A few days later, Aaron returned home to find Aislyn on her knees, retching into a bucket. Running to her, he dropped down next to her, pulling loose strands of her red hair back out of the way. \u201cAre you all right?\u201d he asked once she had finished and began to steady herself.
\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d she assured him, managing a smile.
He rushed to bring her water and a towel to wipe her mouth. Once he helped her up and over to the bed, where she insisted on sitting instead of lying down, he took care of the bucket and ran back to her side. \u201cAislyn, do you have fever?\u201d he asked, feeling her forehead. \u201cWhen did you start feeling ill?\u201d
\u201cA few weeks ago,\u201d she replied, but she was still smiling, and though he had no idea what there was to be happy about, he took a deep breath and let her continue. \u201cAaron, I\u2019m not ill,\u201d she assured him, placing her thin hand on his knee.
\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d he asked. \u201cYou were vomiting.\u201d
\u201cYes, I know. I\u2019ve been vomiting for a few weeks, but then it\u2019s usually in the morning. Sometimes, like today, it hits later. I\u2019m fine.\u201d
\u201cAislyn, if you\u2019ve been throwing up for weeks, something is wrong. We need to get you to a physician.\u201d
\u201cI told you I\u2019m not ill, Aaron. I\u2019m certain of it. I went to town last week and spoke to my mother. I\u2019m just fine.\u201d
\u201cWhat does your mother know of this type of illness?\u201d he asked, brushing her hair back over her shoulder where it had attached to her clammy skin.
\u201cPlenty. I\u2019m not ill\u2014I\u2019m carrying a child,\u201d she explained, her smile even wider now.
Aaron could hardly believe what he was hearing. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d he asked. \u201cA child?\u201d
\u201cYes, our child,\u201d she said. Taking his hand, she placed it on her abdomen. \u201cI know you can\u2019t feel anything yet, but soon enough you\u2019ll see. I\u2019ll have a nice bump right here, and wee little legs kicking, in a rush to get out into the world and meet the most wonderful da a babe could ever have.\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019re going to have a baby?\u201d The information still hadn\u2019t settled in. Aislyn had leaned her head back into his chest so that his arms were around her. He sat there holding her, contemplating her message, wondering how it was possible that he was going to be someone\u2019s da.
\u201cIsn\u2019t it wonderful?\u201d she asked, her voice sounding sleepy.
Despite the lack of food, the failing potatoes, the Vampires, the uncertainty of who he was and what he was destined to become, Aaron agreed that Aislyn\u2019s news was wonderful indeed. \u201cYes,\u201d he replied. \u201cIt\u2019s the most wonderful thing I\u2019ve ever heard in my entire life.\u201d He leaned back on the bed, pulling her into his arms and held her, marveling about how fortunate he was. He was married to the most beautiful woman in the world, who was carrying his child. How could life be any better than this?
The next morning, Kian was out in the field waiting for him, a concerned look on his face. Aaron could not put away his smile, and he was sure he looked like a fool as he approached his friend. He didn\u2019t care. He was going to be a father.
\u201cAaron, something\u2019s wrong. I just know it,\u201d Kian said, his voice hardly above a whisper, no regard whatsoever for the ridiculous smirk on his friend\u2019s face.
\u201cGood morning, Kian,\u201d Aaron replied as if he hadn\u2019t understood the statement. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful day, isn\u2019t it?\u201d
\u201cNo, it\u2019s not,\u201d Kian assured him. \u201cAaron, something is wrong with Shannon. And I fear the worst.\u201d
Disregarding Kian\u2019s negativity, Aaron went about the first task he needed to complete that day. There was a rather large boulder in the middle of his field that he\u2019d been working around. Today was the day this boulder would meet its demise.
\u201cAaron, she\u2019s been completely non-responsive for three days. Then, this morning, she\u2019s up out of bed, chipper as all get out, telling me how I\u2019m a wonderful, loving husband, and making me fresh eggs.\u201d
\u201cThat\u2019s lovely,\u201d Aaron replied, taking the hoe to the rock and striking it along the edge, intending to break it into smaller pieces. The rock broke into two halves, and he realized he could likely pick each of them up now and toss them out of his acreage.
\u201cWe don\u2019t even have chickens,\u201d Kian reminded him. \u201cWhere the hell did she get eggs?\u201d
Picking up the first half, the larger of the two, Aaron lifted it up over his shoulder and swung it around, sending it sailing off into the woods on the edge of his rented property. It crashed into the top of a few of the larger pines, snapping them and tumbling out of sight. \u201cMaybe she got some the last time she was in town.\u201d
\u201cThat was months ago,\u201d Kian argued.
The second half was even lighter and ended up clearing the tops of the trees, disappearing over the horizon. Aaron was proud of himself for finding a constructive way to use his newfound strength. \u201cI don\u2019t know, Kian. Maybe a visitor brought them to her while you were in the field.\u201d
With that, Kian relaxed a little bit. Running his hand through his hair, he muttered, \u201cMaybe. I don\u2019t know. I just don\u2019t feel she\u2019s quite herself.\u201d
\u201cKeep an eye on her,\u201d Aaron recommended, wondering what he might do with the rest of his morning now that the boulder was cleared, \u201cand see how she acts. Kian, you always suspect the worst. It\u2019s likely nothing.\u201d
Though Kian\u2019s expression didn\u2019t show that he completely believed his friend, he nodded and went back to his own field to start his day. Meanwhile, having nothing else to do until later that afternoon, Aaron returned home eager to kiss his perfect wife and remind her of how much he loved her.
A few days later, Kian was back. This time, he swore he\u2019d seen Shannon sneaking in late at night, though he wasn\u2019t positive he wasn\u2019t dreaming. Once again, Aaron calmed his fears and sent him home, hopeful that there truly was no need for alarm.
However, as the days passed, he began to realize something wasn\u2019t quite right with Aislyn either. At first, he had thought it was just the pregnancy. She was becoming more and more lethargic. Her skin was even more pale than usual, and her eyes had dark rings beneath them. He insisted she spend her days in bed, even though she argued, saying she was fine and had much to do around the house. He won out, however, and she continued to rest. Even with more sleep, she didn\u2019t improve, and when she broke into a fever, Aaron panicked. He checked her entire body for any signs of infection. She insisted she was fine\u2014that she had not interacted with any of the Dark Ones. She would recover fully with more rest.
Aaron ran into town to find a midwife. By the time he returned, Aislyn was hardly even lucid. The woman checked her over and assured him that if she drank an herbal remedy, she would be fine in a day or two. She believed it was only the pregnancy wearing her down.
The next morning, he was greeted by her sparkling green eyes. The herbs seemed to have done the trick, but though she appeared to be on the mend, Aaron insisted she stay in bed. He had lost much time in the field and went out to see what he could get accomplished that morning, knowing he\u2019d return to her side just as soon as possible.
Not five minutes after he began to work on the trench he was digging, Kian was at his side. \u201cAaron, I\u2019ve been needing to talk to you,\u201d he said, the concern in his voice causing it to shake. \u201cIt\u2019s Shannon. It\u2019s bad, Aaron.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Kian,\u201d Aaron replied, stopping his work to give his full attention to his friend. Kian had approached him, concerned about his wife, and Aaron had ignored him, so wound up in his own happiness he hadn\u2019t bothered to take any interest at all in his friend\u2019s situation. \u201cHow is she?\u201d
\u201cI wasn\u2019t certain at first, Aaron, but now I am. She\u2019s definitely turned.\u201d
Aaron was shocked. He dropped the hoe. \u201cWhat do you mean? How do you know?\u201d
\u201cLast night, I caught her creeping back in. She\u2019s not herself. Not at all. She doesn\u2019t eat. She looks\u2014different. Her eyes are\u2026 gray. With black circles beneath them. Her skin is cold. I\u2026 I know it\u2019s not my Shannon, Aaron. And I fear she must be going out at night to feed, that she\u2019s killing other villagers.\u201d
\u201cMy God,\u201d Aaron mumbled, unable to think about how his friend must feel. \u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Kian.\u201d
\u201cThat\u2019s not all. Whenever I\u2019m around her, I have this feeling in my stomach, like it\u2019s full of butterflies. I think that\u2019s my way of reacting to her\u2026 as a Hunter. It\u2019s an internal warning of sorts, I think.\u201d
Aaron nodded. He imagined there must be some sort of a reaction whenever the enemy was nearby. \u201cWhat are you planning to do?\u201d he asked.
Clearing his throat, Kian reached into the back of his trousers and produced a wooden stake, shaped like a cross, about two feet by one foot. The tip appeared to be cast in silver. \u201cI believe I have no choice but to use this.\u201d
\u201cA wooden stake?\u201d Aaron questioned. \u201cWhere did you get that?\u201d
\u201cDoesn\u2019t matter. I\u2019ve heard it\u2019s the most humane way to end them, that they hardly feel it. I believe it would be easiest if it were done while she is sleeping, before she wakes to feed.\u201d
Nodding, Aaron said, \u201cThis cannot have been an easy decision for you, my friend.\u201d
\u201cNo, it hasn\u2019t been,\u201d Kian agreed.
\u201cYou know I will support you however I can,\u201d Aaron assured him.
\u201cGood,\u201d Kian replied. \u201cBecause I need you to do it for me.\u201d
\u201cDo it for you?\u201d Aaron echoed. \u201cWhat is that? You want me to drive a stake through your wife\u2019s heart?\u201d
\u201cYes,\u201d Kian said. \u201cThere\u2019s no way I can do it myself.\u201d
\u201cWhat makes you think I can?\u201d Aaron asked. \u201cI\u2019ve known Shannon for years. What if you\u2019re wrong?\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m not wrong,\u201d Kian replied. \u201cYou have to trust me. Please, Aaron. There\u2019s no one else I trust to do this. You have to.\u201d
\u201cListen, Kian, I haven\u2019t told you this, but Aislyn is with child,\u201d Aaron began, cautiously. \u201cShe hasn\u2019t been feeling well lately. I\u2019m not sure I\u2019m up to this right now.\u201d
\u201cAaron,\u201d Kian said, placing his hand on Aaron\u2019s shoulder, \u201cif you were in my position, what would you do?\u201d
Aaron refused to even consider the possibility of changing places with Kian. Discovering that Aislyn had been turned, contemplating destroying her? He could never\u2026. He could never.
\u201cPlease? Come over tonight, around midnight. She should be sleeping by then, and she won\u2019t be up and ready to feed for a few more hours. I need you to do this for me.\u201d
Without another word, Aaron slowly nodded his head. The thought of driving a wooden stake through the heart of a woman he\u2019d known longer than he could remember, especially when he had no firsthand knowledge that she was anything other than the Shannon he\u2019d always known, was more than he cared to think about, and as Kian patted him on the shoulder and turned to go, he determined to concentrate on the field and put Shannon out of his mind.
\u201cOh, and Aaron?\u201d Kian called as he crossed onto his land. \u201cCongratulations. That\u2019s wonderful news.\u201d
Aaron called out his thanks, but he could tell by the tone of Kian\u2019s voice his words were just an effort to be polite. How could he blame his friend for feeling anything but morose on such a day? Perhaps he would find love and joy again someday, though Aaron couldn\u2019t imagine how that would be possible. If anything ever happened to Aislyn, he wouldn\u2019t ever be able to go on. He\u2019d already decided that when she was old and gray, and left this world for the next, he\u2019d ask Kian to finish him as well. If Aislyn were not in this world, he would not want to be either.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A few days later, Aaron returned home to find Aislyn on her knees, retching into a bucket. Running to her, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadows-bargain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=132"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/132\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/demonslayerrmanga.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}