Chapter One Hundred Forty

He wasn't certain how long he had been unconscious, or even certain where or when he was. Anton's eyes blinked open, awareness slowly dawning in them that the pain was gone. The fight with Lilith was a dim memory that threatened to come roaring back if he thought about it much. So forcing himself not to think about her, Anton sat up, intending to take Bryn's hand to wake her and received the shock. His right hand that he couldn't feel was still firmly clasped by Bryn's and a second one was what reached for her. Looking around, he also saw that Jess was curled up in a chair in the corner, sleeping. "I've died."

"No," came the firm correction. "You have not died...again. It's only natural, even for unnatural beings like us. that your taking some time to recover," came a voice that he hadn't heard in over nine hundred years. The Russian words contained more than a touch of pride and were laced with ironic humor. "What you have been through would have destroyed a lesser vampire, Anton. But then you always were stubborn, even as a boy. I should have expected nothing less."

Anton turned his head towards the voice, staring in disbelief. There could only be one man with that voice, the same iron gray hair, hawk nose, and gray sky eyes. "Father?" Anton asked in the same language. Ivan Rudenko nodded his head once. "Then, if I'm not dead, what is going on?" Anton looked bewildered and stunned.

Ivan's eyes radiated an uncharacteristic warmth, but were laced seriousness as he explained. "You are at a threefold crossroad, Anton. You can continue on this ethereal path to be born again into this world as a babe. You can continue on this ethereal path and continue to Paradise. Or you can continue on this physical path and try to heal completely. You must make this choice before any of this can continue. "

Anton considered each choice carefully, looking at his ravaged body. The pain of what Lilith had done to him would leave deep wounds, both physical and psychological. Then his eyes looked at his brave wife who was clutching his hand like a lifeline. What good was Paradise if he could not share it with his dear? And he wasn't willing to wait at least twenty years to find her again. "I'm staying," he said, firm conviction in his voice, eyes locked on Sabryn.

"Good." He turned back to look at Ivan, surprised to hear the approval in his father's normally reserved or sarcastic voice. "And my time is up. We must both return where we belong."

There were so many questions he had - why he hadn't treated Nathaniel better. If it had been Natasha or a servant who had staked him. If the rumor was true that he had killed Anton's biological father. And a thousand more. But there was no time to ask them. Except for one. "Will I see you again, Father?"

Ivan shook his head. "I doubt I will be allowed this privilege again." He backed away from Anton. "Know this - though I may have not known how to show it, I have always loved both Nathaniel and you. Farewell, Anton."

As Ivan was speaking, his form grew fainter. Anton wanted to cling to him, to keep his father there with him for a few seconds longer. But all too soon, he was gone. Was he in heaven? In hell? Or somewhere else, watching over him?

Suddenly too tired to give it much more thought, he sat down on the bed. It was instinct to mold his spirit back to his body, to feel the flesh wrap around him once again. His breathing became more peaceful as did the expression on his face as he felt himself drifting towards unconsciousness. The only other change was his right hand gripped Sabryn's even tighter.

She was dozing quietly, now that she'd spoken with Lindy over the phone. The children were safe, Anton was safe, and Bryn could finally rest. Snuggled close to Anton's side, her arm curled possessively around him, she succumbed to her exhaustion as they waited for the Grand Council's verdict. Any minute now, someone was sure to come to tell them it was over. It was what she was counting on, and what gave her enough peace to close her eyes at last.

Slowly his eyes blinked open. It had been a few hours since he had spoken to his father in that dream, or vision, or whatever you wanted to call it. All Anton knew was that Bryn was snuggled close to his side. If not for the pang of blood hunger, he would have thought he had passed on to heaven. "Bryn?" he asked softly, wincing slightly at how raw his voice sounded.

Groaning softly, she stretched against him and slowly opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw that he was awake. "Hi sugar," she said, quietly, almost as if he were one of their children. "I missed those pretty eyes of yours."

"Bryn." A smile almost as bright as the sun crossed his face at seeing hers. If he as in bed with bryn, then the fight with Justinius, the flight to Hawaii, Lilith's trial - it had all had been a bad dream. But if so, why was his throat sore and he so hungry for blood? And why weren't they in their bedroom? "Where are we?" he asked softly.

Her eyes grew a bit sad. "We're in Australia. But I'm going to take you home just as soon as I can." Reaching up, she brushed his hair away from his eyes. "Are you hungry? I can send for more blood."

"Please," he said. But not willing to lose contact with her, he reached up and grabbed her hand, interlacing their fingers. Slowly the memories were starting to come back. "I remember fighting off Lilith. And seeing Jess... what happened? Why am I not dead-er?"

She quickly made a phone call to the kitchens for more blood, then returned her full attention to Anton. "Jess, Alex, and Walter showed up just in time. They found a video...I don't know where they got it exactly, but it was the surveillance tape from Justin's office. The council is viewing it now and trying to decide what to do. They stopped Lilith from doing you any more harm than she already did."

"So it's not over yet," he said, a hand rubbing either side of his Adam's apple. And Lilith had done some serious harm. He could feel it in his throat and his groin and dozens of small aches and pains he shouldn't have. But there was one overriding concern. "What about the babies? Where are Maxim and Katerina?"

"They're okay. Nate and Lindy came, and they took the kids away from the estate. They're in hotel, and they're going to meet us when we got to the airport. We're the only ones who know where they are."

"Thank God they're safe." Anton pulled her even closer. "Thank God you're here," he whispered. "When will we hear from the Council?"

"I wish I knew." She kissed his forehead. "I'm more than ready to get you out of here. In fact, I'm tempted to leave even without their permission. It's not as if there's anything they could do that they haven't already done." Squeezing him closer, she was careful to keep from bumping his bandages. "Anton, do you want to feed from me? I've had extra blood, just in case."

"Please, my dear." Anton ducked his head, letting his fangs grow long as he smelled her skin. She was a vampire as well now, he reminded himself. After training himself for so long not to bite her, it took a bit of mental effort to sink his fangs into her throat. He let out a soft moan and shudder at the rich taste of her blood.

Releasing a quiet moan of her own, Bryn held on to his shoulders as he drank, partially covering his body, as if she could hope to shelter him from any further trauma. The sharp pain of his fangs was followed by an increasing warmth and tingling, then surprisingly, with a sense of euphoria. As if she'd taken some sort of drug. The pain had completely diminished and she could have let him drink forever.

He drank slowly, contentedly. His arms tightened around her, holding her as if he was afraid she would melt into a dream. Even with his eyes open, it was hard not to believe that he was dreaming or dying.

But he jerked his mouth away when he heard the door open. Alex stuck his head inside. "Bryn, did you request blood to be sent up?"

Bryn jumped, shocked out of her sleepy haze. Meeting Alex's gaze, she nodded. "Yes, I did. I'm sorry, I should have told you."

"It's okay," he said as he opened the door and let himself inside. He put the five bags down on the table in easy reach for either of the vampires. "You're looking much better, Anton," Alex said.

"As are you," Anton responded. The last time he had seen the werewolf he could remember clearly, the werewolf had been lying limply, half dead on the floor.

Alex nodded. "I'll be just outside if you need anything," he said before letting himself out.

Anton gave Bryn a weak smile. "I knew I was forgetting to ask about someone."

She reached up to smooth his hair again. "If it makes you feel any better, I haven't said much of anything to anyone. I guess they figured out I didn't feel much like talking." Looking down at the dresser at the end of the bed, she said, "Since you don't have any clean clothes here, Seth brought you some of his sweats and a t-shirt. They'll probably be too small, but at least you'll be wearing more than a coat. Do you want me to help you put them on?"

"Please," Anton said with a nod. He was comfortable naked with Bryn, but he wanted to be dressed before he spoke to anyone else. Clothing was a type of armor, and he needed the feeling of protection that they offered. Slowly, reluctantly, he sat up.

Climbing off the bed, she walked to the dresser to grab the clothes and then hurried back. She didn't want to be apart from him any longer than necessary. Her hands relished the feel of his skin as she pulled the t-shirt over his head and held it while he pushed his arms inside. She smiled at him, filled with an emotion so much stronger than joy when he returned the gesture.

Anton shook his head when his head was free of the shirt. He stood up and stepped into the sweats. The soft fabric felt wonderful against his skin. Now that he was dressed, he felt ready to face almost anything. "How long do you think we have before the Council returns with its decision?"

Bryn sighed. "I don't know what's taking them so long. You would think a video would be very self explanatory."

"Yeah but you forget that Richard is on the Council. If it's not in his interests, he'll debate and bully until someone tells him to shut up."

"Why would Richard want to get rid of you?"

"Maybe he thinks that Lilith will retain power. Or he could just be in a contrary mood--" Anton was about to continue when there was a knock on the door, followed by it cracking open.

Alex stuck his head into the room again. "They're here."

Her heart suddenly running a mile a minute, Bryn grabbed Anton's hand tightly. "Please, send them in."

Anton held her hand just as tightly. The werewolves filed in at first, followed by the Council members. Hadrian cleared his throat. "It is good to see you feeling better," he said.

Anton nodded. "We know why you're here. Please, let's get it over with."

Hadrian nodded as he cleared his throat, his voice taking on more of an official tone. "In light of this new information, and several statements the Empress has made, the death sentence against Vampire Anton Rudenko is rescinded and nullified. He is absolved of any guilt in the death of the Vampire Justinius due to extenuating circumstances."

"In addition, your presence will be requested at the trial of Empress Lilith. All of you will be called upon to give evidence in this matter." The official sound dropped from his voice, and a genuine anger replaced it. "This isn't the first time she's manipulated the Council system for her personal gain, but this will be the last."

Bryn had let out a soft sob as soon as she heard he was free, and now had tears streaming down her cheeks. "We can go home."

Anton let out a sigh, too overwhelmed for the moment to say anything. Walter stepped up and voiced what was on all of their minds. "In that case, we'll be returning to San Francisco ASAP. You know where to contact us when you need our testimony."

Pulling Anton closer, Bryn hugged him tightly and repeatedly kissed his cheek and lips. "Let's go get the kids and get out of here."

Anton hugged her tightly as well. "The sooner, the better."

They were leaving in the same van they arrived in, only under different circumstances. For one thing, Anton wasn't handcuffed. And the company was infinitely better.

He sat on the bench with his arm around Bryn looking back out the window as they passed through the gate of Lilith's estate. And once they were through them, he let out a soft sigh of relief. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jess and Alex relax slightly Walter, who was driving, appeared to be concentrating on the road. And he wondered what the other two people in the van was thinking.

Nervously watching the side mirror, Seth was imagining that any minute they would be followed by a mad mob of pitchfork-toting vampires. Surely there had to be more than a few people who wanted his blood for what he'd done. He was a little surprised he'd lived long enough to pack his clothes. Before being told he would be required to return to give his testimony at Lilith's trial, Seth had given his final notice. There was little point in his staying, really. There was no point in having an assistant when there was no empress. He didn't know just how the empire would be run in Lilith's absence, but he didn't want to stick around to find out either. No one would be able to guarantee his safety...except maybe a few vampires and a small pack of werewolves.

Mina was sitting with her head tilted back against against the wall of the van. There was a slight smile on her face which grew wider the further they got away from Lilith's estate. There would be some measure of justice for her beloved Vlad now. Unlike the others, she wouldn't be heading on to San Francisco, but instead would head to her home in New Zealand. But the ties of friendship that had been forged between her and Bryn wouldn't be hurt by distance.

Anton fidgeted a bit uneasily. "How long before we'll be there?" he asked. He was eager to see Nate and Lindy, who would greet them at the airport. And not only would his brother and friend be waiting, but his children as well.

"It depends on traffic," Seth said, absently, still watching his mirror. "About an hour, if we're lucky."

Squeezing Anton's hand, Bryn nudged his side. "If you want to put your head on my shoulder and get some sleep, you can. I'll wake you up when we're almost there."

Anton shook his head. There was the off chance that this was all a dream. And if he fell asleep in a dream, wouldn't that mean that he would wake up in real life, to find himself still in Lilith's clutches?

The question was too metaphysical for him at the moment. "Are you certain that you don't want to come to San Francisco, Mina? You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you like."

The vampiress shook her head. "I will be happy to come and visit, but I need to check on my own home for the time being. Plus I think you'll have a handful helping him," her head nodded in Seth's direction, "settle."

Well aware that Seth hadn't heard the comment, Bryn giggled. "Besides," she said, glancing at Mina, "I think someone has a boyfriend she's in a hurry to get back to."

Mina made a teasing face at Bryn. "And here I was about to invite you to visit my home."

Bryn smiled, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't tease you. And you know that you and...whomever are invited to our home any time. We would love to have you. And any time you need a favor, just give me a call."

"I will," she said. "And we'll probably see each other sooner than we think. We'll all be back here for her trial."

Bryn groaned. "Don't remind me. Maybe we'll get lucky and she'll spontaneously burst in to flames before then. I don't plan to ever come back here unless they drag us in kicking and screaming."

"Amen," Mina said. And Anton mentally echoed.

The rest of the ride to the airport went uneventfully. Abandoning the van, they bypassed customs and headed towards the private jets that were awaiting them - one to take Mina back to New Zealand, and the other to return to San Francisco.

Suddenly finding it more than a little hard to say good-bye, Bryn shifted from foot to foot as she watched the baggage being loaded on the plane. She knew the children hadn't arrived yet, and Mina's pilot was itching to get off the ground. Opening her mouth to say something, Bryn stared at her new friend stupidly. "I don't know what to say. You something so huge...thank you doesn't seem at all adequate. And I hate that someone I've come to trust and love so much lives so far away from me. I'll miss you horribly."

Mina gave her a gentle smile as she pulled Bryn into a hug. "Don't think of it as good bye. Think of it as see you later. And now that things are changing, it may be time for me to rejoin the world."

Bryn squeezed her tightly. "I hope so. It's such a better place with you in it." Kissing her friend on the cheek, she pulled back and gently smoothed her hair. "You have our number and my email address, right?"

Mina nodded. "And if you're lucky, I'll send you a picture of the boyfriend you think I have." She then turned to Anton and offering her hand. "I'm glad that you were able to escape that hell hole. I hope that you continue healing, and that you will aid Lilith being brought to justice.

"Thank you for every thing that you've done, Mina."

She nodded, before turning her attention to one more person. "And you Seth, thank you. The words seem poor repayment for the price you had to pay, but they are sincerely meant."

Seth smiled and scratched his head like a shy kid. "I don't think it will really hit me until tomorrow. Right now I feel like a bit of a rebel. Foolish, albeit." He pushed his hands in to his pocket. "It was an honor to meet you, Ms. Harker."

"No, Seth. The honor is all mine." She made a slight curtsey to him. "I'll give you a call when I arrive home. Have a pleasant journey." Then Mina turned and followed her pilot to the awaiting plane.

Wiping her eyes dry, Bryn turned and smiled at Anton. "Let's get on board so you can rest. I'd feel better if you weren't swaying on your feet like that."

Anton was about to protest that he wasn't swaying on his feet when a wave of dizziness overtook him. "I think you're right, my dear." As much as he didn't want to admit to it, he was still weak from his fight with Lilith.

Putting her arm around his waist, she began leading him towards the plane. "You need to conserve your strength, Anton. You still need more blood and more rest. I don't know if you've noticed it, but you have gray hair. And you look more pale than usual."

The werewolves formed a protective triangle around them, Jess taking the point. "She's right, Anton," she called back over her shoulder. "We'll donate when you get on the plane." Then she bounded up the stairs to check over the aircraft before allowing them onboard.

After a moment, she stuck her head out. "All clear. Come on up." And with a weary sigh, Anton began the long climb up twelve stairs into the rented jet.

"Sometimes I think you don't listen to me unless someone else tells you the same thing," Bryn said, sardonically. Helping him up the stairs and in to the plane, she glanced nervously at the door, wondering just when the children were going to arrive.

As Anton settled in the seat, he saw a man and a woman, each holding a baby, step onto the tarmac. And he was almost down the stairs in his eagerness to see his children. "There they are, Bryn."

"Anton, sit down. They'll be here in a minute. There's no sense in breaking your neck." She gave him The Look, which had him instantly seated. Still, she was on the edge of hers as well, more than ready to hold their babies again.

He eagerly watched as Lindy took Kat's tiny hand and made her wave hello. And he frowned in frustration when Max was cut off from sight by the wing. But soon he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs.

Lindy was the first one in the plane's cabin. Her smile would have lit up several rooms. "It's so good to see you all," she said, carrying the baby to her parent's outstretched arms.

Bryn smiled at Lindy as well, sniffing as she brought Katerina to Anton's arms. Her tears were continuous, but caused by pure happiness as she saw him reunited with his children again. She didn't think she'd ever seen anything more beautiful.

"It's good to see you too. Both of you." He pressed his lips to Kat's head, and then handed her over to Bryn so he could hold Max too. "I didn't think that I would..." Tears that had been fighting back finally overwhelmed him and slipped down his cheek as he cuddled his son close.

"We didn't think we'd see you either," Nate said, his voice rough as he leaned close to squeeze Anton's shoulder. Meanwhile, Max was soaking up his father's attention, patting him repeatedly. "Dada!" "Thank god we were both wrong," Anton said, catching his son's hand to place a kiss on his palm. "Have you been a good boy for Uncle Nate and Aunt Lindy?"

Clapping his hands, Max was delighted at being the center of attention again. And at having his Daddy back. Breathing in the children's fresh scent, Bryn smiled at Nate and Lindy. "Please, sit down. We've missed you. And thank God we're going home."

Lindy sat down in the empty seats facing them as Alex and Walter headed to the cockpit to speak with the pilot. "It's hard to believe that we were able to pull this off. It's like I've been dreaming since we got the phone call. I can't imagine how this feels for you, Bryn."

"I can't imagine how this feels for Anton," she said, softly. "He was nearly killed, and didn't expect to see anyone again." She looked at him with moist eyes. "I can't wait to get you home. I'm locking you in and never letting you leave."

Before anyone could respond, Alex and Walter came hustling back from the cabin. "They're about ready to take off," Alex said as he sat down and strapped in.

A wistful smile crossed Anton's face at those words. "We're going home," he said softly.

It had been a long flight. Anton had managed to sleep in fits and starts. Every time he seemed to relax and start dreaming, he jerked awake. It wasn't that he was having nightmares about the execution. More, it was a subconscious fear that he would have nightmares. And there was the not-so-irrational fear that the plane would turn around and head back to Australia...

Anton let out a sigh of relief as the pilot announced on the overhead that they had begun their final descent to San Francisco. After the last few days, he felt that he had the right to be paranoid. And he really didn't relax until he and Bryn and the kids were settled into Jess' jeep, which had been left at long term parking. The others would be following in Lindy's car, as well as a rental. But now, all that was on Anton's mind was that they were almost home. The hand holding Bryn's tightly gave a little squeeze.

Smiling, Bryn shook off her fatigue and eagerly looked out the window. She couldn't believe they were actually home. For a while there, she'd begun to give up hope she would ever see this place again. Now she wondered if it would really feel like home after being away for so long. So many of their things were still in Hawaii. They didn't even have Katerina's room ready.

"This is going to be weird," she murmured, softly.

"Tell me about it," Anton murmured. He looked out and was surprised to see the lights on in both his home and the werewolf's house.

Jess, driving the jeep, glanced at Anton in the mirror. "We left Amanda here, and Mikey was taking care of her. We called ahead and asked them to bring a few things to get set up, especially since Kat's room was half done."

"Thank you, Jess," Bryn said, reaching forward to squeeze the werewolf's shoulder. "I would invite you all over for dinner, but I have a feeling we'll need a few days rest first. And probably a trip to the supermarket, too. But you're all welcome to hang around the house any time you'd like." Looking back to Anton, she said, "What about Seth? We don't have any spare rooms. And Mr. Mulder is staying in the werewolves' guest house."

Before Anton could answer, Jess shrugged her shoulders as she checked something in the side mirror. "He can stay with Nate and Lindy, double up with Mulder, or the hide-a-bed in our den. Worse comes to worst, we can have him stay with my brother. It will be up to what he's comfortable with."

Anton nodded, glad that someone else was thinking through details. "It sounds like Jess has it all in hand."

"Nate and Lindy do have that room downstairs," Bryn said, absently. She was beginning to feel a bit guilty for depending on everyone else so often. It seemed it was all they did lately. But she didn't like the idea of Seth sleeping on anyone's couch, either. "Hopefully they won't be bothered too much."

"I think after everything Seth did, they can be a bit bothered," Jess said with a grin. It faded as she pulled up to the home. "He could have betrayed us at any point. And I know that Lilith would have had no qualms about killing him. But enough about that." Putting the car into park, she turned back to Anton and handed him a set of keys. "Petunia's still in transit back. Mikey said he'd pick her up from quarantine tomorrow. Niko said he'd send your things here ASAP. So you guys go on in and get settled, and let us know if there's anything you need."

"Thank you, Jess. All of you, thank you. For everything you've done. I don't even want to think about where we'd be without you." As she spoke, Bryn was unbuckling Katerina's car seat. It was a loaner, one Lilith had bought for them, and as soon as their own arrived to replace it, she planned on burning it. Along with anything else Lilith had bought. "Anton, do you need help with Max?"

"I think I've got it, my dear." Carefully he unbuckled his son and hoisted him onto his shoulder. He was a warm and reassuring weight on his chest. "Come on," he said, offering Bryn his hand. "Let's go inside."

She took his hand almost fiercely, as if grabbing on to a lifeline. Walking to the door with him, she said, "I hope they left it unlocked. We don't even have our keys."

"Well, let's find out." He reached out and tried the door knob.

The door opened at his slight touch. Anton was relieved that the house was warm. It was clear that someone had been in the house and keeping it livable. Everything was dusted and the air didn't have a stale taint to it. A tear formed in the corner of his eye. "We're home."

Heart pounding, Bryn pushed open the door farther and gestured for him to proceed her. It really should be his homecoming, she knew. Stepping in to the foyer behind him, she took a deep breath. It still smelled the same. Warm and inviting, with a bit of potpourri in the air. Turning to shut the door, she waved to the werewolves. She hoped they knew just how much they meant to her, and to their whole family. She missed them already.

Anton went straight to the couch and sat down. It still felt surreal to him, a dream to replace the nightmare he had been living. Only one thing would make it better. "Can you bring me Kat, my dear? And come sit beside me?"

"Of course." She took her time, taking in the house like she was seeing it for the first time. It looked like the same place, smelled the same, but somehow was different. She couldn't put her finger on what it was. Maybe the problem was that the place was the same but they had changed. Either way, she was suddenly very tired and headed to sit down next to Anton. She leaned against his side and let out a long sigh. "I love you, sugar."

Anton wrapped his arm around her shoulder, holding her close and tight. He leaned over and pressed his nose to the top of her head. Slowly he started to rock back and forth, holding them all close. And tears started to flow from his eyes freely. It was just starting to sink in that this was all real.

He had been sleeping for six straight days, along with most of the nights. It was torture trying to be patient and not shake him awake. But he needed as much rest as he could possibly get, along with his ampoules of blood. Although he'd fed several times since leaving the arena, he was still weak and pale. It seemed as if he'd never get enough. And although it was satisfying to watch his hair change from gray to blonde once more, it was a slow process.

His nightmares were horrible. Often times when he woke up, he woke the babies as well.

Quietly feeding Kat as she laid on the bed next to him, Bryn watched his chest rise and fall. It was a beautiful sight...one she was lucky to witness after what had happened. Exhaustion had left dark circles under her eyes, and her hair was a mess, but she wasn't about to stop her silent vigil. If not for fearing that she might remind Anton of Lilith, she would've had her hands all over him. Caressing his skin, soothing away his dreams. Reminding herself he was very much alive...for a vampire. And that was a blessing she thanked God for as often as she could.

Almost as if sensing her eyes on him, Anton's head turned towards her and his eyes opened. He hadn't been having a nightmare, nor any dream. He lifted his head, and then sat up on his elbows, trying to figure out why he felt so weak. He couldn't be sick. He didn't get sick any more. "Bryn?" he said quietly.

"Hi," she said, with a shy smile. "Can I get you something?"

Bryn stared in to his eyes for a long time, soothed by the chocolate color. Their stare broke as he looked down at the baby, watching the little football-sized bundle as she sucked avidly at the bottle. Grunting with the force of her efforts, she kicked her feet inside the blanket and waved a fist in the air. "She eats as enthusiastically as you do."

Anton smiled as he rolled onto his side as he put his hand on Kat's back. "Must be from my side of the family," he agreed. His eyes flicked back to hers as he gently rubbed Kat. "Some blood would be good, but I'm not ready to let you out of my sight yet."

She gave him a soft smile, stroking his cheek. "Then I won't go anywhere." Looking down to see that Kat had stopped drinking in favor of staring at her father, Bryn lifted her up and looked at Anton as well. "Would you like to burp your daughter?"

"Please." He reached for Kat and let Bryn help settle their daughter over his shoulder. Lightly he patted and rubbed Kat's back, finding joy in a simple act. And when Kat let out a loud belch, Anton let out a soft laugh, smiling for the first time in weeks. "Such a big noise for such a small girl."

Bryn smiled, more from the sound of his laughter than the noise Katerina made. "She missed you, sugar. So did Max. He's been in here as often as we'll let him, trying to wake you up. I'm surprised you haven't felt him climbing all over you. He's a little menace."

Anton smiled at the thought of his son's concern. Max would be older as well. "I want to see him, my dear. Can you get him?"

She nodded, kissing his cheek. She didn't want to let him out of her sight either, but it would only be a few minutes. Squeezing his arm, she pushed herself off the bed and headed for the door. "I'll be right back, sugar."

Anton had put his hand on her shoulder when she kissed his cheek. Slowly it slipped down her arm as she stepped away, reluctant to break contact with her. Only when she was through the door did he look down at Kat in his arms and felt fresh tears come to his eyes. "I love you so much, Katerina Rudenko."

"He's awake," Bryn told everyone downstairs. She couldn't contain the huge smile on her face as she saw their excitement. "But I think he still needs a little time before he sees everyone." Her joy settled considerably after that statement. "He wants to see Max, though." Looking at their son, she crouched down to his level. "Do you want to go see Daddy?"

Max, who had been playing on the floor with his trucks, running them up and over Walter's legs, immediately dropped the toy and lifted his arms to be picked up. "Da da!" he demanded in an excited voice.

Pulling him to his feet, she lifted him in to her arms and kissed his cheek. To the others, she said, "Thank you, everyone, for taking such good care of us. I don't know what we'd do without you." Softly smiling, she met their gazes briefly before walking back to the stairs and heading up to see Anton. "Daddy's been missing you, Max. He can't wait to see you."

Max leaned forward in Bryn's arms eagerly, as if he couldn't wait for her to get to his father's room. "Da da!"

Anton's smile grew wider as he heard Max calling for him. He had told himself that he wouldn't cry any more in front of Bryn, but he felt fresh tears slide down his cheeks. "Where's my boy?" he asked as Bryn stepped into view, carrying an excited Max.

The boy in question was bouncing in her arms and nearly leapt to the bed before she could put him down. In too much of a hurry to deal with such challenges as walking on a soft surface, Max hurriedly crawled across the bed and squealed when Anton pulled him in to his embrace. Grinning, Bryn settled down on to the mattress as well and watched them fondly. "You would think he was happy to see you or something."

Anton didn't respond right away. He was too busy holding Max tight against his chest, rubbing his nose against his son's hair. "I've missed you so much, my boy. I think you've grown a whole inch since I saw you last."

Patting his Daddy's shoulders and wiggling closer, Max chirped a bit of nonsense, only the occasional word sounding anything like English. The few words they did understand were mama and cookie. Shaking her head, Bryn sniffled lightly and rubbed at her face, happy and content for the first time in a long time. And although she was finally feeling hungry and sleepy, she didn't want to move an inch.

Unable to put his arm around her since they were occupied by his son and daughter, Anton inched closer to her as Max chattered away. Once his shoulder was touching hers, he leaned against her, needing the physical contact of all three of them. "I love you, my dear," he whispered.

Wrapping her arms around his waist, she held him close and settled her head on his shoulder. "I love you, too, sugar. So very, very much." Pressing her lips to his neck, she held them there. "I'm so happy you're here with us, Anton. I don't ever want to let you go."

Anton's arms tightened against the children, and he pressed harder against his side. Tears were still falling, but these were tears of joy. "I'm never letting any of you go again. Never, never, never..."

Reaching up to lightly wipe away his tears, Bryn carefully rearranged his pillows and urged him to lay back with her. "You won't have to, Anton." Snuggling close to his side, she tugged Max between them to keep him from smothering his sister. The bed felt incredibly full with all of them together, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Stifling a yawn, she watched his face closely as he watched his children. Thinking how much they looked just like him.

He couldn't get enough of looking at them. Or kissing their heads. And Bryn was included in that group. "I can't believe that it's over with, my dear. It seems like a sweet dream after a horrid nightmare." He stifled a yawn as well. Even though he had been asleep for a while, he still felt tired but fought it. Almost as if he was afraid that if he went back to sleep, everything would disappear.

Wrapping a leg over his, she gently rubbed his side and lightly squeezed Max between them. "I'm sorry, sugar, but I'm falling asleep. Which sucks, because I wanted to be here when you woke up."

"You were here, my dear," he said as he pressed his lips to her forehead. "And I'll be here when you wake up. I promise."

"I'm holding you to that," she said, quietly, drifting off to sleep.

It was so nice to sleep in their own bed...even if sleeping was all they were doing. Anton was still recovering from his injuries. But that didn't stop the kids from sleeping in their bed. Now that they were home, they were always together. Lazily opening her eyes, with Max curled up against her side, Bryn looked over to see Katerina sleeping comfortably on her Daddy's chest. They were all the picture of domestic bliss and she wouldn't have it any other way.

He wasn't having the nightmares quite as often now.

The first day he had tried to get some sleep, Anton had woken up every hour in a cold sweat, certain that he had hallucinated being home and was dying in the sand of Lilith's sacrificial pit. Bryn had held him as he cried and rocked and reoriented to the fact that he was home and safe. And then he would go to sleep to start the same cycle all over again.

But this last day, he was able to sleep through the night without one dream. Slowly he drifted back to consciousness, aware of a weight resting on his chest. Looking down and seeing Kat, he smiled. And it brightened when he looked over and saw Max and Bryn

"Hi." Bryn smiled at him, reaching down to squeeze his hand. "How are you feeling? It looked like you were sleeping better."

Anton squeezed her hand back. "I think I did, my dear." His other hand gently came up to rest on Kat's back. "How long was I asleep this time?"

Looking at the clock, she said, "Unless you woke up and I didn't hear you, it looks like we both slept about six hours. The only reason I woke up is because Kat is overdue for her bottle." The baby was still sleeping. "I leaned over a minute ago to make sure she was still breathing. I guess she's just as happy to be home as we are."

Anton smiled, his hand gently rubbing his daughter's back. "She's grown so much since she's been born. It's hard to believe it was only about a month ago." He then turned his head to look at Bryn. "And Max has grown too. We've all changed," he added softly.

Bryn nodded, her eyes a bit sad. "I wish we didn't have to. I wish we had never done anything to let the Council know that I was pregnant in the first place. Then Lilith never would have known about the kids, and she wouldn't have taken it out on you."

"My dear, if we hadn't told the Council, they would have found out anyway." He let go of her hand to gently run his fingers against her cheek bone. "And then it would have been much worse, because we would have been accused of hiding them from her."

"They wouldn't have found out if I hadn't been so stupidly stubborn about telling them that the babies were yours. You tried to warn me. You did everything you could to keep this from happening. And what did I do? I told you I hated you. I've never made a bigger mistake in my life."

"Bryn," he said softly. He scooted, shifting so he was laying next to her and could squirm an arm around her shoulders. "My cowardice would have bought us time. Nothing more. Because we wouldn't have been able to hide Max or Kat forever." He leaned closer to kiss her forehead. "I don't blame you at all, my dear. Not one bit."

"It wasn't cowardice," she said, vehemently. "It was smart. And we could hide them forever. We could have done something. I hate what she did to you."

"We would have done the same thing. We would have run and hid, and been captured. Only this time she wouldn't have bothered with a trial or a public execution. There would have been no last minute evidence to send the werewolves charging to the rescue." He paused for a moment. "But you're right to hate her. I hate her for what she did to me, and to you."

Taking a deep breath, Bryn tried to push away her anger. There was nothing she could change now, and she didn't want to constantly be irritated about it. "I'm just so tired of being everyone's punching bag all the time. We never seem to catch a break."

"I think we will now," Anton said. "If the flowers are any indication." Bouquets and letters and toys for the children had arriving almost as soon as they were back in the house. Most of them had attached cards, professing sorrow at what had almost happen or an apology. There had even been token amounts of blood, which made Anton slightly uneasy. Blood sacrifices, even if it was only a droplet, had been a tradition of Lilith's he had been glad to see go. They had been traditionally offered to the empress as a symbolic returning their blood to their progenitor for her judgment. Anton wasn't quite certain what they were seeking from him - punishment or absolution.

Bryn yawned. "Does it seem at all strange to you that the people who were baying for your blood one minute are now so apologetic?"

"It does seem odd," Anton admitted. "But also a sign of how well Lilith had manipulated them. I think for the first time, they're realizing what a devious bitch she has been. Like Hadrian said. I'm not the first she's done this two. I can think of two vampires off the top of my head who were also victims of her games."

"I wonder what Seth will do now that he's unemployed."

"I have no idea, my dear." That thought had crossed his mind. "But according to Lindy, apparently he's putting in some serious training time with Amanda's Gamecube."

Bryn smiled. "Well, that won't rot his brain or anything." Lifting up on to her bent arm, she let out a little groan when Kat immediately woke up and started to cry. "I knew that was too good to last."

Anton let out a soft chuckle. His daughter's cry, like her laugh, was one of the most beautiful things he had heard. The same as his son's. And his wife's. "Think she needs to be changed, my dear?"

"I would bet she definitely does. How about I bring you the wipes and a diaper, and you can stay with the kids while I get her bottle?"

Anton made a face at the thought of changing a diaper. But he said, "It sounds like a deal, my dear." Keeping Kat firmly on his chest, he helped Max settle in the crook of his arm.

Smirking to herself, Bryn got out of bed knowing that she'd gotten the better end of the deal. Besides, he could stay warm in bed, which she knew he'd be appreciative of...even if he did have to do the dirty work. Pulling on a robe, she loosely belted it before heading for Katerina's room. They had an abundant supply of diapers and wipes now that they had two babies to take care of. It was no wonder they were tired all the time.

Anton watched his beautiful wife step out of the door, a soft smile in his eyes. Then turning his attention to the kids, he placed soft kisses on Max's and Kat's heads. It still seemed like a miracle that his children were here with him, and that he was with Bryn. "I love you both so much," he whispered. "Just as much as I love your mother."

She came back in the room yawning, toting a fresh diaper and the container of wipes. Kat's continued crying made her frown and press her wrists to her chest. "You know, even though I can't nurse her anymore, my boobs still hurt when she cries."

Anton sat up and gently rocked her in his arms. "There, there, little kitten," he said as he took one of wipes. "Really, my dear?" Anton made a slight face as he undid Kat's diaper. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

She shook her head, setting down the stuff and squeezing her arms around her chest. "Not unless you wanna rub my boobs," she said, with a laugh.

Anton smiled and blushed as he ducked his head, concentrating on changing Kat's diaper. Although in many ways their lives had been rapidly returning to normal, there was one aspect they had been dancing around without truly discussing. Their sex life.

Anton shifted as he wiped down Kat's bottom. "And if I said I wanted to, my dear?" he asked quietly.

She arched an eyebrow. Although she had been flirting with him, she hadn't exactly been expecting him to take her up on it. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was sure he could hear it. "I'd say...that you'll have to wait until I get her bottle." With that, she gave him a long stare before slowly walking out of the room.

Anton took a deep breath as she left the room. Trying to clear his mind, he refastened Kat's diaper. He wasn't absolutely certain that he was ready to resume his sex life with Bryn, even though there was a stirring of physical interest. A bit nervous and edgy, he held the babies close.

Bryn heard Kat's crying begin to subside as she went down the stairs. She couldn't help being a bit disappointed. But maybe she could still complain of aching anyway.

She saw that their extended family had headed home. She felt a bit guilty about not seeing them out, but she was still relieved that she and Anton would be alone. Hurrying to the kitchen to fix up a bottle, she felt anxious butterflies flittering around in her stomach. She hadn't felt this unsettled near Anton in...years. Actually, not since they met.

There was really nothing much he could do until she came back. Except maybe put the kids down in their own rooms. They had all been sleeping together since returning home, but maybe it was time to start sleeping separately again. "Bryn, shall I put the children to bed in their rooms?" he called down the stairs.

"We still need to give Kat her bottle," she replied. Shaking up the water and powder, she started for the stairs. With any luck, the baby would fall back to sleep quickly. She usually did. It was Max they had to worry about. Now that they were home, all he wanted to do was play. Especially with Petunia. Wondering just where the lazy dog was, Bryn stepped back in to the bedroom and saw the overgrown puppy staring at Anton adoringly from the edge of the bed.

"Afterwards, I meant," he said, reaching for the bottle. He settled back, offering Kat the nipple and jumping slightly when a cold tongue bathed the toes of his left foot. Grinning slightly, he rubbed the instep against Petunia's head. "I'd say someone else missed us, my dear."

Bryn smiled, settling down close to his side. Now that Max was on his other side, she could snuggle right next to him. "Petunia misses us if we leave the room. I can't imagine what she must have been doing when we left the entire island. Poor girl."

"Yeah, she's been glued to our sides the moment she got back." He leaned against Bryn, just a bit nervous. "Bryn?" he asked, his state of mind creeping into his voice. "If I'm not able to... perform... will you be okay? Know it's not your fault, I mean?"

She met his gaze with slightly sad eyes. "Anton...I would be fine if we did nothing. I just want to be with you. If that means kissing you, or holding you, or even just lying beside you, I'll be very happy. I don't want to pressure you in to anything. And I don't want you to pressure yourself either."

"I want to, I'm just afraid." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm afraid that if I don't try soon, I'll never be back to normal. And if I do try, I'll remember..." He let out another big sigh. "I feel that I'm damned if I do or damned if I don't."

Reaching over, she squeezed his hand. "I don't believe that you'll never be back to normal. But I also don't believe that there's any such thing as 'back to normal.' Right now, this is our normal. And things will get better. Maybe you will remember. But that's not the end of the world. We'll work through it. I'll be right here with you, Anton. I'm not going to let you go through this alone."

Anton squeezed her hand. It was amazing how wise and understanding she was at times. "Thank you, my dear. Ant it looks like Kat's just about done with her bottle. "Shall we move the babies to their beds and give it a try?"

Bryn gave him a quiet nod. "I'll get Max." She carefully got off the bed, patting Petunia as she moved around to pick up their son. Max let out a quiet groan, but settled comfortably against her as she carried him to his bedroom. He was a good sleeper, much like his father. But when he did finally wake up, he'd be eager to play and eat.

Anton eased out of bed as Kat finished off the last of the bottle. For once she seemed to be going with the game plan and slid into an easy sleep. He smiled tenderly and walked out into the hallway, to the bedroom that he and Bryn had planned to finish decorating. "Sleep well, Kat," he said with a kiss to her forehead, and then returned to their bedroom.

Taking a deep breath, Bryn closed Max's door to just a crack and then headed back to the master bedroom. She was nervous...mostly for Anton. She didn't want him to be disappointed in himself. He wouldn't get any judgment from her...but he could be hard enough of himself for the both of them. Doing her best to smile as she walked back to the bed, she casually slipped her robe off and slid back under the covers with him.

Anton took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving her body. They had done this many times before. Too many times to count. So why did he feel nervous?

Because his greatest fear was that he would flash back to the feel of fangs piercing his cock.

But deciding to risk it, Anton reached over to gently run a hand up and down her arm. He scooted close to her and gently touched her cheek. He leaned close, looking into her eyes, and then let his lips brush over hers.

Lifting her hand to gently caress the side of his neck, Bryn held him close and softly kissed his lips. He was deliciously warm and she couldn't help pressing closer to him. She kept her eyes open, watching his face, ready to stop if he looked the slightest bit uncomfortable.

Anton cuddled closer to her as he kissed her. The slight tension he had in his muscles slowly relaxed. His hands slipped around her shoulders, but he didn't lay on her body just yet. Instead he concentrated on kissing her, reveling in the softness of her lips.

The silence in the room made her want to giggle. They were both so serious. It was an odd feeling to be so nervous with him. Pulling back from his mouth, she gave him a wide smile. "I feel like I should crack a joke just to break the tension."

Anton chuckled softly. "It's almost like we're two teenagers making out for the first time." His hands slowly moved up and down her arms, finger tips barely touching the curve of her breast.

"Your gray hair is going away." Reaching up, she touched the soft growth of beard he had, wondering what it would look like as soon as it filled out. "I wouldn't have thought the scruffy look would work on you, but it definitely does."

Anton grinned, catching her hand and holding it to her cheek. "So now you know what I'd look like as an old man," he said. Gently he leaned forward and kissed her lips lightly. His fingers slowly slid down her hand and across her arm to rest just below her shoulder blade.

Still gently stroking his beard, she softly returned his kiss and slid her legs together with his. His incredible warmth was addictive and she slid her torso against his to press even closer. Opening her mouth, she encouraged his tongue deeper within and softly sucked at the tip.

He let out a soft moan as he felt his body respond. Anton squeezed her shoulder lightly before his hand slipped around to cup her breast. He squeezed her gently, fingers lightly brushing over her nipple.

Moaning loudly herself, she leaned in to his touch and slid her thigh higher between his. Her hands moved down to massage his shoulders, delighting in the simple act of touching him. Just holding his hand was thrilling...any more than that was a gift.

A shiver raced through Anton at her simple touch. He let out a soft sigh as his head shifted to kiss her at a slightly different angle. He had missed this so much, and thought he'd never feel her against his skin again.

Pulling him even closer, Bryn wrapped both arms around his neck and tugged him on top of her. Her legs parted to wrap loosely around his legs and her toes lazily tickled the hair on his calves. She didn't care if they didn't go any further than this. Just being with him was perfect.

Anton let out a contented sigh as he settled on her. Both hands slid up and down her side as he kissed her still. He was clearly excited, but felt oddly shy, as if this was his first time.

Smiling against his mouth, she kissed him in small nips, tugging at his lips and tongue. She could feel his erection firming on her leg, and was reassured by the familiar sensation. His gentle touches sent flutters through her veins and made her fill giggly with joy. Skimming her fingernails down his back, she squeezed his ass and felt him jump lightly in response. "Love you so much, sugar."

"Love you too my dear." His hips wiggled against her, rubbing himself against her leg. There had been no flashbacks to that awful pit, to what Lilith had done to him yet, but he was still cautious, still a bit unsure. But his kisses and touches grew bolder with time, his erection harder.

Her breathing speeding up along with her heart rate, Bryn kneaded the muscles of his ass as she used her feet to shove the covers out of the way. She, too, was addicted to looking at him and watching him move. Squirming beneath him, she could feel herself getting wetter. It had been so long since they last made love. Everything was fascinating and new again.

Anton's kisses moved from her mouth to her neck. It was so tempting to bite down on his neck, and so hard to keep in his mind that now he could. She was a vampire now, although not under the circumstances they had hoped for.

But that was neither here nor there. Anton closed his eyes as his fangs slipped into her neck as his cock slipped into her sex.

Bryn gasped, her body arching in a long ripple under his. Her sex immediately started to contract, pulling at him, and she bit her lip until it bled. It felt so much like the very first time they'd made love, when she came the instance he was inside her. And yet, it was nothing the same. There was a deeper, stronger connection now, with the addition of him drinking her blood. It was something primal, deep down to their roots.

Anton let out a low moan as he drank. Everything felt so right being inside of her, drinking from her. It was how it was always meant to be, and how it would be from now on. And it was frightening to realize how close he had come to never experiencing this. Unable to stop them, tears slid down his cheeks at that thought.

Still enthralled with the sensations he was producing, Bryn lifted her hips rhythmically against his and squeezed him inside her. She was blissed out and moaning, her back arched until her breasts were flat against his chest. Leaning closer to his mouth, she combed her fingers through his hair and kissed his cheek. The moisture there surprised her. "Sugar...are you okay?"

Reluctantly he pulled away from the wound to answer her. One hand pushed the hair back from her eyes. "I almost... never... felt this..." he said haltingly, trying to put his emotions into words. "I almost lost you."

"Oh, sugar..." Reaching for him, she pressed her lips to his and stroked her thumbs over his cheekbones repeatedly. She held him there for a long time, content to keep him close. Finally pulling away just fractionally, she whispered, " I almost lost *you*. I cried so hard, for so long, that it became normal. And when you started healing, I promised myself I wasn't going to cry anymore. Because I'd been given an incredible gift. And I'm not going to spend one minute more being sad when I'm with you."

Anton held onto her tightly. "Second chances are rare and wonderful things, my dear," he said after a moment's thought. "And I'm not going to waste the one I've just been gifted." Without another word, he pulled her against him tighter, his mouth seeking hers for a deep kiss.

Moaning again, she lifted her legs high to wrap them around his waist and hugged him close. Sucking at his lips and tongue, she tucked her heels against his ass to encourage him to move. His slow thrusts began rebuilding the fire of arousal between them, and she couldn't have kept still if she'd wanted to.

He couldn't concentrate on his sorrow. Not with Bryn moving so warm and willing beneath him. His hips caught her rhythm and slowly sped up as he kissed her mouth with a renewed passion. There was no need to mourn what was no longer going to happen.

Whimpering softly, Bryn dug her fingernails in to his shoulders as she kissed her way down his chin. She continued to nip and nibble at his neck, her breath hot on his skin. In a way she was testing him, to see how he would handle having her fangs in his flesh. If anything she did reminded him of Lilith, she didn't think she'd be able to handle it.

His breathing grew heavier with each pass of her lips. Anton Groaned and tilted his head back, bearing his throat to her. "Please Bryn," he whispered.

Kissing him repeatedly, she softly murmured, "Love you so much," before sinking her fangs deep in to his neck. The sudden gush of his blood in her mouth was still a new sensation, but not unpleasant...especially when accompanied by the fierce hunger than made her greedily drink. She didn't think she'd ever get enough of him.

Anton let out a loud cry as her fangs pierced his flesh. His grip tightened on her, pulling her even closer. His hips moved faster and harder into her, timing them with each suck of her mouth.

She moaned deep in her throat, eyes closing as he scooted her up the bed with his force. Every thrust made her clench around him until he could scarcely move, but somehow he still managed. It wasn't long before she was shuddering hard in the grips of another orgasm.

Anton quaked above her, cumming hard and deep inside of her. Letting out a soft moan, he sagged against his wife. But he didn't release his hold on her body much as she hadn't released his hold on her neck.

Finally sated, or at least for the moment, Bryn retracted her fangs and lazily lapped at his wound until it closed. She was still breathing heavily as she nuzzled his jaw and squeezed him tightly. "I would have been so lost without you, sugar."

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "May we never have to experience that ever, my dear."

Despite her earlier statement about no longer being sad in his presence, she couldn't help the sudden wave of tears that washed over her eyes. "I was so scared..."

"I was too." Anton pressed his forehead to her temple. "But it's over now. Neither of us is going anywhere without each other."

She sniffled a bit, staring at his lips. "I wish it could have been different. I wish we could have savored my Transformation. That we could have gone back to that hotel in Santa Cruz and done it right. It means so much...and yet we only had a few minutes."

"I know, my dear," he said softly stroking her hair. "It should have been done differently, not like it was done. We had no choice. And yet, it felt like the right thing to do. And I would do it again," he added with a soft kiss to her lips.

She kissed him back, lingering against his lips. "I'm so happy to be home, especially with my whole family. And I hate to say it...but we're probably going to have visitors as soon as I call my mother to explain."

Anton let out a little moan. Just what he had wanted to hear. "How many? Just your mother, or her and your brother?"

"Probably the kids, too." She gave him a slightly chagrined smile. "I guess I can put off calling them for a little while. But they'll want to see Katerina and how much Max has grown."

"Maybe can we wait until tomorrow night?" Anton asked. "Give us a little more peace for a while?"

"Okay. I was thinking more like a week, but if you really want me too..."

Anton gave a soft laugh. "A week is fine, my dear. I think I'll be recovered enough by then to take on your family."

Rubbing her nose against his, Bryn smiled. "We should also let Michael know we're home, and maybe your employees. And...I think it might be nice if we had the werewolves over for dinner. They did so much to help us."

"Yeah. It would have been very different if not for them. And for Seth." He gently kissed her lips. "We'll figure out some way to thank them properly somehow. But after a long nap."

"You're hinti