Ch 18- The Things She Bares

Cara paced up and down the floor of hers and Alucard's room, her heels echoing off the stone walls.

It felt as is her heart were racing a mile a minute. Nothing could calm it at the moment.

She placed a hand to her slightly protruding stomach and winced when she felt a small flutter in the spot her hand was over.

Something wet and sticky slithered down her face as a mixture of emotions overtook her. Bringing her hand up and touching her cheek before looking down at her black gloved hand, she watched as blood ran down her fingers.

She heard footsteps on the stairs and quickly tried to wipe her 'tears' with the back of her hands.

"Mrs. Cara, Sir Integra wants to...." Seras started before Cara turned to her and she saw the tears. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Funny, isn't it?" Cara chuckled halfheartedly. "Demons cry black tears while we cry blood. A lot harder to hide them isn't it?"

"Mrs., are you alright?" Seras asked as Cara began to both laugh and cry hysterically.

***************

"How hard is it for one bloody vampire to bring another?" Integra asked, her patience wearing thin.

Alucard leaned against the wall, his usual glasses and hat gone, while Walter stood with his hands behind his back beside Integra's desk as she drummed her fingers impatiently against the dark wood of her desk.

A hurried knock came to the two large doors on the other side of the spacious room.

"Come in," Integra called, almost angrily.

A very worried looking Seras poked her head through the door after she pushed it slightly ajar.

"Where have you been? I sent you to--" Integra started before Seras disappeared again. "Seras!"

Seras reappeared a few seconds later with a both crying and laughing Cara leaning against her. It was a bit awkward considering Cara was at least two to three feet taller than Seras.

"What happened?!?" Integra asked, worry hidden in her blue eyes as Alucard rushed forward and swept Cara into his arms.

Alucard placed Cara in a chair and held either side of her face in his large hands. He watched with horror as she looked around frantically, still laughing as blood dripped from her eyes.

"Shhhhh, shhhhhhhh, shhhhhh," Alucard whispered, breathing a sigh of relief when clarity came to her eyes as she looked into his.

Her laughing turned to sobs as she gripped his arms tightly before he pulled her into his arms, her body trembling.

"I'm so sooo-rr-rr-y-y," Cara hiccuped as everyone watched in shock.

"For what?" Alucard asked. "What happened?"

"I don't know how it happened.... I swear! I didn't mean for it to happen! Please... Please don't hate me!" Cara begged hysterically.

"Alucard! Get her out of here until she calms down!" Integra ordered.

Alucard picked her up bridal style and carried her from the office, taking her back to their room.

He set her down in his large, tall throne and kneeled before her.

Her breathing was hard and fast. She was trying her best to regulate it, but her thoughts were too jumbled at the moment.

"Deep breathes, love. Deep breathes," Alucard said slowly. Her breathes became longer and deeper. "That's my girl." He waited for a moment before speaking again. "Now, tell me what all the fuss is about."

She looked into his loving sunset and couldn't hold back the single bloody tear that ran down her cheek.

He looked at it for a moment before leaning forward, pressing his lips to the tear, and using his tongue to gently lick away the blood.

She sat there for a moment, looking at him, before standing and walking a few feet away, her back to him.

"If I tell you... Please, promise me something...?" Cara asked, turning to look at him.

"Anything," Alucard said, standing. He was about to walk to her when she held a hand up, stopping him.

"Promise me you won't hate me?" she asked, sadness in her voice.

"Hate you? I could never hate you," he said, confusion in his.

She was quiet for a moment.

"I'm pregnant."

A look of confusion came to his face before it turned to pure shock and horror.

*******************

Integra, Seras, and Walter still sat and stood in the same places they had when Alucard had carried Cara from the room.

"Sir Integra?" Seras called, breaking the silence that hung in the air. Integra and Walter looked to the young draculina. "Umm... Why do you think Mrs. Cara was umm... Acting the way that she did?"

"I wish I knew..." Integra replied.

"I may have a theory, Madame," Walter interjected.

"Well? What is it?" Integra asked impatiently.

"Well... Considering all that's happened these past few days... And her life in general... Her sanity may be deteriorating," Walter said. "But it is just a theory, ma'am."

"Let's hope that's all it is..." Integra said, once again hiding her worry.

*****************

Alucard sat in his throne, his head in his hand as he peeked the eye that was nearly covered out from between his long fingers.

Cara sat on the floor at his legs, not daring to touch him, her legs up to her chest as her hands and chin rested on her knees.

She was so afraid right now. He hadn't said a word since she'd told him that a tiny being now grew inside of her. What kind of being, however, she didn't know.

Her body started to tremble as her heart ached. She couldn't lose him... It would be the end of her.

It wasn't that she'd never wanted a child. It was quit the opposite, really.

She had wanted to have his child since.... Well, since her body had started changing. When she was human, of course.

Now.... She had no idea what was growing inside her.

As far as records went on vampires, babies weren't exactly in the index pages.

What could she do? What could she say? She didn't know the answer to either.

Her thoughts were only making her shack worse.

She suddenly felt a hand on her head, making her jump before she realized it was just Alucard.

He lightly stroked her hair, running his long, gloved fingers through it.

His touch soothed her in so many ways. She couldn't help but lean into it.

After a moment, she leaned her head against his muscular leg, her hands gripping both his pants and ridding boots.

She buried her face into his leg and tried to hide her sobs, but it's hard when the other person has super hearing.

She felt him shift and move off the seat of the throne.

He sat down next to her on the floor and pulled her against him. His hand rubbed up and down her arm and made small circles on her back.

She leaned her head against his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart as her body was wracked with sobs.

"Shhhhh. Don't cry. Shhhhhh," he cooed. He leaned down to her ear and whispered for only her to hear. "No matter what happens.... I'll be by your side.... And our childs." He wrapped his arm around her and placed his hand atop her stomach.

They both felt the tiny flutter in her stomach as his hand rubbed up and down it.

She looked up at him, smiled, and said, "Well, at least the baby knows their father."

He chuckled lightly and gently kissed her lips.

"I love you, My Dark King," she whispered after they parted, their faces barely an inch apart.

"And I you, My Sweet Angel," he replied.

********************

Integra now sat alone in her office. She needed time to organize her thoughts.

A knock, for the second time today, pulled her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she called sternly.

Cara pushed the door open gently and shut it, not realizing that she'd left it open a crack.

"Cara. I'm glad to see you're better. Would you mind...?" Integra started before Alucard suddenly phased through the wall. "You do realize there's a door right there behind you?"

"Yeah, and there's a chair, there's a lamp, there's a window. What's you point?" Alucard smiled sarcastically.

"Just sit down," Integra replied coldly. Cara sat in the chair across from her desk while Alucard leaned against the wall not far from Cara. "Now, will you please tell me the reason behind your little incident earlier?"

Cara and Alucard exchanged looks before Cara cleared her throat, turning back to Integra.

"Ummm.... Forgive me for enforcing this..... But I need you to keep an open mind before I tell you," Cara said, a serious look on her face.

Integra raised a brow before nodding as she clasped her hands in front of her face.

Cara took a deep breath before Alucard said, "She's pregnant."

Integra's eyes widened before she seemingly froze.

Alucard and Cara stared at her for a moment before Alucard walked forward and waved a large hand in front of her face. She still didn't move.

"Master Integra?" Cara called. No movement. She walked up to her and gently shook her shoulder. "Master Integra?"

Whatever thoughts Integra had been sitting on were cut short as she shook her head and un-froze.

She looked up at Alucard then Cara, both females eyes meeting.

"Is it true?" Integra asked.

"Yes," Cara answered in all honesty.

"I see...." Integra said, looking down. "Has anything like this happened before? "

"Not that we know of," Alucard replied.

"Does anyone else know?" Integra asked.

"No," Cara lied. "Just us three."

"Good. It's better for everyone if we keep this all under wraps," Integra said, pulling some paper from a drawer in her desk and handing them to Cara. "Pick a mercenary group from this packet. They will become your round the clock guards."

"I can protect her just fine," Alucard growled. "Besides, why would she need guards?"

"I don't doubt you'd protect her," Integra retorted. "But what if you'reoffon an assignment? A pregnant woman can't defend herself very well. Let alone one we don't even know what she's carrying.She needs protection. Which you two should've used in the first place...."

Alucard gave a deep chuckle while Cara blushed deeply.

The three in the office were too busy to notice someone was listening outside the cracked open door.