Chapter 53: Chapter 53 HER DAUGHTER

She felt something warm cuddle against her body. Scarlet could also hear arguments but they were far away. She opened her eyes, but the harshness of the sun’s light forced them back closed once more.

Maybe I’ll just lay here for a while.

What on earth are they arguing about?

Why is SJ in my bed, he must be taking to the baby again.

A Baby. A sweet little girl.

After this one, Stephan is going to have to undergo a vasectomy, not that I expect it to work.

Scarlet could feel her throat singe.

I am thirsty.

I have never been this thirsty before.

I better wake up and feed both my babies.

I wonder if SJ has had his breakfast. He probably rushed in here the second he woke up.

It’s cute how attached he is to his little sister.

I’m sure if he could he would never leave her side.

Time to wake up.

Scarlet opened her eyes once more, prepared to face the grueling wrath of the sun’s rays. When she did, she was amazed at everything that was around her. Everything seemed brighter, the sun seemed sunnier and the garden painting that hung on her wall seemed to come to life.

“Mom?” SJ scrambled to a sitting position.

“Yes, honey.” Scarlet sat up. She moved faster than she usually did and much easier. There was something wrong with that picture. She shouldn’t be able to move that easily, not with a baby growing inside her.

Her hand flew to her belly, flat. Scarlet was puzzled but not alarmed. She was disappointed, she had missed the birth of her child once more.

“Where is the baby?” She turned to SJ.

SJ stared at her, not saying a word.

“Where is your sister Stephan?” She rarely called him by his full name but he was making her nervous.

“I better go get dad.” SJ rushed out of the room.

“Do that and tell the other Stephan to bring my baby girl up here,” Scarlet shouted after him.

Scarlet stood up and stretched, her body felt new. Something was different, this wasn’t like the day she woke up after SJ’s birth. She felt more alive, rejuvenated as she could run to China and back. She heard them rush up the stairs. Scarlet could count ten different footsteps and when they poured into the room, she stood there waiting.

“Scarlet.” Stephan breathed out. In an instant, he had his arms around her.

He was crushing her against his body. Strangely she couldn’t feel the pain that she should but only felt discomfort.

“You are crushing me Jeraldi. Where is Christina?”

“Who is Christina?”

“Christina Paulina Jeraldi. Our daughter, remember her?”

Stephan heard the combination of his and her mother’s names, and the fear and pain occupied his heart once more.

When Stephan let go, Kayla’s hands replaced his.

“You scared me Scar.”

“Ok people, too much touching and not enough talking. Where is my baby?”

Scarlet felt Kayla’s arms drop. She took a step back and stared into her disillusioned face. Scarlet looked around the room for an answer but nothing.

“Please do not tell me I have been unconscious for four months, and my newborn is now a toddler wading about in some part of the house. Who is with her? I don’t want her getting hurt.”

“You were out for two days Scar,” Kayla answered.

“Ok, that’s cool. It means I didn’t miss much. So where is she?”

The room was as silent as a graveyard, scratch that, the dead made more noise than they did.

“You guys are making me nervous. Someone needs to answer me. Now!”

SJ turned around and fled out of the room, Jade ran after him.

“We are going to leave you guys to talk. I’m glad you are awake Scarlet.” Xavier shepherded Sam, Eric, and the twins out of the room, living her alone with Solara, her best friend, and her husband.

“Scarlet don’t you remember anything?” Kayla dragged her to the bed.

“Remember what? Am I supposed to remember something? I don’t recall SJ’s birth. Speaking off why did he rush out of the room like that and why won’t anyone bring me, my baby?” Scarlet was getting frustrated.

“I’m sorry.” Stephan dropped to his knees and crawled to her feet.

“What the flip is going on here? Stephan, get up.” Scarlet tried to raise him, but he refused.

“Scarlet, I’m going to show you something and maybe it can trigger your memory.” Kayla watched her carefully.

“I don’t think she needs to see any of that Kayla. You may do more harm than good.” Solara intervened.

“I don’t want to drive her over the edge but she has to remember. And this isn’t something I can put in words.”

“You two need to say something. Why is my husband on the floor weeping, why won’t my son look at me and where is my baby.” The tone was stronger than she intended it to be.

Scarlet combed her fingers through Stephan’s hair, trying to soothe him in some way.

“Scarlet just relax, I’m going to show you something.” Kayla raised her index fingers to Scarlet’s temple massaging it at first before letting her thought’s bombard Scarlet’s mind.

Kayla flooded Scarlet’s mind with images from the forest and when that didn’t trigger her memory she showed her something else. The second the image flashed into her mind, Scarlet got angry. Her mind was then filled with the events of that day. It only took the image of Marquis to get the ball rolling.

“You told me she was gone, dead. That’s what you told me right?” Scarlet used her index finger to raise Stephan’s head. “Isn’t that what you told me? Please explain to me how a dead vampire was able to chew her way to my baby and take her from inside me.”

Scarlet’s chest heaved as anger filled her, then panic, then fear, and lastly anger again.

“Where is she? Did you find her? Did you find my baby?” Scarlet was praying and hoping for a yes, but deep down inside she knew Kayla’s answer would be no.

Kayla looked down then shook her head.

“Don’t worry Scarlet we will find her,” Solara reassured her.

“And what are you doing?” She kicked her leg free from Stephan’s arms. “Besides folding yourself on the ground and feeling sorry for yourself, what are you doing to find our daughter?”

“Scarlet I am so sorry.”

“Quit apologizing and go find my daughter.” Scarlet was amazed by how she had managed to keep herself from falling apart so far. She knew that she would soon crumble, but not now. Now she had to find her daughter.

“What are you still doing here Stephan? Huh? Why are you here?”

“Scarlet please.” Stephan rose to his feet and Scarlet rose with him. He tried to embrace her but she only beat his hands away from her.

“Do not touch me until you bring my baby back.” Scarlet snarled.

“Vincent and Victor have not been able to find her.”

“Do not tell me that. What about Brazil, did you check there?”

“Leo says there is no sign of her there. Scarlet-,”

“Don’t you dare fall apart. I married a strong being, half-vampire half beast. You are a warrior that has no qualms about killing people. I need you to be that creature now. I need you to find my baby.” Scarlet shoved him against the wall. “If you do not find her don’t bother coming to this room ever again. If I do not get my baby back I will take our son and I will disappear.”

“Scarlet please don’t leave don’t take my son away from me.” He begged.