One Heart

11. Call me Sorah

Everything had changed. Sorah knew she could never go back to her old life. That version of herself, the naïve, young version was gone. She'd held Kensie for over an hour, running her hands over her body and placing gentle kisses on her forehead and cheek. The quiet was soothing for them both. It was enough to just lay skin against skin.

Over the course of the evening, the sun had burned itself into the ocean, to be replaced by the glowing moon. Kensie blinked, her eyes clearing as she offered Sorah a soft smile. "Thank you."

Sorah smiled as she ran her hands through Kensie's hair. "That's never happened before, has it?"

"The crying, or the part where you shattered me into a million pieces and put me back together?"

"Well, I think one was a result of the other, so how about both?"

"No, that's never happened. Not at the hands of another, at least." Kensie wrapped her arm around Sorah. "I've never been able to be that open with anyone. I always hoped I could be. I wanted to be able to... it just never happened."

"Until now."

"Yes." Kensie smiled. "Until now."

More silence as Sorah collected her thoughts. There were still so many details that were out of reach. She'd done well to put much of the puzzle together, but it was still all so surreal. "Kensie?"

"Hmm?"

"We're both female."

Kensie grinned. "You'd like to know about our heir?"

"Well yeah... does being with you mean the heir won't be a direct descendant of the first Companion Queen? Will we be breaking a bloodline that's been in place for thousands of years?"

"No, she will be. As long as destiny wills it." Kensie smiled, running her hand over Sorah's arm. "Our people don't have as many hang-ups about sex as humans. We're in touch with our sexuality and embrace it, acknowledging its fluidity. As a result, we're very passionate and sexual preference isn't particularly defined." Her eyes roamed Sorah's body as though the mention of sex reminded her of their proximity. "The magic that created the first Companion Queen dictated that the bite is what provides the genetic material to birth their children."

"So..." Sorah frowned. "Every time you bite me I could potentially fall pregnant?" Her eyes widened. Sharing blood was a prominent part of their connection, surely she wouldn't spend most of her life pregnant.

"No, just like for everyone else, the timing needs to be right. Our people don't tend to have large families, many don't have children at all. To do so would be to fill the world with immortals. We're not infertile, but it's difficult for regular companions and vampires to fall pregnant. Though you and I will be different." Kensie smiled. "Still, We will still have some control over it."

"But you have a large family."

"Yes." Kensie's smile faded as she broke eye contact. "After the attack... after losing Isha and Daroah, as well as your mother... we left Earis and everyone we knew behind, so my parents wanted to surround themselves with family. A couple of years later my parents tried every method they could to fall pregnant with Daniella, then with Josh after that."

"Soon they'll be surrounded by loved ones again..."

"Yes. Now that we're going home."

"I hope I can be what they've been waiting for." Tightness gripped Sorah's chest. Less than a week ago she couldn't even manage to look after herself without Beth's reminders to eat and be home on time. Soon she would be queen, expected to rule over the entire world. Over vampires, companions, and humans—as ignorant of her existence as they were. Still, they were all her responsibility. "What if I can't do it?"