Wow thanks everybody for their reviews. Hit a record last chapter for this story.

Chapter 22:

RPOV

We had been discharged the next day. Man, two babies were a lot of work, but at least at the clinic there were nurses there to help you, but at home we would have to do it all ourselves. Well of course we had Olena and two other mothers, and two very excited girls to help us. But it was different. But I think Dimitri wanted a bed he could actually fit in instead of a hospital chair.

We drove the few minutes back to Olena´s house. I think we looked kind of silly. We had two baby car seats, each holding one of them, both a bag slung over our shoulders and Abe and Pavel who had traveled with us each had something in their arms. Pavel had a bag with small stuffed animals and baby onesies and Abe had only two items in his hands. Two giants stuffed teddy bears one with a pink belly and one with a blue belly. You couldn't see his face and I doubt he could see where he was going since he kept bumping into things. I had no idea where we were going to put them.

Zoya and Katya were running up to us once they saw us and were ogling the babies.

"Oh they are so cute."

We spend the next hour being ignored as everyone who wasn't at the hospital was fussing over the babies. Funny how normally Dimitri was Olena's favorite but now she didn't even seem to notice him. I had to chuckle a bit.

Of course when they started crying they were handed off soon enough.

"Come on Roza, let's get them upstairs and fed."

We had discussed it and I wasn't confident I could nurse both kids so we decided to also use formula. I would feed one baby and Dimitri would feed the other and the next time we would switch. As long as one feed was done with either formula or breast milk the doctor said it would be fine. So I was feeding Lera and Dimitri had Sasha. It was actually the only time when Lera would accept me and vice versa with Dimitri and Sasha. All other times we would have to switch to get them settled down. Or just put them together in a crib. That would calm them down as well.

After they were fed we put the twins in their crib and laid down together on the bed. I was facing my now sleeping babes as Dimitri was spooning me from behind, but where he would usually look lovingly at me he now had a look of pure love towards his new born children.

He kissed my neck as he pulled me close against him.

"I love you. You gave me perfect children."

I smiled.

"Is that the only reason you love me?"

He smiled against my neck and kept kissing.

I moved me so I was facing him. His face suddenly serious. He traced the side of my face and ran his hand lovingly through my hair.

"I nearly lost you again."

His voice barely a whisper. I placed my hands on his chest needing the contact and needed to reassure him I was here, in his arms, in our bed.

"I am here. You saved me."

He touched his forehead to mine.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

He pulled me close and I buried my face in his neck. At first I was just feeling comfort from him. But then his scent hit me. I always liked his scent but now it was as if he was honey and pizza and all things delicious. He smelled sweet whereas before he smelled musky and manly. I felt my fangs grow and before I realized what had happened I had sunk my teeth in his neck. I heard him groan but I was overwhelmed with the feeling to notice much. It was almost orgasmic. I sucked and licked and nipped the wound at his neck. He had first groaned out of pain but now it sounded more like he was enjoying himself.

"Roza."

I pulled him close and flipped him on his back. I kept my fangs securely attached to his neck. I straddled him as I was keeping him down.

"Roza."

His voice sounded more urgent and the sexual undertone was gone.

"Rose stop."

It took me a moment longer to realize what I was doing. I pulled back and looked at him shocked.

Now we had fed from each other before, but only when we were incredibly turned on or if one of us was really hungry, but it had been a substitute. Now it was like I wasn't craving Strigoi power, I was craving him.

I put my hands on my mouth in realization. He seemed to be realizing it too. We drank some Strigoi blood Pavel had brought earlier. It had been enough to recharge Dimitri. But I thought it tasted different from before. I didn't like it very much, but I took some anyway. But I was no longer being sustained by Strigoi blood because it wasn't what was giving me strength and brought me back from almost certain death. It had been Dimitri. His strength and the strength he got from the Strigoi tattoo had saved me and now I needed his strength to survive.

"Oh dear."

Not very eloquent but the only thing I could think of knowing that my husband was also now my main means of staying alive.

"It's okay Roza, If this is what I need to do to keep you with me I'll do it."

I wondered if my own tattoo hadn't given me the power but if all that power I could wield came from the twins. And now that the twins were no longer able to share their strength and acceptance of the Strigoi tattoo with me anymore, I had nearly died in child birth. Dimitri had saved me. He was now the source of my power. Somehow my body was accepting the power from him even if it wasn't accepting the Strigoi power from my own tattoo. It would explain the new physical connection. We had noticed we could now feel each other physically.

I could feel it now as I was straddling him. I could feel the wound on his neck closing almost as if it was happening to my own neck. I could feel the rhythms of our hearts beating in sync and I could feel that Dimitri wasn't a victim of my bite and that it had sparked something in him too. Of course that was visible to the naked eye as well and I felt it distinctly pressing into me as I sat on top of him.

It had been a while. Not only was being almost nine months pregnant with twins doing disastrous things to my libido it also meant that it was very hard finding a position I could actually do it in. I had called it quits a few weeks ago after a failed attempt. I had actually pulled a muscle and even though I healed instantly I was still embarrassed. But now my stomach was flat again, and I had healed. Even a day after giving birth I felt like myself again. I had required no stiches or maternity pads or anything because after Dimitri healed me, I had regained the ability to heal myself. I was glad too. I remember it was a full week before Lissa could walk a bit normally again and she hadn't required stiches. But as much as I was responding to my mans reaction, I wasn't going down that path.

"I am not having sex with you while our new borns are inches away."

I kissed him and laid down next to him.

He chuckeld a bit and pulled me closer.

"I know, but let's see if we can find a quiet place tomorrow while mama watches them for half an hour."

That I could do.

I was grateful for guardian training. Although I had always loved to sleep, Dimitri and I had both gained the ability to skip sleep if it was required and take rest when we could. God it was as if they were preparing you for parenthood. Every two to three hours they would have to eat. They didn't have a day/night rhythm yet, so 3 am was the same to them as 3 pm.

Of course it didn't help that Lissa skyped us in between naps. I remember being exhausted from a full night on and just falling back asleep when Lissa skyped, demanding to see the twins. I had been too tired to object, besides in the hormonal mood she was in she would probably have me arrested for treason.

She had gushed and gushed and I swear she was already arranging a marriage between Eric and Lera. When I pointed out that Eric probably would need a Moroi to carry on the Dragomir line, she just shrugged. We had promised not to be long and were already making plans for the return trip in two weeks time. I was actually glad when Eric had stepped in and saved me from more babbling when he demanded the attention from his mother.

The next two weeks were bliss and frustrating and hell and the best time of my life. Taking care of two new borns was hard. But it was also rewarding and amazing. But even though I loved our little baby bubble here in Baia and I appreciated all the help the others were providing, I wanted to go home. I wanted to sleep in our own bed and I wanted them to sleep in their little beds to. And I couldn't wait for everyone to meet them.

I was dreading the return trip home though. It was a long trip. We would have to refuel once and it would take the better part of the day to get back home. I had no idea how the twins would travel. Luckily it was a private plane so no one would get annoyed with kids crying on a commercial airplane.

They looked so cute in their car seats. I had dressed them in warm winter wear and baby warm winter wear meant cute clothes. Lera was dressed as a sheep and Sasha as bear. Well actually they wore pretty much the same thing. Two fluffy coats with ears on top of the hood. I even noticed that they had a little tail sewed onto the bum. It was the cutest things you had ever seen. Lera was asleep as Dimitri carried her but Sasha was awake and taking in everything around him. Normally babies wouldn't be able to look further than a foot or something but we had noticed that they seem to recognize us even across the room. Maybe it was because they could feel our presence or because they heard or voices but the way they would look at us made be believe they could see us. They were also to lift their heads already. They seemed to have more muscle tone compared to what I remember from Eric. We would have to compare notes. Maybe ask Adrian how Declan developed.

20 long hours later we arrived at court. There was a car waiting for us and when we excited the car in the palace parking garage I heard a squeal and I had just enough time to put the car seat holding my son down before Lissa swung herself at me.

It took her about ten seconds of greeting me before all her attention was focused on the twins. Nice to know that a life time of friendship meant something. But who could blame her, my babies were the cutest in the world. Both had dark brown hair resembling me. And Lera had my eyes, Sasha's still had a shade of blue in them so we were guessing he would end up with Dimitri's slightly lighter brown eyes. But both were stunning and I could only imagine what they would look like when they grew up. There was a small pang inside of me. I hoped I would live to see that day. This wasn't a thought most parents had. Sure you could drop dead or get run over by a bus anytime, but for us the future was always uncertain and although our new found powers meant we had an advantage we knew there was always a chance we wouldn't see them grow up. We weren't going back out hunting anytime soon, but the consideration was still there.

Dimitri and I had discussed it between ourselves and had decided we wanted everything legalized as soon as possible. Whereas for most parents the god parents were merely a formality, we actually had to think about it and get things in order.

Christian was next to hug us. He was holding baby Eric, wrapped in lots of blankets. I must admit even if my children were obviously cuter, Eric wasn't ugly either. He opened his eyes at me and I saw a few speckles of green come through the baby blue. That answers that question. Oh he would be a stunner, his father's black hair with his mother's green eyes. I was a little relieved. They were naming him Dragomir to continue the Dragomir line, and they all had green eyes.

We finally made it up the stairs with three babies. We were followed with a few guardians taking our bags and gift up the stairs. The guardian with the huge bears looked a bit silly, but they were light so he didn't complain.

Once we were in the main building more people were there to great us. Adrian, Sydney and Eddie had come to see the twins and when Adrian looked down into the two carseats his eyes lit up.

"Oh little Dhampir, they are gorgeous. Come Declan, come meet your cousins."

Although technically not related, and technically third cousins, we had decided it would be easier to just refer to them as cousins. Certainly now that Sydney was spotting a little baby bump of her own. That baby would be related to them so we were all going to be cousins. I wondered what a Adrian and Sydney's baby would look like. I would imagine it would look nothing like Declan, with his messy brown curls.

Sydney had been a little reluctant to tell us because she didn't want to seem like she was going along with the hype, but we had all been happy for them. Adrian was grinning from ear to ear and Declan was super proud to become a big brother.

After Adrian had swooned over the infants he finally hugged me.

"Well nice to know where I stand now."

He just chuckled.

We said hello to everyone in the room and the twins were being passed around to meet everyone. I got to hold Eric for a bit. We had always been an odd family but we were a family none the less and right now I felt every bit of it. We were loved and so would our children.

Once we put them down for a nap, Dimitri and I asked to speak to Adrian and Sydney.

We went to our own apartment in the palace. Declan was playing in the living room, the twins were down for a nap in their own nursery and we were sitting at the table still being able to see Declan but also being able to talk freely.

Dimitri took out a piece of paper from his bag and put in on the table.

"So we have something to ask you two."

Both Adrian and Sydney looked confused, they obviously didn't know where we were going with this.

"We would like you two to be their godparents."

Adrian's mouth dropped and Sydney just had a calculating look in her eyes.

"Not that I am not honored Rose, but I assumed Lissa and Christian would take those roles."

I looked Dimitri for a bid before complying. This wasn't easy for any of us.

"And if it had been a pure ceremonial thing, they probably would have been, but we all know that in our case it might come true, so we had to consider who would raise our children. And as much as I love Lissa and Christian, I think the twins will be safer with you two. They can grow up with Declan, and although they are different, he is the only other one of their kind. Plus when I told Lissa that I was pregnant and Dimitri was the father she went a little crazy with the possibilities for spirit this could mean. I know you will not only protect them, but their secret too."

Dimitri asked me if I was sure a million times over and I was. He had agreed but wanted to make sure it was what I wanted. Lissa and I had been like sisters. We shared everything and having her not raise or kids was a difficult decision. But in the end I knew it was for the best. Adrian would protect them. He would make sure their needs would come first, even if what they could save the world, he would put them first, I knew there was a point where Lissa would consider testing them, maybe even harming them if it meant it could save her people. It is what makes her a great queen, she was willing to do whatever it took to keep her subjects safe. But it made her a lousy candidate for godparent.

"If you are sure, then of course we will. But I assume we will never have to."

Dimitri handed over the papers.

"There is a letter in there for the twins and for you two if the time comes. We just need you to sign the papers."

With a heavy heart they did and so did we.