Take This to Your Grave and I'll Take It to Mine

Our 4 months were up, it was October.

The last few weeks vampires had been gathering, the Dandies had been receiving supplies, but I knew it wasn’t going to happen here in L.A.

It was going to be in somewhere that wasn’t so heavily populated, in the middle of nowhere.

Death Valley is where I thought it will happen. I mean it’s appropriately named.

I didn’t get why we were all just gathering, it as if we had this internal clock ticking towards this epic battle.

We’ve also spotted more hunters around like they’re following the vampires.

The world was going to be turned upside down for a night, and I only feared what could happen.

To me, to the guys, but mostly to Pete and the baby.

Well the night was almost here.

The weather forecast says that tomorrow’s the night for the blood moon.

I awoke, in Pete’s arms in my coffin, but with an urge to move and I don’t mean like pace around the room.

I woke up Pete, I shook his bare, tanned shoulder.

His eyes slid open slowly but his body tensed, he felt something.

“Do you feel it to?” I asked him quickly.

I didn’t have to expand on that statement he understood.

“Yeah.” He paused, “What does it mean?”

“We need to get the guys ready.” I said and started hopping out of the coffin.

He grabbed my arm to stop me after I was all the way out, “So you’re really going to fight like this?” He was still worried.

“Pete we don’t have a choice.” I started walking not angry because I’d realized that if I was in his position I’d worry too.

He was out and following me down the stairs as I started yelling.

“Guys, Guys it’s time to go! We need to load up!” I shouted and walked towards the basement.

We didn’t have a second to lose, we need to be n the road. Who knows what could happen if Pete and I held back the urge for to long.

The guys took a second but they came downstairs to see me and Pete grabbing weapons and preparing for battle.

“What’s going on?” Patrick asked coming down the stairs.

“We need to start driving towards the battle.” I said quickly not even looking up. “The urge says move which means it’s time. Grab the weapons you need and maybe a change of clothes.”

I started up the stairs with tons of weapons in hand.

“Why do we have to go now?” Joe asked confused.

“Because it’s time.” Pete simply explained, the sound of his voice said he held an understanding greater then his previous understanding of his vampire nature.

“I’ll go upstairs and pack drinks for you and Pete. I‘ll make a whole cooler that way we don‘t just have blood if we were stopped or something.” Patrick said going back upstairs.

“You guys should sleep the way there.” Twenty minutes had passed and I said this as we were all walking out to the car with the last load of things we’d need.

“Pete and I will be the only ones who know where to go so you guys couldn’t even drive the way there. Plus you guys have been run pretty ragged by me you need the rest.” I explained.
None of them argued.

They just put their things in the trunk and all climbed in the backseat.

I slid into the passenger seat.

When I sat is when I noticed that I was showing the most.

I looked down and put my hand on the slight belly I had gained.

That was my subconscious screaming in fear.

I did it just as Pete took his place in the driver’s seat.

He looked over to me and put his hand on top of mine.

“We’re all going to make it out. Okay?” He said it with confidence that couldn’t be verbally questioned.

But my mind wouldn’t stop doubting him.

That was the first time I could remember in my vampire life that I was fearing for my life. Even when I was weak didn’t fear because I had centuries of training on my side but that might not have been enough this time.

We just drove not speaking for the most part.

The guys slept threw the ride until we got to a little Motel 6 right off the highway threw Death Valley. I found it funny that the only two things around for miles were a candy shop/gas station and a Motel 6 and they were right next to each other.

Pete and I went in to get the room so the guys could sleep until we got it.

An older woman was at the desk she just looked up and smiled at us.

“Hey Kids. Need a room, we‘re down to our last one?” She was lovely.

“Yes. What type of room is it?” Pete asked curiously.

“It’s a double, two double beds, a closet and a bathroom. How many nights?”

Pete and I looked at each other.

“Two, I think.” I responded not really sure how long we’d really need the room.

“So what’s going on out here?” She asked as she put all of this into her computer. “There are lots of young kids in dark clothes checking in tonight.”

“I’m not sure we’re just on vacation and wanted to stop somewhere remote so we’d have no reason to leave the room.” I said looking at Pete suggestively to give her the idea we were a young married couple just trying to have a little alone time.

She smiled. “That’s sweet, I remember when my husband and I were young.” She was looking fondly on old memories as she stood to hand us the room keys and then she noticed. “Oh it’s like a trip before you have to prepare back home for baby. How far along are you Sweetheart?”

She was just darling, she was just a lovely little woman.

“About 4 months.” I put my hand to my belly again but this time for an entirely different reason. I was happy thinking about the baby.

Pete was looking at me smiling too. He was excited for the baby.

“You’re hardly showing enough to be 4 months.” She was shocked.

“My pregnancy has been anything but normal.” I smiled a coy smile because she didn’t know the half of it.

“There is no such thing as a normal pregnancy.” She said understanding as she sat down and grabbed a picture and handed it to me and Pete to look at.

It was a far younger her and her husband and their kids, two girls and a boy. The picture was old, it was in black and white.

Although, I remember the time when those were cutting edge, so I guess I’m not the one to talk about old.

“Those are my babies. Of course they’re probably older than you now. The girl on the left is Jade, next to her is Jason, and my youngest Jennifer.” She smiled and Pete and I looked at them smiling.

“We’re older than we appear.” I smiled that knowing smile again.

“You have beautiful children.” Pete said as handed the picture back.

“Thank you. Now you kids run along and start your vacation.” She sweetly smiled and shooed us out the door.

He and I walked out keys in hand and woke up the guys and started carrying shit up to the room.

We tried to get everything set and ready as best as we could but it’s hard to get things set for something you don’t know what to expect from.

After we did that the guys went to go see if the candy shop was open and if there was anything they wanted if it was open.

Knowing them there would be lots that they’d want. Well, except for Andy he’s vegan.

There had never been a vampire ‘war’ of this proportion as far as I know and it seemed like the vampires had been trying to keep extra quiet in the days leading up to it. There had been no ‘unexplained’ (vampire related) deaths in L.A. in days. I’m not sure what that meant, why they felt the need to be quiet now. Especially since the Dandies ran L.A. This must have been the calm before the storm.

The guys came back arms filled with candy and I looked at them like they were insane, even Pete had a large bag filled with candy.

“Pete. Why?” I asked gesturing to the bag.

“It’s for you.” He thrust it out towards me, again reminding me of a child, looking at me as if he were waiting for my approval.

I laughed and took it. “Are you trying to make me get more fat then I have to?”

“No but who knows how long you’ll be able to eat human food. You should enjoy it while it lasts.” He spoke sweetly now wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close.

“Thank you Pete. You are too sweet to be believed.” I kissed his cheek.

“All the other rooms seemed to be filled by hunters.” Patrick spoke about the more grim topic.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“I talked to some of the people I ran into in the candy shop and they’re all talking about what’s going on tomorrow too. Some of them are even people who’ve bought weapons from me before, it’s crazy how small of a world this is. Some of them know of us not because of me but because of you too.” Patrick explained to me.

“Me?” I asked not really understanding. I kept my presence hidden from humans that was a part of my job as a vampire, a part I always took seriously.

“Yeah the most powerful vampire officially becoming a hunter. Some of them knew how legendary you are too, being the first vampire to ever get pregnant.”

“How’d they know about that?” I was slightly panicked, I didn’t want everyone in the battle to know.

“Erin they saw you. You’re showing. You know vampire hunters photograph every vampire they see to have them cataloged on a website that I help run. There’s an old photograph of you on there, before you even knew us, and you’ve quiet obviously changed.” He explained knowing why I was worried but he knew that explanation wouldn’t help.

“So how many do we have?” I wanted to have a better idea of our odds.

“Maybe 40.” He said honestly.

We all knew that according to our numbers we were screwed but the prophet said it was faith that would win.

The look on my face must have said something.

“Are you worried?” Pete asked.

“Of course.” I said quietly.

“Why? We’ve never been more ready.” Joe said with a cocky smile.

“40 hunters against legions of vampires. This may very well be a massacre. No one in this room would be a small loss.” I paused try to really gather my thoughts. “He said we could win he didn’t say at what price.” I said that looking up at all of them, the concern on my face becoming even more evident.

That’s when it seemed to really click. They really got it.

Their faces fell too.

“We need a game plan. A strategy will help us be more prepared, if that’s even possible, and increase our chances of coming out alive.” Pete took charge for the first time since I’d been here.

“Pete’s right.” Patrick agreed be the second to take charge of his destiny, following Pete in the hopes to come out alive.

We all sat down to devise a plan.

The first part was to try to get all of the hunters in on it.

Patrick using his great skills with modern electronics got them all in through a camera and the internet.

We had a solid plan before daybreak.

Pete and I went to sleep in the closet and that left the other guys to divide up the beds as they pleased.

Pete and I awoke the next night at the same time with that strange urge again only it wasn’t just to move, it was violent.