CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

Stephan, Solara, and the twins got back to the beast lands to find that Scarlet and Kayla had left with the baby.

“Hey Stephan, how did it go?” Xavier met them at his house.

“I can be sure of a peaceful life.” He sighed, “What time did they leave?”

“An hour after you left for Rio. They weren’t comfortable here and I think Susanna had gotten on Scarlet’s last nerve.”

“Oh, she still tried to convince her?” Solara chortled.

“Convince her of what?” Stephan hadn’t gotten the first part of the conversation.

“She wanted her to leave SJ to live here. Something about grooming him into a leader.” Vincent was fishing the fridge for the pint of blood they had stored.

“That was brave of her.” Stephan knew that it was impossible to separate Scarlet from her son. She didn’t want him to be a part of the supernatural world any more than he should. He was on a strictly need-to-know basis for the time being.

“They left you some change of clothes, your passports, and the keys to Kayla’s Mercedes.” Xavier took out the keys from his pocket and handed them each their passports.

“At last this is over.” Vincent sighed then plopped down into one of the chairs.

“Almost over. Marquis is still out there and I can guarantee you that she will come after me.” Stephan regretted the decision of not killing her when he had her in his clutches.

“So what do we tell Scarlet?” Vincent sank deeper into the leather seat.

“Nothing, nothing at all.” Stephan looked around the room to confirm that they were all with him in the decision of keeping Marquis to themselves.

“We’ll just have to look out for her. Kayla can help in distracting Scarlet if the need arises.” Solara put in.

“Are you sure, those two are like Siamese twins? I’d rather you don’t tell her.”

“Even if I don’t she may just pick it up from my mind.”

“Then don’t think about it.”

“We need to get you guys to the airport if you are going to make the first-morning flight out of here.”

“Xavier, thank you for getting my family up here, I don’t know what happened. I must apologize for the trouble I put you through.” Stephan expressed his regret.

“Anyone else in your position would have done the same.”

“Stephan, I have been meaning to ask you, how did she get through your shield like that?” Solara could bear witness that invading Stephan’s mind wasn’t next to impossible.

“She had the time and practice. The month I was there she followed me around, everywhere I went she was there. I always ignored her.” He recalled, “I used to get terrible headaches out of nowhere. I should have known she was up to something.”

“Marquis is sneaky, calculating, and vicious, you couldn’t have known what she and Salvatore were planning.” Victor held.

“But I have known her for centuries. I let my guard down and it almost cost me my life.”

“What about Scarlet? I heard you in the forest, did she finally calm down?” Solara asked concerned.

“I hope so, she seemed more at ease when I left. But one thing is for sure, if she finds out that Marquis is still on the loose, worse if she attacks, I’m a hundred percent sure she is going to leave me again.” Stephan thought back to the day when he found her closet and draws empty, a feeling of dread seared through him.

“She’s just being a mother looking out for her baby.” Solara patted his back.

“You should have been here when she woke up and couldn’t find SJ. It was scary.” Vincent giggled.

“She threatened to bring you here herself, to let your wrath descend upon the beasts hiding her son.” Xavier laughed.

Stephan could see why they thought it was funny but to him, it meant so much more. Even in a passing statement, an idle threat, she showed that she believed in him to protect her. Although her trust in him had dwindled he was sure he could regain her full confidence.

“She wouldn’t have needed my help. She is like a small volcano waiting to erupt. A volcano I need to get back home to.” Stephan added his tone filled with adoration.

“I think you should change out of those pants and put a shirt on at least,” Solara said as he scanned around the female that had begun to gather around them.

“I meant to ask where you got the leather from.” Xavier scrutinized the pants Stephan wore.

“They are borrowed.” Solara and the twins said in unison.

“Do I want to know from whom?”

“It doesn’t matter, he’s too dead to notice they are missing.”

“You killed him?” Xavier was impressed, “So who is commanding the ship?”

“I don’t care, I just warned them not to involve me in anything else.” Stephan took clothes from Solara and went into the room to change.

They fed to make sure that no incidents would occur on their long flight back home. After they had their fill and everyone was comfortable they left for the airport. Vincent wasn’t too happy about leaving Eric behind, they had managed to look past their differences and form a close bond with each other.

Stephan was glad to be heading back home, and he was even happier that his life had become a lot less complicated. He didn’t regard Marquis as a threat he could easily handle her when the time came. But now all he thought about was being with his wife and his son.

***

They drove her car back home and left Kayla’s for the boys to use once they were back. The house seemed bigger when it was just the three of them. Space looked much smaller when all seven of them were around and even smaller when Xavier and his men came around. But now it was empty and lifeless.

Scarlet put SJ down in his bed, she was also exhausted but didn’t want to leave Kayla to stay up on her own.

“Now we wait?” Kayla walked into the room.

“Now we wait.” Scarlet echoed.

“You should also get some sleep. You look exhausted.” Kayla suggested.

“I’d rather wait up with you. I don’t want you to wait alone.” Scarlet struggled against her droopy eyes.

“You are dead on your feet, I don’t mind staying up alone. Besides we don’t know when they will be back.” She sat at the foot of SJ’s bed.

“How about this, you wait up here with us.” She suggested.

“Sure, I’ll watch over you.”

She carried SJ into her bed and he slept between her and Kayla. They talked for a couple of minutes before Scarlet gave in and fell asleep.

***

Stephan walked into the house and found Kayla waiting for them at the foyer. She gave him a quick hug, before running into Solara’s arms.

“Where is she?” Stephan asked in a hushed tone. He didn’t want to risk waking her up if she was close by.

“She’s upstairs asleep with the baby.” She locked her arms around Solara’s waist.

Stephan quietly walked into her room, SJ cuddled beside her and she had her arm firmly wrapped around his body. Careful not to wake them Stephan moved her arm and lifted him off the bed. He held him in his arms for a while before laying him on his bed.

He nuzzled next to her, pulling her warm body closer to his. He burrowed his nose into her hair and breathed in her delicate scent.

Scarlet couldn’t feel the little body of her son, instead, it was replaced by large, hard muscles. She inhaled his musky scent then snuggled closer to him.

Stephan saw the smile on her face and knew she was awake. He tilted up her face, her eyes still closed, and leaned closer to kiss her lips. Gently he pressed his lips on hers, slowly parting her tender lips and tasting her.

Scarlet sighed and ran her fingers through his thick hair and his well-toned body. She had missed the feel of him in her arms, and at that moment she forgot all the terrible things that had happened and all the hurtful things she had said. She just wanted to be there with him.

Stephan’s heart leaped for joy when he felt her desperate need for him. He lifted her petite body and placed it on his, his lips not leaving hers for a second. His hands wandered around her body, caressing every inch of her within reach.

She could feel her desire for his build-up just as his kisses deepened. She had to put a stop to it and the thought of it pained her.

“Stephan.” She gasped in between kisses. “No, stop.”

He froze for a second wondering what could have ruined the moment. He thought back to their argument in the forest, a wave of fear swept through him when he assumed she was about to make him leave.

“What is it?” his voice trembled as he braced himself for the worse.

“In case you forgot,” she giggled then pointed towards the other bed in the room, “The miniature you is five meters away and he is too young to find out where babies come from.”

Stephan sighed and relief washed over him, he gave her a tranquil smile and stared into her smiling eyes.

“What is it?” Scarlet hadn’t missed the moment of tension.

“I just thought... forget about it.” Stephan dismissed the thought.

“You thought I didn’t want you anymore?” she played with a lock of his hair. “I will always want and love you. I just want our son to have a normal and peaceful childhood.”

“Normal?”

Scarlet realized how ridiculous that was. How was an immortal child supposed to have a normal childhood, a normal life? He was growing like a bean and everything about him and his family wasn’t normal.

“Ok, maybe not normal.” She was looking for the right words. “Comfortable, safe, and protected from things that aren’t normal in this world.”

“I’m sorry about Brazil. I don’t know how she managed to fool me.”

“Speaking of she...” Scarlet waited for him to complete her sentence.