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.

Chapter 2.3

As time passed, Oriana and Katib grew closer yet. Outside of work, the two spent most of their free time wrapped in each other's arms, or out in the city enjoying just being in the presence of one another.

Some days they went fishing, while other times they took long walks to the town's parks. It was one of those days at the kiddie park that Oriana confessed to Katib that she believed she was pregnant. Overjoyed at the news, the couple started planning farther into their shared future than they had dared discuss before.

By the time her pregnancy was in full swing, Oriana had been promoted to the position of Traffic Cop. She was starting to actually like her job, even if they sheltered her in the safety of a cubicle during her pregnancy. She was more excited than ever to get back out on the streets, fighting crime.

Arycella took advantage of the soon-to-be nursery during her daughter's pregnancy to finish building the plans the scientists had provided her. As she grew closer and closer to finishing the project, Ary realized just what they had her building. With a twinkle of hope that she could be creating life where none existed, she worked harder and faster until the invention was complete. Taking one last look at the lifeless robot, Ary crossed her fingers and implanted the life core.

With a shriek of combined surprise and excitement, Ary stood astounded as the robot slowly got off the table and approached her. For a long moment, neither spoke, though Ary didn't know if the being could at all. It seemed to be assessing the situation, trying to make sense out of the impossible.

"Curious," it said suddenly, "I was not, and now I am. Only one around, dirty hands and clothes, large resemblance to Sim; must be creator," the being quickly spoke its thought process aloud.

"You're a sentient robot?!," Ary gasped.

"Robot, yes. Made from Sim. Simbot, a better name. Irrelevant. You are called Mother, what am I?" it asked, searching for a name.

"What would you wish to be called?" Ary asked in return, genuinely pleased with her accomplishment.

"Made of metal, nuts, springs, bolts. Spring. Yes, I am Spring," it concluded.

It was later that week when a malevolent presence knocked the door open and entered the residence. Realizing his prey wasn't alone this time, the creature immediately suspended all activity in the household before registering the mechanical being in front of him.

Before the vampire could even speak, Spring ordered the man out of the house with a threat in order to keep her Mother safe. After her point was made, she pivoted and moved away.

Not one to back down from a threat, the vampire let out an enraged roar and pounced, not uncatlike, at the unsuspecting Simbot. The two tangoed for minutes, both far stronger than a normal Sim, until one came out on top.

Growing tired of the charade, the vampire quickly finished the fight. Looking down at the pathetic robot, the vampire used his power to temporarily disable its life core before stalking off to find the girl.

Storming into her room, he approached Oriana and released her from stasis before putting the girl under his allure. Grimacing at her wardrobe choice, he took his time looking her over before his gaze rested on the obvious bump on her stomach. Realizing the poison would kill the baby inside if the current dose hadn't already, Theron backed away, hissing in revulsion. He couldn't do it. Fleeing to his shared compound, he released the Amarel's from his spell.