CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

Scarlet had never thought of what form the baby would take once he was born. She was sure he would look human considering all the beasts did. She didn’t think he would have any vampire traits, going by Kayla’s information male vampires couldn’t reproduce, there was no chance he would. Although Nikki suspected otherwise, there was much they didn’t know about the vampires’ world other than what they heard.

“Let’s go feed my nephew. I am going to miss you Scar.” She gave her a bear hug before leading her downstairs where the food was.

Scarlet walked down the stairs and immediately felt wary of herself. She met nine pairs of eyes staring at her. They all seemed to be waiting for her.

“Hi guys,” she headed for the pizza, not looking at what she had picked. She shoved it in her mouth and squeezed herself between Eric and Vincent on the sofa. Victor sat by his brother’s side at the far end. She leaned forward to see him, they looked exactly alike.

“You are the twin huh?” she looked back and forth at them and pouted her lower lip, “Well Vincent at least you now know how you would look without those hideous gold blonde streaks in your hair.” She smiled at him and his face relaxed.

He caught her in an awkward hug. “I am really glad you are ok.”

“I should be thanking you and your brother, him for coming to warn us and you for hailing a taxi for me.” She chuckled once more and his whole body relaxed as he laughed with her.

“I just wish I was able to stop Zen from tossing you into the water,” Victor added midst their laughter. His voice sounded just like Vincent’s but he had a serious edge.

“Don’t worry about it. I needed the swim. You should feel sorry for Stephan his car is laying at the bottom of the ocean.” She looked up at Stephan, he was leaning against the wall, his expressionless than amused by her joke.

She always understood how her safety was important to him. She knew he would understand sooner or later after he got past the feelings of betrayal and anger.

“Drowned and a doorless,” Solara added.

“What? What do you mean?”

“Stephan had to pull the door out so that he could get you out. He didn’t even flinch when he destroyed that car.” Solara chuckled once.

“There was someone more important than the car that I was after. I could always buy a new car, but Scarlet isn’t replaceable.” His body was tense and his gaze shifted from her and the door. It was as if he expected someone to crash into the house through it.

“I am exhausted.” Scarlet yawned and sighed. She had gone through a box on her own and now that she was fed it was time for her to sleep.

“Do you want me to carry you or will you make it on your own.” Stephan had stepped forward and extended his hand to her.

“I can make it, but thanks for the offer.” She took his hand and let him lead her to her bedroom. She watched his back as he moved. She was going to miss how his muscles moved under his shirt.

She watched as he turned the bed down for her. He took a step back giving her way to get under the covers. He climbed in and snuggled deep so that she could be comfortably cuddled beside him.

“I am going to miss this when I eventually go to Washington,” Scarlet added the last part when she was afraid that she may have given him a hint of her departure.

“It won’t be for long, soon we will be together and I will hold you in my arms for the rest of eternity.” He kissed the top of her head and held her tightly against his chest. “You should sleep now, tomorrow morning Kayla is going to be banging on this door at six in the morning.” He laughed the deep boom of it made Scarlet happy.

Scarlet knew that she was going to take his laughter away from him, she felt guilty because of it.

“Stephan, will you please kiss me?” She turned her head to look up at him.

He responded by flipping her on her back and gently mounting on top of her. He leaned his head to hers and his lips traced hers. Gently at first, he kissed her, and then his kiss grew urgent and intense.

Scarlet was getting dizzy under his strong body. Her hands traced the contours his muscles made on his back. When he began to pull away she moved with him. It was too soon to break the kiss. To break the spell he always had her under whenever their bodies were this close.

“No, your body has been through enough traumas for one day.” He could feel her need for him, but he held himself back. He rolled onto his back and pulled her into his arms once more. “Sleep my love, we have the rest of our lives to make love.”

Scarlet could help but feel a fresh wave of guilt take over her. A hot salty tear rolled down her cheek and on Stephan’s black shirt. She didn’t allow herself to cry. Stephan would immediately know something was wrong, and Scarlet didn’t know if she had the strength to lie to him when he held her so close.

***

Stephan woke Scarlet up just as Kayla’s knuckles rapped on the door. Kayla had packed some of her clothes in the bag and put them in the boot of Solara’s car. Now all that was left to do was to get Scarlet in the car before Stephan realized what was going on.

Scarlet gave Stephan a long kiss goodbye, taking in every moment of it, she was going to keep the memory of this kiss with her until the next time they saw each other.

“I love you.”

With those last words, Scarlet ran down the stairs and out the door. She figured that it would be a lot easier to get it over with as fast as she could. Like ripping off a band-aid.

When she got to the car Nikki was there but Kayla hadn’t come out yet. She sat in the back seat quietly, although they had spent the last night in a near-death situation and she hadn’t given up on her, they weren’t as close as they ought to be.

“Thank you.”

“For what?” Nikki didn’t look back at her when she spoke.

“For saving my life yesterday, not giving up when the others had.”

“Don’t worry about it.” she turned and eyed her curiously with a hint of annoyance in her eyes. “I still don’t understand why you are taking away his child?”

“I don’t expect you to.” Scarlet tried to hide the anger building up in her, “You give birth and raise children in this world. You know what you are facing and you are willing to risk your lives and that of your children. I am not. Stephan will understand.”

Scarlet waited for a reply, a comeback of some sort but Nikki remained quiet.