hree months later...

"Thank you for coming." Shanna gave Emma a hug.

"No problem." Emma smiled. "You know we would do anything for our godson." She and Angus had been thrilled when they were asked to be godparents. It was the closest they could ever come to being real parents.

Angus stood by the crib in the nursery at Romatech, studying the sleeping child. "He's verra special."

"Of course he is." Shanna's glowing smile faded a bit. "I just hope my dad agrees."

"I'm sure he will." Emma tried to be encouraging, but she had her doubts. Sean Whelan was supposed to arrive any minute now to meet his grandson for the first time.

Shanna had made the arrangements a week ago and was so nervous that Emma had agreed to come for moral support. She knew how volatile Sean could be. He'd cursed and ranted when she'd turned in her resignation. He'd demanded to know why. She'd told him that she was homesick and moving back to Scotland. As furious as he was, she hadn't dared tell him she was marrying the coven master of British vampires. Or that she had become a vampire herself.

"He's awake." Angus grinned as he playfully tugged on the baby's toes.

Constantine gurgled with laughter.

"He adores you, Angus." Shanna approached the crib.

"Aye." Angus picked up the chubby baby. "How are ye, lad?"

Emma's heart filled, watching Angus hold the baby.

The door swung open, and Connor escorted Shanna's father into the room.

Sean quickly scanned the nursery.

"Thank you for coming," Shanna said quietly.

Sean glanced at her, frowning. "I'm glad to see you're still alive. Have they been hurting you?"

Her jaw tensed. "I'm perfectly fine. And very happy."

He frowned at his grandson. "You let bloodsuckers handle your baby?"

Angus snorted. "I am Constantine's godfather."

Sean looked at Emma. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in a hurry to get back to Scotland."

"I'm visiting." She folded her arms across her chest. "I like to visit Constantine often. He's an adorable child."

As if on cue, Constantine squealed happily. He kicked and wiggled.

Angus chuckled. "He's a lively one."

"Is he?" Sean looked askance at the baby. "Is he... alive?"

Shanna scoffed. "I have gone whole weeks without sleep. I could actually do with a little less liveliness from him."

"He's a happy lad." Angus swung the baby around in a circle. Constantine chortled.

Sean shifted his weight. "Is he... normal?"

Emma was ready to kick his teeth in. "Of course he's normal."

"Which is amazing, considering my gene pool," Shanna muttered.

Connor chuckled.

Sean glared at him.

Angus walked toward them. "Do ye no' want to hold yer grandson?"

Sean looked worried as Angus came closer. "What does he eat?"

Connor arched a brow. "He takes three pints a night. Be careful, or he'll go for yer neck."

Sean jumped back.

Connor laughed.

Shanna gave him an annoyed look. "Behave yourself." She switched her glare to her father. "Constantine is a normal baby. He can't bite you. He has no teeth."

The door to the hallway opened and a woman peeked inside. "I'm so sorry to interrupt."

Emma recognized her as Radinka, Gregori's mortal mother, who was now managing Shanna's dental office.

"Shanna, dear," Radkina continued, "we have a bit of an emergency. Laszlo has chipped a tooth."

"Oh my. I hope it isn't a fang." Shanna strode toward the door. She glanced back at her friends. "I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Doona worry," Connor reassured her. When the door clicked shut, he continued, "We willna let this fool hurt his grandson."

"What?" Sean walked toward Connor. "You think I would hurt him?"

"I think ye would if he suddenly grew some fangs," Connor replied.

Angus set Constantine down in the crib, then joined the other men by the door. "Connor has a point. Ye shouldna be asking if yer grandson is normal. Ye should be ready to love him no matter what."

Sean snorted. "You have some nerve, lecturing me. How many people have you attacked over the centuries?"

Emma sighed. So much for the happy family reunion. She wandered toward the crib to see how Constantine was faring. Suddenly his head appeared above the crib railing. Then his chest and chubby belly.

Emma's mouth fell open. Good heavens, Constantine was levitating! He kept going up and up. She glanced back at the men. Sean's back was turned, and Angus and Connor were so busy defending their honor, they hadn't noticed the baby floating up to the ceiling.

Constantine chortled, clearly pleased with himself. Sean started to turn.

Emma leaped and levitated fast to the ceiling where she caught the baby in her arms.

"What the hell?" Sean stared at her, aghast. His eyes widened. "Shit! You're a vampire!"

Emma smiled faintly. "I've been meaning to tell you."

Sean turned to Angus. "You bastard! You did this to her. You killed her."

Angus stepped forward, his fists clenched.

Connor grabbed Sean from behind. "Ye will calm yerself, Whelan."

Sean's eyes blazed with anger. "I should kill you, MacKay." He glanced back at Connor. "And you, too, you bastard. Let go of me."

"Stop it," Emma shouted, cradling the baby against her chest. "You will not fight in front of the baby."

Connor released Sean, and the men spread out, eyeing each other suspiciously.

"Sean, I was mortally wounded, and Angus saved my life."

He gave her an annoyed look. "You're not alive."

Emma descended slowly, taking the baby with her. "I am alive, just... different. I wanted to tell you earlier when I turned in my resignation, but you were too upset to listen to reason."

Angus folded his arms. "He is always too upset to listen to reason."

Sean frowned.

Emma landed in front of the crib. "I want you to listen now, Sean. I am the same person you knew before. Death did not change me." She set Constantine down in his crib. "I am more determined than ever to defeat the evil vampires."

Sean remained silent.

She hoped she was getting through. Constantine giggled. She looked at him and he smiled back. A warmth seeped into her, and a sense of peace. The baby's eyes glimmered with a surprising intelligence.

He started to rise again. Emma placed her hand on his head and pushed him down.

"I am... disappointed in you," Sean murmured. "But I can concede that you are not evil."

"None of the Vamps here are evil. We¡ª" She noticed Constantine rising once again and pushed him down. "We want to make the world safe, not only for us, but for all mankind."

"Ye should let us do our job," Angus added. "Stop interfering with us when we're trying to protect you."

Sean sighed. "I'll think about it." He turned to Connor. "I'd like to talk to my daughter."

Connor nodded. "This way." He led Sean out the door.

Emma sighed with relief.

Angus smiled. "That was a good speech, though I was surprised to see ye floating about with the bairn."

"I wasn't taking him up. I was bringing him down." Emma let go of Constantine. He squealed and started to levitate.

"Good God." Angus strode forward.

"I know." Emma watched as the baby rose to the ceiling. "I let Sean think it was me. I didn't think he could handle this."

Angus wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "We're making progress with him."

"I hope so." Emma linked her hands around Angus's neck. "Have I told you recently that you're the most amazing man in the world, and I love you to distraction?"

He grinned. "The only amazing thing about me is that I found the most amazing woman to love."

Emma touched his cheek. "And it only took about five hundred years."

As they kissed, Constantine lowered gently into his crib, an angelic smile on his face.