Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.
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I don't think I got very much sleep last night, but before I even opened my eyes, I already knew Alexander would be long gone, locked away in his attic's secret room, buried inside a coffin. I actually woke up five minutes before my alarm went off…surprisingly, my mother wasn't even up yet. I was so fed up with the past few days' events I ran to the bathroom and let it all out.
"Raven?" came a concerned voice that I was shocked came from Billy, my brother. He trotted down the hall in faded jeans and a striped polo, a clone of almost all the other boys at his school. "Are you alright?"
I shook my head and motioned for him to go away with my hand. Whoa…was Billy boy actually worried about me just then? Another shock, Billy came to the bathroom with my mother trailing right behind.
"Oh, honey." she breathed and shooed Billy downstairs. She held my hair back and patted rubbed my stomach as I convulsed a few times more, then resuming to stand and clean up my face. "Are you ill?" she touched the back of her palm to my sweaty-as-crap forehead.
I shook my head, coughing a few times, fearing I was to vomit once again. "can I please stay?"
"I don't know, honey…" she whispered lightly.
"I haven't missed any school yet this year." I pleaded. "That's got to count for something…"
"I suppose you're right." she agreed. "I need to get to work."
She kissed my hair and continued downstairs to get Billy off to the bus and head to work.
"I'm going to the store after my shift!" she called upstairs at me. "Need anything?"
As a mother could only ask for at a time like this, meaning did I want some Nyquil and a bottle of ginger ale. I pondered a moment, running downstairs in just a pair of boy short undies and a concert tee.
Just ask her. My voice screamed those very words inside my head.
"A pack of pregnancy tests?" I asked, feeling a bit guilty. But considering last nights events, she nodded slowly. She knew how bad I felt about it, disobeyed her, practically lost her respect, but she was willing to get me those tests…because she was my mother and loved me…pregnant or not.
* * *
Mom and Billy were gone, and my Dad always left before I even woke up in the morning, so I had the house to myself. Alexander had mentioned last night that he didn't care what happens, just that he would be with me through it no matter what. Because he loved me, and sometimes I felt greedy, having him look after me like that, but it makes him happy to see me safe, and even happier knowing that he was to protect me at all times…well, during the night, for now, at least.
I have to go see him. Not even bothering to put pants on, I yanked on my signature Docs and a long trench coat to hide the fact I was in my underwear and ran out the door, hopping on my bike and heading off to the mansion. Knocking on the serpent was a natural habit, so I did in without really thinking and in a few minutes Jameson cracked the door and smiled a crackly old butler smile that I loved and missed so much…
"Miss Raven." he began. "What a nice surprise."
He motioned for me to come on in. "May I take your coat?"
I reached for the buttons then stopped, blushing and looking down. I don't think Alexander would be very happy if I were to let Jameson see me dressed like that. "No, it's alright, I'll just go see Alexander…" I trailed off, then blinked and looked at the creepy man. "Yes. Alright. I'll only be here a little while."
He sighed lightly. "Aren't you to be in school, Miss Raven?"
I shook my head with a sly smile. "I should be."
We both laughed as I headed for the grand staircase. Normally in a heartache to see my vampire mate, I'd be running and tripping all over the place. But today that was much different. I decided to take my time, I had hours and hours until my Mom got off work, plus an extra hour of her running to the store before coming home to check on me. I strolled through the dimly lit halls, infested with dust and cobwebs. I admired the oil paintings upon the old wallpaper coated drywall.
Alexander's door to his attic room stood me right in the face. Unlocked from now on, because he knew about my sudden break ins to his room, his closet, his coffin, waking him up…
I almost stopped myself before opening the door but decided to head in anyway. I stepped in slowly, cautiously, as if a black hole were to groan agape and suck me through. Walking over to Alexander's "closet" I leaned my head on the door and listened to his silent, even breathing. It seemed as if hours were passing but what was only a matter of minutes had gone by. Instead of bursting in on his space again, I decided to leave the door closed. If was unlocked, for me of course, but…
Instead of waiting in his room for my dark prince to awaken, I left the room completely. Trailing down the hall, I caught glimpse of a door that was singed at the edges, looked like it had been burned and kicked repeatedly. It took me a second to get it open, but I did manage. When it opened I stepped inside. It was pitch black until I found a light switch that flicked on. It was a faint light that glowed from a shaky stem hanging from the musty ceiling.
I peeled my way around a bit searching for what might be in there. Checking my watch, I realized I had a nice amount of time until Mom came home, so I took advantage. I wouldn't say I was snooping but the truth is, I was.
I noticed an old journal type booklet sitting on top of a stack of boxes filled with yellow and brown stained pages of paperwork. But putting the pages aside, I picked up the journal and like magic, I flipped to a page that I would have dreaded reading.
Alexander mentioned his Grandmother was an artist, and it was clearly signed Sterling at the bottom of each entry. A few pictures were drawn to describe her feelings. One was an image of an old man holding a knife at her throat while she was giving birth. It was outright one of the most disturbing and scariest things I've feasted my eyes upon.
Scattered around the next few pages was a few entries of Romanian, but I could make out the hidden English parts.
Reading these few entries over that only half made sense, it told of how she was pregnant with Constantine, raped by someone that wasn't her true love. That true love of hers was the one holding the knife.
A tear trickled down my cheek as I shut the book. I was trembling with fear and almost jumped out of my boots when a little crumbled tan paper fell to the Oakwood floor. Picking it up, my hands shook like crazy.
Dragi Sterlina Dragostea Mea De A Muri,
Doamna frumoasa este dor de sufletul tau.
Tonight shall be the last time you shall see the moon shine, my dear. With your blood all over my hands and dripping to the pavement, there will be no more of you.
Alexandru.
I gasped once again, going to set the paper back in the box but stopped. I slipped it into my pocket and fled the mansion.
I made it home in the nick of time. Just after I yanked a pair of sleep shorts on I heard the latch of the front door click open and close.
I hadn't had all the time in the world to sort through that letter, but I supposed this member of the Sterling family was to be killed by her true love for being pregnant with someone else's child.
If it were me in that case, would Alexander do the same to me, perhaps?
I made my way downstairs and my mother handed me a box of tests, explained to check it twice and how to use them. Blushing, I raced back upstairs and into the bathroom I shared with Billy.
The result took a century to finally arrive. The test flashed three times and a little symbol appeared.
Whee! I am eager to get started on the next chapter, but a little motivation never hurts, does it? That's where you guys come in! The lovely reviewers…anyway click that review button for me! I have another VK story in the making, apart from this one. As soon as I near the end of Love Kills, it shall be posted! I was inspired by the book series Darkest Powers and two movies to make it. It has nothing to do with Darkest Powers or the movie, however, so anyone can read it. It will be rated T and it won't be filled with lemony goodness like this one, but this one isn't even half done yet, so stay tuned! Alexander won't even be in the next one, but it will still be just as amazing, I have a feeling you friends will like this new one. Raven has a little incident and gets thrown in a real mental hospital, one for people of all ages. She meets some friendly companions along the way and some very creepy men…so stay tuned! Love you!
