'Til Death (Conversion Trilogy # 3)

Chapter 9: One Last Supper

Chapter 9: One Last Supper

When Halina and Gabriel finished up with their touching moment on the roof, Teren blurred down to drive Gabriel to our place. Smiling as I listened to Gabriel break up Starla and Jacen’s canoodling, I heard Halina tenderly wish him a safe trip home. As Teren’s vehicle departed along with Gabriel’s, I heard Halina sigh, nearly with content.

In the silence of the sleeping household, I told her, “I’m glad you didn’t break up with him, Halina. You two are good together.” I smiled as I thought about how similar they were. Both had been alone for a long time, having lost their respective loved ones ages ago, Gabriel even longer than Halina. Both were the protectors of their families and both could be ruthless when they needed to be. Yet, in this, in falling in love again, they were equally new and inexperienced. Almost…innocent.

Halina scoffed, blurring into the doorway beside me. “Well, I do enjoy having intercourse with him.” She sniffed. “I wasn’t ready to give that up yet.”

Like I said…almost innocent.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head at her as I stared at my children. I could feel Teren pulling away from me in my head and sighed softly, hoping he hurried back to me. The warmth of our reuniting would help ease the growing knot of anticipation in my belly. My head couldn’t stop mentally ticking off the moments. Every heartbeat I had, every breath I took, every second of time I felt passing by, was one less that I’d have…alive.

Silently watching me, Halina tilted her head, her dark hair flowing down her bare arm in the strapless dress she was wearing. “Are you freaking out?” she asked curiously.

Frowning at her, I shook my head and crossed my arms over my belly, subtly pressing in that ball of tension. “No, of course not. I know I’ll be fine.”

I lifted my chin, but even I felt the lie in my declaration. She surprisingly put a hand on my shoulder. “My own transformation was different from what you’ll be facing, but after having watched Imogen and Alanna go through the torment, I’d be fearful of it, if I was about to experience it.”

My eyes widened as the ball in my stomach grew considerably larger. Was that supposed to make me feel better? Noting my features, my accelerated heart, she shrugged. “I don’t believe in coddling you. This will be painful.” She raised an eyebrow. “But it is only pain and you have overcome far worse. I know you can do this, Emma.”

Nodding my head at her, I actually did feel a little comforted. Looking in on my children, she smiled softly. “I’m going down to my room.” Looking back at me, she gave me a serious expression. “Enjoy every moment of your last day as a human.” Shaking her head, she whispered, “You won’t get another.”

I gave her a swift hug, even though she didn’t look to be asking for one from me, then watched her languidly head down to her rooms below the earth. Once her presence was settled downstairs, I walked into my kids’ bedroom. Needing to feel connected to the people that made this scary process worth having, I crawled into bed with them.

Spike shifted to lie at our feet as I nestled in-between them. Disturbing them only temporarily, I felt Nika murmur, “Hi, Mommy,” across my skin as she wrapped her little arms over me. Julian muttered the same as he wrapped himself around me too. Closing my eyes, I inhaled their scent: the grass, the dirt, the baby shampoo, and the distinct essence of them. It calmed me, and that horrid knot melted away.

The next morning Teren and I filled in the rest of the family on what had happened the evening before. Imogen and Alanna were sympathetic, each giving me long hugs as we discussed my fate over breakfast. Trying not to worry, I watched my children build houses out of their French toast. I wasn’t hungry, but I made myself eat. I knew that this was the last breakfast I was ever going to have, so I wanted to enjoy it. I savored every bite that I made myself take.