DEAD SEED (AKA "Vampires Don't Exist")

Twenty-Eight: Julian

Morgan was mortified as he saw Aralyn's head roll off her shoulders just as he returned from getting Claire's room ready for Maggi.

Aralyn's body fell to the floor, blood leaking lazily from the top of her severed neck. Morgan looked at Claire, then pounced on her as Sadie and Mabel went to grab her too.

"Morgan, get off of her," Aimeric said, his voice smooth as ever. He didn't seem at all concerned that Aralyn had just been killed. He was looking into the eyes of his newborn son, affectionately letting the infant grasp his finger.

"A-are you not angry, Master?" Morgan asked, his voice trembling as he slipped from Claire's back. Sadie and Mabel had her by the wrists now, holding onto her tightly, though their looks mirrored Morgan's in confusion. Why was Aimeric not full of rage at the loss of his beloved?

Claire struggled between the two women.

"Of course I am," Aimeric said. "I'm quite furious." His eyes flashed red as he looked at Claire. "However, my son has witnessed enough chaos for the first few moments of his life, I'd rather not spin his world further with rage at the moment."

The four of them watched as Aimeric lay the baby gently into the bassinet. When he turned around, he gestured with his finger. "Claire, darling ... come here."

Sadie and Mable let her arms go and Claire slowly stepped forward, cautiously eyeing Aimeric. She stepped around Aralyn's decapitated head and bleeding body, going to stand in front of him.

"Why did you do it?" he asked calmly, as if speaking to a child.

She hesitated. "I ... um."

"You wanted to save her from me? But you do realize she had already been turned and was sent to hell, don't you?" Her eyes widened as if she hadn't thought of that. "Or do you not care about that? Perhaps, instead of wanting to save her from me ... you were jealous of your sister?"

Claire's eyes darkened. "Why would I be jealous?"

Aimeric shrugged. "Maybe you wanted a child. Perhaps you're in love with me. You tell me, Claire."

She scoffed at first, as if the idea of loving him was the most revolting thing she had ever considered. However, enlightenment seemed to engulf her, and she smiled sweetly.

"You caught me. I love you, Aimeric. I was jealous of her, I admit. I want to be with you and raise the child as my own."

Aimeric smirked. "My traitorous child. I do enjoy your sarcasm." He looked back at Sadie and Mabel as Claire's smile melted from her face. "Take her downstairs. Aralyn will want to confront her when she returns, I'm sure."

Sadie and Mabel grabbed Claire once more, leading her away before she could cause any more chaos.

Morgan furrowed his brow. "Master? Did you say Aralyn will return?"

"That's right, Morgan. She won't be gone for long. I had a feeling something like this might happen, so I ensured her return long before tonight. We just have to wait."

They stood together, staring at the corpse on the floor. It was just Aimeric and Morgan now, watching and waiting. Orrin's decapitated head and body still lay on the floor close to Aralyn's.

Finally, Aralyn's body began to twitch. Her severed head rolled back and forth for a moment before the tendons and tissue began to mutate, forming something that resembled the legs of a spider so it could "walk" towards its fallen body. The head found its way back to its owner, attaching itself to the neck of Aralyn's corpse. The "legs" sewed themselves back on and Aralyn was soon complete again, without so much as a scar on her neck.