"Did she stop breathing again?"

There were voices all around her, echoing, bouncing off the hospital walls. The woman on the bed grits her teeth, irritation filling her. She squints, confusion fills her as the voices continue to hammer her, like a stereo.

"How's the baby doing?" One of the nurses asked. 

"We need to check on the other one-."

"The little one's heartbeat is slow. I think-."

"Okay," the other nurses said, "then we should-."

"Fuck," the woman mumbles, her big blue eyes trying to make out colors. "I need a drink."

"After this, I volunteer to treat you," a voice, deep, inviting, smiles at her. His handsome face, surprisingly, is the only thing she can spot clearly.

"I thought you said you and I were done." The woman pinches the bridge of her nose. "God, I can't believe you're using that sick ability while I'm giving birth-."

 "They both won't make it. One's a goner, and one is one the verge of being a goner." He smiles, "and I know how desperately you want to tie their father to you, bound him tightly so he can't escape-."

"Say that again." The woman glares at him, her pretty face covered in malice. "I'm not even going to comment on that blasphemy thing you—a man of faith—have no business saying.

The man chuckles: the cross he wears around his neck simmer with his white teeth.

"Well," he humors, "pretend I'm just your everyday man."

"Everyday men," the woman bites, "can't appear in people's head like this."

The man's eyes—for a moment—glimmer a multicolor silver. 

"That," the man peers at the silent baby, "isn't wrong."

"How do you know?" The woman said, shakily sitting up. "That my baby is going to die?"

"I can see it—this one—his death date. Plus, his soul feels weak, faint," the holy man smiles, pointing to the baby with deep brown eyes, almost to the point of black. "But I have a solution to your problem."

"Which is?" The woman asked.

"What if I said that I'll transfer a soul into one of your babies, combing their souls." He smiles, "that way, at least one of sons can live."

"What? You can-of course you can do that-." The woman scuffs.

"I cannot," he shrugs, but I know someone who can.

"But, what's the price?" She asked. "A-and what about my other son?"

The holy man peers back at one of the children, mildly amused.

"I," he said, fixing the cuffs of his priest attire, "just want to see the fruits of my hard work come to pass, is all." He snickers. "But in truth, your lover can keep one, but I as well want one."

"You want my fucking baby-?" She screams. "Are you insane?!"

"I am," The priest laughs, "But as far as I'm concerned, your lover doesn't even know they're twins, and only one of them has his features. You don't need both."

"What are you-?" The woman seethes, holding one of her babies, the blonde one and blue eyed one, tightly in her grasps. "Why do you want him?"

"I have a few experiments," the priest jokes, "plus it would be nice to keep at least one of my sons-ah-I mean Godchild."

"So, you're sick," she scuffs, "using one child to harvest that beast, and now you just throw him away, like trash, and use my son to be the replacement. Is that it?"

"I wouldn't talk, my love." The holy man smiles. "You're using this same child to hold onto a married man. I would shut your mouth and take the offer."

The woman glowers at the sweet tone, followed by harsh words. She just turns away, refusing to look at the man any further.

"Fine. Deal. I suggest you sit in the same mass you preach in to repent." The woman snickers. "And I never want to see the other child again. He looks too much like you."

The man smiles, "I will save you a seat right beside me. Vermillion loves when new members attend our masses!"

"Is that creepy girl here?" The woman wearily looks at the hospital door, where she suddenly pauses, surprise and fear suddenly overtake her. She notices a pair of purple eyes stare at her through the hollow hallways. "Never mind, I answered my own question."

"The one conducting the merge will be here shortly, as well." The holy man smiles, patting his cross with glee. He faces the girl waiting in the doorway, a soft smile on his face.

"We can't have any witnesses, now can we, Vermillion?" The holy man chirps.

The girl in the hallway peeks in the room curiously, confusion on her face.

"Excuse me," the man said, "I meant that all these people in this room are evil, tainted by the Devil. Look, they're stealing this poor woman's baby."

Vermillion's eyes glow brighter. She snarls, lunging at the nurses.

"Wait-!" The woman cries, "why are you killing them-?"

"This can't work if people are in this room, correct?" The priest pauses, contemplating, "Actually, people may walk in as well…Vermillion, kill them all. Quickly. Anyone you see, eliminate."

"Yes, master." Vermillion said, occupied by grabbing a nurse and raising her knife.

The woman just looks away, pretending like she doesn't hear any screaming.

"He didn't even show up while you're here, giving birth to his son," The holy man smiles, but there is contentment in his eyes, "how funny."

The woman glares up at him wordlessly, yet sits in silence as blood splatters on the sheets on her bed.