I woke up with a jolt, Ricki standing in front of me, crying.I could feel my body healing, slowly stitching itself up.
"Ri-Ricki?" I spoke, my voice cracking at the unexpected use after screaming so much. Ricki snapped his gaze up to me, shock filling his eyes. He was frozen, but then he launched forward, hugging me tightly.
"Hilda-I- You were-" He tried, his voice shaking with the tears that still wanted to leave his eyes. "How are you alive?" I swallowed hard at his question, unsure how to even answer him. A breeze flowing through the room making us look around. There were no windows. No air conditioner on since it was fall time nearly winter.
"I think I could explain that." I snapped my gaze to see Marissa Alfson standing in the middle of the room. A glow of white around her figure, making her look celestial.
"Mom?" Ricki spoke in a low whisper, confusion in his voice and grief creeping up slowly. He was there when our mother had died. The fact that she here now was pulling up old emotions.
"Hello Ricki, Hilda." She smiled, walking over to us.
"Ho-how are you here??" I questioned her as I stood up, no longer feeling any kind of pain. Ricki moved to hand me a hospital gown since my dress was ripped.
"A bit of magic. I don't have long though." She spoke quickly. "Hilda- I had some help from some other ancestors of the Elf line to push your vampire blood into motion. When you died you lost your vampire, but it was still there. You can't lose a part of yourself. When you died- It activated." She explained. My eyes widened. I could feel the slight burning in my throat, so I knew she was right.
"Wait- where are my baby's??" I brought up, panic setting in at the fact that both came early.
"They will be okay." Ricki spoke up. "Two girls." He informed me. My heart warmed at the thought of two girls. I never thought about what I wanted them to be, happy that I just had the chance to be a mother.
"Those two girls are going to be the best thing that happened to this world." Mother spoke, a smile never leaving her lips as she spoke of her new grandkids. "Born into this world with so many people to love and care for them. Stronger than anything in this millennium."
"Ar-are they going to be like me?" I asked, slowly and a bit afraid of the dangers my children will be in. Mother nodded.
"But they are stronger. Five parts to make a whole. Wolf, witch, vampire, immortal... and Elf." She spoke, making our family symbol appear in front of her with gold light. The tree of the sectors meeting and curling around each other. The balance. I choked on some air trying to take it all in. "They will be safe. I assure you." She promised as the gold light disappeared.
"So my children- what does this mean for them?" I asked, panicked. Ricki wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him for comfort.
"For now- nothing. Later in life though, they will be the ones to keep the balance. Essentially, save us all." She spoke almost in riddle. My head trying to figure out what she was meaning.
"Save the world?!" I exclaimed, "What do you mean?!"
"No need to worry about this now. I must go. Be with your children. Love them. Cherish them." Marissa walked up to us, placing her hand on both of our cheeks, smiling. "I love you both so much. You have both grown to be extraordinary people. I am so proud of you.." She said as she faded away. I took a deep breath in, as I turned to Ricki.
"Let's get you to your babies. I'll get you some blood as well." I nodded, smiling at my brother, pulling him to me in a hug.