CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

“Kayla says we should shut up, apparently Solara is eavesdropping.”

Scarlet looked towards the house, she could see Kayla and Solara, they seemed to be quarreling. Kayla was doing most of the talking, her hands akimbo and her head shaking. She planted a quick kiss on his lips and shuffled to the car.

“Solara was listening in on your conversation. He could see the tension heating up.” Kayla looked into the rearview mirror to catch a glimpse of Scarlet. “Scar, are you sure about this?”

Scarlet nodded she couldn’t trust her voice not to betray her. Kayla fastened her seat belt and turned on the ignition bringing a roar of life into the machine.

They sped down the street once they were a good distance away Kayla continued in her line of thought, “Nikki, all Scarlet wants to do is protect her child, and besides I didn’t ask you along so that we can hear what you approve or disapprove of, or your opinions, and not for your sparkling personality. I need you to explain to Scarlet what she should prepare herself for.” She gave Nikki a tranquil insincere smile. “No offense, but you are the only female beast we are acquainted with.”

“Fine. I don’t particularly like you either.” Nikki huffed.

“Why is that exactly?” Scarlet wanted to find out if she truly fancied Stephan just as Kayla had thought.

“Honestly, I desire him. At a personal level, I like him, physically mostly. As a beast, he is the strongest creature I know of so that attracts me to him.” Nikki turned to look at her a smirk on her face, “Does that answer your question. If I do get him to mate with me remind me to thank you.”

“How about we get back to why you are here.” Scarlet scowled and rolled her eyes at her. The thought of Stephan replacing her with Nikki was ridiculous.

“I can’t be sure of what you are having but, male children are much simpler to bear. They only develop their instincts once they are born, per their surroundings. Females are more cautious from the get-go, in the first few days of birth they are much stronger than male infants. They develop much faster.

“They are born just as the human children are, but you won’t have any warning. Their first instincts are to feed and defend themselves. Your scent will be attached to him so will his father’s, so he will immediately know who his parents are.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.” Scarlet breathed a sigh of relief, she hadn’t heard of anything life-threatening. So far all she heard was that they were just like normal human babies.

“I wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you.” Nikki’s voice was mocking her. “Bearing a beast isn’t as simple as just pushing. They will claw their way out and rip you apart if they have to. It takes a female like me a week to heal from those injuries, that is if we survive them. A human will die in the process.”

“Nikki, we get your point now stop scaring Scarlet.” Kayla interrupted her as she took satisfaction in Scarlet’s fear. “Don’t worry, I’ll follow you to Washington in a week or so. You won’t do this alone.”

“I’m sorry about scaring you but you need to understand the danger in what you are doing. If Kayla and I haven’t killed each other at that time, I may just come with her.” Nikki seemed sincere, so Scarlet thanked her.

Scarlet thought about the irony and couldn’t help but feel amused by it. The life that she was trying so hard to protect may kill her. She planned to deliver the baby and his safety was more important than hers, if she didn’t survive it, Kayla would take him to Stephan.

They pulled up at the airport entrance. Scarlet and Nikki said their quick unfelt goodbyes at the car. Kayla walked her in with the duffle bag she had packed some of her clothes in. They headed for the gift shop to buy her a new cell phone and then headed to the ticket counter. Once Scarlet got her new printed ticket she headed for the departure gate.

“I packed some of your clothes in here. The phone is in the side pocket as well as some cash. Try not to fall into any pools while you are there.” Kayla hugged her tightly and only let go when a female voice called out her flight number. “Take care of the little one.” She jabbed her finger at her baby bump.

“I love you K. Take care of yourself. Tell Vincent and Eric I am sorry. The rest you can tell them farewell. Tell Solara to take care of you and tell Stephan that I love him and to give me some time on my own. I will call him when I’m ready.” Tears rolled down her cheeks and her eyes were clouded with new ones.

“I love you Scar.”

“I love you K.”

Scarlet ran into the departure waiting area, she couldn’t bear prolonging the goodbyes. She took her place at the end of the queue and took small slow steps to the ground hostess. Once her ticket was cut and she was given a boarding pass, she walked into the plane determined to start her new life, with her baby.

When the plane lifted into the air, Scarlet bid farewell to San Francisco, and all that she had left there. Stephan couldn’t get to her now and if he intended to follow her, she had a head start. It hurt her to know how much pain she would cause him. But she knew that losing her child would kill her. This was a necessary evil.

***

Stephan was still in bed, it was almost ten o’clock and was sure that Scarlet would return soon. He decided to arrange the room and take a shower before she did. He went about the room, picking up their wet clothes from where they had dumped them the previous night. He tossed all the clothes in the laundry basket, he was sure Scarlet would get to them once she arrived.

He took a quick shower and began looking for the only clean shirt he knew he had. When he couldn’t find it in any of his draws he checked in Scarlet’s.

Stephan was confused when one drawer after the other he found that they were empty. He went into her closet and it was empty too. Her suitcases were gone and all her toiletries had disappeared from the bathroom.

Fear began to set in as anger also began to take its toll. He heard the engine of Solara’s car, he could recognize it anywhere. Stephan pulled on his flannel trousers and bolted down the stairs. He stood at the doorway before Kayla and Nikki had a chance to get into the house.

“Oh snap!” Kayla hissed under her breath when she saw the robust half breed blocking the only entrance to the house. She could see the rage radiating from his body. His body posture, his once silver-gray eyes now black as coal and his fists clenching at his sides. His expression was a mixture of dread, fear, and anger.

Nikki took a step back, “To think I survived a murderous vampire yesterday to die at the hand of an angry lover.”

Solara. Kayla thought it would be wise to call for backup. The second she thought it, Solara was there standing behind Stephan.

“Where is she?” Stephan noticed the small crowd that was forming at his back but he didn’t let them distract him. “Kayla, where is Scarlet? All her things are gone, and I know you didn’t take her to the hospital.” His voice was low and calm which only made him sound all the more threatening.

“Her clothes are in the boot of your car at the bottom of the ocean. So is her phone, so don’t bother calling her.” Kayla told him when she saw him remove his phone from his pocket.

“I have no part in this conversation, so if you will excuse me.” Nikki headed to the house.

“Coward.”

“I am not trying to deny that Kayla.” She shamelessly admitted and squeezed past Stephan and Solara.

“Scarlet left for Washington about two hours ago. Stephan, where are you going?” Kayla ran into the house after him.

Stephan was pacing around the room looking for a clean shirt to wear. He disappeared into the bathroom for a second and walked out dressed in his jeans and boots.

“I am going after her. She promised that we would talk about this and if she wants to stay there I will stay with her.” Stephan stopped when he realized he had nothing to wear.

“Where is my shirt? Vincent, bring me one of Solara’s shirts.” Solara was the only man who was remotely close to his size.

Vincent was back in a second and tossed a white shirt at Stephan. He pulled it on as fast as he could.

“She said that she wanted time to herself, to think and to sort out her life.” Kayla walked to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “She needs time, she will be back soon. Scarlet wants to focus on the fellowship it the last thing she promised her parents. You need to find Zen and kill him before he uses any of us as a pawn to hurt you, especially Scarlet.”

Solara walked in and interjected, “Think about it Stephan, she is much safer now that she is away from you. It’s not like you don’t know where she is, Kayla has all the details and when she is ready you can go to her.”

He tried to understand the position he was in. One thing was for sure if it was Kayla on her way to Washington he would follow her regardless of what anyone said.

“Fine, but as soon as she calls you, you tell me. Do you hear me Kayla?” he couldn’t argue with reason.

Kayla nodded at him in response, she was afraid of opening her mouth and saying the wrong thing.

“Leave me alone, I need to think.” Stephan kicked the door closed once the room was cleared. It banged shut and shook at its hinges.

Stephan looked around Scarlet’s room, it was so quiet without her chirpy voice and lifeless without her buzzing about trying to clean everything. He felt her absence like an ache in his soul. His heart yearned for her presence and her sweet scent.

Closing his eyes he took his thoughts back to the day he met her. Since that night her life had always been in danger. He lay on her bed and wrapped himself in her duvet, inhaling the only part left of her. Her scent.