ONE YEAR LATER
Within the year, Coreen had given birth to twins, a boy and girl she named Audrina, Rina for short and Aiden. Both had jet black hair and big blue eyes. They were good babies and Vicki was lucky to have found a private nanny to keep all the children so that she and Coreen could work with peace of mind.
The day Vicki told Henry she was pregnant again came as a happy moment. Although Henry said he would be perfectly happy with another girl, secretly Vicki wanted a son and suspected he did too. The day she went into labor, Henry was calm and together, much different than the first time. When their son was delivered, Henry cried tears of happiness.
"What are you going to name him?" one of the nurses asked.
Vicki spoke up and told her he would be named after his father, "His name is Henry Richmond Fitzroy III, we are calling him Trey." Henry tilted his head, she knew full well he wasn't a second and therefore, his son couldn't be the third but he didn't question, he only accepted. If Bella was the spitting image of Vicki, Trey was a carbon copy of Henry and the two were in heaven.
Today, Coreen and Vicki were wrapping up a strange case involving a 'haunted' antique compact. Somehow, the item had become cursed was causing strange and unexplainable deaths. Coreen's research uncovered a slight connection to a group of Satanists in the late sixteen hundreds.
"Apparently, it was passed down through the generations. Any woman that had it in her possession could invoke death on whomever she wished, rivals, scorned lovers, etc," Coreen told Vicki.
Vicki shook her head, "Damn, talk about revenge at its finest." Mike was on the case as well as the murders were high profile. The woman who owned the compact had died suddenly and Mike used her death to explain the deaths as her being a nut job wrapping up both cases without suspicion. Although it had taken Vicki some time to get used to Coreen and Mike as a couple, she realized they were truly happy. Mike might have been much older but Coreen was not only mature but seemed to be an old soul.
After finishing up for the day, Vicki told Coreen to head home and relax. The twins were a few months old and Coreen missed them terribly when they were busy at work. Trey was just an infant too and Vicki was ready to get home but had some finishing up to do.
"I'll pick the twins up, anything you want me to tell Laura?"
Vicki answered, "Yes, tell her I'll be there within the hour, just need to finish something up here."
Coreen cocked her head and crossed her arms," What are you working on anyway? You've been at it for weeks."
"Nothing," Vicki tried to seem non-chalant but she knew Coreen wasn't buying it.
"Uh huh," Coreen shrugged and grabbed her things, "When you decide to share it with me, I'll be here."
"Yes, I know," Vicki nodded then added, "And Coreen?"
Coreen turned back, "Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For being my friend, for being good to Mike and giving him a happy life, he deserves it," Vicki answered.
Coreen ducked her head then looked up at Vicki, her eyes misted with tears, "Thanks for everything too."
Vicki held her breath hoping her display of affection wouldn't send the little Goth into a hugging or crying session. To her relief, Coreen bobbed her head in Vicki's direction and left.
Once she knew she was gone, Vicki opened her favorites and began to search.
"Almost there, I'm so close," Vicki said aloud. Finally, Vicki yelled "got it!" and clapped her hands. A breeze let her know Henry was there.
"Got what? Nothing contagious I hope," he kissed her lightly.
"Uh..no, is it past sunset already?" Vicki glanced at the clock on her table.
"Slightly, but don't worry, I paid Laura extra to stay so we can go out for dinner, or rather you can, I'll enjoy the company," Henry smiled.
"Thanks, but I really want to get home to the kids," Vicki said honestly. Henry chuckled; he never thought he would hear those words coming from Victory Nelson.
"We'll pick something up. So what have you got?" He pressed. Damn! Vicki thought to herself.
Vicki stood and wrapped her arms around Henry's waist, lay her head on his chest and sighed.
"Promise you won't get upset first," she ordered without looking up.
Henry pushed her back, "Get mad about what?" his eyes were dark and serious. Placing a hand on his chest, she patted him and told him it was a good thing.
"Sit," she pulled her chair out.
"What am I looking at?" he asked when she pointed to the computer screen.
"Before Trey was born, I started researching your son and his family tree," Vicki told him. Henry furrowed his brow and frowned somewhat.
"Why?"
Vicki cleared here throat, "Honestly, I was concerned that if I didn't give you a son, you would want an heir of sorts, I guess."
Henry picked her hand up from her leg and kissed it, "I told you, I didn't care. The fact I can have children is a miracle and more so that you're their mother. I am so very lucky."
"I know but still, once I started.."
He cut her off, "I know, you couldn't stop. And they say vampires have OCD."
"Very funny, back to my story, I traced your family tree and strangely enough, there is a Toronto relative."
"Really? Here? Now?" Henry's eyes twinkled.
"Yes," Vicki suppressed a giggle, "but I think it will…uh…shock you."
"Why?"
Vicki moved to his lap and put her arms around his neck, then whispered in his ear, "Your great to the nth degree grandson is none other than Detective Michael Celluci."
Henry whipped his head in her direction, "That's impossible. How..how can that be? He is royalty? From England? His coloring is different and his family is..is..Italian! And that whole gift thing…"
"Henry, you've been alive almost five hundred years. People intermarry, they migrated here Northern America and Canada, it's totally possible and.." she pointed, "the facts are there. You want to tell him or shall I do the honors?"
Henry thought a moment then smiled broadly, "Oh, no, I want to tell him. In person of course."
"Of course, " she kissed him passionately.
"I have news for you," Henry told Vicki.
"What?"
"Dr. Mohadevan got the test results back on your blood work," Henry told her.
"Oh." Vicki bit her lip nervously. Since giving birth to Bella, Vicki noticed changes in herself. She looked younger or so Henry said, her hair was fuller and healthier and she felt some day s she could run a marathon without ever stopping. Henry suggested blood work to see if her chemistry was changed. If in fact it did, Henry's hope was that she was immortal and would be with him forever.
"And?" Vicki asked with a fair amount of trepidation.
"And," Henry said softly, his eyes sad and mouth turned down, "all is well. It seems, my dear, you might be stuck with me forever."
Vicki slapped him playfully, "Don't scare me like that Henry!"
They went to grab food to take home then headed to their condo. Vicki officially moved in halfway through her pregnancy with Trey. When they arrived, Bella jumped into her mother's arms and Trey, although just three months old, showed signs of being advanced just as Bella was. He flailed his arms and cooed when he saw Vicki.
Henry paid Laura and thanked her for staying longer. Their happy family was worth all the effort it took to take care of the babies and be happy together. Vicki never pictured herself in this kind of bliss and Henry couldn't imagine not being with his children.
What Henry couldn't wait for most of all, was the day he told Mike about his lineage…
