Break the Line

Rating: M

Summary: Masen Stratton, the only male child of a vampire has been born. Because of his birth, a vampire robbed of a mate has come to make amends, by taking Masen's mate by any way possible. Sequel to The Thin Line and Walk the Line.

Full Summary: Masen Stratton is a unique vampire for several reasons: he was born a twin to Sophie Stratton and Masen is the first boy born to a vampire couple. His sister, Sophie, has taken a mate in Quincy, who the family adores, including Masen himself. However, Masen can't shake the feeling of jealousy, knowing that his sister mated before him. When a strange girl named Ava Lynch appears on the Aldridge-Stratton doorstep after running away from her problems, Masen instantly realizes that she is his mate. Because of this, Masen takes Ava into the home where they begin to help her heal. Ava notices almost instantaneously that there is something not quite right about the family that has taken her in, but she also knows that she has never felt more loved –or more comfortable- in a home. She apprehends that the families are vampires, but feels no fear because, well, they hadn't hurt her yet. Just when Ava realizes this and becomes most comfortable in her skin with these people, the attacks start. Scratches and bites marring Ava's skin make it so the Aldridge-Stratton family must decipher the mystery of who is hurting Ava and how they can protect her.

Preface

"Twins… You never cease to amaze me." Will murmured to Em, nuzzling his face in her neck. He was running his hand up and down her swollen belly, feeling his babies moving beneath his hand. Em's mother, Marina, had been saying ever since she heard Em was pregnant that she would have twins, though no one bought it once Tristan said that a mate of a vampire never gave birth to twins before. Marina had rolled her eyes, saying that before Emilie, there had never been a born half-vampire either. Tristan shut his mouth after that, sighing before kissing his mate.

"I'm just an amazing incubator, what can I say?" Em said, laughing as she felt the fluttering in her stomach. "The babies sure are active today. They must be itching to get out of there. I'm almost full-term; that's unheard of for anyone pregnant with twins."

"Eh, I won't mind keeping them in there a bit longer. No crying babies, you'll still have your huge breasts and your stomach has sure made for some interesting sex." Will said, kissing her neck and running his fangs across the sensitive skin. He felt Em shiver against him.

"Will," she whined, "we just had sex. You may enjoy it, but I'm carrying around my weight, along with two, full grown babies. It tires me out!" Emilie said, trying to suppress the moan caught in her throat. Will didn't listen as he bit down on her throat, feeling Em's body conform against his own. His hands supported her stomach, the babies swirling against her skin. Will loved Em and his babies beyond words, but silently, he yearned for a boy. Tristan had told him stories of back when he was human, and having a boy meant everything. Times were different now, but Will wanted a boy for him to raise up to be a man, teach him to always respect a woman, love his mother, his mate.

Em's moan wakened him from his thoughts, as he smiled against her neck.

"Hmm, how is it I always have this effect on you? Just one bite from me and you're practically begging me…" he whispered into her neck. He pushed his leg in between her legs, feeling her wet and yearning for him. Her breathing hitched, a loud moan escaping her lips. "So wet and ready for me."

"Will, get my mom. Please." Em said, pain evident in her voice. She gripped her stomach, her breaths falling short. Will sat up in bed, and looked to the side. There was a large wet spot beneath Em and he watched her thigh muscles clench.

Will leapt out of bed, using his vampire speed and threw on a pair of pants and a shirt and also covering Em's top half.

"Baby, I'm gonna go get your mom and Chrisina, okay? I'll be right back. Lie on your back and spread your legs. Wow, I never thought I'd say that meaning something different." Will said, feeling Em grab him around the neck, pulling him down to her level.

"Either you get my mother now or you never touch me again. Take your pick." She growled, her vampire nature obvious. Will gave her a weak smile, leaning in and kissing her forehead.

They had moved since Em and Will officiated their mating, into a larger house with more bedrooms and bathrooms. Jules and Matt had been drifting around, sometimes living in the house or traveling, while Braden and Chrisina had just returned from their trip to Paris, in order to be present at the birth of Will and Em's babies. Chrisina had been thrilled, returning from the trip with tons of baby things, ranging from clothes to toys and Em accepted them all graciously. Despite Chrisina's apparent joy, no one had seemed more excited for the impending birth than Tristan himself. He was much more secretive about it, but Will could see it as he watched his daughter with pride. He had tried, in vain, to explain to Will what it meant to be a father, but found that he had to find out for himself. Tristan had told Will that those first few moments after the birth were the most powerful, because it was the essential bonding moments between mother, father and baby, or babies, in their case.

Vampire births were different from human births. It was typical for the vampire male to deliver the baby with no other present, but this wasn't a typical vampire clan. Normally, vampires did keep in touch with other family members, let alone all live together. Many found Tristan's clan to be unorthodox, but Tristan couldn't comprehend being separated from his brother, let alone his own children and grandchildren for an extended period of time. He vowed that he would continue to build bigger houses with more rooms so his grandchildren could stay with him. Tristan wanted Will to understand that family was everything.

Will ran through the house at vampire speed, coming across Marina first who was sitting in the library with Tristan, reading. He stopped in front of them, Marina's brown eyes locking on his form.

"She's gone into labor. She wants you and Chrisina. Where's Jules?" Will asked, watching as Tristan nearly jumped out of his seat.

"Jules is out on the balcony with Matt and Chrisina is watching a movie with Braden. How did we not hear her? Is she screaming?" Tristan asked, instantly becoming worried.

"Well, sweetheart, she is pregnant. How am I supposed to differentiate screams?" Marina said, earning a disgusted howl from Tristan.

"I'm her father! I changed her dirty diapers and played Barbie with her! I do not need to hear that! In my eyes, she is still a virgin and this is the immaculate conception! Odder things have happened." Tristan said, looking smugly at Marina who rolled her eyes.

"Our daughter is going to give birth, so if you'll excuse me!" Marina muttered, running off towards Will and Em's bedroom. Chrisina poked her head out her door, peering down the stairs.

"Did I hear the word 'birth'? Is Em in labor? Oh, she is! Braden, I'm going to be an aunty again!" She screeched, running down the hallway again.

"That is how she got pregnant, isn't it, Will? Immaculate conception?" Tristan said, using his height to intimidate Will. No matter what his standing was in the family, he would never be ranked as high as Tristan.

"Exactly, boss." Will said with a smirk, earning a slap upside the head from Tristan. A loud scream echoed through the house and Will felt it then, that feeling Tristan had been talking about. Tristan craned his neck, the pain his daughter was feeling was angering him, though he knew it was only natural.

"Will!" Em cried out, before letting out an earth shattering scream.

Will felt the breath leave his body. He felt her pain as if it were his own. He needed to be there now; she needed him now.

"She used to cry out for me when she was a little girl and scraped her knee. When she's in pain, she's going to call out for you now. I know that you're supposed to be the one to take care of her, but she'll always be my little girl. No matter how much older she gets or how many more babies she has, she'll always be my first born."

It was then that Will truly understood Tristan and his motives. This was truly his handing over of Emilie and while he was thrilled, he knew that one day, he would be in the same position as Tristan. His babies weren't even born yet and he was mulling over the fact that he'd hand his girls over to someone else one day.

The pull he felt drew him to his room as he left Tristan there, standing in the hallway. He entered the bedroom, finding his beloved lying on her back, legs spread and a bit of blood staining their bed sheets. Marina and Chrisina were on either side of Em, holding her hands and wiping the sweat off her brow. Em looked to the doorway, where Will was standing, smiling briefly at him before she experienced another contraction.

Jules came rushing up to him, grabbing his hands and brought him forward.

"She's almost completely dilated and the first baby is already crowning." she explained as she brought Will over to hover between Em's legs. He felt instinct take over, knew exactly where to put his hands and knew exactly what to say to her.

"Emilie, I know you feel the need to push. Listen to it. Listen to what it's telling you to do."

Vampire births progressed much faster than human births. The mother's body changes minute by minute to ensure her and the baby's survival. Will had noticed Em's changes almost immediately; her hips had widened with pregnancy but were now a little bit wider, enabling the babies to slide easily from her womb. She forced her body up, her thigh muscles clenching as she pushed the first baby out. The small baby girl fell into Will's hands as she looked up at him, eyes matching his with a tuft of brown hair atop her head.

Marina pulled the top away from Em's skin as Will handed the little girl to his mate. Em cradled the baby to her chest, the baby snuggling into her warmth. Marina and Chrisina backed away, for according to vampire laws, this moment between mother and baby was the most precious. The little baby found Em's breast and began to suckle.

"Sophie," Em murmured, kissing her newly born daughter's head. "Sophie Chrisina Marina Stratton." she said, "a perfect name for our first born perfect baby."

"One more push, love." Will said, trying to contain his tears. Watching Em interact with their new daughter had made him feel emotions he didn't think were possible. The love he felt was beyond intense. Still holding their daughter, Em gave one final push, expelling the final baby from the womb.

A loud cry echoed through the house and Will gasped. He was holding a boy in his hands. If he didn't deliver this baby from his mate and if this baby didn't have Emilie's eyes, he would never have believed. The baby's hair was darker than Em's, about Tristan's shade and the eyes matched Em's. The air left his lungs. Shock was too mild a word to describe his emotion. The little boy gurgled at his father, crying out because he was cold. Will brought him to his chest, soothing the baby's crying as the boy cuddled in his arms.

Will looked up to Em, expecting her face to mirror his shock, but it didn't. She had her other arm opened, welcoming the boy. Will stood up and brought the boy over to Emilie, who nestled the boy in her arms, with him beginning to suckle as well.

Marina, Chrisina, and Jules were all crying in the corner, such tears of joy. Tristan called their names, ushering them away, for he felt they were intruding on Will and Em's special moment. Will watched silently as his two babies fed from their mother, his mate, and he had never felt such happiness. Both babies were completely healthy and he knew that his Sophie would be beautiful, just like her mother. The boy was a miracle, something Will never believed would happen. Will watched as the boy pulled away from Em's breast, resting his head on it instead.

"Can I hold him?" Will asked quietly, still trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Of course." Em murmured, brushing her lips across Sophie's and the little boy's head. Will leaned over and lifted the baby from her arms. The boy gave Will a tiny smile as he began to get comfortable on his chest.

Will watched as the boy's breaths slowed, and it was evident he was sleeping. Will brushed his lips across his son's head, breathing in his baby scent.

"I want to name him Masen Braden Tristan, if that's alright." Em said, rubbing Sophie's back.

Will nodded and smiled, getting into bed with Emilie. Sophie peaked up from her mother's chest and stared at Will, before giving him the same small smile as her brother.

"My two babies, both complete miracles." Will said to his family as he pressed his lips to Em's forehead. He looked down at his sleeping son, silently rubbing his head softly. "My boy, I don't know what to expect for you but I know that I love you and your sister more than anything."

So, this is the preface and I hope you all enjoyed it! I'm shooting to update this story weekly, most likely on the weekend, probably Sunday. I've begun Chapter One and am finding this story much easier to write than a brand new one. I'm doing a couple of throwbacks to The Thin Line, with including all the older characters, but even some character's names are the same! If you notice, say so in your review and which character and someone lucky human girl may be hooking up with Masen in the coming chapters before his mate shows up!

Of course, many thanks to my beta, VELVETxKISSES, because without her, this story would be full of mistakes and barely readable! Expect the next chapter up on Sunday!