Chapter 17: Delivered By Evil

Stephanie’s eye lids pealed open revealing the stone ceiling of a dim lit room. She shifted on a hard, rough surface as something strange prodded at her most private area. She tried to sit up but the weight of her impregnated belly made it difficult. A dark cloth covered her spread knees. Two cold hands took one of hers. She looked in their direction and saw Lee staring down at her. His pale face was bathed in the same dim gold light as the ceiling. His lips pealed back in a smile to reveal sharp k-nines similar to Liam’s. Stephanie covered her mouth with her free hand to muffle her cry of shock. She attempted to pull away, but his grip tightened.

“Easy now,” he said in a cold voice. “Struggling will just make this more difficult.”

“If you’re up here?” She began. “Then who--?” Her question was answered by the appearance of Osiris’s head above her knees. She did not try to muffle her shriek this time and drew her legs together.

“Her time is near,” Osiris said.

“Time? What are you-?” Her body answered by giving her a strong desire to push. Without thinking she bore down and breathed as Alice taught her. Alice, Tomas, Liam, were they still alive? “Where am I? What did you do to my friends?”

“I’d worry more about yourself and the child attempting to free itself from your womb,” Osiris said. He stood and moved to her other side. He clutched her chin in one hand, so she could not look away. “Listen very carefully Ms. James. I can help you bring this child into the world. However, you must agree to join with Lee in a Dark Union.”

“A what?” Stephanie’s eyes shifted to Lee who was still holding her hand.

“Think of it as the undead version of a wedding,” Lee said. “We had an agreement, remember?”

“You died,” Stephanie said.

“And you moved on fast enough!” Lee snarled. “Did you at least wait twenty four hours before jumping into the dragon’s bed?”

“It wasn’t like that,” Stephanie said. She could feel tears in her eyes. “It’s been almost a year, Lee!”

“And you’ve had my child growing inside you while you make time with another man!” Lee bared his teeth and turn her hand so the soft side of her wrist was in reach. “I should drain you dry now.”

“Lee, please!” Stephanie tried to pull away. “Think of the baby.”

“Yes, Lee.” Osiris’s cool voice cut between them like a blade. “You’ll have all the time in the world to hash this out after the Dark Union.”

“What do you mean?” Stephanie asked.

“You will become a vampire,” Osiris said. “And like Lee, you will belong to me.”

“Never!” Stephanie snapped. “Liam got away from you. We will too!”

“Liam had assistance from a Paladin and two Clerics,” Osiris said. “You have no one.”

“They’ll come for us,” she said.

“By the time they find this place you and the child will be dead,” Osiris said. “You do not have to be a willing participant in the Dark Union. You will become a vampire but the process will kill the child.”

“You wouldn’t!” Stephanie gasped as she looked at Lee. “It’s yours, you can’t –“

“He will if I tell him to,” Osiris said. “So, it is your choice my dear.” His hand rest on the bulge of her belly. “Will it live or die?”

“If I become a vampire, I won’t be able to feed it,” Stephanie said.

“Then we’ll wait until it’s able to eat on it’s own,” Lee said. He hesitated. “If it’s your will, master?”

“Very well,” Osiris said. “Agree to this and I will help you deliver the child. Do not…” He let go of her hand and moved toward the door of the chamber.

Lee dropped her hand and sped to Osiris’s side. Stephanie felt another urge to push. “Wait… Please…” she called between breathes. “Help me!”

They both paused. Osiris looked back over his shoulder. “Then you agree?”

“Yeeeesssss!” Stephanie ground through clenched teeth.

Lee moved back to her side and took her hand in his. Osiris sat at the end of the slab and continued to prod at her.

“Is this necessary?” Stephanie demanded attempting to scoot away from his probing fingers.

“I am simply trying to make sure this goes well for you.” Osiris said. “We do not want you to have more pain than is necessary.”

“Can’t you just magic it out?” Stephanie asked.

“If only.” Osiris chuckled. “There are somethings even magic can’t do.”

Stephanie was seized with the another urge to push. She cried out as her body tried to tear itself apart. As her muscle released, she fell back. Lee’s and caught the back of her head just before it hit the stone. Her chest heaved as she panted for breath.

“I can see the head,” Osiris said. “Just another good push or two.”

Lee slid an arm around her shoulders and eased her into a sitting position. Her muscles tightened again and she bore down.

“Breath!” Lee hissed in her ear. “And push!”

She followed his instruction. Something slid out of her. Osiris rose holding a squirming, squalling form cover her a gelatinous substance.

“It is a girl,” Osiris said. He lifted the cord connecting the infant to the mother. “Lee, will you do the honors?”

Stephanie felt herself being lowered to the slab. She pushed herself up on her elbows in time to see Lee chomp through the embilical cord. Red blood smeared his smiling lips as Osiris hand him the baby. Her elbows gave way and she fell back onto the slab. Her eyes closed as she heard her daughter’s cry fading away. They lied to me.

.          .          .

Stephanie’s wish to die with her daughter was not granted. Her eyes opened again, but rather than a stone ceiling she stared at an ivory bed canopy. The squeak of a chair drew her attention. Lee sat in a wooden rocking chair holding a swaddled bundle in his arms. She released the breath she held when it made a sound. Lee rose and moved toward the bed. Stephanie pushed herself to a sitting position and leaned back against the pillows pilled in front of the head board. As she took the baby from him, he lowered the shoulder of the night gown she wore to expose her breasts. She sighed with relief as the small toothless mouth latched onto one of her nipples. A small fist rested on the smooth skin to keep it in place. A sense of maternal calm fell over her as the infant drew nourishment. The engorged feeling in the breast eased a bit.

“You’ll want to switch in fifteen minutes,” Lee said.

“I know,” Stephanie said. She could not help smiling down at her nursing daughter. “Did you name her while I was asleep?”

“No,” Lee said. “I figured we should do that together.”

Stephanie looked up into his face as he settled on the bed beside them. The sight of his fangs when he smiled made her wrap a protective arm around the baby.

“I want to name her after my mother,” Stephanie said.

“Which one?” Lee chuckled.

“My birth mother,” Stephanie said. “Her name was Nora.”

“Why would you name our daughter after the woman who gave you up?” Lee asked.

“She didn’t,” Stephanie said. After removing the nipple from their daughter’s mouth, she switched the baby’s position. Undisturbed by the movement the child latched on and continued her meal. “Osiris killed my parents.”

“From what I heard your friends killed them,” Lee said. “Just like they tried to kill me.”

“You were already dead when Tomas set the mansion on fire,” Stephanie said. “He was trying to destroy the undead.”

“Did you check my pulse?” Lee asked.

“No,” Stephanie said. “But Liam said…”

“They lied!” Lee stood and paced. “Thanks to Osiris I stand before you alive!”

“You’re a vampire!” Stephanie challenged. “He’s turned you into a monster.”

“And what if I am?” Lee asked. “If this is the only way I can have you than I’ll take it.”

The baby released the nipple from her mouth and began to cry. Stephanie rocked it and made soothing noises. “There now, Nora. It’s alright.”

“So, Nora then,” Lee said. “With no input from me?”

“What would you name her?” Stephanie asked.

“Nora is fine,” Lee said. “You never took my input before. Why would you now?”

“Lee.” Stephanie reached for him with one hand while cradling their baby in the other.

“Forget it.” He took the baby from her. “I’ll bring her back for her next feeding.”

She flinched as he slammed the door behind him. Getting up from the bed she explored the room. There were no windows so she couldn’t tell whether it was day or night. She assumed it was night because Lee was awake. If he was anything like Liam, he would sleep during the day. She wondered who would bring Nora to her while he slept. Osiris probably. After using the toilet in the small adjoining bathroom, she explored the wooden wardrobe. One side contained slinky silk dresses of every color. The other held a few cotton and silk night gowns. The one she wore seemed to be in good shape, so she closed the wardrobe and checked bedroom door. Locked of course. She’d have to figure out how to earn the right to roam the place. The baby would need to nurse for at least six months. Could she earn Lee and Osiris’s trust in that time. If she did, then what? Would Liam and Tomas find her before she was turned? I’ll have to work on earning Lee’s trust first. She decided as she settled back into the bed and pulled the covers to her chin. Perhaps I can appeal to his paternal side.