Chapter 78-Revelations

“She’s really gotten big and she seems just as spoiled as Bam-Bam is with Aric and Nina.”  I commented to Carter as I watched Pebbles play in his backyard.  Life was starting to settle down again.  Aric and Bynni had been trying to teach me how to block out Mulo.  It was hard and a little draining.  I could only do it if I really concentrated.  Once I was feeling better I was still nervous that things would change with Carter, Jonas, and I.  They said they understood but it was a lot for anyone not really living it to deal with.  They continued being great friends as always.  Carter however did start to act a little more nervous around me.  I would catch him staring at me but he would try to deny it.  I guess he was waiting for me to grow a second head or something.  I didn’t blame him; I was waiting for the same thing.  I had discovered additional changes.  I was able to eat normal food again but every once in a while I would crave the plasma fruits or juice.  Also when my temper flared my incisors grew.  Not as much as Aric or Bynni’s but enough to make me look a little more menacing.  I was not comfortable with that change. 

“She is quite spoiled.”  Carter said coming to stand with me.  He was looking nervous again causing me to self consciously run my tongue across my teeth to make sure they were normal.

“Carter what’s going on?  You have been acting strange these last couple of weeks.”

“Strange?  Strange how?”  He asked, his voice going up an octave which was another dead give away he was nervous about something.

“Strange as in you getting all jumpy around me.  You not holding eye contact with me for long.  If you aren’t comfortable with me now, just say so.  I’ll understand.”  I would be a little hurt.  Not having him in my life would be a huge adjustment but honestly I wouldn’t blame him.  Having me for a neighbor and friend couldn’t be easy considering how my life was going.  He ran his hand through his hair then let out a sigh.  Walking over to the bar he fixed himself a drink.  Now I knew there was a problem.  Carter rarely ever drank, he hated the taste of the alcohol. 

“Carter?”

“You’re right I am a little nervous around you.  But, but not for the reason you think.” He added quickly when he saw me getting ready to speak.

“We’ve been friends for a long time now.  I’ve been wanting to say something but it was never the right time, and it just felt wrong to bring it up.  And…”

He was so flustered.  He was rambling on and I was unsure of what he was trying to say.

“I care about you Amari.  I love you Amari.”  I walked over and put my hand on his cheek. 

“It’s ok Carter.  I know and I feel the same way.  Whatever has you so nervous it’s ok.  Just tell me.  We’re friends and I…” My words were cut off when he kissed me.

 I was shocked, that was not what I had expected.  It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening before I pushed him away.  My hand flew to my lips as I stared at him in disbelief.

“Why, why did you do that?”

“I’m sorry Amari.  I shouldn’t have.”  He reached out for me but I backed away.

“No, don’t.  You’re my friend, we’re just friends.   Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m in love with you.”  He said softly.  “I have been for a while but you were with Marcus and happy so I was content to just be your friend.  But now, I want to take care of you.  I want to…”

“NO!”  I screamed.  “Don’t say that!  You can’t say that.  We are friends why are you trying to ruin that?  I can’t be with you Carter.”

He looked so hurt when I said those last words.  The last thing I wanted was to hurt his feeling but this was wrong, I didn’t understand why he didn’t see how wrong this was.

“Because of how I look?”

“What?”

“Is it because you can’t see yourself with a person that looks like me?”  It was my turn to have hurt feelings. 

“You really think I’m that shallow?  Maybe you don’t know me as well as I thought you did.”

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean it like that.  I know you aren’t that you wouldn’t be like that.”  I felt my temper rising followed by the uncomfortable itching of my gums.  I pressed my lips together then took a few deep breaths to try to calm myself.  Why was he doing this?  I didn’t need any more changes in my life right now.  His timing couldn’t have been any worse.

“Amari I know I’m not Marcus but if you give me a chance I could make you happy.”  He said quietly. 

“Don’t you see Carter?  What we have, our friendship does make me happy.  It’s what I depend on but now…”  I looked down at the wedding rings I still wore.  “Do you see these Carter?  These are why.”

His eyes followed my gaze as I twirled them around my finger.

“I don’t expect you to not still love him Amari.”  He took my hands in his; the soft loving expression on his face broke my heart.

“I know that.  That’s not what I am talking about.  The last man that professed his love for me, wanted to be with me vanished.  I can’t risk—“ I slid my hand free of his.  “I need to go.”

“Amari wait please.”

“I can’t, not now Carter.  I can’t.”  I walked out of the house but I heard him still calling for me.  I couldn’t believe he had done that.

I walked home slowly mourning the loss of the person I considered to be my best friend.  I didn’t see any way for us to get back to how we were before he confessed his feelings.  Even if we managed to remain friends things would be strained.  By the time I got home I needed a drink.  My nerves were shot and I would normally call Carter to talk these things over, but this time he was the reason for this situation.  I walked into the living room and saw Embry and Dunham in what looked like an intense discussion.  Their body language wasn’t that of a disagreement between teacher and student.

“What’s going on?”

Dunham had a look of confusion and fear on his face.

“Mom, sit I need to talk to you.”  This didn’t sound good and after dealing with Carter I didn’t need any more surprises.

“Um, ok.  What’s wrong?  Are you still failing?  I thought things were improving since you started seeing Embry.”

“Mom!” he said interrupting my string of questions.  I took a seat in the chair while they sat on the sofa.

“Mom, you’ve raised me to be the kind of person to take responsibility for their actions right?”

“Yes.  Why what have you done?  Are you in some sort of trouble?”

“I’m pregnant” Embry blurted out.

I was confused as to why she would say that until I saw Dunham take her hand.

“Excuse me?” I said slowly standing up out of the chair.

“She’s pregnant mom.” 

“And what the hell does that have to do with you?”  I asked with my anxiety level rising.

They gave each other nervous glances.

“It’s mine.”

“Come again?” I couldn’t have heard him right.  I didn’t hear him right.  There was no way my teenage son was sitting here telling me he was about to be a father.

“Embry’s baby is mine.”  Those were the last words I expected to hear come out of his mouth.  I took several deep breaths trying to keep my temper under control but I was seething.

“Dunham Robert Smith this had better be some sort of twisted joke!”

“Mom, I’m sorry it…it was an accident.  We didn’t mean to…”

“To what Dunham?”  I yelled at him.  “You didn’t mean to sleep with your tutor?  Or you didn’t mean to get her pregnant?  And you!”  I said turning my attention on Embry who was as white as a sheet.  “You are an adult, he’s a minor!  What the hell is wrong with you seducing my son and then being too dumb to use protection?”

“I didn’t…he, he”

“If you are about to tell me that the child was in control of this situation, that he seduced you, save your damn breath.  I don’t care if he showed up at your house in nothing more than his birthday suit as the adult you should have put a stop to it!  If he was flirting, then you should have either found a better way to handle it or you should have quit!”

“Mom, please”

“Don’t mom please me boy.  I can’t believe you could do this!  How in the hell can you take care of a baby?  You don’t take care of yourself.  Everything, EVERYTHING you have I pay for!  I do your cooking, your cleaning.  You're a child.”

I pulled out my phone and started dialing.

“Mom what are you doing?”

“I’m calling the cops what the hell do you think I’m doing?”

Dunham pulled the phone out of my hands. 

“You can’t do that.  I won’t let you.  I love her mom and she loves me.”  I stared at my son in shock.  Embry was still sitting on the couch too afraid to speak or move. 

“What she did was illegal and immoral.  I don’t care anything about you claiming to love each other.  You are a minor she is an adult.  If she really loved you she would have waited until you turned 18.  If she really loved you she would have been on some sort of birth control and made sure you used a condom.  If she really…”  I couldn’t even finish.  My eyes darted from Dunham to Embry and back again. 

“Mrs. Smith, I’m so very sorry.”  She said timidly walking over towards us.  The look I gave her stopped her in her tracks.

“You’re sorry?  You’re sorry!  You being sorry doesn’t mean crap at this moment.  Were you sorry when you decided to have sex with my teenage son?  Do you have any idea how you have ruined his life before he even gets a chance to really live it.  He will be a father before he graduates high school.”  I started pacing.  I needed to wanted to hit something and if I stood still for much longer I would have lashed out at her.  I couldn’t believe how irresponsible they both were for getting into this situation. 

“It was her!”  I yelled as the realization of the secret girlfriend hit me.  “All this time I thought it was some high school girl you were dating and it’s been her!”  Dunham didn’t have to speak, the look on his face confirmed I was correct. 

“GET OUT!”  I screamed.

“What?”  Dunham asked unsure of who I was talking to.

“I want that child molesting pedophile out of my house this instant!”

“Mom, you can’t put her out.”

“The hell I can’t and you are grounded.”

“If she goes, I go!”  I knew at that moment he had truly lost his mind. 

“Don’t test me right now boy.  If you even think about leaving this house with her I will not only have her arrested for statutory rape, but for kidnapping as well along with anything else I can think to have her charged with!”

“Dunham, it’s ok.  We’ll talk later.”  I was in her face before she even finished getting those words out.

“You most certainly will NOT be talking later.  You best leave now and be happy you are doing so without handcuffs.”

Embry gave one last look towards Dunham before quickly retreating out of the house.

“Mom.”

“Go-to-your-room.”  I said slowly through clenched teeth.

“But…”

“Now Dunham!”  I needed him out of my sight before I did something I would regret later.  My entire body was shaking when I collapsed onto the sofa.  I was so angry and hurt I wanted to scream.  I had three grown children, two of them married, yet it was my teenage son that was going to make me a grandmother.  And Embry, how could she do something like this. 

“Oh Marcus where are you?  I need you.  I need you so much right now.”  I cried sliding to the floor in tears.  One step forward, two steps back.  The story of my life. 

“Mom are you ok?”  Dax asked as he walked in finding me on the floor.

“No sweetie, not really.”  I said picking myself and wiping off my face.  “Dax.”

“Yeah mom?”  I started to ask him if he knew but decided against it.  I needed to figure out things with Dunham and I didn’t need to bring Dax into it.

“Nevermind.  Well do me a favor please.  I have to get the triplets fed can you get in touch with one of your older siblings and ask them to come over.”

“Does it matter who?”

“No just whoever you feel like hanging out with.”

I went to prepare dinner for the triplets.  Dax came to help me get them all settled.

“Aric’s coming over.”  I knew he would call him.  He loved hanging out with Aric.  “What happened this time?  When I went to the room Dunham was in there and not looking very happy.”

“Yeah he’s grounded.”

“Really?  What’d he do?”

“Dax don’t sound so happy that your brother is in trouble.”

“Hey it’s usually me so it’s a refreshing change.”  I smiled at him then gave him a hug.

“You two never seem to give me a break.”

“We’re boys mom, what’d you expect?”

When Aric arrived he helped get the triplets dressed and ready for bed.  Dax when down to watch the game on the TV in the basement since it was the bigger screen.

“So why am I here?”

“Because I need to get out for a few hours if you don’t mind and your other brother is on lockdown.  I need you here to make sure he doesn’t try a jail break.”  I filled Aric in on what transpired today with Embry and Dunham.  He was just as shocked to find out.  He said he would attempt to have a ‘man to man’ talk with him.  I got dressed and headed out.  The last time I was at any kind of bar was the day Marcus and I reconnected in Riverview. 

I settled down at the corner of the bar.  It wasn’t too busy but it had a nice live jazz band playing.  I sat listening to the music, replaying the events of the day.  I couldn’t believe I had two bombshells dropped on me today.  I was so lost in my thoughts staring into my empty glass, I didn’t pay any attention to the fact someone had slipped into the space next to me.

 “Can I buy you another?”  I looked up and smiled at the friendly face.

“Sure why not.”

Continue Reading: "Chapter 78-Revelations"

Chapter 77-The Final Insult

When I woke up I had a splitting headache and my body felt like it was on fire.  Once my eyes were able to focus I saw that I was home in my bed.  It was dark outside and I heard soft breathing coming from the direction of the chair.  I squinted in the darkness to make out a figure.  Why was I so hot?  I tumbled out of bed wanting, needing to take a nice cold shower. 

My neck hurt, as I reached up to cover the throbbing pain my fingers came in contact with a bandage.  I stumbled a bit knocking into the side table.  The sleeping figure jumped up.

“Amari?  Are you ok?”

“Jonas?”

“Yeah.  Carter was here but was called to the hospital.”

“What time is it?”

“It’s about 7 or so.  You’ve been sleep since yesterday evening.”

“I need to shower.  I’m hot so very hot.”  I started stripping free of my clothes with him standing there.  Jonas quickly turned his back.

“Um, I’ll go get one of the girls.  They are downstairs.”  Jonas put his hand up to block his view as he exited the room.  I was stripped and sitting on my shower floor when Bynni and Cece came into the room.

“Mom?”

“In here.”

“Mom you ok?”

“No, I’m running a fever I think.  Ceula you should stay back in case I’m contagious.”  Bynni shut off the water and got me a towel. 

“You’re not contagious mom.  You’re changing.”  Bynni stated helping me up off the floor. 

“Changing?  Changing into what?”  She gave me a sympathetic look. 

“The shower won’t help and it will get worse before it gets better.  Here let me check your bandage.”  Slowly she peeled it away.  “Looks better.” She commented as she removed it completely.

 “Where’s Aric?”

“He’s downstairs and very pissed off.”  Ceula chimed in.  “He’s mad at himself for not being able to help you and he’s mad at Mulo for what he’s done.  We all are.”  Both girls looked tired and scared.  They were holding something back.  I went to my dresser to pull on some clothes then headed downstairs.  Fred and Wilma were cowering in the corner Nina seemed to be trying to calm him but I could tell he was a bomb ready to blow.

“Where are the boys and the triplets?’ 

“My house.”  Ceula chimed in.  “We still have the nursery set up and toys so they took them there when Aric brought you here.”  I looked at them both, they were definitely hiding something.

“Well out with it!  What aren’t you saying?”

Aric looked up from outside then was instantly by my side.

“Mom I’m sorry.  Things got out of hand and I tried to control my temper but I couldn’t.”

 “Son it’s ok.  None of this is your fault and you can’t be held responsible for your father’s actions.”

“True but I am responsible for my own.”

“Baby it’s not your fault.”  Nina said

I was still clearly missing something in this exchange.  My head and neck were throbbing and I felt like my insides were on fire.  I grimaced against the pain willing it to hopefully go away.

“Aric sweetie, whatever you did isn’t your fault.”  The memory of them fighting popped back into my head.  I remembered Mulo standing holding me back from him but not much after that.  I was suddenly worried that he had done something to his father that he was now feeling guilty over.

“If he had been there when I found you I just might have.”  He said answering my thoughts.  “He was gone and you were bleeding a lot.  I should have taken you to the hospital but there would have been too many questions about that bite marks on your neck.”

“It’s fine, I’ll be…”  I doubled over as a pain shot through my stomach.  Aric carried me over to the couch.

“I’m sorry mom.”

“Quit saying that.  You have nothing to be sorry for.”  He dropped down on the couch beside me and the rest of them also sat. 

“I’ve been like this” He said pointing to his face “since I brought you here.  Carter, Jonas, they know what happened.  I wasn’t in the right mind frame to use a compulsion and plus I’ve been too upset to go back to looking normal.”  Oh it all was making sense now why they all looked so solemn.  Aric’s fangs were still fully extended and his eyes glowed.  He was a scary sight.

“Thanks mom.”

“Sorry honey.”

“It’s ok.  I know I am.  In fact my brothers thought I had done it to you.  They can be quite a team when they put some effort into it.”  There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

“I’ll deal with Carter and Jonas later.  I assume your brothers are ok now.”  Another wave of pain washed over me.  This was worse than labor and at least then I got drugs.

“I’ll get the morphine.”  Nina said.  They all seemed to be in my head.  It was more than a little unnerving. 

“Carter and Jonas took things surprisingly well or they are in a state of shock.  It was hard to really tell.”  Bynni stated.  “One thing was clear, they both were overly concerned with you and asked very little questions.” 

That sounded like them.  Once I was better I would sit down and explain it all.  He always managed to mess up my normal. Things were getting to a good place for the boys and now they have to deal with yet another disaster involving their mom.  I wouldn’t be surprised if they moved out the moment they turned 18 sooner if they thought they could.

“So how long will this process take?”  Since both Nina and Bynni had gone through this they would be the perfect people to help me through this.  There was another uncomfortable silence as everyone seemed to know something I didn’t.  Aric let lose a string of curses that shocked me.  He was always so calm and reserved yet he was emitting so much anger.

“Well…um we don’t think you are completely changing.”  Nina whispered.  Now I was more confused than ever.  Either I was going to be like them or not I didn’t think there was an in between.

“What are you talking about?  Bynni said I was changing.  Mulo bit me right?”

“Yes he did but he left a note.”

“Where is it?  Let me see.”

“I sorta ripped it to shreds.”  I doubled over once more and Nina ran to go get the morphine.  She came back ready to inject me.

“Wait will that make me sleep?”

“Yes.”

“Then no, not until after I hear the whole story.”  I said through clenched teeth.  “Aric what did the note say?”

He looked at me and I could tell he felt defeated.  The anger started to subside and his eyes started to glow a little less.  He sat back down next to me.

“When we change a person we have to give more blood than we take in order for the change to be effective.”  He said explaining how the process was supposed to work.  Aric let out a heavy sigh.  “He didn’t do that.”

“So what does that mean?”

“It means that you are somewhere in between.  Your body still has enough of your blood going through it to make the change even more painful as it tries to fight it.  When it’s over you won’t be completely human yet you won’t be a vamp really either.”  Bynni stated.

“This isn’t making sense.”  I said starting to panic.  “Why would he do that?”

“To keep you tied to him.”  Aric said.

“What?  I don’t understand!”  Now I was really panicking. 

“Well,” Bynni started “I had to ask Marisol about all of this when Aric called and told us what happened.  She said as long as you are like this, in between you two are connected.  He can tap into your mind and you can tap into his.  Also no other vamp, meaning us, can complete the change.  He started it, he has to finish it.  Mixing of the bloods could mean death.  Your death.”

“Well shit.  Isn’t that just great?  Where is he, call him over to finish me off please.  I want to be free of him and move on.”

“He’s gone.”  Aric said.  The pain was getting worse causing me to tremble slightly.

“I’ll take the morphine now.”  Nina injected me and I started feeling sleepy.  “Where’s Jonas?”  I asked remembering he was there when I woke up.

“He went to my house to help Trey and the boys with the triplets.”

“Oh that’s so nice of him.”  I mumbled as I drifted off to sleep.

It took three days for the pain to lessen to the point I no longer needed the help of the morphine.  I tried to fight through it as much as possible since I didn’t want to spend my time drugged up and useless.  I found however I was only in pain and still useless for the most part.  Shirley had given her notice, but stayed through the two weeks it took me to be better.  They told her I had a serious stomach flu.  I don’t think she bought it, but with the generous severance package she received, she didn’t voice any opposition.  As the pain started to fade I became aware of subtle changes. 

My first attempts to eat were met with me emptying my stomach contents shortly afterwards.  Bynni suggested I try the plasma fruit on my second day of not being able to keep things down.  It had a weird taste but I was able to keep it down.  No one was sure what that meant but I was getting nourishment on some level that didn’t require Carter hooking me up to an IV so I didn’t complain.  I didn’t experience any physical change in my looks but I did have some improvements.  My hearing was a little sharper and I found when I woke up in the morning things weren’t fuzzy.  I could see without the use of my glasses. 

On the downside to things I felt that connection they said I would have with him.  At first I wasn’t sure what I was feeling.  It was like having someone there but when you turned around they were gone.  It made me nervous and jumpy until I figured out what or who it was.  He hadn’t made actual contact and I had made no attempts to contact him.  Once my body was through fighting itself I only wanted to try to get back to the place I was before he scrambled everything up again.

 Aric took on the responsibility of explaining everything to the boys.  He didn’t want to lie to them, but he did omit the details we both agreed they didn’t need to hear.  They were told I had a history with Mulo prior to meeting Marcus and that moving on was something he wasn’t ready to do.  Naturally they were upset especially seeing the pain I was in although we tried to keep them out of my room when it was at its worst.   They were kept on track with school.  I made sure that they weren’t allowed to skip, well at least not too many days.  They did stay home the first two days because they were too upset and would have been unable to concentrate anyway. 

Once I was better the house starting finding its rhythm again.  I asked the boys if they had any questions or wanted to talk about what happened but neither did.  They were both happy to know I was not going to die and Aric saved me.  Dunham continued his tutoring and his secretive dates with the girlfriend.  He had stayed home more those days I was sick just in case I didn’t pull through.  They did admit to being scared I was going to die.  I would never forgive Mulo for putting them through that.  Dax did pass his drivers test and wanted a car.  He felt driving his dad’s Prius wasn’t the cool thing to do.  Dunham had also passed his drivers test and didn’t mind driving his dad’s car.  I think he liked the idea of having it.  Aric and Nina were the ones to take Dax car shopping.  They were given strict guidelines on what they were allowed to buy him.  They also convinced me to trade out the shuffleboard table for a much cooler pool table.  The triplets were all walking, talking, and using the potty.  My talk with Carter and Jonas went well.  They have to be the most understanding men on the planet.  They did say it helped to see it for their own eyes otherwise they probably would have believed me to be a crazy woman.

On the surface things were going well.  Each day I got better but that connection also got a little stronger or he was using it more.  Still no actual contact but I was sensing things, him and it made me angry.  I wanted to dull it as much as possible.

**thanks Karima for her photo editing of the opening shots. :)**

Continue Reading: "Chapter 77-The Final Insult"

Chapter 76-Sins of a Father

My palms were sweaty as I walked up the driveway.  I’m sure they both knew why I wanted to see them.  Going to them, facing them was embarrassing enough but I would have to take that embarrassment to a new level in order to get the answers I needed.  Aric opened the door before I had a chance to ring the bell.

“Hello son.”

“Hey mom.  Bynni’s already here.”

“How are you and Nina doing?”  They had been trying to have a child for a few months now.  It was harder but not impossible for a vampire to become pregnant a fact neither of them knew when Nina asked to be turned on their honeymoon.  She was ready to be a mom and the delay was taking a toll on her.

“We’re good.”

“Hey mom.”  Bynni said standing to give me a hug.  “Happy to see you out of the house.”

“It feels good to want to leave the house.  Slowly things are taking on a new form of normal.”

We sat in a short uncomfortable silence.  There were both waiting for me to bring up the real reason behind this visit.

“Mom we were happy to explain things to the boys.”  Bynni stated breaking the silence.

“You mean lie for your poor confused mom.” I said giving a nervous laugh.

“Yeah something like that.” Aric said with a smirk.

I buried my face in my hands.

“I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have put you two in that position.”  I was feeling like my life was a series of apologies.

“Mom it’s ok.  Things were stressful and all mixed up for you dealing with CeCe then the wedding.”  I gave Bynni a weak smile.

“But you don’t remember.”  Aric made it more of a statement rather than a question.  I shook my head.  The concern on his face was identical that that on Bynni’s has they exchanged worried glances.

“No.  I…um your father, Mulo.  Well he said I asked him to cloak them.  You know like he did with Ceula.”

“I wanted you both here because I need those memories back.  Even if they are painful I need to know.  The uncertainty is eating away at me.  Stopping me from being able to really enjoy anything.  It’s always in the back of my mind, the wondering and I don’t want that anymore.”

“As well as those missing days.”  Bynni added.

“Yes.  I know it’s a lot to ask of you both but…but I can’t ask him.  I don’t trust him to tell me the truth right now.” I added looking at Aric.  He had always understood me and he knew without having to invade my thoughts what was going on with me.  He had a grave look in his eyes; Bynni wore the same expression.  Something was telling me this wasn’t going to be as easy as I had hoped.

“Nevermind.  I was wrong to ask this of you.  I’ll go to him and hope he will be honest with me.  You both have done more than any child should have to for their parent.”  I stood to leave when Bynni grabbed my arm.

“It’s not that mom.”

“Then what is it?” 

She gave a quick glance at Aric as the secretly tried to figure out who wanted to deliver whatever bad news they were trying to tell me.

“We’re not like dad.  He’s older and more in touch with his abilities.  The only way we can tap into your memories, especially cloaked ones would be…”

“Would be to bite you.”  Bynni finished for her brother who was having a hard time with that idea.

Aric had only bitten two people that I knew of.  TK on that fateful night Bynni was turned and Nina when she asked to be turn.  Bynni I don’t think had ever gone that route.  They were both considered to be ‘new age’ vamps getting their meals through specially designed plasma foods or from blood banks. 

“Even then we couldn’t pick and choose which memories we see.”  She continued.

“Ah I see.  So you could possibly get access to everything I’ve ever experienced?”  I winced at that thought.  Aric looked away.  He was clearly as uncomfortable with that idea as I was.

“Not exactly.  The more we take the more we see.  We would only need to go back as far as the wedding.”  Bynni stated.

“So is this why you guys don’t feed off people?”

“No that’s a choice.”  Aric stated.  “It's something we can turn off and on and depending the needs we have at the time.  Most vamps keep it off because it can be overwhelming living through someone else, hearing them, seeing them feeling them.  It was a skill that evolved out of necessity over time.  I didn’t know this until TK.  Dad had to give me a crash course in controlling it.”

“So how long?”

“Would I feel your emotions?  Considering that we are related, probably longer than the average Joe.  I was feeling Nina’s mood swings for almost two weeks.  I felt TK longer only because I was still learning to get a handle on things.”

I stood there considering everything they were telling me.  When Mulo had released my memories of our first night together, it wasn’t done through biting me.  I was pregnant with the boys at the time and he said he wouldn’t bite me.  The idea of them having to carry around the burdens I was feeling was too much.

“I won’t do it.  It’s not that important.”

“Mom it’s ok.  It’s really the only way.  We both can feel how stressed you are.  If we can help, let us.”  Bynni’s words were very touching and sincere.  Our relationship had always been rocky but we still found a way to try to make things work.

“I can’t.  The stress, the mess of emotions.  I can’t knowingly let you walk around feeling like that.”

“Mom.  Don’t make us compel you to allow us to do this.”  Aric said looking very serious but I could tell he was joking, at least I hoped he was joking.  They both had very determined looks.  Maybe they wanted the truth as much as I needed it.

“Ok so who will be the lucky one to get inside mom’s head?”  I asked with another nervous laugh. 

“I think it’ll be best for Bynni to do it.  It could be less embarrassing for everyone that way.”

“You’re probably right.”  I took a deep shaky breath before sticking my arm out.  Bynni’s teeth lengthened .

“It might help if you think about Mulo.  Might give me more localized control.”

I nodded then turned my head, moments later I felt her teeth sink into my arm.

I thought about Mulo.  Our first meeting, finding out I was pregnant with Aric.  Then my thoughts flashed to the night Bynni was changed and the pain I felt when I learned the truth about him the next day.  My thoughts went to how hurt I was with his angry words when we saw each other at the kids’ wedding.  I tried to concentrate, she didn’t need to see all of that.  The wedding, my wedding.  Marcus.  I saw his smiling face clearly.  Then the happiness, the sadness.  The pain, the hurt, the lies.
I didn’t realize she had let go or that I was crying until I looked over and saw Aric hugging her.  She was crying.  I shouldn’t have allowed this; it was too much for her to be burdened with even if it was only temporary.

“Bynni, dear I’m sorry.”  I stepped over to them, she pulled away from her brother and gave me a hug.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”  She cried into my ear.

“Tell you what honey?”

“About Marisol.  You let me live with her.  You never said anything.”  Oh no.  My wandering thoughts went back too far.  I needed to concentrate better on the timeline and I didn’t. 

“Did you know?”  She asked looking at Aric who shook his head in response.

“I knew something was always between she and dad but I never knew what.”

“Well your father is working with her to use and torment our mother.”  That fire and anger I had encountered as a teen from her was bubbling back full force.

 “If you had said something to me, I would have left.  Yet you stayed quiet and let me live with her all this time.  Why?”

“If I had ever thought for one moment she meant to do you any harm I would have died trying to get you free from her.  But she didn’t and you two had some sort of bond as much as it pained me to see it.  My issues with her are just that my issues with her.”

“But still, what she’s asking of you.  What he did to you, to me.  How do you deal with it all?  Why do you continue to deal with him?” 

“I didn’t think I would ever forgive him for taking that choice away from you but to hold a grudge against him would mean holding one against your brother as well.  He did the same thing to TK.”  Bynni looked over at Aric and knew that as hard as it was for me it was harder on him.  "And I deal with it all one day at a time.  It's all I can do but as you have seen it gets to be too much.  A person can only take so much."

“Aric he’s your father.  You have to do something.  You can’t let her be forced to go through with this.”

“Both of you stop now.  Neither of you will fight my battles.”  I said cutting Aric off before he had a chance to respond.  “Regardless of the circumstances, my life is much richer because of the children that I have.  That has been the only good thing in all of this and that is what I hold on to in order to keep going until I find another option.”

“But!”

“No Bynni.  Adult or not I am still your mother and I mean it.  Too many innocent by standers have already been hurt.  I’m not willing to risk any more.”

“Well it’s too bad Mulo doesn’t feel the same way.”

“He didn’t!”  Aric exclaimed.

“Yes he did.”  Bynni confirmed.

 “But they could have died.” 

I stood there watching the exchange waiting for them to fill me in on what they were talking about.

“Hello.  Guys someone please tell me what this is all about.”

“I’m going to see him.”  Aric stormed passed us heading for the door.

“Aric wait.  One of you tell me what’s going on now.”

“You didn’t cheat on Marcus mom.  Those three days were spent with Mulo.  He’s not their father Marcus is.  He bit you.  Infected you enough to change them but not you.”

When I was pregnant with the boys, he wouldn’t bite me.  Even in those thoughts or dreams he told me not while I was pregnant.  He knew what it would do yet this time he did it anyway.

“Wait you said they could have died.” 

“Yes.  With them being so tiny, even tinier than normal babies since there were three in there, their hearts could have stopped.  The stress of the change could have been too much for their bodies to handle.  They could have been still born.”

I could see the shame in Aric’s eyes as he spoke knowing his father could be so callus with the lives of his siblings.  This was too much.  My head was spinning; the thoughts going through it were too painful.  Was he tying to turn them or kill them?  And why, I was dealing with enough, why would he do that to me?

“I…I have to go.”  I felt like I was in a daze at this point. 

“You can’t go over there by yourself mom.  Aric go with her.  You two both need to talk to him.”

“What about you?  We still have things we need to talk about.”

“I’ll be fine mom, but man you are depressing.  TK is home he’ll provide me some distraction then we are looking for a new place to live.”  I know she tried to seem nonchalant for my sake however she couldn’t mask the sadness in her eyes entirely. 

Aric drove us over and the entire car ride he kept apologizing like any of this was his fault.  I wondered if he was getting some residual effects form Bynni. 

“Hello son.”  Mulo said as he opened the door.  Aric responded by punching his father.  A move I didn’t expect and by the shocked look on Mulo’s face he hadn’t expected it either.

“Well I guess I deserved that.”  Aric lunged for him again but this time Mulo stepped out of the line of fire.  “You get one but don’t push it boy.  I don’t want to hurt my child but I will put you down if need be.”  Mulo glanced over in my direction; the look on his face was one of contempt.

“His attitude is your fault.”  He stepped around Aric heading towards me, but his path was quickly blocked by our son.

“Stay away from her.”  I saw the fury in Mulo.  I didn’t think he would really hurt Aric but I wasn’t willing to take a chance.  I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, at least not physically.

“Aric, it’s ok.  Remember I can fight my own battles.”

“Yeah but he doesn’t apparently fight fair.”  He responded never taking his eyes off Mulo.

“It’s ok.  He can’t hurt me any more than he already has.”  I placed my hand on his arm, he glanced back at me then reluctantly stepped aside.

“Why?  Why Mulo would you try to kill them?  Why would you continue to hurt someone you claim to love in such a way?”

“Oh my love I wasn’t trying to kill them.  I remember how you were when you lost our babies.  I wouldn’t put you through that again.  I kept you here and safe to make sure they were ok.”

“Then what?  What did you hope to gain from this?”

“You already know the answer to that.”

I stepped closer to him.  I looked him squarely I the eye refusing to be used by him any longer.

“So you put my boys through extra stress and worry about my safety right after their father had gone missing.  Put my life, my sanity, and the lives of my unborn children at stake all so you could have a reason to continue to be a part of my life.”  He reached out to stroke my face but I swatted away his hand.

“I will always be a part of your life.  I love you Amari.”

Aric snorted from the side.  He was seething over his father’s actions but was not interfering.  He knew I needed to do this.  I gave him a loving look before turning back to Mulo.

“You don’t love me.  I don’t think you even know what that means.  Marcus loved me.  I can’t do this anymore.  I don’t have any energy left to spend on you.  If I thought you had a heart, I would put you out of your miserable existence by driving a stake through it.”  Mulo took a step forward and I heard Aric let out what only could be described as a low warning growl.

“Do you really think you can take me son?  I’m older, stronger and faster.”

“True but I’m a lot more pissed off.  I won’t stand by and let you hurt her in anyway any longer.  This ends today.”  Mulo glanced at Aric then back at me.  I could see he was working out his next actions.  Mulo took another step.

“Damn it dad!”  With fangs bared Aric pushed me back and stepped between us.  They were in a stand off.  “I won’t let you do it.” 

“I wasn’t asking your permission.”  Mulo snarled “Back off son I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Give it your best shot.”  I could only watch as everything seemed to happen in slow motion.  Aric lunged for his father as he attempted to reach for me.  I heard myself screaming Aric’s name as Mulo sent him flying through the air with such force he crashed through the door.  I heard the metal scraping across the hallway floor before colliding with the wall at the end of the hall.  I scrambled to my feet intent on getting to my son but I didn’t make it very far. 

“He’ll be fine.  He needed to be taught that lesson.  You on the other hand may not be so lucky.”

Continue Reading: "Chapter 76-Sins of a Father"