Good Evening,
This upcoming Friday, I'm going to post chapter three of Darling Daughter.
I hope you enjoy.
Oxford Not Brogues
Chapter Twelve
It was a little past eleven at night. Dr. Bellamy and his wife were fast asleep. They had an early day tomorrow. Mrs. Bellamy had to get to the firm by six. She had a very important case that she needed to work on. And around the same time, James would be starting a twenty-six hour shift at the hospital. It was going to be absolutely exhausting which was why he was trying to get as much sleep in as he could. However, he didn't account that a supernatural would be suddenly appearing in his room while he was deep asleep. Alucard manifested standing over the bed dressed in his red and black attire. His eyes burned in the darkness of the room as they boiled ferociously with rage; an epitome of a true nightmare. He was normally known as the boogeyman that loomed in the dark depths of your room and preyed upon the weak. But this time, he was not there to satisfy his hunger, but bring aid to his somehow wounded bride.
Alucard didn't even bother to wake James. He grabbed the man by the collar of his shirt and lifted him, looking like he was merely picking up a cat by the scruff of its neck. Before the doctor could even fully wake from the alarming disruption, he was elsewhere; somewhere bright and familiar. But this didn't stop James from letting out a loud cry of shock when he was suddenly yanked from his warm bed and ended up here. His hair was messy from tossing and turning the first couple of hours of trying to fall asleep. And there were bags under his eyes from exhaustion. The doctor was in nothing but a beige t shirt and boxers. His legs and arms were hairy, but he was relatively in good shape.
After letting out that cry, that scared man looked around before realizing that he was back in the Hellsing manor's hospital wing. He looked around at the familiar faces around him. Alucard stood directly behind him while Sebastian and Seras stood just several feet in front of him. Both males looked angry while the small blonde looked so scared, like she had just been through a traumatic experience. He could see that her eyes were puffy and red from crying recently. James cleared his throat as he straightened out and self-consciously brushed his hands down his nightwear to smooth out wrinkles.
"Miss. Victoria," Dr. Bellamy spoke as he set his gaze on her; after all, she was the least frightening creature here.
"Lady Michaelis,"
"Lady Dracul,"
Sebastian and Alucard corrected the doctor at the same time. When hearing the other's response, the two looked at each other to scowl. Being between the two males, James nervously looked from one to the other.
"Anyway," Dr. Bellamy muttered as he cautiously looked back at Seras who was frowning at her mates. "We need to discuss boundaries. You can't be pulling me out of bed this late at night. You should have called..." Before he could finish, the fearful girl interrupted.
"Please, Dr. Bellamy, I'm sorry, but we need your help!" He could hear the panic in her voice. All that fear rose back up in her eyes and she looked like she might cry again. The girl took a step closer towards him. "I was bleeding earlier! We're terrified for the twins! Am I having a miscarriage?! Is there something wrong with our babies?!" Seras asked, growing more panicked as she held her stomach.
"Bleeding?" James questioned. "What kind of bleeding? How much of it was there?"
"Vaginal bleeding," Sebastian answered and handed off a long, white coat to the doctor.
"Thank you," Dr. Bellamy murmured and pulled on the coat to make himself look somewhat decent in front of their mate. "Go on," He added a second later. "How much blood was there, Miss. Victoria? How long ago did this happen?"
"A few minutes ago," She answered. "There were just a couple of drops."
"Well, in my professional opinion, I don't believe you have anything to worry about. Spotting, while it is rare, it's natural for a pregnant woman. You said it was only a couple of drops, yes?" James questioned with furrowed brows. Seras nodded her head in agreement, though she wasn't looking relieved in the slightest. "A couple of drops, while it may be scary, doesn't cause for alarm." However, hearing that Seras was bleeding, even if was a little, did still concern James. While it may be normal for some pregnant women to bleed and have no consequences, there was still the possibility that Seras was having a miscarriage. He fully intended on checking her to be absolutely sure that it wasn't a miscarriage, but then he was being told new information.
"She also left out that she's been having a terrible case of cramps for the past month." Sebastian intervened. When receiving this bit of information, the doctor physically jolted and looked at the small blonde with wide eyes. This changed everything. The possibility of her having a miscarriage has increased. But James found himself terrified to admit that to the parents, especially to Alucard and Sebastian. Both men had been watching him exceedingly close since he appeared in this room. He could feel the hatred from them and knew of the danger that lurked in the air. They were just waiting for a reason to tear into him. He definitely didn't want to be the bearer of bad news.
"I don't wish to alarm you, Miss. Victoria, or your husbands." Dr. Bellamy spoke, acting cautiously as he just focused on her alone. "But bleeding and cramps combined is consequential."
"You mean, I could be having a miscarriage?" Seras asked in a whisper.
"Again, I don't wish to alarm you, it could be nothing. But, on the safe side, I would like to do an ultrasound." James responded. "Please, unfasten your pants and lie down in one of the beds."
"And what will an ultrasound do? What would you be looking for exactly?" Sebastian questioned as he glared at the doctor as if this was his entire fault. Seras didn't bother to question James, like her mates. She unfastened her pants and walked over to one of the five beds to lay down in it.
"We have to be sure it's not a miscarriage." Dr. Bellamy repeated as he walked across the room to scrub his hands in the sink. "I'll be checking a number of things. For a normal pregnancy, I mean a human one, I would check for a heartbeat. But…"
"We have beating hearts." Alucard corrected him. It was something not many humans knew and something that the No Life King was always tired of repeating. Why else was the heart their number one weak point? Why do humans think that stabbing a stake through a dead heart would work? It was ridiculous! Of course, their hearts beat; it just wasn't the same as a human's heart rhythm! The doctor glanced over his shoulder to look at the two males in mild surprise.
"Is that so?" James questioned as he dried his hands off on paper towels. His brows were furrowed together, looking like he didn't believe what he was being told in the slightest.
"Yes," The elder vampire sighed in vexation.
"A human's heart rate is roughly between sixty and one hundred beats per minute. A vampire's average heart rate is between twenty and thirty beats per minute." Sebastian explained further to the 'professional' doctor who had worked at the Hellsing Organization for at least a decade. One would think that he would know a little more about vampire and demon anatomy. "A demon's heart beats a little quicker than a vampire's, but that's only to mimic being human; to blend in a little better. A demon's heart rate is between thirty and sixty beats per minute. So, you should expect to hear our twins' heartbeats, otherwise, there is a serious problem." The demon's disgust filled eyes flickered down the man. Dr. Bellamy didn't even see the look he was being given. He was too busy pulling on gloves and gathering other items as he prepared for the ultrasound. "I thought a doctor of the Hellsing Organization would be more knowledgeable on the subject."
"I may have worked for the Hellsing Organization, but it wasn't my job to examine vampires." James snickered in amusement. "I was here mostly for the soldiers that were wounded on missions and taking care of Sir Integra in her old age. The only time I got to take care of a vampire was whenever Miss. Victoria got injured, but even that was rare."
"If you find beating hearts, then our twins are fine?" Sebastian questioned. After getting everything he needed in order, Dr. Bellamy looked back at the gents.
"What I'll be looking for on the ultrasound are: beating hearts and seeing if the amniotic sac is strong." The doctor responded with a nod. "If all looks good, they're perfectly fine." Cautiously, the doctor glanced over at Seras before he dropped his voice into a low whisper. "But, if there are any problems, the chances of both babies being miscarried are high. But, it's also possible for only one of the babies being miscarried."
"What if the heartbeats are steady, but the amniotic sac isn't strong?" The demon asked.
"Then she could go into early labor and lose both babies." Dr. Bellamy warned them.
"If the amniotic sac is unstable, is that what's causing her severe cramps?" Alucard questioned.
"They have been getting worse lately." Sebastian noted.
"Possibly," James responded. "But women pregnant with twins normally have a rougher pregnancy than someone who is pregnant with one child. Cramps can be stronger, more hormones are being produced, and morning sickness and nausea come on pretty strong."
"Are we ready for the ultrasound?" Seras asked worriedly from across the room. "I really want to know if Daniel and Chloe are okay." Putting on a forced smile, Dr. Bellamy walked past Alucard and Sebastian while wheeling a monitor that was just about as tall as he was.
"Daniel and Chloe?" James repeated. Seras didn't catch on, but Alucard and Sebastian did. They realized that the doctor was trying to take their mate's mind off of the possible miscarriage by making small talk. "When did you decide on those names?" He asked as he wheeled the monitor over to their bride to start setting up. The two monsters followed close behind.
"We thought of the baby names about a month ago. But they were officially named Daniel and Chloe this morning." The small blonde replied. For the first time in a while, a small smile broke out across Seras' face. It eased Alucard and Sebastian when seeing that smile on her face. They both relaxed a little more as they came to stand by her side.
"How do you know that you have a boy and a girl?" Dr. Bellamy asked while he plugged in the machine. "Did you have an ultrasound already?"
"No," Seras laughed. "We're able to sense the children. We know that we're having a boy and a girl. Chloe is a vampire and Daniel is a demon." The doctor paused for a moment to look at her in amazement.
"You're carrying a demon and a vampire?" He questioned.
"Yes, she is." Sebastian intervened as he proceeded to stare the man down, almost as if he was challenging him.
"Do you have any kids, Doctor?" The little vampire asked to stop the silent hostility. Dr. Bellamy's attention was currently on the monitor, thankfully, so he didn't really notice the demon's dark gaze. He was in the process of turning on the machine and checking to see if the transducer was connected properly.
"No," James answered subconsciously as he prepared everything. "My wife and I have been trying for a year, but no luck so far." So easily that smile slipped from the Draculina's face. All too easily, all three monsters could hear the doctor's thoughts.
"I'm sorry to hear that." She whispered. All too easily, all three monsters could hear the doctor's thoughts. He blamed himself because he had low motility and couldn't give to his wife what they have been wanting for quite some time now. When hearing these thoughts, Alucard couldn't help but chuckle at the man's misery and lack of luck. Almost immediately, his mate threw him a dark look that silently told him to shut up. But this didn't keep the grin off of his face nor did it stop the human from hearing that chuckle. Dr. Bellamy glanced over at the elder vampire to give him a look of suspicion. Was the elder vampire laughing at him? All because he said that his wife and he had failed getting pregnant? He knew Alucard could be a real bastard, but even after James was here helping him out by taking care of Seras, he was still going to be an arse? The doctor didn't find that funny in the slightest, but he decided to brush it off and look back at the monitor.
"It's fine." He responded to Seras' previous statement. "We'll probably just look into adoption or maybe even fostering." He muttered as he stayed focused on getting the program set up. Once everything looked to be up and running, a smile pulled at his lips and he looked back at Seras. "Alright, if you'll lift your shirt up a little, I can apply the gel." Before Seras could do it, Sebastian was already on it. The demon gingerly rolled up her shirt a little, trying to reveal as little of his bride as possible while in the presence of this other male. His bride gave him a strange look, knowing exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it. She merely shook her head at him and frowned.
The man is a doctor, Sebastian! His mate hollered at him.
"So?" Sebastian questioned out loud as his eyes flickered to her face. "He's still a man."
"Excuse me?" Dr. Bellamy murmured and he looked between the demon and little vampire who were clearly talking about him. Embarrassed that her husband was saying this all out loud, Seras buried her face into her hands and groaned in misery.
"I have enough to worry about with the twins. I don't need to worry about another man looking at you on top of it all." The demon proceeded, causing his bride to curl in on herself.
"Oh, my God." Seras whined under her breath. "Sebastian, please stop."
"I don't exactly care for what you're insinuating, Mr. Michaelis." James spoke up. Quite suddenly the gentleman was gone and instead was a cold looking man. Dr. Bellamy glared at Sebastian. "The only reason why I'm even here, the only reason why I'm willing to be Miss. Victoria's doctor, is because I respect her and the late Sir Integra." The doctor then looked back at Seras. "Miss. Victoria, they would listen better to you than they would me. I don't appreciate your mates mocking and berating me when I'm doing this as a favor. Will you please reel them in?"
"I'm sorry, Dr. Bellamy." Seras apologized before she glanced up at the demon to give him a stern look. "Just knock it off! The only thing important right now is the twins! Stop harassing the doctor!" Before Sebastian could even respond, Seras was turning that cold look onto Alucard. "That goes for you too!"
"I've done nothing wrong." The elder vampire stated as he gave her a bemused look. The doctor quietly applied some light blue gel to Seras' stomach. The thick goop squirted out into a swirl before James smeared it over her swollen stomach using the probe.
"Don't think that I don't know what you were laughing about earlier." The little vampire responded as her look darkened. "We need to have a talk after this."
"We need to have a talk about several things." Sebastian warned her.
"I found the first heartbeat." Dr. Bellamy interrupted. Seras' own heart jolted in her chest when hearing this. All three monsters' sharply shifted their heads to look at the monitor. The screen had very strange curvature of black and grey lines. But in the center of the screen was a clear image of a small, dark grey heart. Just underneath that image was showing the baby's heartrate and how fast it was going. "It's heartrate is eighty-three. Now, normally, that is very low for a fetus, but considering your children are of the supernatural, I'm guessing that's a good, strong heart beat." He moved the probe around on her stomach a little and pressed a few keys on his keyboard. As he moved the transducer, the images on the monitor distorted, forming other shapes before he found what he was looking for. He pointed at the screen, though it all looked the same to the three.
"The sac looks intact, which is good." Again, he moved the probe, but across her stomach as he looked for the other twin. "This sac looks good; still intact." There was that clicking sound as he pressed a few more keys before looking for the heart. It took a moment, but he eventually honed in on another small, dark grey heart. The doctor smiled as he pointed at the screen at the clear heart. "There she is. Her heartrate is lower than her brother's; beating at a solid forty-two, but that could be because demons and vampires' hearts beat differently. You are having one of each, right? A vampire and a demon?"
"Yes, we are positive." Sebastian answered with a nod.
"I still don't know how that's possible." Seras admitted out loud.
"Having twins with two different fathers? It's rare, but not impossible, Miss. Victoria." Dr. Bellamy replied as he proceeded moving the probe around to get a better image of Chloe. "You had two eggs ready to be fertilized and you were...intimate with both men at this time. The rest is just the typical of whose sperm will reach the eggs first." The doctor once again pointed at the screen as he got a clear image of what it looked to be a baby. "There's Chloe," Seras smiled warmly at her baby girl when seeing her for the very first time. All she could think about was how small and delicate she looked on that black and grey screen. Happily, the Draculina glanced up at Alucard and Sebastian to see how they were reacting to all of this. To her bewilderment, her mates looked marveled by what they were seeing. Their eyes were wide as they gawked at the screen, looking purely disbelieved by what they were witnessing. Seras' smile widened before she reached out to take each of their hands. Awoken from the daze, the two monsters glanced down at their mate who was beaming. Her eyes had such a sparkle to them; such warmth and adoration. The demon glanced back at the screen to stare at the tiny baby and had to wonder if she would look just like her mother.
"Remarkable," Sebastian breathed. For Alucard it was so surreal. They talked about their children often, even made jokes that they were little monsters. But seeing his daughter, seeing how small she was, it was mindboggling. She looked completely harmless, like any other baby. He couldn't imagine holding her, he would be too afraid of breaking or hurting her. He looked away from the screen for a brief moment to look at the doctor.
"Will she get bigger? Do you think she's been getting enough nutrients?" Alucard asked before he anxiously glanced back at the screen.
"Chloe will get bigger." Dr. Bellamy chuckled at the worried father. "Seras is at the end of her first trimester, maybe even having already started her second at the rate she's going. The children are going to get bigger, don't you worry." He then looked at Seras. "At how quickly they're developing, I'm guessing you'll be giving birth in roughly...three or four months."
"Wow." Seras softly exclaimed as she glanced at the monitor to stare at the little image of her baby. "But the twins are fine? I'm not going to have a miscarriage?"
"The twins are quite healthy." James announced proudly as he brought his attention back onto the monitor. He pressed a key or two, freeze framing that perfect image of Chloe. "Now, let's pan over to Daniel." The probe glided over Seras' stomach. The dark colors on the screen shifted as he searched for the other twin. It only took a second before the screen displayed the image of their unborn son. There he was, just as small and delicate like his sister. But unlike his twin, little Daniel would not sit still. His head kept lightly bobbing back and forth. The tiny arm that could be seen would jerk. It was like he was putting on a show just for his parents; like he knew that they could see him. Just when Seras saw his little legs jerk out, looking similar to a kangaroo, she felt that gentle impact in her stomach. Amazed, the little vampire laughed before she glanced down at her stomach.
"Well, I think we found the culprit." She whispered with a loving look in her eyes. "He's the one that keeps kicking away."
"Perhaps he doesn't like sharing space with his sister." Sebastian joked. The Draculina tilted her head back to smile so brightly up at the demon.
"What? You think he's trying to kick her out?" She added jokingly with another sweet giggle.
"Poor Chloe probably keeps getting kicked with you." Alucard chuckled.
"Which results in her kicking back," The demon whispered while he leaned down to place a kiss in his mate's hair.
"It's very relieving to see that your son doesn't possess horns." Seras laughed as she looked back at the monitor. "I don't know how I would be able to give birth to him if he did. I cringe at the thought."
"After being born, his horns will grow in overtime." Sebastian answered and looked back at the screen to smirk at his son. "He probably won't have them fully grown out until he's at least seventeen or eighteen."
"Is there any way we can have a photo of Daniel and Chloe?" Seras asked as her eyes flickered away from the monitor to look at the doctor. Admittedly, the elder creatures didn't see a point in getting copies of the ultrasound. They would be seeing the twins in only a few months; why were pictures needed? Whatever makes their bride happy, Alucard and Sebastian sighed.
"Of course," Dr. Bellamy responded with a nod. "I already have an image saved of Chloe that I can send to the printer. I just need to get one of Daniel." Again, James clicked several buttons on his keyboard, getting an image of their son. Afterwards, he pulled the probe away from her stomach, causing the image of their wiggling son to disappear. From the back of the cart the monitor was being held on, the doctor grabbed several Kleenex tissues. "Here," He handed Seras a couple. "You can use these to wipe off the gel."
"Thanks," The little vampire murmured as she took the Kleenex. As she began wiping the gel off of her stomach, the doctor was already finishing wiping all the gel off of the probe.
"Now that we know that the twins are okay, I would like to have discussion with you about boundaries, Miss. Victoria." James spoke as he placed the transducer back in its holder. The demon and elder vampire were so quick to give the man such a dark, wrathful look, though he pretended not to notice their fury. He kept himself busy by sending the images over to the printer and shutting down the program. Seras, on the other hand, didn't take offense like her mates. She was perfectly content now knowing that her children were in excellent shape. The little monster was purring away as she cleaned the gel off of her stomach. "This was an emergency, I'm aware of that. You were scared. But you can't be breaking into my house and just pull me out of bed like that. You should have called first." The doctor frowned before he glanced at the small blonde from the corner of his eye. She was still focused getting all the gel off, but he could tell that she was listening.
"Understand that is my home and my marriage. I know that you know Marla's aware of the existence of vampires because she was once an employ of the Hellsing Organization too. But she rarely encountered vampires and demons. And while she did like the job, she is terrified of the supernatural. As her husband, it's my job to make her feel secure and protected, especially in her own home. Please, don't send Alucard or Sebastian to my house again." Dr. Bellamy told her carefully. "I'm happy to help you, but remember that there are boundaries. Call next time." At this point, Seras was finished wiping all the gel off. She stared at him thoughtfully with a shameful frown on her lips. Showing him that she understood, she nodded her head.
"I am sorry, Dr. Bellamy. It won't happen again, I promise." She agreed. "Thank you, though, for staying and checking the twins. We're really relieved to see that they're alright." She added with a small smile. The doctor gave her a friendly smile in return and softly chuckled.
"Yes, I'm glad to see that they're alright too." He replied with a polite nod.
Alucard, Sebastian. Their mate called them in a stern voice. Thank him. Simultaneously, the elder monsters glanced down at their bride to give her a reluctant look. Why should they thank him for doing his job? We dragged him out of bed late at night and he checked our twins, which need I remind you, we thought were in serious danger. The least you both can do is thank him. Seras told them as she kept that gracious smile on her face. The demon sighed before both men looked back at the doctor. They weren't as pleasant as the small blonde. They didn't smile or show their gratitude, but proceeded to glower at the man.
"Thank you," Alucard and Sebastian spoke roughly at the same time. James barely looked at them, most likely too scared to even meet their gazes, and stood up.
"You're welcome." Dr. Bellamy responded with another nod. He then walked across the room towards the printer to retrieve the two photos from the ultrasound. "Would you like me to label which twin is which on the back of the pictures?"
"Yes, please." Seras answered as she climbed out of bed and pulled her shirt down around her stomach. The demon cupped her elbow to assist her out of bed. "Thanks," She murmured to Sebastian who still didn't look like he was in a good mood. She had no idea if he was frustrated with her or was at unease because the doctor was still here. But his foul behavior was really starting to irk her. James walked back across the room to hand Seras the slick photos of her twins. The little vampire smiled so warmly when seeing those familiar little outlines of her babies.
"This one is Chloe and that's Daniel." Dr. Bellamy spoke as he gestured at the left photo to the right one. "Their names are on the back with today's date." The little vampire tilted back her head to smile up at him.
"Thank you," She repeated one last time; truly grateful for everything he'd done tonight.
"You're welcome." The doctor responded before he glanced over at Alucard. "If that is all, I would like to be heading to bed now."
"Right!" Seras exclaimed, nearly forgetting the man was human and it was really late at night. "Sorry!"
"Could Alucard just drop me off in my living room so we don't wake Marla?" Dr. Bellamy asked, looking somewhat timid as he proceeded to stare up at the tall, intimidating man. The small blonde curiously glanced up at her former master.
"Alucard?" She spoke, silently questioning if he will do as the doctor asked. Without a word, the elder vampire took a step forward, roughly grabbed James by his coat, and then disappeared. Before Seras could fully frown from his rude behavior, Alucard was back and looking highly displeased. His arms were folded over his chest while he stared down at his mate with a disapproving look, as if she was the one who did something wrong. Really, they were going to start in with her after the way they acted? Seras was not in the mood. She was happy and relieved, just let her be happy. Why anger her? To prevent something from starting, the little vampire merely walked away.
"Seras," Sebastian sighed, his tone giving off his aggravation. She heard them follow after her.
"I left a mess in the kitchen. I'm just going to go clean it up. We don't need to discuss anything." Seras told them, but it was evident that they weren't going to listen. She could still hear them walking several feet behind her as she walked down the hall towards the stairs.
"No," The demon responded. "It would be better if we discussed it instead of ignore it."
"Aren't you the one always encouraging communicating with each other?" Alucard questioned as he gestured a hand at her.
"Women are adamant about sharing feelings." Sebastian added, agreeing with Alucard. The little vampire merely rolled her eyes.
"We just found out that are twins are fine and you want to ruin the moment by getting into an argument?" Seras grumbled as she threw them an annoyed look over her shoulder.
"So you think there will be a fight?" The demon asked as he tried pulling information out of her. They didn't understand her one bit. What did she think they would be fighting about? "You're angry about something?"
"Annoyed," The Draculina corrected him. When finally reaching the stairs she started making her way down. They stayed close behind; unwilling to let the matter go.
"Michaelis and I don't want to fight with you, Seras. That's not what we're after." Alucard stated.
"We just want to talk. There's so much that needs to be discussed." Sebastian tried getting through to her. Irritated by their persistence, Seras turned sharply on the bottom step to face them. The elder creatures paused in the middle of the staircase when she came to a sudden halt.
"Like what, Sebastian?! How you and Alucard treated the doctor?! How you both got so jealous that you looked like you wanted to murder him? How you treated me and embarrassed me like that?! I thought we've been over this! I thought we already discussed it! I'm not going to cheat on you! And it hurts that neither of you don't trust me! It's like you and Alucard are trying to guilt trip me for mating with the both of you! Like I should be ashamed for what I've done!" Their mate yelled. Fresh tears welled in her eyes, obscuring her vision. "It's not fair! We agreed that this is what we wanted! I'm yours forever! And you two are lovers, hopefully, forever as well! I'm trying to make this work!"
Alucard and Sebastian were speechless as they watched those hot tears streak down their mate's face. They never intended to make her feel that way. They never wanted to hurt her or be the cause for her tears. And her opinion of them, how she thought they were trying to shame her for possessing two mates, stung them. They would never do that to her. How could she think that? Was their behavior sending her the wrong message? They didn't mean for that. They meant to send another message, one that was only meant for the doctor. Seras was theirs. No one else was allowed to have her.
"We trust you completely." The demon corrected her.
"But you don't trust him? Like every other man on this planet, he's just some horn dog that's out to get some ass even if she's pregnant?" Seras asked him, though it was clear that she was being sarcastic. The girl then scoffed and shook her head at him. "He's married. And we can read humans like an open book. He doesn't want me. He loves his wife." She frowned at her mates then. "It really doesn't matter to either of you that Dr. Bellamy is respectful towards me and helps our children? If he's anywhere near me, you'll hate his guts and wish him dead, even if he's just trying to help us? That's ridiculous behavior."
"You don't understand, Seras." Alucard practically growled through gritted teeth, though he did well to keep his temper in check. His eyes were hard, like he was disappointed about something. "When it comes to you, it's primal instinct for us to act territorial around other men. We don't care if the doctor isn't a threat and doesn't want you. We will always act cautiously around him and try to prove to him who you belong to. Always," The look in her eyes completely changed. It was now a look of understanding instead of fury and pain. But this didn't ease Alucard at all. His eyes flickered down her being as the disappointment manifested into anger. "It upsets me that you have never experienced it with us. You should know; you too should have that instinct when you see us around women." In response to this, a smirk slipped onto Seras' face and she snickered in amusement.
"You honestly believe that after sixty-four years I have never felt jealous when seeing either of you with a woman?" The little vampire asked with a quirked brow. The males' brows furrowed in confusion. They couldn't recall ever seeing Seras jealous. What was she talking about? What was she hiding from them? The girl sighed before she lowered her gaze to stare at the floor. "I suppose I could cut you both some slack." She murmured a second later. "The way you guys behaved tonight was absolutely nothing compared to what I have done in the past."
"What?" Sebastian questioned and his eyes widened. Alright, there was something they definitely didn't know about that she wasn't telling them. Intrigued by their mate's jealous rage, the two monsters grinned.
"Please, do share." Alucard purred. The small blonde's eyes flickered back up to look at them.
"Nope," She responded with a sweet giggle. Seras then turned on her heel and continued on her way to the kitchen.
"You are such a tease, Seras Victoria." The elder vampire chuckled. The males anxiously followed after their bride, hoping to get some details of what she did in the past.
"What did you do?" Sebastian asked with a sinful smirk and a lustful look in his eyes. Such explicit scenarios raced through their minds as they imagined all the different things their mate could have done to show how badly she wanted to possess them. Just thinking about it was making them hard and achy all over again.
"When did it happen?" Alucard questioned.
"Just how badly did you want us for yourself?" The demon purred as he hungrily licked over his sharp teeth. The need to satisfy this new hunger was becoming unbearable. He wanted to hear her story so he could then fuck her brains out.
"I'm not saying anything." Seras laughed while she walked across the kitchen to stand at the counter. "But it did get me into so much trouble with Sir Integra." The little vampire added. "That's actually how she found out that I liked you guys."
"Talk dirty to us." Alucard joked, though he sounded quite serious. "Tell us what you did in great detail." Looking over her shoulder, she noted how aroused both men were at the moment.
"You guys are actually getting off on this?" She asked.
"Why do you sound so surprised?" The elder vampire snickered. "Of course, we're getting off on it! We want you to tell us more."
"Maybe later, if you guys are good." Their mate teased them. She then looked back at the messy counter. "What should I do with this leftover food?" She asked. "I made too much spaghetti."
"Leave it for now, Seras. There are still other things I would like to discuss with you." Sebastian responded as he came up beside her to draw her attention away from the mess. His bride had a curious look in her gaze as she stared up at him.
"There's more to discuss? Like what?" She questioned with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Seras," The demon whispered and he cupped her cheek. His hand was so warm and soft that Seras couldn't help but lean into it. Feeling comforted, she nuzzled his palm. "If something did happen to the twins, if you had a miscarriage, why would you blame yourself? That wouldn't have been your fault." The little vampire frowned as she timidly looked away from. Oh, he wanted to talk about this. He had told her the same thing earlier, but…she didn't feel the same way. And how would they not be able to blame her if she let their children die? How could they go on loving her? It just didn't feel right.
"It's my job to protect them and to take care of them." Seras answered softly. "If I failed at that job then…what kind of mother am I?" She glanced back up at him. He could see the pain in her eyes, the worry and fear. She was still terrified of losing her twins.
"But if something had happen, you shouldn't blame yourself. You didn't intentionally inflict harm on our children. You wouldn't have had any control over what could have happened." He tried to convince her, but she didn't look like she could be persuaded.
"Miscarriages tend to happen without it being anyone's fault, Seras." Alucard spoke, looking upset that his bride would blame herself. "The twins haven't even been born yet and you are already such a good mother to them."
"You need to start telling us when something is wrong." Sebastian added. "Don't worry about bothering or concerning us. Alucard and I want to know whenever anything happens. If you're in pain, if you're bleeding or nauseous, or even if you're just hungry, please tell us." Seras simply nodded her head as she kept her gaze glued on the counter.
"Alright," She whispered. The little vampire looked so defeated while she remained deep in her own thoughts. Alucard and Sebastian knew that they hadn't got through to her. If anything happened to those twins, she would blame herself fully. They didn't know what to say or how to persuade her that it wouldn't be her fault. Was there anything that they could say, really? They supposed it was just something a woman naturally went through when having a miscarriage; depression, anger, and guilt. If anything did happen to their twins, the only thing that they could truly do for Seras would just be there for her. Show her that they didn't blame her and console her, and perhaps overtime she'll heal. To get her mind off of the matter, Sebastian combed his fingers through her hair as he changed the subject.
"We haven't discussed you or the twins' surname." The demon spoke, drawing his mate out of the depths of her mind. She blinked several times before glancing up at him.
"What?" She murmured as her brows drew together to show her confusion.
"It's tiring to hear Dr. Bellamy and everyone else call you Miss. Victoria." Sebastian admitted to her.
"You are, technically, a married woman." Alucard reminded her, as if she had forgotten.
"I thought you guys didn't care about that." She responded as she proceeded to give them both a confused look.
"We didn't," The demon agreed. She interrupted before he could finish.
"Then what's the problem?" Seras questioned.
"Wouldn't you prefer Michaelis-Dracul?" Sebastian asked with a small, hopeful smile.
"Or Dracul-Michaelis," Alucard quickly added. Her eyes flickered from one mate to the other before she answered.
"I just don't understand why it even matters. It's not like you guys actually use those last names." Seras replied. "You go by Alucard and your real name is Malphas. Neither of you go by your surnames. So…why does it matter if my name remains Victoria?"
"I see your point, but when you were human and thought about marriage, had you never thought about taking on your husband's name?" Sebastian asked her while giving her a peculiar look.
"Of course I did," The little vampire sighed. "I think it's normal for a wife to take on her husband's name."
"Then what's wrong taking on our names, even if we don't use them?" Alucard asked. If she didn't know any better, to her they sounded and looked hurtful that she refused to take their names.
"Is it because you're ashamed of having two mates?" Sebastian questioned. "You're afraid of what people will think?"
"No," Seras disagreed. "It just…feels weird." She muttered bashfully before looking at her feet.
"How so?" The demon asked with an arched brow.
"I don't know. All of my life I've been Seras Victoria. But now I'll be Seras Michaelis-Dracul? Or Seras Dracul-Michaelis? It's just…strange." She then glanced back up at them. "It's like if I told you guys to take on my name. How would you feel being Sebastian Victoria or even Vlad Victoria? It's just feels strange, doesn't?" Seras sighed as her gaze wandered. "And then there are the twins. Chloe and Daniel Michaelis-Dracul? Sorry, Alucard, I think Michaelis-Dracul sounds better than Dracul-Michaelis." The demon lightly pinched his chin as he studied his mate.
"Victoria-Michaelis?" Sebastian murmured to himself.
"Pardon?" Seras asked as she looked back up at him.
"Nothing, I was just fiddling with the idea." The demon muttered as he remained deep in thought. "Women are proposing to men, and some wives tend to want to keep their surnames." He thought out loud. "In this era, it is more modern, I suppose, if a husband did take on his wife's surname." The demon stared at her long and hard for a good while as he got his thoughts in order. "Vlad Victoria-Dracul?"
"Names don't matter." The little vampire repeated as she shook her head. "I'm not forcing you and Alucard to take my name. Besides, what would the point even be? He doesn't even go by Vlad Dracul and how often do you use the name Michaelis, really? It's just an alias." Sebastian sighed as his hand fell back to hang at his side.
"I'll drop the matter." He promised afterwards.
"But that doesn't solve what the twins will be called. What surname will they go by?" Alucard questioned.
"Why not Victoria?" The demon asked with a wave of his hand. "It's simple and the children won't feel divided." A smirk graced his lips then.
"Divided? How would they feel divided?" Seras asked as she gave him a somewhat bizarre look, like he had just grown two heads.
"They have two different fathers. If we want the children to feel close, like they're really siblings and not just half siblings, then we shouldn't give them the name Michaelis-Dracul. It will only remind them that they come from two separate fathers." Sebastian explained to her.
"Chloe and Daniel Victoria it is then." Alucard agreed with a nod.
"Really? You guys wouldn't mind?" Seras asked and she blinked stupidly at them, truly bewildered by their decision. They were literally just hyping to her about changing her name. The smirk on the demon's face widened.
"Seras Michaelis-Dracul is a bit of a mouthful and absolutely ridiculous sounding. Perhaps Alucard and I will think about taking up your name." Sebastian purred before he gave her a playful little wink.
End of Chapter Twelve
I hope you enjoyed.
Oxford Not Brogues