The next day, Dracula talks to my parents and my aunt about staying so he doesn't have to come over and risk being too late. Thankfully, they agree and stays with me as much as possible. Then, late in the afternoon, at about 7:45 p.m., I feel a little nauseated and start craving blood.
"Dad?"
"What, Zo?"
"Where's aunt?"
"I believe she's outside with your mother. Why?"
Dracula's head jerks up from his phone and he gazes at both me and dad at the same time.
"I think I'm craving again."
Dad groans and Dracula watches as he gets up and disappears into the kitchen. A few minutes later, dad comes back in with Aunt Susana. She comes over to me and puts her hand to my forehead.
"You feeling okay?"
"A little lightheaded."
"You craving again?"
I nod.
She goes into the kitchen and comes back with a McDonald's cup. She hands it to me and I take it. Dracula watches as I sip from it and nod my head as Susana. She sits down on the sofa with a relieved sigh.
"What's in the cup?" Dracula asks.
"Blood," dad replies as he sits back down. "She gets cravings every now and then."
"Human blood?"
"Yes."
Dracula glances at me and raises his eyebrows. I smile at him sheepishly. He grabs my right hand and squeezes it gently. Suddenly, I feel a thud from the inside in the area of my belly. I bring Dracula's hand to rest on my bulging belly and he gasps. I look over at him as the both of the twins kick at the same time. His eyes go wide in surprise. Then, he pulls his hand away and looks the other way.
"I'll be right back," he whispers. He gets up and leaves. I hear the front door slam shut.
I sigh and set my cup down. I struggle to get up, and after about six minutes, I manage to stand up. I walk through the kitchen and go outside. I look around as my eyes adjust to the change in lighting. I don't see him anywhere. He's not in is car, that's for sure. I stumble to the woods and walk through them, using the trees for support. Suddenly, I trip on a stick and someone catches me. I look up to see Dracula.
"What are you doing out here?"
"I was worried I upset you. I wanted to come see if you're okay." I notice streaks on his face. I point at his face. "You've been crying. I can see it on your face."
He sighs. "This is just too much. I can't stand it."
I hug him and he gasps. I bury my face in his chest as tears stream down my face. I sob into his shirt and he strokes my hair.
"I just want you to be h-happy," I sob.
"I understand. You're trying to hard. It's really telling on you."
"It's the pregnancy that's telling on me. Not trying to make everybody happy. The pregnancy is killing me."
"I believe you've got a friend."
I look down. Right at a wolf. It looks up at me. Then, for some reason, it rubs its head against my leg.
"What was that for?"
"It can probably smell me on you. Because of these," Dracula says, placing his hand on my belly. He lifts my chin, leans in, and kisses me. I wrap my arms around his neck. He pulls away and bends down. He puts his left arm behind my legs and lifts them up while his right arm supports my back. I keep my arms wrapped around his neck. He takes me in the house and back to my bedroom. He lays me down on my bed and lies down beside me. He wraps his right arm around me and pulls up my shirt. He puts his hand on my bare belly and gently rubs it in a circular motion.
I yawn. "What time is it?" I ask.
"It's 8:15 p.m. You need to get some sleep," he adds in a whisper.
I place my hand over his and let my eyes shut. I fall asleep.
*****
Two months later, on the 14th of November, Dracula says he has to go to the city for a while.
"But, Dracula," I protest. "Please don't go."
"I have to. I have some things I need to get done."
"What about the twins?"
He stops in his tracks and sighs. He turns around and actually looks at me with a sympathetic look on his face. He sighs again.
"I wish I could stay. For you. But I have to get this stuff done."
Feeling defeated, I sit on my bed and let my shoulders droop. "Well, happy six hundredth birthday."
He groans. "How dare you." He walks over to me and kneels in front of me. "You listen to me, Zoe. I have to get this stuff done or it's not going to be good. You want to be able to keep these two, don't you?" He places his hand on my belly. "And if you want to or not, or if you don't survive birth, I have to make sure that I am the one that gets custody of them and they don't end up in an orphanage or foster care. I know this may seem crazy to a man like me, but these two mean a lot to me."
I look away as tears fill my eyes and blur my vision. He turns my head back to face him as a tear streams down my cheek. He wipes it away with his hand and lifts my chin so I look him in his eyes. Then, he leans in and kisses me on my lips. He backs away and leaves, stopping in the doorway to look back at me.
I sit in the living room all day watching the driveway through the big window. Then, at 9: 57 p.m., I feel a searing pain in my abdomen as I get up to go to my bedroom. I drop my cup of blood and cry out in pain. Dad's in here in no time.
"What is it? What happened?"
I look up at him and he must see it in my eyes.
"Oh, no," he groans. "Jasmine!" he yells.
She pops her head around the corner. "Yes?"
"Call your mother! I think Nikki's going into labor!"
Her eyes widen and she disappears in the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, my aunt comes running into the living room shouting,
"What? What is it?"
"I believe Nikki's going into labor, Susana."
She looks at me, wide-eyed. "Where's Dracula?"
"He's been gone all day. I don't know when he'll get back."
"Well, take her in her bedroom. I'll be in there in a minute."
Dad picks me up and carries me to my bedroom. He puts me on my bed.
"Dad," I groan.
"What dear?"
"I can't--Ah!" Tears stream down my cheeks. "Dad, if I don't--survive....this, I love you."
"Oh, Zo, don't say that."
"Alright. Here I am." Aunt walks over to me and sets a bag on the floor. She opens it and pulls out a hospital gown.
"What's that for?"
"You're going to have to change into this, sweetie."
"But I don't have enough---Ah!---strength."
"I'll help you. Here." She helps me sit up and take my shirt off.
Dad walk out and shuts the door behind him, apparently knowing it's not a good idea for him to be in here right now. Aunt helps me take the rest of my clothes off and put on the hospital gown.
"Auntie?"
"What, dear?"
"Does mom know?"
"Yes, I let her know. She's on her way." She grabs her stethoscope and listens to my heart. "Oh, gosh. Nikki, do you know how to contact Dracula?"
I shake my head in despair.
She groans. "Well, then, let's pray and pray that you survive because your heart is faltering and that's a bad thing."
"I just want you to make sure the twins survive."
She looks at me, shocked. "But don't you want to--"
Tears stream down my cheeks as I say, "Dracula will get custody of them. I just want them to survive and grow up to know that I love them even if I'm not with them."
"Sister?"
"Yes, Andrew?"
"Rosalina's here."
"Mom?"
She comes into the room and drops her things as soon as she sees me. She rushes over to me.
"Oh, sweetie." Her eyes fill with tears.
"I can't--"
I black out.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
