Castle Vitale

Part 17: The Invitation

DRAKE POV 

I woke up in the middle of the night.

Serves me right, full moon. I could hear the screaming in my head. Even Shanti sat up. 

"What was that?" Shanti asked, eyes wide. "What's going on?"

I knew those screams. It didn't take long, and I knew it wouldn't. Charlotte was almost eight weeks along. "Stay here."

"Why?"

"Please."

"No," Shanti shook her head vigorously, though she was scared. "Isn't that Charlotte?"

"Yes." I took a deep breath. "If you want to, you can come, but this won't be pretty."

Shanti sat there for a second. "I want to help."

"There isn't much you can do for her." I rose from bed. "If you wish to come, then come." I wasn't looking forward to this. I walked up the steps to the upper floor, enduring screams of pain in my head. I knocked on Darius's door. 

Darius opened it and said, "She's not good."

I stepped inside and looked to see Charlotte curled in ball on the bed, shaking as if she was freezing cold. Her hands were on both sides of her head as if she was trying to cover her ears. "Charlotte, let me help you."

She opened her eyes, which were filled with tears. She looked at me, and began to cry.

"For the baby, Charlotte?" I didn't wait for her reply, I just picked her up and set her in my lap. "Alright, here we go, relax." I rubbed her back. I had no shirt on so the next step was easy. I used my fingernail to make an incision in the crook of my neck. "Go on." I felt my blood trickle over my skin. "Go on." 

Darius looked unsure. "Drake, I--"

I put some of my blood on my finger and pulled her lip back. She had small fangs.

"Oh my God!" he gasped, going down on one knee to watch me put more of my blood on them. It looked like her gums soaked it up. 

I watched her eyes change to gold in color, and gently propped her lips against the wound. She gently began to suckle it. "Listen carefully--"

"What the hell!" 

Darius and I turned to see Shanti standing in the doorway. She looked upset and confused. "It's not what you think--"

"What is going on?" Shanti asked. "Charlotte?"

"Shhh." I rubbed Charlotte's back soothingly.  "She can't...she is preoccupied."

"Don't shush me!" She walked around to get a closer look. "Is she...feeding on you?!"

"It's the baby," I replied evenly. "Think of it this way. The child was bitten at conception, and now needs to feed to complete the transformation." 

"She is feeding on you--"

"For the baby!" Darius and I interjected. 

"She needs to be fed at least twice a day," I told Darius. "That would weaken me. If we both take one each, we won't be depleted." 

Darius nodded. "I guess you're taking nights."

"Her bedtime," I confirmed. "My blood is older and thicker, more filling. With any luck she and the baby will sleep through the night."

"I'm only half vampire," Darius said worriedly. "Will mine be enough?"

"I think so." I sighed as Charlotte fell back, asleep. She was exhausted. I reached over, got a tissue and wiped her mouth. "Poor thing." I scooped her up with ease and laid her back in bed. "She won't always fall asleep like that, straight away. She's just so tired."