Chapter 21:

RPOV

Son of a bitch it hurt. I had hoped that my new found Strigoi strength had come with a higher pain tolerance but that was at least not true for contractions. Son of a bitch.

My old man had called in the best doctor from a few towns over and we were moving towards the clinic. Dimitri was getting worked up again. So I asked my mother who seemed to be the most level headed at the moment to come with us. Olena was coming to, but I knew she was still grieving from the funeral but she did have a bit of experience with these things so she could come in a little if we needed her.

I was taken to a bed and in between contractions they would examine me.

"Progressing nicely. Three centimeters in two hours. If you keep this up you will two babies by the end of the night."

But we didn't have babies by the end of the night. I was actually grateful, I didn't want their birthday to coincide with Yeva's memorial day.

But I seemed to have stalled. It didn't mean it didn't hurt. In fact it hurt a lot more, but I wasn't progressing anymore. The doctor had broken my water but it didn't seem to be helping. I was getting tired. The contractions were coming in fast now and I could barely keep conscious. I felt I was spacing out between contractions. They had tried giving me and epidural but my body was metabolizing it too fast. Stupid Strigoi powers.

I felt a rush of liquid coming down my legs and I told myself it was just extra water, but why were people looking at me like that.

I saw the doctor pull Dimitri aside and his face went ashen. Not good. Really not good. A moment later he said down next to me and his eyes were full of pain and tears. I told myself it was because his grandmother had just died.

"Roza, sweetheart. We need you to help the twins, The placenta had ruptured and they aren't getting oxygen through there anymore. The doctor wanted to a C-section."

Oh not good. They didn't do C-sections lightly. But they couldn't preform one on me. I would heal to fast.

"What if I can't, what if I can't get them out?"

I saw new tears in Dimitri's eyes.

"Then all three of you could die. You could bleed out and if we can't get the twins out they will suffocate."

Panic took hold of me. I saw the same panic reflected in Dimitri's eyes.

Funny how bleeding out would probably one of the few ways we could still die. Of course the wound in the placenta was healing itself but I could feel it tear apart again with each contraction. That is why they hurt so much more. It is also why I could see the floor and the bed being soaked in blood, my blood.

"breath Roza, breath. You have to push. The doctor said you are fully dilated. You need to push."

So I did and with each contraction and each push I could feel a gush of liquid flow past my legs, with each contraction I felt myself get a bit weaker.

"That is it, Roza, you are doing it, stay with me, baby, please stay with me,"

I listened to his voice and the voice of my mother telling I was doing great. But I was losing consciousness. I didn't know what would happen but I needed more power so I transformed. I saw the doctor take a step back but not run out screaming so I am guessing someone informed him what was going on. I pushed again and I could feel a shift. And I pushed again. Even without a contraction which was a lot harder. I pushed and I pushed until I heard a cry filling the room.

"That is it Roza, oh she is beautiful. A beautiful baby girl."

The doctor told me to bear down again so I did. I didn't have it in me anymore to speak or to make any kind of noise. I didn't need to, because the most beautiful sound in the room was my son joining his sister in crying. They were out and they were fine.

Dimitri took my hand and the tears were streaming down his face. I didn't know if they were out of joy for his children, but somehow I doubted that.

"Remember Dimitri, you promised."

With those last words I passed out.

DPOV

No, I knew a lot of things, but Roza passing out and the blood still pouring out of her wasn't a good thing. The doctor tried to work as fast as he could. He needed to get the placenta out, but Rose was in no position to help. If we could get it out the wound could heal and she would be fine.

I remembered the promise I made. I wouldn't save her again with supernatural means. I would do anything in my power and the doctors power but I wouldn't save her if she couldn't be saved. I was trying very hard to keep that promise. But as I was seeing the color drain from her face and her eyes roll back inside of her head. I had a hard time doing it. My mother had called Oksana and Mark. They had been at the funeral and they could heal her. It wasn't cheating if she wasn't dead yet, right? I was trying really hard to resist the urge to call her. I had transformed myself so I could listen to her breathing and her heartbeat, both were still there.

The doctor gave a shot of something hoping it would work. He grabbed a thong like device from a sterile package and inserted it inside of her. I tried very hard not winch. If she was awake it would have probably hurt a lot. He was manually extracting the placenta. A few agonizing moments later it was out and I let out a sigh of relief. Until I saw that the trail of blood wasn't stopping. Why wasn't she healing herself. I could hear her heartbeat pick up. The sound of her blood in her veins was almost deafening. This wasn't good. Her body had to work hard to pump the remaining blood through her system. She was bleeding out. She didn't have enough strength left to heal.

I could fix that. I bit down on my wrist with my fangs and drew blood. I placed it in her mouth. If she didn't have enough strength I would give her mine.

But she didn't drink. She didn't realize her salvation was but a sip away. She was unconscious and unaware of me or my blood. I forced her mouth open and poured a bit inside. But she needed to swallow and she didn't.

A few agonizing moments passed until I could hear her heartbeat pick up. Suddenly she opened her mouth and grabbed my wrist almost painfully. She sucked and I felt her own fangs penetrate my skin. I could feel her inside of me. I felt her in my heart and in my body. We had had a taste of this when we would feed of the same person. I also remember the first time she drank from me feeling the same. But this was a whole other level. It felt like I could touch her soul and she was touching mine. We had always been one mind and one heart but now I couldn't even begin to see where one of us ended and the other one began. Our hearts started to beat in sync. A few moments after that she pulled back looking much better. But the link was still there even after she had retracted her fangs and had transformed back. I could feel her physically. I could still feel her heartbeat. It was still in sync with mine and I knew in that moment they would be for a long as we lived.

I could feel Rose's heart and therefore my heart skip a beat when the twins were brought in. They were cleaned and wrapped in the cutest pink and blue blankets.

The doctor hesitantly gave Rose the baby boy and handed me the baby girl. He seemed baffled by her recovery. I was too. A minute ago Rose wouldn't have been able to hold a feather let alone a baby.

She stared at the baby boy in her hands and then stared at the girl in mine. We tried switching but the babies immediately started to cry. We both laughed softly, a momma's boy and a daddy's girl it was.

I looked down at the baby girl. She had her eyes open and was looking straight at me. I think I now knew why Yeva had to die. As I looked into the eyes of my daughter I saw eyes belonging to someone ancient. An all knowing look she shared with Yeva. Now I am not a religious man, I don't believe in reincarnation, but I do believe a piece of Yeva's soul or at least her power had made it to my daughter. Lera was Vrăjitoare.

Abe walked in a few minutes later with Pavel. Pavel had a canteen and handed me it. I raised an eyebrow thinking it might be coffee, but when I lifted the lid I knew what it was and why Pavel looked a bit ruffled.

I gave Rose a sip of the freshly procured Strigoi blood. But when she swallowed it, she had a sour expression on her face. I took a sip and felt the strength return to me. I felt a little of my strength reach her and make her whole again. I suppose she was bonded again. To me. My strength was now flowing through her as well, connecting us at a physical level.

I wondered if we needed to give the twins a bit as well. I raised my eyebrows towards Rose and she shrugged.

"Put some in a bottle and see if they take it. Or maybe they'll take it from my milk?"

I liked that idea better. I knew the twins would have to feed regularly. Probably once every two-three weeks or so. But I would be happy if we didn't have to feed our newborns Strigoi blood.

Rose was just about to put the boy on the breast when Abe walked in. He grew beet root red and I had to chuckle. Rose didn´t seem the problem. She was covered. Mostly.

"Hey old man, want to meet your grandson?"

He fumbled a bit looking at the boy.

"Why don't I start with my granddaughter. He is… busy."

I saw Janine roll her eyes behind him.

"So who am I holding?"

"Valeryia Ivana Belikova."

"ah beautiful name. It means strong one. Did you know that my little girl. Yes you are strong already aren't you."

I don't think I would ever get the image of Abe Mazur, notorious Mob boss cooing to his granddaughter, out of my head.

"And the boy?"

"Alexander Mason Belikov."

"Ah. Good strong name. I believe it means to protect. Fitting for a child from two guardians. Do you hear that little boy. You have a name to live up to, but for now you only have to protect your sister."

He seemed to have forgotten the fact that Alexander was currently drinking from his daughter's boob. As he got close to the boy and cooed in similar as he just did with Lera.

"Comrade why don't you text Lissa and tell them we will call them later and then get your mother to look at the twins."

I nodded and did just that. I regretted texting Lissa first because she was texting back a mile a minute. Demanding pictures and asking how everything went. I turned off the sound of my phone otherwise the beeping would drive me crazy.

"Hand over the goods Abe."

My mother said as she was walking in. I suppose that was a good thing about twins. There were more to go around. Abe handed Lera to my mother and Rose handed Sasha to Janine.

"Why did you call her Lera?"

Janine asked and Olena, me and Abe smiled.

"We discussed it and we are going to go with Russian nicknames. It is natural for me and Rose thinks they are kind of cool, even if Sasha doesn't make any sense to her."

Rose shrugged.

"So Lera and Sasha. Yeah I kind of like it to. Easier to say then Alexander and Valeryia."

"Of course it is just the right amount of syllables when you are upset with them. Alexander Mason Belikov, how many times do I have to tell you to clean up your room. Valeryia Ivana Belikova, why are we being called into the principal's office again."

Rose said while laughing. Her mother laughing with her. I didn't have to heart to tell her that I suspected her precious baby boy would be the main trouble maker and where we would be called in for more.