Ignite (Circle of Light Book 2) (14 page)

It felt like we had been there for a very long time.  Their playing had ended and we were sitting beside the pond admiring the vibrant fish inside. 

“Mom, something’s coming!  They screamed.  I looked around to see if we were still alone, but I soon realized that we were not. 

The Dark Union had found us in the meadow, unprotected and alone.  I was on my feet in an instant, pulling my children behind me. 

“Leave now and I will let you live I screamed at them, but they kept coming.  I called for the other members of the Circle, but no one came.”

“Mommy, we can help.”

I was at a loss.  I didn’t know what to do.  Should we try to run or should I allow my children to be involved in this battle?  It was sure to be an ugly one and I didn’t want to subject them to any violence, but I didn’t have time to get them to safety.

The closer they got to us, the more tense I became.  A few of them began to attack us with fireballs.  One of them almost hit me in my effort to keep the children safely behind me.  The children demanded that I let go of them. 

“We are going to die if you don’t Mommy!”  

The thought of someone hurting them distracted me just long enough for them to wiggle out of the hold I had on them.  What I saw them do was shocking in a way that I was convinced I would never forget as long as I lived, dream or no dream.

Both of my children extended their arms as if they were reaching for heaven.  I heard them chanting in unison and their power swirled in the air around them.  Blasts of light shot out from them and hit several members, killing them instantly.  It only took them a matter of seconds for them to desecrate every single person that was coming toward us.

I stood looking at them both in horror and amazement.  My children had saved us.  Their power had been stronger than I had realized.  My babies, my beautiful babies.

I wasn’t sure if I should praise them for what they had done or if I should explain the value of life to them.  They should know to respect life above all else.

In my moment of thought, I had been too distracted to notice that someone had walked up behind us.  It was too late. 

I felt the burn of fire on my back.  It took my breath.  The pain was intense and it coursed through my body relentlessly.  I was dying and my children were alone. 

I was powerless to help them against whoever had taken advantage of my moment of distraction.  How could I have been so foolish?  I should have checked to see if they had missed anyone, but I didn’t and I was going to pay the price for that mistake with my life. 

Breathing became harder and my vision was clouded with pain, but I refused to scream.  I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of hearing that.  Eric came to me in my last thoughts,
Bailey, where are you?  It’s time to bring the children home.

Eric, we are in the meadow.  Come quick and bring help!  Help our children!  I love you.
I replied to him weakly.

I heard him saying something, but I couldn’t quite make out the words.  I was so tired and I could feel my heart beating more slowly. 

This is it, my last moments.  I could feel it and I was scared.  Scared for my children and frightened that Eric would not get her in time to make them go to safety.

I tried to take in another breath, but I wasn’t able to.  My lungs refused to draw in any breath that might prolong the end.  My pain had turned into a feeling of being completely numb.  Darkness fell over me as I slipped away into death.

Chapter 10

I sat straight up in bed and screamed for Eric.  He was in the room with me in no time.  I could see the panic in his eyes as he begged me to tell him what was wrong, but I couldn’t.  All I could do was point to my head, and he immediately entered my thoughts. 

He watched the horrifying replay of my dream.  I could feel his fear as he watched me die in the meadow. 

“It was just a dream Bailey.”  He said to me shaken from the vision he had seen. 

“I’m not so sure that it was.” I managed to say through my sobs.

It had to be a vision of the future. Nothing had ever came to me as clearly as this had.  The events were forever burned in my mind and I was confident that I wouldn’t forget a single detail of it for as long as I live.  Maybe even beyond that.

Eric wondered if Silas would be able to make sense of my dream. 

“Would it make you feel better if I spoke with him about it?”  He asked. 

“Yes I think so.” Eric called for Silas, and as soon as he did, there was a knock at my bedroom door. 

Silas walked in without being invited.  He immediately began searching around the room for any sign of danger.  When he found none, he apologized for his intrusion.  “I’m very sorry, my Queen.  I thought something was wrong.”

I was not sure how he had gotten the idea that something wasn’t right, but my concern was quickly withdrawn by his explanation.  He told us that he and Maggie had been sitting outside with some of the witch covens.  They had been discussing the actions they would have to take in order to keep everyone safe if the Dark Union found out about the other baby.

“That was when he felt a surge of power on the grounds.  Obviously, Maggie and the witches felt it too, because they instantaneously directed their attention on our houses.  Maggie could feel that you were in trouble, but not in a direct way.  Meaning that it was not a physical attack.  That was when I heard Eric’s call and burst in the room like an idiot.”  Silas said staring at his feet in shame.

“Don’t beat yourself up about it.  I called for you.”

Silas believed that my dream might have been the result of an attempted attack on the Circle, but he wasn’t sure. 

“It is still possible that it was a premonition as well.

That wasn’t the words that I wanted to hear.  He said that I should be aware of the meadow if at any point that my children I are going to be there, just in case it was a vision. 

Eric thanked him and sent him back outside with the others.  I asked Eric if it would be a good idea if I had either Maggie or Silas with us at all times.  He didn’t waste any time giving me his answer. 

“Which would you prefer?” 

I thought carefully before making my decision.  “How could I choose between them?”  Maggie was capable of sensing feelings unlike Silas, but she could not notice other power as quickly as he could.  Silas was the best option, seeing that he was with great power.  Honestly, I needed them both at my side.  Together their power is unlimited.

“I thought you might say that.”  Eric said with a smile. 

I was being selfish, I know, but my children and I are going to be hunted relentlessly by the evil of the Dark Union.  That was a good enough reason for me to want the things I wanted.  Safety was my number one priority right now. 

I felt like I should apologize to Eric because of it, but I couldn’t.  He understood that. I was sure of it.  As sure as he knew that my heart beats with the love of him and our children. 

More days passed without the slightest indication of an attack.  Each day was spent preparing for the births of our children.  I mostly stayed busy decorating the nursery and making sure that all the clothes that we had ordered were washed and placed in the appropriate areas. 

Silas and Maggie were visibly at my side for the most part.  When our parent’s came to visit, they stayed with me.  Completely hidden from anyone else’s eyes.  I always knew they were there, I could hear them as they made silly jokes at each other or was silent with thoughts.  Unfortunately, I heard those too. 

Sometimes, I would hear something that was not meant for me to hear.  Like the way Silas had come to feel about Maggie.  He adored her, but was afraid that she would not accept him in that way, because he was a vampire and all.  I caught myself giggling at him for just a second.

“What's so funny?”  Maggie asked me.

“Oh. Nothing.  I was just having a thought.  It isn't important.”

Silas got the notion that I had heard him during his most private thoughts.  He sulked like a child that was told that they had to clean their room.  It was funny, but depressing for me.  I knew how he felt because I too had felt that way about Eric in the past.  Before we knew what we both know now.

I played those memories in my mind, making sure that I had his attention.  His irritation soon eased and it was clear to me that I had made an impact on his decision to tell Maggie how he felt about her.

“That's my boy.” I said aloud before I realized it.

Eric had already known what I had meant, but my mother rushed to my side like a bullet.  “Are they moving?”  She asked. 

“Yeah, a little.  I think they are beginning to run out of room.” I joked.

It really was not funny.  I was gaining weight like crazy and it was getting harder and harder for me to move my body the way I wanted to.  Each day seemed to last longer than the day before and I had noticed I was getting more tired easily.  I guess that comes with the territory.

Our parents didn’t stay long.  They had other things that needed to their attention.  I never liked to see them leave, especially Eric’s parents.  We couldn’t just walk over to their house to see them like we could my parents.  I had grown exceptionally fond of his mother and father.

Maggie and I sat in the floor outside the nursery watching Eric and Silas put the final coat of paint on the walls.  Silas had insisted that we buy odorless paint, but was still not letting us come in the room.  They do tend to take things a little too far at times.

Maggie had suggested that she could paint pictures on the walls if I wanted her to.  I was pleased by her offer.  I think that would be a great addition.  Maybe I could get her to paint a scene something like Candy land.  That would be great, I thought to myself.

Maggie had become my best friend in the short time that I had known her.  Eric and Silas had grown closer to each other as well.  Any feelings of jealousy between the two of them became nonexistent and I don’t think I could go a day without seeing either of them.  Maggie, especially. 

She was more than a friend to me.  We were like sisters now.  Sharing every little thing about our lives with each other. Secrets, dreams, and fears.  I knew everything about her and she knew everything about me as well.  We did not try to hide anything from each other.

Silas had finally got up the nerve to tell Maggie how he felt about her.  It had taken longer than I thought it would, but at least he did it.  When Maggie stepped in to kiss him without saying a word to him, she rather freaked him out.  He was expecting her to tell him that she did not feel that way about him.  They have been inseparable from that moment on.

I was coming up on week thirty-six of the pregnancy.  My doctor was now scheduling my appointments once a week and I hated it.  Getting in the car was something that I was not very fond of doing.  It was beginning to become impossible, but I didn’t complain about it.

Our lives had been strangely quiet for the most part.  The Dark Union has not even attempted to contact us, but I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before they did.  When they did, it was going to be a full on suicide attack on their part.  That is the way that I liked to picture it anyway.

Somehow, I knew that our side was going to win any battle that they would wage on us.  My children were more powerful than I had first thought they would be.  Their powers seemed to be a mixture of every supernatural creature that we knew about and some that we were not so sure about.  Even the power of the creatures in the Dark Union flowed through their veins. 

I didn’t like that part. It was unsettling to say the least, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it.  What was done is done.  All I could do was hope they would always choose to use their power for good. 

“Silas!  You idiot!”  I heard Eric shout breaking me out of the worried thoughts and the sound of his voice frightened me.  I had never heard him speak to another person like that before.

Eric was standing there furious at Silas for some reason.  I couldn’t tell what had happened from where I was sitting in the hallway.  All I could hear was Silas laughing uncontrollably. 

Maggie helped me get up off the floor and I heard Eric yell at Silas again.

“What did you think you were doing!”

“I thought that I was painting, dumbass!”  Silas laughed.

When I went into the room, I saw what had made Eric so mad at him.  Silas had painted a huge smiley face on the front of Eric’s shirt.  As soon as he realized I was in the room he calmed himself.

“What is wrong with you two?”  I asked and broke out in laughter.

“He ruined my shirt!”  Eric said pointing at Silas. 

He couldn’t help but smile at him.  Silas had one of the stupidest looks on his face.  Being mad at Silas was not an easy thing to do.  He had a way of changing your mind with the silly things he done.  I was reminded of two brothers fighting over a sucker.  That was exactly what they acted like, brothers.

During the moment of innocent fun, I felt a sharp pain go through my stomach.  It caused me to drop to the floor involuntarily.  Eric and the others immediately surrounded me. 

“I’m fine.  Just give me a moment.”    

But each of them laid their hands on me in worry, trying to sense any problem that the babies or myself might have been having.

I took a moment to scan the condition of the babies.  They seemed fine, but I could hear them bickering with one another over telling me something. 

What is it guys?
  I asked them softly.

Mommy, what is my name?
  The girl asked. 

I hadn’t even thought about that.  Eric and I had been too busy with everything else to realize that our children were nameless.

What would you like your name to be, sweetheart?
  I asked thinking that she might have something in mind.  I know it sounds strange, but I have had several conversations with my unborn children.  They were very intelligent and more capable of having sensible conversations than most adults.

I’m not sure Mommy.
She replied. 

What about you, my son?

I was thinking that I want my name to be Luke.  Is that okay Mommy?
  He asked.

I looked to Eric to see if he agreed with the wonderful boy I was carrying inside me. 
Absolutely.  Luke is a fine name.

Eric’s response excited Luke so much that he began twisting and turning inside my stomach.  I heard our daughter scream at him to stop before he caused it to be time for them to be born.  Her saying that caused me to panic. 

What do you mean, time to be born?
  I asked her. 

She was hesitant to answer me, but she began telling me that they would be born in a few more days.

Great.  All my past fears about giving birth flooded my mind and, I was not ready for this.  I wanted them to be born, to finally see my beautiful children, but I was not, in any way, prepared for the pain that it was going to cause me.

It won’t hurt much, Mommy.  We promise, Luke said sweetly to me.

But I still don’t have a name yet!
  Our girl exclaimed.

What would be a good name for her?  I was drawing a total blank.  I asked Eric, but he couldn’t think of one either. 

“Silas?  Maggie?  Do you have any ideas?”  I asked.

They became silent and it was a few moments before either of them gave me an answer. 

“What about Jade?”  Silas asked.

“Mommy, please?”  I like that name.

“Alright darling.  Jade it is.  We‘ll figure out the rest later.”

I knew that the sharp pain that I had felt was a warning that it was almost time now.  My gut feeling had alerted me before the babies told me.  Now I wasn’t as apprehensive about it as I had been.  Something about them telling me that it was not going to hurt much pacified my fear of childbirth.

Soon the worry of the Dark Union coming for my children trumped everything else.  I was sent spiraling out of control with panic.  My heart pounded deep in my chest and I could feel droplets of sweat forming in my hairline.  I was overreacting, but I was unable to stop my body from responding the way it had.  I had lost any and all control over it.

Maggie seemed a little green in the face as I looked at her through my clouded vision.  The room was spinning and I was beginning to feel sick.  Right before I thought I was going to vomit, everything went black.

“Bailey!”  Eric yelled as he shook me gently trying to wake me from my fainting episode.  I could hear him, but it was like I wasn’t completely awake.  My mouth would not open to let me speak to them.  I wanted to tell him that I was fine, but I stayed in silence.