Her time was drawing close. She was
living in an apartment in London. Though she would have preferred
someplace smaller, it was easier for her to find food here for she wasn't moving
quite as fast anymore. Her swollen stomach impeaded her every
movement. She had hired a midwife to help with the delivery. Going
to a hospital was out of the question. Everything was ready, in a few days
time, her child would be resting in her arms.
She knew the others feared her.
Sometimes she would see them on the streets, fear glazing their eyes. She
could hear their whispers in the dark, tales spread from one to another, her
powers multiplied with every new person who passed it along. She was an
mystery, an entity to them, just a thing. A thing to be feared, a
thing to avoid.
The loneliness filled her every waking moment. Her own
kind feared her. She couldn't befriend a human, what she was would
eventually drive them apart. Most nights were spent sitting in the dark,
waiting, watching, listening. Sometimes she would sing to the child,
songs from her past, songs that made her remember him. She did love him,
that much she had figured out, she just wasn't sure she was ready to forgive
him. Some nights she watched him. The only time he came alive
was on stage. Most times he was alone too, his temper drove off everyone
else. Sometimes he would cry, sometimes he would lay in bed, lost in
thought. She could feel him try to reach her, frustrated when he
couldn't. So many times she wanted to hold him, to comfort him, but the
anger would hold her back. She never imagined her heart could be filled
with so much rage.
The birth was quick, easy almost. The midwife had barely
walked in the door when the child arrived. The baby cried lustily as the
midwife cleaned her up before handing her to her mother. Calmed by the
familiar feel of her mother's heartbeat, she latched onto her breast, sucking
hungrily. Dark hair covered her head, green eyes peeped out from a fringe
of dark lashes, her cupid's bow mouth was even redder against the paleness of
her mother's skin.
In all her travels, she had never seen
anything more beautiful. The smooth skin of her daughter felt like silk
under her fingertips. This should be the happiest moment of her life, but
her soul was still troubled. He needed to know. Closing her eyes,
she opened herself up to Kevin. "This is your daughter,
Quinn......"