F.Y.I. This is a work in progress that may or may not end up in another story. I just wanted to see what people thought. So please review!! I need to know if I should write the other story.
Lying down on the bed, Cierra quickly drifted into a too real dream.
Cierra opened her eyes and found herself alone in an old fashioned bedroom. She was laying on a freshly made bed that was up against the wall. Across the room was a mirror and vanity with plenty of different odds and ends. On another wall there was a large desk and chair. There was plenty of paper and other drawing tools that Cierra recognized. Cierra sat up and walked over to the mirror.
Her mouth dropped when she saw herself. Her face looked slightly different, higher cheek bones and fuller lips, and her eyes were a vivid blue instead of light brown. Her hair was in a messy bun on the nape of her neck. But the biggest difference was her stomach. It was huge! The tunic she was wearing seemed to be specially made to cover it. Cierra put her hand on her stomach and felt a gentle kick. She was pregnant. Very pregnant.
A sudden knock on the door made her jump. Before she could say anything, it opened to reveal a smiling Gregory leaning on the door frame. Cierra felt herself smile, but there was something different about this Gregory.
"Corina, are you alright?" he said.
Cierra nodded, but had no idea why. Her name wasn't Corina. When she tried to ask him why no sound came out of her mouth. Instead she looked back at the mirror. Gregory came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her abdomen, but not to tightly.
"Are you sure?" he whispered in her ear.
"Yes," she responded. As they stood there, Cierra realized that in this "dream" that Cierra was only visiting this body. Corina was in charge; Cierra was only along for the ride, and possibly to learn something. "Just nervous, I guess."
"About what?"
"Becoming a new mother."
"Well, you know you're not alone." Gregory's bright brown eyes met Corina's through the mirror. "I'll always be here for you."
"I know." Corina looked over her shoulder at the real Gregory. "I love you."
"I love you, too," he said before kissing her briefly on the lips. "Come on, we're going to be late."
He took her hand and led her through the house to the huge dining room where the rest of the family was waiting. Dinner plates were already sitting on the table filled with many delicious dishes. Some were a bit unusual, probably because of the weird cravings. Also on the table were gifts wrapped in blue or pink paper and bows. Beside the table, their was a group of people chatting while the waited for the party to start. Corina vaguely recognized some of them as members of Gregory's family, all still human.
"There she is! It's about time! You almost missed your own baby shower," a petite blond with blue eyes said. Her name was Aislinn and she was one of Corina's best friends. She had left her hair down so it naturally rested beautifully on her shoulders. Her long dress perfectly accented her body with her favorite shade of red.
"Well, what's your excuse this time?" asked Melinda, Corina's other best friend. She had deep brown hair which she kept in a messy bun and a bight smile. She was a little overweight, but she didn't seemed to mind it very much. She was a very bight young woman and an exceptional cook. Melinda hardly went anywhere without wearing her cooking apron.
Corina, Aislinn, and Melinda were the town's closest group of friends. They all lived in the same house, which was built on the Sackvillebagg's estate. The estate included two houses built far apart from each other, but close enough to be considered one piece of property. Corina's family had lived in the older of the two houses since the old house was built and refused to move when a new owner bought the land. Once Corina was the only person left living in the house she invited her best friends to stay with her. The new owners had happened to be Gregory's family which is how the pair met and fell in love.
"I was tired," Corina explained as she carefully made her way over to an empty chair.
"That's only natural, darling," Fadrica, Gregory's mother told her. "Of course, if you think you are tired now--"
"Please, Fadrica," her husband interrupted. "No more advice. Every mother in town has given her advice, already. Forgive me, but if this is going to be the conversation for this evening then I'll go into another room."
"Well, it is a baby shower," Fadrica protested.
Federico sighed and stood up. He grabbed a plate, filled it with food, and walked to the door. As he reached the door, turned and said to Corina "Forgive me, my dear lady, but I must bid you adieu early this evening."
"I understand," Corina said, smiling.
As he left the rest of the men rose to follow him. Gregory, who had followed Corina to her chair, whispered to her "If you don't mind, I'll go, too."
"That's fine. I'll be alright."
He kissed her on the forehead before heading out the door. As the door closed behind him, Melinda shook her head and said "Men."
"I know, but it got rid of them, didn't it?" Aislinn said. The small group of girls all giggled at this.
"So, what are we really going to talk about?"
The rest of the party seemed to flash before Corina's eyes. Soon, she found herself walking through the gardens of the house with Gregory. The steadily rising full-moon gave them enough light to see the stone pathway.
"Such a beautiful night," Gregory said, looking up at the stars.
"Yes, it is. I love how the flowers look in the moonlight." Corina agreed.
"You know, the comet is supposed to touch the moon tonight."
"Yes," she said avoiding his face.
"Well, some of the others are going to watch it, and I was wondering if--"
"No!" Corina interrupted. They stopped and Gregory forced her to look at him.
"Why not?" he asked.
Corina sighed. "The Book," she said hesitantly.
"That damn book," Gregory dropped her hand. "What did it say this time?"
"It's called the Comet of Lost Souls. It's been cursed by an evil witch so that if you look at it when it touches the moon, something bad happens," she explained.
"Like what?"
"I can't remember. But, it is bad. And besides," she added "I shouldn't be walking around so much this close to nine months."
"Very well," he said after a moment. "Let's call it a night, then."
Gregory kissed her hand and they headed back inside.
Once again time seemed to pass before her eyes and Corina found herself in her bedroom with Gregory next to her in the bed. Slowly, she realized that Gregory's hand seemed to burn her hand. Suddenly, he woke up screaming and clutching his heart. He jumped off the bed and stumbled to the corner of the room.
Corina sat up and gasped. "Gregory!"
Rather quickly, Gregory stopped screaming and slumped against the wall. His hands were clenched into fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He closed his eyes and began to breathe very slowly.
"Gregory," she tried again "are you alright?"
Before he could say anything, Corina's Book flew from its stand in the corner opposite Gregory (Cierra hadn't noticed before) into her lap. Just as suddenly, it opened by itself to the page about the comet.
"What does it say?" Gregory asked from the corner. He still hadn't moved from his spot in the corner.
Corina stared at him for a moment before reading aloud from the book. " Hundreds of years ago, an corrupted witch was angered by a rich and important family. It doesn't say how they did, but she got mad. She punished the family by killing them all and banishing their souls to the comet. She supplemented the punishment by adding a curse that eliminates who ever looks at it when it touches the moon."
"Is that it?" Gregory asked through clenched teeth.
"No." Corina hesitated before continuing. "It also transforms their entire family into 'Unspeakable monsters.' But that's all it says."
She looked up worriedly at Gregory. He had finally opened his eyes but they were no longer brown. They had become a vicious blood red. He didn't say anything, only stared at her unblinkingly.
"Gregory?" Corina asked timidly.
At this, Gregory jumped up with inhuman speed from his spot in the corner. With a snarl, Gregory lunged towards Corina, newly formed fangs anxiously snapping at her neck. But before he could get close enough to touch her, a huge spark bounced him back to his corner. Corina finally pulled her eyes away from his face and looked down at the book on her lap. It smartly snapped itself shut and Corina set it on the edge of the bed.
"Oh, Corina." Gregory whispered. Corina gripped the book tightly at his voice before looking up at him again. The spark seemed to bring him back to himself. "Corina, I'm so sorry."
Before she could say anything, Gregory jumped up again and ran over to the nearest window. He threw it open and with one short last glance, he jumped out of the room.
When she was sure he was gone, Corina finally broke down and began to cry.