CURSE OF THE BLOOD MOON
Chapter 40- THE SCENT OF HOME

Scarlet woke up, to loud noises that sounded like shouting. She felt around the bed and didn’t find her son. He had become accustomed to sneaking into the bed to lie beside her. She got up to look in his bed, but he wasn’t there either.

She took a minute to freshen up before heading downstairs in her flannel pajamas. There was no one in the living room or TV room so she headed outside where the noise was.

“It’s too early in the morning for this much noise guys.” She squinted as the bright light assaulted her eyes.

“Scar, it’s afternoon and your son is the cause of all this noise.” Kayla pulled her into the yard to get a clear view of the roof. “He won’t come down.” She pointed up to where the boy was.

Scarlet’s hand flew to her chest as her heart missed a beat. SJ was running around on the roof, with the twins hot on his tail.

Eric was laughing beside them, he was doubling over, a pizza in hand. SJ’s little stunt had interrupted his mealtime, but he was still enjoying himself.

“Stephan Leonard Jeraldi what do you think you are doing up there?” Scarlet was sounding like a mother with each passing day.

“Hi, mommy.” SJ giggled not realizing he was almost giving his mother a heart attack, that is if it was even possible. “I want to fly.”

“What is he talking about?” Scarlet didn’t understand where her son had gotten the idea that he could grow wings. She wasn’t entirely sure it was impossible but she didn’t want to test it. The other thing she didn’t want to test was her son’s durability, whether or not he would break once he hit the ground if he jumps three storeys above the ground.

“He saw Eric phase, through your bedroom window and now he thinks he can do the same.” Kayla didn’t take her eyes off the child on the roof.

Scarlet shot Eric a look that stopped his laughter. He shrugged his shoulders and mumbled something. But his mouth was too full for her to understand him.

“Come down baby, you are making me very scared. It’s not safe for you up there.” Scarlet decided to appeal to her son herself. The twins weren’t making headway in catching him. He was too small and kept on slipping away from them.

“But Mommy.” He stuck out his lower lip and pouted. “I want to fly, Vincent said I can turn into anything I want.”

“In my defense, I didn’t think the kid would try it.” Vincent lifted his hands, to plead his case.

“How about you get him down first then we’ll talk about this.” Scarlet was getting more nervous by the second. “Baby please come down.”

“But-,” before SJ could complete what he was saying Victor had scooped him in his arms and jumped off the roof with him.

Scarlet dug her fingers in her hair when they finally hit the ground. She swallowed the lump in her throat, that she was sure was her heart.

“Again.” SJ squealed and they all laughed with him.

“This child will give me a stroke one day.” She held out her arms when Victor brought her son to her.

“Scarlet, Kayla get in the house with the boy. Someone’s coming.” Solara hurried them into the house. He closed the door before going back outside, where he stood with the others. They waited as their visitor came closer and his scent grew stronger.

***

Stephan had stopped for a while when he heard the shouts followed by the laughter. He was home and he didn’t know if he could leave it again. He pushed his arrangement with the Council, he wouldn’t think about it until his week ran out. Now he was going to enjoy his family.

Solara smiled as Vincent broke in a run towards the direction of the scent.

Stephan emerged from the thick forest with a wide smile on his face, when he saw Vincent run to him. When he got close enough, Stephan sidestepped, making Vincent miss him. He ran to the house with the young vampire on his trail.

“Welcome back Stephan.” Solara met him at the door.

“It feels good to be back. Where are they?” he looked over Solara’s shoulder, anxious to see the two most important people in his life.

“In the house. I sent them in, I didn’t know it was you.” Solara led the way, “You are going to be amazed by your little boy.”

Scarlet could hear his voice, but part of her refused to believe it was him. She didn’t think she could take the disappointment if it wasn’t. She stood at the door, Kayla by her side and the little boy hiding behind their legs.

Her hands were shaking so she shoved them in her pockets, but the rest of her was still trembling.

“Relax Scar. I think it’s him.” Kayla rubbed her hand on her back, trying to settle her nerves.

“If it’s not?”

“Just wait.”

The door flew open and Solara was the first in the house. Scarlet held her breath as a wider figure emerged through the door. She could feel her lungs deflate as the air rushed out of her lips.

Stephan stood at the door, his perfect face radiating the joy that was boiling inside of him.

“Scarlet.”

The sound of his voice saying her name was all that it took to drain the strength from her. She took a step back and supported herself on the foyer table. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gazed at him. She didn’t dare blink, she thought he would disappear in a cloud of smoke, so she decided to relish the seconds she had him in front of her.

“Scarlet.”

Stephan took a step towards her, and when he did he noticed the little boy hidden behind her legs clinging on her flannel trousers.

Scarlet followed his stare, to the little boy attached to her legs. She had forgotten he was there. She tried to move him to the front, to be in clear view of his father but he wouldn’t budge.

She reached down and picked him up. SJ’s eyes were wide with wonder. His little eyes were trying to take in his father all at once. He seemed overwhelmed by his size, but Scarlet carrying him didn’t help at all, he still towered above them.

“Do you know who this is?” She asked her baby boy while pushing his long hair from his face.

He nodded but he still didn’t speak. His eyes were fixed on Stephan’s face.

Stephan froze where he stood. He wanted to hold them in his arms, but he didn’t move. He could see that the boy was confused and didn’t want to scare him. Instead of holding him, he marveled at his beauty from afar.

The child looked like him, he had his silver eyes, his strong cheeks. The curve of his lips was so like his and his wide ears stood out from his head. The only features of his mother were his brunette hair and his fair complexion. Apart from that, he was a miniature him.

“SJ would you like to say hello to your Daddy?” Scarlet could see how confused he was and didn’t want to push him.

SJ leaned closer to her ear and cupped it when he spoke to her. It was like he was telling her a secret. She knew it would be useless since everyone in the room could hear a sneeze a mile away.

“He’s a lot bigger than I remember.” He whispered innocently.

Everyone in the room laughed. Stephan smiled at him, while Scarlet stifled a giggle.

He returned his gaze to Stephan and scrunched up his face as he looked up to him. He didn’t understand what everyone was laughing about.

“You are also a lot bigger than I remember.” Stephan leaned down to him so that he could feel less intimidated.

“I am. Aunty Kayla says I grow like a weed.” He smiled proudly.

“May I hold you little weed?” Stephan looked at him hopefully.

“Sure.” He reached up to him as he reached for him.

The last time he had held him was the day he was born. He was smaller and more delicate than he was now. Regret moved through him when he remembered the seconds he had spent not wanting anything to do with the child. Now he couldn’t think of living without him in his arms.

Scarlet put her little boy in his father’s arms and couldn’t help but feel that at that moment everything was right with the world.

“My name is Stephan Leonard Jeraldi Junior. After you and grandfather.” He made himself at home in Stephan’s arms as he introduced himself.

“Thank you,” Stephan whispered over SJ’s head to Scarlet.

At that heartbeat, he was the proudest man alive. In his three hundred years of existence, he had never felt prouder or happier than he was at that exact moment.

Fresh tears wet Scarlet’s face as she watched father and son get reacquainted. It had just been a few seconds and it was like Stephan hadn’t left. SJ was comfortably playing with the medallion on Stephan’s neck.

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