The small, dimly lit room smelled faintly of antiseptic, but the air was thick with tension. Eva lay on the examination table, her hands gripping the sides of it, knuckles white. Max sat beside her, his presence a constant anchor, his gaze never leaving her face. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder, a silent reminder that he was there, that he wasn’t going anywhere.
Eva’s breath was shallow, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The last few days had been a blur of exhaustion, confusion, and fear. She had tried to ignore the growing sense of unease that had settled deep in her chest, but now, in this sterile room, it felt unavoidable.
The healer, an older woman with kind eyes, was setting up the ultrasound machine. She spoke softly as she moved around, trying to comfort Eva with the calmness of her voice, but Eva could hear the underlying tension in her tone.
“Are you ready, my dear?” the healer asked, glancing over at Eva.
Eva nodded, forcing a tight smile. “I’m ready.”
Max squeezed her shoulder gently. “We’ll get through this, Eva.”
Eva’s heart fluttered at his words, but the weight of the unknown still pressed down on her. She closed her eyes for a moment, willing herself to stay calm, to breathe.
The healer applied the gel to her stomach, and the cold sensation made Eva shiver. She glanced at Max, seeking reassurance, but his expression was unreadable, his jaw clenched in a way that made her stomach tighten.
The healer placed the ultrasound wand against her skin, and the machine came to life with a soft hum. On the screen, a fuzzy image slowly began to take shape. Eva squinted, trying to make sense of the blurry shapes, but it was hard to focus. Her mind was a whirl of fear and worry, and she couldn’t push away the nagging thought that something wasn’t right.
“There,” the healer said softly, pointing to the screen. “Do you see? There’s the first one.”
Eva’s eyes focused on the screen, and she saw a tiny flicker, a little heartbeat pulsing steadily. Her breath caught in her throat, and a wave of relief washed over her. It was a beautiful sight, a reassuring sight. The steady rhythm of a life growing within her. The sound of the heartbeat echoed in the room, a soothing, almost hypnotic rhythm.
Max leaned in, his hand tightening around hers. “That’s our baby,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Eva nodded, her heart swelling with a mixture of love and awe. “Our baby,” she repeated softly, a tear slipping down her cheek.
But then, the healer’s fingers hovered over the screen, her expression shifting slightly, a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. “There’s something else,” she murmured.
Eva’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice trembling.
The healer didn’t respond right away. Instead, she adjusted the wand, her focus on the screen. A moment passed, then another, and Eva felt her stomach tighten. There was an unsettling stillness in the air, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that the other shoe was about to drop.
The healer’s voice was soft, almost hesitant as she spoke. “There,” she said, pointing to a second image. “This one…”
Max’s grip on Eva’s hand tightened, and she could feel the tension radiating off of him. She dared to look at the screen again, and this time, the image was clearer. It wasn’t just the flicker of life she had seen before. No, this one was different. The rhythm was erratic, uneven. It didn’t beat like the first one, but more like a pulse, slower, deeper, almost unnatural.
“What is that?” Eva whispered, her voice shaking.
The healer’s gaze remained on the screen, her expression serious. “It’s a heartbeat, but not like the first one. This one has a rhythm… more like a vampire’s.”
Eva’s stomach dropped, the blood draining from her face. She felt as though the floor had been ripped out from under her. “A vampire’s?” she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.
Max’s face was grim as he leaned in closer. “Are you saying… one of our babies is…” He trailed off, unable to finish the sentence, but the words hung in the air, thick with dread.
The healer nodded slowly, her eyes meeting Eva’s. “Yes. One of them has a vampire’s heartbeat. The other is… as it should be.”
Eva’s breath caught in her throat. She wanted to say something, but no words came. The weight of the revelation crashed over her, suffocating her. How could this be happening? How could one of her children—her own flesh and blood—be tied to a monster like Sylvester?
Max was silent, his jaw clenched as he processed the information. His eyes never left the screen, but Eva could feel the conflict rising within him. He had always known that something darker was at play, that the prophecy surrounding their children was going to be complicated, but this… this was more than either of them had bargained for.
The healer’s voice broke the silence. “There’s more. They’re already fighting inside you, Eva. The one with the vampire heartbeat… it’s not just a symbol of power. They will struggle for dominance.”
Eva’s breath hitched, and she instinctively reached for Max’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “What does that mean? Will they both survive?”
The healer’s eyes were sorrowful. “I cannot say for certain. But you will have to choose soon. They cannot exist together without one overpowering the other. And the consequences of that could be catastrophic.”
Eva’s heart pounded in her chest, and she felt a wave of panic surge through her. She had never wanted to make this kind of choice. She couldn’t choose between her children, not when they hadn’t even had a chance to live.
Max’s voice cut through the haze of fear that threatened to consume her. He was quiet at first, but when he spoke, it was with an unshakable resolve. “We’ll protect both. End of story.”
Eva looked at him, her chest aching as she saw the determination in his eyes. She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that he could make everything right. But the weight of the decision they were facing was unbearable.
Her eyes filled with tears, and she let out a shaky breath. “What if one of them becomes like him?” she whispered, the fear she had been holding back finally spilling over.
Max didn’t hesitate. He looked her in the eyes, his expression hard, unwavering. “Then we raise the other one to stop him.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
Summary & Review: Comrade
