Chapter 75: Chapter 75 HOME

What would have been her reason to refuse, with no other choice she went with him? She walked a step behind him as they went into the elevator. She wanted to run away as fast and as far as she could.

They got to the ground floor and as much as she didn’t want to she had to get off the elevator and follow him to the emergency room. Slowly she walked behind him to the giant doors with a large ‘E.R’ painted in red on them.

“The staff and administration contributed to the mural.” Shee rumbled on.

Scarlet could barely hear what he was saying, her eyes were fixated on his hands pushing open the giant doors. Reluctantly she followed him into the emergency room, it was as busy as usual but for some reason, she felt like she was the only one there.

She stood face to face with the image of the man she had killed to satisfy her hunger. At that moment she didn’t smell the blood in the room, but instead, she smelt and tasted Archie’s blood.

“The candle there burns until they find the people who murdered him. The police think that we should give up hope. But as long as that candle burns our hope will be kept alive.”

She wondered what he would say when he found out that his killer was standing right beside him. That she had drunk his blood and her friend had torn Archie’s body apart and duped him into the river.

“I have to go now. Thank you for everything and I will be waiting for you to contact me.”

Scarlet ran out of the emergency room as fast as she could, careful to make sure she ran like a human and not a vampire. When she stepped out of the doors of the hospital Scarlet could feel her tensed body relax, but her consciousness did not let up.

She went back to the hotel and got her bags. Then she went to the parking lot where she had left her car. She got in and drove to the only place she knew she could be relaxed and at peace. Home.

When Scarlet got to the house she couldn’t hear a thing. The cars were still parked in the garage so she knew that they hadn’t traveled anywhere. She went into the house and dumped her bags in the foyer before taking a look around. She went into the fridge and realized they were out of animal blood, that’s when she realized that they could have gone out hunting. But she wondered what they had done with Chrissie.

She went up to the baby’s room and realized that there was someone up there with her. Kayla and Jade stood over the crib and watched the baby sleep.

“It took you long enough,” Kayla said without turning back to look at Scarlet.

“Hello to you too. Hey sweetie.” Scarlet hugged an excited Jade.

“I knew you would come back soon.”

“I missed my babies and my best friend. I missed being home with you guys.”

“Especially Stephan.” Kayla teased.

“Kayla, don’t start.” She peeked into the crib. “How long has she been out?”

“A while. She began to cry when Stephan left to go hunting, so he had to come back. He rocked her to sleep then went and joined the others.” Kayla put in.

“Poor baby, I bet she felt abandoned. Did she drink anything?”

“She drunk what was left. The guys went out to bring some more, for her especially.”

Scarlet and Kayla left Jade with the baby. Scarlet didn’t want her to wake up and find that there was no one with her.

“What happened?” Kayla asked.

“I went to GWH, and the guilt tore me down.”

“Why would you go there?”

“I went to ask my previous attending for a recommendation letter so that I could get back to work.”

“What happened to get you so torn up?”

“They had a mural of Archie, and Shee kept talking about how they aren’t going to lose hope until his murderer is found.”

“I’m sorry Scar, I’m sure that was difficult for you.”

“Difficult doesn’t even begin to explain it. I asked him to call me up about the referee and ran out of there as fast as I could.”

“Don’t think about it.” Kayla gave her a long hug.

“I’m going to step in the shower for a while.”

“What? Why?”

“I just need to relax.”

“What do I tell Stephan when he gets here?”

“Nothing. He’ll know I’m back home. Please come and get me when Chrissie wakes up, I’ve missed her beautiful hazel eyes.”

“Sure thing.”

Scarlet stood under the shower and let the little drops of water knead her hard flesh. The sound of the water hitting her body and floor seemed to soothe her, so she stood there as stiff as she could.

***

Stephan was glad for the few hours of distraction, but now as they ran up to the house it pained her to know that Scarlet wasn’t going to be there waiting for him. He had grown accustomed to Scarlet’s scent being present in the house so he didn’t think much of it until he ran into her bags in the foyer.

Kayla met his gaze and with a single smile, she confirmed his hopes. He ran up the stairs to their bedroom. SJ started after him when Kayla caught the back of his shirt.

“You’d better stay here.”

“But-,” he began to protest but soon gave up.

“Scarlet! Scarlet!”

She could hear Stephan call out to her but she never responded. She didn’t move from under the shower, instead, she was going to get him to come to her.

“Scarlet?”

She could see the outline of his body from the other side of the shower door.

“Are you back for good? Can we get back to our lives now?”

His questions went unanswered.

“Scarlet?”

“You could stand out there and bombard me with questions or you could take your clothes off and join me.”

She had barely finished speaking when Stephan pulled the door open, rushing into the shower with his clothes still on. He pulled her into his arms and feasted on her lips.

“I’m glad you are back.”

“So am I.”

***

Two days after Scarlet’s return they held a ceremony at dawn, for two purposes. First, for Scarlet and Stephan to renew their vows marking a new beginning to their lives, and secondly for Solara to get his marking.

Kayla was excited to see her name carved in her husband’s back just as Stephan had done. The ceremony was fast and exciting. Scarlet was glad that she had gone back home, she had already missed enough time with her family. This was where she wanted to be and where she belonged.

That night they sat in the living room watching Chrissie break the toys that they had bought for her.

“I’m glad you are back. This house was getting boring.” Vincent said.

“We start school next week.” Eric put in.

“Are you ready for it? It will be a very different environment from what you are used to.” Scarlet informed them.

“I’m sure we will be able to cope.” Victor put in.

“Besides I have been there before so I’ll watch out for them.” Jade put in.

They all fell silent when they heard the sound of a car engine get closer and closer to the house.

They all went to the front porch and waited for their unknown visitor to come up the driveway.

“Is anyone of you expecting a visitor?” Kayla asked.

“No.” They all answered in unison.

They waited as the taxi drove up and parked a few meters away from the house. It took a couple of minutes for the passenger to alight and when she did Kayla was taken aback.

“Momma!”

“Shit’s hit the fan.” Vincent snickered.

“What are you doing here mum?”

“I came to see you.”

Kayla rushed to her and hugged her.

“This is where you live. It’s massive and beautiful.”

“Solara and Stephan bought it.”

***

“How is work?” Iris asked once she had settled into the living room.

“Momma I need to tell you something.”

One by one they left the living room, all except Vincent.

“I don’t want to go. I want to stay here because this is going to be good. I can already imagine the look on her face.” Vincent chuckled.

With one hand Stephan lifted Vincent off the sofa and dragged him into the television room where the others waited.

They could hear just fine from where they were, but Vincent wasn’t happy about missing out on seeing the genuine look of shock that Iris was bound to have.

“Are you crazy? Do you need doctor honey?”

Kayla narrated to Iris everything that had happened ever since she and Scarlet found Stephan and Solara fighting in the garage Stephan used to work in.

She expected her mother to get hysterical and question her sanity. Kayla sat back and waited for her mother to burn it out. She knew she needed reinforcement and how better to convince her of what was true than to show her evidence.

“Guys could you please come in here.” Once her family was lined up before then, Kayla gave them another instruction, “Show us who you truly are.”

“Are you sure about that?” Solara asked cautiously.

“I’m sure.”

“But she may not take it as well as you assume she will.” Scarlet cautioned.

“She’ll be fine, she’s a strong woman.”

“I’m not so sure Kayla.” Stephan put in.

“Let’s do it. I want to see her face once we do.” Vincent was overly excited.

“Vincent this isn’t a game.” Victor was always the sensible twin.

“I don’t think anything you do can shock me. But I don’t think you should encourage Kayla’s imagination.” Iris said.

“Please prove to my mother that I am not crazy.”

The vampires let their eyes burn red and the beasts morphed.

Iris stared at the beings in front of her who were not human and unlike Chrissie who was giggling and clapping hysterically. She stood there and stared not blinking even once.

“Momma.” Kayla was afraid she had exposed her mother too much too soon.

They all stood rooted to the ground in shock when Iris hit the floor.

“Momma!”