Antonio’s grip on me was just as shaky as I was. “Is it a boy or a girl?”
Bindi grinned, covering the baby in a blanket. “It’s a girl.” My heart stuttered, and I started crying softly. They were warm tears, not cold ones like usual, as Bindi laid her on my chest. I instantly gripped the fretful bundle, keeping her safe.
Antonio shook his head, chuckling softly before bending and placing his face next to mine to get a look at her, but the blanket was covering a portion of her face.
Carefully, holding her with one arm, I lifted the blanket away to show her face.
“Wow, Lil,” Antonio said in wonder. “She’s beautiful.” I felt his cheek crease against mine as he grinned and stated with pride, “My granddaughter is absolutely beautiful.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Good job, kiddo.”
“I’m not sure how much I had to do with this face,” I murmured, staring in wonder.
He grunted. “Are you joking? She looks just like you!”
She was a beauty, even if flushed from screaming her head off. Her eyes were slightly tilted, almond-shaped, but so were mine, having inherited that from my biological dad, King Venclaire. Her cheeks were rosy and full, healthy. I ran the tip of my finger over her straight, tiny nose, which I guess did resemble mine, infuriating her further. Her chin trembled, and my heart melted with the action. Her face was heart-shaped, and precious like a china doll’s.
She was perfect.
“If she looks just like me, I’m damn gorgeous,” I mumbled, my eyes scanning her features again as I ran my finger over her red eyebrows, which had a delicate arched shape.
Antonio glanced at me, his eyebrows furrowed. “Of course you are.”
I huffed, but he had stated thetruth. I ignored the compliment and tugged the blanket back further, revealing her hair. My breath caught. “That’s a lot of hair already.” Antonio grunted in agreement, both of us lifting a hand and fingering the inch-long hair. “And it’s not just red; she’s got black streaks.” Not many, but there were a few. I blinked, glancing at Antonio. “I’ll have to say I adopted her.” She had more visible Vampire traits than Shifter ones. “Wait…can you tell me if she should claim being a Shifter or a Vampire?” Just because her hair was this color, it didn’t mean her power would not be stronger as a Shifter.
Antonio’s head tilted as he stared at her, lightly running his thumb over the side of her precious cheek. His eyes glowed softly, and he lifted his other hand, murmuring silently, and touched her chest, right over her Core, his finger glowing.
She stilled, her lips thinning and her eyebrows puckered.
Instantly my wolf growled — savagely. “You’re not hurting her, are you?”
“No,” he whispered with a slight shake of his head. “It only feels warm to her.” He blinked, and his eyes and finger stopped glowing. He smiled softly, leaning to kiss her forehead. “A little Vampire you will be.”
I nodded once then jiggled her a little, worried that she wasn’t screaming at me…then her lips trembled and she went back to squalling. There. A good pair of lungs.
Antonio explained, “You won’t be able to just say you adopted her. You’ll have to legally do it, so no one ever scents thelie.”
I cooed to her, rocking her softly. “Let’s get that done as soon as possible.”
He nodded, smiling at me.
I instantly backed off from the love shining in his eyes, and I watched him flinch, his smile dimming. Just because I was having a conversation with him outside of the battlefield, it didn’t make things all right between us. In fact, even though I was brimming with love that couldn’t be diminished while holding my baby girl, a bit of the usual coldness seeped back into me as I stared at him.
His nostrils flared, and he inhaled heavily. Lips pinched, he swiftly turned his devotion back to my daughter. Lifting a hand, he rubbed her back softly, and she quieted some. “What are you going to call my granddaughter?”
My jaw clenched at his reference, but I didn’t renounce his claim. I turned my attention to her. “Her name will be Isadora Marie Ruckler.” I ran my hand over her soft head. “For a nickname, I’ll call her Isa.”
“That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” Antonio stated, an affectionate, full smile curving his lips. “It’s perfect.”
“All right,” Bindi murmured, moving around me. “I need to check Isa out.” She glanced at Antonio. “And you need to do your spell.”
Antonio hesitated then asked, “May I?” His hands hovered over her.
I kissed her forehead, my eyes welling again with warm tears as I didn’t want to let her go, but after a few more caresses, I eventually nodded.
Antonio lifted Isa with the greatest care and began the protection spell, doing the only thing right by me he had done in a long time…keeping my daughter safe.
Chapter Two
“Ba-ba-blah-bu-blah-ba.” Isa grinned, gifting me her sneaky smile. “Ta!”
