An ear-splitting scream roared through the great hall and out the doors into the courtyard, startling Sophie and Randy. “What the hell?” Randy wondered, rushing back inside, Sophie close on his heels.
They came to a halt at the door of Emily’s room where pandemonium had broken loose. Emily was screaming and crying, crouched in the corner, wild-eyed and shaking. Thomas was standing over her holding the baby, trying to calm her down.
“You’re scaring the baby, Emily,” Thomas said, trying to cover the infant’s ears.
“That’s not a baby!” Emily shouted, trying to shrink even farther into the corner.
“Of course it’s a baby,” Thomas sighed. “It’s our baby.”
“That thing is evil! Keep it away from me!” Emily ordered.
“He only nipped you, Emily. He didn’t know any better.”
“Are you crazy, Thomas? That thing drew blood!” She screamed, baring her breast, which featured two small puncture holes.
“He’s just hungry,” Thomas replied. “All babies are hungry when they’re born.”
“That thing is not getting any milk from me!”
“This is your son,” Thomas stated, grabbing Emily up with one hand while holding the child in the crook of his other arm. “Look at him!” he ordered. “He’s perfect.”
Emily stared at Thomas, dumbfounded. “Perfect? How can you say that, Thomas? The child has fangs for God’s sake!”
“I know,” Thomas smiled, baring the fangs he had kept hidden until then.
“No!” Emily whispered, pulling away, shocked to watch Thomas’s teeth elongate and shine in the moonlight streaming through her bedroom window. “No! It can’t be.”
“Oh, it can and is, Emily dear,” Thomas purred. “You’ve been saying you wanted to get to know the real me, well here’s your chance.”
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Night Stalker: Randy-The Birth
Randy stood back and watched the impromptu ceremony, wondering what would happen when Emily realized what Solomon was and that he could no longer legally marry people. He wasn’t so much concerned for Thomas’s welfare as excited at the prospect of the blowup to come.
Once the last vow was spoken, Travis, a country doctor Thomas had turned a few years earlier just for the purpose of having one, pushed Solomon out of the way and shouted, “Everyone, back up! I need to get this baby out now!”
“Push, Emily,” he ordered, seeing the head already crowned.
Emily screamed, crushing Thomas’s hand and pushed, sweat dripping down her face. Randy thought the whole birthing process was grotesque. The blood, afterbirth and the screaming all left a bad taste in his mouth. He wasn’t going to miss the birth of this particular child though, and since Thomas had forgotten all about him, he watched, waiting to see the child.
A cry wailed through the room. Randy looked over the doctor’s shoulder and saw a squalling, red mass bawling for all he was worth. He shook his head in amazement, even jaded as he was, still amazed at the miracle of life, especially in this instance.
Quietly leaving the room, Randy walked outside. Sophie pounced the moment she saw him, demanding to know what had happened.
“Solomon married them and then the baby was born,” Randy told her.
“Is the baby normal?”
Randy knew all of them had been wondering what a child of a Stalker and human would be like. Some had even thought Emily wouldn’t survive the birth.
“He seems to be normal, except he does have fangs already.”
“Good thing for Emily it’s not breast milk he will be hungry for,” Sophie smirked.
Once the last vow was spoken, Travis, a country doctor Thomas had turned a few years earlier just for the purpose of having one, pushed Solomon out of the way and shouted, “Everyone, back up! I need to get this baby out now!”
“Push, Emily,” he ordered, seeing the head already crowned.
Emily screamed, crushing Thomas’s hand and pushed, sweat dripping down her face. Randy thought the whole birthing process was grotesque. The blood, afterbirth and the screaming all left a bad taste in his mouth. He wasn’t going to miss the birth of this particular child though, and since Thomas had forgotten all about him, he watched, waiting to see the child.
A cry wailed through the room. Randy looked over the doctor’s shoulder and saw a squalling, red mass bawling for all he was worth. He shook his head in amazement, even jaded as he was, still amazed at the miracle of life, especially in this instance.
Quietly leaving the room, Randy walked outside. Sophie pounced the moment she saw him, demanding to know what had happened.
“Solomon married them and then the baby was born,” Randy told her.
“Is the baby normal?”
Randy knew all of them had been wondering what a child of a Stalker and human would be like. Some had even thought Emily wouldn’t survive the birth.
“He seems to be normal, except he does have fangs already.”
“Good thing for Emily it’s not breast milk he will be hungry for,” Sophie smirked.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Night Stalker: Randy-Delivery
“Solomon! Solomon!” Randy shouted, running from one room to another. “Damnit, where is the man!”
“What’s the ruckus?” a grey-haired, stooped shouldered man emerging from the dining room asked.
“There you are!” Randy sighed, grabbing the man by the arm and dragging him down the hall. “We have to hurry. Come on man, quit dragging your feet,” he yelled when they weren’t progressing as quickly as he’d like.
“What’s the all fired hurry?”
“There’s a baby waiting on you.”
“What?” the man stammered, stopping dead still. “I don’t want anything to do with no babies!”
“It’s not the baby that needs you, Solomon, it’s the parents, so get a move on.”
Solomon followed Randy down the hall, still uncertain what was going on. His uncertainty came to an end when he walked through the doorway of Emily’s room and heard her scream, “I’m not having this baby until we’re good and well married, Thomas! It can bloody stay inside me until then!”
“Be reasonable, Emily, you have to deliver the baby,” Thomas beseeched. One look at the concern in the doctor’s eyes and he added, “Come one, Emily, push! You have to push!”
“I’ll push when I’m good and ready, Thomas. You better be getting a preacher here now!”
“Emily…Thomas,” Randy whispered. “I have Solomon.”
“Finally!” Thomas shouted, rushing toward the man. “Come, come, he said,” pulling Solomon toward the bed where Emily lay panting. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Are you a preacher,” Emily asked suspiciously, eyeing the disgruntled, disheveled man.
“I wa…,” he started, but stopped when Thomas stepped on his foot. “I was ordained many years ago.”
Emily’s eyes shone. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, “Thank, God!”
“Okay, marry us, Solomon,” Thomas ordered. “My son is waiting to be born.”
“What’s the ruckus?” a grey-haired, stooped shouldered man emerging from the dining room asked.
“There you are!” Randy sighed, grabbing the man by the arm and dragging him down the hall. “We have to hurry. Come on man, quit dragging your feet,” he yelled when they weren’t progressing as quickly as he’d like.
“What’s the all fired hurry?”
“There’s a baby waiting on you.”
“What?” the man stammered, stopping dead still. “I don’t want anything to do with no babies!”
“It’s not the baby that needs you, Solomon, it’s the parents, so get a move on.”
Solomon followed Randy down the hall, still uncertain what was going on. His uncertainty came to an end when he walked through the doorway of Emily’s room and heard her scream, “I’m not having this baby until we’re good and well married, Thomas! It can bloody stay inside me until then!”
“Be reasonable, Emily, you have to deliver the baby,” Thomas beseeched. One look at the concern in the doctor’s eyes and he added, “Come one, Emily, push! You have to push!”
“I’ll push when I’m good and ready, Thomas. You better be getting a preacher here now!”
“Emily…Thomas,” Randy whispered. “I have Solomon.”
“Finally!” Thomas shouted, rushing toward the man. “Come, come, he said,” pulling Solomon toward the bed where Emily lay panting. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Are you a preacher,” Emily asked suspiciously, eyeing the disgruntled, disheveled man.
“I wa…,” he started, but stopped when Thomas stepped on his foot. “I was ordained many years ago.”
Emily’s eyes shone. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, “Thank, God!”
“Okay, marry us, Solomon,” Thomas ordered. “My son is waiting to be born.”
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Night Stalker: Randy-Demands
“I’m just saying you shouldn’t be worrying about a wedding right now,” Thomas soothed, caressing Emily’s damp forehead. “Concentrate on yourself, pamper yourself.”
“I don’t want to have this child out of wedlock, Thomas,” Emily sighed. “I’ve told you this before.”
“I know, honey, but you don’t seem up to the task of a big wedding.”
Emily heaved again. Sinking back, she sagged and whispered, “I guess you’re right. A big wedding would be too much in my condition.” Squaring her shoulders and looking Thomas in the eye, she added, “but I do want to be married when this baby arrives. So make it happen, Thomas, one way or another.”
Randy grinned at the look of consternation on Thomas’s face. If nothing else, he loved the way Emily kept the man off kilter these days. Even Sophie agreed it was nice to see a crack every now and then in Thomas’s façade.
Watching Thomas help Emily up and lead her away from the fountain, Randy wondered what would happen now. He had heard Emily threaten to leave once already if she wasn’t married soon. He knew Thomas didn’t want that, so was sure he’d come up with some way for them to get married.
“Randy,” Thomas snapped, pausing before leaving the great room, “clean that mess up.”
“See if I agree to be your best man,” Randy grumbled.
“What?” Thomas asked.
“I’m your man,” Randy shouted, saluting.
“I don’t want to have this child out of wedlock, Thomas,” Emily sighed. “I’ve told you this before.”
“I know, honey, but you don’t seem up to the task of a big wedding.”
Emily heaved again. Sinking back, she sagged and whispered, “I guess you’re right. A big wedding would be too much in my condition.” Squaring her shoulders and looking Thomas in the eye, she added, “but I do want to be married when this baby arrives. So make it happen, Thomas, one way or another.”
Randy grinned at the look of consternation on Thomas’s face. If nothing else, he loved the way Emily kept the man off kilter these days. Even Sophie agreed it was nice to see a crack every now and then in Thomas’s façade.
Watching Thomas help Emily up and lead her away from the fountain, Randy wondered what would happen now. He had heard Emily threaten to leave once already if she wasn’t married soon. He knew Thomas didn’t want that, so was sure he’d come up with some way for them to get married.
“Randy,” Thomas snapped, pausing before leaving the great room, “clean that mess up.”
“See if I agree to be your best man,” Randy grumbled.
“What?” Thomas asked.
“I’m your man,” Randy shouted, saluting.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Night Stalker: Randy-New Beginnings
“Excuse me!” Emily shouted, pushing past Sophie, almost knocking her down.
“What’s got her in such a hurry?” Sophie muttered, watching Emily rush around the corner. “She’s usually not even up when we all come in in the mornings.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?” Randy replied, ushering Sophie in the same direction.
They spied Emily entering the powder room at the end of the hall just as they rounded the corner. Stopping outside the door, Randy placed his ear against the wood and listened while Sophie kept a lookout for others. What he heard inside brought a twisted smile to his mouth.
“Looks like Thomas got what he wanted,” he whispered.
“What?” Sophie asked, pushing him aside and listening herself. “He wanted to make her sick? I thought he loved the woman.”
“Silly child,” Randy chided. “She isn’t sick, she’s pregnant.” At Sophie’s astonished look, he added, “At least morning sickness is one thing you’ll never have to put up with.”
“She’s going to have Thomas’s baby?” Sophie whispered, still taking the information in.
Randy watched several emotions work their way across her face. She finally settled on resignation, squared her shoulders and said, “I pity the child,” before heading to her room.
“That’s a girl,” Randy whispered, glad she wasn’t letting the news destroy her. Although he wasn’t so sure it wouldn’t destroy them all in the long run.
“What’s got her in such a hurry?” Sophie muttered, watching Emily rush around the corner. “She’s usually not even up when we all come in in the mornings.”
“Let’s find out, shall we?” Randy replied, ushering Sophie in the same direction.
They spied Emily entering the powder room at the end of the hall just as they rounded the corner. Stopping outside the door, Randy placed his ear against the wood and listened while Sophie kept a lookout for others. What he heard inside brought a twisted smile to his mouth.
“Looks like Thomas got what he wanted,” he whispered.
“What?” Sophie asked, pushing him aside and listening herself. “He wanted to make her sick? I thought he loved the woman.”
“Silly child,” Randy chided. “She isn’t sick, she’s pregnant.” At Sophie’s astonished look, he added, “At least morning sickness is one thing you’ll never have to put up with.”
“She’s going to have Thomas’s baby?” Sophie whispered, still taking the information in.
Randy watched several emotions work their way across her face. She finally settled on resignation, squared her shoulders and said, “I pity the child,” before heading to her room.
“That’s a girl,” Randy whispered, glad she wasn’t letting the news destroy her. Although he wasn’t so sure it wouldn’t destroy them all in the long run.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Night Stalker: Randy-Changes at Home
Over the next few weeks, Emily moved all of her belongings to the castle. Sophie scoffed at all the frilly trappings and fancy furniture covering every available surface. What amused Randy most was Thomas’s attitude. Deference had never been in the man’s nature until he met Emily, but now Thomas waited on her hand and foot and bowed to her every whim.
“Something besides setting up house is going on here,” Randy told Sophie while they watched Thomas smile and kiss Emily’s hand. “Thomas wants something from her.”
“She should give it to him,” Sophie said. “He’s certainly giving her enough!”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll get what he wants,” Randy stated. “One way or another.”
Emily’s laughter tinkled through the great hall. Randy had to admit, the woman brought a new atmosphere to the place. He just wasn’t sure a castle full of vampires needed pink brocade sofas and flowers littering the halls. What self respecting Stalker would admit to sipping tea out of dainty china cups, he mused, watching two burly oafs do just that.
The thing that intrigued Randy and Sophie most was how Thomas handled the whole vampire situation with Emily. As far as they could tell, he hadn’t told her what he was. Randy knew that would have to change soon, now that she was fully moved in. Before, Thomas told her he worked during the day and could only see her at night after he was finished. Now that she was here to stay, Randy wondered what he would tell her.
“Maybe he’ll tell her we’re all working on rebuilding the keep,” he muttered.
“What?” Sophie asked.
“Just guessing what Thomas is going to tell Emily about all of us now that she is here to stay. How he’s going to explain the fact we never go out until the sun goes down.”
“That is going to be interesting, especially since Emily is making noises about a wedding,” Sophie replied. “A wedding day.”
“Something besides setting up house is going on here,” Randy told Sophie while they watched Thomas smile and kiss Emily’s hand. “Thomas wants something from her.”
“She should give it to him,” Sophie said. “He’s certainly giving her enough!”
“Oh, I’m sure he’ll get what he wants,” Randy stated. “One way or another.”
Emily’s laughter tinkled through the great hall. Randy had to admit, the woman brought a new atmosphere to the place. He just wasn’t sure a castle full of vampires needed pink brocade sofas and flowers littering the halls. What self respecting Stalker would admit to sipping tea out of dainty china cups, he mused, watching two burly oafs do just that.
The thing that intrigued Randy and Sophie most was how Thomas handled the whole vampire situation with Emily. As far as they could tell, he hadn’t told her what he was. Randy knew that would have to change soon, now that she was fully moved in. Before, Thomas told her he worked during the day and could only see her at night after he was finished. Now that she was here to stay, Randy wondered what he would tell her.
“Maybe he’ll tell her we’re all working on rebuilding the keep,” he muttered.
“What?” Sophie asked.
“Just guessing what Thomas is going to tell Emily about all of us now that she is here to stay. How he’s going to explain the fact we never go out until the sun goes down.”
“That is going to be interesting, especially since Emily is making noises about a wedding,” Sophie replied. “A wedding day.”
Friday, December 18, 2009
Night Stalker:Randy-Trouble Moves In
“What are you doing?”
“Shit, girl, you trying to scare me to death!” Randy snapped.
Ignoring him, Sophie asked, “Who are you peeking on this time?”
“Look for yourself,” Randy replied, stepping aside.
Sophie cautiously moved to the window. Everybody knew Randy was notorious for looking in windows, and sometimes he saw things people would rather keep secret. Sophie also remembered her own recent mistake of watching others unaware. What she saw this time seemed somehow worse than all of that.
“What’s she doing here?”
“I do believe Thomas is moving her in,” Randy replied, standing beside Sophie, watching Emily and Thomas dance in the candle light.
“No,” Sophie gasp, “he wouldn’t. Not this soon,” she whispered.
“Seems Thomas thought a week was a long enough mourning period for Isabelle,” Randy replied.
Sophie stared, transfixed by the sight before her. She had never witnessed Thomas so enamored in someone. Even with Isabelle, he was always his cold, calculating self, in total control. With Emily, he seemed to be holding her tightly, scared she would disappear.
“It’s different somehow, isn’t it?” Randy asked, voicing her thoughts aloud. “It looks almost like he really cares about her.”
“Thomas doesn’t care about anyone but himself,” Sophie scoffed, trying to reassure herself.
Randy would have agreed with her before tonight, but now he had his doubts. What he saw through the window tonight was a man in love and that spelled trouble for all of them, because a man in love thought with his heart and not his head.
“We need to get to know her,” he told Sophie.
“Why?” she asked. “I don’t care to know her.”
Randy knew some part of Sophie still wanted Thomas for her own, but he was proud of her restraint. She had learned to control herself. Self preservation overrode lust, he decided.
“Because she is important to Thomas, and whatever is important to Thomas should be important to us.”
“Since when did you want to get on Thomas’s good side?” Sophie asked, shocked.
“OH, I don’t give a damn about Thomas,” Randy assured her, “I just want to be in the know so I can prepare for the carnage that’s about to come.”
“What carnage?”
“If I’m not mistaken,” Randy told her, “and I rarely am,” he added with a wink, “that woman is going to tear this place apart.”
“Shit, girl, you trying to scare me to death!” Randy snapped.
Ignoring him, Sophie asked, “Who are you peeking on this time?”
“Look for yourself,” Randy replied, stepping aside.
Sophie cautiously moved to the window. Everybody knew Randy was notorious for looking in windows, and sometimes he saw things people would rather keep secret. Sophie also remembered her own recent mistake of watching others unaware. What she saw this time seemed somehow worse than all of that.
“What’s she doing here?”
“I do believe Thomas is moving her in,” Randy replied, standing beside Sophie, watching Emily and Thomas dance in the candle light.
“No,” Sophie gasp, “he wouldn’t. Not this soon,” she whispered.
“Seems Thomas thought a week was a long enough mourning period for Isabelle,” Randy replied.
Sophie stared, transfixed by the sight before her. She had never witnessed Thomas so enamored in someone. Even with Isabelle, he was always his cold, calculating self, in total control. With Emily, he seemed to be holding her tightly, scared she would disappear.
“It’s different somehow, isn’t it?” Randy asked, voicing her thoughts aloud. “It looks almost like he really cares about her.”
“Thomas doesn’t care about anyone but himself,” Sophie scoffed, trying to reassure herself.
Randy would have agreed with her before tonight, but now he had his doubts. What he saw through the window tonight was a man in love and that spelled trouble for all of them, because a man in love thought with his heart and not his head.
“We need to get to know her,” he told Sophie.
“Why?” she asked. “I don’t care to know her.”
Randy knew some part of Sophie still wanted Thomas for her own, but he was proud of her restraint. She had learned to control herself. Self preservation overrode lust, he decided.
“Because she is important to Thomas, and whatever is important to Thomas should be important to us.”
“Since when did you want to get on Thomas’s good side?” Sophie asked, shocked.
“OH, I don’t give a damn about Thomas,” Randy assured her, “I just want to be in the know so I can prepare for the carnage that’s about to come.”
“What carnage?”
“If I’m not mistaken,” Randy told her, “and I rarely am,” he added with a wink, “that woman is going to tear this place apart.”
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