36. NAMES
When we left Silas' home, we traveled through the forest with this dark heaviness looming over our heads. I just couldn't believe it – after all this time, every last shred of hope was ripped from us all at once like a rug pulled out from under our feet. Jules phased and let both me and Edythe ride on her back because it was getting cold and she knew the baby needed her warmth. I held on to Edythe, my arms tight around her waist trying to keep the blood circulating in my palms so they stayed warm and I hoped the baby could feel that, too. After the silent trip through the forest, we found ourselves back at the place where we'd parked the car and we all climbed in, sliding the doors shut. Carine didn't start the engine up just yet and we were quiet for some time, I think we all just needed a moment. Probably another minute later, I heard someone let out a dejected sigh. It was Arch.
"I'm sorry." He shook his head. "That was pretty terrible."
"Don't be, kiddo. We came and got our answers, just like we planned. Sure, maybe they weren't the ones we wanted, but we still got 'em. That's what counts." Earnest nodded, giving Arch's shoulder a small, encouraging shake to make him feel better.
"But there's still so much more that we don't know; so many missing pieces. Not to mention the pieces that just don't even fit right." Edythe began with a start, holding her hands helplessly out in front of her. "I mean, how could Sulpicia do such a thing to her own niece? And what of those missing covens? I simply don't understand." She leaned back and shrugged, defeated. "What are we going to do now?"
"We'll find some other way honey, I promise." Carine's eyes softened when they found my wife's.
"We have two weeks, Carine." Edythe held up two fingers and her voice was low, almost a whisper. "Two weeks."
Nobody said anything for a long time after that.
Are you guys tired?" Archie piped, looking at me and Jules in the rearview mirror from the passenger seat.
"Exhausted." She answered not even bothering to put on her seatbelt, bringing her feet up and folding them under her knees. She twisted her body a little so her face was hidden in the backrest of the seat.
"I have an idea." Arch answered and held up one of the brochures for us to see. I couldn't make out the words in the dark but I was sure everyone else could, and he asked them something with his eyes.
"I'm in." Jules shrugged, and everyone else made a sound of agreement in response. I closed my eyes, thinking back to our time at that vampire bar to try and remember something Delia had said and then it hit me.
"Oh yeah - the hotel, right?" I asked, snapping my fingers.
"Yep. It's not too far, probably half an hour or forty-five minutes tops from here." Arch answered.
"Sure." I nodded my head, suddenly feeling totally drained. "I'm down for that."
Carine started the car and Edythe laid me gently on her shoulder, brushing a kiss on the top of my head and I fell asleep.
…
"We're here." Edythe patted my cheek softly, waking me up. I looked out the car window – we were in the middle of a mostly-empty black parking lot with just a few cars scattered about.
"The lobby's right there." Arch looked up from the brochure and pointed to a small building with a fancy front door made of glass which led straight into a brightly-lit space where a concierge desk was located. We all got out and Arch threw the trunk of the van open, handing us each our bags. Against Edythe's protestations, I carried her bag for her and wouldn't let her have it which earned me a glare or two and the most adorable little pout from her, but I definitely wasn't complaining. As we moved across the lot, she kept staring at me in silence with those beautiful doe eyes of hers, now shining a soft golden-green hue in the streetlights with the new contacts she put in on the drive and her hair came down in loose waves over her shoulders, framing her achingly-beautiful face with her shimmery curls. It looked like she was literally glowing. I turned away as my cheeks flushed red and boy, was I glad she couldn't read my mind and see all the things I was wanting to do to her right now. I crossed my fingers quietly behind my back, shamelessly hoping we'd get our own bedroom in the deal. When we got to the lobby, it took everything in me to tear my eyes from her and pay attention to what Arch was saying to the guy working behind the counter.
"We'd like to take one of those townhouses, please. Two nights." Arch started in his soft baritone. I tilted my head and then nodded after realizing that's what those two-story buildings behind the lobby were, making a little "oh" sound as I found another brochure sitting on the desk with a full-color photograph of the place in the daytime – it was a modest complex which had that sort of rustic charm you'd find in a house featured in one of those home decorating magazines.
"I'm afraid there are only two bedrooms in each townhouse." The man behind the desk said, eyeing all nine of us.
"That's all we need." Arch assured him and paid with a silver credit card. The man - Dominik was his name - dangled a little key on a metal loop from his fingers and Arch took it from him with a smile, thanking him. There was a small plastic diamond-shaped keychain attached to the loop which had the numbers 257 printed on it and we found the place easily since it was right behind the building which housed the small lobby. The key jangled as Arch unlocked the door and pushed it open. The walls were a light taupe and the rest of the house followed a similarly neutral color scheme as well; simplistic yet modern is how I'd describe it. The Cullens would definitely approve of that, it was kind of their thing decorating-wise as I'd come to know these past few years. The living room was pretty big, complete with two sofas facing each other and a glass coffee table between them, two sets of loveseats and another small couch at the far end of the space in another sitting area. There was a TV mounted on one of the main walls, a remote resting on the small desk below it.
"Beau and Jules can take the two bedrooms." Arch motioned up a flight of beige carpeted stairs. "The rest of us can just hang out around here." He motioned to the main sitting area but then his eyes flicked to where Edythe was standing. "Of course, you can always choose to shack up with Beau if you want." He winked at us and I tried to fight against those red splotches threatening to heat up my face again at the double-meaning behind his words. Edythe let out a sound kind of between a growl and a sigh at her brother's jabs and rolled her eyes all the way up to the ceiling.
"You disgust me, Arch." Dragging me along behind her, Edythe started towards the stairs. Jules didn't say anything but sort of made a face, pointing a finger down her throat and stomped up the stairs quickly past us with her bag in tow, slamming the door shut before we'd even reached the landing already claiming the last room on the far side of the upstairs hall for herself.
"Um, 'night, Jules." I called after her in the quietest voice but I know she heard me anyways. Did she also know that I was still feeling guilty?
"Yeah, whatever. 'Night, Beau. Just don't be loud, alright?" She poked her head out the door for one split second and then slammed it shut in my face again.
"That sure went well." I heard Royal mutter from downstairs. Quietly, Edythe opened the door to our room and pulled me inside, closing it softly behind her. She took our bags from me and tossed them onto the fresh white covers of the queen-sized bed, the smell of antiseptic and carpet cleaner heavy in the air, something pretty much all the hotels I've ever stayed at had in common. Quickly unzipping our bags, Edythe started putting all our clothes away in the small closet at human speed, handing me off our toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other bathroom stuff to put away. By the time I arranged everything on the bathroom counter and around the tub, Edythe was just about to hang up the last one of her dresses but I did it for her instead.
"Thank you." She lowered herself onto the edge of the bed and crossed one leg over the other. Closing her eyes, she pressed her other hand to the bottom of her stomach.
"He's asleep." Edythe's voice was soft.
"Oh, is he now?" I came up behind her and growled a little bit, pressing my lips to her neck.
"That wasn't really an invitation." She bit back a smile and tilted her head, but didn't move away from me.
"Well, can't it be?" I suggested in a low voice. She laughed once at that, but then she let out a quiet sigh and her eyebrows furrowed, the smile slowly morphing into a frown. She shook her head and turned to look at me, touching a cool, soft hand to my cheek.
"I don't know what to do, Beau. I don't know how to protect him; I don't know how to protect you. And it kills me." Her voice broke and she got all choked up, her eyes looking almost wet. She hid her face in my chest and seeing her like that, my arms automatically brought themselves up to wrap around her body, trying to soothe her. I kissed the top of her head.
"Look at me, Edythe." I took her shoulders and gave them a squeeze, holding her at arm's length in front of me. I knew I had to be strong for her; knew I had to be strong for the both of us. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I looked her straight in the eye. "We'll find a way, I promise. Everything's going to be alright, just you wait."
"I want to believe that, Beau. I really do. But I just can't."
"Then make yourself believe." I kissed the top of both her hands, the left then the right. "I'll make sure of it." I nodded, and my voice didn't even shake.
We were both quiet for a long time.
"You sound pretty sure of yourself there." I finally heard her say and she cracked the tiniest smile at me; a smile of hope.
"Believe me, I am." I answered her head-on, returning that smile. She brought her small hands up to my cheeks and held my face there, her eyebrows furrowing softly.
"Look at you, you're exhausted. Why don't you take a warm shower and then we can go to bed, hm?" She patted my wrists before darting in towards my face to leave a kiss on my forehead. Tugging me by the hand, she pulled me up off the bed and walked me to the bathroom, handing me a fluffy white towel before closing the door behind her.
"Just for the record, I don't feel tired anymore." I called to her from behind the closed door with a shrug as I started to undress, piling my dirty clothes in the left-most corner of the bathroom. I'd put them away later. "You can certainly change that for me though!" I started up with a wide grin before stepping into the tub. I heard the squeal of the faucet as I turned it on and the showerhead roared to life. The water was freezing at first but after twisting the faucet a few more times this way and that the air was soon filled with the heat of warm steam when the ice-cold water transformed into a continuous gush of hot. Ah, much better. I lathered myself up with the complementary soap bar we were provided before rinsing off with the hot water and my hair was up next. Just as I reached for my bottle of shampoo, three knocks sounded against the bathroom door, knocks that were so quiet I almost didn't hear them at first over the roar of the shower going. I peeked my head out from behind the corner of the shower curtain just in time to see the bathroom door open and close, Edythe in there with me now. She turned the lock.
"Um, hey." I showed her a teeny wave. "What're you doing here?"
She chuckled. "Well, someone forgot their change of clothes, and it wasn't me."
In one hand, she held up a fistful of my sleeping gear; hers in the other. She folded them up neatly into two separate stacks, putting them down on the bathroom counter.
"Oh, uh, thanks." I felt my cheeks turning red again.
"Don't mention it." She showed me a smirk and folded her arms over her chest, but she wasn't leaving the room.
"Um, was that all? Did you need anything else?"
She shrugged and started tugging off the flowy green cardigan she wore under her jacket today and tossed it aside, and I was suddenly both very mad and very glad to have that shower curtain between us.
"Edythe?"
"You were taking too long. I was getting impatient." She took one step and then another towards me, still fully clothed. "And so," she breathed, "I simply came to see if I could join you."
It took a second for her words to sink in. "Oh." I started in a winded voice once I figured it out.
"Yeah. Oh." She dimpled up, letting her glorious hips sway from side-to-side in her elegant gait.
She entered from behind, and then she was in the tub. With me. The hot water sprayed her, soaking her shirt through and I could just barely make out the outline of her bra from beneath the fabric of her thin white turtleneck, water droplets glistening in her hair like snowflakes. I saw her eyes drift downwards – it was embarrassing to know that she could literally see how much I wanted her right now. Her smile widened and she laughed.
"You're supposed to take your clothes off before you shower, you know." I mumbled, unable to look at her straight.
"Oh goodness, how very silly of me!" Her little hand popped over her mouth and she widened her glinting eyes. "Would you care to lend your foolish little wife a hand, then?"
I ran my tongue over my top lip and took a step closer to her. Carefully, I brought my hand up to her cheek and slowly pulled her in towards me, the hot water seemingly set to boiling on my skin which started heating up on me now, my temperature rising. I let out a breathless laugh.
"I'm pretty sure you already know my answer to that." My grin widened and I leaned into her. One of my hands slid down the side of her body and I cradled the place where her waist curved gently inward as I pressed my lips tight to her neck, moving up to her chin then her lips then the creases of her smiling eyes. I felt her fingers curling against my back moving up and then down and sucking in a loud lungful of air, a strange haze of ecstasy came over me and trilled up and down my spine and I bucked, unable to think of anything else but her and I grabbed her wrists and slammed them hard into the wall behind her, lips meeting once, twice, over and over again. I felt her shiver at my warm touch, eyes closed and lips parted, as my hands trailed down the front of her body reaching for the hem of her thin white turtleneck and I dashed it quickly over her head and threw it onto the bathroom floor. My hands met behind her back and after unhooking the little clasp of her bra, that too went to join her wet shirt. My lips hovered over her body now, heating up her ice skin with my warm, panting breaths and then I pressed them to the middle of her cool chest, moving slowly from left to right. My hands skimmed the curves of her frame and I went down, pulling off her leggings and damp underwear right along with it, tossing them out of our little white bathtub-boat. Catching her in a tight hug, I lowered myself onto my knees and let my legs stretch out in front of me. Sitting her in my lap so her back was pressed to the front of my body, my right hand brought itself to her chest, my fingers curling round the swell of her wintry breasts, my other hand pinning her arm behind her back now as I squeezed her wrist and fingers as my lips crushed themselves against the shadow of her swan neck. Her head tilted back and her beautiful bronze ringlets fell over my shoulder before I felt the sting of her ice-cold hand pressing itself to the side of my own neck which was burning up, her frosted pink lips parted and glistening with moisture as her eyes fluttered shut, the wisp of a sigh on her tongue that was quickly mounting into a moan the deeper I dove into the hollows of her delicate-looking collarbone. Her other hand curled into a half-fist over my own and I rocked back and forth and clung hard to her body, running my hands all over her and my head spun, my kisses moving over every inch of her skin like it was unexplored terrain, all new to me, leaving invisible traces of myself everywhere on her. And then she turned sideways a little, her legs stretched out over mine and my hand came down to the place where her beautiful porcelain thighs met and they slowly drifted open like those two metal rods in that Shoot the Moon tabletop game I played as a kid just for me, inviting me in. I made quick work of the soft folds between them like I was rooting around for the best prize in a magic mystery box. She pushed up a whispered sound of pleasure from the back of her throat and quickly positioned her legs on either side of my hips now so she was straddling me, and my lips couldn't get to hers fast enough.
And then she pushed herself down on me hard, and I drew in a loud, stuttered breath as I was plunged deep inside her with a sensation like fire and ice swirling round each other like smoke.
A loud, shuddered gasp. Her hand flew off my shoulder and seized the bottom of the shower curtain, her hand balling itself tight around the damp fabric. A gentle plink, plink, plink that gradually turned into a low, successive roar. She yanked the curtain right off all its hooks and it billowed to the floor, the water still roaring out loud all around us and making everything wet. A sudden gush and a rush of something and I only realized after it was done that it almost hurt how badly I needed that release; how badly I needed her. And suddenly, my mind didn't feel so dark and clouded anymore, and I truly wished and hoped with everything in me that Edythe could say the same thing for herself. She deserved it, and if I could help her with that in any way possible, then maybe I wasn't so useless after all. She needed that release, too.
I slid my eyes shut like I was in a dream and reveled in how all of me was lost and found within her; my everything, my Edythe.
I love you.
Our lips met again and again and that soaring feeling carried me away.
…
After those few blissful moments of literal Heaven on earth, we ended up showering again anyways, only this time we did it together – just the showering thing, mind you. After we finished up, she threw a towel hanging from the rack down onto the floor creating a makeshift bath mat with it and got out first, motioning for me not to get out yet, probably afraid I was gonna slip and bang up my face on the bathroom counter or something like that. Not that I could blame her. I was still dizzy from what happened earlier anyways. Wrapping a towel tight around herself, she came right back around to me and folded another around my waist before holding her hand out for me to take, her hair coming over one side of her shoulder so tiny orbs of water dripped and rolled down her porcelain arm, her beauty striking me through once again and I let out another quiet "wow" below my breath on instinct, unable to help it. She turned away, and hiding a smile in the curve of her pink lips she led me back to the adjoining bedroom. Eyeing the neatly-made bed, I waggled my eyebrows at her and wondered if she'd get the hint.
"Up for round two, by any chance?" I tried hopefully. She looked back at me and let out a snort trying to hold in her laugh. Tossing her head gently from side-to-side she mouthed the word "No" in a barely-audible voice. I sighed. Well, you can't blame a guy for trying, I guess. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her smooth contoured back to me which looked like the furled wings of an angel's. I didn't even remember her taking our clothes from the bathroom but the next thing I know there were my pj's laid flat out in front of me on our bed and I quickly changed into them, keeping my eyes on my wife as her slender arms came around behind her, her hands wrapping her damp ringlets into a messy bun before letting them loose over her shoulders again as they caught the light of the lamp just right. She still didn't turn around. Trying to be as quiet as possible, I started creeping up behind her on all fours, holding my breath. Just as I was about to snatch her up from behind, the bed went out from under me and the next thing I know, I was totally airborne and then she slammed me into the bed, pinning me down hard.
"I changed my mind." She dimpled up and came down on me in a movement so fast I didn't see it, and then I felt her cold lips press themselves tight to my neck, my pulse spiking as the blood pounded in my veins, something I was sure she could feel given how close she was to me right now. In response, she pulled off my shirt then my pants then my boxers in that exact particular order. Unable to help it, my back arched and my head lifted off the pillow, me pushing my lips harder onto hers as my breath quickened and then hitched in my throat as our kissing deepened. Her lovely shoulders bent over me as her cool hands came up to cradle my face, pressing her forehead to mine, lips hungrily seeking out my own. My hands ran up and down her achingly-beautiful back and I wanted nothing more in the world than for me to become a part of her; to absorb every inch of her cool-sweet skin and hold nothing back. My hands tightened around her waist as I laid both me and her down sideways on the bed, feeling up the curves of her body now with trembling fingers and the rest of me waiting and ready to go once I received her blessing.
"May I?" I asked between two hot breaths. Her hands were clasped tight to my shoulders and I could feel them leaving tiny red scratches on my skin.
"What are you waiting for, Beau?" she looked at me with those giant, pleading doe eyes of hers and just like that, her wish was my command.
Gently, I made to mount her. It was easier than I expected - I turned her sideways a little, cradling her stomach and being careful not to put any weight on it, hovering over her beautiful body with her head caught between my elbows. Her eyelids fluttered like butterfly wings as I came nearer to her, inhaling her sweet, intoxicating scent in deep lungfuls of air till it made me dizzy. Her mouth parted ever so slightly to reveal a flash of her white teeth and I lunged forward and caught her lips in mine, successfully sealing them in another deep kiss as I let my tongue wrap around hers. My shoulders twisted in towards her and my hands drifted over all the beautiful planes of her form and before I could even think, my head was moving down the full frontal of her body, brushing over her chin then her chest and then her torso, and then my lips found the inside of her thighs and I trailed kisses down each of them all the way to her toes and back up again, covering her with myself once more. She writhed below me, the sweetest sounds like music escaping from between her trembling pink lips as they slammed into mine over and over again, our heads moving in tandem with one another. Rising to my knees now, she responded in kind by opening her legs a little more so I could fit better there and I took the back of her cool thighs in my hands and adjusted them around my waist with the tenderest movements like they were made of glass and I were afraid to break her, though I knew I was the one who was actually more prone to breaking than she was. Like she was a flower in bloom whose beauty should not be defiled by these mortal hands of mine because she was a literal angel in every sense of the word. I took a breath and brought her up to me. Swallowing hard, I pulled her in with one singular movement and lost myself somewhere deep inside her, a magical place, and her beautiful hands reached up over her head and slammed themselves into the headboard, her fists clenching so tight around the black metal rungs she easily bent the steel and crumpled them all together. With a gasping breath, her trembling hands found the tops of my shoulders again and quickly, my fingers moved to her wrists and I gave them a squeeze. Soon enough, our voices became one with each other, calling and answering, like a perfect symphony of total matrimonial bliss.
My lips roamed over every inch of her satin skin. Her fingers ran themselves up and down every part of my body and blossoms of red bloomed in all the places she touched me and my eyes slid shut. We turned off the lights.
I love you.
My Edythe.
…
When I woke up, it was still dark out. Early morning. I felt her cool fingers through the blanket stroking my arm and I flopped over to face her, stretching my neck out a little to kiss her lips before wrapping my arms around her and I could do nothing but smile, feeling this strange mix of drained yet energized; exhausted yet happy. An all-time High.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." She greeted me in a soft, singsong-y voice. I laughed then blushed, my mind flashing back to quite literally one of the best nights of my life and I felt dizzy again. It wasn't just a good morning if you know what I mean, it was freaking fantastic.
"Good morning, beautiful." I said as per usual, stroking her cheek. She smiled and glanced up at me as her hand came to rest on my bare chest.
"I love that look."
"What look?"
"The one you're giving me now." I tried to think about what she meant by that, but came up empty-handed. I guess seeing the confused expression on my face, she chuckled.
"It's just… your eyes. I love the way they're looking at me right now."
"Um… still kind of lost here, Edythe."
She let out a sigh at that and showed me a half-smile, bringing her little hand up to touch my cheek.
"I know it's silly, but I was afraid you wouldn't look at me like that anymore, with want and with desire just shining in your eyes." Her fingers came up to her lips and she shook her head, turning away almost shyly. And then I figured out exactly what she meant.
"Wait, Edythe – were you worried that I wouldn't find you… what, like, attractive anymore? Is that it?" I let out a bitter laugh. It physically pained me that she could even think such a thing in the first place about herself; about me.
"You'll always be the most beautiful girl in my eyes, Edythe. The only one for me. That's never, ever going to change. Swear on my life." I touched my chest with one hand and held up the other making that vow. She let a teeny breath out through her nose and hid her beautiful face in my chest. I ran my fingers down both her cool cheeks then gently brushed the hair away from her forehead, leaving a kiss on the space between her eyes and sighed happily as I pulled away with my hands still on either side of her face. How'd I get to be so incredibly lucky to call her mine?
"Yep… still not used to it." I sighed and shook my head, tracing the sweet creases in her smiling eyes down the side of her cheek and down the delicate curve of her chin before tugging on a loose bronze curl which sprang free from behind her ear. The sun was just starting to peek in through the crack in the curtains and reflected off her porcelain skin, making it shine. The sight took my breath away.
"You're literally glowing. So beautiful." I wrapped a lock of her hair around my finger and kissed it. Her gorgeous crimson eyes narrowed as they peered back up at me.
"What, are you saying that I dazzle you?" She asked and laughed into my shoulder, the silvery sound vibrating right through me and filling me up with literal sunshine.
"I can most definitely assure you that I have never been more dazzled by anyone nor anything else in my entire life."
"Very smooth."
"It's the truth."
I kissed her again and my hands drifted over her stomach, but then I felt something push hard against my palm and I leapt back in surprise. Edythe hissed.
"Are you alright?" I heard her let out a slow breath in response.
"Someone's finally up." She winced and I looked down to where her hands were touching and saw as more black lines pulsated, throbbed, then disappeared across her bare torso and I jumped up to grab some more venom, but Edythe stopped me and a smile appeared on her face. "I'm fine. I've gotten used to it." She laughed, went to the closet, and was back at my side in a matter of nanoseconds as she folded her legs under her on the mattress in an invisible movement, already fully dressed. She tossed me my own change of clothes and I threw them on. Once I was sitting up again, she looked at me and squeezed my hand before bringing it to her stomach. More thrashing. I made a face.
"Is he… um, mad at me or something? Did I do anything wrong?"
She laughed and shook her head. "You're fine, Beau. Don't take this the wrong way, but he just thinks you smell absolutely delightful." Her finger bounced off the tip of my nose and she let out a little giggle before leaning back on the pillows. She started talking to herself again– um, I mean the baby – resting her hands on her stomach and looking down. "Yes love, that was your father." She cooed in a whispery voice.
"Heh." I laughed a little nervously as I thought about what she was saying but wouldn't let it affect me long. Letting out a sigh, I held her stomach with both hands and leaned down to kiss it. "Sorry buddy, but I really don't taste as good as I smell. You'll be disappointed, trust me."
"Agree to disagree." Edythe muttered. Shaking her head, she moved her hands in little circles over her stomach before laying down on her side, turning away from me. Quietly, I came up behind her and ran my hand up and down her cool arm. But then I heard her inhale one sharp breath and I gave her shoulder a shake.
"Are you okay?" I quickly asked, trying to make my voice a calm, even sound. I saw her bronze curls bob up and down and I let out a quick sigh of relief.
"I'm fine. It's just so strange, the feeling – aches." She sighed, then let out a quiet chuckle. "It's almost like I'm becoming human again, as if somehow that were amazingly possible."
I pursed my lips, trying to think of what I could do to make her more comfortable.
Just then, it hit me.
I wrapped my arms around her, pressing my torso tight to her back.
"How's this?"
"Mm… The heat really helps. Thank you." Her hands covered mine and I could feel our wedding bands touching.
We stayed that way for the rest of the morning.
…
Later that day, Edythe and I started down the stairs hand-in-hand.
"Morning sis. Morning little bro-in-law." Eleanor was the first to greet us in the living room. We smiled in response as we passed her by on our way to the kitchen.
"Hold it right there."
Eleanor stopped us and looked at us, hard. A slow, easy grin spread across her face. "Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. You guys totally smashed last night, didn't you?"
My cheeks felt like they'd been set on fire and I almost choked on air.
"We just took a shower and went straight to bed. You know – to, um, sleep. At least for me." I answered as non-suggestively as I could.
"Hmm, you don't say." Eleanor nodded her head very slowly and waggled her eyebrows at us, letting out a whistle. "It was about time someone around here scored."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Any of that." Edythe breezed easily past her sister, tugging me along behind her. I could still hear El taunting us and my cheeks stayed beet-red.
When we got to the kitchen, I was met with the delicious scent of scrambled eggs, bacon, and something else I couldn't quite put my finger on – fresh herbs and spices, I'm guessing. Jules was sitting at the kitchen counter, sipping on a glass of orange juice with an empty plate in front of her.
"Look who brought breakfast!" I almost fell backwards from the shock, Arch literally popped out from nowhere.
"You almost gave me a heart attack, Arch."
"Sorry, sorry." he moved his hand up and down in the air before motioning for me to take a seat. Taking a clean plate from the cupboard, he piled onto it what looked like a giant scrambled egg pancake with verdant greens and bacon bits flecked throughout topped with a little sprig of asparagus and my mouth watered as he put it down in front of me.
"It's called a Fritaja." He answered with a smile before I could even ask the question. "Eat up. You may now bestow upon me your gratitude, o' little brother of mine."
"This is awesome, thanks Arch. Where'd you get it from?"
"Breakfast is served every day from eight to eleven and since you two are pretty much the only ones who eat this stuff, I figured we should get our money's worth. They have a little kitchen in the same building the main lobby's in and it's provided at no additional cost with the room fee. Isn't that neat?" he answered excitedly, pouring me a glass of orange juice from a giant coffee cup and refilling Jules' glass for her as well. I nodded my head and slid into the seat beside her.
"Morning." I gave her a little nudge with my elbow and smiled.
"Morning." She replied, taking another sip of her juice but still not looking at me. She got up and went to put her plate in the kitchen sink. Just then, her phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. On the screen was the name Lizzie, and a picture of a girl with ebony curls and chocolate skin popped up on it- she was very pretty.
"Lizzie, huh?" I nodded, pursing my lips thoughtfully. "New friend?"
Quickly, she ran up and took her phone from me. "Yeah. I met her at the park a little while ago. We're talking." She shrugged and swiped at her screen, bringing the smartphone up to her ear before disappearing into the other room. I stayed looking after her – I mean, I was glad she was meeting new people; I knew how lonely she's been, maybe she's finally found someone.
When she came back, she was looking down but I could just make out the flash of a smile on her lips. Sliding her phone back into her shorts pocket, she finished off her refill of orange juice and brought the glass to the sink.
"Did that fritaja taste good?" I asked, though I was pretty sure I was pronouncing it wrong. She turned and smiled.
"Yeah. I was gonna eat yours too if you hadn't come down when you did." She snorted and sat down next to me again, propping her elbow up on the table and leaning her cheek on her hand like she was trying to look at me better.
"Wow, thanks so much for your consideration." She laughed at that. I stabbed some fritaja with my fork and took a bite. "And boy am I glad you did. This is really good."
In a matter of seconds, I'd already polished off most of my breakfast. Just as I brought the last piece up to my lips, someone snatched my fork from me and I bit down on air instead.
"Hey!" I protested.
"Delicious." Jules chewed and swallowed, putting my fork down on my empty plate and beaming up at me.
"I was going to eat that, you know." I said glumly, pouting.
"Sorry." She laughed, sounding not very apologetic in the least. "Oh hey, I think you got a little something here." Swiping a napkin from the counter, she started dabbing my lips with it and my cheeks burned the brightest shade of red.
Just then, a light pink stainless steel water bottle slammed hard into the kitchen counter. I felt the vibration. A small hand darted out in front of me, taking the napkin from Jules. It was Edythe.
"I do believe you missed a spot." I couldn't tell if she was talking to me or Jules, but she took over for her anyways. When she was finished my wife tilted her head, smiling at me.
"Am I clear to go?"
"Well… almost." Putting the paper down, she brought her cool hands up and pressed them to either side of my face, holding me there. Eyes sliding shut, she leaned in slowly and covered my lips with hers, taking in more of mine with every masterful move they made and I could only pay her back in kind, tangling my fingers tight in her hair. When she finally pulled away, I saw her dimple up and I struggled to catch my breath as my heart thudded away erratically in my chest.
"You're right." She began in a low, velvety voice. "That was absolutely delicious."
…
After finishing up breakfast, Jules, Edythe and I found everyone else gathered in the living room. "What do you have there, Carine?" Passing by the couch in the second sitting area, Jules pointed at the notebook laid open in Carine's lap and sat herself down in a chair next to Carine's, me and Edythe sitting down on the loveseat.
"Just a few notes about Edythe and the baby; the pregnancy in general." Carine pressed her lips together in concentration, flipping back and forth between a stack of pages and marking something down. "I've been keeping track ever since we found out."
"Why the face?" Jules asked with a shrug, genuinely curious as I now was. I heard Carine let out a troubled sigh.
"I just don't know how she's going to have this baby. Normally, what you'd find is that when the human body gives birth, it undergoes many, many changes- you have the opening of the cervix and the widening of the pelvic floor for example; then a release of hormones which trigger contractions and dilation and pushing among other things, and I simply cannot reconcile any of that with the physiology of a body like ours."
"But I've already carried him this far along, and somehow he continues to grow bigger and stronger every day. I think it's safe to say that this body must be doing something right then, Carine." Edythe argued, cradling her stomach.
"Yes, it is true that the fetus is more or less compatible with your body, but you must also remember that he is no ordinary human child, Edythe - he's still part you after all. But it's the mechanics I'm talking about here, honey."
"I'm sure we'll figure it out when he's ready." Edythe answered rather confidently. I cringed remembering Health class. I mean, I know what giving birth looks like and so does she; it's just ouch. But Edythe's body was different. Carine had a point - how were we going to pull that off?
"I mean, can't you just cut the kid out or something?" Jules asked with a shrug. Carine shook her head.
"Vampire skin is impenetrable to any human-made tools or weapons, I'm afraid. It can only be destroyed by another vampire."
"So, what, are you saying that you're just going to bite the kid out of her then?" I almost choked when Jules said that. I mean, that sounded literally horrifying – and horrifyingly painful. Jules looked almost as shocked as I was. I shuddered at the option, tightening my grip on Edythe's shoulders. But again, Carine shook her head.
"I cannot risk harming him like that, as I don't know what our bites could do to such a child. If… if I tasted his blood and lost control for even one split second… that could have lethal consequences on such a small body. And if it is at all possible that I could turn him completely, he might even become an Immortal Child. It is a death sentence for him; for all of us. I won't do it, I simply cannot risk any of that at all."
"It might be the only way though, Carine. I trust you." Edythe's voice grew soft and she touched her mother's shoulder.
"I made an oath, Edythe. I simply cannot-"
"Wait – I think there's another option." Arch suddenly started, blinking. He turned to look at us. "There's a few more, actually. Fair warning though, they're all going to hurt pretty bad." He looked especially at Edythe now; his voice regretful. "Sorry."
"That doesn't concern me. As long as I can somehow manage to do this successfully; as long as he'll live – then that's all that matters. Please, Arch - will he be alright?"
Arch nodded his head. "They'll survive that much at least, I promise you." Arch's voice was solemn. I didn't want to think about what else he could have seen beyond that which made him sound so sad.
We were all quiet for a long time.
"Hey." Arch interjected the silence. "Don't worry too much. I still see futures with all of us, there's still a chance everything will turn out alright."
"Your brother's right. No one's giving up here." Earnest came into the living room and looked at us with gentle eyes. "Instead, have you both thought of any names yet?"
"Yes! Let's do this thing." Eleanor appearing out of nowhere pumped her fist excitedly in the air. Royal looked up and raised his eyebrows a little, perching himself on the edge of the loveseat's armrest. Soon enough, everyone else was gathered around us. A slow, easy grin spread across Arch's face when he looked back at me and Edythe and his golden eyes crinkled as he grabbed a paper pad and pen.
"I'll write down what you guys come up with, since I already know what you're going to name them."
"Why don't you just come right out and say it then?" Jules rolled her eyes.
"Because I want you all to have this experience. Trust me, it's gonna be really fun." He laughed and sat himself down on the carpet with a liquid movement, resting the paper pad in his lap and clicking the pen open. "Now – who wants to start first?"
Names? It hit me right over the head again when I realized that I was going to be an actual dad and I felt a strange tickle in my throat.
Right, names. I reminded myself. I didn't even think about that before. And then, everyone just started throwing out their picks left and right. It must have been just as exciting for them as it was for Edythe and I, and the thought made me really happy.
"How about Jonathan?" started Carine.
"Reid?" Earnest went right after her.
"Jasper?" added Jessamine.
Bear!" Eleanor shouted out.
"Jackson?" threw out Royal.
"How about Emmett?" Carine also suggested.
"Anthony?" Edythe asked eyes widening and I tried not to make a face. That was going to be a hard "no" for me.
"Bear!" repeated Eleanor, her hands cupped around her mouth.
"We are not naming my son after your favorite food source, El."
"Oh, come on, sis."
"Nope. Sorry."
"Ooh, I know, I know - Archie Junior after your favorite brother. I've totally seen it." Said the scribe.
"Ugh, your vision thing must be broken then, Arch." Edythe quipped. "I don't pick favorites."
"But I know you have one, and it's me!" he pointed two thumbs at himself, laughing. Edythe rolled her eyes at him, but didn't really deny it either.
"What about Robert?" Added Royal excitedly.
"How about Edward?" Carine also offered. Those were all pretty good, I thought. If I remember correctly, Edward was the name of Edythe's biological father, too. I wonder…
"I do like those. What about you, Beau? Do you have any suggestions?" Edythe took my hand. I pursed my lips in concentration and tilted my head to think. I fumbled around, trying to come up with names on the spot, but none of them really did anything for me. But then, remembering the name Carine suggested my mind locked on a passing thought, not wanting to let it get away from me. And then I came up with something that I was super proud of.
"Hey, what about Chearnest?"
Total. Silence. I mean, you could just hear the crickets.
"Chearnest?" Royal blinked at me like he was questioning my sanity.
"I mean, yeah. I was just playing around with our dads' names - you know, Charlie and Earnest – and I got Chearnest."
"Chearnest." Royal repeated again after a beat. His eyes narrowed.
I looked to Edythe hoping for a better reaction from her but instead saw that she was shaking her head, teeth lightly grit. I knew what that meant.
"Mm, I'm sorry Beau but let me make one thing abundantly clear - No son of mine is going to be called Chearnest. No offense to either of our fathers." She added in a softer tone.
"I mean, I like it." I mumbled, twiddling my fingers and looking down. "It's unique." I tried not to sound too hurt that she hated the name too, because I honestly thought it was genius.
"Yeah, why not? It's cute. Chearnest, Chearnest, Chearnest!" Eleanor was beaming, and I couldn't tell if she was trying to be supportive of me or was just having a blast giving her sister a hard time.
"Let's not antagonize the pregnant vampire, El." Jessamine began in a breezy voice right on the verge of a quiet laugh, so I guess that meant it was the second one. Sigh.
"But…" Edythe began in a thoughtful voice, "you said you were playing around with our fathers' names, correct? I do like that idea. Instead of Chearnest, why don't we try Charlie-Earnest then instead, hyphenated just like that?" her eyes shone with excitement.
"Aw, sweetheart." Earnest chuckled. "Thanks, kiddo."
"I like that." Royal actually smiled. A real shocker, I tell ya.
"I agree." Jessamine said with a small nod of her head. I looked over to Jules who was sitting in the chair next to where Jess was standing. She'd been quiet this whole time.
"What about you, Jules? Do you have any ideas for names?" I asked, wanting to include her. It was only fair she had a say, she gave up everything for us and this baby.
"I don't know, I don't think I'm very good with names." Jules shrugged, touching at a satin-covered button on the head cushion of the chair she was sitting in and not looking up.
"Just give it a try. We're very open-minded." I laughed. Encouraged, she shifted her jaw and pursed her lips a little, deep in thought. "I guess… I have this one name then, a boy's." She started with a hesitating breath. "Maybe it's dumb, but I was just thinking of this one time when I was little where I went with my brother Aaron to his friend's house and was roped into a game of dolls with the guy's sister, who was my age. I thought it was boring though, so I wanted to spice things up a little bit. Think Life in the Dreamhouse meets Mad Max: Fury Road." she snorted. "I guess I got a little too rough with it though, and I accidentally ended up totally destroying one of her Barbie dolls. Enraged, she told me how I made a terrible girl, as if that made any sense and should offend me somehow. I guess being prompted by that, I randomly asked my mom right before dinnertime that evening what she would've called me if I were a boy." Jules smiled a little. "She said she would've called me Jacob. I've always thought it was such a cool name. Since you guys still want to name him after your dads, I was thinking "Jacob" could be a middle name then. So… Charlie-Earnest Jacob Swan. It's a mouthful, but you can just call the kid CJ for short if you wanted to."
"Wow, that's…" I chuckled. "That's actually pretty genius, Jules. Edythe? What do you think?"
Edythe pulled her mouth over to one side of her face, narrowing her eyes like she was expecting something to taste like burnt popcorn instead of gourmet chocolate cake but got the chocolate cake instead. I laughed.
"You like it, don't you?"
"It's not horrible. Much better than Chearnest, I'll give you that. But then again, I'm of the opinion that quite literally anything is better than Chearnest. It's a contender."
I heard Arch laugh quietly as he penned the name down before looking up again.
"Alright, we've got some pretty good stuff here. Does anyone have any girls' names now?"
Edythe looked right at me then, probably remembering the little challenge I posed to her all those months ago. "For the very slight possibility that I am mistaken and he ends up being a little girl after all, I was just thinking of a few things – perhaps Elizabeth, after my mother," Edythe smiled a little sadly to herself now, looking down at her mother's ring which sparkled on her right hand. "But I was also thinking of Grace as well, with your blessing, Earnest. Grace Carine Renee Swan." her eyes softened as they found her dad's and she gave his fingers a squeeze. He didn't say anything, but his eyes looked wet and he showed her a gentle smile, nodding his head.
"Very pretty, honey. Thank you." Carine whispered, coming up behind us and combing her fingers through Edythe's hair.
I thought about that and imagined a little girl just like Edythe, with bronze curls and green eyes - the color hers were when she was human - and I already loved her, even if she ended up inheriting her mother's temper. I smiled to myself thinking about that – my daughter. Little Grace. I felt a lump forming in my throat. I knew I needed to meet her – I had to.
Grace. My Grace.
I'll protect you. I swear, I'm going to protect you.
"What are you thinking of now, Beau?" Edythe whispered. She kissed my hand.
"Nothing." I whispered just as quietly. "Nothing at all." I felt a hotness welling up behind my eyes and I pulled her to my chest.
Whatever it takes.
...
I stirred awake in Edythe's arms. The sun had set, and the sky was filled with stars. Another day was coming to an end.
"Look who's up."
"Hey." I smiled. Edythe rose to her feet and held her hand out for me to take. I grabbed it but then I remembered that I forgot to put my leftover dinner away.
"In a minute." I kissed her knuckles.
"I'll go up first to change then, Beau. Take your time." She tilted my face up towards hers and left a kiss on my forehead.
"Alrighty. See ya in a little bit." I laughed and watched her go. I yawned, stretching my arms high over my head and stood up to leave. When I got to the kitchen though, it looked like Jules had already cleaned up after us. That was nice of her, I'll be sure to thank her later. Turning back towards the living room, I passed by my brother-in-law. "Night, Arch." I called automatically as I swiveled around on the banister, launching myself up the stairs.
He didn't answer me.
I was about to shrug it off, but then I heard Jess gasp, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
"Arch?"
He still didn't look up.
Slowly, I made my way back down the stairs and turned into the sitting area, my footsteps quiet and slow as I came up behind the two of them. The pad of paper on which Arch wrote the names we came up with earlier today was sitting open on the glass coffee table, only in the bottom-right margin there were two more names I didn't remember any of us mentioning.
Adelaide.
Delia.
An arrow connected them both. Arch started crossing some letters out in the longer of the two names and then made a mark indicating where two of the other letters should switch.
Arch gasped and fell back against the sofa cushion.
"I can't believe we didn't catch that before," his voice was barely louder than a whisper. He turned to look at me, eyes wide.
"What is it?" I asked and held my breath. Arch shook his head incredulously.
"Adelaide. She isn't dead after all."