-12-

Not sure how this happened but due to my jacked up numbering, there is no Chapter 11.

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Jaylee giggled along with Sahara's baby-talk. Sahara was chatty but she refused to use words, she preferred to babble. It was frustrating to Jaylee that her daughter didn't speak, she knew that Sahara was quite capable of talking, the tot did when she really wanted things.  

Potty training Sahara was a lot easier than it had been with Egypt. She loved interacting with her family, and she especially enjoyed making them smile. 

"Is she doing anything?" Claus asked, he had gotten a promotion which meant that he worked longer hours, but he always made time for his family. Especially his children. Jaylee had given him the best gifts that anyone could receive, three healthy, happy children. Each with their own little personalities, their own likes and dislikes.

"Dadadadadada!" Sahara sang, reaching her arms toward Claus.

He chuckled and picked up his daughter, soaking her cheeks with kisses. Snowie came in and took Sahara from Claus, Sahara was her baby. "Bedtime honey." She told the tot who waved goodbye to her parents.

Snowie changed Sahara and placed her on the potty, then she tucked the tot in and read her a story.

The next morning found Jaylee starting her day as usual. Tending to Cupid first, then going downstairs to the other children. Usually, Agnes would already have breakfast ready, the two still did not get along but Jaylee would sit and chat with Egypt while she fed Sahara who would sit on her lap.

As the sun rose in the morning, Sahara would demand that her mother danced with her and she would have to oblige. 

The bus would pull up and blow it's horn at eight o'clock sharp, Jaylee would ask Egypt to put on more feminine clothes, the two would argue. The argument always ended with Egypt rolling her eyes and saying, "Whatever Mom!"

Jaylee was proud of the way her eldest daughter turned out. Egypt looked just like her, from the wicked eyebrows to the straight hair, but those lips were certainly Jack's.

Snowie's birthday rolled around a few weeks later. Snowie didn't have a big party, it was just her and her family. While they stood around Snowie encouraging her to make a wish, the girl wondered what could someone who had everything possibly wish for. 

The one thing she really wanted but didn't have of course...

-10-

Claus was getting pretty good at the parenting thing. He had learnt how to juggle both his girls at the same time. It also helped that Egypt was so independent, once she was bathed and fed she was good until nap time. Sahara was also a sweetheart, she only cried when she was hungry, Claus was sure that this one would eat him out of house and home when she got older. 

What Claus was unsure of was how a new baby would fit into the mix of personalities and tantrums. 

Jaylee came into the nursery around midday, somebody had already settled Sahara so all she had to do was tend to Egypt which was harder then it sounds as Egypt's new obsession with being a 'big girl' made her difficult. 

"I don't wan' a badowl!" Egypt shouted and folded her arms.

"Egypt, Mommy is tired, please just drink the bottle and I'll put you in your crib.

"No! Don't wanna!"

Jaylee stared at her eldest, she never argued with Egypt, she usually just waited until the girl tired herself out with a tantrum, but she decided to take another approach. "You're not being a big girl right now Egypt. You're supposed to help Mommy while she's pregnant, but you're being difficult. Big girls aren't difficult."

Egypt pouted profusely. "Big girls not drink badowls."

"Let's make a deal. If you behave for Mommy while she's pregnant, you won't have to drink another bottle after the baby is born. Okay?"

"No!"

"Okay, okay. Well just drink this bottle and you won't have to have another."

"'kay."

Jaylee had gotten an ultrasound the day before, she knew that they were having a boy, but she wanted it to be a surprise for Claus. He adored their daughters but Claus had always wanted a son.

"Why can't you just tell me?" He whined as he listened to the baby's healthy heartbeat though Jaylee's swollen stomach. 

"Because I told you the first two times."

Some months later, Jaylee was rosy, nearly ready to pop Other than her feet swelling from time to time and the expected backache, Jaylee's pregnancy went smoothly. Erika had a small get together for her birthday and invited her little sister over, just to get Jaylee out of the house.

"Hello Denver!" Jaylee greeted her nephew when she got to her sister's house, the boy handed for his aunt who was more than happy to oblige him. 

"Are you sure you can get up from that crouch?" Erika joked, "My baby brother is really keeping your barefoot and pregnant isn't he?" 

"We can't keep our hands off each other, but this is the last one, I'm getting my tubes tied."

"I think Frederick and I will have one more...maybe. I'm fine with the two I already have."

Jaylee bounced Denver gently. "You and Freddy are so good at making babies, just look at those two you have, they're adorable."

"And so are my nieces. Maranda should be home soon, I'm going out back to make sure that there are still snacks there."

Jaylee managed to stoop once more to rest Denver back on the floor. Jaylee arched her back when she stood and was startled to find a woman standing behind her.

"Can I help you?"

"I do not understand..." The tall, slender woman murmured. "I sense that you are one of us, but you are with child."

"That I am." Jaylee smiled. "I'm a hybrid, my father is human."

"How is that possible? I have heard of human women becoming pregnant with occult spawn, but never of a vampire baring a child for a human. Her mother must have been human."

Jaylee shrugged, she knew nothing of her maternal grandparents, one thing she was sure of though was that her mother was centuries old. How far back did hybrids go? How long did they live?

"May I?" The woman asked.

"Sure." Jaylee allowed the vampire to rub her round stomach, the baby became excited by her touch. 

"Ah, he is a strong one, that is good, he will have to be strong for what the future has in store for him. For you all."

Jaylee froze, "What?"

"This thing that you are doing, this thing that you are trying to achieve. Heartache waits in your immediate future." The woman stood  and wrung her hands. "Beware the sins of the parents Jaylee Winter, for they befall the children. What will you call him?"

"What?"

"The baby? Your son? What is his name?"

"I'm calling him Cupid."

"Ah, the love-bringer. It was nice talking with you, I do hope I see you around."

"Are you okay?" Erika asked seeing the look on her sister's face when she returned.

"That woman, she gave me a bad omen and then immediately asked me about my baby, as if..."

"Oh don't mind her. She's our crazy next door neighbor, Maranda adores her stories but I always tell the girl to stay away from her, she's a bad influence."

Erika wagged her finger meaningfully at her daughter then rushed away to tend to one particularly drunk guest.

"Aunty, did you just pee yourself?" Maranda giggled.

Jaylee looked down just as a sharp pain shot through her abdomen. "Maranda go get your mother."

Claus had been busy when  Erika brought Jaylee in, but one of his colleagues kept him updated on his wife's condition. After a 36 hour sift, Claus was exhausted, Jamie advised him to go home and rest, after all, Jaylee wasn't going anywhere. Claus wound up spending the rest of his day off at home, Egypt was being moody and Sahara was being clingy. He did speak to Jaylee on the phone at around midday and she assured him that they had a healthy baby.

At eight, Jamie called to let him know that he could come pick up his wife and baby. Claus looked at the tiny  blue bundle in his wife's arms and immediately burst into tears. 

"His name is Cupid." She told him. 

"He's beautiful." Claus sobbed. "He's our son? We've finally got a son? I'm so happy."

Jaylee forced herself to smile. Her encounter with the seer made her nervous, but the woman had to be wrong. There was no way that anything bad could happen. She and Claus' family was now complete, they had two lovely daughters and a new, wonderful son. Or perhaps this was too good to be true.

-9-

Claus bounced Sahara up and down and she showed him her toothless smile. Claus inspected his daughter's pale skin. He checked on Sahara all the time because premature babies got sick very easily. Sahara's skin was pail and her skin was cool to the touch. When both Sahara and Egypt were born, they were a healthy pink color and warm, but over a few months they became pale. 

"You're gonna be fine." Claus told his daughter who cooed back at him and gave him another gummy smile. Claus chuckled and kissed her chubby cheek.

Jaylee had taken Egypt for an early morning walk, she had taken to avoiding Claus. She cursed him for being so observant and stubborn. Why couldn't he just take her word that everything was going to be fine?

"Hey Jaylee." Claus greeted her when she entered the nursery.

"Why are you still here?" She demanded.

"I had my exams yesterday, I get today off, I find out my results later in the evening. You seem surprised to see me."

Erika stood between her brother and sister. "Do I detect a bit of venom?"

"A bit? There's a lot of anger because your damn brother wouldn't mind his own business!"

"Anything that concerns my wife and children is my business. I swear to God Jaylee, whatever this shit is that you're doing had better not put my kids and my family in harm's way."

"Shut up!" Jack roared, an instant silence fell around the room. "Can't you see that you're upsetting the children? Get out."

Agnes and Showie came into the nursery as Erika was leading Claus and Jaylee out. Snowie immediately picked up Sahara who had become her baby. The infant whimpered and squirmed but didn't cry, Snowie patted her back and murmured to her until she calmed down.

"What the hell is going on Jack?" Agnes had rescued Egypt who had been looking up at her parents worriedly. 

"I have no idea."

"They had better not get a divorce because Jaylee is not taking my granddaughters out of this house."

Jack frowned. "Why did you have to jump to divorce?  Claus and Jaylee never argue, and I'm sure that whatever is going on they'll be able to work it out. Agnes, don't you dare get involved, they are adults and their business is their business."

"Claus is my son."

"He's my son too, but he's nearly thirty, the last thing he needs is his mommy to run to his rescue. Stay out of it, I mean it."

"Fine."

Egypt listened to the exchange between her grandparents, nothing they said made any sense to her. She had never heard her parents shout before, especially at each other. She wanted to be with her mommy and daddy, she wanted to make sure that they were okay.

It had been weeks, and the tension at home only increased, Claus never asked Jaylee what she was up to again and Jaylee never brought it up. She was getting the attention she wanted, and she could see her plan coming together but she couldn't enjoy it.

Claus and Jaylee had not said more than two words to each other, but they had to speak eventually, especially with her being in the state that she was.

"Claus I'm pregnant and I'm not bringing another baby into this world with us not being on speaking terms."

"Okay." Claus said and started to walk away.

Jaylee grabbed his arm. "You're right, you deserve to know what's going on. Fine, you've heard of Vita Alto."

"Our mayor?"

"Yes. The thing is, she disapproves of what I'm doing, she says it's too risky and she will stop and nothing to prevent me from accomplishing what I wish to.  So far she hasn't been a threat at all, I guess it's because she doesn't see me getting much further ahead. I didn't tell you because I knew you would disapprove Claus."

"I do, you do not want to mess with Vita Alto. Politicians play dirty."

"Like I said, I'm doing this for my children and it will all be worth it in the end."

"How do you know? You said your mother had a sense that something bad is going to happen. I think you should stop." Claus frowned. "Jay?"

Claus had never seen his wife act anything but human, he only knew she was a vampire because of her glowing eyes and cold skin. He wasn't even sure that she'd moved, but she was on him, holding onto his head so tightly that he couldn't even move. Jaylee brushed her fangs along his neck, nibbling not gently at all against his vein.

"Are you scared Claus?"

He couldn't deny it, he knew that she could hear his heart hammering inside his chest. "Ow!" He squeaked when Jaylee sank her teeth inside the soft flesh at his neck, he shuddered when she slurped greedily. 

Jaylee let him go and stood back, Claus was shaking uncontrollably, Jaylee couldn't help but feel smug. "Imagine if you were in an alley and somebody jumped out and did that to you. Imagine them sucking your dry Claus. Imagine the hurt and the pain your family would feel when they bury you and a few months later, the police say that they're listing your case in their cold case files. No closure for Agnes and Jack. Now, if there were vampires who could be able to investigate your case, then there would be closure. If there were rules set in place, and penalties lined up, your would not have died in that alley at all. We aren't going to be the only ones to benefit Claus."

Claus was disgusted when Jaylee licked his blood away from her lips, he was disturbed to find that despite his stick stomach, he was more than a little turned on. 

"Don't worry," Jaylee said, she had promised that she wouldn't read his thoughts anymore, but she just had to know what he was thinking. "You're not a freak or anything, it's because you're my soul mate and we have a bond that is more than just emotional.". 

Jack was in the nursery with his granddaughters, he usually spent all of his time with the tiny humans marveling over them, having children was one thing, but his children having children was something completely different. 

In his youth, he never though he would live to see his grandchildren, he never even thought about having children until Agnes broke the news that she was pregnant with his child. That day was the day things changed, after that day he wanted desperately to be a part of Claus' life, more than he had let on.  That was the day that really got him thinking about his past and considering a future. 

If things had worked out with Agnes and Erik, he had decided to leave Sunset Valley, he couldn't sit on the sideline and receive pictures and emails telling him how his son was doing, it would hurt too much. When Agnes and Erik divorced he knew that he had to make that woman his wife. He had never met a woman like her before. The women he associated himself with were mere whores, those he worked for had sticks so far up their asses that their noses stayed up in the air.

Jack gave a contented sigh. He had two granddaughters, if Erika's kids were added to the count then he would have three granddaughters and a grandson.

"So, this is what life had in store for me then." He said to Sahara as he bounced her around. 

Snowie came in and scooped Egypt up. "No Aunty!" Egypt squealed.

"What's going on?" Jack asked when the girl burst into tears.

"I don't know, I just picked her up. I didn't do anything I swear!"

"Egypt, what are you crying for?"

"I'm a big girl, tell Aunty to put me down." 

Jack laughed, Snowie gave her niece an annoyed look, she thought that she had hurt the girl with all the wailing and screaming the tot was doing. "Fine, I won't lift you anymore then."

Snowie put Egypt down and went upstairs, she was about to tell Claus and Jaylee what a crazy daughter they had and how she was so happy to find some sane people inside her house but when she sat down beside Claus she felt uneasy. There was nothing out of the ordinary, but her brother and sister-in-law were being...weird. They just stared at each other smiling, it didn't make any sense.

"You are all psychos!" Snowie shrieked and slammed her bedroom door.

-8-

Claus was at work the day their new baby was released from the hospital. When Jaylee stepped out of the hospital with her new daughter Sahara, she wished she could turn around and go right back in. She saw the cold look in Vita's eyes but the woman made no move to address her or harass her in any way.

"Wow, look at her." Snowie mused holding her new niece. The baby squirmed and wiggled in her arms and grasped at her clothes. "You'd never even know she was premature."

"Sahara is a Winter, she's stubborn." Jack said proudly. "Can I hold her now?"

"No! I'm holding her Dad."

"Are you serious? She's smaller than Egypt was."

"I know, she's easier to hold."

Jaylee had taken the time Claus was at work to go perform at one of the local hangouts. They never got to the discussion of what she was doing, much to her delight, but she did take a break while she was pregnant. 

She wowed the crowd with the magic box trick. Word of her amazing magic skills had started to travel around town. People had begun to cal her Eternity the Illusionist, speculating that she wielded real magic rather than just a couple cheap tricks. 

After Jaylee changed her clothes she had a moment of terror when Frederick and Denver came out of the Diner. "Oh my gosh! Please don't tell Claus."

"Jay..."

"Please Freddy, he's going to be so mad if he knew I was performing again."

"Why don't you just tell him what you're doing?"

"Because he'll try to talk me out of it and this is something I have to do for him, myself and our children."

Fredreick sighed, "I've gotta run back inside, I forgot Erika's chicken wings." He handed Denver to Snowie.

"Hey honey." She said and bounced Denver around roughly. The toddler squealed with laughter.

"Again!" He insisted when she stopped.

"One more time then." She caved. Jaylee sighed, she loved her nephew to death, she had wanted a boy but she was glad enough to be blessed with Sahara and happy that her baby was healthy.

A week later a trophy from Sim-Fest came in the mail, it just so happens that Claus was the one who collected the mail. "Congratulations on first place." He said and shoved the trophy into Jaylee's hands.

"Claus." She said but he walked away, not hiding the fact that he was upset.

"Bedtime Little Girl." Claus scooped Egypt up and came face to face with the picture of his wife and sister. He blinked, Jaylee had just had Egypt and Maranda was a few months old, things were a lot less complicated back then. He hoped that whatever it was Jaylee was relentlessly seeking fame to accomplish didn't destroy their family. He got angry again just thinking that Jaylee was hiding something from him. He was sure that his wife wasn't cheating, but he was worried about just what it was she was up to.

Claus but Egypt in the crib and read her her favorite story. She clapped and pointed to the pictures and asked him questions, but it wasn't long before she began yawning and then settled down in the crib. Soon Egypt's breathing evened out. Claus rubbed his daughter's bald head then went upstairs where he changed into a comfortable pair of pants and sat down to study. He had exams in a few weeks, if he passed he would become a resident doctor and finally get the respect he didn't as an intern.

"Claus, talk to me." Jaylee begged. 

"About what? You're not telling me anything so we have nothing to talk about."

"Oh come on, you're just being petty now."

"Am I?"

"Claus!"

Claus got into the shower.

"Fine." Jaylee said and pulled off her own clothes and climbed into the shower with him. "I'm trying to bring about some change in the vampire community. We're trying to figure out how best to make ourselves known to the humans. We've decided upon letting the celebrities break the news. That's all it is."

"Jay, why do I think you're not telling me the whole story?"

"Claus, our children are hybrids and I'm not sending them away when they go into bloodlust, I'm sure you're not prepared to explain why the blood banks are empty. When a vampire is going through bloodlust, the only thing that can quench that thirst is pure human blood, not plasma fruit or juice."

"Jay, I'm not stupid. If that's all to it why the big secret?"

Jaylee was not about to tell Claus the whole truth, she was already standing butt naked pressed up against him and he was not budging. "Not now." She said putting on her most seductive voice and then tip-toed to nibble at his neck and left ear, that got him all the time.

The shower had gone cold, but Claus stood under it while Jaylee climbed out and dressed. "This is not over Jaylee Winter, one of these days sex isn't going to work."

"Get out of the shower before you catch a cold."

-7-

"Don't wanna!" Egypt hollered and grabbed onto her mother's arms. 

"Egypt, behave yourself."

"Noooo!" The baby screamed and kicked stubbornly.

"What is your problem little girl?" Claus asked. Egypt's screaming had brought him into the nursery where he had to rescue the child from her mother...or his wife from their child.

"Don't wanna Daddy?"

"Why not? It's not going to hurt you Egypt, in fact, it's going to save us a lot of money on diapers. Come on hun, use the potty for Daddy?" Claus ticked her mercilessly and asked "huh?" between each of her giggle sessions.

Egypt looked from the potty to Claus and back again. "Okay." The child finally agreed. And that is how Claus singlehandedly potty trained Egypt 'The Hard Headed' Winter.

Jaylee sat back after she threw up. "Not this again." She mumbled to herself, memories of her last pregnancy flooded her, she loved her daughter and she did want more children but she was afraid of being sick again.

It didn't take Jaylee as long to start showing with this pregnancy, nor was she as sick as she was when he was carrying Egypt. "It's because you're a little Jack Winter." Jaylee said out loud to Egypt, the tot reminded her of Jack, Claus and Snowie, she was stubborn and hot headed like the Jack and his children.

Jaylee took Snowie out of the high chair, the little girl immediately went over to play with her blocks.

The Winter elders were spending the day on the town. They happened upon a live show in the park, Agnes insisted that they stay a while longer but Jack was eager to get back home to Egypt and Jaylee.

"Jaylee could pop any second Aggie, Egypt is going to need us."

"Egypt is going to be fine Jack and you know it, plus Jaylee has about four months left. Come on Jack, we're stuck in the house all the time. Please honey..." Agnes batted her lashes at her husband.

"Fine." Jack finally agreed.

It was Agnes though who took Jack's wallet and started showing off pictures of their grandchildren to everyone in the park.

"Uh Miss," Said the man who had just gotten off the stage. "The kids are cute and all...but I don't know you."

"Never mind that, this one is Maranda, she's the first grandchild, and Egypt here followed her, and that handsome little boy is Denver, he's my only grandson and I'm so excited, he has my blond hair."

Jaylee was at home enjoying some peace and quiet. Claus was at work, Snowie was at a friend's house studying for finals and she just put Egypt down. Jaylee was in the middle of reading when suddenly the baby started to move inside her. 

"Well you just took your time didn't you?" Jaylee smiled and rubbed her stomach, the baby kicked her back. It kicked and kicked, and suddenly Jaylee's pants and the bed was wet. "That's not good."

Claus had just left the hospital when his cell phone rang. "You're kidding." He grumbled and pulled it from his pocket. "Jamie, I just got off...what?"

"I said, they just brought Jaylee in."

"Why?"

"She's in labor."

"She's...no. No, it's too early. Where's Egypt?"

"I called Erika, Egypt is with her and her husband, your parents are on the way to the hospital."

"I'm heading back now."