Chapter Twenty

Christmas Eve – Kildare, Ireland

Summer

Donnie and Finn headed out about an hour ago to a pub in town. They seem to be getting along much better now that they have their secrets out in the open. I think Donnie feels that he owes Finn a debt he can never repay for coming to help with Rae’s birth.

I sit with Melody in front of the massive fir tree in the grand hall of her new home. I couldn’t believe it when we arrived at the front door of a castle.

“I still can’t believe this is your life now, Mel. How are you handling it?” I smile as I ask.

“Honestly, I can’t believe it either. Lydia has been a great help with the twins, and I am so grateful to have her and to be given the amazing opportunity to live here and lead the life of a kept woman,” she says and winks at me, “but I miss my friends and my parents.”

I nod at her words. “I miss you too. We all do. But I get it, love. A girl would do anything for true love.” I shrug and take a deep breath, ready to tell her everything. “When are Sam and Colin getting in? Their flight landed already, right?” I check my watch. We have about an hour before they should be expected to arrive.

“Yes, they should be here soon. I figured the boys would be back by now, honestly. I didn’t expect them to actually get along and spend much time together.” She looks over her shoulder towards the door as if expecting them to come in any second.

“I wanted to talk to you about that, Mel. Donnie and Finn… well… so… Mel, Donnie and I know about Finn.” I watch her eyes widen as I say the words, she goes white as a sheet, and I reach across the distance between us, grabbing her hand in mine. “It’s okay. That’s what I needed to talk to you about, why I asked Lydia to keep an eye on the kiddos. There is something I need to tell you about Donnie.”

“I don’t…” she stops and stares at me. “How?” Tilting her head as she asks.

“Apparently, Donnie has always known.” I squeeze her hand in mine, it is cool, and she is still ghostly white. “But there is more. Do you remember when the guys were grilling out at the baby shower, and I went out to see them for a while? Melody, I need you to listen. We’re not going to do anything to hurt your family.” Steadying my breathing I go on, “We know because of what Donnie is.” I chew my lower lip, trying to decide how to tell her.

“What Donnie is?” She is coming around now and focusing more on my words and less on her panic. I know what she is feeling, the idea that someone has found out her family’s secret and could threaten them in some way.

Taking a deep breath, I hold it for a minute and then let out a sigh. “Donnie is a vampire.” The word vampire seems to echo off of the walls in the massive hall, and then it grows silent. You could hear a pin drop. Even the popping of the fire stops for a time as we stare at each other. I nod my head at her.

“A—” She opens and closes her mouth, like a fish gasping for breath. “A… I’m sorry, Summer. A vampire?” Her eyebrows climb her face, and I have to hold back my laugh at the look she is giving me.

“Is it so far-fetched? Your future husband is a fucking werewolf, Mel.” I mutter the last part at her under my breath.

She laughs at herself then. “You’re right, I’m sorry. Tell me everything!”

I tell her about getting pregnant, and we relive the night in Mexico when I told Donnie, both of us understanding his reaction more now than we did at the time. I tell her about Leo, being kidnapped by the brothers, and Donnie saving me. That’s when I drop the bomb on her. The one part of my story I didn’t want to tell her was that Finn delivered Rae because I have to reveal his lie to her. Squeezing my eyes closed I try to decide how to say the words.

“What is it? What could be worse than what you have already told me?” She shifts her chair closer to mine. “Summer, whatever it is, you can tell me.”

“It’s Finn, but you can’t blame him. You can’t be mad at him, okay? It wasn’t his secret to tell,” I say, pleading with her.

“What are you saying? What about Finn, what secret?” Her voice cracks, and I know she is afraid of what I have to tell her now.

“Mel, Donnie told Finn when he was at the baby shower because we needed his help. I couldn’t have Rae in a hospital—”

“Well, no, I expect not,” she says, cutting me off. “Wait, what does this have to do with Finn?” I wait patiently, seeing if she will put it together on her own, I can see when it dawns on her, and I nod.

“Donnie couldn’t deliver Rae because there was too much blood. We needed someone we could trust with our secret, someone who was trained to deliver a baby,” I explain.

“When he went on his trip in August with his cousins, he didn’t go to Dublin?” she asks me, even though I know she knows the truth in her words.

“Finn came back to the states to deliver Rae. The week I was due, he flew in, and then we waited. He delivered her, Mel.” I look my best friend in the eyes and wait for her reaction, but rush on. “Finn didn’t want to lie to you, but we weren’t ready to tell anyone, not until she was born and we knew what to expect.”

“Rae is half-vampire?” The question catches me off guard. I expected her to be angry about Finn’s deceit, not focusing on Rae.

“She is, but she is the first of her kind as far as we know, and we didn’t know what to expect. We still don’t,” I finish softly, sighing.

“So, is she immortal? Is Donnie?” She leans forward in her seat and grabs my hands from my lap.

“We don’t know, and yes, he is. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about, Mel. Donnie won’t turn me. He says it’s not safe, and he could end up killing me in the process if he can’t stop himself.” Tears fill my eyes and then slowly start to run down my cheeks. “Is Finn immortal?”

She shakes her head. “No, we’re not.”

“We?” This is what I had hoped for, that the two of them would live on forever with my little girl. The tears flow freely now, unleashed by her words. I face another defeat in my attempts to make sure Rae is cared for.

“Finn and I will live a very extended life, potentially for an eternity, but we aren’t sure. Just like you are unsure about Rae. Lydia is over three-hundred years old.”

Grasping at hope now, I let it flow through my body. “I need you to promise me something, Mel.” I wipe at my tears. “I need you to promise me if anything ever happens to Donnie and me that you and Finn will take Rae and keep her safe.”

“Oh, hun. Of course, we will. We will protect her for as long as we live.” She leans in and hugs me tightly against her.

“There’s more. Mel, I’m only going to be with her for my mortal lifetime. She will have to face potentially hundreds of years, without me, without her mom. Will you be there for her? After I’m gone, will you guide her and be her shoulder to lean on, love her as only a mother can?” I look into her eyes, and they are filled with unshed tears. “Can you do that for me? Promise me, Melody.”

Nodding, she pulls me back into her arms. “Of course, I will. I will protect her always. I swear it, Summer. But there has to be a way—”

“No. I’ve tried. He won't change his mind. I’ve asked about other vampires and magic. There is no way.” Sadness seeps back into me. Even though I have the reassurance that Rae will have Melody, I still have to face that I will die and leave them behind.

“I’m sorry, Summer. I’m so sorry.” She holds me tightly for a long while. When we hear the knock on the front door, we both rise and wipe each other's tears away. Heading to the door to greet our friend.

“No more tears,” I tell her, hugging her one last time as we stop at the large wooden door. “It’s Christmas, and we are all together. Let’s get Sam and Colin in here before they freeze to the front steps.”

Melody opens the door to greet Sam and Colin. Sam stands there alone, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Oh, hun,” she says as she pulls her into the hall, and I close the door behind them.

“He didn’t come?” I ask, looking at Sam’s tear-stained cheeks. She just shakes her head and then sniffs.

“No, he still wasn’t ready.” Sam’s words fill the space between us, and I take her in my arms, rubbing her back.

“I’m so sorry, Sam.”

***

Donnie

The din of the pub starts to die down as the other patrons head home for the night, back to their houses to prepare for Christmas.

“Finn, I still can’t thank you enough for what you did for Summer and me,” I say as I take a drink of my Guinness.

“Honestly, you don’t need to keep thanking me, man. I promise it was nothing and if there is ever anything else I can do for you guys, please let me know,” he replies as he signals the waitress to bring us another round.

“There is something I wanted to ask you.” I wait for his response before I go on. He kills his beer and nods for me to continue. “I don’t know much about wolves.” I emphasize the word, so he knows what I’m referencing, and he chuckles.

“I don’t expect you would. What are you wondering about?” He looks at me, waiting for my question.

“How long do you live, and how does that work? With Melody, I mean?” The waitress arrives with our fresh beers and sets them on the table between us. Both of us wait until she is gone before we speak again.

“I honestly don’t know how long I should expect to live. My grand da was well over three-hundred when he was killed. I know we do age. But it is at an incredibly slowed rate, compared to humans.” He sips his beer, and I fidget nervously in my seat. “The mating, well it passes our magic to my mate, so Melody inherits it. Does that answer your question?”

“Yeah, it does.” I take a handful of peanuts and shift them around in my hand, not really wanting to eat them but rather needing something to do with my hands to steady my nerves. “So your uncle and family then, they’re old. Maybe they’ll be able to help me with some research? Do you think?”

“What is it that you’re looking to research?” Finn pops a handful of the salted nuts into his mouth and chews, waiting for me to explain my line of questioning to him.

“Summer asked me to turn her, and I told her no.” I hang my head, closing my eyes and remembering the day I told her no and the despair on her face when she asked again, and I told her there was no way.

“Ah, you’re wondering if there is a way to extend her life so you don’t lose her?” Finn asks, clearly understanding.

I shake my head. “Yes and no. I don’t want to lose her, but I would be happy to live her mortal lifetime together. She is more concerned about Rae and leaving her behind to face an eternity without her mother. I don’t know how to give her what she wants, Finn, and it’s killing me.” I drop the peanuts onto the table in front of me and take a long sip of my beer, hoping that the alcohol will dull the pain I’m feeling.

“She has tried not to let it affect our relationship, but it has. She is mourning the loss of something that is decades away. Her sadness is devastating me, and I need to find a way to fix it. I know, given time, she will come to terms with it. But I fear it will always resurface over and over throughout her life.”

“Donnie? What if I told you I have an idea, a way you might be able to turn her? If that is what you both want.” His words shock me, and I jerk my head up, meeting his gaze. His amber eyes flicker in the light of the bar, and I know what he is considering has him on edge. But he is still willing to offer me this, whatever it may be.

“What do you mean, Finn? What are you playing at?” My anger catches us both off guard. But I don’t want to toy with the idea of hope only to have it stolen away from me by reality.

“Donnie, I’m not saying I have a perfect plan. But hear me out first. You don’t want to turn Summer for the same reason that you didn’t want to deliver Rae, right?” He leans his elbows on the table and clasps his hands together.

“Right, I’m afraid.” I look around and lower my voice. “I’m afraid if I bite Summer, I won’t be able to stop myself, and I’ll bleed her dry, Finn. I can handle the idea of living a long, happy life with her and losing her to old age. But I would never be able to live with it if I killed her trying to save myself from the pain of losing her someday.”

“All right, so what if I told you I could guarantee that I wouldn’t let you kill her?” Finn rests his chin on his fist and looks me in the eye, waiting for my response.

“What are you proposing?” I lean forward towards him, eager to hear what he has to offer.

“If you were to change her here in Ireland, at the next full moon. I can have my pack there. We would be there to stop you if you can’t stop yourself. We would ensure that she lives. Would you consider it then?”

“Did she come to you with this idea?” I ask, skeptical of him and his plan.

“No, Summer hasn’t said a word to me about wanting to be changed. I had no clue you two were going through this. I’ve only thought of it just now when you brought it up.” He relaxes back into the booth and drinks his beer again. “Think about it. If this is what you both want, then I would be willing to have the pack help.”

“And they would do that for you?” I mirror his movements and lean back, picking up my beer.

“They do what I say, as the Alpha. But yes, they would. My family is full of romantics, all believing in helping along true love.” He sets his beer back down on the table and holds his hand out to me across it. “I promise you that I will do whatever is in my power to make sure you don’t kill her in the process, even if—”

“Even if it means killing me.” I put my hand in his and shake it.

“Aye, even if. But it won’t come to that.” I wish I shared his confidence.

***

Once we get back to the Caomhanach Keep, the girls are in bed. I creep into our bedroom and see Summer curled under the blankets, her eyelashes on her cheeks. They’re wet with tears. I know she cried herself to sleep again. I sigh and head out of the room. Once I’ve checked on the kids, I find my way down to the grand hall and dial the number on my phone.

“Hello?” Alec answers on the fourth ring.

“Hey, Alec, it’s Donnie. I need another favor.” I keep my voice low, not wanting to wake anyone in the house.

“What can I do for you, buddy?” He doesn’t seem bothered by the late call, though I’m not sure about the time difference. What time it even is, or where he even is.

“I need a charm as soon as you can make it happen.” My words are a rush, my excitement at the possibility getting to me.

“Is this about Summer?” Alec’s words bring me back to earth.

I make my way to the large fireplace and warm my hands there as I talk. “It is. I have a plan to turn her, but Alec…” Hesitating a moment before I go on.

“Yeah, what’s the trouble? You seem like there is more you’re not telling me.” His voice uneasy.

“I need you to come to Ireland before the next full moon, so you can be here and make it when I turn her.” Hearing a sound behind me, I turn and see Finn coming into the hall. He takes a seat at the chair next to the fireplace.

“The full moon? Ireland? What’s this about? I mean, of course, I’ll do it for you. But what aren’t you telling me?” I can tell by the sound of his voice that he is wary of the situation, even though he trusts me. Alec and I go way back, and I’ve helped him out of a few jams, so I knew he would come when I called. I’m unsure of how he will react to my next words. I turn to Finn, the unspoken question between us. Waiting, I watch as he thinks it over. He nods his approval.

“What do you know about werewolves?” I drop the bomb on Alec.

“Werewolves? Irish werewolves? Not a lot. Have you got a wolf problem, Donnie?” The tone of his voice changes. I’m still not sure what he is thinking.

“No, it's the opposite. The wolves have the solution to mine.” I finish explaining the plan to Alec, and he agrees to be here at the next full moon. He will make a charm for Summer. I will turn her, and Finn and his pack will make sure I don’t kill her in the process. When I disconnect the call, I turn to Finn, he stands.

“So you’ve decided?” he asks me.

“Yes, I’ll tell Summer tomorrow.” I sit in the chair opposite the one he just stood from, and he returns to his.

“Will she agree?” Finn asks, genuine concern in his voice.

“The woman has been begging me. Of course, she will. I need one more thing from you, though.” I turn my phone over in my hand, filled with too much nervous energy to stay still.

“What’s that?” His voice remains calm and steady. Clearly, solid in his decision to do this with me.

“I need you to promise me that if the shit hits the fan and neither of us make it through this alive. If I can’t stop. If you all kill me in the process. If Summer doesn’t survive it, I need you to promise that you and Melody will take care of Rae and Gus.” I stand, finally giving in to the angst and pacing the space in front of the hearth.

“That’s a lot of ifs, and I’m positive it won't come down to that, but I will make you the promise. Melody and I will raise your babies with ours like they were our own. You know that.” He stands and stops in my path. When I turn, we’re standing face to face.

“Yes, I do. Thank you.” I reach my hand out and shake his. Grateful to have him as a friend.

***

Summer I wake up to Donnie slipping into me from behind. Moaning, I arch my back and push towards him. Giving him better access, letting him ease into me.

“Hey, there.” I turn my head and smile at him.

“Sorry to wake you.” He leans down and kisses me, burying himself inside my heat as he does.

“God, you feel amazing, sir. You can wake me anytime you want.”

Wrapping his arms around me and hugging me to his body, he slowly works himself in and out of my wetness, kissing my neck and shoulders. He is gentle and loving. We don’t often make love soft and slow this way, but it is mind-blowing when we do.

I feel my body come to life under his touch, goosebumps spread across my skin when his breath brushes my cheek as he peppers my neck with kisses. The tenderness with which he holds me fills my heart with joy, and I pull away from him. Wanting to see his face, I motion for him to roll onto his back. When he does, I climb on top of him and ease myself down onto his waiting cock. The look of love in his eyes as I slowly ride him, up and down his length, makes my heart swell.

“Do you have any idea how beautiful you are, Summer?” Donnie asks as he lifts his hand to my cheek and then runs it through my hair, brushing it back away from my face.

I smile at his words and shift my hips back and forth, the motion building my orgasm and bringing me closer to my climax. My clit rubs against his body as I grind down on him, his full length buried in me. I can feel him at the entrance of my womb. Tossing my head back, I moan loudly into the large room.

I pick up my pace, and the bed starts to creak beneath us, I giggle, and Donnie smiles at me. Continuing to worship my body with his hands, he rubs them over my breasts, and his rough palms brush against my nipples. The pleasure flows through my body to my pussy, I tense around him, and he moans as he raises his hips up to meet me. Filling me more, his hands slide down my body taking hold of my ass, and he pulls me down on him.

“I want to watch you come on my cock, come for me, baby.” The words are music to my ears as I fall forward onto him and take his mouth with mine, kissing him like my life depends on it and grinding my clit against his pelvis.

The climax explodes a shock wave of pleasure through me, and I feel my cum rush out of me, covering him. Sitting up again, I run my hands up over my breasts, twisting my nipples on the way, and then pull my hair back into a ponytail. I use the hair tie around my wrist to secure it as I climb off Donnie.

Kneeling next to him, I lean forward and wrap my lips around the head of his cock. Flicking my tongue over it, I suck. Continuing to suck him as I go, I lower my mouth onto him, my lips tight around him. I find his balls and tug them gently.

“Fuck, I love it when you suck my dick.” Encouraged by his words, I pick up my pace, wrapping my other hand around his base. I follow my mouth up and down, jerking him as I go. I know he will quickly come this way. He always does, and I smile at the thought. Enjoying the power I hold, having him in my mouth. Speeding up, I continue my sucking, being sure to clean every last drop of my cum from his cock and balls. I take him gently from my mouth and continue to jerk him with my hand as I suck his balls into my mouth, one at a time, relishing the taste of them.

“You’re going to make me come,” Donnie says as he wraps his hand in my hair and pulls my mouth from his balls. Directing me down onto his cock again.

“I know,” I say, laughing around him. I keep a relentless pace now, wanting his cum. I work hard to bring him to his climax.

“You want me to come for you, love?” His husky words fill the room.

I nod at his question as he reaches down and spreads his hand across my lower back to my hip. Taking hold of me, he shifts my body. Laying me on top of him, settling my pussy over his face. When he shoves his tongue inside me, I moan loudly around his cock. He slides a finger into me, then another as he sucks my clit.

I can get him further into my mouth at this angle, and I choke myself on him, enjoying the sensation it sends through my body while he eats me.

“Come for me, Summer. I want to taste you while I come in your mouth.” I giggle at his words, muffled as they are with his face pressed against me.

“Fuck.” I groan the word around his cock. I feel him harden more and feel the cum moving up through him and onto my tongue. The moment the salty taste fills my mouth, I reach my climax, and he shoves his fingers further into me, spreading them and rubbing my inner walls.

We finish together, and when I roll off of him, Donnie reaches down and lifts me up towards him, settling my head on the pillow next to his. I smile at him and kiss him softly on the lips.

“I love you,” I tell him as I close my eyes, ready to drift back to sleep.

“Hey, don’t do that. I have something to tell you.” He takes my chin in his hand and pulls my mouth to his, kissing me again.

“What?” I ask him softly, my eyes still closed, sleep fighting to take me over.

“Finn said that he will help me, and Alec is on his way here.” His words make my eyes shoot open, and I look back and forth between his, trying to decide if he is actually saying what I think he is saying.

“Help you with what?” I try to keep the eagerness from my voice, not wanting to get my hopes up.

“On the full moon, Finn and his pack will be there when I change you, to stop me if I can’t stop myself.” He kisses my mouth that has fallen open in utter shock at his plan. “Merry Christmas.” The clock in the hall chimes the hour. It is one o’clock a.m., Christmas day and I have just been given the best present I could imagine.

“You just have to decide if this is really what you want—”

“What?” I cut him off. “Are you insane? Of course, this is what I want!” I screech and then cover my mouth when I realize I’m going to wake the whole house. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.” I pause, thinking through my following words. “Or something that you’re going to regret.” The reality of what he is saying settles over me, this is actually going to happen, and I will be a vampire.

“What’s wrong?” Donnie takes my face in his hands and kisses my forehead. “Are you all right, baby?”

“Yes, no, I mean. I want this. I do. But now that it’s going to happen. I’m not sure, I’m not sure what I’m feeling.”

Donnie sits up in the bed, shifting the pillows behind him, and takes me in his arms, resting my head on his shoulder.

“We don’t have to do this now. If you’re not sure, we can wait. We have as much time as you want, baby. We could even have more children.” He brushes my hair with his hand, tucking it behind my ear. “We can come back at any time, a year, two, three. However long you want to wait. Or we won't do it, and we will live a very long, happy life together.”

I think about his words, his mention of more children. My fear of someone coming for us, of putting Rae and Gus at risk for the sake of trying to have another child. My gut tells me no. My family is complete. But we haven’t discussed this before. “Donnie?” I ask him and shift to see his face, he smiles at me.

“Summer,” he answers, knowing I have something on my mind.

“Do you want more children?” I need to get this resolved now, I don’t want to take something from him that he is dreaming of. But I also don’t want to wait to be changed.

“I have thought about it. But unnecessary risks and all, I don’t think so, Summer. No,” he says finally. I let out the breath I was holding.

“I feel the same way. I worry that something could happen and I don’t want to leave Gus and Rae, or you.” My mind is made up. “I want to do this, Donnie. I want you to change me.”

“I promise to always take care of our little girl, no matter what. You don’t have to make this decision for her. Do what you want, and please take the time to think about it. We have time before the full moon, and we need Alec to be here to make a charm with your blood after.”

Nodding, I listen to his words, my heart so overfilled with emotions that I begin to cry again. I feel like that is all I have done for months.

“No,” I shake my head, “I don’t want to wait. I want to do this before we go back home. Here we have friends and people to help us.” I pause. “For afterward, when I’m vampire-y. What is it going to be like? The blood lust?”

“You’ll be able to control it, and I can teach you. You’ll be just fine.” I kiss him again and curl into his arms, my head on his shoulder.

“I love you, Donnie,” I tell him as I fall asleep.