Blood, Body and Mind by Kathi S. Barton

FIVE~
     
    Aaron nervously paced the hallway just outside Sara’s room waiting for Doctor Thomas Reilly to bring him word of her condition. Aaron and Thomas had fought in the first Great War together and had become fast friends.
    Nearly an hour had passed when the doctor stepped out of the room. He seemed upset and pale, even for a vampire.
    “ I have never seen anyone beaten that badly and remain conscious at the same time. That poor girl, that poor, poor girl.”
    They silently headed down the wide staircase toward the living room, where the others were awaiting word.
    As Aaron entered the room, everyone rose as one, concern in their eyes and on their faces. Aaron turned to Thomas and nodded, giving permission to explain the situation.
    “ I know, without a doubt,” Thomas said bluntly, “that Aaron did not cause this woman’s pain. But someone has. This is not the first time this has happened, nor, according to the young lady, will it be the last. I’ve given her something for the pain, so she’s resting now. She has been beaten at least four times over the past two weeks, I would say. By the bruising, I can assume he’s a large man, strong, and a mean son-of-a-bitch. This monster isn’t only using his fists, although that’s bad enough, but I believe he’s using a bat as well. She said she has been thrown against a couple of walls too. She told me not to fuss overly much. I found this very curious, but she said that she heals initially very quickly. The bruising then takes the normal amount of healing time. This probably explains why there are only cracked ribs, rather than broken ones.”
    “ Christ.”
    Aaron turned to look at Colin. He couldn’t agree more, he thought.
    “ The young lady wouldn’t tell me who it was, but I get the feeling she is terrified of him coming to the estate. Not for herself, but more so for you, Mrs. Carlovetti, and the other woman she needs to protect.” Thomas paused slightly. “She seems to think you’re pregnant.”
    Aaron looked at the new vamp and suddenly wondered if this was the babe Sara had been speaking of.
    “ Me? No, I’m not able to conceive. I’ve been converted for nearly a year now. She’s mistaken. Vampires can’t conceive. Can they?” April asked the room in general.
    Aaron looked at the young vampire. Sara had killed the rogues to protect April, to protect her child.
    “ Actually, that’s not true. It’s rare, very rare, but it has happened. The woman is usually a new convert, pregnant or fertile just before the conversion. For it to be a whole year...I’m not sure. When was the last time, Aaron?” Thomas was explaining it to April.
    But Aaron just could not wrap his mind around anything right now. “I don’t know, about, oh I’d say two hundred years or so.”
    “ Yeah, that’s about right. A simple test can tell if you are or not. And knowing her, or as little as we know, she probably can tell. That must be the child she was telling me that she had to protect. You’re the reason she fought those rogues, to save you and the child you carry, I believe.” Thomas looked concerned again. “She kept saying that when he found her, he’d hurt the child. You think it’s the monster who did this to her?” Thomas looked around the room and his gaze settled on Aaron.
    Sara had said that she had not been able to protect the other child. Whose? he wondered. And why would she feel the need to be responsible for someone else’s child? Was it from the man who was now beating her, or someone else? Instead of getting answers from her, the questions kept mounting.
    “ I take it she didn’t tell you either,” Aaron said, frustrated. “There are times when I think I should have drained her when she asked me to.” He looked at April when she gasped. “I won’t hurt her. I assure you of that.”
    “ No, she didn’t say who it might be, just that if he came for her, he’d hurt the babe. You think she’s right then? Mrs. Carlovetti, why don’t