My Dark Lord

Closing In

      Freya rolled for the millionth time and slivered over his bared chest snuggling into it's coolness, he let out a sigh, as her pregnancy advanced she had become feverish constantly. Subconsciously he started tracing his fingers up her arm and across her back; her fever was definitely really high. Letting out another sigh he stilled his hand, she had 3 weeks left before the baby came and she'd still not told him her decision; what was she waiting for?

      A soft knock sounded at his door the scent of Francois drifting to him, "Come in." he called extremely low.

      "Mi'Lord...I've brought what you asked...it took me a few hours to find it and wolves kept startling it...are you sure you want to try this?" he muttered looking down at a glass he held frowning and wrinkling his nose.

      "Yes, bring it here." it had taken him some time to work up the courage for this he thought, may as well get it done and over with.

      Francois approached him and handed him a chalice full of the sticky red blood that made his nose wrinkle too, grabbing the chalice he fought back a gag.

      "Ugh, this stuff smells terrible!" he hissed, "She's feverish again." he muttered answering Francois thoughts.

      "Is torturing yourself like this really going to do any good?" 

      "I'm hoping so Francois."

      "Yes, but you didn't like the wolf's blood, or the lamb blood, or cows; you haven't liked any of them thus far."

      "I have to give it a try." turning off his sense of smell he swigged down the blood and waited a minute, "Better...not quite great but not terrible either; how long has it been I've been sustaining myself on this stuff now Francois?"

      "A little over one month Mi'Lord." he replied, "Have you felt weak or dangerous towards Lady Freya, Lady Amelia or Yvette?"

      "No danger feelings but weakness, I feel as if I am being sustained well enough not to be a danger but not fully or truly sustained enough to keep me at my strongest."

      "So it is possible?" Francois asked right as he jumped, "What was that?"

      Looking down at Freya he narrowed his gaze, what was she dreaming about, "She bit me." just then she bit him again but he was positive she was still asleep.

      "Maybe the infant is hungry Mi'Lord...the infant's appetite has increased...you cannot attempt to feed her yourself...allow me...I know I'm not exactly the blood it craves but it's safest."

      Maneuvering around after Francois opened his vein he slid it under Freya who latched on in her sleep and suckled viciously at the blood, finally she sighed and rolled away from them.

      "At least she didn't take too much." Francois muttered, "If you'll excuse me Mi'Lord." he muttered and Xander knew the look in his eyes, poor Yvette was soon to be on the receiving end of a rather interesting awakening; he chuckled lowly before getting up and walking out onto the terrace the wind had increased and he smelt a blizzard on the way.

      Suddenly a scent hit him, a tantalizing scent that caused him to thirst as his eyes narrowed in on a shadow moving around a few dozen feet below. He felt his body take over as he leapt over the railing landing soundlessly below, the wind whipping through his hair that never grew any longer; another thing about him frozen in time.

      He felt his body crouch as he stalked further down the mountain his eyes refocusing on the magnificent looking beast. It's fur was spotted, it's ears alert with little tuft of fur at the tips and it had a bobbed tail; it's sure feet crunching in the snow ever so quietly. It's scent wafted across him again and he felt the heat in his muscles as he lurched forward for the chase.

      Soon he had it and it put up a fight, it's nails scratching at his skin leaving tiny trails of blood and it's teeth sinking into his shoulder as his own sank through its' thick fur and into its' throat. The first wallop of blood was nearly divine; it was no human blood however. It's blood flowed into him easing off what little hunger he felt and warming him. Too soon it gave up its fight and lay motionless in his embrace as he pulled back and licked his lips; the scent of the blood had drawn other prey so leaving the corpse there he made his way back to the house giving a powerful leap and landing on the balcony just as Freya let out a scream.

      Rushing in he instantly tugged away the sheets and looked her over, her eyes were wide with fear as she cradled her lower ribs just then Francois burst through the door with mussed hair and half dressed.

      "What is it, what's happened?!" he shouted.

      Letting out a growl he hissed, "The baby has either broken or fractured a rib; from this moment on she is allowed no stress of any sort. From this moment on she is on strict bed rest and we must watch her closely.

      "What's wrong with Frey!" Amelia suddenly gasped from behind Francois, "Why is Frey crying, why did Frey scream?" Amelia spewed out turning quickly Francois ushered here from the room and closed the door then telling her that everything would be ok and that he promised he ushered her off to the kitchen for a bite to eat.

      "We must do everything we can to keep Lady Freya still and to keep Lady Amelia away." Francois barked as he came back in the room locking the doors behind him.

      The next several days they took turns watching over Freya, resting and feeding. Over the days Freya's abdomen became a myriad of bruises in shades of dark purple near black to shadows of a yellowish tinge. Laying his hand on her stomach he hummed lowly which seemed to keep the infant calm. To top everything off he and Francois both had become blood donors for the infant because it was too much for just himself so they spent half their day starved; in desperation they had even attempted to give her animal blood which she had just vomited right back up.

      Sighing he looked at her face, for an hour now she'd been staring silently at the ceiling refusing to say a word to him.

      "I'm going to die...for our baby...I am going to die..." she whispered lowly finally her words chilling him through and through.

      "Y...you don't have to...I can save you Freya...just..."

      "Yes." she said flatly, interrupting him, "When the time comes..." desperately she reached for him, "save me!" she cried he could tell how frightened she truly was but he could not help the leap of joy in his heart at her words.

  © Eva Henderson, 2016