Anything for Her - Complete

Chapter 17

"Where are you?" Rose asked.

"That's not important," Sydney replied evasively. "I've just heard you've had a baby. We only just found out it's possible."

"Possible?"

"Possible for a restored Dhampir to reproduce with another Dhampir," Sydney rushed out. "We knew it could happen if the mother were restored, but now I guess we know it goes both ways?"

"Sydney, you're not making any sense. Can you slow down and explain?"

Since Dimitri and Sonya's restorations there had been several other Moroi and Dhampir restored from Strigoi. It was still far from common, and of course, the number of Moroi restored outnumbered restored Dhampir significantly, but Dimitri was not the only former Strigoi Dhampir out there.

"We heard rumors that a restored Dhampir called Olive Sinclair had conceived a child with a Dhampir Neil Raymond. It took us some time to track her down, and she died from a Strigoi attack not long after their child was born, but our tests have confirmed the child she carried is the biological offspring of two Dhampir."

"And you think..."

"We believe it's because of Spirit. We weren't sure if the mother had to be the one restored, but your baby proves it's not. I can't wait to get your child in to be tested and..."

"She's adopted," Rose managed to spit out. "There's no point testing her because she's not biologically mine."

It was a relief to Rose that she was able to say it. The panic about what Sydney was suggesting must have been enough to at least partially break through the compulsion - just as Adrian said would happen.

"Lara is adopted, but I can assure you, she's the result of a normal Dhampir/Moroi coupling."

"If you're sure," Sydney said suspiciously.

"I'm positive. But do you really think it's possible for two Dhampir to conceive?"

"We're certain it's happened once, and the only remarkable thing to explain it is that the mother was restored."

"So, you think there's a chance for Dimitri and me?"

"If it hasn't happened in seven years I doubt it will," Sydney said matter of factly. "You haven't been using precautions, have you?"

"No," Rose said immediately; however that was a lie. Ever since the Academy, Rose had used the pill to time and regulate her periods. It was handy being able to delay her bleeding, but she'd never thought about it in terms of the contraceptive benefit.

"Sydney, I gotta go. I'll call you back in a day or two."

"So, if your daughter is adopted who are her parents?"

"Bye Sydney," Rose said, disconnecting the call.

Rose was sitting in stunned silence while Dimitri regarded her carefully. He'd overheard enough to get the gist of the conversation.

"Roza? What did Sydney want?" Dimitri's voice was calm and composed. Too calm.

"She heard about Lara. She rang to apologize for not warning us."

"Warning us?"

"That a restored Dhampir can have a child with another Dhampir because of Spirit."

"It's happened?" Dimitri asked in surprise.

"Once that they know of. The mother was a restored Dhampir. They've tested the baby, and it has two Dhampir parents. After hearing I'd had a baby, Sydney assumed Lara was biologically yours and mine."