The Twisted Links

Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

A few weeks earlier, Eesha noticed a couple of nurses rolling plastic cribs into a new building next to the maternity ward as she was on her way out of one of the Councilmember's offices. Her instincts were never wrong and something felt very off on what was happening. She had studied a layout of the hospital with Ameera before the separation and knew that the hospital had a large nursery in next to the maternity ward for special care babies. There was no reason to bring a newborn elsewhere especially in this weather.

Using stealth and speed she made it to the building. Climbing into the open rafters of the new building, the vampire quietly observed the horror beneath her. Doctors walked about with notepads poking and prodding at the helpless infants that screamed in protest. Blood and hair samples were taken. There were containment units where babies laying crying as they were exposed to heat or cold. All the children were shifters.

Some nurses called "Red Code" as they pulled a very rare elephant calf from a cold box. Doctors rushed over trying to revive the infant but failed.

Pulling off his gloves, the doctor said, "Damn it I still had more test to do. Oh well tell the parents the usual bullshit and get it out of here."

Another doctor laughed, "Yeah make up a disease with my name in it."

Eesha felt sick. They were experimenting on newborns.

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The chill of the night air made the guard want to stick closer to the outbuilding next to the gate rather than on patrol along the dividers. Eesha silently slipped passed the barrier and continued on her way to the very familiar door of a very familiar house.

Quietly picking the lock that had never been put to use until recently, Eesha snuck into the house and climb the stairs. Shaking the couple awake she cautioned them against turning on a lamp or making any loud sounds.

She had received Abraham's message and knew that it was time to leave.

"Eesha?" Ameera sleepily questioned before giving her friend a tight hug.

"We have to leave." She said quickly explaining what she had witnessed.

"We have to stop this!" Ameera hissed.

"Right now, we can do nothing." Eesha stood and held out three knapsacks. "Put whatever you can in there and leave everything else. We have to leave quickly. I have a friend, Darius, he's a vampire. He can help us. There are passports, tickets, and travel money waiting for us. We can never return and we'll be on the run for the foreseeable future."

Abraham sighed. "I spent most of my life on the run. This is not the life I wanted for my family."

"But at least we'll be alive and together." Ameera said comfortingly.

"Let's go."

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Maryland... 4 months later...

Ameera tried to stifle her screams as the baby began to crown. Abraham held her hand as he tried to calm their crying son. The car hissed and sputtered. The Hunters had caught up with them. They were ambushed on the way to the hospital. Fear was so tangible that Ameera could feel it with every labored breath. The shadows approached the wrecked car and the couple knew that they wouldn't make it. Abraham was pinned in the driver's seat, his legs broken and shoulder fractured. He was bleeding from internal injuries and knew that he only had a short time left. Ameera's arm was broken, an arrow was buried in her side pinning her to the seat, and the baby was coming.

The shadows became figures of death and with a final push a new life entered the world. Grabbing the pink baby blank she had made and embordered with the baby's name and due date which ironically was the actual birth date, Ameera wrapped her infant and put her to her chest. Abram quieted to stare at his new sister from his car seat in the back.

Abraham smiled as he stared at his daughter. His life force was slipping away though he no longer felt the pain. "Asya." He whispered with wonder and joy.

Caught up in the moment they didn't notice the bloodbath outside the vehicle. Ameera's door was wrenched open and Eesha appeared covered in blood.

"We have to get you out now! There are more coming!" She said ripping the seatbelt.

Ameera placed a hand on Eesha's arm halting her actions. Looking at her best friend, Eesha's heart grieved as Ameera smiled gently. "Take her." She said handing the vampire her newborn. "Promise me that you will protect them. Make sure they find good homes and one day tell them about us." She ended with a cry as she felt the bond between her and her mate break. Abraham was gone. The children whimpered and then became silent.

"Go." Ameera said.

"I could have stopped this." Eesha said loaded with guilt. "I should have seen this betrayal." Anger at herself for trusting the wrong person.

"No this was our fate. Don't blame yourself." a gasp of pain left her lips. "Go please go."

Eesha pulled Abram from his seat and held him in her other arm. With one last look at her friend, she raced off into the night determined to keep her promise. Racing through the trees, the echo of a gunshot was far away but Eesha knew what it meant. The babes in her arms whimpered once more now that their mother was gone.

Sensing an immediate danger, Eesha stopped and set the children down at her feet. If this fight required her life, then she would gladly give it to keep her promise. Three Hunters and two werewolf agents stepped out of the woods with weapons drawn.

"Give us the children, Eesha." Keith, one of the Hunters, commanded.

"Absolutely not."

"Fine, but you're going to die."

"So be it." 

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There are a lot of possibilities for this  storyline. Haven't quite figured it out yet.