Chapter 126) Euphoria & Controversy

“None of us really changes over time;
we only become more fully what we are.”

Anne Rice

Del Sol Valley
Cameron Mansion

Blaine leaned forward in his chair, rubbing his burning eyes. This time, at least, they were only burning because of him working on his music, not because of painful feelings of desperation and fear wanting out.

There had been plenty of that over the weeks following his late night talk with Scarlett.

Once back home Blaine had started researching online about undiscovered tumors and pregnancy issues, it scared him, but not as much as the startling discovery once he had talked Bristol into getting that checked out – obviously without mentioning Scarlett – and the reports had come back positive for cancer, leaving the entire household in fear and anguish for weeks on end.
Scarlett’s instinct had been right on the money.

He flashed back to himself sitting next to Bri in the doctor’s office feeling equally numb and scared out of his wits, trying not to break down and cry, trying to appear strong for his beautiful wife, he remembered staring at the X-Rays which were just patterns dancing before his eyes at that point, while the doctor rambled on and on about dark shadows on them caused by nodes on the organs which had started to fill with blood vessels, about the biopsy results confirming a rare form of sarcoma, a highly aggressive cancer known to spread quickly, and about the prognosis and survival rates of double sided ovarian cancer.

The good news had been that it was discovered in the very early stages, there had been no metastasizing, but the bad news were obvious: both ovaries had to be removed, meaning there would never be a child for Bristol and Blaine, at least not the natural way. There were no suitable ovary donors out there, the procedure was just too new and complicated.

The removal surgery happened right away, an emergency surgery, it was a full success, Bri’s prognosis of survival was very positive, her recovery progressed quickly.

But there was the dark cloud lingering over everything. No baby, not ever. Some days it seemed Bristol would have almost preferred death to this, a fact that hurt Blaine deeply, made him feel second best and rejected by such thoughts, while he felt like he won the lottery knowing she was save from the imminent danger of the aggressive cancer she had been living with without anyone knowing. An inner conflict for both of them, suffered in silence.

Then one day Scarlett came by to pick up Vivien, naturally she knew about all of that, and always showed extra patience with Bristol, just like that day, when she nearly had to pry her daughter from Bristol’s arms, while Bristol herself told her about the desperation she felt.

As if watching his wife spill her innermost feelings to his ex wasn’t awkward enough, Blaine’s eyes threatened to fall out of their sockets on what followed.

Instead of her usual short-fused behavior when people messed with her, and especially if it involved her daughter, Scarlett talked to Bri, surprisingly gentle, Bri calmed down, let go of Vivien who was more interested in her toys and daddy, than worrying about her step-mother’s odd behavior. Blaine made sure Vivien was distracted, as Bristol now burst into tears, desperate ones, Scarlett pulled her into her arms, rocking her gently, while Bri sobbed her emotions out, all her feelings and fears pouring from her lips while Scarlett patiently and quietly listened as she calmed her.

“… I just want to be a mother, Scarlett, if only once, just want to feel all the magic. Is that really so much to ask? The love between two people bearing fruit in the form of a child, which grows inside of me and finally I get to hold a baby in my arms, my baby. Our baby. A child of love, Blaine and I created together. Why, WHY!? Why me? WHY!?” sobbed Bristol, sounding heart wrenchingly.

“Well, not to sound heartless, but let me put a damper on your cutesy notion on pregnancy. Yeah, sure, it’s all that to a degree, but it’s also a lot of puking, peeing and aching, not to mention you most likely will pee or even shit on the table during the delivery and your plumbing won’t be right for months afterwards, while you leak from aching boobs. But yeah, the rest is pretty special, I suppose. Just wanted you to have the full picture, so you know what you are getting into. Don’t tell me afterwards my gift didn’t come with a warning.”

“What gift? Are you letting me adopt Vivien?”

“OH HELL NO, woman! Not in a million years, sorry, Bri, that baby is mine! No, Bristol, but I am giving you one of my ovaries so you can make your own.”

“WHAT!?” Bristol exclaimed, looking about ready to faint.

“WHAT?!” Blaine echoed.

“Yeah, only condition I have is, it has to be a special doctor performing the transplant, by the name of Dr. Collin Cunningham, he’s at the Cunningham Memorial Medical Center in Willow Creek. Distant relative of Blaine’s and a long story, but I happen to know that his pet project is advanced fertility treatments. He’s our man. So if you can manage being away from Del Sol Valley for a few weeks, you got yourself an ovary, girl.”

Everyone can imagine what followed, after nearly breaking Scarlett in half, literally kissing her, Bristol was about ready to pack her bags and leave right away, Everett and Maeve had to calm her down from complete ecstasy, eventually had her take some sedatives, as she was about to have a spiral out of control for joy, pulling out all the baby preparation lists she had created. A complete state of euphoria.

While his parents dealt with his overwhelmed wife, Blaine managed to catch Scarlett alone, just before she was about to take Vivien and leave.

“Scarlett, are you really sure? I really am at a loss for words, I don’t know what to say. I am not sure how I feel about all this. This is HUGE. I don’t know if we can accept this.”

“Ha, want me to tell your wife you changed my mind about it? That almost sounds like a fun experiment but sadly, I am not enough of an asshole to put poor Bristol through it just to see what happens.” Scarlett grinned, winking.

“No, but this is gigantic. Why would you do that? All things considered, I mean, you know … What about you … and … future babies? One ovary makes getting pregnant tougher. Even I know that. I assume you won’t accept payment …”

“Me? I have all I ever need, all I could ever want in Vivien. She is so much more than a child to me, she is a part of you I get to keep, at least for now. When I look into her eyes, I see you, Blaine, you, us, that night she was created. You can’t top that. Not with a dozen more children.”

“I can’t believe you would do this for Bristol.”

“I am not doing it for her … This is my gift to you, Blaine. Maybe just a little bit for her too. Poor girl’s so miserable, breaks your heart, knowing all she has been through, and as much as I hate to admit it, she is a great step-mother to Vivien. She’d make a wonderful mother to her own kid.”

“Oh god, Scarlett, I can never repay you for this. I don’t even know what to say, how to thank you.”

“Then don’t. I am not looking for thanks. I am doing this for you, so you can be happy again, with the life I sacrificed ‘us‘ for, so you can lead it as it should be not the constant hiding in the twilight you would have had with me. I can’t watch you crash and burn now, over some medical issue I can help fix. And maybe one day I need help, maybe then you’ll remember this.”

“Scarlett, I’d do anything for you, even without this and even in the midst of our worst fights, you know that. Are you sure Cunningham will do the procedure? I know why it has to be him, cos he knows about the vampire part, but you know, they are not crazy about me and Bristol after the wedding incident …”

“Ri will get that scheduled. Collin will do ANYTHING for Riordan. It will happen, if you want it to. I gotta get home now, since Bri is sleeping no need for the dropping me off at the airport charades. Now give your daughter a kiss and I am out. Bye Blaine. I’ll be in touch about the procedure, be prepared to leave soon.”

Fast forward some more weeks, Bristol was fully recovered and crying over test results that had gotten, happy tears this time, confirming her body wasn’t rejecting the organ.
Blaine already knew that was going to happen, since vampires have no blood types to be rejected and their organs adjust to anything.
Within mere days the ovary was working as if it had always been there, because it wasn’t that of a mortal and didn’t abide by those anatomical restrictions. Nothing was standing in the way of Blaine and Bristol creating their own child now, as soon as Bristol’s ovulation was on schedule again.

Windenburg Isle
Old Cameron Beach House, vacant

During another visit in Windenburg a few weeks after that, Blaine travelled alone again, but this time because Bristol was catching up on making videos for her YouTube channel to come out of hiatus, Blaine called Scarlett over for a meeting, then took her to a house on the Windenburg isle.

While entering, she looked around.

“Oh, is this a new game we are playing, Blaine, a fun game of breaking and entering? Are we stealing shit too? Should have said something, I would have brought my big purse.”

“Very funny, Scarlett. You watched me unlock the front door and type in the alarm code, so who’s the dumbass now? This is the house my dad and uncle grew up in, my family still owns it. So relax, it’s all fully legal and legit.”

“Oh good, you know as a vampire I wouldn’t want to break the mortal law or rules. Looks like you left your sense of humor back in Del Sol Valley. Hopefully you packed tampons and PMS pills, sounds like you need both bad. So, what EXACTLY are we doing here? Career change to realtor? Music not your thing anymore? Oh – I got it, you are trying to see if vampires can be roofied! Spoiler alert – nope!” Scarlett asked, looking at the table with an already open bottle of red wine, extra dry, just how she preferred it, and two glasses already poured.

“Are you done with the stand-up comedy? We are just going to have some very much un-roofied wine together, Scarlett. I have something to talk to you about. Something I didn’t want to do by text or in front of others.”

“Ah – I bet I can guess the news. You done gone knocked your wife up. Well, congrats.”

“Not yet, but we got the green light from the doctors, she is ovulating, had her period, all the things that need to happen are happening again and they are hopeful. Because of you, Scarlett. Bristol is almost the old Bri, happy, sweet, optimistic and positive – and so very grateful to you. I still am flabbergasted. Bristol absolutely loves you now, by the way. And I am not even joking. She literally LOVES you.”

“Oh, lucky me. My arch enemy loves me. Cheers to that as well.”

“Arch enemy? I am sorry, I watched you console her, as if she were your sister. You gave her one of your ovaries. You went through all that for her, so don’t you tell me you don’t like her!”

“Oh, I like her just fine, except for the part that she has what I want more than anything in this world, you. And you are wrong. I didn’t do it for her, I did that for you. And in a way, for me. That new baby, once you made it, in a very tiny way, will be part of me.”

“You are part of me. Always will be, Scarlett, until my last breath. To me that blood bond is still very real.”

“Blaine, remember our talk about the ghosts of the past. You are getting them out of their graves with air horns.”

“Fuck the ghosts! That’s why I brought you here, to tell you that. FUCK. THE. GHOSTS. Fuck everything. I need you. I love you. What you did for us, it only made me love and want you more. I cannot stand another second without you!” Blaine just grabbed Scarlett and pulled her into his embrace, holding on tight. A mortal with need to breathe would have been miserable. Scarlett was neither.

“Blaine – careful now. I am not the saint you seem to think I am. Far from it. If you kiss me again, or more, I will do nothing to stop it. I am not good, as a person. I am vampire. Being vampire is not a cutesy choice, we are not good or bad, we just are and we are opportunists. I have no loyalties with Bristol. Just keep that in mind before your next move or words. My final warning!”

“I love you, Scarlett. Still. You are everything to me.”

“Oh, fuck it, I tried …”

Scarlett looked up and kissed him hard, demanding, longing, her kisses were met in kind by Blaine. Both knew this was not going to end until they crossed that forbidden line.
Neither of them spoke anymore, no need for words. They were meaningless now, all that counted were actions.

They continued kissing, while Blaine began to tear off Scarlett’s clothing, greedily kissing every inch of her, burying his face in her hair, inhaling deeply that special floral scent so distinctly her, it felt like the first breath of oxygen to a man who had been suffocating for a long time.

Blaine didn’t let go, while assisting her as she peeled him out of his clothing, each item that left his body felt freeing, as if it had been soaked in acid and she was relieving him of the ache it caused, to replace it with the euphoric feeling of her cool, soft alabaster skin touching his, accompanied by occasional moans and sighs, his and hers, melting into a hymn of sheer lust.

Neither of them stopped until they were united in passion, him thrusting harder and harder into her, generating moans of pleasure until they finally both reached the climax together, a rough, passionate way of physical love. Their way. Fulfilling, reaffirming, euphoric.

Still in the same position, his breathing finally slowing down, they stared at each other, as he slowly released her.

“You … never said it back. I told you I loved you and you never responded.” Blaine complained quietly.

Scarlett snorted a laugh, chuckling as she pulled on her clothing, without using vampire speed this time, he watched her put on each item, as if mesmerized, waiting for her to speak. When she didn’t, he frowned.

“Yeah, great, THAT’S what was missing, a girl whom I confessed my love to bursting into laughter after sex, that’s the kinda ego boost I needed.” Blaine groaned, as he started to get dressed too.

Sometimes he hated the way she was different. Even fully dressed, he always felt vulnerable, naked to the core before her, physically and emotionally, always had, his usual confidence and nonchalance had always abandoned him around her, and even after a decade that that not changed. And still, he knew he needed to hear her say those words. Now.

“Well, you are just too much sometimes, Blaine. I am not here to boost your ego. And come on now! Quit the pity party already, doesn’t suit you and since when do you depend on validation? You brought me here to nail me and that’s what you got. You think I am that naïve? If you had wanted a hug fest, we could have met up at Everett Heights again, that seems to be our spot these days. You deliberately took me to a home where we would have absolute privacy, you had wine ready. You wanted this to happen. Look, I am on board with being the other woman, it’s the only way I can have you. But if you want to be the guy with a side-chick, you need to toughen up. And honestly, I think the fact that I still love you didn’t need saying, it’s screaming from every one of my actions up to this very moment. If you need to hear it just to feed your ego: Blaine Cameron, I, Scarlett Rose Vatore, still love you as much as ever, if not even more. And as an extra I’ll throw in that you are also still a pretty decent lay. Guess Bristol and her goody-two-shoes ways haven’t completely ruined the fun out of you.”

“And here you go with the truth again, calling me out as what I have become, a cheater. You know the really fucked up part, Scarlett? I don’t even feel guilty. I know I should, but I don’t. I actually do love Bristol, very much. And I love you, very much. Don’t ask me how or why. You both are so different, maybe that’s what made it possible. I am not sure how I feel about myself now, but I will say, this felt right. I missed you so much. Too much. Holding you, touching you, kissing you, smelling you, and all the other stuff.”

“Look Blaine, if you are waiting for some moral lecture from me, some BS about how this was a mistake, should never happen again, go back to your poor, poor wifey, you came to the wrong place. I am vampire, like I said. We live in the shadows, a constant gray zone. This type of relationship with a married mortal is not unheard of among my kind, and honestly, this is exactly what you and I would have ended up having anyway, had I not broken it off with you. I am not walking away this time, I rather have you this way, than not at all. I told you, I am not good, and definitely not a saint. I try to be kind and ethical to a degree, but I love you, I’d do anything for you, I don’t care about the rest. This is what you get for loving a vampire. Mortal ideas of prude piety are not a thing with us, my brother has always lived it out loud, but don’t think the rest of us are different. Riordan had a love triangle with Ana while she was with Chase, my dad had his finger in cookie jars he shouldn’t have, my aunt did raunchy things out of desperate desire. Every single one of the entire society has a story like that, and now this is mine. I tried to warn you. But if you offer yourself up to me like this, all bets are off, and I will take it. So, now that we both realized what kind of scum we really are, can we have some of that wine? We should rehydrate, cos I am not done with you yet. You will be sitting on ice on the flight back to Del Sol Valley. We have two years to catch up on.”

That night was only the beginning.

Blaine’s conscience somehow excused his stolen moments with Scarlett every once in a while, the rest of the time he was a devoted husband to Bristol.

Whenever that little voice inside of him started to pipe up, Scarlett’s words came to mind, suffocating his inner conflict in the bud

“… it’s what you get for loving a vampire …”

“The vampire is an outsider.
The perfect metaphor for those things.
Someone who looks human and sounds human, but is not a human, always on the margins.”

Anne Rice