16.

S TASSI

“Do you feel better after your shift?” Clarisse asked me before she tucked the thin blanket around my shoulders. “Your color is better, but I think you may need more blood.”

“Maybe so, but right now, it just feels good to have some calm.”

“I thought that son of a bitch was never going to die.” I laughed at the look of disgust on Clarisse’s face, and she smiled at me. “But the world feels lighter now that he’s gone.”

“Now that we’re sure he’s gone.”

“Exactly.”

Emorett let out a gusty wail, and I heard Blair laughing before she shushed him with a calm voice and sweet words. Jana giggled, and then Natalia and Nate joined her along with a couple of the adults who were at the front of the plane entertaining them.

“I can’t believe my brother is alive and well,” I said softly before I turned to look out the window. I had always wondered about him, but since we’d never been close with the difference in our ages and the fact that we’d been raised apart, his absence hadn’t affected me like it probably would have otherwise. “And he’s got children.”

“I have to admit that I was surprised to find out that he’d fathered children. I’d like to talk to him about that and find out . . .”

“He said that Agmund had one of the vampires he held captive change him after they found him the last time, so his children were conceived before that happened.”

“That makes more sense because I’ve never known of a vampire to sire children or give birth.”

“And yet I still have my heat every other year,” I scoffed, knowing that my time was coming soon.

“I’ve never understood that either, but since you’re the only one of your kind that we know of, there’s really no one to ask why that is.”

“I noticed that Blair has taken the children under her wing.”

“Of course. I would expect nothing less. She’s always had a soft spot for children. Not long ago, you mentioned that you were ready to adopt again. It seems like fate has put two little ones in your path who need you.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“I can feel pain emanating from you in waves, Stassi, and I’m not sure why.”

“I’m not either.”

“It should have lessened when we found Anna.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“It will probably go away when she finally reconnects with Ivan.”

“I hope so.”

Clarisse studied my face for a few seconds before she asked, “Do you feel any better at all?”

“Not really, no.”

“We should be back in Mereu soon. Once we land and Anna reunites with Ivan, I’m sure you’ll be fine. If not, I’ll talk to the girls as soon as we get settled at home and see if they have any ideas about what might be wrong and how we might help you.”

“Thank you.”

Clarisse patted my knee, and as she stood up, she said, “No thanks needed, sweetheart. That’s what family does. And, speaking of family, I think it’s time I got to know my newest niece and nephew.”

“I think I’ll nap until we land. I’m anxious to see the Ivan and Anna reunion. It’s like anticipating the happy ending of a movie.”

“You’re right,” Clarisse agreed with a smile. “Even though sweet, romantic movies aren’t exactly my favorite genre, we’ve had a serial killer and some blood and mayhem, so this story may just rank as one of my favorites after all.”

“Is Devon okay?”

“Lovey is taking care of him, so he’ll be just fine.” Lovey looked over her shoulder and smiled before Clarisse said, “Looks like Nicholas is worried about you too.”

A few seconds later, Nicholas appeared next to Clarisse and squeezed past her in the narrow aisle before he asked, “Do you mind if I sit with you for a few minutes?”

He was so formal, but I couldn’t really blame him since we had really just met. The last time I saw him, he was just a child, but now, he was an adult, albeit an anomaly just like me. He had lived an entire life without me in it.

“As dark as this situation has been for so many people, helping you reconnect with your children and meeting you for the first time has made it all worthwhile for me, Nicholas. I’m glad to have you as part of our family.”

“Thank you,” Nicholas said uncomfortably before he gave Clarisse a timid smile.

“I’ll let the two of you talk,” Clarisse said before walking away.

“Do you mind?” Nicholas asked as he motioned toward the seat next to me.

“Not at all. Please have a seat,” I invited. Once he was settled next to me, I smiled and said, “I can’t imagine how happy and relieved you must be.”

“It’s overwhelming,” he admitted. “Since the day Agmund found me again, I’ve dreamed of finding a way to get my children out of danger and making a life for us. Now that the opportunity is here, I’m just waiting for the bubble to burst and to wake up and find that it was all a dream.”

I reached out and pinched his arm hard enough to leave a bruise, and when he flinched, I laughed and said, “Nope. Not a dream.” Nicholas looked down at his arm and then up at my face in shock, and I laughed. “From what I understand, it’s normal for siblings to pick on each other, so I thought I’d try it out.”

He burst out laughing and I saw it then - the resemblance between us as well as the line of his jaw that reminded me so much of our father and the way his eyes crinkled like our mother when he smiled.

After a few seconds, he sobered and said, “As much as I dreamed of making a home for my children, I’m not sure exactly where that will be.”

“In Mereu. You’ll love it there, and the kids will thrive around other children like them.”

“Other than me and you, there’s no one out there like my children.”

“Jana and Emorett.”

“As much as I’d like to take them in and raise them with the twins, I’m not sure I’m man enough for that task. However, I do want them to grow up near each other, and from what everyone has said, Mereu is the perfect place for that.”

“We are unique, but everyone that lives in Mereu will be understanding and accepting of the differences. They’ve always been wonderful to me. It helps that Clarisse basically manages the town with the help of her sisters and the rest of the coven.”

“She was part of creating it, right?”

“Yes. Most of the people on the plane right now helped start Mereu.”

“Blair? I believe that’s her name . . .”

“The one who has already fallen in love with all of the kids?”

Nicholas smiled and nodded before he said, “She assured me she would help find the perfect home for them since we have no idea who their extended family might be. I gave her what few details I know about their parents, but I’m not sure that will be much help at all.”

“Blair will find out, and then she’ll make sure that Jana and Emorett will grow up safe and happy.”

“I’m glad.” We sat in comfortable silence for a few seconds until he said, “You know, it would be ideal if you could raise Jana and Emorett.”

“I’m not sure if I’m up to that just yet,” I said honestly. “I’m not exactly the picture of health right now.”

“I heard them talking about what you did for Anna’s mate, and I hope they’re right when they say you’ll feel better once they are back together.”

“I hope so too.”

“I’m glad I finally got to meet you, Anastacia. I’ve always wondered if you were okay.”

“You didn’t think I was dead?”

“No. I never did, although Agmund wavered back and forth, wondering if you made it out of the fire.”

“When in reality, I was the one that caused it.”

“He figured that out somehow, and it just made him even more intent to create more of those abominations.”

“Like us?” I asked with a grin.

“And Devon. I’m glad you saw the good in him, Anastacia. He’s . . .”

“Call me Stassi, Nicholas.”

Nicholas nodded before he continued, “Devon is a good man - a tortured soul, but then again, after what he’s been through with Agmund, I’d be worried if he wasn’t.”

“True. There are still things about the time I spent at his compound that bother me.”

“Small spaces, dark corners, and needles?” Nicholas asked.

“All of those and then some.”

“A few more things we have in common.”

“I guess we’re going to not only be the focus of a study in hybrids and how they age but also, a look into the age-old question of nature versus nurture.”

Nicholas laughed and then looked up toward the front when he heard Natalia calling for him. “Speaking of nurture, I think I’m being paged.”

“Enjoy every second of it, Nicholas.”

“I will, Stassi, and if you open your heart to those two sweet kids, you will too.”

With that parting shot, he stood and walked toward the laughter we could hear from the children at the front of the plane.

I wished with all my heart that I could commit to raising the children, but I wasn’t sure I was up to the task. I felt that there was something wrong with me, other than the painful emotions I’d taken from Ivan, especially since I’d connected with Anna and felt the burden ease somewhat but not disappear completely.

I was looking out the window at the clouds below us when I felt someone sit beside me. Without even looking, I knew that it was Aksel. When I turned to smile at him, I found him studying my face.

“Did you have a good visit with Anna?”

“Yes. It was wonderful to see her alive and well, and I can’t wait to see the look on Ivan’s face when he lays his eyes on her.”

“I bet he’s beside himself waiting on the plane to land.”

“He’s most likely the only one of us with any energy at this point,” Aksel said before he sighed and leaned his head back on the seat. “I feel drained, but Clarisse said that is probably the remnants of the poison in my system.”

“Is there anything they can do to help that?” I asked.

“Clarisse and the others are pondering that question as we speak.”

“I hope they can do something for you and the others.”

Aksel opened his eyes before his brow furrowed and he asked, “Shouldn’t you be included in that?”

“Of course!” I said with a bright smile, hoping he couldn’t see the worry I felt. “I’m looking forward to getting back to my old self so I can go back to picking fights with you and enjoy making up for hours at a time.”

“Oddly enough, as crazy as you’ve made me over the years, I’m looking forward to that too.”

◆◆◆

AKSEL

The excitement in the place was palpable the closer we got to Colorado Springs. When we landed at the private airstrip where I rented a hangar for my plane, I knew it was all my friends could do to stay seated rather than lining up at the door to wait for the stairs to arrive.

I gently woke Stassi and worried about the dark circles beneath her eyes, hoping beyond hope that Clarisse and the others had come up with a solution to help those of us who had been poisoned. The laudanum we’d been injected with had always been the bane of a vampire’s existence and something we had learned to avoid at all costs since it weakened us and could even kill us if we consumed too much through a victim’s blood.

In the years when the vile liquid was commonplace and available to anyone with the money to purchase it, too many vampires had died after unknowingly ingesting it through the blood that sustained them. Knowing that Agmund had put it in his arsenal of weapons along with mercury, which could also kill us if we were exposed to too much, was yet another reason to be glad he was gone.

Humans thought they knew how to kill vampires - wooden stakes and holy water along with a myriad of other ideas - but the only thing they’d ever gotten right was the stake part. Holy water didn’t do anything but get us wet, we found garlic delicious, could see our reflections in mirrors or any other shiny surface, and were all-around very difficult to kill unless you somehow removed our head or trapped us to starve slowly and painfully.

The laudanum and mercury were secrets that the vampires had held close to our vest so the humans couldn’t add that to their methods, which was probably unnecessary considering that both substances could kill humans, too, so it wasn’t likely that they would dose themselves just to stop a vampire’s bite.

“Are we here?” Stassi asked as the plane gently swayed with the turn at the end of the landing strip. I knew we had less than two minutes before we came to a stop in front of the hangar and then just a few more while they attached the steps and got the equipment ready for us to deplane. “I’m so glad to be home. It feels like we’ve been gone for ages when, in reality, it’s really only been a few days.”

“It seems like a lifetime,” I agreed. “Do you feel any better after your nap?”

“A bit,” Stassi lied. When I raised my eyebrows at her, she shrugged. “Okay, a tiny bit.”

“I’m going to take you home with me, feed us until we’re both ready to pop, and then curl up with you in my cave for at least two days so we can sleep this off.”

“I hope that works,” Stassi mumbled as she folded up the blanket she’d been using. “I’m ready for this day to be over but not until I see Ivan and Anna reconnect.”

“It’s going to be magical,” I agreed.

During the flight, it had been decided that we’d all get off the plane before Anna so that we could witness their reunion - something that none of us had imagined would ever happen. The plan worked, and I walked down the stairs with Stassi by my side, my eyes on my old friend Ivan who had been worried about all of us since we had left him in Colorado.

When I got to the bottom of the steps, I watched Ivan frown at Cas, angry that he hadn’t been told about the middle of the night trip to Washington and irritated that he hadn’t been part of the rescue.

Suddenly, Ivan stopped talking, and his head rose as he looked around in shock. I heard Stassi gasp and looked up at the door of the plane along with the rest of our group to see Anna standing there with a smile and tears streaming down her cheeks. Ivan followed our gazes and let out a shout before he sprinted up the stairs toward his mate.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the group when he pulled her into his arms, and I only looked away when I heard Stassi sob.

I pulled her into my arms and whispered in her ear, “That’s how I always feel when I see you after a long time apart.”

Stassi laughed through her tears and pinched my side before she said, “Bullshit.”

“Honestly! There’s usually at least a moment of relief before you start running your mouth and make me want to kill you.”

“That’s much more believable,” Stassi allowed. “I kind of feel the same way about you.”

“Good because you’re stuck with me now whether you want to be or not.”

“Don’t get too cocky, old man. You never know what might happen. Someday, I might decide to trade you in for a newer model or do something that enrages you to the point of fleeing.”

“Not going to happen, sweet Stassi. No matter how crazy you make me, I'll stand by you.” When I felt her relax against me, I asked, “Do you feel any different now that Anna and Ivan are back together?”

“It’s like a weight has been lifted off my chest.”