I laughed out loud, sounding like a psycho when the door opened.
Jordyn sashayed in, appearing freshly showered, wearing a navy-blue-and-white flowered sundress and open-toed sandal mules, her wet brown hair hanging free and her phone glued to her hand.
She lit up when her brown gaze rounded on me. “You’re up and on your feet?” She threw herself at me. “It’s so good to see you. I’m so sorry. I should’ve been there for you.” She locked her hands around the nape of my neck. “I was not in my right mind last night. It will never happen again.”
I rubbed her back before untangling her from my body. “Hey, slow down. I’m alive, and the babies are healthy. They’re with Doc right now.”
Dashing tears off her face, she settled on the cushion beside me and set her phone in her lap.
I grasped her trembling hand. “You look good, sis.”
Compared to her, I looked like death. When I’d gone to the bathroom earlier, I’d been horrified when I saw myself in the mirror, mainly at my dirty hair, and the hospital gown didn’t exactly scream fashion statement. But soon enough, I would be able to fit into my old wardrobe again. I couldn’t wait to get in shape either. I’d worked out early on in my pregnancy, but after I’d been kidnapped by Roman Brown on behalf of my grandmother, I hadn’t exercised at all.
She sized me up. “You as well. Did you drink from the fountain of youth?” She giggled.
“I wouldn’t say that, but Doc gave me a healing potion.” My well-being had gone out the window when I saw Roman Brown on TV. “Have you seen the news?” I grabbed the remote off the arm of the couch and turned up the volume.
“I’ve only seen parts of it after Sam filled me in,” she said. “This is fucked-up.”
Tim Cox, a reporter, shoved a mic in Roman’s face outside Intech’s headquarters in Chicago. “Sir, can you tell us more about the vampire prototype?”
Roman smoothed a hand down his suit jacket as he smiled, his blue eyes lasering into the camera. “I’m sorry, Tim. I can’t divulge any information. But know this. We are excited about the outpouring of candidates lining up to be part of a new era.”
Cue the eye roll—a thousand and one of them.
Roman lowered his head as he beelined it to a black SUV parked at the curb. Tim followed on his heels and again shoved his microphone at Roman. “Mr. Brown, can you then tell us more about the recessive gene vampires are born with? Or the medical science behind them?”
Roman grinned, seemingly enjoying the attention. “The answers to your questions would take hours. Just know this. What we’re offering humans who qualify is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become immortal—a gift of never dying.” He held up his hands, shielding himself from the camera as two security guards flanking him ushered Roman into the back seat of the SUV.
Tim returned his brown gaze to the viewing audience. “That was Roman Brown, one of the scientists working for Intech.”
I muted the volume as my eyebrows knitted. “Scientist? I thought Carly was running the experiments.”
“Not anymore,” Jordyn said as sure as we were sitting there. “Carly is on base in some interrogation room.”
I jerked my head at my sister, and my neck locked. “Since when?” I massaged the knot where my neck met my spine.
She lifted her suntanned shoulders. “According to Sam, she made an action-packed appearance at about four this morning, and she’s not human anymore.”
I gulped in a sharp breath. “We should talk to her. I want to know about Granny. Is she still in the game? I know Rianne mentioned her, but you know Granny. She would’ve been part of that comedy show.”
The news was showing long lines of people waiting to get inside Intech.
“Just for a few minutes, can we talk about my nieces and nephew and you?” she asked. “This crap on TV is depressing, and I’m dying to know if they’re vampires. Witches? Do we know? What are their names? How are you feeling? I mean, as I said you look great. Tell me more about the healing potion.” She beamed with curiosity and giddiness.
She was right. The more I watched TV, the more depressed, angry, and obsessed I became with hunting down Rianne and ending her. But Rianne, Roman, and Adam wouldn’t stop until each of them achieved their goals. Adam wanted power. Rianne wanted to kill Sam, and Roman, well, he wanted Abbey, but that wasn’t the vibe he’d given me on TV. The evil and cunning vampire was enjoying the public’s attention. If we had to watch anyone, it was Roman. He was the lethal one.
I withdrew my hand from hers. “I could use a reprieve from the bullshit.”
“We should be celebrating the births of my nieces and nephew,” she said.
I smiled from ear to ear. “You’re going to adore them, Jordyn. They’re the most precious beings alive. There’s Orion, our son. He has black hair and green eyes just like his daddy. Luna has black hair but violet eyes. Then there’s Aurora with reddish-brown hair and mahogany eyes, and Elara, who has a lighter shade of red hair with blue eyes.” I adjusted my position, turning slightly toward Jordyn and bending a knee and draping my other leg over it. “We’re pretty sure Orion is a vampire since he’s been sucking blood off my finger and Sam’s. As for the girls, the verdict is still out.” I was convinced Rorie was the conduit to the power Sam and I had when we joined hands. If I was right, that meant she would be a strong witch or vampire or both.
Tears cascaded down Jordyn’s rosy cheeks, her smile reaching up to her brown eyes. “They sound precious.”
Orion was going to be something special. Not that my daughters wouldn’t be, but the only boy among three girls would definitely add an interesting dynamic. I could see Orion protecting his sisters and scaring off boys, although he would have to get in line behind his dad. My handsome husband would be overprotective and suffocating when the girls were old enough to date. But we had years before we had to worry about that.
She mimicked my position and draped her arm on the back of the couch. “Will Orion have fangs before long? Will each of them grow faster like they did in the womb? What has Doc said about that?”
