The Last Embrace 229 I'm Sorry

After breakfast, Jessy went to visit Antonia and the kids.

"Hi... Antonia...h.e.l.lo kids! Did they fed you well?" she looked at their faces. "How are you doing kiddos?" she smiled at the children.

The kids smiled back at her for the first time.

Antonia smiled at the younger woman. "Yes, they fed us well. We are doing fine here. The children are a little bit restless though..."

"Huh? why?" Jessy asked frowning.

"They usually go out of the cave during night time and play, but here they were holed to their rooms the whole day, I'm sorry about this—we shouldn't be complaining at all. Don't worry I will keep them busy," Antonia said.

"Ah I see...kids will be kids...come here girls...sit on my lap," Jessy grinned.

The three little girls went to sit on Jessy's lap. "You want to play outside?"

They nodded their heads including the two boys.

"Do you know kids that there is a place nearby that you can play all day long under the sun? You can play in the swimming pool and run around the park and go to school as mortal children do!" she said.

"Really—where is that?" one of the girls about eight years old asked Jessy with curiosity in her eyes.

"I will take you there one day, do you wanna live there kids?" she asked.

"Yes!" they said in chorus, their faces brightened with curiosity and excitement.

"That's good! So, be good—okay? Don't give Antonia a headache!" she beamed at the children. "Now you go and play there in the corner because Antonia and I are going to talk about adult stuff..." Jessy said.

The kids obeyed her order and huddled in the corner.

Jessy faced Antonia.

"Antonia, I'm sure you are aware of the prophecy of the crossbred, I am that girl they were talking about. In the coming days, I'm going to transform you and the kids into mortals so that you can relocate to the Habitat as soon as possible. Once you've become a mortal being you will no longer be dependent on human blood to keep living, you can eat human foods and live normally like everyone else. You can walk freely under the sun, the kids will have a normal life. Being a vampire is no longer practical in this era in which the anti-vampire vaccine can send all vampires to their doom. We have to adopt the ways of humans or else we will forever live in darkness fearing for our lives and surviving day by day with no promise of a bright future. So— are you ready to join the rest of the ex-vampires in the Habitat?" she asked her.

Antonia nodded her head. "I'm willing to be converted into a mortal as long I can continue taking good care of the kids," she said.

Jessy admired Antonia's dedication in providing maternal love and care to the kids, she remembered Nana Aida back in the mansion. The deep of Antonia's love for the children that weren't even born out of her womb was beyond amazing!

"Why are you willing to devote your time taking good care of these children when they weren't your own?" Jessy asked in wonderment.

Antonia smiled beautifully. "These kids have no one, they lose everything, if I will abandon them they will roam these world with uncertainty and probably die early, they need someone to guide and nurture them. Kids need adults' love and warmth. It just so happen that—I also have no family of my own, so they become my instant family, the kids and I needed each other to survive in this world, we give each other a reason to continue living, so it's beneficial for both of us," she explained with sincerity and honesty, goodness radiating in her eyes.

Jessy hugged Antonia tightly. "Thank you for taking good care of the children, I know how they feel when they have no parents to nurture them when they were growing up, it's a difficult life, I've been there and survive those darkest times of my life, and here I am now," she said misty-eyed.

Their conversation was a bit emotional, but when they looked at each other's eyes they reached a deeper understanding of one another, they were just two women who are protecting their cubs. Antonia was protecting the kids while Jessy was protecting the Habitat and the Facility.

Then...she remembered that it's the perfect time to ask the woman about their leader. "Antonia, what is the name of your leader? And where was he during the time that we attack the cave?" she asked.

Antonia fell silent, then her face turns sad and tears began falling from her eyes. "His name is Jagu, but he fondly called himself Jagger, he is not a bad leader to us, he was protective of us, he periodically goes out of the cave to hunt for humans everywhere and brought the captives back to the caves. He single-handedly captures those humans. I'm so sorry that's all I can say to you, I'm so sorry for what we have done to the humans but we also have to survive and there is no other way for us to continue living, we are just being pushed to the edge, I'm so sorry that everything is so messed up. Even if you kill me right now, I will no longer say anything out of respect for our leader," she said remorsefully.

Jessy released a deep sigh. "It's okay, calm down, Antonia, I won't kill you and I won't press you any more about your missing leader. I just want to ask you this...If one day you two will meet again...would you go back to him?"

Antonia shook her head. "No. My priority is the children, if the kids can lead a normal life and no longer depend on human blood then that is the path I'm going to choose for the children," she answered.

Jessy smiled and rose to her feet. "Wise decision Antonia! I'm going out now because I have some important things to do outside. I will drop by anytime, I will let you know when the blood transfusion will begin..."

"Thank you for your help and understanding," Antonia said.

Jessy patted the older woman's shoulder finding a pleasant camaraderie with her. She went to the kids and messed up their hair affectionately. "Bye kids, see you some other time, your big sister her is a very busy woman," she let out a hearty laugh then pinched their faces playfully.

"Bye sister!" they said in unison, their smiles so sweet and innocent that brightens up Jessy's morning.

She nods at Antonia and exited the door, then locked it from the outside, the smile of gladness still lingers in her lips, seeing the kids expectant eyes transported her back to her childhood with Adam in the mansion, growing up without a parents' presence and care is difficult but when someone with a heart of gold steps in and accept the role wholeheartedly, it makes the kids life more bearable and meaningful.

She and Adam were very lucky to have Nana Aida on their side when they were growing up.

The orphaned kids were very lucky to grow up under Antonia's love and care.

Wow, it's still morning and she's becoming emotional again.

She better head back to the clinic and starts her day.

She finally arrived in the clinic and the blood transfusion began.

She was discussing with the doctor about the kids and Antonia.

"Doc, can you please make an exemption this time...I want to convert six vampires into mortals within in six days, we just have to insert them to the usual schedule, just one a day, on the sixth day we will be finished with them, just this once, please..." she said.

"Okay, no problem. When are we going to start the blood transfusion with them?" the doctor asked.

"Next week," she answered.

The doctor nods at Jessy. "Okay, I will add them to the schedule for next week," he said and scribbled something on his notes.

Then he looked back at Jessy as if trying to remind her of something.

She smiled. "Yeah—I know. I will visit Granny Alicia after my break time, later," she said.

The doctor smiled and says no more.