Chapter 20

(Protect or Destroy)

Parker's point of view

I tried to be patient as I waited for the doctor to emerge from the back room he had set up as a doctor office in his home. Dr. Mathews was an excellent doctor and because he knew about slayers and vampires he was one of the few doctors we could come to when needed. He'd even performed surgery on a few slayers in the past. Hospitals were not something we went to. They asked too many questions; questions we often couldn't answer.

Katie had been sick ever since we'd rescued her. A day or two we weren't worried about. With everything that she'd been through it was possible it was a reaction to anxiety and sensory overload. A week later however we became concerned. We didn't know everything that went into the making of a bride and when she started vomiting constantly we became concerned the count might have poisoned her.

"How is she?" Monica suddenly asked. I looked away from the window to see Dr. Mathews enter his living room where we were waiting; some more patient than others.

"She's fine."

"So it isn't poison?" Sonya asked.

"No." Several of us sighed in unison feeling very relieved. "Katie is pregnant."

"Pregnant?" I said before a sudden smile crossed my face at the thought of her carrying my child.

"How Pregnant?" Monica asked carefully.

"6 weeks."

"It's mine," I said pleased. There was no doubt in my mind the child Katie carried was mine.

"Unless Dracula raped her," Sonya said. I looked at the blonde woman. "If there is any chance that child isn't yours she can't keep it!"

"She was with me," I reminded her. "Even if he did it's my child."

"Parker think with your head," Dennis scolded me. "Dhampiers grow faster than normal babies. If he raped her we can't take the chance."

"What if Katie doesn't want to abort it?" Sasha asked calmly.

"Not her decision," Sonya said firmly. "We cannot take a chance of it being Dracula's."

Katie's point of view

I left the back room and began walking down the hall towards the living room when I heard slayers tell Sasha if the count had raped me I would have to abort the child I now carried.

"You cannot force her to have an abortion against her will," Sasha told them.

"Sasha you are young and you do not understand," Sonya said. "We cannot take the chance of what that baby could be. If it's vampire it's evil! If he raped her that child has to die!" Dennis' wife said adamantly. I covered my mouth with my hand in shock at her harsh and hateful words.

"What will you do kill her if she refuses?" Sasha asked.

"He raped her didn't he," I heard Monica say.

"To my knowledge no. As far as I know he did not rape her," Sasha said calmly but not kindly.

"Then as long as Katie can verify that there's no problem," I heard Sonya say.

I couldn't believe what I had just heard. They would kill a child and by Sonya's words I was sure they would kill me to ensure a child of Dracula was never born.

Suddenly the Count's words came back to me "You both belong to me." He'd said. At the time I had assumed he was talking about Sasha and me but now I wasn't sure. A flash of the sadness in his eyes came to me and what I didn't know began to come together. Everything in me told me somehow, someway, Dracula knew I was pregnant.

I looked down to find my hand over my stomach. The slayers had made their decision and from their tone I knew they would not waiver from their stance. I had to chose here and now whether to protect the baby I carried or let it be destroyed.

A sense of complete protectiveness flowed through me. I suddenly felt like a wild animal protecting her young from enemies. I didn't care who the father of my child was. This child was mine. I was his or her mother and I was keeping the child growing within me. No one was going to tell me I wasn't allowed to have my own child! The slayers had gone too far.

There were human serial killers that had produced offspring that grew up to be good people. Who were they to decide my child was evil before it had even been born? I wasn't evil why would my child be?

'We'll be okay,' I silently told the growing babe as I rubbed my stomach. I held onto my sweater letting it drape over clasped hands infront of me and walked out into the living room.

I entered the living room and openly glared at Sonya. "You have no right to decide anything about me or my baby!" I snapped.

"Katie…" I looked at Parker less than pleased. "I don't like it either but if he…"

"He didn't rape me Parker," I told him. "I'm angry because she has the audacity to threaten an unborn child!" I looked at Sonya and the other slayers. "No he didn't rape me. Though even if he had you still wouldn't have the right." I walked toward the front door and opening it I walked out without looking back.

"Katie!" I heard Sasha call as I headed off the porch and began walking toward the road. She quickly caught up to me and touching my arm stopped me where I was as she came around to the front of me to face me.

"Please don't," I told her. I knew she knew the truth about Dracula and I. Sasha was the one person here that would know there was a chance the child wasn't Parker's.

"I won't betray you," She quietly assured me. I looked into the german teenagers eyes and knew Sasha would hold her tongue and never tell the slayers. She would take the secret with her to the grave if I asked her to. "I'm coming with you," She told me.

"Are you sure? I don't know where I'm going," I admitted.

The blonde woman smiled at me. She clasped both my hands. "We're in this together. Let's go." I don't know why but I felt a sense of peace. I nodded and together we walked toward the road.

Memphis point of view

I watched as Parker suddenly went out the door after Katie. "This isn't good," I remarked seeing he was headed down the road after Katie and Sasha.

"We had to know," Sonya said unapologetically.

"Not like that we didn't," I told her. Monica went to speak but I spoke first. "You both may have just cost us both of them."

"Well then…"

"Don't finish that sentence Sonya," I warned. "We don't know that a dhampire can't be good. Not to mention you had no right to threaten Katie's life at all!"

"She's right," Monica said defending the blonde woman.

"No, you're both wrong," I replied and walked toward the front door. I could accept a lot of things but not Sonya's willingness to kill Katie or Monica's agreeance with her. I loved Monica but she wasn't my wife. She wasn't even the love of my life.

"Where are you going?" Monica said as I reached the door.

I stopped and turned back towards her. "They aren't coming back."

"They'll come around," Dennis said unconcerned.

"No Dennis, they won't. Your wife threatened Katie's life and her unborn child. They won't be coming back and neither will I."

"You don't mean that!" Monica said almost proudly.

I looked at the dark haired woman. "Actually I do Monica. I love you but we both know this wouldn't be the first time I walked away from someone I love. The difference is you're easier to walk away from." I turned around and walked out the door letting it close behind me.

The sound of Monica's scream could be heard as I headed for the road but I didn't care. They had gone too far. I didn't know what awaited me with Katie, Sasha, Parker, and the unborn child but there was no way I'd be part to killing a child that hadn't done anything; even a potential half vampire one. Come what may for now I'd protect Katie and her baby with my life. As I walked away I suddenly felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. I couldn't explain it but I knew I was doing the right thing.

Author's note: Here ends the tale of Obsession of Dracula but I hope you will continue on to the Sequel Dracula's Angel.