Cured By Blood: A Vampire Pregnancy Romance (11 page)

CHAPTER 13

Tara stood at the window, curious about Dru’s friends. They had arrived to the local airfield via one of their private jets. With their ages, they preferred to arrive at night. Salvador was the vamp doc and over 1800 years old and Ardo was the archivist and over 3200 years old. Tara was anxious and excited, elders rarely were seen in public, and only a handful ever did an interview or was seen at all.

Her new vision allowed her to see them exit the car, despite it being in the dead of night. She could tell them apart immediately. Salvador had dark hair, part of it pulled back while the rest hung loose, and stood tall and thin, very pale but not as much as Ardo. Ardo, on the other hand, had dark hair just past his shoulders, his face so white it seemed to be translucent or glowing, and he wore a long gray robe, like you would see on a monk or wizard.

Dru had told her that elders usually became archivists and lived in something like what she would consider a monastery to be like. They had seen more in their life times than most history books covered. Their sole dedication was to writing and preserving the history of the vampire race, and the “truths” of the human race, or so Dru had said.

Dru greeted each man with a nod before ushering them to the door at the rear entry. Although they had set a full discussion session with Cyndi the next evening, Dru had set up four arm chairs in the study in front of the fire place for their first night at the manor, Tara had discovered the proper term for the house mansion castle thing. She smiled as they approached the door and entered. Both men seemed to have almost solid white eyes with only the pinprick of a pupil. Tara felt unnerved as they looked her over. Salvador seemed to smile, but the pull at the corners of his mouth was hardly discernable. Ardo just looked at her.

“Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Tara.”

“Salvador Gansling,” he nodded to Tara.

“Ardonious,” the older man mirrored the first.

“Please, follow me to the study. We’ll have someone take your bags to your room.”

Tara led them to the study and Dru entered last, shutting the door behind him. As they took their seats, Dru pulled out a bottle of very old wine and blood that had been unsealed and heated for the occasion. Dru explained how they would add the blood before heating the wine, bringing everything up to a more palatable state. She had tried a sip and was quite pleased with the taste. The men seemed to be happy as well.

“So, Tara, tell me about your condition prior to the turning.” Salvador spoke over his glass.

“Yes, well, I was dying of cancer. I had a history of ovarian cysts that had apparently led to ovarian cancer. By the time they discovered the issue, the cancer had spread and was already affecting my blood and bones. One ovary was basically dead, my kidneys were failing and my liver was beginning to shut down.”

“There was no chemotherapy treatment or surgical operations?”

“No, it was decided that it would only cause more sickness and possibly speed up the degradation.”

“And you were drinking Dru’s blood prior to deciding to turn?”

“Yes, in lieu of taking my medications. It helped my pain levels and my nausea.”

“Has the equipment been set-up yet, Druian?”

“Yes, Salvador. I had a section of the cellar completely converted into a medical station, per se. There is an ultrasound machine, blood drawing and testing equipment, and a bunch of things I have no clue about that was on your list.”

“Very well. When can we do an examination?”

For people that had been around for so long, Tara was stunned at how quickly they moved around in conversation and plans. She had just met them and already they knew most of her story and wanted to begin poking and prodding her. Dru seemed unfazed; perhaps it was because after so many years, people decided that bland chit chat and useless conversation were no longer necessary in order to be polite. Tara couldn’t decide if it seemed rude or admirable.

“If you have no issue with now, I would prefer to get it done as soon as possible, as well. The sooner we know how things are progressing, the easier it will be for us to decide how to proceed.” Ardo’s voice was almost whispery, as if he had used it so much for so long it was beginning to fade, that or he knew perfectly well how to preserve his voice and use only precisely what he needed to make his point clear.

“That is up to Tara.” Dru looked to her, waiting for the response.

“Honestly, I am just as curious as all of you. Now is fine with me.”

The four of them gathered themselves and headed to the cellar. Tara had only been down here briefly before, but not since the work had been done. As they reached the bottom of the steps they were greeted with rows upon rows of wine bottles and casks stored on wooden racks and shelves.

Dru lead them past the initial rows and then turned down to walk between a set going in a different direction. As they approached the wall, he turned again and they were met with a wooden door that matched the stained wood of the rest of the manor. Dru opened the door to a completely different atmosphere. The room was a light blue and stainless steel with overhead lights that cast a bluish white glow on everything.

There was a gynecology examination chair in one corner and a full hospital bed on the other side. A portable ultrasound machine, an x-ray machine, cabinets lining one wall with an inset sink and other miscellaneous medical supplies completed the room. It was somewhat unnerving to see the atmosphere she had worked in for years rebuilt in front of her, for her.

Tara walked around, opening the cabinets until she found a stack of gowns, dark blue and a hell of a lot softer and nicer than any she had ever seen in a hospital. She raised her eyes at the men until they turned their back before changing.

“Where do you want me?”

Salvador pointed to the gynecology chair.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to do a full work up. I want to check everything out and get a baseline of health as well as a uterine ultrasound. I’ll take some blood and vaginal swabs. This way we can make sure everything is running on vampire anatomy and chemical composition before we move forward. I know what the vampire baseline from previous experience, and the human baseline from my studies. I am curious as to where you will fall.”

Tara nodded and climbed into the awkward chair. Salvador pulled out the stirrups as the other two left the room. She was relieved. She didn’t want to ask them to go, but she didn’t really want them hanging around either.

“After many years, vampires become desensitized to nudity and medical procedures. You are still new enough that we understand your discomfort.”

“I could see that. I appreciate the courtesy.”

“I have to admit, I am very appreciative that Dru and you are asking for me to help with this. As I told Dru, I have only seen 2 natural vampires give birth in the past 1800 years. It has occurred more than that,” Salvador guided her legs into the stirrups and began his examination, “but I haven’t been at any others. Many keep it quiet  due to the history of some of the older vampires wanting to raise a vampiric child. The idea of having a child that is still one of us, and yet will age to a point and be able to learn from us is very intriguing and coveted.”

“I could see that.”

Salvador put two swabs into a tube and pulled the ultrasound closer. He grabbed the wand with the odd egg shape on the end and applied the medical jelly. The monitor was turned on and he warned Tara before inserting the wand. As he moved it around inside, Tara went from uncomfortable to distracted when two tiny images began to blink in and out of focus, each with a fluttering dark center.

“Your hearing was accurate. Twins. I would say they are about 12 weeks human gestation.” Salvador saw Tara’s confusion and panic, “That is normal. Vampire’s gestational period is half of a normal humans’. Due to our regenerative blood, the fetus develops much faster than normal. You are starting your second term already.”

Tara stared at the monitor in shock. I would say you have about another three months until they are due, around January.”

“Wow.” Tara was stunned. She never thought about gestation being different.

Salvador dropped the wand in a cleaning solution and pulled down Tara’s gown.

“I can draw blood from this chair or we can go to the bed, I want to do the standard ultrasound to see if we can discern anything else.”

“Here is fine, just without the stirrups.”

Salvador chuckled as he put the stirrups down and pulled out the extender piece for the bed, allowing Tara to lie back normally. It was odd getting her blood taken; after all of the years she had done the same thing. After Salvador had taken several tubes of blood, he pulled out the other ultrasound machine and poured the goo on her stomach. She watched the monitor as he began sliding the sensor over her lower abdomen.

“Well, two healthy twins, although a little underweight. That is not overly unusual with twins, but they are a little lower than normal even for that,” Salvador continued to move the sensor around and clicked the button to snap a few of the images, “Would you like to know the sexes?”

“Uh, yes, please!” Tara sat up on her elbows a bit to try to discern them herself on the screen, the two large headed blobs with their eyes and small arms and legs, she was fascinated.

“They’ll be similar looking, as they are maternal twins, from a single egg. You will have two nearly identical little boys.”

Tara stared in awe at the screen. Two boys! She didn’t know what to say. Salvador finished up and told her to clean up and get dressed. He walked over to the counter with the microscope, centrifuge, and other testing equipment to begin processing her blood. Tara cleaned off the goop and redressed herself, before picking up one of the printed little pictures on the side of the machine. She opened the door to see Dru and Ardo standing outside speaking in hushed tones.

“So, we have two healthy, although a little skinny, boys that are about a third of the way done cooking!” Tara smiled widely at Dru as his face broke into a large smile. One of the biggest she had seen him give yet.

“Two boys! Oh how I wish it was still centuries ago! They would be warriors to follow in my steps!”

Tara’s brows rose as she wasn’t sure whether to laugh or feel unsure about that idea. The thought of Dru being a Viking lord with sons, though, made since and she could see the joy it was already bringing him.

“So, we need to fatten you up. I will need to put in some calls. We will need at least two volunteers a week.”

Tara almost laughed out loud at Ardo’s own slightly raised brow. With the outing of the vampires, she knew many of the older ones looked down on using volunteers in disdain. For centuries or more, these people took what they needed however they could. The idea of needing paperwork to eat was something they frowned upon.

Tara couldn’t help but wonder if the older ones didn’t still feed on unwilling victims. Homeless people were the most commonly found drained. It made sense, in a way that they would go for those with the least amount of risk and people looking for them, although it was still sad to her.

After they finished discussing her weight and the time period of the pregnancy, the older vampires retired to their rooms to drink and rest for the day, neither wanting to be up and about once the sun arose. Tara and Dru took to the gardens, walking together in silence enjoying the fragrances and colors.

“You know, I thought it was just being healthy again that was adding the weight so fast. I mean, by no means am I big, but I didn’t realize that they would grow so much faster. Twice as much is a lot. I suppose if I was human I would worry about stretch marks.”

“That won’t be an issue, but yes, I had noticed. I did not realize there was such a time difference either, though.”

Tara glanced at Dru; he seemed distracted. She was fixing to ask what was on his mind when he stopped her and turned to face her.

“Tara, I would like to ask something of you,” she began to frown and froze as he bent down on one knee, “Tara Cooper, would you marry me and be my wife, would you accept the name of Kablarian?”

Tara stood speechless, shocked to her core. She had wondered if he would ask and was unsure if she should even broach the subject. She nodded, wondering if vampires could cry as her eyes felt full of the pressure of tears.

“Yes, yes!” She watched in fascination as he pulled out an intricate ring of woven silver vines embracing a sapphire. The ring slid over her finger easily enough and she was stunned seeing one of the pieces from Dru’s museum room. He stood and pulled her to him. Their embrace led to their elevated hunger for each other. His mouth found hers as his arms held her tightly. She looped her hands behind his head, fingers sliding into his silky hair. He bounced her up, pulling her legs around his waist as the kiss deepened. Tara pulled back and looked into his eyes. She had never had someone look at her that way, as if she was their world.

Dru couldn’t stop smiling. He swore that the more he was around and with Tara, the more alive he felt. His decision to make her his wife seemed the best way to show her how serious he was, how much she meant to him. He had decided on a ring that had belonged to his mother.

Their traditions didn’t include wedding rings, but this one seemed appropriate for Tara, and he wanted to make the best of it for her. Even if it meant silly ceremonies that he could care less about. He had a family, and anyone who threatened them or their happiness would not be long for this world.