Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Serenity
I never knew bliss until I had this baby—Angelo’s and my baby. My sweet little Noelle.
I rocked her gently in the nursery chair, the one Angelo had positioned perfectly by the window so I could watch the winter sunlight stream across the French Quarter while I nursed.
Noelle latched on eagerly, her little rosebud mouth working, her impossibly long eyelashes—Angelo’s eyelashes—resting against her round cheeks.
Her tiny fist curled against my breast, fingers smaller than my thumb, so delicate I was almost afraid to touch them. But I did anyway, stroking the back of her hand with one finger, marveling at the softness of her skin, the perfection of each miniature nail.
She was such a happy baby. Content. She rarely cried unless she was hungry or needed changing, and even then her cries were more like polite complaints than true distress. As if she knew she was safe, loved, protected.
The Alice in Wonderland mobile hung above her crib, still and silent now, but earlier I’d wound it up and watched her dark eyes—so alert already—track the spinning figures. She’d seemed fascinated by the Cheshire Cat, her little mouth forming what might have been a smile.
Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. The books said newborns didn’t really smile yet.
But I swore she’d smiled at Angelo this morning when he’d held her against his bare chest, his cool skin soothing her fussiness. He’d looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the universe—which, to him, she was.
To both of us.
Angelo had left to ensure that the house was well guarded about half an hour ago. Lorenzo was outside my door as usual.
There was a soft knock on the door, gentle enough not to startle the baby. “Serenity?”
“Come on in, Joy.”
She slipped inside quietly and closed the door behind her. When she saw us by the window, her face lit up with a smile. “How are you and little Noelle doing this morning?”
“We’re fine. Perfect, actually.” I adjusted Noelle slightly, and she made a small satisfied sound. “Is everybody up?”
Joy crossed to us and perched on the ottoman near the rocking chair, leaning in to stroke Noelle’s downy black hair.
“If by ‘everybody up’ you mean are the men patrolling like we’re in a maximum-security prison, then yes.
” She rolled her eyes affectionately. “Angelo has doubled the guards. Lorenzo hasn’t left his post outside your door except to use the bathroom. ”
I laughed. “I know. Lorenzo’s become my second shadow.”
“Guards are doing perimeter checks every hour.” She looked at me seriously. “No one is getting in here, Serenity. I promise you that.”
I sighed and held Noelle even closer to me, breathing in that sweet newborn smell—milk and powder and something indefinable that was purely her.
“I hope not. I pray not,” I whispered, as if saying it too loud might make it real.
“Vex must truly be a monster to want to hurt something this innocent. This perfect.”
Joy’s expression darkened, her shadows flickering at the edges of the room. “He is a monster. But he’s not getting anywhere near her.” She reached out and touched my arm. “One more day. Just think, the day after tomorrow the Full Cold Moon will have passed, and then she’s safe.”
The words should have been comforting.
But they felt like a countdown to something terrible.
“I know.” I stroked Noelle’s soft cheek with my finger as she nursed.
“I just wish it was Christmas already and all this was over. This threat gone.” I hesitated, then admitted something I’d only told Angelo.
“I’ve tried calling out to my father, Raphael, to protect her.
Multiple times. But he hasn’t answered.” I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat.
“I would think he’d want to come and see his granddaughter. His only grandchild.”
The silence from heaven hurt more than I wanted to admit. After everything—after he’d helped us before, after he’d accepted my relationship with Angelo—I’d thought he’d be here for this. For her.
Joy’s expression softened with understanding. “Well, maybe he’s doing something to protect her that we don’t know about. Working behind the scenes. You know how angels are—all mysterious and cryptic about their plans.”
She always tried to see the positive in everything. She could find sunshine on the rainiest day, hope in the darkest moment. It was one of the things I loved most about her.
But right now, with my father’s silence echoing in my heart, optimism felt like a bandage on a wound that needed stitches.
“I hope you’re right,” I said quietly.
She gave me a big smile, deliberately brightening. “I know I am. Now—“ She leaned forward conspiratorially. “When little Noelle is finished with her breakfast, the ladies of the house would like you and her to come downstairs for some Christmas cheer.”
Despite everything, I felt a small smile tug at my lips. “What do you have planned?”
She winked. “You’ll see. But trust me—it involves cookies, presents, and possibly Elena threatening Dimitri with a wooden spoon.”
That got a real laugh out of me, startling Noelle slightly. She pulled away from nursing and looked up at me with those dark, serious eyes, as if asking what was so funny.
“Sorry, baby girl,” I whispered, kissing her forehead. “Mama’s just happy.”
Even if it was only for a moment.
A few minutes later, I carried Noelle carefully downstairs, one hand supporting her head, the other cradling her tiny body against my chest. Joy walked beside me, ready to catch me if I stumbled—I was still healing, still adjusting to the changed center of gravity now that she was outside my body instead of in it.
When I entered the living room, I stopped in the doorway and smiled so wide my cheeks hurt.
The girls had outdone themselves.
The room had been transformed into a winter wonderland. White lights twinkled everywhere, reflecting off silver and gold ornaments. Garland draped every surface. And in the center of it all—gifts. So many gifts.
A table near the fireplace was laden with treats: a crystal bowl filled with creamy eggnog, plates of Christmas cookies in every shape and color, and an enormous cake decorated with pink frosting roses that read “Welcome Baby Noelle” in elegant script.
Near the Christmas tree, baby shower gifts were piled high—wrapped boxes in pink and white and silver, gift bags overflowing with tissue paper. And sitting in the very center of the room, impossible to miss, was a huge teddy bear nearly as tall as I was, wearing a giant pink bow around its neck.
“Surprise!” Elena, Gianna, and Rose called out together, their faces beaming.
Joy squeezed my arm. “We wanted to celebrate her properly. A welcome to the world party.”
Tears pricked my eyes. With everything happening—Vex, the Full Cold Moon, the constant fear—they’d still taken the time to do this. To make this beautiful, normal, joyful moment for my daughter.
Our daughter.
They understood the threat looming over us. I could see it in their faces—the understanding, the love, the determination to give Noelle and me this one perfect moment before whatever darkness was coming tried to steal it away.
“It’s perfect,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “Thank you. All of you.”
Elena hurried over and pulled me into a gentle hug, careful not to squish the baby. "Ma chérie, we love you both. This little one deserves to be celebrated."
Gianna appeared at my other side. "Besides, we weren't going to let some demon ruin Christmas. Not for her first one."
“Nor would I,” Angelo said as he emerged from the shadows. I hadn’t even realized he was there.
I wiped at my tears with my free hand, laughing and crying at the same time. He came over and put his arm around my shoulders, steadying me, and I leaned into his strength.
Joy guided me to the couch, and I sat in the middle, still holding Noelle close against my heart. Angelo settled beside me, his hand resting protectively on my knee. The women gathered around—perching on chair arms, sitting on the floor, creating a circle of warmth and light.
I looked around the room at all the faces I cherished. The twinkling lights, the presents, the laughter beginning to fill the space. It was so cozy, so right, so full of love, that for just this moment, I could push away all the evil thoughts. All the fear.
I could just be here. Be in this moment. Enjoy the joy of Christmas and family and this tiny perfect person sleeping in my arms.
Tomorrow was the Full Cold Moon.
But right now? Right now we had this.
And I was going to hold onto it with everything I had.