Epilogue – APOV
Mom read quietly as I rested on her. It scared me when I saw her and Savannah being trapped by those ugly vines. It was frightening and I hope we never have to go through something like that again. Savannah, my mom, aunt and myself were now being guarded often because our lives cannot be placed in danger.
Daddy, my uncles and Granpa were now working on new plans, including Granpa opening a blood bank. I didn't listen to why they were opening it, but Uncle Mikhail was all for it.
Go back to sleep, sweetheart, Momma soothed me. I haven't been sleeping well lately. My head rested back in Momma's lap while she sang to me.
*Tumtesz o wäke ku pitasz belső. (Feel the strength you hold inside)
Hiszasz sívadet. Én olenam gæidnod. (Trust your heart. I'll be your guide)
Sas csecsemõm, kuńasz. (Hush my baby, close your eyes)
Rauho joŋe ted. (Peace will come to you)
Tumtesz o sívdobbanás ku olen lamt3ad belső. (Feel the rhythm deep inside)
Gond-kumpadek ku kim te. (Waves of love that cover you)
Pesänak te, asti o jüti, kidüsz. (Protect, until the night, you rise)
My eyes were heavy as Momma's voice song flowed through my mind. It was the same song she sang to me since I was a baby. The song was so pretty, even if I didn't completely understand it. I was just learning our language. It wasn't fair that my grandparents, aunts and uncles knew the language perfectly and they weren't Carpathian.
I groaned as I heard Emmett, Tristan, Benjamin and Josef in their game room. Momma leaned over me and whispered in my ear, "Turn it down and they won't disturb you." I lowered the strength of my hearing and zeroed in on one thing, Momma's heartbeat. It was a steady beat that I knew all too well. I never told Momma but, but I remembered as far back to being a baby inside her. Even then, Emmett and I fought with each other, but we always stopped when we heard Momma. Even Daddy's voice reached us and we knew him then.
Momma was reading to herself and I heard the words flowing through her mind. I loved listening to her read. I loved my home and family. I hope we never had to change.
But change was coming. Change always came; sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes awesome. Savannah was an awesome change. Changing my room so that I could share with her was good. Watching Momma suffer while Daddy was healing was terrible. She loved Daddy so much and he loved her too. I knew that was the change coming for me and Savannah. We weren't going to be little girls forever. We were going to grow up, become women and find lifemates.
Would our lifemates separate us? Take us away from our parents? What if they were already vampires and we couldn't save them?
I opened one eye seeing Gregori come into the study. Momma shushed to him and he saw that I was trying to sleep. Gregori was so nice, but scary. He would never do anything to hurt us, but he still sent chills down my spine. When was he going to find his lifemate? Where was mine? Was he in pain waiting for me to grow up? But I don't want to grow up. I don't want to leave my mom and dad. Emmett, maybe, for a little while, but I wanted to stay with my family. I'm going to tell Daddy. I'm not going to be claimed. I almost had my family ripped apart. That's never going to happen again. Momma brushed her hand over my head, reminding me that I was safe. And that is how I was always going to be.
*Carpathian Language Guide:
Odam-Sarna Kondak (Carpathian Lullaby)
O-dawm Shawr-naw Kon-dawk
Tumtesz o wäke ku pitasz belső.
Feel the strength you hold inside.
Toom-tez oh waa-kee koo pee-tahs bayl-sho(n).
Hiszasz sívadet. Én olenam gæidnod.
Trust your heart. I'll be your guide.
He-sahs shee-vaw-det. Ayn o-len-awm guy-eed-nawd.
Sas csecsemõm, kuńasz.
Hush my baby, close your eyes.
Sahs cheh-cheh-maym, koo-nyahs.
Rauho joŋe ted.
Peace will come to you.
Rau-ho joh-ngeh tehd.
Tumtesz o sívdobbanás ku olen lamt3ad belső.
Feel the rhythm deep inside.
Toom-tez oh shiv-dob-aw-nahsh koo o-len lawm-tee-yawd behl-sho(n).
Gond-kumpadek ku kim te.
Waves of love that cover you.
Gohnd-koom-pah-dek koo keem teh.
Pesänak te, asti o jüti, kidüsz.
Protect, until the night, you rise.
Peh-saa-nawk teh, as-tee o yü-tee, kee-düz.
