CURSE OF THE MOON REBORN

“What happened?” Scarlet met Stephan at the foyer just as he came in. “What is that on your skin?”

“Blood. Vampire blood.” He clarified.

“Where is Christina?” she marched behind him.

“I don’t have her yet.”

“What. What did you do Stephan?” She didn’t like the look on his face and how he went out of his way to avoid looking at her.

“I tried to kill her.” He said nonchalantly.

“You what.” They all said in unison.

“Let me get this straight, you tried to kill the only source of information.” Xavier shook his head in disbelief.

“One she is not the only source of information, and two she was getting on my nerves.”

“I am going to say something, at the risk of getting on your nerves and you trying to kill me. Have you lost your mind?” Kayla shouted.

“I would have. I wasn’t going to let her anywhere near me again.”

“So you decided to kill her. Smart move buddy.” Solara patted his shoulder.

“I don’t care if you approve or not. I came back for you guys, especially the twins, we need to track her.”

“The scent is going to be over six hours old. It won’t be as strong and we can’t promise anything.” Victor put in.

“I can’t believe you tried to off her. Do you know what I think, you should have gone after her at that same second.” Vincent pointed out.

“I would have but, I was otherwise delayed.” Stephan exhibited his soiled skin.

“I still can’t believe it. You are either very dumb or very sure of yourself.” Mathias chortled.

“Let’s go with B. Guys I don’t care what you think right now. We need to get going.” Stephan said.

“How about what I think,” Scarlet whispered from behind him. “Considering that I am the mother of this child. A child that I have never held before and may never hold. Ever. Does it matter what I think?”

“Scarlet I’m sorry. But as Christina’s father, I made a call, and now I am making another. I am going to find our daughter, and this time Marquis will be playing by my rules.” Stephan kissed the top of her head and disappeared up the stairs.

Seconds later he came back cleaned up. “Let’s go.”

“Momma!” Jade ran into the living room in alarm.

“What is it?” Kayla turned to her frightened daughter.

“SJ saw a vampire poking in the woods and he went after him.”

“Did the vampire see him?” Solara turned his daughter’s attention to himself.

“He did, and then he ran. Then SJ ran after him. He told me to come to get you guys.”

“Are you sure, my men should have seen him?” Mathias was doubtful.

“They did, they went after him as well.”

“It’s Marquis, I’m sure of it. They won’t be able to sense him. He isn’t alone so he is safe for now.” Stephan mumbled.

Scarlet looked around the room, no one had made a move to go after her son yet.

Kayla

Right behind you

The two women took off without warning, heading in the same direction as SJ. Kayla couldn’t pick up his scent, but Scarlet could. It was etched in her senses. Everything about her son was.

“Scarlet, Kayla.” Stephan and Solara took off after them as the others followed.

“Stop! Where are you going?” Stephan caught up with Scarlet and lifted her into the crook of his arm.

“I am going to get my son. Where are you going?” Scarlet struggled against his hold.

“Go back to the house, we will handle this.”

“You have done a bang-up job so far. I don’t think so. Put me down this instant.”

“She has made up her mind.” Solara held on to Kayla who wasn’t putting up much resistance.

“Fine.” He put her back on her feet, “But you stay behind me at all times.”

As soon as her feet had touched the ground and Stephan’s hold had eased, she took off running again.

“Who am I fooling?” Stephan groaned as he started after her once more.

They ran deeper into the forest to the stream when they stopped. Mathias’s men were there. They stood facing a mansion that bore a resemblance to that of Stephan’s.

“Why are you just standing here? Where is the boy?” Mathias barked.

“He went in the house after he killed the intruder.” He kicked the body forward. “He said he heard his sister’s thoughts.”

“Christina.” Scarlet started towards the house. But Stephan caught her.

“What are you doing? My babies are in there.”

“Our children are in there. Marquis is in there and she thinks you are dead. You can’t just go charging in there. If she feels threatened she will kill them.”

“And I’ll kill her.”

“As much as I like the sound of that we need to go about this wisely, and that is why Xavier and Mathias are taking point.”

“He’s right Scarlet we are too emotionally involved. We need to step back.” Kayla took her hand.

“Fine. Just put me down.”

“No,” Stephan responded, as he took a step back with Solara and Kayla.

***

Marquis paced around the room, she watched as Christina giggled and bounced in her little box. “What are you so happy about?”

“Any new plans?” Ric mocked. She had tried everything but hadn’t succeeded. He loved how she had returned an hour before wearing only a slip.

“Shut up, I’m trying to think.” She continued to pace, her fingers massaging her temples.

“I think you are the first vampire I have met who get’s headaches.”

“Shut up. I need to think and your droning voice is annoying me.”

“I have a plan if you care to listen to it.”

Marquis paced a few more feet before conceding defeat. “What?”

“What?”

“You plan. What is your plan?” She hissed through clenched teeth.

“It’s very simple. We kill Stephan, take the boy, keep this adorable baby and start a new race.”

“That is disgusting. They are related you can’t breed them together.”

“But we can breed them with humans, better yet, with beasts.” Ric was proud of his little plan. He only had to get rid of one obstacle and it would all fall into place.

“How do you intend on killing Stephan.” Marquis struggled to get the words out of her lips.

“Do I hear the contempt in your voice? Have you finally realized Stephan won’t love you? Are you ready to watch me kill him?” He barked a laugh at her.

“I’ll be the one to kill him.”

“I’ll be there to make sure of it. You can never trust women and their emotions.”

Christina bounced in her box once more. Giggling and clapping her hands.

“What’s up with her?”

“I think she grew again and she is just pleased with the results.” Ric playfully pinched her cheeks.

“I hate her.”

“The feeling is mutual.” SJ stood at the door, his eyes fixed on the baby, while aware of the two vampires in the room.

Ric was stunned as he stared at the image of Stephan, only in a smaller package. “You must have the stupid gene or something. But I must thank you for making our job easier. The hustle of coming and removing you from your home was giving me a headache.”

“That would imply that you had something in between your ears. We both know you don’t.” SJ snickered at him.

“You are your father’s son,” Marquis muttered.

“You’ve said that already. I’m here for my sister.” He declared.

“He is his father’s son. Arrogant and bossy. What makes you think you have any dominion here?” Ric was getting impatient.

“Let me put it this way. Give me my sister before my father comes here and kills you.”

Ric had been preoccupied in the word battle he was having with SJ he hadn’t thought of how he had gotten there. He wondered where the men he had posted at his door had gone too, and how he had been able to find the house.

“How did you get here?”

“I ran.”

“Don’t be a smart ass. How did you find this place?”

“One of your men has the stupid gene. I followed him here.” SJ walked across to the room where his sister bounced, her arms stretched out to him.

He didn’t pick her up, he wanted his hands to be free just in case he had to fight.