Scarlet walked out of the room, chanting in her mind. When she got to the others they asked her what was wrong.
“The doctor says it’s just the stress and I’m not eating well. So I am fine.” She plastered her best smile on her face then took Stephan’s arm.
“I’m glad you are fine, you scared me back there. Vincent keys.” Stephan wrapped his arm around her.
Vincent tossed the keys to him and he and Eric followed behind. They rode with Solara and Kayla back home.
On the ride home Scarlet stared at Stephan, without the two lie detectors in the car with them she was free to think about their baby. She stared at him with a smile on her face, she was picturing their baby with Stephan’s exact face. His eyes, nose, smile, and his jet black hair.
“What are you so happy about?” Stephan returned her smile, he stroked her inner thigh and she crossed her leg over his hand.
“Nothing I’m just happy.” She stroked the back of his head. “You make me happy. We have been through a lot but we are still here. Through all the devastation something good came out of it.”
“I’m glad you’re happy.” He couldn’t help but chuckle, her face lit up and her eyes glowed. “So can I have my hand back, I need to shift gears.”
She lifted her leg and released his hand and crossed her legs again. After shifting the stick, he put his hand back on her thigh. She rose from her seat and kissed his cheek.
“Do you ever want to have kids? Like someday?” Scarlet needed to hear his answer although it was too late to ask him his feelings about children.
Stephan’s expression changed to a serious blind gaze on the road. “Why? Do you want children?”
“Not soon but it’s something I think about.” She noticed the change in attitude and she was disappointed. Her decision to not tell him was justified.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to give you that. I can’t because of what I am. I’m sorry honey.”
Scarlet turned her head towards the window, she was trying to hide the smile on her face. She wanted to tell him to see the look on his face. But she wasn’t sure if it would be shock or anger.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” she mumbled.
***
When they got to the house Scarlet ran up to her room, she didn’t trust herself not to think about her baby. She turned her stereo on and cranked up the volume, she didn’t trust Kayla not to eavesdrop on her. She stood in front of her full-size bathroom mirror and yanked open her shirt. She scrutinized her body from all sides looking for any change or the slightest change.
Scarlet didn’t know what to expect from the pregnancy. She assumed it would progress just as ordinary pregnancies did. But there was nothing ordinary about what she was facing. She had questions that would never be answered, how long it would take, how dangerous the birth could be to her and whether or not she was strong enough to bring an immortal into the world.
These all scared her. She thought about talking to Nikki about it. She was the only one who came close to having the information she needed to know. But Nikki didn’t like her, why would she keep her secret, and she wasn’t there. She hadn’t been to the house for a while and Scarlet wasn’t sure when she would see her.
Scarlet took a quick shower, although no one had complained about the vile odor of puke, she knew it was there because she could smell it. And if she could smell it so could the others considering they had a super sense of smell.
She lathered the soap on her body but concentrated more on her belly, she was happy. Scarlet didn’t mind not knowing what the future of the pregnancy held, she was only interested in the present and how happy it made her. She could always get help from Nikki and Kayla when the time came.
She hoped that by then Zen and the threat would be behind them, Stephan would have gotten over the shock of parenthood and like it and they could be a family. She was building castles in the skies but it suited her just fine.
Scarlet stepped out of the shower, she grabbed her hairbrush and stroked through the tangles of her hair. She stared at herself in the mirror, her vision was getting blurry. She took a step back but immediately realized it was a mistake. The ground was rushing up to meet her, she grabbed the sink before she hit the floor. She took a couple of deep breaths and shook her head to clear her vision. When she could finally see straight she splashed cold water on her face a couple of times.
Scarlet carefully walked to her room, letting her hands lead in case she got dizzy and needed to cushion her fall. She quickly pulled on her flannel trousers and strap top, and then she tucked herself into bed. All of a sudden she felt extremely exhausted and sleepy.
She was drifting in and out of sleep when Stephan walked into the room.
“Scarlet are you sure you are fine.” He sat at the head of the bed next to her.
“I am fine just tired and hungry.” A sudden pang of hunger hit her. “I’m starving.”
She didn’t get up from where she lay, instead, she strained her neck to look up at him. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear so that he could look at her eyes.
“What sounds good to you?”
“There is a bucket of chicken in the fridge, could you please pop it in the microwave for me. Thanks.” She hoped that Eric hadn’t ventured in the refrigerator yet, because if he had there was bound to be nothing left.
Stephan quickly brushed his lips over her neck and ears before he left her alone. She got up and rummaged through her bedside draw, the hunger pangs grew more and more intense.
“I thought I had a candy bar in here.” She was muttering to herself. “Being pregnant with a half-beast doesn’t sound all that wonderful right now.” She had seen Eric and the other beasts eat, their stomachs never seemed to have a pit it was like a forever never-ending hole.
“Stephan.” She stuck her head out through the crack at the door. “Stephan. Steph…” before she could finish articulating the last syllables of his name, he was standing in front of her. “Oh, thanks.”
She took the bucket of chicken and ignored the tall glass of water he had brought with him. She sat cross-legged on the bed and cradled the bucket of chicken in one hand while the other dug in deep. She bit deep into the chicken tearing it into pieces with her teeth.
He watched her, a smile radiating on his face. Scarlet gave him a ‘so what’ look and turned her concentration back to the chicken. She was hungry and didn’t have time to be classy about it.
“You have got to stop looking at me like that. And stop smiling.” She talked her eyes still focused on the bucket. She could feel his eyes on her and when she couldn’t stand it anymore she dropped the chicken she had in her hand into the bucket.
“What?” she licked the sauce on her fingers. “I’m hungry. Stephan you are making me very uncomfortable.”
“Sorry, it’s just that I have never seen you eat like this. Here.” He handed her the glass of water. “At least drink this so that you don’t choke yourself.”
She never ate like this before. When Stephan started spending the nights with her she was careful of what she ate, she wanted to look perfect for him. And when Kayla stopped eating her appetite was on a go slow. The refrigerator only started to get filled up when Eric moved in and now she was pregnant. She intended to eat as much as she should, she was eating for two now.
“Thanks.” She put the bucket between her legs and took the glass of water in one hand and picked up a piece of chicken.
Stephan continued to watch her, amused at how she ate. Scarlet was determined to ignore him and after a while, she barely noticed he was around. When she finished, she tossed the bucket to the side and sagged in the bed using the headboard as her support. She couldn’t remember when she last finished a full bucket of chicken alone, usually, she and Kayla only got halfway.
“Should I get you anything else or is the giant crater you call a stomach full.” Stephan was cleaning up after her. Part of her felt guilty and wanted to get up and help, but she was exhausted.
“Maybe just a glass of water. Thank you for being such a sweetheart.” She slipped under the covers and pulled the duvet up to her chest.
She didn’t hear Stephan come in because she fell asleep soon after he left. He slipped in beside her careful not to wake her and cradled her in his arms. It was too early for her to be sleeping but he guessed she had a difficult and unusual day.
***
Scarlet was getting too hot, she stirred in Stephan’s arms pushing away any additional warmth that wasn’t him. Stephan watched her quietly, he wasn’t sure if she was awake or not, her eyes were still closed. After a while she settled again cuddling deeper in his arms, she was cold again so he pulled the duvet over her for the umpteenth time.
He became alert once more when she began shaking her head. It was slow and subtle at first then it turned urgent.
Scarlet was having another nightmare. She was on the ground writhing in pain, she couldn’t sit up, however, how hard she tried to. She tried looking up, but couldn’t see anything past the huge bulge on her stomach. Her body arched as another shock of pain surged through the mid-point of her body. She rubbed the bulge with her hands, taking in deep breaths.
Stephan emerged from the shadows that surrounded her. She stretched out her hand to him but he never attempted to help her. He watched her, a snarl erupting from his lips. Another figure walked out of the shadows, it was Nikki. She walked up beside Stephan and he tucked her into his arm just as he had done with Scarlet countless times before.
They watched her in pain and did nothing to help her. Another shot of pain went through her, this time it was more intense and focused mainly on her lower abdomen. She could hear a tearing sound and could feel a warm liquid under her thighs. Carefully not to make any pain worse she moved her hand under her. When she brought it up to her face she saw it was blood.
The tearing noise was louder and the pain became worse. Scarlet watched as little fingers emerged from the little tear in her belly. The little hands were ripping her skin even more to create room for itself. Soon it was out and the remnants of her insides were on the ground.
The baby crawled up to her chest and its tiny hands patted her cheeks. She was just taking in the beauty of the little boy’s face when Stephan took him from her and gave him to Nikki. She couldn’t get up or talk, she was too weak to do both.
Once the baby was out of his hands Stephan knelt beside her once more. He stroked the hair off her sweaty forehead and smiled at her. Then he went back to the gaping hole in her belly and out both his hands inside her. He lifted his cupped hands from her to his lips, blood spilling over and slurped up the contents. He was drinking her blood.
Scarlet work up in a panic, her breathing was irregular and she was sweating all over.
“Scarlet what is it? Did you have a bad dream?”
She pushed out of his arms and dropped her hand to her belly. She got out of the bed and ran to the bathroom mirror, she hiked up her top and looked at her belly. She was still intact.
Stephan came into the bathroom behind her. He was worried.
“Scarlet?”
She held up her index finger to her lips then pointed at him. She had a menacing look on her face. She was angry at the dream, but since he was the only one there and he was in her dream, he was the only one he could take out her anger on. She filled a glass with water and dumped it on him.
Stephan was startled at first. His gaze followed her as she stomped back into bed.
“I am not going to pretend I know what that was all about.” He pulled his wet t-shirt over his head, the simple action flexing every muscle on his torso and arms.
Scarlet watched tempted, she picked up her pillow and tossed it at him. He dodged it easily. She turned to pick up another pillow when in one fluid move he was behind her and had pinned her face forward on the bed. He was on top of her but she could barely feel his weight.
“How about you tell me why you are attacking me?” he was whispering in her ears. For some reason having her under him like this made him yearn for her.
She knew it was silly and wasn’t about to say it out loud. She needed to change the topic and she knew all too well how best to do it.
“How about you flip me over and we can lead this conversation somewhere else.”
Stephan chuckled. His deep laugh vibrating through his chest. “Nice try, but no. Tell me.”
“Get off me first.” She tried to struggle against him but it was useless, she may as well be trying to push against a brick wall.
“I can hold you like this all night.” He held her down with one hand while the other caressed her back.
She knew the sooner he got what he wanted the sooner she would get what she wanted. “Ok. I had a nightmare. You were snuggling with Nikki.”
She decided to leave the baby and him drinking her blood part out. She wasn’t about to start explaining her dream to him and the real reason why it angered her. The snuggling she could live with, but him giving her baby away to Nikki pissed her off.
He yanked her into a sitting position. She was looking down at her twiddling thumbs, he took her chin in his hand and lifted her head so that she could look at him.
His facial expression was serious and the tone in his voice had changed, “Listen to me, no one except you will snuggle in my arms.” He gave her a hard smile, “I will never love anyone as much as I love you. Especially not Nikki, so don’t ever worry about that.”
Scarlet bobbed her head up and down, she didn’t say anything. What could she say?
“No wonder you woke up so angry.” He laughed at how ridiculous her idea was.
“What’s so funny?” Scarlet was staring at him. She couldn’t help but notice how beautiful he looked happy, even when his amusement was at her cost.