The Monster's Child :.Book 1 in the Delfunie Trilogy.:

8

The two days bed rest wasn't so bad, it was the constant supervision Lucian ordered. I had to endure nothing but two days of Ragnar watching me. It was completely uncomfortable. All he did was sit by the window and watch me. I was starting to get uncomfortable just sitting so I stood up to stretch my legs and he was on alert, waiting for something to happen.

"Ragnar, I'm fine. Seriously. I just need to walk around." I told him. He relaxed a little. He started picking at his nails.

"You matter too, human." I turned to face him, surprised by what he said.

"What?"

"You matter too. The other day, right before everything happened, you said that only the baby mattered. And I'm saying that's not true. You matter just as much as that baby. So don't let Lucian tell you any different." I couldn't believe he was saying this to me. I mean, yeah the baby mattered, but I don't see where I did.

"I don't see where you're right, Ragnar. I'm only alive because of Jax. If something happens to him, Lucian will kill me. You know that. As long as Jax is okay, I'm safe." Ragnar shook his head.

"Don't you understand? Without you, this is not baby. You matter, Mavis. You matter." I found myself smiling. "What?" He asked.

"You called me Mavis." He just looked at me for a second before standing up. "Ragnar, thank you. I needed to hear that." He just nodded and left. I just sat down and closed my eyes while I felt the baby move. No sooner did I start to fall asleep did Ragnar came in telling me the doctor was here.

"Alright, help me up."

After the doctor left, I went back to my room. I was suddenly scared. My blood work came back fine but another mother died.

"Mavis, that's nothing to worry about. So two mothers dies, it doesn't mean you will." Ragnar tried to reassure me. I sat on my bed and tried to calm down. Everything time I get upset, I still get horrible headaches. I looked up at Ragnar.

"Two mothers died, Ragnar. Two. One was a friend of mine. Besides, I'm pretty sure they're the only ones to give birth since the invasion. If humans are dying now, I'm terrified because that means I basically have a month to live and that scares me, Ragnar. I don't..."

"Mavis, calm down. You're getting yourself all worked up again. Listen, I know this is a scary situation but you'll be fine. You are carrying a Delfunie baby, that has to count for something." I tried my best to calm down and I finally did. I turned to Ragnar.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe this will be different because of the baby." With that I went to take a shower. Showers always helped me relax and right now, I needed to.

I was finally off bed rest and I was allowed to leave the house. I went to group and explained what had happened. Richard of course was negative, saying that I wasn't going to last much longer being pregnant with 'that thing.' Ross just seemed worried for me. He never stopped looking at me throughout group.

"Alright, let's get you home." Ross said when group ended. I just smiled and got in the car. I sat down and felt a small sharp pain in my abdomen. It was only one and it didn't last so I ignored it.

"Are you alright?" He asked, starting the car. I just nodded.

"Yeah, the baby moves a lot. Still getting used to it." I answered. I was quiet the rest of the ride. I kept catching Ross looking at me but I still didn't say anything. Once I was hone, he stopped me from getting out.

"Do you ever think about running away? From here?"

"Yeah, sometimes I do. but then I remember that I'm pregnant and I'll never be able to leave." I answered. Ross looked almost sorry for me when he looked in the back seat at his sister.

"What if you were able too? Would you?" I looked up, surprised. Would I?

"Ross, I don't...I don't know. I don't think so." I jumped out of the car as best I could and walked up to the door. Ross just asked me to run away with him. Could I do that? With the baby? Could I just leave without him and make Lucian take care of his son? I don't think so.

Another few weeks passed and I was in the home stretch. I was almost three months pregnant and it was showing. I looked like I was eight months and I was mega uncomfortable. Ragnar helped me as much as he could to stay relaxed but I kept hearing about more and more mothers dying. I was so afraid that I was going to die that I barely left my bed. Ragnar tried to reassure me but it didn't work.

I decided to go to group tonight because the doctor started talking about a birth plan. With my due date only two weeks away, I thought about dying too much and I wanted to talked to someone about it that was a Delfunie.

I was a little late for group but everyone was okay about it. We found out Ethel died in her sleep last night so everything one just talked about her. I didn't mind, it got my mind off of the fact that I was dying. I sat next to Alex and just held his hand. Not only did he just lose his wife, but now his grandmother.

Once group ended, Ross pulled me aside.

"Listen, I know what you said about running away but hear me out. Alex and I heard about a place that's safe for humans. We are leaving in a month and I want you to come with us."

"What? Wait, where? I thought the Delfunie took over everything. There's nowhere for us to go." He smiled.

"I'm not sure where but I know it's west, towards Death Valley." I looked down at my swollen belly and tried to picture a life after the baby is born. I couldn't.

"Ross, I would go in a heartbeat if meant we could be safe but..."

But you're pregnant and that thing won't let you leave. I know. You told me." He looked almost disappointed that I basically said no but the reason isn't the one he thinks it is.

"It's not that Ross. It's...my doctor keeps telling me about all these mothers that keep dying. Ross, I don't think I'm going to survive this." He was shocked. I didn't want to upset him but he needed to know the truth. He just nodded and we walked to the car in silence and he drove me home.