CURSE OF THE MOON REBORN

“Funny guy. No, I’m not taking that bullet for you. I love you, you are my like my brother but no. Any other bullet but one with Susana engraved on it is all yours.” She patted his cheek then walked away.

“Do you smell that?” Stephan’s happy mood quickly changed.

“I do, just check the refrigerator maybe some of it poured or something.” Kayla walked towards the big metallic fridge occupying a corner in their kitchen.

“Dad.” SJ’s alarmed voice rang in the air.

Stephan immediately knew that the smell of blood wasn’t from the refrigerator but Scarlet. Carefully he lifted Scarlet off the stained black leather seat and into his arms.

“Relax and clean that up before she wakes up.” He told SJ who couldn’t take his eyes off the small puddle of blood that had formed around him.

“Kayla we need to change her before she wakes up.” He looked down at Scarlet’s relaxed face. She seemed so content as if in a beautiful dream.

“Hurry up.” Kayla passed him and ran to the room. She took out a change of clothes for Scarlet and waited for Stephan to get to the room.

Now more than ever he was sure that his decision to call in the beast was the best move. Scarlet kept on bleeding out for some reason they couldn’t understand and hopefully, the beasts would.

Kayla quickly changed her and burnt her soiled clothes. She was sure Scarlet was bound to notice her disappearing clothes considering they had already torched three sets of them.

“Tomorrow morning?” Kayla asked Stephan.

“Tomorrow morning.”

He replied.

“How sure are you that they have a solution Nikki wasn’t any help the first time what makes you think she can help now?”

“I’m desperate and if Susana says she can help I’m going to take whatever she has to offer.”

“Ok ok ok,” Kayla repeated the words, she needed everything to be just that, ok.

“Could you please make sure SJ is fine? I don’t want him to be in a panic when Scarlet wakes up.” He ushered Kayla out of the room and locked it behind her.

He turned to the bed, he could see how her stomach now looked bigger than the rest of her body. It was like the baby was draining her of her life to support its own. It was the same when she was pregnant with SJ and now he had to believe that everything would turn out fine like the first time.

“You’ll be fine my love, both of you will.” He caressed her belly, planting a kiss on the mold and her forehead. “You need to be strong for the both of you. This baby solely depends on you and as much as it is seeping the strength out of you, you need to hold on as tight as you can.”

“Why are you mumbling in my ear?” Scarlet moaned then turned to face him. “What’s wrong?” her hand flew to her belly and the mold was still there. She relaxed knowing that whatever was worrying him didn’t have to do with the baby.

“I’m just worried about you. I’m always worried about you.”

“You don’t have to worry. I’ve done this before remember. It’s like riding a bike.”

“We both know that’s not true. But I trust you.” He kissed her once more, “I think you should get some rest. Sleep, my love.”

“Alright but come lay beside me. I miss you holding me when I sleep.”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I just want to watch over you.”

“You are not my bodyguard you are my husband. So climb into this bed and hold me while I sleep.” She pulled him into the bed and cuddled into his arms.

Stephan stared at the wall as if expecting instructions of what he should do would trace itself on the white wall. He was helpless and for the first time, he needed someone to tell him what to do. His attention was drawn to the light tapping on the door.

“Come in.” As soon as he said it he remembered that he had locked the door. He didn’t want to wake Scarlet up so he didn’t move. SJ was on the other side of the door he could sense his unique aura, it was the same as his.

“Break it but don’t make too much noise.” He whispered.

As soon as the words left his lips there was the sound of a metallic crunch. SJ opened the door and caught the handle before it could crash to the ground.

“How is she?” SJ walked around the bed to his mother’s other side.

“She’s fine, she just fell asleep. Don’t worry about her.”

“Dad you didn’t seem surprised when she bled out. Has this happened before?”

“Only once before but don’t you worry.”

SJ sat at the foot of the bed and watched how his father held his mother tightly against his chest. He could see the look of disillusionment written on his face but a ray of determination glimmered from his eyes. This was his family and one way or the other it had to stay together, all four of them.

***

Scarlet’s throat was dry and her lips felt chapped. She swallowed hard hoping her saliva could ease the scorching dryness and ease her discomfort, but nothing. She tried to push herself up, but her feeble hands couldn’t hold the weight of her body. She lay back waiting for someone to come through her door and help her.

The baby hadn’t moved since the previous day and as much as Scarlet would have liked to think that everything was fine she knew better. She was weak and that could only mean that the baby was weak too.

One more time she tried to push her body in a sitting position and this time she made it. Leaning her back on the bed frame she took in a deep breath then exhaled.

“I knew we could do it. Right sweetheart. You and I aren’t as weak as we seem.” She caressed her belly and tapped the side.

Scarlet tapped her belly once more, this time not to caress it but in the hopes that she could jolt the baby.

“Come on, one little kick that’s all Mommy is asking for.” She tapped a little harder but nothing. “I guess you are asleep.”

She kicked the covers off her and onto the floor. She had every intention of getting off the bed but her body didn’t seem to be with her on that decision. Scarlet needed to get some water in her mouth or her lips at the very least.

“So my little sidekick how do you think we should do this.” She looked at the distance between the bed and the bathroom door. It was so close but to her, it could be to Africa.

“Let’s do this.” She moved one leg off the bed then the other. Then slowly she lowered her feet to the floor and slowly she rose off the bed. Once she thought she had a handle on it she took a step forward.

“So far so good. Now let’s try the other foot.” But as she lifted her left leg, her right gave in. She could feel her body tumble to the ground but she didn’t have the strength to get her footing back.

***

Stephan stood out on the porch as Scarlet’s white BMW drove into the driveway. Eric was in the driver’s seat and Vincent rode shotgun. The other two passengers in the back were Nikki and Susana, it was now too late to change his mind. They were here to help him and Scarlet and she would just have to accept it.

“Thank you for coming.” He opened the door of the car for the two ladies to alight.

“Sure.” Nikki walked past him and avoided meeting his gaze.

“Stephan I am so glad you asked us to come to visit.” Susana was more excited than Nikki and her enthusiasm worried Stephan.

“That’s um... I’m glad you are here. But please don’t forget why you are here.”

“I know to help Scarlet with the new baby.”

“Exactly to help her. And helping her does not include harassing her or annoying her.” This visit needed to go as smoothly as possible and Susana trying to recruit SJ into their pack was not going to help at all.

“Don’t worry, Xavier gave me very specific instructions. I promise not to agitate her in any way.” She turned and looked around, “This is a very beautiful place you have here. It’s no place for a powerful being such as yourself and your child but it’s lovely.”

“Dear God.” Stephan moaned to himself. “Make yourselves at home, I’ll just check on Scarlet.”

“This is not a good idea.” Kayla sang from the top of the stairs.