Chapter 517: You’ll Understand Now You’re a father, son

Nikolai’s eyes focused on the three tiny figures, his flesh and blood… each of them curled in their mothers’ arms as she looked up at him with the most affectionate and wet eyes. He’d never seen Nikita look so… so beautiful and radiant before.

‘They’re my children, so cute and safe… they’re all safe.’

He’d worried after learning that his birth carried complications and made his mother weak. Nikolai’s hands reached out slowly hanging in the air before Nikita tilted her head with a seductive and motherly smile.

“Aren’t they cute? Look at our children Nikolai. I’m so happy.”

“Me too.”

His heart thundered, beating faster than it did in any battle or danger.

Small, delicate and barely awake.

It was as if these three little creatures suddenly carried more importance than himself, his desires and needs faded. He reached out and cupped the first girl, black hair and golden eyes… the moment he touched her. “Hrrrn~” She made a groan or maybe just a whine, but the moment their eyes met.

She resembled Nikita and her sister Kurone a little… but her nose and lips were his.

“Hello, little one.” He scooped her gently, fingers spread around her tail and a small blanket around her back to keep the little thing warm. “Wooo.” The small baby, barely able to open her eyes lay in his huge palms and looked minute.

“Viktoria.”

“Eh?” Nikita’s eyes peeked at her husband and blinked twice. “I see… Is that what you want to name her?” She curled her lips into one of the most genuine smiles he might have seen on her face. Her arms cradled Viktoria’s sisters.

“Sorry, I should have…”

“Nn… it’s fine. I will name these two little muffins then okay?”

The two girls who came out together didn’t have the same features as their big sister.

Viktoria whose black hair resembled Nikolai and his mother when in vampire form… while the two adorable pups in Nikita’s arms carried her snowy white hair and their eyes… one blood red, the other bright silver.

“Ah… it’s like I am looking at you each time I see my babies. So happy~” Nikita’s tired voice brought a strange ticklish feeling to Nikolai’s stomach. He forgot his mother, the battle and all that remained were the five of them. “Hello Елизавета(Elizaveta), good morning Дарья(Daria)~ I’m your mother.”

Nikita named them in her mother tongue, but after studying Nikolai could tell that she chose both names to match the meaning of Viktoria’s name so the girls would never forget their bond in the future.

Viktoria could mean, Victory, or Conqueror and in some literature her name symbolised hope after a struggle.

Daria, an older name with the meanings “Wealthy,” “Prosperous,” or “Gifted.” But was often associated with abundance, blessing and the prosperity of a family line… and in even older texts it carried the meaning of being “God’s gift.”

Elizaveta, or Elizabeth in an anglicised tongue was a mixture of old Hebrew and her mother tongue. A more traditional and noble name with associations to royalty with a meaning of “God is my oath,” or “Pledged to God.”

‘Well I’m not too religious. But thanks to my evil god’s blood the girls were born healthy, powerful and safe…’ His thoughts revolved around the three little girls right now as he tickled her tiny button nose. ‘So I will thank you, this once.’

“Phew… I feel a little overwhelmed.”

“Ehehe~ you too?” Nikita turned to him, although she smiled radiantly he could see the exhaustion on her face, even the machines showing her pulse and heartbeat were much lower than usual.

“Do you want to get some rest? The doctors might need to check on the girls…”

Nikolai didn’t know what to do. It was his first time, but the female doctor and midwife smiled and nodded at his words. He realised that they might have been worried about pushing them because of their power difference.

“Eh? But…” Nikita’s eyes were glassy, and a little out of it.

‘Well she’s taken medicine to help her relax… and there was a lot of blood.’

“Come on, I’ll be here with you all night if anything goes wrong, count on me.”

Nikita seemed against it at first, but the moment he came close and the midwife and nurse took the babies gently, treating them like the most priceless treasure, Nikolai sighed with relief.

That’s when he slipped onto the bed and squeezed beside Nikita.

“Nn…” Nikita’s eyes instantly closed tight, her words became slurred as she hugged his chest tight. “Nikolai… Luv… you.” Babbling like a child herself Nikita dropped into a deep sleep like a brick.

“Is she alright?”

“O-Of course Patriarch! The lady worked hard for the past five hours… we delayed announcing her labour because of her request and the attack.

“I see.” He didn’t plan to complain or blame the doctors and nurses. Nikolai knew how stubborn his wife could be. “Good work, all of you will get a raise… so please take care of my daughters.”

“Ah!?”

Nikolai rarely showed a bright smile outside of private places, so when he smiled at the nurses, they all blushed and nodded vigorously before leaving.

‘Finally alone…’

When the others left, he stroked the pale cheek of his wife, gently nuzzling her with a bitter smile. “You always work hard when I’m not watching.” He placed her head against his chest, and while closing his eyes he thought of nothing but his wife and new children… exhausted from the constant action and troubles he also drifted off into sleep.

***

“My dear wife.” Ivan’s low voice echoed down the eastern wing as he held his wife’s hand for the first time in over a decade. “I failed you in the past but never again, I swear on my life.”

The pair walked slowly down the warm corridor.

A tall woman over six feet tall, with silky black hair and deep red eyes, and a handsome man with silver hair and eyes only just taller than her.

She moved with an elegance that might only be found in royalty or high nobles of the past. Raised as the heir of her clan, Elizabeth Bathory smiled as she touched the glass and peeked inside at the three babies in incubators and the names of her granddaughters.

“That cheeky girl probably used my name to win my sons heart even more.”

Elizabeth smiled at the small incubator with a tiny nameplate which read, Елизавета II. Although she complained about Nikita the grandmother of the triplets looked blissful and curled her lips into a deep, red smile.

“It’s been a while since you used the true spelling though…” Ivan chuckled and looked down at his first grandchildren. “We’re going to have a wonderful, and fulfilling life, Eliza. Look at how filial our son is, giving us so many cute grandchildren the moment you return.”

“Hmph, you’re just happy that one of them has your eyes.”

“What about that two with your features? Look at those lovely red eyes, and that black hair will surely be silky and beautiful like yours.”

Ivan and Elizabeth I enjoyed a small moment bickering. They’d spent so long apart, and yet the moment she woke up they’d been inseparable.

“I was going to scold him for not being there, but my son… he really is too cute to be angry with.” Eliza giggled as her fingertips stroked the glass. A strange feeling that had not experienced for over a decade. “Let’s go and see our ‘filial’ son.”

“Anything my dear.”

The two enjoyed a date in the medical wing, and finally came to the room where Nikolai and Nikita were sleeping. When Ivan reached the door, he looked at his son and a rare blush came to his cheeks.

Then Elizabeth II spoke to him with a charming tone. “Hey, Darling do you remember?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“This reminds me of when I gave birth to Nikolai, and you lay with me for hours… no it was days because of how exhausted and sick I became.” Eliza’s red eyes shone as if those memories were treasures beyond gold or gemstones.

“I thought I might lose you both, because of how weak you were.”

Ivan touched the window, just like with his grandchildren he watched Nikolai with the same, passionate and affectionate gaze. “I’m proud of him, Eliza. So proud, that I cannot bring the correct words… It just gets stuck in my chest.”

“Oh my big soft wolf… just tell him you’re proud. Nikolai isn’t complicated, he’d be happy with a smile or sharing a drink with you Ivan.”

“R-Really!? Something so simple…”

Elizabeth could only smile at her husbands lovely side. “In ten years, why are you still so cute. Don’t you know how much he idolises you?” She hugged Ivan from behind and whispered in his ear. “Nikolai worked so hard for you. Because he idolises and loves you more than anything, darling not just because of me. I’ve heard his cute dreams and thoughts. He’s a little daddy’s boy and it makes mother oh~ so jealous.” She pushed her lips together and blew down Ivan’s neck.

“E-Eliza…” Ivan blushed while closing his eyes, weak to his wife.

“Fufu~ you’re so cute, maybe we should try for another little one… a cute daughter would be nice.”

“!!!!” Ivan’s eyes lit up as he pictured it… the cute granddaughters he saw earlier. That’s when Eliza hooked both arms around his chest and clung to his back, with a gentle laugh.

“Did you picture it darling?”

“Ugh… I did.”

“Then~ shall we?”

He glanced at his son one last time before being dragged away.

‘You’ll understand you’re a father one day, son.’

Ivan’s body lifted off the floor as Elizabeth, carried him with one arm. Her new body increased her physical strength far beyond a great elder thanks to Nikolai’s extreme amount of blood.

“Fufufu~ I’ve been waiting for this for so long…. D.A.R.L.I.N.G!”

‘My son. Your father only has simple words of advice. Never go against your wives or daughters!’