A Shade of Vampire 91: A Gate of Light - Bella Forrest Page 0,25
into having a baby until the clone situation is resolved and everyone is brought back safely, just in case. The issue might prove more complex than anyone expects, so better safe than sorry.”
Esme shrugged. “Yeah, I can see where you’re coming from. I’d probably do the same. The last thing you’d want is to run across a battlefield, belly the size of an overgrown melon, fighting those wretched clones.” It made me laugh. I threw my head back as my whole body shuddered and my abdomen muscles ached sweetly, but I couldn’t stop. I could only envision myself with a baby bump, charging after a bunch of clones that looked like the people I knew—granted, such a sight should’ve been tragic, but in the moment I found it hilarious.
My amusement was contagious, and soon it took over the whole table. There were tears in my eyes, and I wouldn’t have traded this moment for anything in the whole wide world. Tristan’s arm slipped around my shoulders as the laughter finally died down. “Point is, yeah, you’re right, sis. Unending and I will definitely be enjoying ourselves while we’re here, but if you need us for anything—and I mean anything—please don’t hesitate to ask. Okay?”
“In the meantime, however, excuse me while I dig into this peach,” I said, my mouth already watering. I’d been waiting and working my way through two courses already to get to the pulp of this matter. My eyes must’ve been glistening with the childlike delight I’d been feeling, because it made them laugh again.
And I loved the sound of it.
Unending
Toward midnight, Tristan and I left his parents’ treehouse and slowly walked over to ours, about two hundred yards north and snugly hidden between other enormous redwoods that had yet to be fitted with homes for more Shadians. Ours was the only residence in a hundred-yard radius, and I loved the thought of such extensive privacy.
Above, the night sky gleamed down at us through the occasional gap in the dark green canopy. Birds sang from their perches, their trills dancing on the air and echoing around us as if the forest itself was celebrating us in its own way. My hand fit perfectly in Tristan’s as we made our way down the path. It was barely a battered trace snaking through the woods, with tall grass and wildflowers rising on both sides.
“You know, if you think about it, nothing seems different about The Shade,” Tristan said. “I mean, look around…”
Indeed, we passed by people coming and going, either from or to the Vale or the Black Heights or Sun Beach, judging by the tans on some of the humans. They were friends and lovers, brothers and sisters, families with children and grandchildren. They belonged to different species, yet they got along perfectly. They went about their evening as though a bunch of clones had never trespassed through The Shade, stealing some of the residents and using never-before-seen weapons of war against the others.
“Like Esme said, there’s no point in losing yourself in fear and despair, right?” he added.
Looking at the couple that walked up a neighboring path, I caught a stolen glance. It was a little wary, reminiscent of the look I’d seen Ariana give Julian during dinner. It didn’t mean much, not considering how many behavioral details were jumping at me now that I was a living creature. I found it overwhelming and difficult to observe and record everything, and yet I couldn’t help it. This was my new nature. “They seem okay,” I replied, my voice low as we kept walking.
A deer broke a twig somewhere nearby. I caught its grassy scent and imagined its big brown eyes scanning us through the nocturnal semi-darkness. What a wonderful experience it was to be alive.
“I imagine they will all switch right back into battle mode if they have to, but for now, they’re staying calm and trying to go on with their lives,” Tristan said, and I nodded my agreement.
“There’s no point in giving yourself an ulcer. You used to say that.”
“I still do,” he chuckled. Our treehouse could be seen again, partially hidden by the other redwoods. “There it is. Home sweet home.”
“It’s beautiful,” I murmured, seeing it through mortal eyes for the first time.
“No, you’re beautiful,” he whispered against my lips before dropping a swift kiss. My cheeks flared hot for a moment.