Micah's Calling by Donya Lynne

to live and die to
save her life.
    "Me, too," Micah said. "If I could see
Trace's thoughts, I could know better how to help him." He hesitated.
"And I get the feeling somehow that I'm supposed to. Help him, that
is."
    "What do you mean?"
    He laid his hand over hers on the short span of mattress
separating them, weaving their fingers together.
    "I'm not sure," he said, frowning subtly.
"But I feel like he found me for a reason. Like he needs me or
something."
    Sam didn't know what to say to that. What could Trace
possibly need from Micah?
    "I don't know," he said, reading her thoughts.
    They lay staring at each other for a couple of minutes, and
then the blinds and drapes kicked on and began to close over the windows.
    "Here comes the daylight," he said, smiling.
    "Yep." Her eyes adjusted to the darkness as the
small night light plugged into the bathroom socket cast a faint glow into the
bedroom.
    Daylight. Something Micah had never known.
    "Oh no. I knew it as a child," he said.
    Sam's eyebrows popped with surprise. Micah had been a child?
    He laughed. Just threw his head back and laughed. "Of
course I was child. Where do you think vampires come from? Didn't I already
tell you we have babies?" He placed his hand over Sam's stomach and gently
pushed her to her back, rising up on his elbow to look down at her.
    He kept his hand on her belly, almost as if he was trying to
feel a tiny life moving inside of her. As if he wanted more than anything to
feel that.
    "I just can't imagine you as a child, Micah." She
smiled up at him and brushed his long hair out of his face before tucking it
behind his ear.
    He leaned his head into her hand and closed his eyes
briefly.
    "Well, I was. A long time ago."
    "How long?" He still hadn't told her his age.
    "I can't remember exactly, but over a thousand
years."
    She gaped.
    "Don't look so surprised," he said.
    Still holding his face in her palm, she made an appraising
sound that embedded deep in her throat.
    "You look good for a thousand-year-old man."
    "Male."
    "Whatever."
    He laughed. "And I'm older than that, I just can't
remember exactly. You know, you kinda stop counting at a certain age."
    Sam shook her head. "Well, can you take a guess?"
    Micah blinked with appeasement. "It's just driving you
crazy not knowing how old I am, isn't it?"
    "I'm just curious is all." She patiently caressed
his cheek with the pad of her thumb.
    He took a deep breath and looked to be thinking back over
his life, adding up the years in his head. Finally, he said, "It was after
the collapse of Rome in 410, I know that much. Drecks used barbarian hordes to
hide within and attack vampire villages." Micah seemed lost in thought for
a moment then smiled at her. "Let's call it fifteen hundred years."
    Sam planted a sweet kiss on his lips. "Well, like I
said, you look good for being an old fart."
    "What can I say, I age well." He kissed her back.
    "Very well. I daresay you're the best looking fifteen
hundred-year-old man I've ever seen."
    Micah rolled his eyes. "As if you've seen many."
    "Hey, how do you know?"
    He tapped her temple. "Because I can see all,
remember?"
    "Not if you're staying out of my memories, as you
promised you would." She raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him.
    "Difficult female." He bent down and kissed her
neck.
    "Incorrigible male."
    "Touche," he said against her nape.
    "What kind of child were you, anyway?" She wrapped
one arm around him as he nibbled away at her and slid one of his long, powerful
legs between hers.
    "Rowdy."
    She giggled. "Why do I sooo believe that?"
    "Because it's true."
    "Seriously, what else. If I'm going to have your
children, I want to know what to expect."
    The mention of children practically melted Micah against her
as he snuggled even closer and rubbed her stomach. She had to admit, she loved
this calling thing and how it affected him. He was so attentive and
reverent toward her body.
    "I was an active child," he said. "Curious
about everything."
    "How did your