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“Okay” She took a deep breath “If I decide I’d like to have a baby in a year or tould youabout how his grandparents had adopted his mother She hadn’t found out they were Va of artificial insemination”

Rane pondered that possibility for a moment His first reaction was that he didn’t like the idea of Savanah carrying another ht it out, he realized he was being foolish

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” he said, thinking it would be easier to love a child that was a part of Savanah than a child conceived by strangers “Now that we’ve got that settled, would you think about doing so a Va exactly like that”

“Yes,” she said, “I’ll think about it” In fact, in spareof it quite a lot If she decided to accept the Dark Gift, she wouldn’t want to wait until whatever children she had were grown, the way Rane’s h Rane looked thirty and he would always look thirty; she enty-five If she waited until her children were grown to become a Vampire, she would be forty-five or fifty No doubt people would think she was Rane’s mother instead of his wife But it was a decision she didn’t have toRane’s head closer, she brushed a kiss across his lips “Let’s do it again,” she whispered “Your way”

Epilogue

Three years later

“Breathe, Savanah That’s right, love Slow, deep breaths”

She glared up at Rane as another contraction threatened to split her in half Why had she ever thought natural childbirth was the way to go?

Rane brushed a lock of hair from her brow, then took her hand in his “Savanah, look at aze locked with hers, histhe worst of the pain “Just keep looking at me,” he said, his voice low and hypnotic “It’ll be over soon and you’ll be holding our daughter in your arlanced at the doctor, who nodded at hi, we’re almost home”

Rane rubbed his thu fine, sweetheart Just another fewher that he loved her, until the doctor asked hi like he was in a dreahter for the first time She had pale skin, dark blue eyes, and a thatch of thick brown hair

He cut the cord, which was thicker than he would have thought, hovered over the nurse while she checked the baby’s vital signs When the nurse took the baby out of the roo down, he kissed her on the cheek “She’s beautiful, just like her mother”

Savanah smiled a sleepy smile

“Thank you, love” Never in all his life had Rane expected to be a father It didn’t ically his From this day forward, he would be her father in every way that counted

Murain, only to realize that she had fallen asleep He couldn’t bla their daughter into the world had given hie of females everywhere

Mohter in his ar if you need anything I’ll be right down the hall”

Rane stared at the tiny scrap of humanity cradled in his arms She was small and perfect, from the top of her fuzzy little head to the soles of her adorable little feet

“Hello, darlin’,” he murmured, and would have sworn that she ser one