CURSE OF THE MOON REBORN
Chapter 40 WHEN TO BE BRAVE

“Two weeks.” She jotted ‘a week’ beside the ‘bleeding’. “You are showing and if we go according to your first pregnancy you should be in your sixth to the seventh week.”

Susan took a step back and looked at the board, analyzing each word written on it.

“I can’t see it either.” Solara put in after reading her thoughts.

“I don’t see it, your pregnancy should be running smoothly. The only big difference I see is that the telepaths couldn’t read your mind.”

“There is,” Kayla said.

“Would you like to share it with the rest of the class?” Nikki put in sarcastically.

“I would love to.” Kayla sneered back, “Scarlet was human during her first pregnancy.”

“What is she now?” Susana asked puzzled.

“Not human. She is part vampire. When SJ was born he bit her and he is venomous. Scarlet can do everything a vampire can and can’t. Like choking down big Macs.” Stephan said ending the statement with a smile on his face.

“Why didn’t you say so? That is the reason for all of this.” Susana exclaimed.

“What is?” Scarlet asked confused.

“She thinks the venom in your system is what is causing the baby to be in distress.” Solara filled in.

“That’s ridiculous the baby should be more comfortable because it is in a familiar environment.” Kayla refuted.

“That’s the thing. The baby is in a hostile environment. When Scarlet was human SJ developed easier because he was on a neutral ground. Both his vampire and beast genes could achieve their full potential. Now only one gene is comfortable and the other is struggling for survival.”

“Wait a minute are you saying my uterus is hostile and my body is killing my baby?” Scarlet was getting more confused with each word that left Susana’s lips.

“In a nutshell that is exactly what I am saying. The venom in you is helping the vampire side of the baby thrive. The baby is also feeding off your human blood and by so doing burning through its own not leaving nearly enough for the beast’s side of it to thrive.” Susan had suddenly turned into an expert of the supernatural pregnancies.

“Stephan was so worried that you wouldn’t have enough blood for you to survive, especially since you are bleeding out.” Kayla wrapped her arm around Scarlet’s shoulder.

“I have a theory about that too. I do not think that you are the one bleeding out I think it’s the baby.”

“Excuse me.” Susana’s theories had turned from confusing to horrific.

“Don’t worry, the baby must be healing its self if you are still that round. But right now we need to replace a way to balance the scale. Even out the playing field.”

“A sports metaphor?” Kayla questioned.

“I was watching ESPN when you called me. Any suggestions on how we can do this?”

“The baby needs a beast blood.” Nikki suggested and when all the eyes in the room rerouted to her she decided to clear out what she meant, “I am not volunteering.”

“I didn’t think you were. We can ask Eric.” Solara suggested.

“No I won’t do that.” the thought of turning the beast who had been living with her as a friend a brother and somehow a son into a meal didn’t sit well with Scarlet. She would much rather have Nikki or Susana’s blood.

“I’ll do it. Besides my blood is more potent than any one of yours and my DNA is the same as the baby’s.” Stephan volunteered.

“It should be.” Kayla joked.

“Are you sure babe?” It was his responsibility to ensure the survival of their child but it was also very noble of him to offer part of himself t someone he never met.

“Sure sweetheart. She’s drinking your blood there is no reason she shouldn’t drink mine.”

“She?”

“I’m with Solara on this one we need more females to dissolve all the testosterone in this house.” He leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. Their eyes lingered at each other before he pulled away breaking the moment.

“How do we do this?”

“You can take it directly from my wrist.”

“No, I’m not doing that, besides I doubt that my teeth can break your skin.” Scarlet turned down his selfless offer.

“Go bleed in a cup, I’ll sit here with her while you do it.” Kayla offered.

“Ok, I’ll be back in a while.”

“Thank you, but please make sure SJ doesn’t see you. I do not know how to explain daddy draining his blood in a cup for mommy to drink.”

“I won’t.” he gave her a quick kiss then leaves the room with Solara accompanying him.

“How does it feel to be the prey?” Solara asked once they were settled into the kitchen.

“I’m not the prey I am the husband and the father. And this includes one of my duties to my family.” Stephan closed his eyes as he lifted his wrist to his lips. He pulled back his lips and bore his teeth, sinking them into his leathery skin.

Stephan inverted his arm and put his wrist over the mug so that his blood would flow into it. He watched as he tapped his blood into the mug wondering whether or not it would be enough. He was willing to bleed himself dry because of the love he felt for Scarlet, and at that moment Scarlet needed their child to survive and he was going to make sure that it did.

“Do you think this is all that it will need?” Solara pulled him out of his deep thought.

“I don’t know. But as much as it needs I will give.”

“You’ll need to hunt later on, and you will need plenty of human blood. You are drinking for three now.” Solara teased once more trying to lift the solemn tension in the room.

“Eating for three, you are a ridiculous man. I’m glad you are here with me. I think I would go mad if I had to handle this on my own.”

“But you aren’t alone.”

“I know that I meant a guy friend, like you. Yes, the others are there but I needed someone I had a history with.”

“And that is just its history. A lot of stuff happened but I’m glad the girls were able to bring us closer.”

The sincerity in his gratitude was evident and Solara appreciated it. Solara grabbed another mug from the sink when the one Stephan had been filled to the brim.

“You see what I mean you are a great help.” Stephan chuckled.

“Your life would have been empty without me.” He feigned tears and used a kitchen cloth to wipe nonexistent tears from under his eyes.

“Once I fill this up we can take it to her.” The feeling of dread descended in the room once more.

“Don’t worry about it too much, I’m sure this will work and Scarlet and the baby will be fine.”

“I wish I had your optimism.” He used a table napkin to bind his wrist, not completely stopping but slowing down the flow of blood. “Grab one mug.”