Chapter Nine: What shall her name be?

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31st October 1992

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"That's it! Very good, Miss Caitlyn! You rest," spoke the doctor as he was dressed in all-white and wore a surgical mask over his mouth, and nose to prevent contamination towards the mother-to-be and her soon-to-be child. His white-coloured-gloved hands were seated at the opening of her open legs as she pushed with every contraction, and her mortal strength. How women could survive this amount of pain is incredible.

Twenty-six-year-old Caitlyn Madison became limp for what was considered seconds as she waited for the next contractions and to gather her breath whilst struggling to manage calmness for the pain of childbirth that she was going through at the moment. Her brown hair lost some of it's known texture of wave as it was plastered to her head as if she had got her hair wet. Her skin and nightgown were drenched in sweat, and small tints of blood.

'Please God, don't let anything happen towards this child of mine.' She thought to herself as she moved back into her childbirth position with holding the hand of a nurse on her left. And then, Caitlyn pushed with what strength she had, to which her child's head had come through her womanly opening. "That's it! Your child's head is here!" exclaimed the doctor as he spoke the next commands to the single Transylvanian barmaid, and hunter. "Now, Miss Caitlyn, I need you to give one big push."

With that, Caitlyn pushed at the doctor's urge and with all her human-type strength did she push. She also screamed at her lungs with this final childbirth-related push unlike the previous pushes that her body forced itself to perform. Her screams could be heard outside the room by Count Dracula, who was ordered to stay outside the room due to tradition and to not distress the patients' unless the leading medical doctor allowed it.

He was seen as very calm though he did pace with feeling nervous on the inside as an eager father-to-be. The Count had been secretly informed when Caitlyn has gone into labour by his loyal vampire medical team which was only a few hours ago. She had been taken to a secure location for both hers and their unborn child's safety. He also managed to sway his way into leaving the night's celebration ball early though Alina did threaten to have an tantrum which he immediately silenced. He refused to tell his Brides why he needed or felt like leaving.

Caitlyn's new-born child slid through the opening via her insides at the final push and into the waiting hands of the doctor who gathered the child as unknown-gender child cried it's lungs and what a pair of lungs this child had. Caitlyn collapsed as she gathered her breath once again and allowed her body to finally rest after the hours of pain she had to go through for this to be achieved. Thank God!

The nurses came round and wiped the new-born down with cloths that had been dipped in warm water before wrapping the bundle in small blankets and then approaching the new mother, "Congratulations, Miss. You have a daughter, very pretty looking if I say so."

Hours after later,

Whilst the doctor, known as "Doctor White" had already left, although he left his number incase he was needed again. The head nurse approached the refreshed mortal woman, with the new bundle in her arms. She had a small smile on her face, which was odd because she was a Vampire which meant that she could not express any emotion due to lacking an soul and only being capable of spreading nightmares all around but still; the smile was nice and she didn't bare any fangs at any time.

'It's odd that Vampires work in the medical profession even though they solely live on blood. I guess they have strong control over their feeding habits if they want to go down that route.'

The head nurse handed the wrapped-up infant girl into her mother's waiting arms as she began to tear up at that precise moment. The moment Caitlyn received her child into her arms, her eyes gazed her sight down at her infant daughter, "Hello, little one." She whispered. "I am your mummy."

Tears of utter joy as Caitlyn hugged her new daughter close to her but not too close to smother her to severe harm. There is nothing stronger than an mother's love for their children. Perhaps true love maybe but never mess with a mother's devotion to their flesh and blood.

The one-hundred-plus year old nurse then walked from the bed to the door and upon opening the door, she approached her King who was facing the fireplace in the hallway that lead directly both to the room she had come from, and the staircase that further lead downstairs to the large living room and kitchen. The manor house had been offered by an loyal associate of the Count, in preparation for the birth whilst ensuring the safety of his lover and soon-to-be-born child. The manor house is considered hard to be found unless you had some kind of advanced tracking capabilities.

"My lord?" spoke the nurse. The Count turned towards her with his hands still behind his back, on top of his golden cloak. "Miss Caitlyn is resting but she is all right. She asked me, and I am pleased to inform that you have a daughter." She dipped into a slight bow with a pleasant smile on her face as she gave the happy news.

Dracula's lips shifted into an smile at the news of his child's birth. "Thank you, nurse Heider. Please thank, Doctor White."

"Yes, my lord. Congratulations to you both." Nurse Heider bowed before the Vampire King and then she left her spot to go downstairs thus taking her leave of service for an undisclosed time until she was needed again; allowing the Vampire to be with his mortal lover and daughter at last. The Count did not need to be anywhere at the moment. He could still attend his ball at a later hour; dancing with his Brides and communicating with his guests as well as enjoying an annual feeding that is a tradition in his ball every year.

But first, family and then tradition in a second.

The Count approached the bedroom door which opened in a slow but steady pace as it revealed the sight. An still-exhausted but strong Caitlyn with the couple's bundle of joy in her wrapped arms. Caitlyn was dressed in a clean nighty and had her brown hair held back with a simple headband. She had also been given something of a bed bath, along with her private region being medically sorted. On the other hand, the blanket that her daughter was wrapped in; was not pink nor blue, but an cherry-purple shade. Underneath, she was dressed in a white baby onesie with small buttons and a symbol of a flower on the area of where her under-developed chest was.

Their beloved daughter was asleep, after having cried her little lungs out before being held by her mother for the very first time after being carried by her for nine months. Her little hands were balled into fists and her breathing was normal. She showed no signs of Vampirism. No fangs. No pale tone. No yearning for fresh blood. It would be years before she developed those special qualities from her mixed bloodline.

Caitlyn's brown eyes moved their child's face towards her approaching lover and a smile, slightly weak which was to be expected as she was still recovering, rose upon her lips. If it wasn't seen on her lips, it could be seen in her eyes.

"Vladislaus,"

"My love," he replied.

He was by her side in no-time, and kneed on the bed; leaning over the woman and baby with one hand on the headboard and the other by his knee. His head wasn't that far nor too close to Caitlyn's head, just enough.

"What shall her name be?" he asked. Both had been thinking of names for the past few months but nothing really came to mind that seemed appropriate. "Any ideas?"

"I was thinking and with my surname as hers, Natasha Aria…."

"Natasha… An diminutive of Natalia. Very good choice." The undead Count responded as he spoke the name within his mind. The name gave an vibing sound that seemed good. "Natasha Aria…. Madison."

'Not Valerious.'

'But still an Dragulia… or Dracula.'

"Strong name…. Like her mother's." the words spoken in his natural Romanian accent that made her chuckle and turn her head towards him with a certain look. Her pieces of loose hair cascade over her shoulder and down her front, brushing against her cloth breast.

Almost on routine, the girl now named as "Natasha Aria Madison" opened her tiny eyes that revealed an blue shade that seemed consistent with her light brown hair, an trait from her mother whilst the former being a trait from her unholy father. It is unknown on whether other children that he sired might have inherited those devilish eyes, but then again it's possible to not be.

An sign of an dominant trait that she inherited from an man who fed on innocent people, robbing life of unborn generations across the centuries and ruled over a powerful race of beings that were weak against the power of God whilst being greatly strengthened by the Devil.

Baby Natasha connected with her parent's joint gaze and smiled back, making incoherent noises that babies put together at that stage of their early years, before learning the skill of talking. She began to wiggle before Caitlyn leaned down and planted an light kiss on her daughter's cheek.

"My little one…. My little Natasha. What future you have a chance to experience… without an curse from us." She thought in her mind as she leaned back up and continued to watch her child.

Would God have allowed an child of half-breed nature to exist? Especially in a world combined of evil monsters and men? What questions that both lovers thought repeatedly, being somewhat plagued and yet, still stood by their joint decision to birth and influence an generation of their heritage.

"Happy Birthday, Natasha. We love you."