DEAD SEED (AKA "Vampires Don't Exist")

TWENTY: Feelings Revealed

The soft coos of a newborn awoke Aralyn. She wasn't in the car anymore and Aimeric was nowhere to be seen. The room she found herself in was strange. Empty and dark. She couldn't see anything. A plush mattress hugged her weight. She went to throw back the covers as her eyes adjusted and she saw she was wearing an oversized nightgown. Her stomach was still swollen from pregnancy. Then she remembered she had given birth only a few hours ago.

The coos turned into impatient crying, the infant's screams filling the room. A single beam of silver light appeared, cascading over the bassinet in the corner, guiding Aralyn to her newborn. She started to reach into the bassinet to pick up the baby.

Startled, she let out a soft yell and drew her arms back. The baby's face was stained with crimson tears. Little rivers of blood ran down its swollen cheeks. When the baby saw her, it opened its eyes wide, calming its cries to only a soft fuss. The eyes of the child were red, just like the man she had seen at the club.

Aralyn stared at the monster-baby, not wanting to touch it. It frightened her.

"It's disgusting that you allowed this to happen to your own child."

Turning, Aralyn saw the strange man with red eyes.

"I didn't —"

"You did!" His booming voice made her jump. She flinched away from him. "You are his mother, you're supposed to protect him. Instead, you let Aimeric turn him into a monster."

"I don't know what's happening," Aralyn cried. "Who are you?"

"You'll find out soon." The man hissed the words and then disappeared.

With angry tears clouding her eyes, Aralyn spun back around to the bassinet, her fingers clutching the sides of it. How was this her fault? Was this baby even hers?

He had stopped crying and was staring up at her again.

Aralyn reached down and touched his soft ivory skin. Maybe she had overreacted before; he wasn't so strange looking after all.

She smiled and picked him up, kissing his soft black hair.

+++++

"Aralyn, we're home."

Aimeric was lifting her off his lap. She stirred, still half-asleep, and then opened her eyes, looking up at him in confusion. She was back in the limo.

"You were dreaming," Aimeric said. "What about?"

"I- I'm not sure," she said, confused as she sat up. She didn't want to think about it. Her dream had confused her. She had only seen the red-eyed man for a moment, why was he invading her dreams?

Aimeric frowned but didn't say anything as he helped her out of the car. He led her inside the mansion where there was a commotion in the living room. A few of the vampires had returned for the evening and two of them were rolling around on the floor, fighting with one another.

Aimeric slammed the door. "Knock it off!"

The two forgot their fight and jumped up at the sound of Aimeric's voice. They hung their heads and mumbled, "Sorry."

Aimeric glared at them as he and Aralyn passed by on their way to the kitchen. It was Aralyn's turn to eat. She ate quickly, still tired from the night's events and wanting to go back to sleep.

When they got to the bedroom, Aimeric closed the door and turned to her.

"What was so distracting tonight at the club?"

Aralyn looked at him, confused.

"When I had to call you twice," Aimeric said, his voice sounding annoyed. "You were distracted."