"It's a girl!" the doctor announced finally. He handed the second baby to Lorelei, who, Julian noticed with some surprise, was crying.
"She's beautiful," she said. "Don't just stand there, Julian. Get her a blanket."
He did. When he came back to wrap the baby, Lorelei already had her at her breast, and the little girl was suckling happily.
"Give me the other one," said Lorelei. "Two boobs, two ba- bies-it comes out even."
It took her a matter of moments to settle them both into position, one at each breast, both content and drifting off to sleep. Julian settled onto the edge of the bed and touched his daughter's head, then his son's. Eight hundred years of life, and he'd never before seen such a miracle.
"Do you have names?" the doctor asked.
"Michaela," said Lorelei. "Michaela, my little girl, and Gabriel my sweet little boy."
"Angel names," said Julian. "We thought it made a nice change from all the demon ones."
"Good call." Jarod rubbed at his eyes.
Some tears there, too, Julian believed. "So . . ." he ventured.
"Did you notice anything unusual?"
Jarod shook his head. "Just babies, Julian. Just gorgeous, healthy babies."
Lorelei peered closely into Michaela's eyes. "Lucien said they weren't human."
Does it matter?" Julian asked, tracing a finger over Gabriel's shoulder.
Lorelei gave him with a watery smile. "No," she said. "We got exactly what we wanted." Smiling in return, Julian kissed her forehead. "Yes, I think we did."