A Vampire's Life Book 4

Chapter 24 - Ethan

I stepped out of my father's study and see the rather perplexing sight, my mother her arm linked into Josie's as they walk down the hall. My mother regaling her with the castle's history, the paintings of people on the walls, who they were or are and what they did in their time to be great people. I quietly follow them; I am sure that my mother knows that I am behind them but Josie doesn't. My mother tells her that she will have a maid to help her, one that is medically trained. If it's the maid that I think she is talking about, this maid is also trained in all forms of weapons and security. She will be her bodyguard as well.

My mother continues to talk as they walk through the corridors, telling her that when the child is born we can live here if we want, maybe a whole section of the castle to ourselves. I think that I might have needed to pick myself up of the floor when I heard Josie say that it would be nice. Has somebody come around to it all? They take the stairs to the ground floor of the east wing, the dust has settled, it is hardly used. She tells her that she and I and our child could have this entire section, all three floors if we wanted, change it, decorate it however she wanted. Money was not an issue. Our happiness was all that was important.

'Well?' my mother says to Josie.

'I will agree to it on one condition.'

'Go on.'

'That upon Clinton's removal I am allowed to come and go as I please.'

'Of course, that is fine provided that you take your maid with you, she will be your personal protection. Just so that you are aware, that particular order has come from the very top, not us. Both Lucian and Miranda have stated that until you are fully capable of all of your abilities you are not to be without a guard. Ok?'

'Yes.'

'Is that acceptable to you Ethan?'

Josie spins around and sees me standing at the doorway. Her eyes were wide as she stared at me leaning on the door frame.

'Of course it is.'

'Excellent, I will leave you two to decide on your new accommodation then.'

I wander towards them, unable to contain the happiness that she has come around, she wants things to be good between us. She wants me. My mother swans past me, grinning, she winks at me and closes the door behind her.

'Did you want to see the rest of the east wing?'

She nods avidly. I think she is excited. I haven't been in here in years. Claude and I used to play hide and seek in here, it is so large, there are so many rooms.

'How about we start with this floor, this is the foyer and the formal lounge to the left.'

She walks into the room and wanders over to the large windows, the gardener is outside clipping the hedges. He politely nods at her and continues his work. I take her hand dragging her out of the room to the formal dining room on the opposite side of the foyer. Her eyes widen at the chandeliers hanging in each of the rooms.

'Now the kitchen hasn't been used in a while, so it may need a complete overhaul.'

Her fingers slide along the marble bench top leaving a line in the dust.

'So there is our little garden, somewhere for junior to run around in.'

She rubs her belly as she looks out at the large grassed area, the large trees that give shade.

'Oh my god, is that a cubby house?' she chuckles.

'Yes. My father built it for me after Claude was born. Kind of a sorry you have to deal with the little shit present.'

She laughs and then stops.

'Your mother told me about... You know.'

'Did she now?'

She nods wrapping her arms around me. Her enthusiasm has gone; she now looks sad.

'Come on, more things to see.'

I take her hand and show her the informal lounge, an office area. The rooms are just as grand as the previous and I wonder how she takes it all in, having come from virtually nothing to this. The stairs creak as we ascend to the second floor, the children's bedrooms. Six rooms in total and a large play room and bathroom. Josie inspects each and every room, looking out the windows, through the cupboards, everything. We stop at the top of the stairs for the third floor.

'Are you ready?'

Josie nods, she cannot contain her excitement.

'Our room.'

I open the door to the vast room, it spans the entire floor, not as large as the other two floors but still very large. The bathroom echoes even though she has bare feet, I lean on the door frame watching her in awe of it all.

'What do you think?'

She spins around to find me behind her.

'I think I love it.'

'Really?'

'Yeah.'

Josie swans over looking like she has a dark secret, her smirk was enthralling. She wraps her arms around my waist and looks up at me.

'You have given me my five wishes; did you realise that?'

'I did. I just happened to be talking to you about it last night while you were sleeping.'

'Is that right?'

'Yeah, it's amazing right? You've gone from thinking you were dying, couldn't have children, dead shit boyfriend and a poor finale. Now you've got the world. You are pregnant, the first of many, I promise.' I grinned at her as I pulled the hair from around her shoulders, wrapping my arms around them. 'You aren't dying and can never die unless you decide to have heart surgery, so don't go doing that.'

Josie giggled as she frowned at me like I was crazy.

'You have one hell of a bank balance; it will never go dry. So once Clinton is gone you can go and shop up a storm with Montana and fill that enormous wardrobe over there. And you've got a house to decorate now, so that will be fun to go shopping for, right?'

She nodded, tightening her grip around my waist.

'What else, oh, that's right, happiness. Are you happy?'

'Absolutely.'

'What was the last thing?'

'Someone that loved me enough to be faithful.'

'I can give you that.' I pressed her into the vanity, lifting her onto the edge 'A lifetime of love and devotion, never straying. No matter how great the temptation they could never match you.'

'You love me?'

'Without a doubt, in fact I love you so much I have something for you.'

She watched with dubious caution as I fumbled in my pocket for the little box. I pulled her hand flat and placed it onto her palm. She looked up at me very confused, the little box still sitting on her shaking hand. I grinned as I lifted the lid, Josie looked down at it blinking out the tears.

'Marry me?'

Josie wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight as she whispered yes. Everything was good again, she was happy and I was too.