My eyes squinted as they adjusted to the light from outside, trying my hardest to get used to it even though I strongly protested to it. The brightest thing I thought I’d ever seen was candlelight. Its beauty is what illuminated our world for centuries, we relied on it and it was always there to guide us. Yet now we were being told to throw them all away and side with the enemy, depend upon a big ball of fire to show us where to go, a ball of light that now allows us to stand side by side with humans, the very creatures we have hid from for cent-

“Oh my dear mate, you're not still complaining about the sun. Your thoughts are so loud they are adding weight on my brain.” I heard Vladimir say from the doorway, a sly smirk painted on his handsome face. I scowled as I looked away from him.

“It just doesn’t feel right, as vampires we’ve spent our whole existence staying away from the daylight, trying to survive to now be told that by wearing these stupid rings we’re able to just act like humans.” At the start of the year tensions between our kind and the witches and warlocks were on the way to prosperity. As a final truce offered to us by the witches, they had presented our kind with a key, a way for our worlds to collide with those who breathe air and live among them as if we were all the same. I was still coming to terms with it.

“These rings finally allow us to live freely, we no longer have to worry about being seen, turning to ash when the sun comes up and…. Protecting our young.''He walked over quietly and sat down next to where I lay on the bed of this house that Vladimir had taken me to for some time away from the coven. Since I’m only about a month away from giving birth, my nerves have been getting the best of me. “How are you feeling love?” he slowly reached down and kissed my forehead and reached lower to place another gentle kiss to my protruding belly, the tingles I felt through my skin as his lips connected with my flesh made me shiver.

“I’ll admit I feel better now that we’re away from the stress of the coven, but my due date is almost here, I can’t help but think something is going to happen.” I held his hand in mine and tried to even my breathing as I felt the little kicks in the side of my belly. I’d had such a hard time with Elizabeth's birth that I’d almost died, but now it’s a different story, because I’m having twins.

“Do you think they’ll be boys or girls?” Vladimir asked, rubbing circles on my belly.

“Oh they are without a doubt boys, at least one of them are anyway. You’d swear they were playing a football match inside me!” I heaved, as much as I loved the little kicks at the start. At this point they just hurt, and I was well ready for this pregnancy to be over. He chuckled at my not so exaggerated story, he always found my nagging funny.

“Because it is funny, you sound like a grumpy teenager!” I scowled and attempted to throw one of the many fancy pillows that lay on this bed at his head but of course he dodged it, laughing like the maniac he is.

“But you love this maniac?” he said with a smirk.

“Yes…unfortunately.” I said, smiling triumphantly at the small scowl he displayed. “Have you heard from Carden yet? How’s he handling things back at home?” I tried my best not to laugh. When Vladimir made the arrangements for our little vacation he instructed Carden that he’d be incharge of the coven until we got back, him being Vladimir’s second in command after all. I’ll never forget the sick look on his already pale face as he processed what Vladimir was telling him.

“I think he’s doing okay, he at least sounded more confident today. I have a feeling that Ren is helping him a little.” Vladimir said with amusement of his own. “I still don’t get why he was so worried, I wouldn’t have him as my second in command if I didn’t trust him to handle things on his own.”

It’s true, Vladimir was very cautious of who he picked to stand alongside him and Carden had done more than enough to prove that he was great at leading, especially years ago when we had trouble with the humans, we’d trust him with anything.

“Anyways, enough with talking about Carden, I heard that a very famous chef was cooking me breakfast this morning?” I said as I tried to sit up. Vladimir walsed over with his award winning smile and scooped me into his arms and carried me out to the outside seating area where he had what looked like a little picnic set up. I still wasn’t fond on being outside in the daytime but I guess I could bare with it for now. “Thank you baby.” I smiled up at the love of my life only to catch him already looking at me with the same love and adoration I held also.

“Anything for you Idris, anything for my mate.”