Three Months Later
“So you’re probably all wondering why we gathered you here.” Claire stood next to Eric, and they shared a passing glance, before looking back at the family sat around them.
“I certainly am,” Veronica quipped, “I’m supposed to be going out hunting, come on already!”
“Simmer down Veronica.” Atticus flicked his eyes at his daughter. “Continue Claire.”
“Well,” Claire took a deep breath and felt Eric’s hand tighten around her own. “Eric and I have known for some time, but we wanted to keep it secret for a while just to be sure-”
Before Claire could finish the rest of her sentence, Sophia had pushed her chair back from the table. “No…” Her arms were locked out straight and her expression was frozen in anticipation.
“Yes…” Claire continued. “I’m pregnant, Eric and I are expecting!”
For a second the family were frozen, like a trio of perfect marble statues seated around a table. Claire end Eric exchanged another look. Claire whispered to Eric. “Are they broken?”
“I knew it!”
The room exploded into an orchestra of screaming and cheering, Sophia spearheaded the celebration by jumping up from the table and running to meet Claire with a big hug. Veronica and Atticus had risen to their feet too, coming to meet Claire and Eric with a little more restraint. Atticus took Eric’s hand and placed a hand on his shoulder, while Veronica pried Sophia off Claire to deliver her own hug.
“Congratulations son. I’m extremely proud.”
“Thanks Atticus.” Eric beamed at his father, looking to the eyes of the man that had carried out this very journey but a few centuries before. Their father-son moment was broken apart by the flying dwarf that was Sophia, who came crashing into Eric, her arms swallowing him whole.
“I knew you could do it brother! You’re not a complete waste of space!”
“Hey easy now. That’s no way to greet the reigning leader of the Belmont family.” Eric laughed as he pushed Sophia off him. Veronica simply stood before him nodding.
“Congratulations Eric, I know we don’t always see eye to eye on things, but this is the start of a new era within the Belmont family. I will give my life for these kids, you have my word at that.”
Eric held Veronica’s gaze with respect. “Thank you sister. That means a lot.”
“Now for names.” Veronica began. “I’m thinking Veronica.”
Atticus scoffed. “No, come now. Their grandfather Atticus would be much more suitable surely…”
The bickering was interrupted by the cheering and bawling of Sophia, who was running around the room, punching the air and screaming. “Baby vampire! Baby vampire! When was the last time you saw a baby vampire?!”
Claire and Eric couldn’t help but laugh at the mixture of reactions from the family.
“Well actually…”
Claire tried to get the attention of the room, but from Sophia’s manic celebration and Atticus and Veronica’s heated discussion of what a suitable name would be, no one was taking any notice. Eric took it upon himself to reign in his wild family.
“Listen up!”
Atticus and Veronica broke their debate and Sophia stopped mid cheer. “That’s not all we have to say, we have more news on top of that.”
“Well, well.” Veronica raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. “Spit it out then, what could top a baby?”
Eric looked at Claire and nodded. Claire smiled at him, and looked at the family once more, twisting her fingers together in nerves.
“Well that’s just it.” Claire said timidly. “It’s not just one baby. We’re having triplets.”
Eric and Claire couldn’t help but laugh as they watched the reaction unfold all over again, albeit amplified this time. Atticus’s pale expression seemed to grow whiter still, and he stood there with his jaw flapping.
“I can’t believe it…” His voice trailed off. “This is spectacular news!”
Even the icy faced Veronica couldn’t help but crack a smile. She nodded at Atticus and shook her head in disbelief. “What he said. I can’t believe it. Congratulations love birds. I’m happy for you.”
In the background Sophia’s voice started up again, louder and more jubilant this time.
“Baby vampires! Plural! Can you believe it!”
The group erupted in laughter as Sophia resumed her kinetic celebration. Atticus and Veronica broke into another argument about names. Claire felt Eric’s hand tugging at her hand, he pulled her to the side of the room, leaving the family to react to the news in their own way.
“I think that went rather well.” Eric said. “For my family anyway.”
“Agreed.” Claire stared up at her pale beauty in adoration, lost in the twinkling red pools of his soul. Their hands twined together and she leaned into him, falling against the solid oak of his torso as he embraced her. His lips grazed her forehead, she closed her eyes and smiled, smelling his musk as she breathed in.
His hand brushed over her stomach.
“I can’t wait to meet them.” He said.
“Me neither.”
They turned to the window and looked upon the valley below, their story was just beginning.