She was strange... very strange.But I loved her.
Her inhuman appearance meant nothing to me. I only felt our connection—strong, instinctive, unbreakable. Like with my spider daughters... The bloodline was powerful. Maybe that's why I couldn't feel the slightest disgust. Or perhaps I had drifted so far from humanity that all of it had become irrelevant.
"Red..." Gemma whispered weakly.
That's when I reacted. I turned to her and placed our little one into her arms.
As soon as she touched her mother, Ruby began to cry again, squirming restlessly. Gemma, trying to calm her, nearly offered her breast… but the child, instead of accepting it tenderly, bit down furiously. It was an impulsive attack, and if I hadn't intervened, she might have torn off a piece of flesh.
With my hand on her head, I invoked [Calm]. And it worked—almost immediately.
The child settled, and I could feel how the suppression of the bloodline enhanced my power over my offspring. Especially those powers born of blood magic.
Ruby rested quietly in Gemma's arms, who, despite the pain and exhaustion, held her firmly, tenderly embracing our daughter. I began healing her: the wounds, the toll of labor, the exhaustion. It had been a quick birth, but no less devastating to her body.
Then we saw Ruby, resting against her mother's chest, open her mouth. Out came a thin, long tongue—clearly not human. But not entirely reptilian either: its conical tip gave it the look of a biological spear, a slender tentacle capable of piercing flesh if it wanted to.
With quick movements, she began licking the blood from Gemma's chest.
Gemma looked at her, and despite how monstrous our daughter might have seemed, there was no fear in her eyes. Only love. Gently, she brought her closer to breastfeed.
Ruby seemed to recognize the scent and sought the nipple on her own. Gemma smiled softly... at least until the baby bit down so hard it nearly tore it off. She wasn't just latching for milk—she was drawing blood. Drinking it eagerly, as if she needed both to survive.
I had to heal Gemma again, restraining Ruby with my power. I needed to calm her instincts before she hurt someone again.
I'd have to train her. Teach her. At least until she could speak, communicate, understand.
I didn't want my daughter to be a savage monster.
Here, in this house... we're civilized monsters. Most of the time.
...
To say this was an important moment would be an understatement. I felt like my whole world was shifting now that I was a father. It felt similar to when I first learned about Gemma's pregnancy… but far more intense. More real.
I looked to the side, where Gemma cradled Ruby in her arms. Around her were the other women, watching her, staying close, whispering quietly. I saw a mix of emotions on their faces… and not all of them were good.
"What is it, Lily? And you, Petunia?" I asked, noticing them whispering to each other, throwing glances at my daughter… and at me.
"Red… if we ever have children with you…" Lily began, her voice soft, uncertain, unable to finish her sentence.
"Will they be like her?" Petunia finished, eyes fixed on Ruby.
Both of them, like Andromeda, shared the same doubt. The idea of having children with me had always been there—inevitable, even desirable... until now. After seeing Ruby, fears that hadn't existed before began to surface. In their eyes—still limited, unable to perceive what I could—my daughter was a strange, violent creature that might even devour her own mother without thinking.
They loved me, yes. But now, the idea of motherhood no longer shone as brightly. They would do it for me, without hesitation… but they didn't want to go through what Gemma had.
"It's okay, girls," I said, approaching and gently stroking their heads. "She might seem strange to you—even frightening—but she's just a child. She doesn't know what she's doing. She's not so different from you when you were babies… except she was born stronger."
Both looked at Ruby, sleeping soundly with her tail curled around her mother's arm. In that peaceful state, she really did look calm. They tried to see her with tenderness, with more open eyes… but they weren't yet accustomed to the unknown enough to accept it easily.
"Besides," I added with a mischievous smile, squeezing their asses firmly, "my children can be completely human... if I so choose."
They both let out a small squeal, blushing. But instead of pulling away, they pressed closer to me, grinding their hips against my unmoving hands. Just one touch was enough for their worry about future children to start fading, replaced by a quiet thought: "For you… I'd accept it." I had truly corrupted them.
Andromeda said nothing, but I saw the same unease in her eyes. Even so, I knew she wouldn't reject my request if I ever asked her to bear me a child. Hearing me speak seemed to ease her mind. She even sighed with relief knowing her offspring could be normal... although she then thought of Tonks, of her abilities, of how she ended up with me… and accepted that maybe she never had a "normal" daughter to begin with.
...
Gemma spent the rest of the day in bed, even though I had already healed her. She only got up the next day, stepping out with our daughter in her arms. From that moment on, a small period of family life began. She didn't want to leave Ruby alone for even a second.
It wasn't until the second day that we noticed signs she was starting to open her eyes. Her movements were also becoming less clumsy. Maybe it wasn't obvious to others, but I, who watched her closely, could clearly tell: she was developing certain parts faster than an average baby. Particularly those that belonged to her predator side.
I didn't feel she was evil. No… she was simply a creature meant to survive.
I looked at her. I looked at Gemma, who gently stroked our daughter's hair, which was beginning to take on a reddish hue.
And for a few seconds, I got lost in my thoughts again… in my plans for her.
I had already expected my children not to be normal. Maybe not as extreme as Ruby, so suddenly… but I had it in mind from the beginning. The world would hardly accept something like this. I can feel it: the magic in my daughter… it's not ordinary. It's strong, pure—like that of purebloods, and I mean the best of them.
The magical world would fear her. Not just because of her power, but because of what she would represent. Very few would accept the rise of a new race, one that could be superior to humans in more than one way… and that maybe, over time, could replace them. Yes, it sounds like a horror movie… but if I think about my spider daughters, if Ruby were to inherit even the normal fertility of a human, and over time they multiplied… beings like her, superior both physically and magically… then it's not far-fetched to imagine an inevitable conflict.
But that's not what I want.
I don't care about racial war. Deep down, I know I would always be on my daughter's side. No, the real problem is something else: I don't want her to live a life marked by that. By fear, by the idea that she has to be or not be a "superior being," or that one day she'll have to fight other races to survive. I just want her to be happy.
Raising her in the Fief won't be a problem. This place keeps growing and improving. Even Elise is creating her own world, and who knows how many more will appear. In time, the Feudo could become vaster and safer than the outside world.
And yet…
And yet I want my children to be able to walk that world with their heads held high and in total freedom.
"Looks like I've been holding back too much," I said suddenly, breaking the silence.
"What?" asked Gemma, still rocking Ruby in her arms.
"I'm going to pave the way," I replied, gently caressing the baby. "For her… and for all my future descendants. I'll do what's necessary, even if some of those things might be questionable, even by the standards I just set."
Gemma lay against my shoulder, with a warm smile and tears in her eyes.
"You'll do the right thing," she said in a trembling voice. "No matter what you have to do. I support you. For our daughter… it's all okay."
"I love you, Gemma," I whispered, feeling her emotions so pure, so strong… I kissed her, and at the same time, created a clone and sent it to put my plan in motion.
...
—Meanwhile, at the Ministry of Magic—
Amelia Bones was signing some papers in her office, but she didn't feel at ease. Unconsciously, her hand kept reaching for an empty corner of the desk, as if searching for something that wasn't there. Several times she brought an empty cup to her lips, only to remember—too late—that there was nothing in it.
She frowned, annoyed with herself.
Something strange had happened that day. Her assistant… hadn't shown up. He always made her a coffee that tasted out of this world and left little snacks on a plate so she wouldn't work on an empty stomach. But today, nothing. No coffee, no presence, no word at all.
And while his absence wasn't a problem in itself… what truly unsettled her was her own reaction. The young man who seemed so determined to seduce her, the one she had tacitly accepted—though without fully giving in—had become so constant in her daily routine that her performance dropped without him.
That worried her. She didn't want to depend on anyone, least of all someone like him. Even though she had allowed his courtship without too much protest, and had accepted some of his care… she knew she had to put an end to it, or at least restore the balance. If she kept accepting his attention without giving anything back, something inside her would start to erode. She needed to find a way to either compensate… or stop him. But it wasn't easy.
Because the only thing he seemed to want… was her.
Just then, Tenebrius appeared suddenly in the office, startling her once again. She was getting sick of him doing that.
"Tenebrius," she greeted him in a neutral tone. She didn't mention he was arriving at an unusual hour, nor did she ask why—just to avoid showing any interest.
"Amelia," he replied, serious. "I need to ask you for a few things."
Amelia was surprised by his tone. There was something unusual in his voice. But she composed herself quickly, even feeling a slight sense of relief. Maybe, at last, she could balance out that silent debt she felt toward him.
"Speak," she said firmly, in her usual dry and professional tone.
"I need the address of the Gaunt house. And a lot of house-elves." (Tenebrius)
"The Gaunt house? House-elves?" she repeated, confused. She had expected something difficult… but not something so strange.
"Yes. As many as possible," Tenebrius clarified bluntly. "Preferably female. It'll save me a lot of work. Age, illness, or condition doesn't matter. As long as they're alive, they'll do. And price is not an issue."
Amelia watched him closely. She was trying to decipher his true intentions. She didn't want to get involved in anything shady. But the young man had earned her trust. And for now, she would give him the benefit of the doubt.
"The first thing is easy," she finally said. "But the second… is more complicated."
---///---
Give thanks to The_Fool and Mauricio López — thanks to them, we're back to four chapters a week!
--//--
Quick question:Based on what I've read about your preferences, there's one topic I've debated a lot and haven't made a decision on yet. I'll let you choose:
A) No specific sexual or romantic interest — just let things happen naturally.
B) Female version of Red, a total man-eater: she beats everything that moves (although she is mainly aimed at male characters).
C) A desire for Red (Honestly, even if I'm a degenerate, I hadn't originally planned this kind of incest for the story).