Tale as Old as Time

It had been nearly 11 years since Henry heard from Brendon. Almost to the day actually, since he had killed James. It was a the first day of spring, Henry had just returned back to his home in the mountains from a hunt. A hunt that brought back a new recruit, William Beckett. William was barely 20 years old but showed great promise at becoming a strong vampire.

"So how are you feeling?" Henry asked, motioning William to take a seat at his desk.

"I feel great actually, I don't feel any pain or worry. It feels good." He confessed, very eager with his new life.

"Henry!?" Brendon's voice beckoned through the halls. "Henry!?" His voice heightened, followed by terrifyingly fast foot steps.

"Brendon! So good to see you!" Henry clasped his hands together actually elated to see his old companion. "You appear troubled what's going on?"

"Henry, I know we haven't spoken in some time but I really need your help." Brendon pleaded looking a complete wreck.

"Of course, what can I do?"

"It's my wife! You must come quick! Please!"

"Alright, take me." He spoke sternly grabbing ahold of Brendon's arm to be teleported to Lucille.

Lucille had appeared to be very ill. Her skin was pale and sagging, her eyes had thick black circles around them as if she never slept a day in her life. Her body had grown so frail she couldn't have been more than 80 pounds. Her hair had started changing to grey, her plump lips were dry and cracked. She resembled someone who had been locked away in a basement, starved and dehydrated.

"What's happened to her?" Henry had never seen anything quite this gruesome.

"I can hear a heartbeat other than hers." Brendon broke down terrified at how close to death Lucille looked.

"She's pregnant?" Henry almost gasped, eyes grew wide as he knelt down to take hold of Lucille's hand.

"I didn't know this was even possible. I mean I've been a vampire for going on 12 years now and we've never once had this happen. I mean look at her, it's killing her."

"When did you find out?"

"This morning! Yesterday she was healthy and full of life. Today she's got a stomach the size of a melon and she looks like this."

"Brendon I can be honest with you, I have never seen anything like this before. I for one didn't believe this to be possible but again, most vampire's don't have human mates. I'm going to have to seek help from some older vampire's maybe they'll know something on the matter."

"Please just find someone to help her."

As Henry left Brendon took his place next to his wife's bedside. Off to the door frame was their son Charles, who had grown to be a very masculine man. He stood there arms crossed, glaring daggars into his fathers back for what he's done to his mother. As a child of course little Charlie thought it was neat having a vampire for a father. But growing up and understanding everything about one he grew very disgusted.

Seeing his mother lay there so frail for only being 36 years old, it only made him hate his father even more. "I can't belive you've done this." He spat, face flushed with anger.

"Charlie, please. I can't do this right now. I don't know what you want from me."

"You should have been careful! I mean for Christ's sake dad look what you've done to her! She's barely alive right now!"

"Do you think I want this for her!? I would rip my own heart out if it meant I could save her! I would sell my soul to the devil himself this very second if I could stop all of this from happening to her! In the time I've been this way nothing like this has happened! It's never even been heard of happening!"

"Please, stop the fighting." Lucille's weak voice spoke as she tried holding her eyes open.

"My love please don't strain yourself."

"Please you two, please don't fight. I can't be at peace knowing my boys are at each others throats. Charlie, this isn't anyones fault please do not blame your father."

"But mom can't you see? This is clearly God punishing you for even being with this abomination!" Charlie shouted before rushing out of the house.

"Rest my love." Brendon spoke lowly placing a gentle hand to her cheek placing her into a deep sleep.

Hours went by as Brendon paced back and forth watching Lucille's stomach grow to nearly tearing. Her stomach was so swollen all you could see were the veins from inside of her pulsing through. You could see the kicks and punches from the baby that rested inside of her, leaving bruises from every blow.

Brendon couldn't help but think the worse was about to show face. The thought of actually losing his wife was a pain so great he couldn't even think of life without her. A knock at the door broke him from his thoughts.

"Brendon, this is a doctor from up north. His name is Carlisle."

"Carlisle please come in." He invited, quickly showing him the way to the bedroom.

"None of the elder vampires has ever heard of such a thing." Henry whispered sadly.

"I can be honest with you, I have never seen this. I'm going to guess that this child is a half breed. Half human and half vampire, your wife's fragile state is from the baby taking not only nutrients for a normal pregnancy but blood as well. This baby is sucking the life from your wife, you said this happened over night correct?"

A soft nod was displayed.

"It's just like turning someone into a vampire, it takes about a day or sometimes more for the rebirthing to take place. Your wife has been impregnated by a vampire so the pregnancy is a rapid one. I'd say your wife is nearly full term with this child and could deliver tonight or early tomorrow morning."

"Will she be alright after the baby is born?" Brendon tried sounding hopeful to the discouraging news.

"I do not know that. I'm not so sure if she's able to have a normal delivery or if she'll need the baby cut out of her." Carlisle answered skeptically.

"But she delivered Charlie naturally with ease. I mean this is just a baby."

"True, this is just a baby but I can't sense how strong this baby is yet. I can keep an eye on your wife and see if her birthing canal opens up. If it does not we'll have to administer morphine and get this baby out of her as soon as possible."

It was 5am when Lucille cried out in pain. She had never screamed so loud in her life. The pain struck her from out of no where, even as weak as she was she jolted over to her side.

"Lucille! I'm here." Brendon reasurred embracing his wife as Carlisle got himself prepared.

Brendon did as Carlisle instructed him to do, he took his wife's pajama pants off and pulled her underwear off of her. He placed a towel over her lower half and moved her to the end of the bed. Carlisle went ahead and injected the morphine into Lucille's body as she was already enduring enormous amounts of agony at the moment.

Carlisle reached his hand inside of her to see if her body was preparing for birth. Her body was not reacting to the birthing process. It was all happening to fast, her body couldn't keep up with the shifting of the pelvis or the dialation of the cervix. With fear that the pain would inevitably kill her, he had to act fast grabbing his scalpel.

"What are you doing?" Brendon asked, sobbing uncontrollably at the blood beginning to gush from her lower half.

"I have to get this baby out of her now. Her body isn't going to do it on it's own."

"Do it!" Lucille screamed, squeezing and clawing at her husbands collar. Brendon tried putting her back into a sleep but as soon as Carlisle sliced through her she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Mom!" Charlie shouted rushing into her room.

"Charlie get out! You don't need to see this!" Brendon ordered, terrified of the horror taking place.

What he was witnessing right now was worse than anything he had ever done to a human while feeding. Seeing his wife going through something like this was too much for anyone to handle even someone with no soul.

"I'm staying." Charlie stood his ground taking the other side of the bed by his mother.

"Charlie, as soon as I pull this opening apart you need to grab the baby out as quick as possible!" Carlisle ordered taking his last slice at her stomach.

Blood was everywhere, Brendon fought so hard to fight his urge to drink. Her blood wasn't like a little red you see from a paper cut it was almost maroon. A dark crimson spilled from her body, almost as fast as turning on a faucet.

"What? No I can't."

"I have to tend to your mother! I have to clean her up and get her stitched as soon as possible please!"

Defeated with no other option Charlie nodded his head and waited for his moment to help his mother. Carlisle set his scalpel down and opened her stomach up wider revealing the baby still in it's water sack. Charlie quickly scooped the baby out of his mothers stomach as Carlisle went right ahead to cleaning her up.

"Jesus!" Charlie gasped as the baby bursted from it's water sac and immediately took a huge chunk out of his hand. "Dad take it! It bit me!"

Just like that everything went silent. Lucille lay there with her eyes glistening up at the ceiling. Brendon took the baby from Charlie's arms and examined it. It was actually a little girl. Her bright golden eyes shined up at her fathers as they shared an enchanting moment together. Brendon felt so calm and peaceful staring into her eyes.

"Lucille, it's a girl." Brendon smiled at his wife bringing their daughter to her.

"Anna." Lucille smiled at her daughter before taking her final breath. Her head fell slightly to the left, eyes still open at Brendon's.

"Lucille?" Brendon panicked lightly shaking her limp body.

"Mom!?" Charlie cried grabbing her face in his hands.

"Carlisle! Save her!" Brendon ordered breaking down.

"I'm sorry, I can't. She's gone."

"Oh my God no!" Brendon sobbed pulling his wife into his arms trying to find a stitching of life left within her.

"Dad, the baby." Charlie noticed Anna not crying anymore.

"No, please don't take her too!" Brendon pleaded snatching his newborn into his arms hoping matters couldn't grow any worse. What's happening?"

"Oh dear, it appears she couldn't live without Lucille alive. I suppose the newborn half breed has to have the mother alive to survive." Carlisle confessed.

After that, there was nothing more to say. Lucille and Anna were buried together the next day. Charlie helped his father clean their bodies up and helped lay them to rest before packing up and moving along. He didn't tell his father where he was going but he did tell him that he would'nt ever hear from him again.

Brendon understood of course, he didn't blame his son for hating him. He even hated himself for all of this. To lose your entire family in a matter of minutes all because your life was spared years ago.

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"Lucille." Brendon sighed breaking his gaze from the fireplace. It was always painful remembering his wife, and remembering the daughter he never had a chance to knowing. It scared him even more knowing that this was what William would most likely endure when the time came for Lucy to deliver their child.