Five Years Later
"Nadia! Don't throw sand at your brother!" I call out, shaking my head at my child who seems to think that throwing sand at people is her job lately. I rest my hands behind me as I watch the twins play with the sand and rocks with a small smile on my face. Dimitri and I bought the house in Goderich from Abe shortly after our honeymoon and promised each other that we would make time to come up here for a few weeks each summer. We didn't change anything to the house except to convert two of the guest rooms into bedrooms for the kids.
The last few years have been amazing even with the few setbacks.
While the age law was revoked along with the Quorum, things seemed to settle down in our world until there was an attack at another academy four years ago. We lost a lot of Guardians, Novices, and Moroi that night. More than what we lost at St. Vladimir's. I was also devastated when Dimitri was called out to the academy to help with the rebuild and for the rescue mission. I begged for him not to go, and even pleaded with Croft, but Dimitri is still one of the best.
The six hours it took for the rescue mission were some of the hardest in my life, but when I got the single text from Dimitri stating that he was ok, I felt like I could breathe again. That happiness was short-lived when only a few hours later I started bleeding, unaware of the fact that I was pregnant and was in the process of miscarrying. Dimitri came home a few days later and took the news better than expected, but I think he was holding most of the pain back for my sake.
The only good thing that came out of the attack was that one person was restored. Sonya Karp. She was found on the outskirts of the academy by a few Guardians and a Spirit wielding Moroi, one of which was in the process of learning how to use Spirit by Lissa and Adrian.
Lissa and Christian blessed me with my godson two years ago, a young Jace Luca Ozera-Dragomir, a bouncing platinum blonde baby with the same eyes as his father. I was honoured to be named godmother and couldn't be happier for my best friend.
I watch Dimitri wander down to the water and lift the kids up into his arms and trudge into the lake, laughing at their squeals of excitement. While Dimitri has expressed he wants more kids, he hasn't been one to push for it, given the fact that not only did I miscarry after the rescue mission but again at the beginning of Lissa's pregnancy with Jace.
Speaking of Sonya, with her help we were able to develop a drug trial to help Dhampirs reproduce with other Dhampirs due to the mixture of Spirit that flows in both her and Dimitri's veins. Shortly after that, we were able to be open with the knowledge that Dimitri was the kids' father, not Adrian.
Adrian and Sydney just announced that they will be expecting their own bundle of joy in February, and the look of panic on Adrian's face when he told us was priceless. He had no idea how to handle the idea of being a father himself. Thankfully, Dimitri was able to diffuse that situation quickly.
I reach into my bag to pull out our packed lunches, getting it ready for the twins as they wander out of the water with large smiles on their faces. I grimace slightly as I look at the cold pizza I packed for Nadia, gagging at the sight of the pepperoni laden dough.
That was the first clue I got two weeks ago when I made some for lunch and the smell turned me off instantly. I smile to myself now nonetheless and brush my hand against my lower abdomen, revelling in the secret delight of what I will surprise Dimitri with tonight.
I close the door quietly after checking on the kids and tiptoe back to our bedroom and shut the door behind me. I smile at Dimitri who is laying in bed with his book in hand, his other hand behind his head. He looks up from the pages that hold his attention and gives me a lopsided grin. I untie my robe and lay it over the back of the chair, giving him a sly look. Underneath the waffle weave robe, I hide my sheer black robe and matching bra and panties and strut over to the bed.
Dimitri places his bookmark in place and sets it on the nightstand, his tongue running out to lick his bottom lip before biting it. I crawl up the bed and dip my head down to meet his lips, kissing him deeply. "How does a massage sound, Papa?" I purr against his lips, sitting up in his lap. Dimitri groans and nods his head and I get up to grab the massage oil I purchased this afternoon. On Mother's Day, Dimitri treated me to a very intimate massage that slowly turned into something much more carnal, and I think it would be good to return the favour.
I gesture for him to roll onto his stomach and I climb back on the bed, straddling his hips and sitting down on his firm ass. I squirt some oil between my hands and get to work, rubbing and kneading at his neck, shoulders and back, making sure to dig in on his right shoulder more than the left. I move to his arms next and work into his hands, pressing my thumbs into the palms and smirking when a grunted moan works its way out of his lips. I move and tug on Dimitri's boxers and he lifts his hips enough that I can get them down and he kicks them off the rest of the way. I work on the muscles of his butt and thighs while working my way down, feeling myself get aroused the closer I get to the end of the massage.
"Ok, now roll over," I whisper and I raise onto my knees enough for him to flip over. I moan quietly when I see his arousal and bat my eyes at him. "You're supposed to be relaxing," I quip and Dimitri runs a hand up my front, slipping under my robe and resting on the center of my chest.
"What did you expect, with you wearing that. Plus, I can feel how wet you are through those panties," Dimitri implores huskily, his hand moving to tweak one of my nipples. I hiss in pleasure and tilt my head back, curling my toes as the sensation goes right to my core. I'm surprised my secret hasn't been blown yet by the amount of sex I want, or by just how sensitive I am. Not to mention I eat everything in sight lately. I look back at him and start to massage his chest and stomach, working my way down to his hips. I scoot down as I go and keep eye contact with him as I lower my mouth to his turgid shaft, running my tongue from base to weeping tip. A quiet moan slips through his lips as his hands move to my hair, his fingers sliding between my tresses as I take him into my mouth.
"God, Roza," Dimitri moans as I pump and suck on him, humming in pleasure around him. I pull up from his member and give him a smirk as he reaches for me, crashing his lips to mine hungrily. His hands untie the belt around my waist and push the robe off my shoulders before deftly unclasping my bra and pulling it off. I twist my fingers into his hair as he pulls both of us up as he rests on his knees, my legs wrapping around his waist. We both pull away to breathe and I tighten my legs around him, tugging him closer and dissolving any space left. Dimitri's lust-filled eyes hold mine as his fingers slide down my body and rest on my hips, toying with the material there.
"Do not rip them. They tie up at the side," I breathe wantonly, and I can feel him pulling the strings on the only thing keeping us separated now. Not even a moment after the material is pulled away from me, he thrusts into me roughly, causing both of us to groan before he starts to move quickly inside me.
Aware that the twins are down the hall, Dimitri seals his lips against mine to swallow my moans and his grunts. I dig my fingers into his back and cling to him as much as I can, my fingers sliding against the sweat and oil on his skin. I rip my lips away from his as I hit an earth-shattering peak, Dimitri following suit with a groan and a curse, his head falling to rest on my chest.
We sit there panting for a few moments before Dimitri lifts his head and presses his lips to mine lazily, his hand leaving my hip and cupping my cheek. "I will never get enough of you," he whispers against my lips. I lean into him and pull myself closer to him as he lays down on the bed. I snicker as we bounce slightly on the mattress and I move to straddle his hips better, clenching my inner muscles around his shaft.
I let my nails drag down his chest and I grind my hips against him, moaning at the feeling of him buried inside me.
I lean down and press my lips to his again. "I have one more present for you," I murmur against his lips. Dimitri chuckles and cups my face gently as he prolongs our kiss.
"This isn't enough? Roza, you and the kids have gone all out for Father's day so far."
I shrug and crawl off him to pull the bag out from under the bed and hand it to him. I smile widely and bite my lip as I watch him read the card with a smile before he digs into the bag and pulls the small scrap of fabric out, his eyes going wide. Dimitri looks up to me and turns the object around, his mouth gaping as he tries to form words.
"All Mommy wanted was a backrub," I say softly, reciting the script on the baby sleeper in his hands. Dimitri drops the sleeper into his lap before pulling me back into his arms, his laughter filling the bedroom before his teary voice is muffled by my shoulder.
"We're having another baby!?" Dimitri asks and I nod against him, wrapping my arms around him tightly.
I pull out of Dimitri's embrace and wipe the joyful tears from his face. "I'm six weeks," I say with a small laugh and press my lips to his quickly. Dimitri smiles at me as he gently pushes me back onto the mattress, his hands coming to rest on my stomach before lowering his head and pressing his lips to my stomach.
"I can't wait to meet you," he whispers against my skin. I run my finger through his hair as I think about all those years ago when he said that same thing to the twins on Christmas morning. He looks up at me from where his head rests on my belly, his eyes shining in happiness. "I love you, so much," he whispers to me, his hands caressing me with a featherlight touch.
I chuckle and rub my hand over the side of his face. He catches my hand in his and pulls my palm to his lips. "I have been dying to tell you since I found out, but I wanted to make it special."
"Roza, you made it special just by telling me."
I chuckle at the kids running around the living room, shrieking and laughing as they play. Declan has sprouted a few inches since we last saw him and it's funny watching Jace hobble after Declan, the twins, and Mia's daughter, Grace. Although Grace is just starting to walk so it's more Grace following them.
"Is Justin sleeping through the night yet?" I ask Amilia and watch the look of disappointment cross her face.
"No, he is still up every other hour. At least he is sleeping now," she sighs, looking over at the swing by the couch where her son sleeps soundly. Leave it to babies who sleep through what sounds like a concert, only to be woken by the sound of something falling on the carpet.
"How are you Little Dhampir?" Adrian asks as he plops down on the couch beside me, handing me a glass of lemonade. I thank him and take a sip, only to choke on it at the taste of vodka mixed in. I smile and set the glass down on the table and turn my attention to the kids.
"How is Declan doing in school? You had mentioned he was having issues with one of the kids?" I ask Adrian. He groans and rests his head against the couch. "He's doing better. The kids are making fun of him because he's smarter than the others. I think it might be the whole dhampir/dhampir genetics. But you know how seven-year-olds can be."
I shake my head and laugh humorlessly. Kids can be horrible sometimes. I've experienced my fair share of tantrums from the kids. I could only imagine how bad some can be when they're trying to be mean. I look up at Adrian to find him looking at me with an intense stare and I realize that he's not looking directly at me; he's looking around me.
I raise my brows at him when Amilia gets up to help Sydney in the kitchen. "Something you wanna share?" Adrian asks quietly.
I shrug my shoulders innocently. "Nope. I'm just happy we are all here."
Adrian raises his brows at me and leans forward to take my glass off the table and wanders back into the kitchen. I shake my head and smile at Dimitri as he slips through the patio door and sits down in Amilia's vacated spot, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
I sigh happily as he presses his lips to mine and his other hand comes to rest on my leg. "Are you feeling any better?" he whispers in my ear, mindful of Adrian and Lissa standing in the threshold between the living room and kitchen. I flick my eyes over to them and then back to him. I give a simple nod with a smile, which he returns with a look that makes my heart flutter.
"Mama?"
I turn my head and scrunch my nose up with a playful smile at Nadia. She rocks back on her feet and toys with her fingers as she looks up at us with her big doe eyes. "Yeah, baby?" I ask as I run my fingers through her fiery curls.
"Can I have some juice?" she asks quietly. I smile and pick her up, heading into the kitchen. Lissa blows a kiss on Nadia's cheek as we walk by and she squeals in laughter. I plop her down on the counter and open the cupboard to get a plastic cup for her and fill it with juice for her. "Thanks," Nadia says softly as she holds the cup in her hands.
Dimitri and I joked that we thought that Nadia would be a carbon-copy of me; looks and attitude. We were wrong. The sass and attitude comes from Artyom and Nadia is as quiet and collected as her father. Lissa glides by me and sets a stack of paper plates on the table with a sigh.
"Lissa, you ok?" I ask as I reach out and place my hand on the side of her belly. Lissa nods and puts her hand over mine.
"Yes. Just moving around a lot today." I chuckle and nod my head in understanding, silently excited to experience it myself again. Nadia puts the cup down on the counter and stretches her arms out to me and I set her down on the ground.
"It's sad to think that the twins will be starting kindergarten in a few weeks. It feels like yesterday I found out I was pregnant," I say to Lissa as Nadia runs back into the side room to play with the other kids. Lissa sighs again and brushes her hair away from her face and gives me a smile.
"I know, right? They're getting so big! It's about time that you and Dimitri grace me with another godchild," Lissa says, nudging my shoulder as she brings the plates into the backyard.
Oh Lissa, you don't know how right you are.
"Now that we've all eaten, I think it's time that we told you why we wanted all of you over for dinner," Christian says with an excited smile on his face. I raise my brows at him and lean further into Dimitri's side, toying with my plate as I eyeball his untouched dessert. Knowing exactly what I want, Dimitri slides his plate towards me and I gleefully dive into his dessert.
"What is it?" Mia asks as she rocks Grace gently. Lissa gives us all an excited smile before giving the big announcement.
"This has been kept quiet, but we have been following the Strigoi numbers nationally. And I am happy to report that the Strigoi numbers are dropping exponentially."
The shock that runs through me is astonishing and I sit up straight in my chair. The sleeping toddlers around the table are no longer asleep with the uproar of excitement around the table.
"Are you serious?" I exclaim with wide eyes, my mind running. Lissa gives me a wide smile and squeezes Christian's hand. Christian smiles back at her and jumps up from his seat and dashes into the house only to return to the table with two bottles of champagne tucked under his arm and a bottle of sparkling juice for Sydney and Lissa.
Christian makes his way around the tables with red cups, depositing them in front of everyone. He makes it to us and I shake my head at him, but he narrows his eyes at me. "Nope, we are all celebrating Rose. One glass isn't going to make you drunk," Christian quips but I continue to protest.
Christian continues to try and push the cup in front of me, but I make eye contact with Dimitri. His eyes meet mine and a silent conversation passes through our gaze. Why not tell them now? We're all here.
"I can't because I'm pregnant."
The noise around us stills as all eyes turn to me, and I hear Dimitri chuckle lightly at the look on Christian's face. Lissa looks shocked before she starts to cry and jumps up from her seat, coming around the table to wrap her arms around me.
"Oh my God! I'm so happy for you! How far along?" Lissa exclaims through her happy tears. I hug her back and laugh at her lightly as Christian slaps Dimitri's shoulder.
"We were going to tell you all at the barbeque at the end of the month," I say as she pulls away.
"We're belly buddies!" she squeals. I shake my head and look over to Sydney and we give each other a look that says, here we go.
I rock back and forth in the chair gently as I let my eyes wander over the room. I was adamant about finishing the nursery myself this time, and I think I did a pretty good job. I sigh and place the pillow in my lap when Dimitri walks past the door and backtracks to look in.
"I'm impressed," he says with a smile and I laugh at him. He strides into the room and reaches out to me, helping me up from the chair. I smile and move to pull my shirt down over my gargantuan stomach but Dimitri slips his hand underneath the fabric and presses his lips to my forehead.
"How is little Alyosha?" he asks as his hand glides against my skin, and I rest my head against his shoulder. I was ecstatic to find out I was having another boy, and I immediately knew what I wanted to name him.
"He is fine, but if he keeps kicking like he is, he is going to be a soccer star."
Dimitri chuckles and pulls his hand out from under my shirt and gives me a quick kiss. "I really like the nursery. The western theme is adorable," Dimitri chuckles as he eyes the cactus decals on the wall. I hum and lean into him as much as I can and run my hands over his back. I thought he would get a real kick out of a western-style nursery, and it was oddly fun to purchase all the things for our little cowboy.
"I just checked on the kids, they're out like lights," Dimitri says as we leave the room, his hand resting on my lower back as he guides me to our room. I sigh happily. The two have been fussy at night lately, and it is a blessing that they settled down tonight. I plop down on the mattress and roll onto my side with my pillow, letting my eyes drift shut.
I smile and feel my body relax at Dimitri's touch, his warm hands running over my legs and feet. I wiggle my toes as his fingers brush the arch in my foot and he laughs lightly. "So, do you think I'll go right to my due date?" I ask quietly when Dimitri crawls to lay next to me, his hand going to my stomach. He really loves the bump.
"I don't know, but I like the idea of having a Valentine's day baby," he says as he settles in beside me. I smirk and wiggle closer to him and open my eyes to meet his gaze.
"I never thought I'd have all of this," I say wistfully. Dimitri hums and brushes my hair from my face.
"How so?"
I shift around and wedge my leg between his and rub my cold toes against his leg. "I just mean I never expected any of this. You, kids, a nice house and a good job. I always thought I would spend my life one step behind Lissa and the closest I would get to kids would be being the best aunt ever to her kids. Hell, I had a strong dislike of you when we met. And now, I have everything and more that I could dream of. I just, I couldn't be happier with my life."
Dimitri gives me a smile that has always melts my heart and runs his fingers through my hair, his eyes holding mine in a gaze that can see right into my soul.
"I couldn't be happier either. I didn't have a real life until I met you. You've made the last six years of my life the best. I love you, Roza."
I smile again and lean in to brush my lips against his, happy to know that I will have him by my side for the rest of my life.
I couldn't ask for anything better.
6 months, 40 chapters, 157,184 words, 384 reviews and 42,000 views! I have to say that this has been such an amazing experience, and I am so happy to be able to share it with you all.
First off, I would like to thank HonestPassion30 and TheLittleSubmissive for all the help they have given me while writing and for all the help you've given me when I couldn't get my thoughts in line, or just overall helping me through the story.
Thank you to TheLittleSubmissive for editing the last handful of chapters, you are a rockstar!
A big thank you to Swimming in the Deep Waters for giving me the courage to start writing again.
And a huge thank you to my man who read the first four chapters and had absolutely no idea what was going on because he has never read VA, but still told me that the chapters were good.
And finally, thank you to all of my readers who have been following all, you are all fantastic!