Chapter 2.7

Theron had awoken early. While he waited for the sun to fully set, he tried to guess what Theresa's first move would be when she had realized he wasn't coming back.

"I can hear you mumbling in there," Ary's muffled voice said from the room beyond his closet, "It's still somewhat light out--I guess you probably knew that. Ori just left to visit her Grandma Esse; she's going to need sometime to come to terms with your," she made unseen fumbling gestures at the closet, "vampire-ness," she finished awkwardly.

"You are okay with a vampire in your home?" Theron asked, Ary's casual tone shocking him a bit, "I will need to drink when I emerge from this space," he warned.

"You thought I didn't know that?" Ary pretended to chide, "I'll be upstairs playing with the girls while you run off. Stop in and say hello whenever you get back."

After grumbling his understanding in reply, Theron prepared to take off into the night. The moment the sun's last ray hid behind the horizon, he sprang from the closet, jumped through the window, and sprinted off into the night.

As soon as he was within sight of the compound, Theron gave a silent curse. Theresa had already emerged and was probably waiting for him. No longer was this to be a easy in-and-out mission; now it was going to be a fight to the death.

Leaping down the hill to rest in front of his twin, Theron used every precious moment to survey the area. It seemed Theresa was alone; hell she could beat him easily, but he wouldn't put it past her to hire extra help just in case she needed it. 

"Back so soon, brother?" she mocked in a high lilting tone, "Did your mortal send you packing? Couldn't she deal with her lover around?"

"Don't talk about her that way," Theron said, his voice barely audible above the crashing waves just down the mountain.

"You mean it, right?" Theresa continued, "Their species is only good for sustenance and the occasional fledgling; not love."

Theron had endured enough and a moment later his hand felt the release of pain as a mark the shape of a palm formed on his sisters face. "Listen to you!" he shouted, "This is why we left the Queen's nest centuries ago, and now you're turning into her!"

"Turning into her? I'd never take her rightful place. Once I have Oriana and Hathor's magic, Queen Maddie will once again rule Sim Nation and lead our breed to new heights. Or did you think we were just questing for true immortality?" she laughed, amused that her brother had never seen through her ploy. Assuming a straight face once again, she pounced upon Theron; his usefulness had come to an end.

Every punch, Theron blocked and threw one of his own. Minutes passed and neither had landed a hit, but he was already feeling his strength dwindle; it was an ability unique to his sister, to leech power from her opponents. As Theron became weaker and weaker, he realized he could never win this fight.

As Theresa held her brother in a tight headlock, she felt his will slip away. With no regret, she let his limp body slump to the ground to await the day's first rays. Turning back to the compound, she prepared to get back to work.

"Not so fast," she heard a familiar voice growl. She turned instantly to pinpoint the speaker, and Theron pulled the trigger. As the night turned red, he started heading back to the Amarel house.

Chapter 2.6

There's a vampire in my closet! Oriana thought as she paced in her room, A vampire that, until today, was trying to kill me! Leaning back against her door, she tried to suppress a sob.

Moments later, her knees buckled and she slid down against the door, bursting into tears. My life was fine until my psycho-goddess-grandmother showed up. Now Katib's gone, my parents are still lost in each other, and I have three half-vampire toddlers.

Upon hearing the wails of one of her toddlers, Oriana tried to pull it together as she dragged herself up the stairs. Sitting down with Blake and Eden, she tried to be strong for her girls. They looked at her with awe and unconditional love, why couldn't she give it in return? Before their birthday, the three had been her pride and joy; she had to pull herself together.

After she had laid the girls down to nap, she quickly threw on some old clothes and went out for a jog, enjoying the sunlight. At least I'll always be safe in the sun, she mused. Slowing down from exhaustion, she realized she was near the park that she and Katib had frequented during her pregnancy. Taking a seat on the swings, it was so easy to imagine him beside her. If only she could explain what had happened, but his heart had broken instantly and he had fled back to Egypt.

Realizing it was getting dark, she hailed a cab ride home, hoping to get to her children before that monster woke up. Walking in the front door, she almost tripped over her mother teaching Awen how to talk. "Mom, geez, you had to pick this spot of all places to sit down?" she joked.

"Well I wanted to talk to you before you ran off to do anything else. I just decided to be productive while I was waiting," she said as her eyebrows rose, searching for a reaction, "We have, let's say an issue, for lack of a better term, to discuss. Follow me."

"I can explain everything mom," Oriana said as if she was getting into trouble as a little girl again.

"There's no need," Ary chuckled, "Did you really think you had to hide a vampire from me?"

"You know? You don't care?!" she replied, a bit flabbergasted.

"Our family," Ary paused, her brow creasing as she chose her words, "has quite a history with vampires as I've been told. It's something I'd ask your grandmother about, as I don't know any more than that."

"It's not an issue, Mom," Oriana tried to protest further, "As soon as he wakes up, he's leaving. I don't want my children around a monster."

"He's their father, isn't he," Ary spoke, her voice full of concern. Oriana just nodded in return, afraid to test her voice, for fear she's break down all over again. "Go talk to your Grandmother. I'll watch your children," Ary said, shooing Ori out the door.

Oriana had never been particularly close with either of her grandmothers, but even so Estrella had sounded excited to see her. Meeting her outside, the two Amarels greeted one another before heading inside.

Not sure how to bring up the topic of vampires, Oriana awkwardly looked around the room.

"It's," Estrella paused, searching for her words, "strangely comforting to have visitors. I've been quite a recluse since Abbey left this world. All the hell I went through to save her life back in Egypt just to have her taken from me again."

"Grandma, there's nothing you could have done," Oriana said, trying to comfort her.

"No, but that cursed witch could have saved her. It's not like she could knock me up at this age. Bah!" she cursed, "Now what did you come here to discuss, child?"

"I want to know our family's history," Oriana said before clarifying, "You know, with vampires."

"And why would you want to know anything about that? Nevermind, I'll tell you nonetheless. It all started with my great-grandmother Savannah Sperie," she started.

"Sperie? As in Lukas Sperie? The crime boss of the west?" Oriana said as the wheels in her head started turning.

"Yes, Lukas was my grandfather--"

"But how? He's still in charge of the mafia over there, my department has been trying to take him out of power for years,"

"That old bastard is still alive?" Estrella said, gasping in surprise, "I haven't talked to any of them since I was younger than you, my dear. That should be impossible," she muttered, shuffling over to the phone. Dialing a number she hadn't thought about in decades, she acquired a tone she had heard her grandfather use during his business calls, "Hammond Island, two doors down, coastal side, ASAP," she said before hanging up before the person on the receiving end could respond.

"You're calling a mafia boss here, to this house," Oriana tried to process her grandmother's logic.

"Yes, he's my--"

"I know he's your grandfather, but you realize that we have sources tracking his movements. They'll figure out soon enough that he's visiting my grandmother. My boss is not going to like that."

In response, the old lady just smiled awkwardly, now aware of the predicament she had placed her granddaughter in.

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Notes: Kind of realized I never killed Lukas since I didn't think I'd ever be able to see him die... it just seemed right to bring him up while Estrella was explaining her family's history. I'M SO EXCITED!

Chapter 2.5

Theron was about to wake Theresa when he realized his pocket still felt heavy. He quickly located the full vial his sister had filled that morning and cursed aloud. For a moment, Theresa's body wavered in the air, her consciousness almost becoming aware. Silently backing away and leaving the compound, Theron had no choice but to come to terms with his inner thoughts. He had shirked his duties in order to spend more time with the woman; he was going soft. 

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Soon enough, time passed and the babies were ready to become toddlers.

Katib had returned that morning to a teary reunion. Discussions about moving in had taken place, and the couple was excited to see their babies grow up. As the first of their daughters starting the age change, Katib strummed on his guitar and lead the family in singing "Happy Birthday".

Before the second baby had time to age up, however; shit hit the fan. "What kind of sick joke do you think you're pulling?" Katib snarled at Oriana, gesturing to the toddler's hair and eye color, "Do you really expect me to believe this thing is mine?"

"Please," Oriana said, trying to buy herself time. The red headed child was as much of a shock to her as it was to Katib, but how was she to explain that? She thought the vampire menace had blown over as quickly as it started, but the evidence in her arms begged to differ.

"Just shut up!" he roared, cutting her off before she could even begin to explain, "I don't want to hear your excuses, you worthless, cheating, slut!"

"Katib, my grandmother, Hathor," Oriana tried again.

"Now you're trying to use my culture on me? That's it. I am out of here," he finished his tirade, stomping off towards the door.

Oriana didn't even try to stop her beloved from leaving. She knew it was pointless, given the circumstances. Instead, she proceeded to finish the birthday celebrations of Eden and Awen.

Eden.

Awen.

Blake.

When the celebrations came to an end, Oriana attempted a smile as she geared up for an undercover mission and disappeared off into the night.

When the toddlers are left alone while the rest of the household turns in for the night, a familiar face shows up looking for Oriana. Distracted by her now-toddlers, he takes a moment to appreciate the spark of life in each. It is something he has never felt, nor had ever wanted to feel before these past few weeks.

Overcome with emotion, he snuggles Blake close and feels her tiny heart slowly beating; she isn't afraid of the monster holding her in his hands.

It's at this moment that he realizes the implications of the toddlers' looks. Yanking his head back to get a better look, he freezes for a moment, afraid. "They're mine," he breathes, not to anyone in particular, "It should be impossible, children born of a vampire's seed are always vampires... Unless..."

Caught up in the possibilities and in his children, Theron spends the rest of the night playing with the toddlers and teaching them to talk. It's not until Oriana walks into the room that he's realized the sun has begun to rise.

"Get away from my children, you monster!" she shrieks when she see's him babbling with Eden.

Standing up and facing her a little too fast, Theron tries to calm her down.

"Stay away, you've ruined my life! Katib has left me because of what you've done. Haven't you caused this family enough pain?" she asks, visibly trembling.

"It's your blood that gave my children life," he realizes out loud as he subconsciously strokes her cheek.

Oriana tears up at the remark, afraid for her life. "Don't take my blood," she begs, "Don't hurt me anymore."

Nervous at the first confrontation he's had with Oriana when she wasn't allured, Theron almost envelopes her with it before stopping himself. This isn't how he should treat the mother of his children. If he's ever to have a chance at seeing them again, he had to start earning her trust. "I haven't poisoned you in quite some time," he tries to explain, "Search me; you'll find nothing. You've awakened a part of me I didn't know existed," he pauses, "Please, give me a chance."

Chapter 2.4

"The package is ready for pick-up following her next dose?" Theresa asked rhetorically as soon as Theron entered their chamber, "In only a short while, we shall be true immortals brother. Hathor will have no choice."

"No," Theron whispered.

"What!" Theresa said, wheeling around, "What do you mean, 'no'? We've been working on this for Watcher knows how long."

 

"She is pregnant," he muttered, cutting off his sister, "You know what the dosage could do."

"Plumbob, I thought our intel said she was single," Theresa swore, "Unless... Theron you haven't been playing with--"

 

"It's not mine; I sensed the spark of life, multiple actually. She's been seeing a foreign man, goes by Katib," Theron said gruffly, trying to cover his guilt. Theresa wouldn't be happy if she knew he was using the poor girl.

"Don't even try to hide your jealousy Theron. If I find out you're going soft, I won't hesitate to obliterate your every last feeling."

Acknowledging the obvious death threat, he gave a tight nod in response.

"As soon as that baby is out, get us back on schedule," she menaced, her eyes narrowing to slits, "Now get out of my sight."

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"Triplets," Katib said unbelieving even though the evidence was laid out before him, "Now I feel even worse about having to do this."

"Katib..." Oriana said, a sob catching in her throat, "Don't... please..."

"Hun, shh, I'm not breaking up with you," he said with a smile while wiping a tear from her eye, "I need to leave town for a bit though. I promise I'll be back in time for the girls' birthday; I just need to do some research on a few neighboring landmarks."

"As long as you come home, I'll be waiting," Oriana said, still sad, but her heart still in one piece.

As Katib left, Oriana cradled Eden close. She whispered her love to Blake and Awen as well, feeling full of a bursting happiness she never thought existed. She was surrounded by family, but it already felt a little emptier without Katib. Hopefully he would move in when he came back into town.

Not a moment after laying her baby down, she started feeling the effects of a vampire's allure.

"Please, don't hurt my children," she drowsily whispered before completely succumbing to the spell.

Sensing her sadness, Theron pulled the girl into an embrace. Holding her close, he used his power to channel her negative energy into himself. Suddenly, he felt the tidal wave of her emotions, dragging him under, chaining them together. Overwhelmed with her grief of loss, her fear of him, and her worries, he could feel his heart breaking for the girl. 

Leading her gently to her bedroom, he couldn't help but take it slow. This girl, this woman, deserved the best, and that's what he gave to her.

Even afterward, he gave himself some leniency by taking the time to make her feel safe and loved. When dawn was drawing close, he silently slipped off to the compound, his vial still full of poison.