Chapter 147 - Pandora's Box

There is a loud bang, then a deafening scream.

Panic sets over my body.

Has the Belmont House come under attack? What great force as laid siege over my home?

It is with short, little stuttering breaths that Breyden speaks through the phone, "Sebastian, something has happened upstairs. I need to go."

"Breyden! Wait! Is it Anastasia?"

He hesitates for a few brief moments and need not even have to answer. My entire body feels like it has been struck stiff and thrown into an abyss. Has Anastasia gone into labor?

I understand that she shall scream, but what was that loud bang for?

I need to get back home; I cannot wait here for this man to return.

So with absolute haste, I make my way back over to where Edward has taken a seat, but just as I am about to sit down, I get a call from Breyden.

I immediately drop down into a panic next to Edward, "Breyden, what is the matter? Has Anastasia gone into labor?"

"Sebastian, she appears to be fine."

"Then what was that loud bang? Why did she scream?"

"Well, you, she, the thing is…"

"Yes, spit it out, Breyden."

Well, she has…uhm…she has taken something she should not have. And…I don't know how to stop it."

"What on earth are you talking about?:

He goes quiet once more again, much to my very frustration. And as he stumbles through his sentences, my patience seems to grow even slimmer. What has Anastasia done now that has this Angel in a flat spin?

"Breyden! Get a hold of yourself! What has Anastasia done? What has she taken?"

"She opened it. She took it, and then she opened it."

"My god, what are you talking about? Did she drink something that she should not have?"

"Oh, how I wish she did that instead. I am afraid that you need to return home, for I have not idea what to do, my friend."

"I shall be home on the first plane out. But please, tell me what has happened."

"The box, Sebastian, the box."

My entire world stops on its axis. The little life that is left in this Vampire gets sucked out like a vacuum. The skies grow dark, and my mind blank. If he says what I think he means, then we are in for some trouble.

"Is it THAT box?"

"The very one, there has been a great force unleashed that is still contained within the house, but I fear that I do not know for how long. I am even frightful to say that you won't make it."

"I will contact the boys, but I also fear that they won't make it, and even more so, they won't be able to help. Where is she now?"

"She does not want to leave the room. She threatened to kill me if I try to take the box away from her."

"My god, I am on my way."

With that, I drop the call and look over to Edward that has been staring at me with a very puzzled face, "Edward, Anastasia has opened the box. I need to return home. Would you be able to settle business for me?"

"The box? How on earth did she find the box?"

"The woman can find anything. I shall return home immediately."

"And this man? Must I turn him?"

"If he so desires, you may. I can unfortunately not wait to hear his decision."

And so I make my leave in an instant to get on the next plane home. I am hoping that the evil would not have consumed her, but I am afraid that is asking for the impossible. Whatever drove her to go seek out the box from his hiding place, that I do not know, but then to open it after I told her about the consequences, that I truly do not understand.

She has not only put her and our child into danger, but she has put the lives of many others too. How can she be so irresponsible? It is as if her mind has left her body; if I did not know that she was pregnant, then I would have said that she has been possessed by some other force. She has just not been herself since her near-death experience.

But that aside, I am boarding a plane that shall have me home in less than two hours. The Windchaser boys shall, well, let us hope they are on nearby business. Now Connor is for sure going to kill me this time. They are very much aware of the box's existence, but they do not quite know that I possess it.

So after a very short flight, next to an extremely bubbly teenager, I step my feet onto home ground again. And as I raise my eyes to the skies, I can already see it. The evil is creeping into the city. She has unleashed the power. I can almost with certainty say that she has been possessed herself by now.

Then just as I am about to find my very own vehicle, I see a familiar face walking up to me.

"What have you done now again,  old man?"

"Connor, who says that I have done anything?"

"Well, who else would it be. Or wait…your beloved?"

"You make it sound like my beloved is trouble."

"Do you want me to answer that?"

He comes forward to give me a rather tight and awkward hug. Now I should be used to these by now for with the company I keep; lately, they seem to happen quite frequently. Then next from behind him come, Ethan and Bobby. Well, that was not a face I was expecting. Now I have for certain give the man a reason to punch me.

But all that aside, "Why are you here? Thought you should meet me at home?"

"Your Angel gives me the creeps," says Bobby. "We thought rather to meet you here."

"Now, what have you and your beloved done now?" Connor asks.

Now how do I break this one to him? Guess the straightforward option?

"My beloved open Pandora's Box."

I hear as all three of them topple over from laughter. Connor, in fact, is laughing so loud that there are speckles of tears around his eyes. But I continue firmly.

"I am serious. She opened the box."

"Listen," Connor starts. "Did you ask us over her for sex advice? I mean, seriously, man, don't you know how to handle a woman?"

"Obviously not, for this one keeps on snooping around. Now I am serious! Look at the skies. Do they look normal?"

Connor raises his head to the sky, then looks over at Ethan with a rather oddly familiar concerned look on his face.

"Okay, now let me get this straight," Ethan says, "You have Pandora's Box?"

"Yes, my friend, I have had it for years. No one knew that I possessed it until a very greedy Walker tried to come to take it."

"Wait!" Connor stops me. "Are you the one that took out the walker?"

"Yes, my friend."

"Why did you not invite me?"

"It was crazy; I did not have time to make a call. But as I was saying, no one knew until then. I honestly thought I had it well hidden, but guess the sneakiness of a woman is underestimated."

"Well, there, I agree. So we have like all the world's horrible problems?"

"Not quite; this box has a horrible twist, see it holds horrible things."

"Things like creatures?"

"Exactly."

Connor only but shakes his head at me while we finally arrive at the Belmont House.

"So you want to tell me that we have a small little apocalypse on our hand."

"I am afraid so."

And if I thought that Connor should understand, as he walks past me to enter the house, he gives me a rather large slap against the back of the head. Next to follow is Ethan, and even know I know that he would much rather like to punch me, Bobby slaps me even harder than both of the boys.

"You idiot!"

"Well, I guess that I deserve that. But do I need to remind you that I did not open the box?"

"Now, I would slap Anastasia on the arm," Connor explains. "But something gives me the idea that we are not going to get close to her."

"But we need to; the woman is set to give birth in two days."

Connor stops dead in his tracks and spins around to face me, "Anastasia is a Vampire? How on earth is the woman going to go into labor?"

"That I do not know myself, but she is due to deliver my child."

Then I hear Bobby whisper to himself, "Balls, not another one of you."

But Connor only chuckles and continues to speak, "Sebastian, there is no way that Anastasia can be pregnant."

"Well, I am telling you, Connor, the woman is pregnant. We have been to the Doctor, and I clearly saw the child in her belly. And Morgana has told us of the prophecy."

"What prophecy?" Connor asks.

"That the strongest Vampire shall be born. He shall be half-human, half Vampire, and possess great power."

"Oh, that one," Bobby says, "And I guess you think it is your child? Well, I must tell you that you are wrong."

"Wrong about what?"

Then from behind, the voice of a woman comes, "The prophecy. I was wrong about the prophecy."