CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

“It’s me.” Stephan’s deep voice echoed in the hallway and through the door.

“That was fast.” Kayla was relieved, finally, a species closer to what Scarlet was carrying. She hoped he could offer more help than Nikki had.

Solara had it open in a second. He held the door open for Stephan to enter. “Hey.”

“What’s going on here?” Stephan was just as stunned as they had been. He walked around the bed and to the corner Scarlet was hanging from. He couldn’t believe it.

Scarlet’s demeanor had changed. She was no longer snarling at them but watched Stephan as he moved towards her. She seemed calmer with him around.

“We were hoping you could tell us.” Kayla stepped aside and allowed him to get closer to Scarlet. “So far, Nikki hasn’t given us much help.”

“Hey, I resent that.” Nikki came in, in her defense, “How was I supposed to know she could crawl up walls.”

Stephan’s gaze landed on the strange color of her eyes. He was irritated by the color that had replaced the hazel he loved. They later fell on her belly, it was too big for her petite body.

He moved closer when she leaned down to him, in this position he could see how she was supporting herself. Her fingers dug into the ceiling. He moved even closer when he realized she was trying to get closer to him.

Scarlet sniffed into the air and a gentle innocent smile curved on her face. Then her eyes closed and when they opened they were back to their beautiful hazel color.

Scarlet gasped before she let go of the ceiling.

Stephan’s arms were stretched out, ready to catch her as she fell. He cradled her in his arms before laying her on the bed. She wasn’t conscious but he could hear her breathing and her heart beating. She looked so relaxed as her chest rose and fell as she slept. Her body looked out of her proportion with the center dominating. She looked like the rest of her body was part of the belly and not vice versa.

“What exactly was the plan, when the three of you thought about this?” Stephan glared at both Kayla and Nikki, he was livid. How did they plan to handle this on their own?

Kayla knew the third person he referred to as Scarlet, and at that time she wished she would wake up and explain her side. She was just trying to help her and Nikki was an unwilling participant.

“I didn’t plan anything.” Nikki as usual pulled herself out of the quorum she had been grouped in, “I was just pulled into this mess. I tried telling them but they wouldn’t listen.”

Kayla sneered at Nikki, then turned to face Stephan, “Stephan, she was just trying to protect the baby. It has been a crazy couple of months and she didn’t think she had any other option.”

“Don’t you think I should have been consulted? I am the baby’s father.”

“And the reason her world has turned into a supernatural nightmare.” Kayla immediately wished she could take back her statement. She didn’t mean to say it out loud but it escaped from her lips.

It hurt him, but it also angered him. His fury was evident when his silver eyes slowly turned black it was like a cloud of black smolder had covered them.

Kayla straightened up, ignoring Nikki’s titter behind her back, “I didn’t mean for that to hurt you or piss you off, but you can’t deny it. I’m exhibit A.”

I don’t regret it. She whispered in Solara’s head as her head inclined towards him for a second. She didn’t want him thinking that he turned her life into a nightmare.

“That was all him.” Stephan pointed an accusing finger at Solara.

“But he came into our lives because of you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m eternally grateful for that.” She stepped closer to him and put her hand on his arm.

“Everything else that followed became too much for her. She wanted to leave long before the baby, but she loved you too much. When she found out she was pregnant...”

“She had to make a choice, and she chose the baby.” Stephan didn’t know what to think. He was a tad jealous of the unborn child.

She had never met him and yet she was ready to give everything up just for him. She gave him up for their unborn child. He was ashamed of the rage he felt towards her and the envy he felt for the baby. He looked down at her and smiled as his theory was confirmed. Her hand slowly lay on her massive belly. How could he hold it against her, she looked beautiful, round with his child.

“I can’t believe you kept this from me Solara. Kayla I understand, but you, no.” He looked at Solara’s grin on his face. He couldn’t help but be amused when Solara stared at Kayla, indicating with his eyes the reason for his silence.

“And why did you do it?” he now understood Solara’s reason and Kayla’s was automatic, but he didn’t expect that Nikki would go along with it.

“I tried telling you when I gave you her address. I wanted you to find out for yourself. I was hoping you would hate her and I could have you to myself. But that didn’t work out.” Nikki said with a smile on her face.

“Why are we keeping her alive again?” Kayla couldn’t believe she was making a pass at him with all of them in the room. She didn’t even try to hide her motives even with Scarlet in the room.

“Don’t worry Kayla, that won’t happen. Besides, Stephan has already knocked up Scarlet. He is bound to her forever.” Solara pulled Kayla in his arms to calm her down, but he was failing.

“Baby or not, Scarlet will always be the only woman for me.” He said it with so much conviction that Nikki couldn’t help but cringe. “I suppose Kayla brought you along for the birth. That is the only reason I can come up with since she obviously can’t stand the sight of you.”

Kayla was still glaring at her. Nikki could feel her stare at the back of her head but it didn’t bother her at all.

“Yep! I’m the midwife. We have to wait for the child to be ready, it won’t be long.”

“How do you know that?” Stephan sat on the bed and placed his hand on Scarlet’s over her belly.

“Let’s see.” She crossed her arm and tapped a finger on her chin. She then started walking back and forth as if trying to develop a thought. “She crawled up the wall and hang from the ceiling, she has superhuman strength, she growled at us, and neither Kayla nor Solara can access her head.”

“What about her head?” Stephan said as he tried to shake the dread away.

“We still couldn’t do that when we were home.” Solara intercepted, “You remember when she was getting those hot-cold flashes? That’s when she or the baby started blocking us out.”