Lazarus POV
Mother comes into the library. I am on the phone finishing up the last details for Luanne and the children. They will be here very soon.
“Get off the phone!” Prissy demands.
I hang up the phone to give her my full attention.
“What is wrong?” I ask.
“Lazarus, she is pregnant with hybrids. Do you have any idea how dangerous this is for her?” Mother screams.
Mother is visibly distraught. “I thought that was what we were supposed to do to produce hybrids?” I ask her.
“Not until she is a vampire. This could kill her!” Mother screams.
My precious mother falls to the floor, sobbing and screaming. I run to her. I hold her. “Lazarus, she does not deserve this. How could this happen?” Mother screams.
“No, she does not,” I say to mother.
“Can she transition now?” I ask.
“She could, but she won’t do it if you tell her she could lose the babies. It is either her life or the babies. She will choose the babies. I know it is what I would want if it were me in her shoes,” Mother says.
“I will not tell her. I will insist she goes through the transition,” I say.
“Lazarus, you cannot do that! She will hate you!” Mother screams.
“I do not care. At least Willow, my beautiful bride, would still be alive,” I say.
“Listen to me. You get on the phone with that doctor. You get his ass back up here now,” Mother demands.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
“I am going to see your father. He will know what to do. We have dealt with this before,” Mother says.
“Wait, what?” I ask.
“The pain your father caused me is the same pain you are thinking about causing Willow. Do not do it. She will hate you. Just like I hate him for killing my daughter,” she says.
“You told me he broke your heart. I assumed he has an affair,” I say.
“No. After you, I became pregnant only with a hybrid. I was due to transition. I knew I had to wait until the baby was born. Your father tried to force it on me to save my life. When I wouldn’t comply, he had the doctor injected me with something to end my pregnancy to save me. He killed our baby to save my life. I never forgave him. I hate him for it. Right now, I have to put that aside. I need to know if there is any way we can save her and the babies. When I know Lazarus, you will be a man. You will let her make the decision, not you,” my mother says.
“What do I do while I wait for you to come back?” I ask her.
“Go sit with your wife. She needs you. Feed her fresh fruit. Give her ice chips. Keep her hydrated. Be a husband,” my mother says.
She leaves the house in a huff. She is upset with me. I am not trying to take Willow’s choice from her. I am only trying to save her from death. There has to be a way to save her and the babies. I should go be with her.
I go into the kitchen first. I gather a bucket of ice. I fill a small tray with fresh fruit. I grab a knife and fork. I cut the fruit up into small pieces for her.
WHY!!!!! She is only beginning her life. We could have waited on children. We did not expect her to go into heat so fast. I cannot live without her. I know she will never agree to transition. She has too much love in her heart for others. She puts every single person above herself.
I take the bucket of ice and tray of fruit up to our room. I stand at the door a moment. I am afraid. Lazarus, the future king of the vampires, is crippled with fear. That is me right now. I feel like I could die with her.
I open the door slowly. She is sleeping soundly. I set the bucket of ice and fruit tray down on the nightstand beside our bed. This bed we made so much love in—this bed she gave herself to me so completely. I want to have so many more memories in this bed with her. Instead, I am looking at my beautiful wife dying before my eyes.
I notice the roundness pushing up from under the covers. I slowly pull the covers back. It is unreal. I take my hand and place it on her round belly. I can feel the babies moving around. Those movements are my children.
She reaches her hand down and places it on top of mine. She smiles. “Crazy, isn’t it?” she questions me.
“Yes. It is,” I say softly to her.
“What do you think they are doing in there?” she asks.
“They are growing like crazy. That is what they are doing,” I say.
“It doesn’t hurt if you are worried. It is not exactly comfortable, but there is no pain. I am only tired,” Willow says.
“I brought you some ice and fruit. Mother insisted you have these two things. She is also insistent that you stay hydrated. I need you to sit up and eat this, so she doesn’t beat me when she gets back,” I say.
“Where did she go?” Willow asks.
“She went to talk to my father,” I say.
“Why?” Willow asks.
I cannot lie to her. “To see how to help you,” I say.
“Oh, Lazarus, I am pregnant. There is no need to involve anyone. Women have been having babies forever. We will be fine,” Willow says.
I fall silent. How do I tell her she is dying.
“Lazarus, be honest with me; what is it?” Willow asks.
“The babies are hybrids,” I say.
“Yes, your mother already said that,” Willow says.
“A fairy cannot have hybrids until after she has transitioned into a hybrid. It does not end well,” I say.
I cannot say death or die to her. I cannot get those words to form in my mouth.
“Spit it out Lazarus, I hate it when you avoid the answer,” Willow says.
I take a strawberry from the plate. I try to feed it to her. “Eat a little for me,” I say.
She takes it into her mouth but immediately begins to be sick. I help her hold her head over the bed. When she lays her head back on the pillow, I see blood droplets forming in the corners of her eyes.
“Am I dying, Lazarus?” Willow asks.
“Yes, my love, you are. You can start the transition process now. It will save you,” I say.
“But, there is a but, or you would have already suggested it,” Willow says.
“If you transition, the babies will die, but you will live,” I say to her.
Willow takes my hand. She places it on her growing abdomen. “Can you kill them for me to live?” Willow asks.
I begin to sob uncontrollably. How can I make that choice?
“I do not want to live without you, Willow,” I say.
“You will have to raise them, Lazarus. I am trusting you to raise them to be good people,” Willow says.
“Please do not give up yet. Maybe you will survive. Maybe we could start the transition as soon as you give birth. Maybe you will live,” I say.
“Lazarus, my wings are crumbling. I can feel my wings dying,” Willow says.
“I have money. I will buy you more wings. Please do not leave me,” I beg her.
Willow begins to raise her head. She cannot. “What do you need?” I ask her.
“Something is happening,” she says.
“What do you need me to do?” I ask.
She pushes back the cover. There is blood everywhere.
“Lazarus, the babies, are coming now,” she says.