by J. E Hanson
Now, we’re battling the time zone. We have an hour, before daylight closes in. I can see it quickly approaching. Ian is the youngest of all the Enforcers and he’s carrying me in his arms. Ian is the slowest of the fifteen men. Papa demands him to give me to him.
“I don’t want anyone else, but Ian to take me across that line! You go ahead without us. Either we make it, or we both perish,” I yell at him.
“There’s no pressure there, Princess! The good thing is that I won’t have to hear Christian, or your grandfather curses me for not making it!” Ian sounds nervous.
“We will make it across that time zone. You will make it, Ian! I need my best friend!” I gave him words of encouragement.
Ian shifts me to his back. “In case we don’t make it, you can hit the water better this way.”
We seem to fly faster, when he readjusts me to his back. I’m so exhausted, but keep my head on his back. I move my arms, to embrace him underneath his arms. The timeline is approaching, and we’re almost there. I can see the beautiful violet clouds ahead of Ian and me. The sunlight is directly behind us. My feet are almost touching the sun.
“Ian the time line is approaching! We have seconds, before this sun engulfs us both!” I panic and yell at him.
Sam glances over his shoulder, and he moves back from the elders. My feet hit the sun first, and I yelp from the instant burning sensation. I shift my legs around his hips. I’m growing more upset, because Ian's boots are on fire. Sam yanks Ian and me, tossing us through the time zone. We make it, but his feet are still on fire. Sam moves his feet to the water. He yanks us up to be with him, after he puts his fire out.
“That fucking hurts!” Ian cries out.
“Can you heal?” Sam yells at Ian.
“I’m starting to heal, but it will take me a little longer than you guys. We’re good,” he answers.
The castle is right in front of us. Leo takes out a remote, and he pushes a button, to disarm the shield around the castle. Ian, Sam, and I tumble to the ground in front of the castle. I land right on top of Ian.
Ian winces in pain. “I couldn’t have given you a softer landing than this! Too bad you nailed me in the fucking balls though.”
The pain starts to subside. “I’ve never landed on a softer pair of balls until now.” I made Ian laugh.
Ian looks over at Christian. “You just had to go there. Your boyfriend is staring right back at us! I think you need to get off my nuts, before he ends my fucking existence.”
I help him up. I walk exactly five paces, and then black out from the intense pain inside my stomach.
~~~***~~~
I woke up in my bedroom. Zohar stands over me with Christian standing at the other side of my bed. Christian’s arms are crossed, and he keeps his head down. His hair hides his face.
Zohar holds my hand. “How are you feeling, Princess?”
I close my eyes for a few seconds. “I’m fine, Zohar. The pain that I was having is over now.”
Zohar frowns with sadness on his face. “I’m sorry to inform you, but you lost the pregnancy. Christian had to make a difficult decision. Either you had to live, or you would have died.”
My hands feel my stomach. My lips tremble with sadness, and my heart shatters all over this bed. I stare at Zohar. “You mean to tell me that I lost my baby?”
Zohar holds me in his arms. “I’m so sorry, Princess. Your Papa is waiting for you outside, and he knew you were pregnant. He would love to comfort you right now.”
Papa joins my bedroom quickly, and sits next to me. I sit up and Papa wraps his arms around me. The tears slowly trickle into a river of blood. My mouth opens, and the words are coming out, but I don’t know what I’m saying. Everything seems to move in a slow fog. The overwhelming grief squeezes my broken heart. Papa holds me tightly, and he cries the same tears of pain. My agony won’t ever end. Zohar has to numb the aching pain in my heart for me. I want to die so badly. I want to take back every nasty thing I’ve ever said. I would give up everything I own for my baby, to be back in my womb. There’s nothing worth of value, to replace my emptiness and sadness. I lost the one person, who I wanted more than anyone else. I love everyone, but this is a different kind of love. This is also a different kind of heartbreak. I gasp for air, and try to breathe through the pain. I can’t muster a sensible thought. My baby is gone. My baby died, because of my stupid decision to be alone. I will always beat myself up over that one fateful decision. I should have been the bigger woman and told him. I was heartbroken that he didn’t want to be a father to any of my children. I gave him my love, and in return, he forsaken it. If he had just accepted my pregnancy, our baby would still be alive. I stare over Papa's shoulder and watch Christian shed tears for our baby. My anger starts to grow towards him. I want him to leave. I imagine staking him, for denying our baby. My anger keeps growing for him until Papa lays me back on my pillow. The pain flows deeply inside my heart. I clutch my heart tightly. I don’t dream of our baby anymore. I dream of nothing, but a broken heart.
~~~***~~~
The next week turns into a month. After one month of grieving the death of my baby, I start to move around. We’re sitting at the beginning of July. I remain in my bedroom, and I refuse to talk to any of them. I ignored Christian so much that he’s playing CEO to all of his corporations. Chris will never love our baby the way I did. He can say all that he wants, but deep down inside, we both know how he truly feels. Christian has no intention, to make babies with me then, or even now. I see no point talking to him about my grief.
On the television, the same stupid vampire marathon runs on the Vampire Network. “We Suck the Life out Of You,” is the motto of this broadcast station. They only play vampire movies, unless there’s news. The girl on the television wails over her lover, who left her. Instead of feeling remorse for her and her poor, pitiful, broken heart, I feel complete joy watching her suffer. I laugh over her stupid plight. Her wails for her boyfriend to return, only makes me laugh even harder. I laugh for the first time, in over a month. This new laughter piques some of their curiosity.
Ian walks in. “What’s so funny, chick?”
I point directly at the television. “Another stupid woman, who believes her heartache is worse than losing a child. What do you think of a woman, who cries over her lover dumping her? Don’t answer that! I will tell you what I call her! I call her fucking pathetic! Get back to me, when you’ve lost your baby!”
“I have no words of wisdom to comfort you. I’m too afraid to say the wrong thing to you.”
“Just tell me what you want to fucking say! You can stop walking on fucking eggshells around me now. The worst has already happened to me. I need to move on with my life, and focus on other important things—like college. I need to enjoy my car for a change. I also need to hang out with my Papa for a change too!”
“I’m extremely sorry for that night. I should have stayed with you, instead of going inside. I blame myself for fucking up. Will you ever forgive me for not keeping you safe?”
“Ian… this is not your fault. It isn’t my fault either. It is not his fault, but if his answer were different, than maybe our baby would still be alive, right now. I’m still angry with him over his lack of compassion for our baby.”
“You gave him a hypothetical baby. You never told him that you were actually pregnant. In his defense, things would have been different, if you would have just told him,” Ian defends him. I huff at him, but he keeps on talking, “you could have told him. Instead, you chose to play mind games with him. You miss the part about being an adult. You should have talked with him about it, instead of playing fucking mind games. You asked me for my honest opinion, and I just gave it to you. How do you know, how he would have reacted, had you told him the truth?”
I want to hit him badly. “You’re an asshole, Ian. You’re supposed to have my side. This isn’t having my side.”
“I refuse to take sides! I’m just an observer, and I tell both parties the fucking truth. Yo
u asked for my friendship, and friends tell each other the truth, no matter how bad it fucking hurts. If you both don’t like it, then screw you both!” Ian left my bedroom, by slamming my doors.
I pout for a minute, but I realize that I need to move on. I’m seriously considering Papa’s offer. The key to his house is in my possession, and I can always move in with him.
~~~***~~~
The next few days with no Christian make my decision to live with my grandfather that much easier. I pack as much as I could, but I leave all the jewelry and clothes that Christian bought me. I have to leave, and I need my space. My mind hates it here, and it demands clarity. This will be one of the hardest decisions of my life. I left Christian a note in his office. My old laptop is with me, and I left the one he gave me, sitting on his desk. I hope one day, he will understand, but for now, I have to leave. I take one last walkthrough, and I empty out my bathroom. I pick up my backpack, and shut the doors behind me.
Ian studies me suspiciously. “Where are you going, chick?”
“I love you guys very much, but I need to leave for my own sanity. I’m unable to handle it here anymore. I hope one day, you will understand.”
“I thought you were fucking stronger than this! You’re going to crush him! He loves you, and he always will, chick! He’s grieving as much as you are! He has no clue with what to say—or do!”
I inhale one of the most difficult breaths of my life. “I need to focus on college—and make new friends. The kidnapping put things in prospective for me. I can’t be the old princess that you know and love anymore. I’m unable to bounce back from this and I’m sorry. Please, respect my wishes to leave.”
Chapter 20
Ian’s eyes fill up with russet tears. I can see russet streams of blood escaping his sunglasses. Erik also waits in the foyer, and he’s crying tears of blood. Charlie shakes his head, and he covers his face. Brennan and Brannon hug me, and kiss my forehead. Louie gives me a sympathetic look. They allow me to leave the castle. I slide inside my Mustang, and I take it out for its second drive. To hide my pain, I cover my eyes with a pair of shades. The radio blasts through the speakers, to muffle out my cries. I speed down the driveway, and push the green button in record time. I left his prison behind, to take off on a new adventure. Christian already has my grandfather's address plugged into my GPS. I’m sure the Enforcers are tracking me, from the prison to Papa's house. I left the radio station alone. Without missing a beat, I shift the gears to a gentle purr. I’m so glad that I chose to wear tennis shoes until I’m used to driving again. I left it on Breaking Benjamin's, “So Cold,” for my music selection.
The drive is a lengthy one. I have to drive to the other side of the island. I speed like a bat out of hell, and I even pass a few vampires along the way. I laugh, knowing that I’m doing something reckless. A vampire tries to race me, but I already beat him by the time I shift to fourth gear. To my surprise, zombies are walking mindlessly along the side of the road. There are zombie-warning signs on both sides of the road.
The radio station changes a few more times. The GPS gives me distinct directions, and I turn when it demands me to turn. After a long hour of driving, I pull in front of another large gate. The gates automatically open, by pressing the blue button. His gates have gold leaves on the front. My tires hit the newly paved driveway softly. There are no bumps in his, unlike the prison. There’s a Lady Justice fountain standing in front of me, and the water pours from her scales. I pull my car around to the front door. After I situate my tiara on my head, I step out. I don’t want Papa, to catch me without my tiara. My backpack is over my shoulders, and I push the doorbell for the first time.
An odd man answers the door. His hair looks exactly like the original Dracula from the old movies. His hair is in a V-shape, and he slurs his words with a Romanian accent. “Good evening, and welcome, Princess. You don’t need to ring the doorbell. My name is Fred and we are honored to have you as our guest.”
“Thank you and it’s very nice to meet you, Fred.”
I can hear a very loud woman shouting from a distance. There’s the sound of clanking pots and pans. I follow Fred through the foyer, grand hall, and down another long hallway. We turn through a couple more hallways, until we reach the kitchen. Papa is sitting down at his table drinking blood, and he’s reading a newspaper.
Papa looks up, to see me standing there. “My darling! You’re finally here. I’m so relieved that you made it here in one piece. How was the journey? Did the guys give you a hard time for leaving?”
Fred takes my backpack. “The drive was very easy, and I have GPS. Thank you for that. I didn’t tell any of them, I was leaving, but they noticed as I was walking out the door,” I quietly spoke.
Papa kisses both sides of my cheeks. “How is Chris handling your break up?”
“I couldn’t tell him either, because he’s always working. I left him a note. I will always love him, but I can’t be with him right now. I don’t know if I’ll ever get over losing our baby.”
“You have to do, what you have to do. I hope Christian respects your decision. I enjoy having a family member back under my roof again I guess I’m a little greedy.”
I still hear banging going on from a distance.
Papa places a finger to me. “Big Momma… you don’t have to worry about pleasing my granddaughter. She’s a mild person, and she isn’t particular to anything.”
Big Momma arrives from the other room. The woman stands at least six feet tall, wide build, jet-black hair, and she has velvety dark bronze skin. She also has dark eyes.
The woman greets me, “I’m so sorry! I should have had your dinner ready. I’m working on that right now, sugar!”
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m not really hungry.”
Big Momma laughs. She spreads my arms out. “You’re way too skinny! When was the last time you had something good? Did those boys starve you over there? I don't give a hairy damn if you ain’t hungry! You’re gonna eat, and that’s my final say. I have some good smack your momma, fried chicken going, some collard greens, cornbread, baked beans, and banana pudding working right now. You’re gonna eat, even if I have to force-feed your skinny ass!”
Papa laughs and Big Momma starts up on him, “You never told me that you let them boys starve the poor girl to death! You should have brought her over here sooner! I will put your boys in their place, the next time I see any of them!”
“That wasn’t my idea, and I tried to convince them to bring her over!” Papa argues back.
Big Momma shook her frying pan at him. “I don't like it when y'all think it’s perfectly okay, to starve a family member! You need this frying pan upside y’all’s head!”
I instantly like her. She has the most boisterous personality. Big Momma makes an excellent vampire too. Most vampires don’t bother eating mortal food, but Big Momma eats right along with me. If she feels that I’m not eating enough, she slaps my plate with more of her yummy goodness. I love her baby back ribs, pancakes, and her strawberry milkshakes. I leave her table feeling full.
~~~***~~~
The week flies by, and I adjust to my new room. I have one picture of Christian and me at the top of his stairs. This would be the only picture of a pregnant me. I make sure that this picture remains on my nightstand. My bed is a basic king size bed. My bedroom is normal for a change. This almost makes me feel like I’m back at my old house. I have a dresser, chest of drawers, entertainment center, and a small television set. My bathroom is a normal bathroom. I have a bathtub with one shower. There’s a double vanity, but it isn’t as extravagant as Christian's place.
I remain tame, when it comes to clothing choices now. I’m supposed to be pregnant, but I lost my baby. Tonight, I’m wearing my pajamas. That results in wearing a shirt with flannel pants, and I love my fuzzy slippers. I enjoy walking all over the mansion with them.
Papa doesn’t have any rules at his mansion. I don’t bother wearing makeup, but I pull my hair back in a bun. I even w
alk to the kitchen in my pajamas.
I step out of my bedroom to return a plate. There’s talking from a distance. I can still feel him, and I know that he’s here. I try to avoid him, but I also want to eavesdrop on their conversation. I squat down, so he couldn’t see me. I peek through the railings, and watch him stand there in the living room.
“Everything is running smoothly. Khan will have a hard time without Reno. There are no vampires, who come close to Reno. We knocked out all twelve of his fuckups,” Christian informs Papa.
“I love this report of Khan running! We will capture that maniac soon enough. I’m surprised at one thing though.”
Christian looks so rough. He looks like he hasn’t shaved in weeks, or taken a shower. “What is it, your Majesty?” Christian asks with sadness in his voice.
“I’m surprised that you gave me your weekly report, but you haven’t mentioned her one time.”
Christian runs his hand through his hair. “I am hoping that she is around, so I can have a word with her. She left me a note, instead of telling me that she was leaving. I am upset with your granddaughter. She should have talked to me about leaving first.”
“You need to see it from her point of view though. Every time she sees you, she thinks of your baby. I understand her reasoning. She’s still in pain over the death of your baby. These things take a little time, Chris. She nearly died, and she still managed to survive. Reno could have killed her at any minute. I’m ecstatic that she’s still here, but she blames herself over the death of your baby. I overheard her talking to Big Momma about the baby all the time.”
