7
Anisa sits up, looking around the small room she’s found herself in, a bed the only piece of furniture, no windows and only one door. She wonders what could have happened on her wedding day, why she was there, and most importantly where was Shan
“Sleeping beauty awakes.” Shan walks in, looking exhausted, but smiling none the less
She smiles softly “Hi… I feel like someone tried to split my head open… What happened? How long have I been out? Are mom and dad okay?”
“They’re fine, we’re fine, and I took care of it, sorry about the head ache.” He frowns softly
She smiles, unpaved by his obvious guilt “It’s alright, it isn’t your fault… But anyways, what’s for breakfast, dear husband?”
“I thought you might like a good steak, seeing as you missed the romantic dinner I had planned, and the hot night that was to follow.” He smiles then winks “How would you like it cooked?”
She smiles sweetly, her fangs descending slightly “Medium rare my love, and darling?”
“Yes?” He glances over his shoulder as he turns to go
Her eyes turn ice blue “It’s dangerous to knock out a pregnant woman. There could be negative things that may affect the baby.”
He sighs “I know. I’ll go cook dinner then we’ll go for a walk.”
“Okay my darling, take as much time as you need.”
He returns shortly with a steak for her
“Are you not hungry?” She sets the plate in her lap “Is something bothering you?”
“I’m fine, just a little tired is all, besides, I think you’re going to love the country around here.”
“Really?” She talks between bites “What kind of landscape? And why no windows??”
“We’re in one of the tower dungeons so you can heal, and we’re underground currently. The country itself is wild and beautiful.” He smiles at her
“Are you sure my mother’s the only vampyre you know?” She sets the empty plate on the bed beside her, watching her husband with a curious suspicion, a smile playing on the edge of her lips
“I don’t recall ever saying she was…”
She grins softly “Now you have to tell me. How many other Vampyres do you know?”
“At least one for every year you’ve been alive… Maybe more…”
“Ah… And how many of them have you… flirted with?”
“Only you and your mother.”
“Somehow I find that hard to believe, darling…”
“You two have been the only female vamps I’ve been with, all the rest were business partners, and men.”
She smiles softly, not letting the smile reach her eyes she says “Alright my darling, I know you wouldn’t lie to me… Now how about that walk?”
He sighs and offers her his hand to help her out of bed “If we hurry we might catch the sunrise.”
She sighs wistfully “I haven’t seen the sunrise yet…” taking his hand she rushes off, dragging him with her
“Oh good, we can share your first.” He winks playfully
She giggles softly “Not if we don’t hurry!”
He picks her up and rushes outside, the sun has still yet to rise “Just in time.”
She wraps her arms around him as they watch the sky turn from purple to pink to blue, the sun slowly peaking over the treetops “Wow…”
“Beautiful isn’t it?” He looks right at her and pecks her cheek
“It’s… More beautiful than words can describe…” She leaned against his shoulder “I never thought I’d see this…”
“I’m glad I could share it with you.” He smiles at her then slowly leads her to a bench
She leans against him “I was always asleep when the sun rose… It was part of the treatment… Vampyres who hadn’t mated but had taken the treatment could not go outside until after noon. And we had to be indoors by 2 a.m. It was a very odd life to live…”
“I bet… Question.”
“Yes…?”
“Have you heard of solar vamps?”
She looks at him with confusion “No… Mind telling me what they are?”
“They’re Vampyres who can go out in sunlight without the need of medication.”
She shakes her head “They don’t exist… There’s no way… Vampyres can’t go in the sunlight… It’s the basic definition of a vampyre: ‘a magical being who is neither human nor animal, they drink blood of others to survive, they cannot go out into the sunlight.’ Vampyres can’t take the sun’s rays, there’s something in the gamma rays that the sun radiates, it disrupts our cells. There’s no way a vampyre could step foot in sunlight without the Gamma radiation therapy. And the doctors can’t prescribe the therapy until a vampyre is of age.”
“What if I was to tell you that the moon of this planet is the dwarf core from a small star that collapsed eons ago, and that it gives off just enough gamma radiation to make a normal vampyre sick, but not to kill them?”
She sits up straight, moving to where she can look him in the eye “I would question why you brought me here… And consequently, if anything from the last few days was real… However, I know that an eternity alone is lonely so I’m sure you wouldn’t do anything to compromise my trust in you. Why…?”
“Because it is, and the reason you aren’t sick is because of the medication your people use. And yes, everything in the last few days has happened. I know you’re going to ask, but no, no it’s not.”
She looks out to the landscape, her hands folded in her lap, trying to discern if he’s lying or not.
“Come to a decision?”
“First I have a very important question.”
“Go on.”
“Grilled pineapples, bananas, cherries, and strawberries, or a fruit salad?” She looks at him, smiling “I’m starving so please hurry and pick one.”
“The grilled option.” He smiles back and kisses her softly “Want me to go get a blanket?”
“No silly, I want the food first. Pregnancy makes a woman very hungry.” She blushes softly “After all, I am eating for two you know…”
“Yes, I know. Now, the fruit is, this way.” He gets up and walks in a direction, he stops and smiles at her “I’ll return shortly.”
She nods back at him “I know.” She watches him leave, then gets up from the bench. Slowly she walks over to a flower, a marigold in a sea of lilies, and sits down beside it “Your alone too, huh? It’s awful being the only one… Not knowing who to trust…” She laughs softly “What am I saying? You’re a flower… You don’t need to trust anyone… You rely solely on the elements, the sun the ground, and the rain to keep you alive…” She sits be the flower and yammers on until Shan returns
“So you’re all alone huh?” A rough voice sounds behind her, the tone nothing like Shan’s
“You may not know this.” She stands up and turns around, her hand resting lightly on her stomach, which is swollen to the size of a five month pregnancy “But a pregnant woman is never alone.”
“Mhmmm…” the voice comes again from behind her “That just means there’s more blood to feast on.” It cackles darkly
“Do it. Bite me. But you’ll be sorry…” She smiles sweetly as she turns and squats down to pick the marigold “There’s no blood in my veins… No blood in my body…”
“But I hear it, the beat of your heart, and that child’s, two as one… And even pure vamps bleed.” The voice rushes you, the body it belonging to jumps out of the lilies and pins you to the ground
“Then by all means, bite me. Taste what sweet nectar runs through my veins… But don’t blame me when you die because you harmed the Princess.” Her voice turns cold as her eyes darken to navy blue; frost appears on the flowers as the temperature drops “Now… You have one chance to get off me… Five seconds… Get off and go away and never come back. Or die.”
“Ha! I doubt you can do it!” He chuckles evilly “Even if you were princess, only First House power can harm me.”
She smiles softly, thankful he hadn’t noticed the black cat stalking through the lilies towards them “I never said I would harm you, only that you would die. So make your choice, get off or die.”
“That lovely familiar can’t save you by the way, as I said, only First House power can hurt me.”
“What about me Jag?” Shan’s voice drifts from across the clearing, the sound of it riddled with anger “Get off her or be burnt to a crisp.”
Anisa winces softly as she puts all of her strength she has into her arms, pushing herself and her attacker up off the ground by a centimeter, giving the baby room as she kicks frustratedly “Shan the baby is in pain! Please, you have to get him off!”
“You heard her Jag, get moving.” Shan walks over and kicks “Jag” off Anisa, then bends to help her up “Are you ok love?”
“She is one of yours?” ”Jag” backs into the flowers slightly, the sound of his shaking evident
“I’m better…” she places her hand on her stomach “The baby just really doesn’t appreciate being squished like that.”
Spook walks up to Anisa and touches his nose to her stomach; he shifts into a human, his hand where his nose was “Mistress wanted to come herself, however she was delayed. She sent me to tell you she’ll be here in three days.”
“Tell Caroline that we should be ready to receive her by then and to bring an emissary with her.” Shan looks at Jag “You think you and the other two could behave long enough to hear what they’ll say?”
“No. I’m going to hunt to my delight, and as soon as your eyes are off her, she’ll become my meal.” Jag slinks off into the flowers, disappearing
Spook nods his head “Very well. Be safe young ones…” He disappears in the opposite direction as Jag
Anisa put her hand to her forehead and relaxes against Shan “Who was that? And why was he so intent on killing me?”
“That was Jag, he’s just recently become Alpha of the Cat Pack Vamps… He’s looking to boost his power so that his rule is unquestioned. Sorry, I thought I mentioned the sunlight vamps…” Shan softly helps her to her feet and guides her back to the bench
She gently presses her fingertips to a bump on the side of her head, wincing softly at the sight of the blood “yea well I’m still confused about that… How can they walk without medications?”
“They built up a natural immunity to it. Since the moon is the core of a long dead star and give off lower emissions of gamma it allowed them to slowly get used to it, eventually they started hunting longer and longer ’til they realized that they could go for days without having to shelter up at daybreak.”
“And these psychos live on this planet? They’ll be here when mom gets here??”
“I’m hoping the presence of one of the last pure bloods from First House will calm them enough to listen to reason, though given they build the tower and a portal interceptor just so they could drag others to this planet just to hunt them makes me kind of worried.”
“If they’re this crazy… Why… Why did you bring your pregnant wife here?”
“I did mention the interceptor right? Well, on one of my travels it pulled me here and I took the tower from them. I turn off the interceptor but come back every once in while so that I can maintain control. And we just happened to be nearby… Besides, I thought we’d get less distraction from others so we could enjoy our honeymoon, but getting you to wake up after the fight with Cain and Able took most of our time…” He makes a halfcocked face as he stares at the ground
“That’s right… I remember now… a group of men busted in after we said our vows… But… that’s all I remember…”
“Yea, well… that was a week ago…” He frowns softly
“A week? What happened Shan? Why was I out a week?”
“I kind of… um… knocked you out… I didn’t want you to see me like that…”
“A week…” she bites her lip, hiding a smile “You knocked… your pregnant wife… on her ass… for a week? And what were you thinking? That you didn’t want me to see you fight… Why would I not want to see you fight? Some girls get turned on by that ya know, seeing their man fight to protect them. But you don’t risk it. Instead you knocked me on my ass. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Have you ever seen a Reaper fight?” He looks at her, a great sadness in his eyes
“No…” concern fills her eyes as she places her hand on his knee “Shan a fight is a fight isn’t it? Please darling… tell me why you look so sad about this…”
“The Reapers mask acts as a limit breaker, any hidden power they have is brought to the surface… But by doing so we run the risk of personification… We can potentially lose control and become the pure emotion that each mask represents…”
“Can you…recognize those around you…? Distinguish who’s a friend and who’s an enemy…?”
“It depends on the mask, and how deeply you are dragged into it…”
“Is that why you knocked me out, love? Because you didn’t want to risk killing me during the fight?”
“Love… How bad is it…? What’s… what’s your emotion…?”
“Insanity.”
She smiles softly, relaxing against him “somehow that doesn’t surprise me…”
“Thanks. Now what, you wanna eat and go for that walk?”
“How about food and then a nap…? My feet are killing me… and I could seriously use a massage… You up for it mister insanity?” She smiles coyly at him, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers
“Sure.” He smiles and starts to grill the fruit
“Thanks honey… By the way…” she winks at him “You look very sexy”
“Are you ok?” He smiles at her “You sure your hormones are all acting properly?”
She giggles softly “Sweetie… Pregnancy doesn’t affect those hormones” she winks at him
“Sure it doesn’t.” He smiles and hands her some of the fruit
She giggles softly, taking the fruit “Thank you darling…” she scarfs down the food, almost as if she was starving. He hands her the next two as well.
She blushes softly “Guess I was hungrier than I thought…” she eats those as well, a bit slower than the last time. He eats one then holds the last one out for her.
She smiles softly as she takes the last piece of grilled fruit “This is cooked to perfection love…”
“Thanks dear.” He smiles at her softly
“Your most welcome… Now… I’m very tired, shall we go to bed…?” She smiles sweetly at him
“Why not.” He stands and helps her up, softly guiding her to the tower
She leans against him “I love you Shan…”
“I love you too Anisa.” He kisses her softly as he opens the door
“Night dear.”
With her head on his chest Anisa falls into a dreamless sleep.
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Shan stirs about in the kitchen setting up a meal, he sighs “If only I could remember, I feel it there. It’s pressing against my skull but I just can’t reach it.” Shan shakes his head, soft light glowing from his eyes as tears drop softly away from them “Oh well… Guess I should finish and return to Anisa.” He does so and gently places himself back under the warmth of her body
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Anisa stretches softly, yawning
“Morning love, how’d you sleep?” He kisses her softly
“Could’ve been better…” she gently kisses his neck “But oh well… You?”
“About the same.” He smiles softly “How’s the baby?”
“She’s hungry…” Anisa takes Shan’s hand and places it on her stomach, just below her belly button and to the right, he feels a slight nudge “Feel that? She’s kicking…”
His eyes glaze over as he smiles, his voice coming as if from a far “Hello Heather. My name’s Shan.”
Anisa smiles softly “Heather… I like the sound of it…”
Shan looks up at Anisa “She’s glad you do. Now food, what shall I make today?”
“Hmmm…. Pancakes? With…. Strawberries… and… Chocolate chips… and… bananas… and whipped cream…” she groans softly as Heather kicks in excitement “And some melted coffee ice cream on the side.”
“Sounds good, you want one or two bowls?” He smiles as he slowly works out from under her.
“Just one darling, I only need one bowl of ice cream. But I’d like three pancakes, one with strawberries, the other with chocolate chips, and the last with bananas. With the whipped cream between the pancakes.”
“Yes dear.” He leaves quickly, a smile on his face and returns with her breakfast and an extra cup.
She grabs a fork and kisses him softly. “Thank you love.”
“You are very welcome.” He smiles and sets the tray beside her then walks around and puts his ear to her belly softly. Anisa slowly eats her stacked triple flavored pancakes, a tear slides down her face as she watches Shan.
“She wants to go for a walk today.” He smiles up at Anisa “Why are you crying?”
She wipes away the tears, smiling softly “No reason… ”
“Tell me or I shall be forced to use a most terrible torture on you.” He winks playfully and kisses her belly.
“I was thinking… about Kail…” she threads her fingers through his hair “I had a dream last night… Kail was in a room in my Aunt’s castle… She was interrogating him…It… It was awful….”
“I’m sorry dear.” He kisses her belly once more then moves “You should finish eating soon.”
“It’s alright… It’s not like it was real…” she smiles softly as she finishes off her pancakes, dunking the last one into the bowl of coffee ice cream
“Ok, well, you ready for that walk now?” He smiles at her and moves the empty trey away
“Yeah,” she smiles back “but I don’t think I can stand up on my own right now, wanna help me?”
“Of course.” He smiles at her and offers his arm as support
Using his arm she stands up, her right hand instinctively moving to her stomach “Thanks darling.”
“You’re very welcome. So, where shall we walk to?” He smiles at her and kisses her cheek
Grinning softly she whispers “The moon and back my love… The moon and back…”
“That’s a very long walk love, how about back to the bench?” He chuckles softly
“It’ll do for now I guess. Lead the way? I still don’t quite know my way around yet…”
“Of course my dear.” He guides her outside and to the bench, softly kissing her cheek from time to time
“It really is quite lovely here…”
“I know, that’s why I chose it as our honeymoon location.” He winks and helps her sit on the bench
“Honeymoon? Didn’t we already have a honeymoon?” She pulls his hands to her belly, smiling coyly “Heather is proof of that isn’t she? Or was that night just drunken fun for you?”
He sticks out his tongue “You know what I mean.”
She giggles softly in return “Of course my darling…”
He smiles and sits beside her
She shudders softly “Darling it’s a little chilly… do you mind going back and getting me a blanket?”
“Of course not, any one you would prefer?” He smiles as he gets back up
“No love… Just a blanket big enough to cover me please…” she smiles back
“Of course dear.” He smiles and head back to the tower
She leans back still shivering slightly, she hums a nursery rhyme under her breath as she waits for Shan to return
“Didn’t I warn him about letting you out of his sight…” Jag steps out of the shadows of the trees, allowing Anisa to actually see him
“Maybe… I’m afraid I don’t quite remember…” she watches his approach, wary of the conversation that’s about to take place “What do you want Jag?”
“Your blood.” He growls as the light reveals a tall pale man, though his features remind Anisa somewhat of a cat
She grins, winking softly she says “Nice tail kitten.”
He roars and tackles her to the ground, putting her throat in his mouth “You’ll die for that statement!”
She bites her lip, resisting the urge to bite his neck in return “And you’ll die for this act…”
He ignores her and sinks his teeth deeply into her neck, drawing forth her lifeblood
She closes her eyes, bringing forth the memory of Shan, the smile that was on his face when he left, the shine in his eyes, the love that emanated from him. A tear falls down her face as she realizes she may never see her daughters face.
A great heat emanates from above her and Jag screams in pain, a cold angry voice reaches her ears “I thought I told you to leave her alone.
“It’s too late now, I’ve bitten her, she’ll become one of my people…” Jag gasps those final words as he turns to ash
“Damn…” she whispers softly, wincing in pain “You know he was kind of cute… Too bad he’s such a jerk…”
“Don’t even joke.” Shan comes over to her and softly kneels “Shit, he was right…”
“Darling… I’m the Vampyre Princess… There’s nothing in the world that can re-write my genes to change me…” she smiles softly, her hand resting on her stomach “There’s only-” She stops suddenly, gasping in pain
“You forgot the baby, and your Skyknight genes…” He carefully picks her up and carries her back to the tower
She mutters several choice words, her forehead pressed against Shan’s shoulder as she tries very hard not to scream from the pain in her stomach “Shan!! What’s happening?!”
“The venom is trying to change you thru the baby… And I’m afraid that all I can do is stop it at Heather, before it gets to you…”
She winces softly “Shan it’s hurting her! Is there nothing you can do for her?”
“There is very little I can do… My only choice is to make it so she accepts the venom as a part of her being…” He lays Anisa on the bed and softly lays his hands on her stomach
She cries softly, nodding “Do it… If it protects her… Then do it…”
“Ok…” His hands glow and wisp as if on fire, slowly he presses against Anisa stomach, a warm feeling coursing through her
She grits her teeth, clenching her eyes shut
The pressure of his hands leave as he sighs “Done…”
She stays still, eyes shut and teeth clenched, as tears flow hot and fast down her face
She feels a soft pressure on her stomach and hears a small chuckle from Shan
“What… could you possibly… find funny… at a time like this…?”
“She’s laughing… She thinks this was all just some big adventure.” He chuckles softly and kisses Anisa’s belly “She’s a good girl…”
“She’s laughing?” Slowly Anisa opens her eyes, the color a dark blue instead of her natural brown, her pupils appear as pinpricks “She’s honestly laughing? She’s not in pain anymore?”
“She’s laughing now, has been since I stopped.” He smiles at her
Anisa sighs with relief, resisting the urge to smile back “That’s good… Umm… Darling I need a favor…”
“Yes?” He stands up
“As you know my mother is a vampyre. I am a vampyre. And we Vampyres are bloodsucking monsters.” Anisa twists her fingers into the sheets on the bed beneath her, squeezing her eyes shut she continues “There comes a time in every relationship where the partner needs to be aware of the fact that his spouse is a bloodsucking monster and because of that has certain needs. Needs that if not fulfilled, will lead to her emanate demise.” One of her canines elongates over her lip as she continues, her teeth clenched “Shan I’m going to die in less than an hour if I don’t feed.”
“You want mine or something else’s?”
“If I wanted to risk killing you I wouldn’t have told you anything. Please Shan… You have to hurry…”
“Drink.” He cuts a small slice down his arm and puts it before Anisa’s lips “I promise you’ll have never tasted richer…”
A tear slides slowly down her face as she whispers “Please… don’t let me kill you…” slowly she closes her eyes and sinks her fangs into his arm
“I won’t.” He smiles at her
Tears fall across his arm as she uses his lifeblood to replace the blood stolen from her and to sate the never ending hunger
He smiles softly “No tears little missy, you get one of the rarest treats in the galaxy.”
She licks his arm, healing the wound “How is hurting your husband by stealing his lifeblood a treat?”
“How many different bloods have you tasted?” He smiles at her
She looks at the ground “One… Spooks blood…”
“My point exactly, each species has a different taste to its blood and the effect on the body upon consuming.”
“And do you know how many times I almost killed Spook? How many times I drew too much of his blood? How many times my mother had to knock me across the room because I could not stop myself??”
“Nope, mind I also know that it’s all in the mind and how long you go without.”
She shudders softly at the memories of Spook lying half dead on a mat in her mother’s room “Two weeks… is eleven days too long… for a pregnant Vampyre”
“Ok. Want me to start looking at ways to infuse your drinks with trace amounts of blood?”
“Whatever you think is best love…” She curls up softly, hugging a pillow to her body
“Is there something else that’s wrong dear?”
“No… there’s nothing else…”
“Ok… Your mother will be here tomorrow…”
“Yes… I remember…” she shivers slightly “Darling…I’m terribly tired… Do you mind very much if we take a nap?”
“No, I don’t…” Shan gets in the bed behind Anisa and kisses her cheek softly
“Thank you…” burying her face into the pillow, Anisa cries herself to sleep
He softly strokes her hair “Sleep well love.”
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