Heaven Sent

Chapter Twenty-Two

The common room is full of lightness, even this early in the morning after a night of festivities.

Damien has formed a semi-circle, teaching the children how to strum a guitar. The humans are eating breakfast together, as a family of sorts. Sitting across the room, Elijah has been showing Jiayi how to lure for over an hour, as promised.

I'm running on three hours of sleep and I've never felt better. I don't think I've ever smiled so much. It's only been a day. One day. I am so glad to be here. Holding a bowl of oatmeal I've half-eaten, too busy watching everyone else, I note the changes in the room, things I see different from when I arrived.

Beyond the tattered living spaces are items made by their children, bright colors painted onto their furniture. Tucked into corners, to bring life to this underground dwelling, are flowers and plants, drops of pastel throughout the room. In one corner a couple leans on each other, humming a melody in sync. In another, a teen still slumbers, despite the noise around her.

When my leg is nudged, disturbing me from my observing, I glance down.

It's the little girl that spent a night a night sleeping between Elijah and I. Jiayi told us her name is Chen. Her hair is still sticking out every which way, right out of bed. She makes it apparent she wants to be on my lap, clawing at my dress, a pink pastel dress given to me by Jia, a woman widowed at thirty. Since I have no clothes of my own, lost to the river, it's one of the few things I've been graciously given to wear, even if it is a bit bright for my liking.

I help Chen onto my lap, careful not to spill the oatmeal. I realize only when she's comfortable that her main reason for coming to me is to feast on my leftovers. I can't help but laugh as she dips her fingers into the creamy mess, scooping her food in like that. The stickiness falls onto my own clothing in her clumsiness, but I hardly care, egging her on to eat it all.

"Chen, you're getting it all over her!" Jasmine, one of the mother's, laughs, wide-eyed, loud enough to gain the attention of a few people around us. I shake my head, blushing, insisting it's okay. My eyes dart to Paris who takes a seat on a spare log, a glass of blood in one of his hands. He smiles warmly, watching she and I as Elijah did.

"Did you want children before falling for a vampire?" Paris asks once we're relatively alone, the rest scattered onto more important things.

"I can't have children. Not naturally. A, um, surgery gone wrong... when I was a teen."

"I see. It never healed?"

"No."

"You've had Elijah's blood. Perhaps it has and you don't know it."

I smile, beyond imagining it. "I'd only want his kid's so it's moot point."

"Well, this little one's an orphan. She's in need of a family."

I run my fingers through her hair, brushing the frayed strands down. "Elijah told me she has a father in Shanghai. He's been waiting for it to be safe enough to come get her."

Paris regards me cautiously. "Well, that's good news."

I avoid his eyes, wishing I hadn't gotten attached to the first child to show me something other than disgust. "We wouldn't give a human child a good life, Paris. She's better off with him."

It hits me suddenly, a brief kick to my gut—a reminder.

Elijah's a god. I'm human. He's already familiar with everlasting life. My life has expiration.

The thought has occurred to me before, back when we were still dwelling in Russia. I glance up to find Elijah across the room, and as if he can feel how my gut is sinking, his attention shifts from Jiayi. His eyes meet mine, concerned in an instant. He can feel it. He smiles hesitantly, seeking silent answers from me. I smile back at him genuinely, wanting to reassure him. This is not a problem to dwell on now.