Pup Among the Big Dogs

I'd gotten really attached to my girl in just a week. I'd narrowed down the names to Gwyn, Rena, and Quinn. I didn't know which was best, though. Ian liked Rena best. I liked all of them, to tell the truth. And Ulrich hated talking about it. I really wondered what was up with him. But I decided to disregard it.

"I'm heading out, Bel. You'll be alright, right?" Ian asked me, kissing my forehead.

"Yeah. Love you, bye."

As soon as he left Ulrich walked over to me and grabbed my hand.

"I want to show you something, alright?" he asked, helping me up. "Bring the kid if you must."

He dragged me back into the woods and I sighed, confused. The place was nothing new to me.

"What did you want to show me? I've been here before."

"I know. I wanted to show you how very sorry I am for doing this." He hugged me quickly.

"For doing what?"

He snatched my unnamed child from me and looked at her, looking a bit sad.

"What are you doing? Give her back!" I screamed, trying to claw his face off. He just held her out of reach.

"She reminds me of my little sister," he told me. "So much promise, but so little time. They mad me a deal--the vampires. They wanted your child for my sister. And I love my little sister."

"No!" I shrieked, jumping up and down.

"You know, he didn't like you killing his friend too much. He was actually downright pissed: he even put a bounty on your head. But instead of that, Zach wanted to make you suffer before he killed you. He told me to snatch the vile baby and then he would take care of the rest. She'll feel a lot of pain."

"What?" I was crying. "What are you going to do to her?"

"Not me: Zach. He's giving you and Ian front row seats to your baby's death." He looked down at my baby, sullen. "I love my sister. I couldn't say no."

"Give her back! You have no right to do this!"

"Sorry. Survival of the fittest, Isabel; and your baby just didn't make the cut," he whispered. He was gone just like that and the hair on the back of my neck raised: Zach had taken him away. I fell to my knees, crying.

"Bel? What's wrong? Where's--"

"She's gone!" I told Ian, crying at his feet.

"What do you mean, gone? Where did she go?" He thought I wasn't serious obviously.

"Ulrich! He gave Zach my baby!" All of a sudden I was in Ian's arms. The world was spinning around me as it whipped on bye. "Where are we going?"

"I'm getting her back."

I must have passed out.