40 - Red Moon

Following Maia’s abandoned attempt to find her next baby daddy, she noticed a change in Hamilton.  He became very brooding, and only left the house for work and the occasional hunt.

And no matter where she went, he was always nearby.  While it was nice to have someone around to help with the babies, there was something off about the situation that Maia couldn't quite put her finger on...

Until one day at dinner she finally realized that, whether there was a full moon or not, Hamilton never transformed out of his werewolf state as he’d always done in the past.  The insight was unnerving, but Maia didn’t know what she should, or even could, do about it.

She decided to go along with her regular household activities as best she could, and tried to keep things running as smoothly as possible until she could figure out another way to handle things.

Except for some of Hamilton’s odd behaviors, things were fairly normal and life progressed as usual. 

She taught all the teens to drive.

And soon came time for Lavender and the triplets to have their birthdays.

Lavender

Aiden

Ashton

Addison

Not long afterwards, Sebastian and Isabelle both aged up to toddlers.

And with that, another round of toddler training began!

In between lessons, the twins played with their IF’s, Scribbles and Whisper.

While they played, Maia practiced her witchcraft.  She had gotten so good at spells she no longer needed to use her wand.

But soon, Maia was interrupted by a strange, scratching sound coming from the nursery.  It was Sebastian, and he was clawing the crap out of the furniture! 

It seemed the full moon had come around again, but Maia had lost track of its cycles since Hamilton was always in his were-form now.  Tonight he was nowhere to be found, and Maia assumed he must be out hunting.

She finally managed to get the twins settled in their cribs for the night, and the other kids sent to bed.  And though Xena and Xanaia didn’t sleep anymore due to their alien heritage, they had also gone to bed to recharge.

It had been a long day, so Maia went outside for a breath of air and take a break from mommy business. And then she looked up at the moon.

She was shocked at how red it appeared, and couldn’t remember ever seeing one quite like it before.

Suddenly, Maia heard footsteps crunching through the crust of the snow.  She looked around and then froze when she saw some sort of creature coming straight for her. 

“Blast it with your Sunlight Charm!”  Maia heard a voice holler.

So she did, and the creature vanished.

Maia looked around and spotted the vampire patron she had once seen at The Toadstool bar. “What was that thing?” she asked him.

“That was a zombie,” the red vampire told her. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, thanks to you,” Maia said. “But I thought zombies were all imprisoned in the underworld.”

“They are, but a few escape from time to time, especially on full moon nights, and particularly in Moonlight Falls.  The veil between the worlds is thinner in this place,” he explained. “That’s why so many witches and other supernatural folk live here, to keep the escapees from getting into the more largely human-populated towns and spreading the infection.”

“Has it always been like this?”

“For as long as I remember, although these incidents seem to be happening more often lately.  I don’t know why, though.”

“Well, I appreciate you sharing what you do know with me.  By the way, I’m Maia.”

“I’m Braeden Delling, and it’s nice to finally meet you, Maia. I would’ve introduced myself the first night I saw you, but you seemed, uh... occupied. And I really didn’t mean to stare, but I found you very attractive.”

“Oh,” Maia said and blushed.  Her mind raced. She wondered if she should take the chance that Braeden’s unexpected appearance gave her while she had the opportunity.  She couldn’t think of anything witty or charming to say, but she knew that actions often speak louder than words.

Maia pulled him in for an unexpected kiss.

Braeden seemed more than a little surprised.

But in a good way.

A very, very good way.

How fortunate there was an igloo nearby! ;)

Afterwards, Braeden apologized about having to leave so soon, but he still had to hunt, and sunrise was only a few brief hours away.

Maia thought that offering him to drink from her was the least she could do, as he’d told her how to destroy the zombie and had possibly helped to further her on her baby challenge path.

Braeden seemed to accept her offer, but as soon as his fangs pressed into her throat, he pulled away.

“Wait! You’re pregnant!” he exclaimed.  “And the child you’re already carrying is mine,” he said with wonder. 

Before she could ask how he knew, a voiced growled, “Get away from her!”

Hamilton, his green eyes glowing with fury, came charging up the sidewalk and attacked Braeden!

Maia watched in horror as werewolf fought vampire.  And abruptly, the memory of what the fortune-teller, Kizzy, had said in her reading came to her.

“There is a storm brewing that is the result of green-eyed jealousy, which will remain hidden until the fullness of the light forces it to reveal itself. When the dust finally settles, you will know the face of the beast you must confront.” 

Maia found herself standing face to face with Hamilton as he howled his victory over the defeated vampire.

Weakened and thirsting, Braeden had been no match for the enraged werewolf. He had no choice but to retreat.

“I will return, Maia!” he called before he raced off in a blur.

“And I’ll be here waiting,” Hamilton snarled back at him.

“Like hell you will, Hamilton!” Maia said angrily.  “Get your things and get out!”

Hamilton appeared instantly contrite. “I’m sorry! But, Maia,” he coaxed, “you don’t mean that!”

"Oh, yes I do!"

He threw his hands in the air, exasperated.  “He’s a vampire!  He was going to drink your blood. I was saving you!”

“I don’t need saving! Besides, I know perfectly well what he is,” Maia informed him.  “And he had my consent.”

“WHAT?!” Hamilton roared with rage.  “You can’t do that!  You’re my MATE!”

“I don’t belong to you, or anyone!” Maia said, and swatted Hamilton contemptuously with a rolled up newspaper. “So don’t you dare tell me what I can or can’t do!”

“But you don’t know what he’s capable of!  He’s a blood-sucking Delling!”

“And you’re a beast of a werewolf that needs to learn some self-control,” Maia said icily. “Don’t bother coming back here until you do.”

“Okay! Okay, I’ll go. But please, Maia, whatever you do, swear to me you won’t get involved with the Dellings.”

Maia didn’t answer as she watched Hamilton leave.  If Braeden was right and she was indeed already pregnant, it was far too late to make any such promises.

Author’s Note- I see trouble on the way...