My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

A soft breeze stirred the air, carrying the scent of something both familiar and unknown. Raelynn stood barefoot on cool grass, her white dress whispering against her skin. The world around her was ethereal—a vast meadow bathed in silver light, the sky a never-ending swirl of deep blues and violets. Tiny orbs of light floated lazily, weaving in and out of the air like fireflies, their glow casting fleeting shadows on her hands as she reached out.

Where am I?

Raelynn's breath hitched.

Wait.

Wasn't she just with Axel and Elion?

Her heart pounded as the memory rushed back—the fight, the bloodlust in their eyes, the way they moved with inhuman speed, too fast for her to process. The way neither of them hesitated, how their blades and claws clashed like they were trying to tear each other apart.

And now…

She was here?

Panic surged through her veins. Her fingers curled into the soft fabric of her dress as she turned sharply, her eyes scanning the meadow.

It stretched endlessly in all directions, the silver grass swaying gently under an unseen wind. The floating orbs of light drifted lazily around her, like tiny stars that had fallen from the sky. Everything felt surreal, like a dream—too quiet, too still.

Too wrong.

Axel. Elion.

Where were they?

Raelynn's stomach twisted. They were still fighting.

What if they hadn't stopped?

What if—oh, god—what if they killed each other?

Her breath quickened, the panic clawing up her throat. She turned again, faster this time, desperate to see something, anything—but the meadow was empty.

She was alone.

A horrible thought struck her.

What if she was dead?

No. No, that didn't make sense. If she was dead, then why did she feel so… present? Her hands didn't feel weightless. Her feet pressed against the ground. Her heart was racing—pounding, drumming, screaming inside her chest.

No, this wasn't death.

But it wasn't reality either.

Then what was it?

Raelynn clenched her jaw, pushing down the wave of panic threatening to overtake her. She couldn't afford to break down right now.

She needed to get back.

She needed to stop them.

Because if she didn't—

She didn't even let herself finish the thought.

Without wasting another second, she spun around and ran.

The question drifted through her mind, yet no answer came. A strange sense of weightlessness wrapped around her body, as if she were floating within a dream yet bound to something deeper, something real. She turned, searching for familiarity, for something tangible to grasp onto.

Then, she saw him.

Elion stood a few feet away, his back turned to her. The wind played with his hair, and the long coat he wore billowed around his tall, broad frame. His presence was calm, yet there was something unsettling about the way he stood so still, as if he were listening to something only he could hear.

"Elion?" Her voice was soft, uncertain.

Slowly, he turned to face her. But it wasn't quite him. His eyes, usually a piercing shade of silver, gleamed a deep crimson. The red was striking, unnatural, glowing like embers in the dark. A shiver ran down her spine, but her feet carried her closer.

"Elion…" She reached for him, but just before her fingertips could brush his, a cry pierced the silence.

A child's cry.

Raelynn's breath hitched as she whirled around. The meadow had vanished. Now, she stood in a dimly lit chamber, cold stone walls enclosing her. The air smelled of iron and damp earth, thick with something ancient. In the center of the room, a bassinet stood shrouded in shadows.

Her heartbeat thundered as she stepped forward. The cries softened, turning into tiny whimpers. Carefully, she reached out and pulled back the delicate veil covering the crib.

A baby lay within, wrapped in fine silks of deep burgundy. Dark curls framed a cherubic face, and the moment Raelynn laid eyes on the child, an overwhelming sense of familiarity crashed into her. The baby's eyes fluttered open—large, hauntingly beautiful. But what struck her the most was their color.

Crimson.

The same unnatural glow as Elion's in the meadow.

Raelynn's lips parted, a sharp breath escaping. Her hands trembled as she reached for the child, but before she could touch him, the temperature around her dropped. Shadows slithered along the walls, twisting and writhing like living things. A presence loomed behind her, dark and suffocating.

"You fear it," a voice murmured, sending a chill down her spine. Deep, smooth, and unmistakable. Elion.

Raelynn turned, but what she saw was not the man she knew. His form flickered between light and darkness, his silhouette barely holding shape. The red glow in his eyes burned brighter, more intense.

"What is this?" she whispered, her throat tightening. "Why are you showing me this?"

Elion's gaze dropped to the child. "This is what you deny," he said, voice softer now, almost… sorrowful. "What you refuse to see."

Her chest tightened painfully. "I don't understand."

"You will."

The shadows surged forward, consuming everything in their path. The walls cracked, the air split apart with a deafening roar, and before she could scream, Raelynn was falling—

And then she woke.

Gasping, she jolted upright, clutching at her chest. Her skin was clammy, her breaths uneven. The room around her was dark, unfamiliar. But the faint scent of him lingered in the air, grounding her in reality.

She wasn't alone.

A figure sat in the chair beside her bed, partially shrouded in darkness. Elion. His head was tilted slightly, watching her with an unreadable expression.

"Bad dreams?" he asked, voice low.

Raelynn swallowed hard, her pulse still racing. The images of the dream clung to her mind like ghosts, refusing to fade. The child, the crimson eyes, the shadows. Her hands curled into fists against the sheets.

"Elion…" she started, hesitating. The words felt heavy on her tongue. "I saw something."

His silver eyes flickered, just for a moment, before settling into their usual unreadable calm. "Did you?"

Raelynn didn't know if it was her exhaustion or the weight of the dream pressing down on her, but she suddenly felt incredibly small beneath his gaze. "It felt real."

Silence stretched between them. Then, slowly, Elion leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "Dreams often carry truths we are not ready to face."

A chill ran through her at the way he said it, so certain. So absolute.

She didn't dare ask what that meant. Not yet.

Instead, she curled her arms around herself, her fingers digging into the fabric of her nightgown. The dream still clung to her like a second skin, and deep down, an unsettling thought whispered at the edge of her mind.

Was it truly just a dream?

Raelynn swallowed, her throat dry. The dream—or whatever it had been—still wrapped around her, but... wait.

If Elion was here… Then where was Axel?

Her stomach twisted. The last thing she remembered was the fight. The brutal, vicious battle between him and Elion. The way they moved—too fast, too lethal—as if the laws of the world didn't apply to them.

"Elion," she whispered, her voice hoarse, Axel…"

But before she could finish, her words were cut off.

The space in front of her was empty.

Elion was gone.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, confusion clawing at her mind. Had he really been there? Or was she still tangled in the remnants of her dream?

Raelynn pressed a hand against her forehead.

Something felt off. That feeling only grew when she heard it—

A voice. Low. Weak. Calling her name.

Her heart lurched. Slowly, she turned toward the balcony.

There, standing in the silver glow of the moon, was Axel.

Raelynn's breath hitched.

He looked horrible.

Bruises marred his skin, deep and angry. His shirt was torn in places, stained with dried blood. A gash ran along his temple, his face pale, his lips almost colorless. He looked like he had been through hell.

How was he even standing?

For a long moment, she couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

Then, panic crashed over her like a wave.

"Axel!" she gasped, rushing toward him.

She didn't think—she just acted. Her hands reached for him, fingers pressing against his arms, his chest, desperate to steady him.

He winced.

Raelynn flinched at the reaction, her stomach twisting. His body was like stone beneath her touch—tense, trembling, as if he was barely holding himself together.

"What happened to you?" she whispered, her voice cracking.

Axel didn't answer.

Instead, he grabbed her hand.

Firm. Unyielding. Cold.

Before she could react, he pulled her forward, guiding her to the edge of the balcony.

Raelynn's pulse spiked.

"Axel, wait—"

But he didn't let go.

And then, he embraced her.

His arms wrapped around her, tight—almost desperate. His head lowered against her shoulder, and for a moment, all she could hear was the ragged sound of his breathing.

Then, his voice, soft and broken:

"Let's go together."

And before she could even process the words—

They fell.