Short chapter, sorry

Chapter 23:

DPOV

A year old. Today they would be a year old. I can't believe it happened so fast. It felt like yesterday when I held them in my arms for the first time. But they grow up so fast.

We had set the alarm early so we would have plenty of time to take care of everything, the decorations, the cake and the presents. I turned the soft beeping of my phone off and tried to wake my wife, a humongous task. She groaned and shuffled herself closer to me. Last night came to mind and I smiled. She had rubbed herself against me time and time again. And I had taken the better part of the evening showing her what exactly she did to me. I had fed earlier in the evening and it always rallied us up a bit. Rose had stayed home this time to watch the twins. But whenever I would feed she always felt it. That too had been a year ago when that started. Rose and I were connected physically and whenever I would feed she felt it. As the rich crimson nector would flow down my throat and filled me with strength and endurance she would feel almost orgasmic. Her words not mine, but I had seen the effect on her when I fed a million times, and I was sad to say I didn't see it last night. Lissa had been with her and she had actually had to give her Sasha while she closed her eyes and moaned a few times before she came back to herself. She had left marks in the couch. And then later last night when we were both on the edge already she had fed from me and the feeling was amplified a million times over. Although we could still have sex or make love without feeding off of each other, the other way around was impossible. It was like the two basic instincts were intertwined. I would climax as soon as she bit down and by the moans and groans escaping her mouth with her fangs in my neck I knew she did too.

So it was especially difficult waking her up early this morning. She was in the equivalent of a foodcoma. She had been satiated on so many levels her body simply refused to wake up and face reality. But today was a good day.

I bend down to whisper in her ear.

"Come on Roza, we need to prepare, our little rugrats are going to be up in an hour or so and we have a million things to do for their birthday party."

She smiled against me. She lifted up and bit and softly kissed me. Then she threw off the blankets and was out of bed leaving me cold in bed alone.

It was indeed an hour on the dot when the twins woke up. Lera always was the punctual one. She woke up every morning around the same time and her chatting woke her brother up. I smiled when I saw he was trying hard not to wake up and moved his head to the other side trying to block out his sister. He reminded me of Roza so much. The mannerism in which he did it was exactly Rose.

Lera on the other hand looked like me. Right down to the scowl on her face when Sasha did something he wasn't supposed to.

"Come on my baby boy. Time to wake up. Mommy has a surprise for you two."

I picked up Lera and we each dressed our child. Although we could switch now and Lera seemed to accept Rose more and Sasha seemed to tolerate me, they still had their favorites. Although when Rose got mad at something they did, they both hid behind my leg and when they were tired or got hurt they both preferred the comfort only a mother could provide, even if the pain was healed instantly. I put Lera in a cute little dress and I swear I saw her look down and frown, but she was one, she didn't have that sort of comprehension yet.

After I dressed her I put her down and Rose did the same to Sasha and they both ran to the kitchen. That is right, not crawl or walk, no run. In comparison, Eric could stand now and slowly walk on the hand of one of his parents. And he was normal in his development. The twins however were a bit ahead of the curve. Development of their mind seemed on track, perhaps a bit faster than normal, but their understanding of the world was well in range of one year olds. They would talk baby talk with Eric and had the crying when mommy or daddy left the room down flat, but their bodily development was something different. They were still the right size for one year olds, albeit it a bit tall, but their muscle tone and strength was way beyond that of one year olds, it meant they had the strength to crawl and roll over since they were three months old. They had been walking since six and now they were running. Adrian had said that Declan had been ahead of the curve too, but nothing like this. So we contributed it to them having Dhampir parents who were infused with Strigoi. Why couldn't our lives ever be simple?

We had gotten to the kitchen only moments after the twins and they had spotted the cake. Now even if Sasha resembled Rose the most, both had a love for food that could have only come from Rose. Normally Lera wasn't much of a mischievous baby, but when food was involved they teamed up and made sure they went home with the cake, or whatever food item they had had their sights on.

And now on the middle of the table stood a cake. The largest cake they had seen, except Eric's cake a few weeks ago. But they were babies, they don't remember that.

I could already see Lera plotting out a plan to get to the cake while Sasha was inspecting the stability of the chair he was climbing on to get to the cake. I picked up Sasha while Rose picked up the cake and put it on a higher shelf.

Both children started crying.

"Oh come on, you can have cake later, first we have breakfast and then when everyone is over for the party we will have cake."

The children didn't pipe down until Rose put their sandwiches in front of them. It was almost as if they shrugged: food is food. And they dug into it. Rose chuckled as she ate her own cereal.

After breakfast we took them to the living room for some playing until the rest would arrive in an hour. Eric was the first to come. He was holding a package but he seemed more keen to keep it himself then to give it to the twins. Although he was mostly interested in the wrapping. Actually so were the twins. When we had unpacked the package and saw an extra swing set inside to hung on the large swing outside in the yard, all babies where already occupied with the paper. The twins running around while Eric was happily chasing them by crawling around. As long as they were having fun it was alright. Maybe their next birthday they would be more interested in the presents than the wrapping.

We had gathered around with all our family and friends. Abe had bought them a ridicules large gift again. This time two electric child cars. Adrian and Sydney had given them a DVD so they could learn Spanish and my family had sent some present for them by mail, mostly stuffed animals, books and toys.

We were all chatting away, me holding little Daniella on my lap. She was now eight months old and was looking around the room. She had Sydney's blond hair but Adrian's green eyes. And like my own daughter her eyes exuded wisdom. I looked around but I didn't see the twins or Eric anymore. I started to panic a bit until I heard sounds coming from the kitchen. I looked over at Rose and she looked back at me understanding across both our faces. She sprinted towards the kitchen the same time I did.

The sight before me was almost too comical not to laugh at. Lera and Sasha were on the counter, trying to reach for the cake. The sound we had heard was a plate falling on the ground as it had obviously been in their way. Sasha was supporting his sister while she reached for the cake, she was almost there too. Eric was sitting on the ground cheering them on. Now doubt hoping for a piece of cake too. The moment we entered the kitchen Lera and Sasha looked our way and stilled their hands. There was a calculative look in my daughter's eyes and I could see the moment she made her decision. She moved her arm and with it launching to cake down the counter and onto the floor. Her eyes hadn't left mine.

Eric crawled over and started to happily munch on the cake. Sasha and Lera got down from the counter and joined him. Three happy little toddlers stuffing their face with cake. The others came in and I saw Lissa hold in her laugh.

Declan came forward.

"Are they allowed to do that?"

I smiled.

"no, but today is their birthday, so we will let it slide."

Declan looked at me with wide pleading eyes. I looked over to Sydney and Adrian and they nodded.

"Oh go on then."

He happily walked over to where the three were sitting and sat down to. He grabbed a piece of cake in his hands and started stuffing his face. I saw Rose had grabbed the camera and started taking pictures. Declan was taking a piece to his sister but Adrian explained she was too little to get any cake. When Declan pointed out the others were little too. Adrian relented and Declan gave a small piece of cake to his sister. She was happily munching on the piece. Once it was gone she opened her mouth again. She was very disappointed when she wasn't offered another piece. Adrian tried comforting her but it took her mother to calm her down. And the funny thing was Sydney didn't do it with comfort she did it by explaining it was bad for her. You could already see her taking after her mother. She was thirsty for knowledge.

Declan was a true warrior, he would make a very good guardian one day. He was definitely taking after his biological parents. I could see the same in our children. They had a fire in their eyes that screamed warrior, but Dani didn't, she was a scholar if you ever saw one. I wondered how our world would take that. Many things had improved over the years. But Dhampirs were still thought in two ways. Either you were a guardian or you were a mother.

But as I was looking down at our families. The toddlers down on the ground stuffing their faces with cake and Declan besides it taking his share a well as taking care of his sister, I knew they would be friends for life.