PLEASE NOTE: THIS CHAPTER IS ADVISED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY. IT HAS THEMES OF ABUSE/VIOLENCE.
I felt like the next few days dragged. Spring was returning so I took frequent walks in the garden with a light jacket, clutching my phone, desperately waiting for a call. I noticed I had gained more weight in my breasts and stomach, it felt like it had happened overnight and I sighed every time I passed the bedroom mirror.
Mina's kicking was getting more powerful and had worried me a couple of times as her kicking had started to leave light bruising on my skin for a brief second or two before my healing kicked in and erased it. I was mixing Alexandre's and Cornelius' blood into most of my meals, out of fear of starving her by my body trying to keep me healthy because of it.
My days revolved around Alexandre's phone calls, and sometimes even Cornelius spoke with me briefly. They had located the Nurse's boyfriend the last I had heard and for two more days I heard nothing, then a jubilant phone call from Alexandre.
"We're on our way home love!" He crowed. He sounded too happy.
What's going on?" I demanded sharply.
"I can't wait to get back home to you, I am going to make love to you until you can't walk, I'll even invite Cornelius!" Alexandre cheered.
"Give me that!" I heard Cornelius cut in and then his cool voice over the phone. "I'm afraid your dear lover never could hold his blood, the poor wretch." Cornelius cooed.
"What did you do?" I asked quietly.
"We took care of the problem." Came Cornelius' short reply. "Plus we saved a new victim that he intended as a revenge killing for his girlfriend's capture. Aren't you going to thank us?"
"Thank you." I whispered through numb lips, scared. If Alexandre was on a blood high, that could only mean one thing.
"What happened to the body?" I asked quietly.
"We took care of it." Cornelius replied crisply. "Why do you sound so ungrateful Carys?" I heard Alexandre cheering in the background, then a scuffle followed by Alexandre's voice.
"She's not ungrateful, you are, you bastard, give me my wife back, or I won't share her anymore." Alexandre must have snatched the phone back because his voice was suddenly closer.
"Alexandre..." I called to him "Alexandre..hun, did you make sure he wouldn't turn?" I asked desperately.
"Oh don't worry about that!" Alexandre laughed. "We tore him apart!" I dropped the phone, the back popped off and the battery skittered across the floor as it hit the ground. I could imagine Alexandre getting worried and desperately tying to call me back so I chased after the pieces and fit them back together, groaning as my stomach got in the way. I waited, but the phone never rang. Disgusted, I put the phone on charge and went to bed.
Alexandre didn't call the next day either, and I was afraid of finding him still on a blood high, so I didn't call him. As night rolled back around I rolled out of bed and headed towards the kitchen in a pair of loose pajamas, my stomach crying out for food despite my lack of appetite. The baby wasn't going to let me sleep anyway, rolling and kicking the way she was. Probably sensing my unsettled mood. I started humming, trying to soothe her. I knew my voice wasn't as pretty or soothing as her father's but maybe it would help. She stopped kicking, but still moved restlessly.
"I know," I directed at my stomach. "Momma's upset and worried about daddy too." I rubbed circles on my stomach and drank a mug of human blood mixed with a few drops of Cornelius' and Alexandre's blood. After rinsing the mug I decided to head up to the nursery to see if there was something I could do there to keep me busy, but I only made it halfway up the stairs before a loud knock sounded at the door. I groaned and turned, then the fear hit me that it might be the cops back again. Did they know the Nurse's boyfriend had died? That Alexandre had killed him? My heart rate spiked. No, it had to be too soon, right? It had only been like a week since they left. Maybe Cornelius and Alexandre were back and the goofball was still on too much of a blood high to find his key. I stepped down the next few steps quickly, but then doubt struck me-wouldn't Cornelius use his key then? I frowned and walked down the rest of the stairs, opening the door slightly.
A tall man was standing there with shoulder length brown hair. He was pretty, delicate facial features, full lips, slender nose. He smiled as I took in his appearance.
"I apologize ma'am do I have the Durand residence?" He asked politely. I blinked and shook my head. His nostrils flared slightly at the movement and he slammed a hand on the door.
"Don't lie to me girl, I can smell him on you. Where is Alexandre?" He snapped. I backed up and shoved at the door, but he outclassed me in strength and I couldn't budge it. He grinned wryly.
"Are you sure you have the right one?" I asked "This is the River's residence." I replied harshly, not releasing my grip on the door. My anger was causing my vampire instincts to kick into high gear and I suddenly got a whiff of him. "Vampire?" I hissed and he shoved the door open the rest of the way. But I had picked up on something else.
"Rivers, is that what he's calling himself now?" The man sneered, then as the door revealed the rest of my body, his mouth fell open. "So it's true-but it can't be!" He stepped forward, scenting the air. "You're one of us-but how? It can't be his! But..it is, isn't it? I can smell..." He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me closer, sniffing at my torso. He released me and pushed me away roughly.
"How?" He asked, his eyes wide. "I can smell it-it's his child-your biological child, it's alive! I can hear it's heartbeat! But you're a vampire! I heard the rumors, but there was no way they could be true, and yet..." I had been holding back until this point but felt the growl ripping from my chest.
"Get. OUT!" I snarled, teeth bared. He laughed.
"Make me." He answered. "But I will not hesitate to end your life or that of your child, because you see, I have this terrible grudge against my brother and I've been longing to find a way to make him suffer for almost a century." I snarled but then blinked.
"Brother?" I asked, confused.
"Oh sorry, didn't I introduce myself? I Luc, Luc Durand, Alexandre's younger brother." He said, "Now, go fetch Alexandre."
"Use your senses." I snarled derisively "He's not here." Then I realized I had basically admitted I was alone. Luc realized the same thing and gripped me by the throat, pushing me inside the door and shutting it behind him.
"Well." He remarked "I guess you'll just have to get him here, won't you? Do you have a phone?" I nodded, waiting for the right moment. "Well?!" He demanded.
"You'll have to let me go, I don't have it on me." I lied. His grip loosened and I ducked my head, sinking my teeth into his wrist through his fancy suit sleeve. As the blood poured into my mouth I scratched at him with my nails. Ah the floral flavor, that was the thing I had noticed earlier. He truly was related to Alexandre. He gripped my hair and pulled my head away, pulling hair from my scalp, but I refused to release him, snarling and sinking my teeth in deeper instead. He had threatened my daughter, that I would not forgive. I dug my claws into his other hand and heard him curse.
"Little bitch!" He yelled and I felt him pull his arm free from my mouth, tearing the flesh away. He punched me in the face, hard, and I felt myself falling towards the floor. I tried to twist to protect the baby, and felt myself land awkwardly on my ribs. She began to kick wildly and I heard something snap. I gasped in pain. Blood spattered around me as Luc reached for us again. I hugged my stomach protectively, desperately hoping the baby was alright. I saw Luc's wrist flash in front of my face, the flesh ripped away almost to the bone, blood spattering everywhere. I felt grim satisfaction at the sight. He began searching my pockets and easily found my phone.
"Here." He said, handing me the phone, now with a crack running through the screen. "Call for him." Luc instructed. "Tell him his brother is here, and has his wife and child. Tell him to get here quickly or I will have my revenge. He knows why." I panted through the pain and tasted blood on my lip.
"No." I snarled. Luc slammed my head against the floor. There was a sudden ringing in my ears and I couldn't concentrate on anything anymore. I thrashed, trying to get away, but Luc still had a hold on the back of my head. I felt his hand settle on my stomach.
"Do it, or I end your child's life." He spat. I screamed at him and kicked and he sunk his nails into my flesh.
"Fine!" I screeched, panting, and pulled up Alexandre's contact information. He answered on the first ring. Luc's fingers dug deeper into my stomach.
"Alexandre." I panted "Your brother is here..." I moaned as he pulled my hair and shook my head and the world spun around me.
"Say the rest." He hissed
"He says he's got us and he wants you here fast," I gasped as his nails sunk in further "...or he'll kill us."
"I understand." Alexandre's voice was emotionless.