“Look…” Cayson shakes his head, unsure of what to say or how to say it. How can he tell her he loves her, yet is repulsed by her at the same time? “Werewolves and witches long, long ago used to date, get married and have kids and stuff. I had no issue living with you and being with you while you were a witch.” His head shakes slightly.
“But not as a vampire witch or whatever I am now. I get it. I’ll let you stay here, it is close to Azalea, and she shouldn’t suffer. I’ll move out.” Aileen’s voice is quiet. It’s not what she wants, but maybe leaving will help him to move on?
“No, god no, Aileen. That isn’t what I’m trying to say at all.” He shakes his head, a knocking sound prompting him to walk to the door, his eyes glancing back to Aileen. Opening it, he sees Azalea standing there, smiling. “Guess you should come in.” Cayson steps aside.
“If you don’t want me I’ll leave.” Azalea says, hurt.
“No, I’m sorry, come in, kitty cat. I didn’t mean it to sound like that.” He watches as she walks in, running to Aileen she hugs her.
“God, they’re awful! All they do is talk about Camille as if she was a monster.” Cayson rolls his eyes. She was, but saying it in front of Azalea is wrong.
“She didn’t do it to be evil, Azalea. I spoke to her while I was locked up, she did it to try and get you back. She felt like she’d lost you which she never expected. All she wanted was you back by her side, she made a deal with them that you two wouldn’t ever be hurt by any Monventla if she helped.” Aileen smiles at her, she wasn’t evil. Stupid yes, selfish yes, but she did it all to get her daughter back.
“See, if you can speak like that then why can’t the other witches?” Azalea looks at her.
“Because right now the worlds are at war, Azalea. What your mum did was wrong, yes, and it very well could have destroyed everyone. She turned on the witches, which is awful. They’re just worried.” Cayson smiles as he walks further in. “I’m guessing you haven’t eaten?” He looks at her, watching as she shakes her head. “Guess I’ll cook. And then we talk, Azalea.”
While Cayson walks to the kitchen and starts preparing the food, Azalea sits and catches Aileen up with everything that has been happening with the witches. How they’ve been fighting over whether Camille’s body should be buried with the witches or not; how Zander has become the new witch in charge since Aileen all but disappeared. Aileen smiles at her as she talks away, still slightly angry at the witches for how they treated Azalea. She shouldn’t be hurt or punished for what Camille did.
“Food’s ready, not sure if you wanted some so cooked enough anyway,” Cayson says to Aileen who nods, gratefully taking one of the plates he’s holding out to her and Azalea and Aileen. He goes back to the kitchen to grab his own food before he sits down next to the girls to eat.
“Right, so you wanted to talk?” Azalea looks at him, smiling as he nods.
“Yes, while I have no issue with you staying here Azalea, right now you being here all the time isn’t such a good idea.” Aileen looks at him shocked, his head shaking as he carries on. “The witches aren’t yet all in agreement with Aileen, which means they won’t be happy with you staying here. There’s a risk that Monventla or others will show up, because right now she’s a threat to them. Also, Aileen and I have a lot to work out. I’m not saying never come, you can stay over and everything, but you have to accept that you need to see the witches sometimes. Complete your training, and Aileen and I will use the space to sort this mess out.” Azalea nods, a glint in her eye.
“You want sex.”
Cayson chokes on his food, his head shaking as his eyes widen.
“One, no, and two, don’t say things like that! You shouldn’t even be thinking about that kind of stuff yet.” Aileen laughs, she isn’t a fool. Azalea knows those things, there’s no way she couldn’t. She lives in a house full of witches most of who are unrelated.
“Fine, I won’t mention the s word,” she rolls her eyes. “Wait, do you know the sex of the baby yet? Is it a girl or boy, can you tell? Surely with you being a witch and more powerful you can feel and connect with the baby and see what sex it is? What if it is twins?! That would be so cute, imagine!” Aileen laughs as Cayson stares at her shocked, his head shaking.
“I don’t know, Azalea. I haven’t tried doing anything like that. I sense the baby, how it is, and things like that, but I’ve never tried seeing anything.” She hadn’t even considered it if she’s honest. She looks at Cayson to see him smiling. “What?”
“Oh, come on, just try. We could find out if the baby is a girl or boy. Why wait?” Cayson smiles at her as Aileen laughs. Nodding she closes her eyes, trying to concentrate on the baby. Cayson and Azalea watch her, both smiling in anticipation. He needs to try and get over the issue of what she is, even if they aren’t going to be together, he needs to. It won’t be right bringing a child into this world with parents that hate each other.
They watch as Aileen smiles, her hand settled on her stomach. Suddenly her eyes bolt open and she looks at Cayson, his eyes questioning upon seeing the panic on her face. Does that mean something’s wrong? He looks at her, seeing her panicking more.
“Aileen, what? What did you see?” He sits looking at her.
“There isn’t a baby, Cayson.” Her words are quiet, Cayson and Azalea laugh shaking their heads.
“Funny, we heard the heartbeat, Aileen, come on, seriously no games.” Cayson waits; she’s obviously trying to trick them.
“Cayson, I mean it-”
“So you lied?” Cayson’s words cut her off, her head shaking quickly.
“No, just listen. We felt it and heard the heartbeat so didn’t think about anything. We just assumed it was one baby, but Cayson, there are two!” She looks at him worried, Cayson standing up and shaking his head.
“I need some air.” Aileen and Azalea watch as he rushes out, Azalea laughing.
“I think he’s scared. He ran Aileen, and quickly.” Azalea looks at her; Aileen simply nods, looking at the door shocked. She can’t blame him. He’d only just gotten used to it being one baby, then to her being a vampire, and now this? Of course he’s freaking out, it’s normal to be freaking out. She’s freaking out, if she’s honest. Plus if anything happens to her, he is left on his own with two babies. “Shall I go and find him?”
Aileen shakes her head. “No, Azalea, give him time to process it. We heard the heartbeat and just stopped and assumed.”
“Aileen, you know what twins means in the witch world, right?” Azalea looks at her. “Maybe that’s why he is freaking out? Cayson will know about that, Aileen.”
“It won’t happen. Sure, that’s how it normally happens, but the babies are not full witches, well- they are because I can feel the power, but they’re like me, just part werewolf.” She won’t believe that’s their fate, she can’t do that. “Go home for a bit, Azalea; let us talk about this and I’ll settle his worries. I don’t want you here if there’s a chance he will lose control.” Aileen smiles at her and Azalea nods, hugging her before she leaves. Aileen sits and waits for an hour before the door opens, Cayson walking in and sitting down.
“Sorry.” His word is quiet, as she looks at him. “I panicked. One baby, fine, okay, but two babies, what the hell? Not just that, but I’ve watched so many twins from so many covens and seen the outcome, Aileen, and I don’t want that.” He looks at her worried.
Aileen smiles. “Cayson, those witches were full witches, created by two witch parents. Those twins have a deadly fate, almost a curse. This is different, I can feel it, Cayson, sure they have the witch side within them, but they also have you in them. I don’t know how that is possible but I can sense that they’re full witches, even though. they’re also like you, and somehow like me now. Maybe their fate won’t be the same, Cayson?” She looks at him waiting. She’s read the stories, okay, twins who are full witches, often end up being destroyed by their powers. The witch power seems to be split between the babies and constantly tries to reform, so str
ongly that it always ends in one – or both – twins dead.
“Aileen, you didn’t watch it. I did. I watched, they were just two little girls, I watched and by the age of six the magic was taking control. They were crazy, unhinged, by the age of eleven one twin had killed the other to try and free themselves from that. Only then, the guilt of killing her sister made her end her own life, even after the magic had settled down.” He looks at her, he can’t watch that again.
“Cayson, it won’t happen, I promise. If there’s any sign to suggest otherwise then I’ll find a spell; surely if I can do spells that pull the curse out of vampires and kills them, then I’m sure I can find a way to fix our babies, if that happens.” She moves to hug him. She will find a way. If that’s what happens then she will find a way to fight it and somehow stop it happening.
“For years I’ve watched it, Aileen, you haven’t seen it but I have, over and over again. Twins for a witch is not a blessing, it is a curse. No family survives: the grief, the loss, no-one survives it, it tears them all apart.” Sometimes there’s nothing, no signs at all, until the twins are nearly sixteen, and other times you can see the separation of the magic driving the twins crazy at such a young age, but it always happens at some point.
“Here, pass me your hand.” Aileen looks at him waiting, Cayson holding out his hand. He watches as she places it on her stomach, hers next to his. Her eyes close as she joins the hands that aren’t on her belly, slowly letting him see and feel everything she does when she connects with the babies. A few moments of silence pass by, Cayson’s eyes closed as he watches. “It’s the first time. Normally I can just sense it, but today was the first time I’ve been able to somehow see them both.” Her words are quiet, Cayson smiling slightly. He can see they’re different: not a witch, or a werewolf, or even both mixed; they are so much like how Aileen is now.
His pulls his hand away and stands up, walking towards the kitchen, Aileen following him.
“Cayson?” She looks at him worriedly.
“I’m fine, it’s just a lot to get used to in such a short time. Nothing makes sense.” His head shakes. They looked like babies, how is that possible? Babies don’t look like that until later on in the pregnancy. His eyes glance to her stomach, Aileen smiling. “How are you not getting bigger? Aileen, they look like fully grown babies, how?” She’d been expecting this question for a while. She hadn’t wanted him to panic, and seeing her stomach would almost certainly have made him panic.
“An illusion spell, Cayson, when I woke up and saw my stomach I freaked out. I knew others would too so I used an illusion spell; it makes it look like my stomach is growing at a normal pace.” Standing, she closes her eyes, slowly lifting the spell and hearing his gasp as soon as the spell is complete.
“How? Aileen, how?” She opens her eyes and glances down. She’d even used the spell on herself, and her eyes widen seeing how big she is now.
“Werewolves heal quicker, Cayson, a werewolf doesn’t stay pregnant for nine months, five at most.” He nods, but continues to look at her confused. “Vampires heal quickly, quicker than a werewolf, so I’m guessing everything mixed together is what is making this so much quicker.” She closes her eyes, once again putting the spell back into place. Others would freak out as well.
“I’m sorry, God, I’m so sorry Aileen.” She looks up at him confused, his arms wrapping around her as he pulls her closer. “I was worried, even with the evidence you’re not like them I was worried. I don’t want this; I don’t want our kids seeing me hate you.” His arms stay wrapped around her, his head shaking, why is he lying?
“Cayson, don’t.” Aileen’s voice quiet, she can’t stand him acting like this only to then go back to hating her tomorrow.
“Look, I love you, Aileen, my mind is telling me to use the baby – sorry, babies – as an excuse not to hate you. But the fact is I can’t, I can’t hate you, Aileen.” He looks down at her, kissing her, Aileen’s hands wrapping around his neck. “We just need to figure this out, Aileen. People will have doubts, of course they will. Other covens and packs will be on guard.” Aileen nods, and then shakes her head at him.
“Why? We’ve seen proof, Cayson; you’ve all seen that I’m not like them. You’ve seen that our babies are nothing like that.” No one else should care, if they have proof then that should be enough.
“Aileen, we have seen, and we can see. That won’t ease people’s worries. Think about it, have you ever heard of a witch getting pregnant by a werewolf?” Cayson looks at her. No one has, he knows that.
“Surely there is, and why does that make a difference anyway? This is different, Cayson.” She looks at him unsure of what he means, or what he is trying to say.
“My point is, Aileen, it’s been decades. Decades during which werewolves and witches have kept themselves to themselves, years since a werewolf and witch conceived a baby together. We did, and that alone is going to cause doubt. Then there’s the fact that you’re now a vampire, and we can sense the babies are too, in some ways, that will only create more doubt. What to expect when a werewolf and witch have a baby, fine, will they be shocked, yes, but they know what to expect. A vampire mix with those two is unheard of. It’s never been done before, Aileen, so yes; people will have doubts and worries.” No amount of showing them things will change that, it will take the babies being born for people to realise that they’re safe.
“People will think they’re monsters.” Aileen says quietly, looking at him shocked. She hadn’t considered that, she’d always seen them as babies, or rather baby until today.
“Exactly, and while us locals know it isn’t true, those further afield won’t. I can try with the other packs, Aileen, as the oldest werewolf I can try. That is all I can do, though, I can’t force the packs to believe without seeing.” Cayson’s head shakes. Most werewolves stop phasing but he didn’t, and while he wants to believe it’s because he loved being a werewolf, it was more because he didn’t want to stop, only to grow old and die alone.
“So, you talk to them? That’s important right now. You need to tell as many werewolves as you possibly can. Everything else can wait, Cayson.” The witches can see for themselves, they’ll be able to sense everything if she lifts the spells, but werewolves won’t. They’ll be the biggest battle.
“Not a chance, Aileen.” Cayson looks at her shocked, her head shaking, confused. “How long, Aileen? First thing we do is find out how long we have, how far along you already are. If they are growing at as fast a rate as we believe, right now sorting out the babies and what we need for them is important. What happens when you go into labour, Aileen?” Cayson shakes his head, there’ so much they haven’t thought about.
“What do you mean? I go to the hospital, Cayson.” She laughs slightly.
Cayson shakes his head; she clearly hadn’t realised either. “You’re a vampire, Aileen. What happens if they decide to take blood? It won’t work! What happens if they try and scan? How do we know they can even do a scan, Aileen? We have no idea about anything.” Cayson looks at her, feeling himself losing control as the panic grows inside his chest. They have no idea, and they’re on their own. They can’t go to the hospital; if she is like a vampire in some senses then scans won’t work, needles won’t go into her skin. They won’t be able to monitor the babies and people will question why things aren’t working on her.
“Cayson, we’ll be fine. The witches can help, I am sure between the covens one must have a nurse or a doctor, or maybe even midwife.” Aileen laughs when the thought comes to her head. There is one, sure she isn’t happy about it, but there is one.
“What?” Cayson looks at her confused by her expression.
“Zander. It sounds crazy I know, but he trained as a doctor, Cayson. Only the witches know, but he trained as a doctor and then gave it up to help run the house and train other witches.” She didn’t even think.
“Okay, but what can Zander do? Think about it, Aileen. He still needs equipment and everything else.” They still need
someone active and working.
“No we don’t, Cayson, he’s a witch. As long as I lift the spells I had protecting us, he’ll be able to feel and sense everything. We only didn’t realise it was twins because I put that spell on, which in a way blocked me from noticing.”
Cayson feels his head shaking. “What if there’s an issue, Aileen? What if something goes wrong, then what? What if it turns out he does need something; what happens if the babies need assistance?” Aileen’s arms wrap around him, sensing his worry.
“Cayson, what can go wrong? Tell me, because from where I am standing it can’t. I can’t die, Cayson, sure it may hurt a hell of a lot because I still feel pain, but I can’t die. And the babies? With how quickly they’re growing, we know they will heal quickly, and that’s only if they can get hurt. Don’t forget there’s some vampirism in them, they might not even be able to be hurt. Look, let’s call Zander and get him round here, okay?” She looks at him waiting; Cayson nods and sits down as he watches as Aileen sends the message.
8 REALITY CHECK
Half an hour later there’s a knock at the door.
“You may want to lift the spell,” Cayson looks at her, she is still under the spell protecting her and the babies which means no one will see her for how big she really is. Aileen nods, lifting the spell as he unlocks the door. Standing to the side, Zander walks in; his body stopping as he stares at Aileen shocked.
“Don’t freak out, please. I hid it with a spell until I knew how people would react.” Aileen smiles at him.
“I’m freaking out, Aileen, I left and there was nothing there and now you look about nine months gone! How is that possible?” Zander stays standing at the door, Cayson sitting down.
“I put a spell on it, and it turned out to be such a good spell that there was a lot I didn’t even notice, Zander, like how it isn’t actually one baby but two, and like how they’re growing really quickly.” Aileen looks at him waiting, Zander still unmoving, his eyes fixed on her stomach.
Night Shadows Page 25
