Amelia and William were at the Obsidian Community Art Center, watching their children draw and paint from across the room. They were waiting for Amelia’s sisters, Everly and Darla, to arrive to take the girls for a walk in the forest. That concerned them because Willa woke in the middle of the night and was irritable but seemed to feel fine since breakfast. William could feel Amelia’s worry through the mate bond and took her hand.
“My love, Willa will be fine with Everly and Darla. They would never let anything happen to either of the girls. Try not to worry,” William assured her.
“I know. That is why I agreed to it. But that does not keep me from worrying about our daughters. It took a while for Isla to level out and not have cravings, and she still has them when she has a growth spurt if she doesn’t feel well.” Amelia sighed and then continued, “Willa worries me. I know each child is different, but her need for blood and blood replacements is much stronger than Isla’s. What if this keeps getting stronger? What if it gets to the point that she might put others in danger?”
“Then we will deal with it. The only thing we can do is take things as they come and try to find a doctor or a specialist of some kind who can help us with that,” William said as he smiled lovingly at her.
“You mean like your brother?” Amelia asked.
“I know you are not a fan of his, but he is one of the best in the world. You have to admit, it would be nice to have a doctor who is also a vampire living and working in Obsidian,” William said as he tucked a strand of hair behind Amelia’s ear.
“He is abrasive, condescending, and arrogant. I can handle him talking down to me, but if he says a word against our daughters…” Amelia said, her eyes changing from gray to cyan blue as Lily pushed forward for a few seconds before receding.
“If he says anything against our daughters, I will take care of it,” William said.
“Alright. If things with Willa get worse, I will think about having your brother come here,” Amelia relented. “Aunt Bex, Dr. Clark, and Dr. Reese are all working on locating someone who can help. If they can’t find anyone, I agree you should call your brother.”
The pair went silent as the main entrance of the art center opened, and giggling filled the room. Darla and Everly waved to Amelia and William before going to where Willa and Isla were working on their art projects. The little girls rushed at their aunts, jumping into their arms.
“I think they are ready to go,” Darla laughed as she peppered Isla’s face with kisses, making her wiggle and squeal with laughter.
“That they are,” William chuckled. “Thank you for doing this today.”
“It’s no bother,” Everly grinned as he hugged Willa close. “Dad asked me to look at an area out in the forest, north of the meadow, to ensure there is no landslide risk. Don’t worry. I will leave the girls with Darla when I scout the area. The area is stable, but you know how Dad is. It is near an established trail that many in Obsidian use, so he has to be sure it is safe.”
“And you were worried that a fancy degree in geology wouldn’t be worth anything,” Amelia grinned at her sister.
“I know, right? Dad found things for me to do even before I graduated. Now that I have my degree, he has something new daily for me to check on or investigate. But that’s OK. It means I am paid to run in the forest or fly somewhere in the clan to investigate or observe,” Everly said as she hugged Willa tight.
“Sort of like me getting paid to play with art supplies and teach others how to draw and paint all day,” Amelia smiled.
“Exactly like that,” Darla grinned. “And like me, when I become a teacher at the middle school. How many times did you play school with me and encourage me to be a teacher?”
“More times than I can count,” Amelia sighed.
William hugged Amelia, kissed her head, and said, “Try not to worry. We know all the girls, the big ones and the little ones, will all have fun and be safe today.”
“We promise to do both. The first thing we are doing is going back to the house so they can tell Lucy what snacks they want to take with us,” Everly said.
“Can we have more cupcakes?” Willa asked. The green and blue specks in her gray eyes seemed to sparkle as her eyes grew wide with excitement.
“I bet if you ask your mom, she will say you can, and I know Lucy will make you cupcakes if that is what you want,” Everly told her as she tickled her tummy.
“She doesn’t need to ask. If Lucy thinks they need cupcakes, they need cupcakes,” Amelia laughed.
The main door opened again, and a young woman walked in. She waved to Amelia, who returned the wave. Amelia sighed and looked at her family.
“My student is here,” Amelia said before kissing Willa and Isla on their cheeks. “Have fun, girls, and listen to Everly and Darla.”
“We will,” the girls called out and waved as Everly and Darla carried their nieces out of the center.
“I will bring you lunch,” William said as he hugged Amelia tightly. “What would you like me to bring you?”
“Whatever you are in the mood for,” Amelia sighed.
“Burgers, fries, and milkshakes?”
“That sounds perfect.”
William gave her a final peck on the lips before he waved to Amelia’s student and left the art center. He would have stayed longer but had a meeting to prepare for. Otherwise, he would have stayed to help Amelia stay calm.
Amelia took a deep breath and slowly let it out before she plastered on a smile. She knew she needed to stay calm and keep her alpha aura in check to avoid bothering her students for the day. However, the nagging feeling she had and her worry about her children had not gone away. If anything, it was becoming worse. Amelia only hoped that it was all for nothing.