The Falling (Book I)

Epilogue

I was sweltering. Something lay on top of me. Soft hair tickled my nose. I could hear its heartbeat, fast like a rabbit's.

A baritone voice rumbled something indistinct. My heartbeat increased at that familiar aroma. A higher pitched, childish voice answered the baritone and the thing resting on me moved. Something large and warm brushed against my cheek and I stirred. The warmth disappeared.

"...el...lanie...Melanie..."

A bony chin dug into my stomach. Slowly, I opened my eyes, hissing at the brightness of the room. I shut my eyes again and I heard someone shuffle. It was darker in the room when I peeled my eyes open again. A large pair of gold eyes with narrow pupils stared back at me.

I sat up too quickly and the room spun. I hit my head on the headboard and hissed, rubbing my skull. When the room stopped spinning, I stared at the child perched on the bed.

It was a little boy with unkempt hair as vibrant a red as his father's. He looked no older than three but was in actuality a little over three hundred. One corner of his mouth was hitched a little higher than the other side, giving him the appearance he was always smirking. His ears were pointed like mine and his small chubby hands were gripping his oversized purple tunic, which clashed awfully with his hair.

"Mel."

My head snapped up and my eyes met Will's.

"Will." My voice cracked like I had not used it in ages and I coughed.

He shoved a goblet of water into my hands and I took a grateful sip. The boy sitting in my lap placed his hands on my thighs to adjust himself before he reached up and began to play with my hair.

Will sat in a chair beside the bed, his expression serious. "What is the last thing you remember?"

I looked at him, confused, before frowning in concentration. "A spider."

Our son stopped playing with my hair. He got on his knees and reached toward my face. I did not move a muscle as he touched my cheek. Will chuckled amusedly. "It is a funny story, actually. A demon fainting because of a little spider."

I stroked the child's smooth cheek. He smiled and leaned into my touch. Scowling, I pointed out, "Says the big bad Archangel who squealed when Zachary threw a garden snake at him."

The boy pouted and shoved my hand away with pudgy hands. "No Zachary. Zach."

I smiled while Will sulked. "Alright, just Zach then."

Will protested, "It was not a garden snake, it was a copperhead! Do you have any idea how venomous those things are?!"

Snorting, I threw the covers off me and scooped Zach up. "Come, Zach, let us find another snake and show it to Papa."

As Zach cheered, Will trailed after us, spewing protest after protest before threatening to find the biggest spider he could and throwing it in my face.

Holding Zach in one arm, I passed my hand over my belly, a content smile stretching across my face.