CURSE OF THE MOON REBORN

Stephan had Ric flat on his back once more. Ric was a good fighter but he was no match for him. He was getting bored and frustrated, Ric spent most of the time on his ass as opposed to his feet.

“How about we end this. The audience is falling asleep already. Let me just kill you and get this done with.” Stephan stood over him his hands akimbo.

“We could-,”

“Sir.” A vampire who wasn’t part of the earlier group called out to him. Ric nodded once then turned his attention back to Stephan.

“I think we should end this fight, but you won’t be killing me.” In one fluid movement, Ric was back on his feet.

“I don’t think so.” Stephan grabbed him by the neck.

“If I were you I wouldn’t pay that much attention to me. Marquis just visited your little wife.”

Stephan released the clutch on his neck and staggered behind. He knew what that meant, he didn’t need Ric to expound on it.

“I bid you farewell-,”

Stephan and the rest of his family took off in the direction of the house. He could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He was terrified at what he would find at home. A million scenarios ran through his head, each one of them ending with Scarlet and the unborn baby dead.

“Mom!”

“Scarlet. Scar, where are you.”

The three voices of his son, Kayla and Jade pulled him out of his head. He breathed a sigh of relief, SJ was alive. But his relief was short-lived when he heard Kayla’s voice again.

“Scar.”

She sounded desperate and terrified. They were looking for Scarlet and immediately Stephan knew his nightmare was turning into a reality.

He followed the twins and Solara as they ran towards Kayla’s voice.

Kayla stood in the middle of two oak trees, bent over, her palms on her knees. She seemed to be sobbing, tearless cries. “Scar!”

“What’s going on?” Solara had her in his arms the instant he reached her.

“Its aunt Scarlet, we can’t find her,” Jade spoke when her mother couldn’t.

Solara pulled her into his embrace with Kayla. “What about you are you alright?” Jade nodded, but Kayla pushed away.

“Scar!” She shouted again.

“Kayla.”

“No, I have to find her.” She took a few paces away from Solara’s arms.

“Can someone please tell me what is going on?” Stephan pleaded.

Kayla rushed to him and with her backhand and the full force and weight of her body slapped Stephan across the face. “This is your fault. You said Marquis was dead. And now Scarlet is gone.”

“I’m so sorry Kayla.” He wrapped his arms around her, but she pushed him away.

“Find her.”

“Dad it was my fault. We had gone for a walk and Marquis appeared from nowhere. She told me to go get Aunt Kayla but by the time we got her they were gone.”SJ was getting hysterical.

In all the chaos, they didn’t realize they were alone, the others had taken off looking for Scarlet.

“Jade can’t you feel her.”

“No.”

“Solara can’t you hear her. Even a single thought?”

“I’m sorry Stephan but I can’t.”

Stephan took off searching for Scarlet’s distinct scent amongst the different smells of the forest flowers. He let his nose lead the way, no one knew her scent as well as he did. It was etched in his mind.

“Please be alive, please be close.” He chanted as he combed the forests, skillfully weaving through the trees.

He came to the edge of the forest and all he could hear was the rushing sound of the stream. Stephan had turned his desperate run into a walk of lost hope.

“Stephan!” he heard Vincent’s voice and hoped that he found something.

Stephan ran towards his voice, his heart in his hand and a prayer on his lips. He was hoping that she was still alive. He was praying that the little vampire in her kept her amongst the living. He ran as fast as he could. Vincent’s voice was getting closer with every stride he made. Stephan stopped. He stood still. Frozen, at the sight of his wife bloodied and shredded body. He dropped to his knees his eyes glued to her.

“Scarlet.” He managed to whisper.

Stephan stared at the hole where his daughter ought to be. Scarlet was lying in a pool of her blood.

“Mom!”

The sound of his son’s voice snapped him back into motion. He got to his feet and grabbed the boy before he could come across his mother’s body. He turned him to face the opposite direction, holding him in place as he struggled.

“What are you doing? I need to get to them.” SJ cried.

Them. Stephan knew there wasn’t them anymore, there wasn’t her either.

“Scar.” Kayla was on her knees by Scarlet’s side. “Scar?” She leaned towards her chest and she could still hear a heartbeat. It was there but barely audible, like the last flames of a fire.

“She is still alive. Stephan, she’s alive.”

Stephan passed his son over to Solara who was also holding Jade back from the gruesome scene.

“She needs some blood.” As soon as the words left his lips, the twins took off for the house.

Stephan pulled Scarlet’s limp body onto his thighs and cradled her. He could see the rose in her cheeks fade away, just as fast as her heartbeat was fading away.

“They won’t get here in time.” Stephan ripped his skin with his teeth, opening a flood gate of blood. He hoped he could get enough of it in her before his accelerated healing kicked in and closed the vein.

He pressed his wrist on her lips, and then slowly parted them. He raised her head so that the blood could seep into her body.

Scarlet was still struggling against the darkness when she felt a warm splash on her lips, and blood flowing into her mouth. The blood was sharp and metallic, it had an old taste to it. She knew it wasn’t human blood but she had tasted it before. It was Stephan’s blood her sole lifeline. She lifted her head towards the source of the blood then felt Stephan’s hand cradling the back of her head.

She could feel her life seeping back into her. Scarlet felt more aware of the dull ache at the center of her torso, but with it came the sharp awareness of her surroundings. She could hear everything they were saying and could smell everything around her. She could feel Stephan’s body against hers and the light touch of Kayla’s fingers on her hand.

But there was one thing she couldn’t feel. The excited movement her baby would make each time she sensed her father was close. The little nudges whenever she had the hiccups or the exciting somersaults whenever SJ spoke to her.

“Mom?”

She heard the sound of her son calling for her. She could hear the concern and fear thick in his tone. But she could also not feel his loving touch against her skin. Scarlet became aware of something else. She could hear and feel her heartbeat. She could feel her heart thump against her rib cage. She could hear the beats accelerate with every drop of Stephan’s blood she let seep into her body. The humping of her heart at super-speed caused her discomfort at first, but then it slowly became excruciating. The pain was becoming too much for her to bear.

Scarlet’s eyes flew open as her head lurched behind. The second she let out a scream of pain, her mouth was filled with more blood, but this time human blood. Scarlet thought that she would drown in it. She took down as much as she could, but when it became too much she shut down.

Stephan held the sack of blood over her mouth and poured it into her. He was determined to bring back her strength, desperate for her to live. When the blood started spilling over, he tossed the sack away. The thumping of her heart grew stronger and stronger, and then all of a sudden went silent.

They all held their breaths and stood frozen, not making a sound. They didn’t want to risk doing anything that could overshadow the sound of Scarlet’s heartbeat. They stood there, hoping and praying to hear another thud but nothing.

The forest was silent and so was Scarlet’s heart.