Theo tries to reason with her, but she won’t have it. She knows as soon as I get my son, I’m going to kill her. She isn’t stupid. The only reason she is alive right now is because she has my baby in her arms, and she knows that.
“Here comes the other one, look at the family reunion,” Bianca says sarcastically, making my eyes dart to what she is staring at behind us, Tobias is running toward us.
Then, he suddenly screams. “No!” Theo’s eyes flick to mine before both of us look at Bianca, who is gone. Panic rushes through me when I see Theo dart forward, noticing something I haven’t. Our child in the air, heading directly into the raging water below. His hand outstretched, gripping the cloth of the blanket he is wrapped tightly in. I scream as I watch them both sink below the surface.
My heart feels like it is going to stop, when I hear Theo gasp and the sweet sounds of my son screaming his lungs out. I drop to the ground, my legs giving out with my sudden relief. He is alive and screaming. I never thought a baby’s cry would be the most melodious thing I have ever heard, singing to my soul.
Theo climbs the pier, and I finally see the perfection that is my son. Theo walks over to me and I instantly rip off my shirt to wrap him in it. Theo places him in my arms. He is perfect and exactly what I envisioned in my dreams, dark onyx-colored hair and dazzling emerald green eyes like Theo. He has my nose and lips, though.
“Hi baby,” I whisper looking down at him, tears spilling over and running down my cheeks as he continues to cry in my arms from being cold. Looking up, Tobias and Theo are in awe, looking down at him.
I sniff his little head, breathing in his scent, and then, I jerk back, my gums tingling before protruding. I try to shake off the feeling that is threatening to take over before standing up. I try to tell them, but Tobias holds out his arms for the baby and I’m relieved that I don’t have to explain. I place the baby in his arms and he instantly stops crying as Tobias’s warm skin heats him up, keeping him warm.
“We have a boy,” Tobias says, looking down on his cute little face.
“And what a boy,” Theo says. I chuckle slightly; men always think the size of the package determines the man. I keep my distance, not really trusting my hunger around him right now. But he looks quite content in Tobias’ arms, looking up at both his fathers.
Theo looks down at Tobias’ pants, making my eyes dart down too. “What are you wearing?” He asks.
Tobias growls and I raise an eyebrow at his clothing choice. “I don’t even want to know how you squeezed in those,” I tell him.
“Come on, we should head home,” Tobias says, looking at me. I can’t help but look out at the water, wondering where my sister went. Fear gnaws at me, I wonder if she will come for him again. I feel my anger resurface as I remember what she did. Theo touching my arm pulls me from my memories.
“We can deal with her later, for now let’s get home,” he says, kissing the side of my face. I reluctantly follow after them.
The trip home is longer, we can’t run for too long with the baby or as fast. Tobias and Theo abandoned their car not far from where I was actually living. So, we drive the rest of the way, well they do. I ask Tobias to pull over halfway back as I can’t handle my son’s intoxicating scent filling the car. This isn’t what I envisioned motherhood to be like. I never thought my son would need protection from me. I run thinking of everything on replay, my thoughts getting darker and darker before finding myself on the familiar porch of our home.
I walk around the back and sit next to my mother’s rose, waiting for them to get home. How my life has changed in a day, how I have learned many secrets I wish I never knew. Yet, I can’t shake the feeling of the darkness. I know with my death I have to pay the price, I’m unnatural, a witch’s hybrid, so what does that make my son? I knew as soon as I smelt him, he isn’t just Tobias’s son but also Theo’s, their DNA creating the perfect predator.
Will he be the same? I hope not, because this darkness trying to swallow me is addictive, and I don’t know how I feel about loving the sweet, intoxicating slickness of it calling to me. I don’t want this for him, don’t want this for myself. Yet, nothing can be done now. I am what I am, I just hope it’s good and not evil, like the shadows calling out to me.
If only my mother could see me now. What would she think of what I have become? I don’t get to ponder long before I see the headlights coming up the road, turning into the long driveway. Will they still want me when there is nothing left but darkness?
Imogen
I walk back around to the front of the house; the car pulls up beside me. Tobias gets out of the car with the baby nestled in his arms, still, fast asleep. Theo then grabs some things from the trunk.
“Why didn’t you go inside?” Asks Tobias, walking over to me.
He passes me my son and I hold him close to my chest. “It feels strange being back here.” I answer him truthfully, I feel him nod before kissing my cheek.
“We stopped on the way here, we couldn’t get much though with nothing being open. But Theo got some formula and diapers. It will have to do until morning, and then we can go get a car seat and some other stuff for him.” He explains, pulling me into him.
I breathe in his scent, finding comfort in him, Tobias is always so warm. Theo comes around the car with some bags clutched in his hand. “Come on, let’s go inside,” Theo says, pecking me on the lips as he walks past.
I follow them inside; walking in, I’m hit with a sense of Déjà vu. I haven’t been here for months, but it still feels like home. The place is a mess, though. Everything is covered in dust and smells like it has had no windows opened for a while. Theo walks into the kitchen, I hear him flick the kettle on and place the bags on the counter.
I walked in behind him and he is reading the back of a formula tin like he is about to mix some complicated science experiment. It doesn’t take him long before he places a few scoops inside the bottle and adds water to it before shaking it. I watch as he heats the bottle using a bowl and water from the kettle.
Tobias makes us all coffee, and I sit on the stool, watching them. Everything feels different, not in a bad way, just different. I never pictured them being father’s or myself a mother. Yet, watching them now, I can see the excitement they are trying to hide. I look down at our baby, his hypnotic green eyes now open and staring back at me, his lips making kissing lips as he sucks them together.