'Mommy.' Come a soft whimper, pulling me from the blackness of sleep.
'Hmm.' I kept my eyes closed.
'Mommy, wake up.' The same voice pleaded and its owner shook me gently. I reluctantly opened my eyes. My shape-shifter eyes allowed me to see as well in the dark as in light. Upon opening them I found myself glazing into the sweet face of a little angel. His hair was a soft, velvet-like black with random streaks of pure white. His lovely sky blue eyes were wide with fear.
'Did you have another nightmare, Sweetheart?' I asked my youngest son drowsily. This would be the third nightmare this week and it was only Thursday. I felt my husband shift next to me and I suddenly felt his breath next to my ear.
'Another bad dream, Nat?' He asked peering over my head, which still rested on its pillow, sounding barely contained exasperation. Nathaniel nodded looking so pitiful I felt my heart splinter. Other than the white streaks Nat and his father could have been the same person just at different ages they looked so much alike.
'Do you want to sleep with us tonight?' I brushed a strand of white hair out of my son's face, wanting nothing more than to take the fear I saw there and banish it to the deepest reaches of the Shadow-World.
'No. No. No. He's half shadow-shifter. He needs to learn to stand up to his fears, especially this one he has of the dark.' My husband's thoughts pushed into my own mind, I ignored him. He sighed a scooted over so there was room between the two of us, as I lifted the covers, so Nat could climb into the bed. Once Nat was settled between his father and myself, I began to drift back into sleep.
'Mommy?'
'Yes, Nat?' I opened my eyes again and looked at him.
'Can you tell me a story?' looking into those blue eyes, so much like his father's, I couldn't refuse.
'I suppose I could.'
'I want to hear a story.'
'Want to hear a story, too, Mom.' I looked over at the doorway and saw the Twins.
'Zack, Melody, what are you tow doing up?' Zack was as dark-haired and blue-eyed as his father and younger brother, but everyone said his face was mine. Melody was the exact opposite. She had my white light-shifter hair and hazel eyes, and the face of my husband. She had his temper too, while her twin was laid-back for the most part, Melody would go ballistic if push far enough. The Twins were eight, two years older than Nathaniel.
'Nat woke us up with his whining and then we couldn't go back to sleep.' Melody announced and I frowned at her.
'Don't pick on your brother, Mel.' Her father chided.
'Mom, can we please listen to the story, too?' Zack pleaded. I sighed now and my husband automatically moved over making more room on our bed, that was just big enough for the five of us to fit in, knowing what my answer was already.
'These kids have you wrapped all around their fingers, I hope you realize that.' He said in my mind again.
'I hope you realize that you're as soft as I am when comes to the kids. And not just them you're soft when it comes to me, too.' I retorted silently into his mind with a smile.
'What kind of story do you want to hear?' I asked as the Twins and Nat got themselves comfy.
'I want to hear a story with a lot of adventure.' Zack blurted out first.
'I want to hear a story about true love.' Melody chimed in next.
'I want to hear a story with a happy ending.' Nat responded last. I thought for a moment.
'Okay, I've got the perfect story.' I told them, sharing a smile with my husband as I began.