Ann got there before we sat down to eat. Stephano just minutes later. Breea arrived around eight o'clock.

Stephano told us that the local vampire community had a night club on Cedar Street. He was sitting across from Beth, who sat beside me.

"It's called Nuvo." He took a bite of his fajita. "Ave youh erd of et?" He asked with food still in his mouth.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." I reprimanded him. "Yes. That's where I met Beth and Ann, um... Kevin too."

Stephano turned his gaze to Ann. "You go to a feeder bar?" His tone was accusatory. "You wouldn't even give me a taste." He complained.

"She can't feed you, you big lunk head, she's pregnant." I gripped at him.

Silverware dropped with a clatter. All eyes swung to me. Shock registered on most of the faces.

"I am not." Ann denied, addimently.

My mouth opened but words stuck in my throat.

"Ann?" Beth said and watched the confused horror on her sisters face.

"No." She whispered. She shook her head. With more conviction she said, "No. We condoms."

"I, I can hear the baby's heart." I said.

Ann pushed violently from the table. "No. No. This can't be happening." She fled the room.

"Shist!" I said my preferred curse word that wasn't a curse word, as Beth bolted after her sister. I got up and followed.

I found them in Ann's room. Ann sat on the end of the bed crying loudly. Beth crouched in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Ann. I assumed you knew." I sat on the corner of the bed.

"You... You don't understand. Kevin's not the father. We use protection."

"They're not 100%, sweetie." Beth tried to sooth her.

Ann shook her head. "Kevin and I split up. You were dealing with the AVM. I was angry. I went out and got drunk. I met these guys, they kept buying drinks. I wanted to forget everything. I know it was stupid." She made a harsh sound. "I remember one of the guys kissing my neck. The other one didn't seem to have any interest. The blond wanted me to go home with him but the other guy wouldn't let me. They argued." She laughed harshly. "I was so out of it I don't even know who won." She shrugged. "I couldn't go home. Kevin could have been there getting some of his stuff. But I woke up alone in a shitty hotel just a mile from my house." She burried her face in her hands. She cried heart wrenching sobs.

I sat awkwardly watching unable to help. Beth gently rubbed Ann's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." I apologized again.

Ann gave a short self loathing laugh. "It's not your fault, Alex. It was my own stupidity." She started to cry again.

I know it's selfish, but I wanted to run. I wasn't good with emotional anything.

I felt Stephano move into the room.

"It does not matter how this child came to be." He declared forcefully. "It is a gift."

Ann's head whipped up and her weepy bloodshot eyes glared at him.

"I... I do not even know the father of this child." She swipped angrily at her tear stained face. She hadn't stopped crying. "I had a drunken one night stand." The hate in her voice was self directed but it didn't lessen its venom.

"So. My mother was raped in an ally. She was branded a whôre. Kicked out of her home at fifteen. She ended up being one in the back rooms of a tavern. She could have destroyed me. Her life would have been easier if she had. But I lived. She loved me no matter how I was created. She died still loving me. Syphilis killed in those days." His tone was that of controlled pain and anger. "In this time unwed mothers are not looked at so harshly." He leaned against the door frame. His heart pounded in his chest. This was effecting him greatly.

"What do you expect me to say? Hmm?" She asked. Her eyes searched his face, then mine. She turned to Beth.

"I don't expect anything. I know you, Ann. You'll make a decision you can live with." Beth was full of confidence. Her smile held genuine warmth.

"What would you do?" Ann asked hesitantly.

"I'd not make a decision yet." She stood and shrugged her shoulders. "You've had a shock. Think about it. Find out what your options are." She sat on the floor with her legs crossed. "You could keep this baby." She said and waited.

Ann looked like she was giving the though consideration.

"You could put him up for adoption. There are thousands of couples out there that would love to have a child."

Again Ann looked thoughtful. She wipped away a stray tear.

"Or," Beth begain but she hesitated.

I knew what was coming. I knew the next option. Stephano knew, his heart rate was now triple a safe rate.  Ann knew. Beth looked away as she voiced it. It almost felt like a dirty secret.

"You could have an abortion."

There was no hesitation in Ann's addiment reply.

"Never. It's alive. I won't kill it."

I heard Stephano's heart skip and then slow down to an almost normal vampire rhythm. 

Ann stood and walked over to the window.

"I can't think of anything else at the moment." Beth admitted.

"I can." Stephano said.

We all looked at him. He still leaned nonchalantly against the door frame.

"You could get married." It was said simply. But the sound of his heart changed again. He may show little emotion but he had emotions.

Again Ann didn't hesitate.

"No. Kevin and I have been over for a long time, we just don't want to be alone." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I wouldn't marry him even if it was his."

Rage flicked in his eyes but it was gone quickly. He stood and strolled into the room. "I did not mean to marry the toad." He said angrily. "You'll marry me."