CURSE OF THE MOON REBORN

“What’s going on?” He held out his hand offering his mother some help down the stairs.

Scarlet marched to the front door her hand still firmly holding on to SJ’s. Just as she opened the door Nikki walked up the front porch and they came face to face. They stood for a second staring at each other no one saying a word and yet the attitudes towards each other hostile.

“Yippee, you’re here. Want to take another shot at seducing my husband?”

“I’m not here for that. I only accompanied Susana so that she can come here to help you.” Nikki retorted.

“Help me, so far so good.” Scarlet bobbed her head as she chewed down on her lip.

SJ could feel his mother’s body tremble, he wasn’t sure whether it was because she was weak or angry. “Maybe you should sit down mum.”

“I’m fine baby.”

“You are trembling. Humor me, you can still be snippy at Nikki while you are sited.” He guided her to the porch swing.

“I want me here as much as you want me here. So as soon as you are sorted out we will leave.” Nikki hissed before storming off into the house.

She didn’t like being there knowing that Stephan was there and she couldn’t be with him because he was with Scarlet. She hated the fact that they shared a child and knowing that there was a second one on the way shredded her to bits. This was the life she wanted to be with Stephan and have him love her back, to have his children and make a home with him. That was the life she wanted but would never have.

Nikki looked up when she sensed the presence of someone else in the room. Stephan’s scent was impossible to pick up but she had spent enough time around him to recognize it. And because she was in love with him every one of her senses was in tune with his.

“Your wife doesn’t want me here. She hates me and Susana.” She said as he walked towards her. Her eyes fixed on flexing muscles on his body as he moved. They were tantalizing and torturous.

“I think the only people she likes at the moment are SJ and Jade, so do not take it personally.” He walked past her and went into the kitchen.

Stephan took out a jug of animal blood and emptied it into a mug mixing it with some human blood. He took a sniff at it then a sip, slapping his tongue against his lips he was pleased with the result.

“I tried to steal you away from her, I think that is as personal as it gets.”

“You were misguided by your animal instincts. She knows that so don’t worry about it.”

Stephan walked past her again this time heading for the front door.

“I thought she was mad at you, maybe you should give her some time to cool off.” It was a desperate attempt to spend a couple of more seconds with him and she knew it, but still, she had to try.

“She is but she needs to keep her strength up, besides she will do whatever is good for the baby.”

Stephan turned and walked away and Nikki was left standing alone with nothing but furniture around her. This was how she felt every day of her life and her grandmother’s pleas for her to find a mate was sounding very attractive at that second.

“Here you need to drink this.” Stephan held out the mug of blood to a huffing Scarlet.

She took the mug from him without saying a word or looking up at him. Slowly she sipped on the blood a sighing sound escaping her as the blood touched the tip of her tongue. Her body relaxed and the angry scowl on her face was replaced with a tranquil smile.

“That’s how I like to see you.” As soon as the words left Stephan’s lips did the scowl reclaim her face. “Do you know how ridiculous you look with that frown and a blood mustache? And the belly isn’t helping at all.”

Scarlet used her backhand to wipe her lips, but there was nothing there. Stephan was trying to be funny but he was only succeeding at annoying her. She stood up with the help of her son and went back to her room.

“Good job Romeo.” Kayla patted his wide chest then went after Scarlet.

Stephan groaned in distress as he followed the trio back to their bedroom.

“Do you need anything else, honey?” Kayla tucked scarlet into bed.

“I’m fine thanks.” She lay back in the bed staring at the ceiling, discovering mistakes in the painting brushstrokes that she never knew were there.

“Mom I’m going out for a run with Jade and the guys. If you need anything just yell.” SJ gave his mother a quick squeeze and kiss before leaving. He ran into his father into the hallway and gave him the best advice he had, “Don’t make any more jokes Dad.”

“Noted.” Stephan saluted.

“Why don’t you sleep?”

Stephan could hear Kayla try and coax Scarlet to take a nap. He waited outside the door hoping that she would fall asleep so that he could go in.

“I can’t I’m scared.” Her voice trembled.

“Of what? Nothing bad is going to happen.”

“You mean nothing bad that you are going to tell me about is going to happen.” Scarlet corrected. “I don’t want to sleep because I want to be awake just in case I bleed out again.”

“If you do I will wake you up this time.”

“You have the habit of doing what is right for me. And I know you won’t tell me because you think it’s what’s right for me. So I am not going to take that chance, I’m going to stay awake.” She was determined to witness the reason the beasts had been invited to her house.

“For how long, or for how many days. This thing doesn’t have an exact time. It happens randomly. You are just going to wear yourself out and it’s not good for the baby.”

“On one condition that you promise to wake me in case I bleed again.” She held out her pinkie.

“Pinkie promise,” Kayla swore as she crossed her finger with that of Scarlet.

“Pinkie promise.”

Scarlet fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Ever since she got pregnant she slept soundly and through the night. That was why she never realized it when she bled out and when Stephan, Solara, and Kayla would change her clothes or bed.

“Is she asleep?” Stephan stepped into the room when the sound of their voices had died down.

“She is. She’s so scared.” Kayla said as she smoothed her hand over Scarlet’s protruding stomach.

“That is why she has us. That way she can be scared but strong at the same time, knowing that we are here for her no matter what.”

“Do you know when I found out she was pregnant with SJ I was jealous? Of course, I was happy for her but I was still jealous. I’m jealous now.” Her hand rested at the peak of Scarlet’s belly.

“I’m sorry. I know you always wanted a child of your own.” He sympathized with her. She couldn’t get pregnant and he and Scarlet unintentionally rubbed it in her face.

“I have a child of my own, Jade. I’m just jealous because I will never get to experience this.” Lightly she tapped the mold. “The feeling of life growing inside me. To know there was someone who depended solely on me. To have a connection with a person that no one knows or has ever seen. I want that but I can never have it.”

“As much as you deny it Scarlet was right what happened to you was my fault and I am sorry.” He rested his hand on her shoulder.

“Think of it this way, if you hadn’t entered our lives we wouldn’t be this happy. Sure it has been crazy for a while but we are past that and once Scarlet drops this baby the craziness will die down.”

“Until I get her pregnant again.”

“About that, do you think you can have a vasectomy? I would have suggested using condoms but I don’t think latex has a chance against your immortal sperm.” She teased.

“You are crazy.”

“Seriously it’s not like Scarlet can go on the pill, the little venom in her will burn it out. We can’t be having this crisis because of your needs. If I thought the two of you could abstain I wouldn’t suggest it.”

“Kayla drop it, you are beginning to make me uncomfortable.” Stephan walked away from her.

“Think about it.” Kayla pursued him into the hallway.