?"
"Point taken, smart ass." We couldn't contain the laughter that exploded from Dimitri's choice of words. This was really happening. He held my face as the laughter died down. "So, names huh?" Dimitri asked.
"Ya, I was thinking something strong and original you know? Something you don't hear all the time." I said playing with different options in my head.
"Like what Thor?"
"And you call me the smart ass?"
"I think we have time to come up with something."
"Says the man who is ready to pick out my doctor and start putting together a delivery room?"
"I got carried away, I admitted it. Lets start with the training center. Tonight we have to visit the clubs and labs. Also I want us to check on Jori's casinos. With how long you take to get ready I should probably lock you in the closet now."
"You men have no appreciation for the work we women put into making ourselves presentable."
Oh I appreciate it, very, very much." Dimitri spoke slowly in a husky voice. He pressed his pelvis against me on the last word showing just how much he appreciated the care I took in my appearance. "Didn't you say something about us spending all day having sex?"
"I may have said something to that degree…"
His wicked grin returned. With Strigoi speed he picked me up and rushed us both to the bed.
'So much for locking me in the closet' I said through our bond. Our mouths were too busy to speak aloud.
'We can take this to the closet if you like.' He replied as he moved his mouth from my lips to my neck and bit into my throat. We probably wouldn't conceive our son today, but there was no harm in a little practice… or a lot of practice.