Winter Legacy -33-

"Heya!" Snowie shouted as she slammed her hand down on the boards, she released a contented breath when they shattered beneath her. Jaylee had gotten her started in martial arts, her intentions had been to teach Snowie to calm herself but the girl was more interested in hitting things.

Around the front of the house, Claus and his brand new brother in law were having some male bonding time...or at least what was supposed to be male bonding time. "Claus, I'm freaking out man! Your sister is pregnant! We just got married, I know we were planning on getting pregnant for a while now, but I was kind of hoping to have some time with my wife....alone..."

"Relax man, you're gonna be an awesome dad, and if you're not I'm sure mine will be willing to teach you."

"I'm sorry are you trying to be funny? I'm having a crisis."

"I'm just kind of confused at what you're afraid of. You were so ready before."

"Claus, I've already given up, and now it's happening, of course I'm freaking out."

"You'll be fine, now come inside and have a drink with me...Jaylee could be pregnant and Mom grounded me, no more adventures until I've got teenagers to argue with." He rolled his eyes.

Jaylee had spent most of the morning locked in the bathroom with her head in the toilet. Claus had come in with a cup of tea earlier, she threw that up. Agnes brought her some soup, but she vomited after only taking two spoonfuls.

Jaylee could not remember a time in her life when she was so miserable. The heartbeat was faint and swift, she was definitely pregnant, no test needed. The same as she'd heard the hammering in her sister's abdomen a few weeks earlier.

"Wow, you're almost ready to pop. I can't way for Jay to start showing." Claus said a few months later as he rubbed his sister's stomach, the baby kicked him gently. "Oh my God, I'm so excited!"

"Don't start squealing like a little girl Claus, control yourself."

"So what are you having? Did it finally open its legs? How big is it?"

"I came to tell Jaylee." She grinned at her brother's enthusiasm. 

"Wow Jay, you're a stick." Erika laughed. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

Jaylee grabbed her sister's hand, "I'll put thirty dollars on girl." She looked over her shoulder at Claus who had been scolded by their older sister and told to stay back. 

"Well Sis, whoever you were betting against lost."

"You're not sarcastic at all, I have no idea what people are talking about."

"Touche." Erika peeked over Jaylee's shoulder. "I think your husband is going to explode."

"He'll be fine." Jaylee leaned in and began cooing at her sister's plump stomach.

The girls spent some quality time together, and even had one of their childhood moments when they stole pillows from Agnes' and Jack's room and began slamming each other with them giggling the entire time. After being scolded by Agnes and Jack they settled down and started  visualizing their future with their kids.

"I want a girl too." Jaylee finally sighed as she leaned against her older sister.

"We can go clothes shopping, and to the hair dressers'...it'll be great." Erika smiled, Jaylee had fallen asleep against her. Jack called Claus to take his wife to bed, then he pulled Erika up from the chair.

"Jay had a rough day, she spent it with her head in the toilet."

"My pregnancy was pretty easy, I was able to hide it for four months after all."

"Mmm, you're weird."

"Don't you start with me old man." Erika laughed. "Do you think Claus will actually stay home?"

"I can't tell if he's more excited that he's going to be an uncle or a father. I don't think he'll be leaving anytime soon. Come, I'll take you home."

Jaylee jumped up in the middle of the night and bolted for the bathroom. She gave up on enjoying her pregnancy.

Claus still had to wait two months before he could meet his niece. He had started working at the hospital, and his hours were long. Jaylee forced herself to wait a week to give Frederick and Erika time to adjust to being new parents.

"Can I see the baby?" Jaylee asked immediately.

"Well hello to you too." Erika smirked. "I just put Maranda down, but she'll be up soon. That baby hardly sleeps." 

"Wow, your stomach is so flat." Erika mused as she ran her hand up and down her sister's belly. "Are you sure you're pregnant?"

"I'm pretty sure I didn't have a stomach flu for more than a month for nothing. Where's Frederick?"

"Oh my gosh! His mother was over here since we brought Maranda home, that woman is driving me crazy so I sent Freddy to take her home before I committed a homicide. She fusses more than the baby!"

Just as Erika said that a tiny cry came from upstairs. "I've got her!" Jaylee shouted excitedly and raced upstairs.

"Hello baby." She cooed when she picked up the tiny pink bundle. "Oh wow, you look like your daddy now don't you? Are you going to look like Mommy later?" 

Maranda who was just contented to be held gurgled up at her aunt and grabbed a fistful of Jaylee's silky hair. Jaylee adjusted her hold on the baby and flung her ponytail over her shoulder.

Erika brought up a bottle and left her sister with the baby. Again Jaylee adjusted the baby's position in her arms and plugged the bottle into the infant's mouth. She wondered what he baby would be like. She didn't drink blood, only plasma juice and ate plasma fruits so perhaps there was a chance that her baby would not need blood. Then again maybe she'll get lucky and won't have to explain to her in-laws about her being a vampire and she would give birth to a completely normal human baby.

Maranda fell asleep in her aunt's arms, Jaylee smiled at the baby, she was ready to be a mother, she was just unsure about raising a hybrid. Suddenly she realized that she needed her mother.

Winter Legacy -32-

The day Erika became Mrs. Frederick Gunderson could not possibly be more beautiful. The sound of the sea was soothing, a wonderful sea breeze whipped through the guests' hair. The only thing that made the day better for Frederick was the surprised look on Erika's face Agnes brought her in.

"What's going on Freddy, what's all this?" Erika looked up at the wedding arch, it was obvious that it was a wedding but who throws a surprise wedding. Frederick of course!

Agnes got the ceremony started with a scripture reading, after which the guests awwwed over the the show of affection the bride and groom displayed. Frederick gave his vows first, half way through them his bride burst into tears, she was so moved that her vows weren't even understandable.

"How did you pull this off?" Erika managed whispered to her almost-husband. His reply was a grin and a wink.

"Just tell me that you're happy." He murmured back.

"It's impossible for me to be any happier Frederick." Erika said and pulled her high school lover in for a kiss.

The guests stood up and applauded when the couple finally said their vows.

The sun set, the guests made their way over to the reception area. Erik stood contented that he had gotten to see on of his daughter's weddings. Jaylee was still acting strange around him and Jamie refused to see her daughter. Erik couldn't help but wonder if he'd made the right choice by agreeing with his wife, she assured him that it was for Jaylee's own good, and the vampire community confused him greatly.

Agnes went over to the bar and mixed a couple drinks. "Are you okay baby?" She asked when she caught the far away look in Erika's eyes.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

But in truth, Erika could not be further from fine. She had not been in the same space as both her parents since they were married. They went to great lengths to avoid  each other. The flash of light brought Erika back to the present. "Go away!" She snapped at the photographer and practically ran away.

Jaylee easily sprinted in front of her sister and blocked her path.

"Erika, what's going on with you? It's your wedding night, you just married the love of your life but you're upset so don't you dare tell me you're fine."

"I don't know." Erika panted while she fought her tears. "It never bothered me before, my parents divorce, but now...I don't know. What's wrong with me Jay?"

Jaylee pulled her older sister in for a hug. "Erika? Frederick loves you, and I'm sure you love him. You won't be like Agnes and Daddy. You two are going to have a long, happy marriage. Your kids will play with mine and Claus' and we'll all sit together on the park and watch our grand kids play."

"Jay," Erika murmured. "Tell me I'm going to be a good mother."

"This baby is going to love you, and you'll be an awesome mother...like Jack."

The two shared a laugh, then Erika gave her sister a curious look, "Jaylee, how do you know that I'm pregnant? I haven't even told Frederick yet."

"Oh my gosh! Where's Claus?  I told Agnes to keep him away from the bar!"

Winter Legacy -31-

"If I'd come with him in the first place, this never would have happened." Jaylee cursed herself again. The sun beat down on her pale skin mercilessly, but she would endure it a million times over to save her husband's life.

Jaylee went to Tahiya Shalut's house, if anyone was obligated to help her save Claus it was this woman. She knocked on the door but got no answer. As she was turning to leave she caught sight of the dark haired woman standing in the window. 

"Tahiya, hi, my name is Jaylee, I'm Claus' wife. Please open the door, he really needs your help."

Tahiya's eyes shifted from side to side. "I do not know of whom you speak."

"You're shitting with me!" She hollared and began pounding on the door, "You open this door right now Shalut!" 

When the woman still refused to allow Jaylee into her house Jaylee easily tore the door off the hinges and strode into the house. Tahiya tried to run, but Jaylee moved with inhuman speed, blocking off all of the woman's exits. "You listen to me Tahiya Shalut, if you ever contact my husband again I will come back for you and separate your head from your body, do you hear me!"

Tahiya was so terrified she couldn't answer, Jaylee went full vampire on her, baring her fangs and allowing her eyes to turn blood red with anger. Tahiya had never seen such a creature. Jaylee tossed the woman across the room for emphasis. 

Jaylee wandered around all day, there was no one she could ask for help, she did not know these people and when she tried to chat with them they ignored her.

Darkness fell and the people left the market. Jaylee located a snake charmer's basket and plopped down. She had no idea how to play the flute thing but she was determined to learn. She played the instrument for hours until she learnt it well enough to make the snake dance for her. She even managed to kiss the creature on the head. But she did get her snake's poison.

Jaylee went to one of the pyramids and just wandered around until she found what she was looking for. A mummy came out of a sarcophagus moaning. "That's right come to Jaylee you son of a bitch."

Jaylee sucker-punched the long dead pharaoh, then with a sweeping kick sent it to the ground. She sat on the mummy and proceeded to tear away at the bandages until she revealed the stinking dusty interior.  She took what she wanted from the mummy then completely unwrapped it so that it couldn't harm anyone.

Jaylee caught the next flight out. Her heart broke when she returned home. Claus was lying in the same position, still wearing the same clothes. She set up the vile smelling powder, mixed with the poison on the incense holder and lit it. 

The stench intensified. Jaylee folded her legs beneath her and began to meditate to distract herself from the vile odor. 

Jaylee felt Claus' consciousness return, soon he was stirring and groaning. "Ow!" Claus moaned, his muscles her cramped up from remaining idle and in the same curled position for years. 

"What is that smell?" He croaked after rolling all the way over.

Jaylee pranced onto the bed and wrapped herself in Claus' arms. "Claus I was so worried."

"About what?"

Jaylee smiled. "Claus, you stink, go take a shower, I'll do something about the smell inside this room. And then maybe we can work on a little hybrid don't you think?"

"Sounds good to me."

The next day, in a house across town, Frederick finally built up the confidence to do something he had wanted to do for a long time. "Erika honey, I know we've been trying to have a baby for a while now and maybe it hasn't happened for a reason. I've been thinking that I want to do this thing right. I don't want to bring a child into this world unless we can all carry the last name Gunderson. Erika Darling, love of my life, mother of all my future babies, will you marry me?"

Erika had been content with just waking up beside Frederick every morning and kissing him goodnight every night. This was a big step, but she was ready and willing to take that with Frederick holding her hand. "Yes." She breathed, her vision clouded with tears that came from nowhere. 

Winter Legacy -30-

Claus retraced his steps and realized that he had an extra keystone in his pouch, he immediately located the door, careful to avoid the electrical floor traps. The heavy chains fell away from the brittle wooden door. Claus stared at the discarded chain for a long while, he was so torn. He wanted to be home, with his wife and his family, but when he was home he missed the rush he got from being on an adventure.

In the next room there was an archway which contained a pile of rubble, Claus quickly cleared the rubble and revealed a wall switch. He stuck his hand in and didn't even flinch when his fingers touched something cool and slimy.

Finally he reached his destination, the room that contained the chest with the final relic. Claus took one step toward the chest and stood dead in his tracks when the sarcophagi creaked open and two mummies lumbered out. He stood back, calculating. The mummies moved slowly, he could get to the chest, get the relic and avoid the mummies easily.

Claus released a contented sigh when he reached the chest, the mummy seemed to be completely oblivious to his presence. 

Things went south though when Claus prepared to leave, the second mummy blocked his path. The next thing Claus knew he was looking up at the cracked clay ceiling of the tome, the mummies were gone. He rolled over and gasped, he felt exhausted, ridiculously so. It was all Claus could do to get to his feet, his vision swam and he had to hold onto the rail so as not to fall over. 

"I've gotta get outta here." Claus mumbled aloud and stumbled through the tome.

By the time Claus located Tahiya Shalut, he felt a lot better, so he attributed his sickness to lack of oxygen inside the time.

"Thank you for your help Claus Winter, I will put the relics somewhere safe. My entire community thanks you for your assistance."

Jaylee strode outside, anxiously waiting Claus' arrival. She had counted down the hours since he called from the airport.

Jaylee was impressed by the stretched limo that brought Claus home, she couldn't help but wonder what he'd done to deserve this VIP treatment. Her pulse quickened when he stepped out though, Claus looked dead to the world.

"Baby?" She murmured.

"Hey honey." Claus greeted her weakly, his smile didn't reach his eyes. He coughed heavily and nearly fell over. Jaylee had to grab onto him to stop him from falling over.

"I'm fine." He said quickly.

"You're not fine Claus."

"I am, I just caught a little cold from being inside the musty tome. I just have to sleep it off. Okay?"

"Okay."

About five hours later, Jaylee went to check on her husband, he was curled up in the ball, the same as he was when he'd gone to bed, still in his clothes and everything. "Claus!" She called. "Claus?" Jaylee pranced on the bed and shook Claus roughly, he didn't even move. Jaylee could hear his heart hammering in his chest, and the rush of blood in his veins sang to her. 

Jaylee shook her head, snapping herself out of the trance.

Jaylee had run downstairs to find a book she'd seen Claus reading, she was immediately ambushed by his family. "Is Claus okay?" Snowie asked.

"Claus is going to be fine, he just picked up something inside one of the tomes." When the girl walked away Jaylee turned to Jack, letting her worry show. "Claus is not okay, I can't wake him up!"

"What do you mean you can't wake him up?"

"He's breathing, and his heart is beating but..." Jack put his plate on the table and pulled Jaylee to him. "Calm down Jaylee, there has to be a way to wake him. Do you want me to call 9-1-1?"

"No, just give me a minute." Jaylee rushed back upstairs and locked the door behind her.

Jaylee took a couple deep breaths to calm herself. Then she tried to reach her mind out to his, but there was nothing, or at least nothing new. His brain was pretty much dead since he fell asleep. Jaylee accessed Claus' memories, trying to make sense of where he could have picked up this bug. "Damnit Claus!"

"Where is Claus?" Agnes asked after her bath. "He did come home this evening didn't he?"

"He's sleeping." Snowie replied.

"Jaylee's tending to him." Jack put in.

"What's wrong with him? It's been a while since he said he was coming home. What's going on?"  Snowie shrugged but Jack couldn't meet his wife's eyes.

Agnes went upstairs and busted the bedroom door open, she frowned when she found Claus still in his sweaty clothes. "Couldn't Jaylee wake the boy and make him shower?" She shook her head and left the room.

Jaylee listened to the activity downstairs. She heard Snowie tell her parents goodnight and listened as the girl came up the stairs, then heard Snowie slam her bedroom door. Agnes went to bed next. Jack sat up for a few more hours but eventually he too turned in for the night. 

Once Jaylee was sure that everyone was asleep she got out of bed and went to the sarcophagus. "Come forth Great Pharaoh." Most vampires had a power that was unique to them, Jaylee was a summoner, a conjurer, a power her mother and clan feared. A power she had to learn to control, to only use in dire situations. Jaylee had just gotten married, she wasn't yet ready to become a widow.   

The sarcophagus was empty, but it contained traces of the pharaoh that had once occupied it, that was all she needed to call forth the dead pharaohr.

"Yes Lady?" The mummy said in a slow, throaty voice.

"My husband seems to have had a mishap with one of your counterparts, i was wondering if there was a way I could heal him?"

"There is, but it requires objects that are very difficult to obtain."

"Tell me great queen so that I may try to save him."

"Death requires a trade, a spirit to return life. You will need essence of mummy and the poison of a cobra. The powder of a once dead king must be mixed with the snake's poison. When lit, the smoke shall break the curse upon your human husband."

"What do you mean a trade."

"The sacrifice of a human shall return a pharaoh to his former glory. Nobody wishes to wonder around aimlessly for the rest of eternity Lady."

"How much time to I have?"

"You have until sunset a week from the day the victim was cursed."

"Thank you great pharaoh. Return to your slumber."

The mummy lumbered back to her sarcophagus and returned to her former state.

Jaylee wasted no time. She changed and packed a bag, then she rushed downstairs and woke Jack. "You have to keep Agnes and Snowie away from Claus. Tell them that he has jet lag or something, and that he's up late at night. I'll be back soon, I promise."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go to Egypt."