Chapter 5

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    I am sitting on the sofa beside Theodore. I look at everyone's faces— Jasper, George, Amanda, and Aeneas— they are all there. I swallow the lump in my throat and speak, "Lucella has tried to expose vampire-kind to everyone at the party. Luckily, Lord Wilson is one of us. He has already promised allegiance to our cause. We can only hope and wait at this time."
    Amanda raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I wasn't informed of vampires, a cause, and such."
    "That is why we are all meeting here. As you are our maid, you cannot simply get out of this situation. Unfortunately, you have only two choices. You can either become one of us or you can help us and risk a chance of death." Theodore's voice is dark and serious.
    Amanda gulps. "D—death?!"
    "Shh. Lady Falkhurst is with child." Jasper doesn't snap, but his eyes are intimidating.
    Amanda looks right at me. "Are you all saying that you will kill me if I refuse to turn even if I help you?"
    "Unfortunately. It's a law that all vampires must follow. Humans cannot know anything about our existence. Anne Worthing already knows and she is determined to destroy us all. I am sorry that those are your choices, but it's what must be done." I lock eyes with the maid.
    Theodore wraps an arm around me and pulls me close. "I know it's a lot to take in, but it's all we can do. Please understand our situation."
    Amanda's face flickers between anger and worry. "I can't just become one of you. I have a father and a sister to take care of. I can't just abandon them, nor could I die. I'm the only one keeping my family alive. Please understand that."
    I am pierced by her words. Tears flood from my eyes. I stand abruptly and run out of the mansion. I barely hear the footsteps behind me. I cry and cry. I feel someone place a hand on my back.
    "It's going to be okay. I'm sure everything will be alright." Jasper's voice soothes me. He turns my face towards him. "Don't cry. You're stronger than you think. Your father and sister are stronger than you think they are. Lord Wilson will help you if you need it. I know you have always supported and helped others, but now it's time for others to support and help you. You can't carry the weight of all this and care for your child." He continues rubbing my back and saying soothing things to me.
    After a while, I am ready to rejoin the others. I stand, with Jasper's help, and go back inside.
    Theo runs up and embraces me. "Is everything alright? You worried me." He reaches his hands up and wipes the tears from my eyes.
    "I'm sorry. It's just that Amanda makes it sound like I abandoned my family just because I'm going after what I want and that I don't care about them."
    "It's not like that, my love. Sometimes I feel like I just took you from your father and sister. It makes me feel guilty for making you mine, but the truth is not that. I joined your family and you joined mine. No one was abandoned or stolen. We're both fighting for the sake of our families now." Theodore's hands travel south to my stomach.
    I feel movement inside me. "I know. I don't want the future to repeat itself. I want you to meet her. I want you to be there for her—in person and not as a ghost or shadow. I want us to be a family." I kiss Theo, finding his tongue with my own.
    Theodore is the first to pull away. "Now, let us retire to the master bedroom. There's something I want to ask you." He offers his arm.
    I take it and follow him up the grand staircase. I don't know what Theo wants to ask me until we stop in front of the door to the master bedroom. "Is this about the family being in debt?" I look down at my feet. I don't know what his reaction will be. Theodore won't hit me, will he?
    "How did you know? George only said something about it after you ran outside." Theo lifts my face, staring into my eyes. He grazes his thumb over my cheek.
    "My father knows. He told me about it... he even spoke with your father on the matter," I admit. I follow Theodore inside and plop on the bed. I kick off my shoes. I pull the ribbon out of my hair.
    Theodore removes his jacket, takes off his vest, and unties his neckerchief. He plops down beside me. Theo pulls his boots off. He faces me. "Please help me."
    "Only if you help me." I start unbuttoning his shirt. I trace the lines of his abs and chest, admiring his beautiful body.
    Theo unties the bow with gentle hands. He places his hands on my stomach and starts caressing it with his delicate fingers. "It's like I opened a gift. Every time you tie a ribbon and set the bow on your stomach, I want to be the one who unties it. This child is our gift, just waiting for us." Theodore gently taps his fingers in a rhythm against my belly.
    The baby responds with the same rhythm.
    I smiled. "She knows."
    "Of course she does. I spoke to her in a small tune and she replied with one of her own. She truly is ours and ours alone. She belongs to no one else." Theodore pulls me into his lap and lays down. He starts stroking my hair.
    I press my cheek against his chest. "You're mine and mine only. Remember that." I start to close my eyes as Theo extinguishes the light from the oil lamp.
    Crash.
    I jolt up, Theo following suit. "What was that?" I look around at everything in sight.
    Theodore wraps an arm around me protectively. "Who's there? Show yourself!" He reaches for the pistol on his writing desk.
    "Please don't hurt me. I don't know how I got here," a familiar voice replies.
    "Sherman?" I exchange a look with Theo before slipping out of bed. I relight the lamp to find Sherman in the floor. "Are you okay?" I sit at the foot of the bed since I can't bend over or kneel down.
    Theo pulls Sherman off the floor. "How did you get here?"
    Sherman is still dressed in his present-day clothes. "I don't know. I just fell here somehow." His eyes find me.
    I look down at my belly. "What? Is something wrong?"
    Sherman shakes his head. "Um...no. Anyway, I need an update. What's going on?"
    "Nothing out of the ordinary... for now. We just got back from Lord Wilson's party. Lucella wanted to expose all vampires to humans during the party. We also just had a meeting about what to do with the new maid. You haven't missed much." Theodore sits down beside me.
    Sherman's eyes float to Theo's vampire form. "So, this is what you look like as a vampire I'm assuming."
    Theo nods. "Yes. I am still trying to track down who will be my killer. I know I am not completely out of harm's way. My killer is still out there and I must do what I can to protect myself and my family as well as my kind. I am in a higher position than when I was human." He pulls me into his arms and picks me up as he stands. Theodore lays me on the bed and covers me up in the expensive sheets. He turns back to Sherman. "If you go down the grand staircase and to the first door on the right, you'll find George. Tell him I sent you to get clothes and a room. George will take care of it." Theo gets in the bed beside me. He doesn't wait for Sherman to leave before showering me with his precious kisses.
    I stroke his cheek. "You spoil me so."
    "Why ever not? You are mine to spoil and mine alone. I will spoil you however I please," Theo strokes my stomach, "Go to sleep, my love and may you dream something sweet."
    I inhale his scent one last time before closing my eyes and resting my cheek on his shoulder. I try to focus on something pleasant, but find myself in a memory.

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⏰ Last updated: Mar 16, 2021 ⏰

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