Artemis

I'm Sad, Don't Coddle Me

         Babies crying wakes me up from my sleep. I jolt up, remembering I have children to take care of. Zaida almost falls off my chest at the movement, but I quickly grab her. She giggles and claps her small hands. I grin at my baby girl and I bring her to my left nipple. She latches onto it and begins to suck her food from me.

          I then grab Alectys and put her to my right breast. She latches on and begins to suck. Alika then begins to wail, and I realize that I only have two breasts, and I cannot feed my son. Looking around the room frantically, I mind message Xio and Hestia an emergency.

Xio immediately bursts into the room and looks over my situation. I give her a timid smile and she just rolls her eyes at me. Handing her Alika I tell her, "Calm him down long enough so that one of my daughters can finish. Please." Xio nods and begins to bounce my baby boy in her arms. Alika giggles and wraps a small hand around her fingers. Xio smiles softly and continues to bounce my baby.

I cry out in pain, as I feel something pierce my breast. Looking down, I see that Alectys has fangs and is piercing me with them. Groaning, I take her off of my nipple and bite my wrist. Blood begins to flow out and she latches her fangs onto my now bleeding wrist. I roll my eyes and warily look at my other daughter, Zaida, to see if she has inherited my fangs. At the moment, no fangs are sprouting from her mouth and she is just happily sucking on my nipple.

Smiling softly, I look up to Xio and ask her, "Can you put Alika on my breast?" My friend nods and puts my son up to my breast. He latches onto my nipple and sucks it with a passion. My mind plays a horrid flashback and I hear myself whispering in fear and pain. Xio notices and rushes to my side. She brushes a strand of hair out of my face and whispers to me, "He can't get you or your children now. Not with everyone here watching over all of you. And I will not allow him to take you. I love you too much."

I just nod numbly and look away from my son sucking my nipple. I watch over Alectys drinking my blood, and making sure she doesn't have too much. Her fangs grow slightly longer and they pierce deeper into my skin. My lips turn up in a light smile and Zaida finishes feeding. I hand her to my friend and Xio coos at my daughter. Alika finishes next and I cradle him in my left arm.

           Alectys releases her fangs from my wrist, and I bring it up to my mouth, licking the wound closed. A cough sounds at the door, and I look up to find my closest friend standing in the doorway. Her arms are crossed and her eyes are blazing fires of anger. She stalks over to us and slaps my cheek.

          I gasp in pain and look at my friend with bleary eyes. Her eyes calm down a tiny bit at my sound of pain, but I stand up from my bed. I gently put my daughter and son on the bed, and I walk over to the closet. Opening it, I pull out a dark green robe and slip it over my body. Turning back around to my friend I glare, "You said you would never be like him." Hestia looks down in shame, but I still see the fire lighting up her eyes.

        I turn to Xio and whisper to her, "Please watch over them. I'll be back, I've just got to do something." Xio nods lightly, "I'll always watch over them. I'm going to keep my promise." I nod and turn to the door. Opening the door, I walk out confidently and close the door softly behind me. My knees start to shake and I just push through the pain.

  
        Staring at a painting of a beautiful forest, I teleport myself away.