Chapter 7 - Child

“I need to go talk to the Council, are you ok?” Chevalier asked, and kissed Emily softly.

She nodded, “I think I’ll take Allen down and make some lunch. He’s not eating well lately.”

“You sure you feel up to it?” he asked, helping her to her feet.

“No, my head is pounding, but I can’t sit in here forever. Come on Allen, let’s go to the kitchen,” Emily said, and held her hand out for him. He turned the TV off and took her hand. Chevalier walked them down to the fourth floor, and then they parted.

Emily excused the kitchen staff, and then looked around for the ingredients to make spaghetti. She set it out and turned to Allen.

“Did you see that your new Wii game came? One of the heku must have picked it up from the mail,” Emily said, and started to cut up some mushrooms.

“No, what game?” Allen asked.

“Ouch, crap,” Emily said, and held up a bloody finger. She put the knife down and looked around for a towel, then spun suddenly when she heard a hiss from behind her.

She looked past Allen for a servant, but her eyes fell back on her son. He was staring at her oddly. His teeth were exposed, and a soft hiss came from his mouth.

“Allen?” she asked, putting a towel over her bloody finger.

Allen crouched with his hands curled into claws. His eyes were focused on the drops of blood on the floor.

“Chev!” Emily yelled, just as Allen lunged at her, growling. She was able to hold him off, but was surprised at his strength. Allen fought against her and tried to get his mouth close to her still bleeding finger.

Kyle arrived first, having heard her call, and pulled Allen off of Emily. Allen hissed and pulled at Kyle’s hands, trying to get to his Mom. Kyle could smell fresh blood in the room.

“What’s going on here?” Chevalier asked, confused.

“He… he attacked me,” Emily said, watching Allen with wide eyes. The 4-year-old was hissing violently and fighting Kyle.

Chevalier looked at Allen with surprise, “He attacked you?”

Chevalier pulled Allen from Kyle’s grasp and held him closely.

“I cut my finger and heard a hiss. Then I turned around…” Emily said.

Sam ran into the room and pulled Allen from Chevalier, then pushed the boy behind him, “Stay away from him.”

“You knew?” Chevalier growled at Sam.

“Knew what?” Emily asked. She tried to get to Allen, but Kyle held her back.

“Just leave him alone, he’ll be fine,” Sam said frantically.

“You kept it from us?” Chevalier growled.

“What’s going on?” Emily asked, frustrated.

“Kyle, give him something to drink,” Chevalier said as he watched Sam carefully.

Emily turned as Kyle poured something into a tall glass and handed it to Allen. Allen shut his eyes and smelled the drink, then gripped the glass tighter, and drank it all quickly.

“More,” Allen hissed.

Kyle moved quickly and refilled Allen’s glass. Again, Allen smelled the drink and downed the contents.

A deep growl erupted from behind Sam, and Kyle again refilled the glass and handed it to Allen. He drank again, but not as deeply. Once half of the glass was gone, he froze and dropped it, shattering glass and blood across the floor.

Emily gasped and took a step back.

“How long has he preferred blood?” Chevalier asked Sam.

“You gave him blood?” Emily asked Kyle, and he nodded, also watching Allen.

“How long, Sam? Answer me,” Chevalier growled.

“Just about two years,” Sam said, holding Allen behind him.

“You kept that from us!” Chevalier yelled, taking a step toward the familiar.

“Stop, Sam, you promised not to tell,” Allen said fearfully from behind Sam.

“Allen, come here,” Chevalier said.

“No, I’ll take care of this,” Sam said.

“Kyle,” Chevalier said, and Kyle blurred to Sam, pinning him against the wall behind them.

Chevalier knelt in front of Allen, “Show me your teeth.”

Allen opened his mouth so Chevalier could look.

“He has a mortal’s mouth. He can’t bite deep enough to get blood,” Sam said, straining against Kyle.

“Can you move fast?” Chevalier asked him.

“Sort of,” Allen said, afraid.

“Can you control mortals?”

Allen nodded slowly.

“Anything else?” Chevalier asked.

“No,” Allen whispered.

“What… you told me he’s mortal,” Emily said, still in shock.

“The child of a heku and a human is always mortal,” Chevalier said. “I don’t understand this.”

“He tried to bite me,” Emily said, frowning.

“He’s a 4-year-old predator with the instincts of a natural killer, but the control of a child,” Kyle explained.

“Why did you keep this from us?” Chevalier asked Sam, and Kyle let him go so the familiar could face the Elder.

“I can handle it,” Sam said just as Chevalier backhanded him into the stone wall.

Emily backed up slowly and watched horrified from across the kitchen.

“I’m his father! I have the right to know,” Chevalier growled.

“He needs me, I can control him,” Sam said from the floor. “Today was my fault. I was late feeding him and when Emily cut her finger…”

“Obviously, you can’t control him,” Chevalier said angrily.

“Are you going to lock me up?” Allen asked softly.

Chevalier knelt beside him, “No, how would you get that idea?”

“Sam… he said if you found out, you would lock me up, and Mommy would leave,” Allen said.

“You said what?” Emily yelled at Sam.

“Allen, listen to me,” Sam said.

“Guards! Get him to prison,” Emily yelled. Chevalier was surprised when her orders were followed quickly, and without question.

Emily scooped Allen up in her arms and held him close as she left the kitchen and ran up the stairs, followed by Kyle and Chevalier. She turned with Allen in her arms and looked at Chevalier.

“Did you know?”

“No, I had no idea,” Chevalier said, looking concerned at his son.

“How can he be a heku? Never in the history of our species has there been a child,” Kyle said, still stunned at the revelation.

“I don’t know, it’s unheard of,” Chevalier said.

Emily glared and held Allen tighter when Quinn, Maleth, and Damon appeared in the doorway.

“Get away from my son,” she yelled at them.

“We couldn’t help but hear. We aren’t here to take him,” Maleth said, stepping toward them.

“A 4-year-old predator, now that sounds interesting,” Damon said, amused.

Emily glared at Damon and tightened her grip on Allen.

Quinn nodded, “I think I understand.”

Chevalier turned to the other Elder, “You made sense of this?”

“Yes, think about it. The original Winchester children were 50% heku and 50% human right?” Quinn said.

Chevalier nodded.

“Their children then, were 25% mortal because of their pure mortal fathers.”

“Ok,” Chevalier said, trying to see where this was going.

“It’s been said that Emily’s mother had almost no powers. She had to be around 1% heku by that point,” Quinn said, his mind was racing.

Chevalier nodded, “Yes, then Emily’s Dad was an ancient.”

“So that would mean Emily was… about 51% heku,” Quinn said, and started to pace.

“If that, yes.” Chevalier agreed.

“And that extra 1% made her more powerful than any other mortal.”

“Yes”

“So your children would be 75% heku and 25% mortal,” Quinn said, turning to him.

“So 50% and 50% and the child takes on the mortal traits… but my children would be only 1/4 mortal,” Chevalier said, and the thought hit him, Allen could be the first child heku.

“Maybe even less than 1/4. It seems improbable, because there has never, in the history of the heku, been a child born to it,” Quinn said, impressed.

“So that means this baby will be heku also?” Emily asked, frowning.

“Probably, though if it’s a female there may be more of the Winchester’s inherent traits,” Quinn said.

“The factions will fight to get him,” Damon said bluntly.

Chevalier nodded, “Yes they will. Which means the safest place for him is with Emily right now.”

“Not if he’s going to snack on her,” Damon chuckled.

“Shut up, Damon,” Chevalier growled.

“I mean no disrespect, but how much control does he have? So we leave him alone with his mortal mother?” Damon said softly.

“He’s been going to school. Sam must have figured out a way,” Chevalier said.

“I’ll go talk to him,” Kyle said, and blurred from the room.

“Mommy, can I get down?” Allen asked softly.

“No,” Emily whispered, glaring at Damon.

“Em, you have to put him down,” Chevalier told her, and touched her arm lightly.

Emily reluctantly set Allen down, and he turned and looked nervously at the others.

“Are you going to lock me up in prison?” Allen asked Damon.

Damon grinned, “Of course not, I’m proud of you!”

“A heku child, who would ever have imagined,” Maleth said, smiling.

“There has to be others… a child that’s turned,” Emily said, frowning.

“No, no child can survive the process,” Maleth explained.

Allen watched the others, embarrassed, and finally went into his room and started to color. The heku watched him for a bit, but Emily was scanning their faces.

“Get out,” Emily whispered, and the others in the room looked at her.

“Em…” Chevalier said softly.

“I said, get out.”

Chevalier called for Allen and took his hand. Everyone left Emily alone in her room. She looked around the empty room and sat against the wall with her face buried in her hands. She had never been alone in the palace, Alan was with her. That had meant she would never be alone, she would never be the only mortal in Council City.

Emily couldn’t help but cry as the thoughts of a heku child ran through her mind. She had a child that could kill her. She wondered if he would always be trying to drink from her. If she would end up afraid of her own son. How could she survive, the lone mortal in a world where mortals were nothing more than nourishment. She endured with the knowledge that she had her son, now that knowledge was violently ripped from her.

Emily had to get out. She felt the urge to run away, far away from Council City. She ran from the room, ignoring the heku calling to her from the hallway. She fled down the stairs and out into the stables, then threw a bridle on Damnit quickly and kicked him into a gallop before she’d even left the stables. She heard Kyle call her name as she passed the front doors, and headed into the city. Before long, she was out on the hills by herself.

“Just let her go,” Chevalier said as Kyle began to bridle his horse.

“She has really bad luck outside of the city,” Kyle whispered, turning to Chevalier.

“I know, but just leave her alone for now,” Chevalier said, watching as her silhouette appeared on the hills outside of the city.

“She should be proud. Finally did something useful for the heku,” Damon said as he stepped out into the stables.

Chevalier glared at him, and Kyle yelled “Shut up!”

“What? Honestly, how awesome is it that we can now make our own little heku army,” Damon chuckled.

Chevalier’s fist connected with his jaw, shattering it, before Damon could even react. The force of the punch threw him back into the stable’s walls.

Emily looked out over the city. From the hills, it looked peaceful and tranquil, but she was overtly aware of the violent, sadistic creatures that dwelled within its walls. No longer wanting to watch the city, Emily pulled Damnit around and headed toward the solidarity of the trees.

There was a light breeze blowing, and dark clouds were quickly rolling into the area. Emily pulled Damnit just inside the trees as it started to rain. She watched the green hills turn to mud as the thunder and lightning lit up the dark sky.

Emily turned to the trees. Never before had she felt so alone. The only family she had, other than the heku, was far away in New Mexico or already dead. She knew there were worse things than having Allen take on the heku traits of his father, but the thoughts of being the only mortal was suddenly overwhelming.

As much as she hated to cry, Emily leaned her head forward and let the tears go. She cried for the fears she had for her son, she cried for what might become of the baby, and she cried for the fears that had been building lately.

“No sign yet?” Kyle asked, walking up to Chevalier.

“No,” he answered, standing on the third-floor balcony and watching the hills where they last saw Emily.

“Tonight’s supposed to be the first snow.”

“I know.”

“How did you return her memory?” Kyle asked, after watching the hills silently for a few minutes.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

That answered Kyle’s question, and he decided to just drop the subject, “The doctor’s waiting for Em to get back. He’s worried about her blood pressure.”

Chevalier sighed, “Right now, we just need to leave her alone.”

Kyle turned to leave, and then stopped, “Maleth wants this kept on a need-to-know basis. He doesn’t even want the rest of the Council to know.”

Chevalier nodded, and Kyle went back down to the prison.

Emily sat perfectly still on top of the young paint and watched as the rain slowly turned to snow before her eyes. She could see the vapors from her breath, and that from the warm stallion, but she didn’t feel cold. She felt nothing.

She made up her mind just as the sun was setting behind the trees. There was now almost two inches of snow, and the large white flakes weren’t slowing down. Emily kicked Damnit into a slow walk and started back for the city.

With Damnit back in the stall, Emily grabbed a brush and decided to give him a good brushing. It helped the horse, and kept her hands busy so her mind was free to work on the finer points of her plan.

“What did you decide?” Chevalier asked from behind her.

“What do you mean?” Emily asked, setting down the brush and heading toward the food bins.

“You only disappear on horseback for hours if you are trying to make up your mind about something.” He followed her and opened the bin.

Emily hopped up on an empty bin and looked at Chevalier, “I’m going to buy a little ranch.”

Chevalier nodded, “Ok.”

“I need somewhere to go if I need some time away.” Emily watched him carefully.

“Are you moving, then?” Chevalier’s words were tense.

“No, I have enough left over from the Montana sale to buy a ranch, and hire a farmhand to watch the place for me,” Emily explained.

“I can get someone from here to work for free, and keep an eye on the place,” Chevalier offered, knowing she wouldn’t take the offer.

“You already know the answer to that. In fact, if I ever find out that you’ve gone snooping and try to find out where the place is, I’ll move there permanently,” Emily threatened.

Chevalier nodded.

“Tell your cronies too. That goes for any heku trying to find out where it is,” she said, sliding off of the barrel and grabbing the hose line.

“What about Allen?” Chevalier asked.

“What do you mean? Will I take him with me, or what do I feel about having a son that wants to feed off of me?” Emily asked as she started to fill all of the troughs with fresh water.

“Both, I guess.”

“I don’t know yet,” she said, and grabbed a rake, then started mucking out one of the empty stalls.

Chevalier gently took the rake and pulled her close to him. She buried her face in his chest, “It’s ok.”

“Why didn’t Sam tell us?” Emily said softly. Her voice held pain and betrayal, and Chevalier suddenly wanted to dismember the familiar.

He paused while he controlled his anger, “I don’t know, but it won’t happen again.”

“When I get the ranch, I’m moving Sam out there as overseer. I don’t want him around Allen,” Emily said, pulling away from Chevalier.

“You trust him?” Chevalier asked.

“No, that’s why I’ll have another farmhand. If I catch him near Allen again, I’ll kill him,” Emily said coldly.

Chevalier kissed her forehead, “You aren’t a killer. If the time comes, then let me do it.”

Emily suddenly leaned over and placed her hands on her knees. She dropped her head and breathed deeply.

“Em?” Chevalier said in a panic.

“Gimme a sec,” she said, groaning slightly.

“Doctor,” Chevalier whispered, and he blurred into the stables, just as Emily stood up and rubbed her belly.

“Go away, I’m not in labor,” Emily said, and walked past them.

Chevalier grabbed her arm, “Just let him look at you.”

“Let me make sure you aren’t in pre-term labor, please,” the doctor asked.

“Like anyone would know. I’m the only who knows how far along I am,” Emily said, smirking.

“Then a blood pressure, at least,” the doctor said, pulling out a cuff.

“I can already tell you… it’s high,” Emily told him.

“How can you tell though?”

“Because when it’s high I get headaches with little flashing lights,” Emily said calmly.

The doctor looked at her with wide eyes.

“I’m not in labor, anyway,” Emily said, and pulled her arm away from Chevalier, then headed into the palace.

“I’d bet my license she’s ready to go into labor, with the size of that baby. If she’s having those kinds of headaches, she should be on bed rest,” the doctor told Chevalier.

“When do we become concerned that the baby is too big?” Chevalier asked him.

“Honestly, I’m already concerned about that. It’s hard to tell with her because she’s naturally tiny, but to me, that baby looks huge. Keep in mind though, I was a general practitioner, not an obstetrician,” the doctor reminded him.

“Find one, call every coven in the Equites if you have to,” Chevalier ordered, and the doctor blurred away.

Chevalier met up with Emily in the bedroom.

“Why are you packing, Em?” he asked, frustrated.

“I told you, I’m buying a ranch. I’ve had my eye on one and I’m going to go look at it in the morning. I’ll only be gone a few days,” she said, and looked around for her 9mm.

“You seriously think that’s a good idea?” Chevalier growled.

“Where’s my gun?” Emily asked, and turned around to look at him.

“Why do you have to do this right now?” he asked her, starting to sound angry.

“Why not right now?”

“You look like you’re ready to explode. The doctor thinks you could go into labor at any time,” Chevalier said, trying to calm his voice.

“Kyle! Where’s my gun?” Emily yelled toward the door.

“Emily, stop!”

She turned to him, “I’m not in labor, Chev.”

“I don’t care. It’s just not the time to go out on your own.”

“Don’t start a fight with me,” Emily said, taking the gun from Kyle when he walked in the door.

Kyle backed out quickly when he heard them argue.

“I’m not starting a fight. I just want you to be rational for once, and stop being so damned stubborn headed,” Chevalier said, and pounded his fist on the table, breaking it in half.

“Is that what I’m being, irrational?” Emily asked, glaring.

“Yes, yes you are. You won’t tell anyone how far along you are, won’t let the doctors touch you. For all I know, you could be past due and you’re headed out alone to some unknown ranch by yourself,” Chevalier said tensely.

“I love your faith in me, Chev,” she said, and grabbed her bag. “I’m leaving tonight then. I’m not going to stand here and fight.”

“Emily, no” Chevalier said, taking her arm.

“Are you going to hold me here against my will?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

Every fiber of his being was yelling to stop her, and keep her here in the safety of the palace with doctors closely watching her. Against his better judgment, he let her go, and watched her disappear through the garage doors.

“Where’s Em going?” Kyle asked, stepping up beside Chevalier.

“I don’t know,” the Elder said, and threw a chair through the wall beside him.

The doctor came up to them and glanced at the wall briefly, “The Kork Coven outside of Denver has an obstetrician. He’s flying in, and will be here first thing in the morning.”

“Get him a room. He’s staying in the palace,” Chevalier said angrily.

The doctor nodded, “Do you think we can talk her into a blood pressure check?”

“Nope, she just left,” Chevalier said, and blurred to his office.

“What? I’m not convinced she’s not starting labor!” the doctor said, shocked.

Kyle looked toward Chevalier’s office nervously.