Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 696(@200wpm)___ 557(@250wpm)___ 464(@300wpm)
Raphael leaned against the wall. “They have to be regenerating; otherwise Elena’s heart, at the very least, would have issues.”
“Yes. The cells renew themselves like immortal cells—but they are not immortal. They are mortal.” Keir shoved his hands through the fine silk of his hair and pulled—and yes, that was definitely the first time Elena had seen him do that. “Every indicator comes back as mortal.”
He pointed at Elena. “Thanks to you, I will now be kept awake for endless nights over the mystery of it.”
“Per Marduk, such mysteries keep immortality interesting.” Raphael’s drawled comment didn’t seem to amuse Keir.
“But given the example of the mother,” Keir said, “the child should be a perfectly healthy immortal.” He walked over to touch his finger to the sleeping babe’s, his voice gentle as he said, “No doubt you will confound me as you grow, too.”
* * *
* * *
Two days after that, Elena did a few light stretches while Majda sat with her. The baby was asleep—he’d actually begun to sleep for longer stretches after that first day. As if, now that he’d satisfied his curiosity about the world, he was content to rest.
Today, he did so in Majda’s arms. His great-grandmother had rocked him to his rest, and now cuddled him close. Elena had the feeling that when the time came, she’d have to work to ensure their baby wasn’t so used to being carried that he didn’t want to walk.
Our kid is going to grow up in countless pairs of loving arms, she said mind to mind to her archangel, who’d stepped out for the morning to catch up with matters in New York.
Dmitri had left only an hour earlier, wouldn’t be home yet.
Last night the vampire had taken Raphael out for a celebratory drink, and her archangel had returned to the Medica happy and relaxed in a way that made her grin. She, meanwhile, had been having a little party of her own with Hannah and baby Aanisa, Majda, Eve, Hannah’s mother, and their closest girlfriends in the Refuge.
It had been a thing of feminine energy, the men giving it a wide berth.
“Eli is with Cristiano,” Hannah had shared with a deep smile. “Kidnapped for a celebration—and I tell you, only Cristiano could get away with that. He is as languid as a cat. To see him, you’d think he spends his days sunning himself, never moving, and yet, he is a man who gets things done.”
Elena had laughed at the description. “I’ll admit it—first time I saw him, I thought he prowled like a puma.”
There had been more laughter—and cake.
“There’ll always be cake if I’m organizing a party,” Eve had declared. “I even baked the pineapple upside-down cake, I’ll have you know. From our sister Beth’s recipe.”
Elena had smiled at the sound of Beth’s name, loving that her Bethie was part of this celebration, too.
Hannah’s mother, a soft-spoken woman who radiated kindness, had declared that she and Eve would ever be friends. “Cake,” she’d said, her dimples peeking out, “is the foundation of a good relationship.”
Zoe, who’d managed to sneak away from Illium’s territory for a single day’s visit—she was his weapons-master, an elemental part of his territorial armor—had pointed a cake fork at the two women. “Facts.” Then she’d eaten another big bite of the chocolate fudge cake on her plate.
It had been a lovely afternoon of warmth and friendship.
Jessamy was the last to leave, having wanted an extra cuddle with Phoenix. “What a name you and Raphael have given him, Ellie,” she’d murmured as she cradled him in her arms. “Born of wildfire and rebellion. Yes, that sounds exactly right.” A delicate kiss on the baby’s nose.
“Thank you for helping us track down the legends about Marduk and Tiamat.” It had been in those scattered records that they’d found the name Zakriel. It wasn’t a common angelic name these days, but once, long ago, it might’ve belonged to one of Marduk and Tiamat’s sons.
While Elena and Raphael’s more recent history carried too much emotional baggage to put on a child’s fragile shoulders, it had felt right to give Phoenix that connection to the depth of his lineage.
“It was nothing, truly. You know I was—and continue to be—obsessed with those two,” Jessamy had admitted. “If only we hadn’t lost so many archives over the millennia.”
“Marduk said—”
“I know.” A scowl. “But I am a librarian, Ellie. I don’t want life to be interesting. I want my archives to be complete and in order.”
Stomach aching as she held back her laughter, Elena had hugged the other woman as they both gazed down at Phoenix. Not for the first time, Elena thought how lucky Gavriel had been to have Jessamy as his foster mother. “Has Michaela been in touch?”
“By a letter penned in her exquisite hand. She thanked me for loving her son, for making sure he grew up knowing a mother’s tender care.” Tears, quiet and heavy. “I do not blame her, Ellie, that she isn’t ready to meet me yet. I am but a memory of all she didn’t get to experience.”