CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

Zen went through the house with his men. It was empty. He never suspected that they would run from him, not after the fight that they had put up the last time. He walked through the house, looking for something that would lead him to where they were. He seeped through the first bedroom and all he could find were posters of the George Washington Hospital.

He went to the other room and found nothing. There was no sign or indicator that he could place their whereabouts. As he walked through the living room, he could see the red light on the answering machine blinking. He pressed the play button and listened to the message.

The call was from the GWH, asking for Scarlet and her whereabouts, and asking if she could come in for a meeting. Zen went back to the room where the hospital poster hung. He knew that he would find them around that area. It was definite that where Scarlet was, Stephan was too.

He and four of his men left for Washington while the others headed back to Rio. From the hospital, Zen traced Scarlet’s faint scent to the apartment building. He met the superintendent who was happy to part with information for a price. They left for King County and hunted down her scent from there.

It was easy to find them when he spotted Eric at one of the shops in town. They didn’t follow him immediately, he knew that he would sense them and probably warn the rest. Zen waited for him to leave and after half an hour they traced his scent back to the house.

***

They knew something was wrong when Stephan ran down the stairs and stood at the front porch. Stephan rarely left Scarlet and the baby alone, but now he stood outside ready and waiting.

“Kayla, Nikki, go upstairs and stay with the baby and Scarlet.” He barked.

Kayla rushed up the stairs, she didn’t ask any questions or argue. She locked the door behind her and put the baby next to Scarlet. He was asleep, so he wouldn’t call any unnecessary attention to them. She sat on the bed and Nikki stood guard at the door.

“How did they find us?”Solara had also picked up on Zen’s scent.

The seven of them stood outside the house, waiting for Zen and his men to reach the house.

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling of what they are here for.” His eyes were fixed at the direction he knew they would come from. They waited in silence and watched as the dust along the path rose, an indicator of how fast they were moving.

“Hallo Stephan.” Zen grinned at him, carefully examining the front line that they had put before the house. He suspected Scarlet was in the house, she was the one they were protecting.

“Zen.”

“You know why we are here, and since you are greatly outnumbered I suggest we do this as easily as possible.”

Stephan took a step forward and the rest followed.

Zen’s men snarled and growled at his sides, crouching and ready to attack. He lifted his arms to silence them. Unlike them he knew the extent that Stephan would go to, to protect his human, and they weren’t ready for that kind of a fight. He commanded them not to move, knowing an inch closer to the house would start the short fight and they would all be dead.

“We are not here to fight, only to carry out our orders. You are to come with us, failure to do so, Marquis, will personally come here and kill your human. The choice is yours.”

Stephan had already made up his mind to go with them, he knew how ruthless Marquis could get and he didn’t want her anywhere near Scarlet.

“Give me a minute.”

He went to the house and left the other men on guard. He went up to Scarlet’s room and asked for some privacy. Stephan needed these last minutes to be with his son and his mother. He had wanted a different life for them, but this was only possible if he wasn’t around.

He held his sleeping son in his arm and stroked Scarlet’s hair. He hoped that she would wake up soon and give their son the love that he couldn’t. He longed to look into her hazel eyes but had to settle for her perfect face. He memorized each curve, it was the only thing he could take with him, his motivation to coming back home.

The baby stirred in his arm and woke up. Stephan stared into his eyes that were exactly like his. He didn’t think the baby would understand him, but he tried to explain the situation to him anyway. He took a couple of pictures with his phone and left them on Scarlet’s dresser. He kissed his son and laid him beside her. Then he kissed the top of Scarlet’s head and with a whisper of I love you, he left.

“What’s going on?” Kayla had watched him say goodbye but didn’t understand why.

“I’m leaving. I have to go.” Stephan walked past her.

“What do I tell her when she wakes up?” she flashed in front of him and made him stop. “What do I tell your son when he starts asking for his father?”

“They will have to understand. I’m doing this so that they will be safe. Do you think I want to leave here with Scarlet still unconscious and leave behind my newborn son?” Stephan combed his fingers through his hair in frustration.

“Then find some other way.”

“I can’t. I have to do what she wants. Marquis is used to getting what she wants. She created me so she thinks she owns me.”

“What does she want from you now?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe it’s about the feud or it could be that she is reclaiming me. It doesn’t matter, I have to go so that everyone will be safe.”

“Stephan?”

“When she wakes up, tell her I love her. Tell my son that I’m sorry I won’t be here to teach him what he needs to know about himself.” Stephan hugged her, kissed the top of her head, and walked away, “Stay out of trouble Cooper.”

“You’d better find your way back Jeraldi or else.”

“Let me guess, you’ll see me dead.” He chuckled then exhaled. “Take care of them.”

Stephan ran down the stairs, not looking back. He could hear the baby cry but he tuned it out. It was the first time he had heard him cry and probably the last. It took every ounce of strength he had not to turn back to go pick him up.

He walked through the front door, his son’s cry fading as he walked further from the house. He looked at all the men who had stood with him and nodded in appreciation.

“Are you sure?” Solara asked hoping he would change his mind.

“I have to. Take care of our family especially the little one. Let him take the name Scarlet had decided on. Help him understand what and who he is, and most importantly keep him out of trouble.” He put his hand on Solara’s shoulder.

Solara put his hand on Stephan’s making him a promise that he intended to keep, “I will raise him as my own until you come back.”

“I don’t think he will, but you are allowed to dream,” Zen called out from behind them. “Can we leave now?”

Stephan walked behind Zen, flanked by the other four vampires. He took slow steps, noting that each one increased the distance between him and his family. Knowing that each one, brought him closer to his past, closer to Marquis.