Should Have Walked Away | Aarmau Vampire AU

𝔱 𝔴 𝔢 𝔫 𝔱 𝔶 - 𝔫 𝔦 𝔫 𝔢

• ѕєνєитєєи ωєєкѕ •

It's been a week since I told Zoey I was pregnant, and she was coming over today to talk more about the predicament.

When I initially told her, she didn't say much. She didn't press, she didn't ask who I had slept with, or why, or anything.

I had a feeling that's what would be happening today.

She knocked non-stop at my door when she arrived and entered in a whirlwind of blonde hair that nearly knocked me off my feet.

The door shut and locked without my doing, and I blinked to find myself sitting in bed. Huh. And here I thought elves didn't have speed like vampires.

Zoey's emerald eyes were wild and bright when I turned to face her, but she stayed silent as to not bombard me with questions immediately.

I just smiled slightly. "What?"

The dam burst. "Who's the father? When did you two — y'know!—"

"Zoey. Zoey!"

She shut up, rocking on my bed while I spoke.

"Calm down," I chuckled. "One question at a time!"

After taking a deep breath, she complied but kept a smile on her face. "Who's the father?"

I didn't know how to say it. So many things crossed my mind — Aaron. Oh you know, just the prince of Falcon Claw. The man I've danced with in public told my insecurities to on numerous occasions, the man who kissed me to shut me up and gave me the confidence to stay and live here.

Instead, all I managed to get out was, "Long story."

Her eyes narrowed in thought for half a second. "Was it Aaron?"

My eyes widened slightly and she smiled bigger. "How. . .did you know?"

The smirk on her face made me want to blush and ignore her, but there's no way she would let me. "You can hide it from a lot of people Aphmau, but just between you and me: you don't hide it well with the rest of us.

"Well so far you're the only one to notice," o retorted with a frown.

She ignored that, shaking her head in a happy shock. "I can't believe you slept together. How long ago?"

The air around me was becoming increasingly unbearable with the heat from my skin. I picked at my fingertips. "Five weeks ago."

"Have you two talked about it?"

"Not particularly. . ."

"Have you done anything since?"

"Zoey!"

"What? I'm curious! I never thought this would happen when I first met you! You were so uptight—"

"I was not uptight!"

She gave me a wide sneer, and I rolled my eyes.

Her disposition changed quickly, and she looked me up and down. "How are you? The symptoms?"

"I mean. . ." I massaged a part of my cleavage that had been irritating me all morning. Like most pain in my life, I tried to ignore it until it went away. "I'm sore. Mostly my chest, but sometimes my stomach. I'm exhausted, too."

Zoey nodded as I spoke, mentally checking off items in her head. "How often do you go to the bathroom?"

Chuckling again, I thought about how I never thought I would be talking this. "Often. But it's always number one," I held up a finger, then ran my hand through my hair.

She smiled. "I mean, all of that sounds pretty normal for five weeks along. If your cramps get bad, that's an issue, but if you find a little blood, don't get worried."

I watched her face with a flutter of happiness in my chest. She was half in her own world, recalling past knowledge that she had to scrounge for in her mind, but half of her was also fully focused on how I looked. "How do you know all of this?"

"I was a nurse for seven years! I couldn't count how many pregnancies I helped with if my life depended on it!" We laughed. "I enjoyed that work, and I still help out, but when I moved here I decided to lay low. I didn't get that being a nurse."

Nodding, I knew she wasn't going to give me anything else and allowed her to ask more questions.

"What are you going to do when the baby is born in nine months?"

I couldn't escape the question, but I still tried. "Actually. . . vampire pregnancy is different than human. Because of how we need to drink blood to stay alive, it stimulates the fetus and pregnancy isn't as long. In fact, my sister and I are only months apart.

Her eyes widened. "What? How long is pregnancy, then?"

I considered. "Somewhere from five to seven months, but it depends on how much blood I'll drink."

She nodded, hesitating for a moment before speaking again. "You never answered my question. What about when the baby is born?"

I had been thinking about this nonstop, above all else. I couldn't avoid it any longer.

"I love kids, Zoey. But am I ready for this?" I whispered. "My mother wasn't exactly a model citizen, or anywhere close, so I never really had someone to learn from. Not to mention how much—" I laughed through my words "—danger I get in. Thing is. . . I don't know how I would ever be able to part with my child. Blood or adopted."

The blonde tilted her head and I watched a few stray hairs fall into her eyes. It didn't dim her smile. "Then keep it."

"I—"

"Aphmau."

Her seriousness almost shocked me, and I swallowed the small lump in my throat. "Do you think any of us would ever let you do this alone? Do you think Aaron will ever let you out to dry? Or hate you?"

Yes. Because what else can someone think when a vampire is pregnant with a human's child? It's a mutant creature — not a hybrid, and not something that hasn't happened before, but still something that tainted a human bloodline. Not to mention that both of us are royal.

I didn't even know I was avoiding her eyes or crying until Zoey lifted my head and wiped my cheek. "Aphmau. You're going to be okay. We aren't going to leave you."

I nodded, wiping my hands over the length of my face.

"Now. Let's talk about a diet for that morning sickness."

⠎⠓⠕⠥⠇⠙⠓⠁⠧⠑⠺⠁⠇⠅⠑⠙⠁⠺⠁⠽
Word count: 1048