Fables/Fairytales Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction / Other Fan Fiction ❯ Witchers ❯ Chapter Forty One ( Chapter 41 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"That it does," Kyoya agreed softly.

Alexiel was still checking to see if Granny was going to attack him. When he was certain that she wasn't going to leap out from anywhere he relaxed slightly. "I dunno, it's weird being back. After all we did in Ireland we really didn't accomplish all that much."

"We killed a banshee queen which means they can't reproduce now over there. We saved two peoples’ lives. I think that's better than nothing. We could have come back with one blood on our hands," Luna said.

Yuki walked in. "I agree. Even if you helped a little, it's still more than most could ask for."

Evelyn sat next to Luna at the bar and started to munch on the food Luna pulled out. Luna pushed on her ribs to fight with the baby that was working on a second rib.

"True, but it doesn't help us any with defeating Lex," he replied solemnly.

"Fair enough, but that doesn't change the fact that we did do some good," Kyoya told him.

"What's some good when we can't even stop the person who betrayed us?"

"We don't even know where Lex is right now. Even if we were to find him what could we do?"

"I don't know! I just...I don't know." Alexiel shook his head as he walked out of Granny's house so that he could cool off. They were no closer to finding Lex then they were three months ago. It was simply frustrating! Alexiel released a blast of energy simply to relieve his frustration. What he wouldn't give for a punching bag about now.

Luna watched him walk out. "He seems in a rush to die," she said and took another bite of cheese. "If we fought Lex now, we would all die. It's better if we take our time and pace ourselves."

"Well, yeah. I agree. I mean..." Yuki started but was interrupted by a loud popping sound.

Luna nearly choked on the food she was eating as she doubled over in pain. "Mother fuck!" she yelled and grabbed her side as she did her best not to fall off the chair in pain.

Yuki quickly moved over to her and checked her ribs. "My God. Another rib is broken. This isn't safe, Luna." Luna was sweating hard. "How the heck is the baby strong enough to do that?"

Luna started to cough. She covered her mouth just as she started to cough up blood.

Yuki moved her hands over Luna's stomach and began to heal her. "The rib pierced her stomach...but I've repaired the damage. You can't keep pretending everything is ok, Luna..."

"She doesn't have to pretend," Granny said, appearing out of nowhere. "You," she said motioning to Luna. "Come with me."

Kyoya started to get up, but Granny pushed him back down. "Ladies only," she said as she drug Luna into her room. Once in there she sat Luna down and stared at her. "Now tell me what in the blue blazes is going on."

"I'm obviously pregnant," Luna said holding her side.

Yuki looked at Kyoya. "I have a really bad feeling about this."

"Aye, that you are, but I was talking about what's your baby doing to you? How bad are the pains? How strong has it gotten?" As Granny was talking she was pulling out several vials of strange liquids and mixing them together. "Where did I put that dragon's blood?" She began to raid the cabinets until she found the mixture and dumped it all into one vial.

"Here, I want you to drink this," she told Luna. "It will...nullify the babies powers...for a lack of a better word."

Luna looked at her like she was crazy. "I am not putting anything foreign into my body." Luna stood but then sat back down when there was a sharp pain. The baby was working on the third rib. "Little devil." She looked at Granny again. "It's really strong...like hunter strong, but hunters don't grow into their powers until they hit puberty so it's not a hunter." Luna pushed at her side as the baby pushed against her. "What could you possibly do to help, Granny? It's a half breed..."

"Well of course it's a half breed," Granny said. "What else could it be?" Shaking her head she handed the drink to Luna. "As I said, drink that and it'll stunt the baby’s powers. It’s probably taken abilities from both its parents, meaning that it's going to be hunter strong and demon strong. You can't handle that Luna; and if you don't drink it the child is likely to rip you apart from the inside out. That won't be good for you or the baby."

Luna downed the drink and gagged. "This is the worst thing I have ever tasted." She gagged again. "How do you know so much about half breeds? How do you know it could rip me apart? I've never heard Faust talk of a half breed...honestly I didn't think it was possible for me to conceive while being with a demon. I didn't think that a human and demon could have children together. It's why Kyoya and I never took precautions."

"Faust," Granny sighed and shook her head. "The fool probably knew this would happen." Leaning against her cabinet she looked at Luna, almost as if contemplating something. "What I am about to tell you never leaves this room. Do you understand?"

Once she was certain that Luna wouldn't breathe a word Granny smiled and closed her eyes. "I know, because I am a half-breed myself." As she said this her old and frail looking body melted away into the form of someone who didn't look a day over the age of thirty. "My mother was an elf and my father was a human."

She ran a hand across her smooth skin before she let the illusion take over once more as she returned to her wrinkled and aged form. "Your child will be persecuted by both humans and demons alike. I expect you to take good care of it though."

Luna sat in shock. "I had no idea...I always assumed that you were human..." Luna looked down at her stomach. She wrapped her arms around it. "Will...will it be hard to deliver? I have so many fears...ones that I keep to myself for fear of worrying Kyoya. He would blame himself should anything happen to me or the child, but I'm terrified of what could happen..." Luna looked up at Granny with tears in her eyes. "Tell me it's all in my head and that this will be a cake walk, that I will deliver it with ease and both of us will be healthy and safe."

Granny looked away from Luna. "It....Well, you're a hunter which means that you're a lot stronger then most women who give birth to demon babies. I won't lie to you, child. It will be hard and there will be a great risk involved...."

Granny looked at Luna and took her hand in hers. "Though I'm sure with both Yuki and myself looking after you that you'll both come through just fine. With her power of healing and my...expertise in this field we can help to eliminate the most serious threats."

Luna didn't feel any better, however, the baby had settled. Whatever Granny had given her, it was working. Luna stood. "Thank you...I should have come to you sooner...but I was sure you would make me stop fighting..." She wiped her eyes. "I have a team to lead and protect...being on the sidelines isn't really an option for me."

"Oh, you're going to give up fighting," Granny told her. "There's no way that I'm going to let you go out and fight in that condition. You've got three months left. The only thing you're going to be doing in those three months is resting."

"But, Granny, honestly. I'm a hunter. I have to fight! Who will lead my team? Who will watch over Evelyn? I can't abandon my duties to the Witchers. We have lost all of Beta...there is no one left but us." She was practically pleading. "You cannot take away something that wasn't given to be but thrown at me. I really have no choice."

"I'm not taking it away," Granny told her. "I'm simply putting your position as leader on suspension. I heard your conversation with the others. You're not going after Lex for quite some time. Long enough to finish your pregnancy. I think the others can manage just fine without you on the field for that little amount of time."

Luna fumed. "Fine," she groaned and left the room. She walked back to the kitchen where Kyoya was. "For the next few months, Kyoya will be the field leader in battle...I was told to step down for obvious reasons." Luna looked completely pissed. "However, I will expect to be reported to and consulted and..." her eyes were pleading with Kyoya, "and not left out."

Yuki and Evelyn just stared at her. Yuki hadn't seen Luna like this. She was always so head strong but at the moment she seemed lost and even upset.

"But of course," Kyoya said as he leaned forward and kissed Luna's forehead. "I'm glad that you finally considered taking it easier around here."

"I doubt that she did it willingly," Alexiel said as he came back in. He knew Luna well enough to know that she would fight until she couldn't fight anymore. Granny must've told her something pretty convincing if she was willing to step down for a little while.

Luna glared daggers at Alexiel. "That is none of your business," she said.

Another month later, Luna stood outside waiting for the others to return. It was their third mission without her. This one was an outbreak of shifters in the city. They had been gone for two days and she had gotten a phone call telling her they were on their way home. As they pulled up in the yard, Luna let out a deep breath. They all looked fine just like the other times they left for a mission without her. She placed her hand on her large stomach as the baby moved almost as if it could sense its father close by. Ever since Granny had been giving her the remedy, Luna survived without a broken rib, however the bruises continued and Yuki still had to heal her internally.

Evelyn came running up to Luna. First she kissed Luna's belly then she hugged Luna the best she could. Afterward, she ran inside to get a juice box. Yuki walked up to Luna and smiled.

"You get bigger every time I see you."

"I take that as an insult."

Yuki laughed.

"Hello beautiful." Kyoya handed Luna a bouquet of flowers he had picked up in the city. "How's everything going?"

Alexiel waltzed in behind him and nodded at Luna. "Umm, here," he said as he handed her a new cellphone. "We were in the area and I remembered that you broke your cell phone back in Ireland."

"When did you get her a cellphone?"

"While you were getting the flowers."

"How is that fair? I get her flowers and you get her a phone."

"Well, I was just trying to be nice," Alexiel muttered.

"Well stop it. It's weird."

Luna took both the gifts. "Thank you, both of you." Luna looked at the phone and smiled. "You got the new model...I won't have to modify it as much as the last." She smelled the flowers. "And the flowers are wonderful. Now I want to hear every detail of the battle."

Yuki smiled. "Evelyn almost spoke. I was pinned to the ground and she saved me when I thanked her she opened her mouth to say something but then stopped. I was sure she would speak."

Luna's shoulders sank back. Her heart fell. "I missed that..." She nodded. "We should go inside...Granny has dinner on the table."

"It's okay. You guys go ahead and eat without me," Alexiel said. Thrusting his hands in his pockets he proceeded to walk along the rocky canyon edge while the others headed inside.

"Am I the only one who's noticed that Alexiel has been acting very...un-Alexiel ish?" Kyoya shrugged and just squeezed Luna's hand. "You should've been there," he told her. "We got surrounded by the shifters and Evelyn created a immense tidal wave of water. As soon as it hit the shifters she turned it into ice to freeze them into place. That's when Alexiel proceeded to vaporize what was left of them with a radiating blast."

Kyoya shook his head as Granny set out plates for them. "It's amazing how far everyone's come since...then...."

Luna nodded listening to the stories while everyone ate. Yuki watched the door for Alexiel, but he never came in. She finished eating quickly then excused herself and walked outside to find Alexiel. When she found him, she placed a hand on his shoulder and he turned to face her.

"Tell me... why are you so distant?" she asked.

Alexiel turned to her. He started to speak, but then stopped and just shrugged. "I don't mean to be," he told her. "It's just that.... I dunno. I guess I've just got a lot on my mind lately. Being out here...it just helps me put things in perspective."

Yuki leaned against a rock. "You never talk to me anymore. And you haven't been to my room since Ireland." She looked at him and placed her hand on his face. "I feel left behind..." She then smiled. "Have your replaced me with someone prettier? More lovely?" she joked. "Because if that is the case I will have to purify her until I have you back, Alexiel." She held her smiled for a moment more then dropped it. "I told you once that I will love you if you let me." She moved closer to him. "I have yet to say it, but I am in love with you, Alexiel...and you are breaking my heart when you turn from me."

Alexiel allowed himself a smile as he caressed her face. "I haven't been to your room because I think Granny would kill me if I went in there," he said, but slowly his smile began to fall. "It's just...lately I haven't really been sleeping well. Every time I close my eyes I just...I don't know."

Sitting down on a rock he rubbed his temple slowly. "It's Lex, Yuki. I can't get my mind off of him lately. These attacks that have been happening, they're not a coincidence. Everything is too well planned, too accurate. I recognize the strategy...it has Lex's name written all over it; and I realize that I'll never be able to catch up to him. I'll never get as strong as he is."

Standing up quickly he stared to pace, energy radiating from him. "I just... I don't know what to do!"

Yuki felt broken. There was nothing she could do to help him. "I understand." She felt it was best to leave him alone. She could sit there and listen to him, but he didn't really need that. She could tell him everything would work out, but he didn't need to hear that. Everything seemed wrong, and she understood that it had nothing to do with her, but her heart broke at the sight of him.

She nodded her head and walked back to the house. Luna stood at the door waiting for her. "Want to talk about it?" Yuki didn't say anything. "If you can't trust your team, who can you trust?" Yuki smiled weakly and nodded.

Luna walked with her to Yuki's room and they sat on the bed while Yuki talked. Evelyn came in and sat with them, holding Yuki's hands and stroking them for comfort. Luna listened and let her get it all out while in the back of her mind envying the young girl for having such an open heart about life and love.