Here's the latest chapter. Our first look at the kiddos. It has been a rough week here for me, so I can't wait to feel the love on this one.

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Chapter 20

To be surrounded by sleeping vampires when you don't is unnerving. I'd gotten used to things when watching Bella as a human that the last month have erased. There's no breathing or heartbeat, so it is little things that tell me everything is fine.

Little twitches of limbs from the twins, the fluttering of Bella's lashes, they saved my sanity.

The twins woke first, becoming fussy when I tried to hold them both. They'd already grown into the oversized clothes they'd been changed into at birth.

I moved to the bed and at the sight of their mother, they quieted down. I sat them beside her and Renata moved to cuddle Bella's side. When Marcus moved closer, Renata held up her hand and he fell back. He crawled over and put his hand on her cheek. She put up with it for a moment before holding up her hand again, knocking my son on his ass without a touch.

"Behave you two."

The angelic pairs of eyes that looked up at me were too much. I went to pick up Marcus but suddenly my hands were a foot to the right of him. It wasn't a push or anything like that, my hands were just on a new course.

Renata cheered at the realization she could move me.

I scooped up Marcus and lay with him on my chest when Renata reached out to tap my bicep. Her lip quivered and I ran a finger across her cheek. "I'm not mad. But I need you to listen."

She nodded and rolled onto her side, facing away from me. Marcus reached up to touch my chin and I felt raw emotions. For a moment, I believed that Marcus was an empath like Jasper, until I saw the image focus. It was Renata's view of me and Marcus a moment ago, sadness and a feeling of loneliness tainting the image. Marcus lifted his hand and I turned to my daughter.

"Come here, Baby Girl."

Renata turned to me and her eyes shimmered with a layer of venom. I sat Marcus on the bed so I could turn to her and lifted her up, tucking her into my side with my left arm wrapped around her. I picked up Marcus with my right arm and held him to my chest.

"I am new at being a father. You need to be patient with me. I love both of you and so does your mother. When she wakes, you will see how happy she is that you are here."

Both of the twins snuggled closer and I felt them relax. Once again I was alone with a trio of sleeping vampires.

It was Bella who woke next, turning to look at me with our children.

"How long was I asleep?"

"About a day. Why?"

"They've grown that much in a day?"

"We were told this. My father broke it down in plainer terms, but the first month will be the most rapid."

"Can I hold one of them?"

"Of course. I'm sure our daughter would love to wake up in her mother's arms."

Bella shifted Renata into her arms and snuggled her close.

"How were they while I was asleep?"

"Our daughter is feisty. It seems she can physically move others. And our son can communicate with touch. I don't know if he is an empath as well or it is a connection between the twins."

"They're both gifted. That's good. It would be hard growing up in a gifted family and not have a power."

"You'd have to ask Garrett that question."

Bella turned to me, but her eyes were unfocused as she thought about my brother. "You know, I never even thought about it with him. There was so much going on, I didn't wonder about him being gifted."

"He's a pain in my ass, maybe that's his gift."

Bella shook her head and returned her attention to our children. "What will her job be while her brother is the future prince?"

"The choice is hers. She isn't bound to anything like her brother. Think about Alice, or Garrett, they are free to choose their path, they can fall in love with a mate at any time. They won't be bound to the Choosing."

"Did you find love before?"

I turned to see the uncertainty in her eyes. "No. There were women who were pleasing, but it felt shallow. Now I know why. I was waiting for you."

"Good answer, Your Majesty."

The children chose that moment to fuss, and Bella looked between both of them as they opened their eyes. "Good morning, you two. Bella, I'm going for a hunt, I'll be back soon."

Renata held up her arms, but I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Princess, you're too young to hunt. I'll send your grandpa up with your meal."

Her hands dropped to her sides and I leaned in to kiss the top of her head. My lips made contact, but then I was already on my way up, having received another mental shove from my daughter.

"Wren, be nice. You and your brother need to be old enough to take down a Wanderer before you can go out. It will take time."

Renata settled against her mother, and I left them alone. As I hit the last stair to the bottom floor, I met Emmett and my father's eyes. "The twins are awake, they'll need to be fed soon."

"I'll drain another Wanderer, how about you?"

"I want to go out and hunt something. Emmett, want to stretch your legs?"

"Of course, Edward."

We bounded out of the Residence and made our way out of the city. It was a wonderful feeling to put some miles between me and the stone walls.

"So, how are the twins?"

"Extraordinary. They're both gifted, though we'll know more about it once they're older. Renata can already push me with her mind. And Marcus, he communicates through touch."

"You sound like a proud papa."

"I am. My children are a wonder, and Bella. She takes to it so easily. I still need to figure out how to teach them without scolding. My daughter is spirited. A day old and she's ready to take on the world, including a hunt."

"Just like her mother."

I smiled at the thought. "Let's hope she isn't quite that impulsive. Bella charged into a house full of vampires demanding to see me."

"There are a small group of Wanderers to the left. Enough for us and a meal for Bella."

I smiled at my friend and bodyguard, "She'll appreciate the thought."

"Then let's do this."

We caught up with the Wanderers and killed them quickly, drinking them down and then carrying the remaining pair back to the city. When we returned, my parents were holding the twins, and Bella was leaning against the wall.

"Are they for me?"

"Emmett and I thought you wouldn't want to leave the twins."

"So thoughtful. Why don't we take it in the other room, and then we can talk about the timeline for the twins. I want to know what the next few months will hold."

"Okay. We'll talk once you've eaten."