CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON

“It fit the other day.” Scarlet was running late or work and she couldn’t seem to button up the shirt she had bought earlier that week. She gave in and wore a loose t-shirt and a shirt over it.

“I need new clothes. You are becoming too expensive little guy.” She poked at her stomach when she spoke. She had grown accustomed to speaking to her unborn child, he was the only company she had.

“Do you know what your daddy would have said to me, ’it doesn’t matter how big you get love, I will always love you.’” she mimicked Stephan’s deep voice. She thought about the day he found her examining her body in the bathroom mirror.

“He always wanted me to be happy, and I hurt him in the end.” She caressed her bump, “But don’t you worry, once daddy has done away with all those bad people we’ll go back home, or he will come here.”

She patted her belly when she felt the baby move, “You like that don’t you. Let’s get to work now before we get thrown off the program.”

***

“It didn’t go well, I assume.” Kayla was waiting for Nikki at the front door. She had just enough of her meddling in Scarlet and Stephan’s relationship.

She tapped her temple, “You didn’t think I didn’t know what you were up to. Apart from Solara and the guy above, I know your every thought.”

“You need to stay out of my head.” Nikki snarled at her. She didn’t need anyone rubbing in her failure to win Stephan over.

“You know that can be easily arranged, get out of my house.” Kayla used her hand to block her way into the house. “And that includes Solara’s apartment.”

“I am not leaving, not now anyway.” She snickered at Kayla and thought about her biggest fear.

I am the only one who knows about supernatural births and babies remember.

Nikki had a point and Kayla couldn’t dispute it.

“Fine.” She dropped her arm but immediately put it back up. “Then go to Solara’s apartment. That way I can ensure you are alive when the time comes.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Nikki was taken aback by her threat.

“If I hear any more schemes from you I am going to shut you up permanently.” Kayla took a step back and shut the door in Nikki’s face.

“Solara, do you think you can reach Stephan?” Kayla asked.

“Why?” he had just witnessed the past few seconds and just like Victor, Vincent, and Eric he decided to stay out of it.

They were the only ones left at the house, Xavier was at Solara’s apartment and Sam had gone back to his wife and children just after Stephan had left.

“I need to tell you something, don’t get mad at me. I only kept it from you to protect my friend.”

“I already know.”

“What?”

Solara could feel the stares of the other three and decided to turn their verbal conversation into a mental one. The others gave up trying to listen in as soon as he did.

Scarlet is pregnant and she left Stephan to protect her child from all the madness that keeps following him around.

“Not bad Gomez, it seems I underestimated you.” She chuckled and thought how ridiculous she had been trying to keep her thoughts hidden from him.

“Thank you. It was a bit insulting, you trying to play me but I appreciate the effort.” he grinned at her. She looked so adorable whenever she was caught in a lie. “I have been doing this a century longer than you have.”

“When did you find out?” Kayla was curious as to when she had let her guard down long enough for him to find out.

“At the hospital, but I heard it from the doctor.”

“I didn’t hear anything.” Kayla felt cheated, she didn’t have the experience he had but their talents were practically the same her talents trumped his.

“Don’t be mad, I am just better than you.” He was mocking her.

“What are they talking about?” Victor was asking his twin. He had only been there a week and had not yet become accustomed to the hanging conversations.

“I don’t know most of that conversation took place in her head. All I got was that Solara found something out.” Vincent shrugged his shoulders he had given up trying to fill in the blanks in their conversations a long time ago.

“I think they are talking about Scarlet’s pregnancy,” Eric added in a matter-of-fact way. His eyes were still concentrating on the game he was playing.

“What!” the twins said in unison, Solara and Kayla turned around to look at him.

“How did you find out?” Kayla asked the question and expected his answer to be, I read her mind.

“I smelt the hormones oozing off her.” Eric was still playing, his fingers pressing urgently against the gamepad. “I can’t believe Stephan didn’t notice. That vamp side of his must be dulling his beast sense.”

They were all silent and waiting for him to shed more light. When Kayla saw he was more interested in the game, she pulled the electric cord from the socket.

“Oh come on I was just about to beat Vincent’s record.” His blue eyes mirrored the frown his lips made.

“Spill now!”

“Ok, a human body works just the same as any female. It is easy to pick up on the different hormones the body makes that is how we know the right time to mate.” Eric knew he was yet to make sense when he saw the blank faces staring back at him.

“It is easy to tell she was pregnant because of the smell of the hormone her body was producing. It’s a biological thing. It was the same way we could all tell she was Stephan’s mate. His scent was attached to her. It’s a nose thing.”

“Nikki said the same thing.” Kayla thought back to the day of the attack.

“But why didn’t any one of you say anything,” Solara asked Eric.

“The same reason you didn’t. It isn’t our business.” He crawled to the wall where the extension was pulled from and fixed it back to the socket.

“Are you kidding me?” Eric was moaning about his game when it started at level one.

“Stephan doesn’t know, does he?” Vincent looked up at Solara and Kayla for his answer.

“No. He would have never let her go.” Solara answered, he knew Stephan better than the rest of them, and although Stephan had openly opposed the idea of fathering a child, he knew he would never turn away his child. Especially if it was also Scarlet’s.

“I am going to be an uncle.” Vincent’s tone of voice had changed. Kayla shook her head at how ridiculous he had sounded.

“Can we call her?”

“We will on Monday.” She laughed at how disappointed he looked. “Ok tonight, right now she is working.” Her laughter doubled when he began clapping in excitement.

Scarlet spent the week ignoring Archie and buried herself in her work. Avoiding Archie was difficult because of the consults Shee had to give down at the E.R. The other reason couldn’t stay away from the trauma unit.

On her breaks she would find herself down at the emergency room, looking around at all the injured, bleeding victims. The smell around the room relaxed her. She didn’t take pleasure out of watching the moaning injured patients, but she couldn’t help it.

“Don’t tell me you are thinking about quitting psyche and coming down here. I can’t blame you, this is where all the action happens.” Archie was grinning down at her.

Scarlet couldn’t help but feel irritated. Lately, any male contact irritated her and his persistence to be close to her was pissing her off.

“You have grown since I last saw you.” He was looking down at her huge belly, stunned at how big she was.

“You don’t say.” Sarcasm lined her tone, “What do you want Archie?”

“Why do you have to be so prissy and annoying?”

“I’m pregnant, what’s your excuse.” Scarlet knew how big she had gotten. She didn’t need anyone reminding her of that little detail. “Sorry for being so mean all the time, but I’m going through some issues and I want to be alone. And you being around all the time kind of beats that purpose.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Find another pregnant woman to annoy.” She answered her eyebrows raised.

“But you are the only pregnant woman I know.” He answered back with a small child-like voice Scarlet couldn’t help but laugh at.

“There she is.” He grinned at her.