One Hundred and Thirty-five

“So, Iz, Eudom, I called you both here because I need to ask you both how you think we should proceed. First off, I’ve been thinking a lot about Gabe. One of the hardest things I remember going through in my first years was feeling like no one could understand me, or what was happening to me. I don’t want Gabe to feel like I’m just avoiding him. It’s been weeks. I know I’m not back to being myself, one hundred percent, but my gut is telling me that I need to do something. Sooner than later. From what I’ve heard so far from Gavin and Tyler is that he won’t talk to them, and avoids getting close. Jen says that he’ll talk to her, but he seems closed off and distant. Like he doesn’t really want to be around her but accepts that she’s there. I’m hoping he’ll let me in, even if it’s just a little.”

“Bram should not be chasing the monster that almost killed him.” Eudom’s smile was gone, his red eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Bram isn’t even healed right.”

Izabella was chewing on her lip, staring down at the cup of water in front of her. “So, you’re going after him?” She asked, paying more attention to the condensation on the outside of her glass than him.

“I know you don’t want me to. But, I feel like I have to. I changed him. I knew I shouldn’t have, but I did it anyway. That was my choice, not his. But like you, I couldn’t just watch him die either.” Bram closed his eyes, rubbing at his forehead. He was glad stress wasn’t a huge issue for him.

“Where will Izzy go to be safe?” Eudom asked.

“That’s part of why I wanted you here, Eudom. I want to know what you think. Where can I bring her where she’ll be safest. Somewhere you can show up at, without worry, to help if she needs it. Also, if I go, I’ll take Jen with me, but leave Gavin and Tyler with you so that—”

“I don’t want you to go.” Izabella finally spoke up. “We just got married. I’m pregnant with your daughter. What if he does attack you again? What if you don’t make it home this time?” Her brow was furrowed. The two of them may not have known each other for very long, but they’d been through a lot. And this was the angriest he’d seen her. “I’m sorry I ever asked you to save him.” Tears welled in her eyes. He reached toward her, but she pulled away, shaking her head. “I want you to stay with us. Wherever we are. If you need to follow him, then we’ll come too.”

“I can’t do that Izabella. I won’t.” Bram’s tone deepened in seriousness, leaning back in his chair, he gripped his hair. “I won’t take you and the kids, because if he does decide to do something, I don’t want you anywhere near him. I can’t take a risk with you guys like that.”

“But you’ll risk your own life.” Iz’s shoulders slumped, and her words were nothing but a whisper.

“I have to do something.”

“We’ve not had a break since all this started.” She sighed, standing. “You do what you must, Bram. I’m tired. I’m going to lay down for a while.” Bram started to stand, intending to follow. But a cold hand pressed his shoulder. When he turned back, Eudom was shaking his head.

“Do not follow. Izzy needs time. She almost lost you. Bram has to understand she’s scared.”

“I do, Eudom. Why don’t you tell me, how can I protect her while I’m gone?”

“If Bram is so worried about protecting her, why not stay? Be happy. Gabe may come round with time. Bram cannot save his past self. No matter what he does with Gabe now.”

Bram sighed, sitting back down. “I’m not trying to save my past self, Eudom. I don’t want anyone else going through what I did. I just… want to be there for him.”

“What about the other work. Everything else Bram has started? The church? The vampires? Bram has many things that need his attention. Mostly, my Izzy.” Eudom clicked his fingers on the table. Bram almost yelled at him. His frustrations were running high, and he didn’t like it. What did everyone expect of him? All this fucking shit was too much. “Maybe Bram is focusing on the easiest target, when he should be focusing on the biggest issue. An issue, that makes staying beside Izzy imperative.”

Bram through his hands up in frustration, and got out of his seat so that he could pace, back and forth in front of where Eudom sat. “But I don’t even know where to start with that!” He growled in frustration. “I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided that I wanted to overturn the elders. I never wanted to have anything to with them.”

“Things are going to get bad, Bram. Someone needs to show they’re still in charge. Otherwise, things will go bad fast. And Bram will be blamed for all of it. Gabe will just be the dagger in your chest. You’ll have many more in your back.” Bram didn’t like the way Eudom’s eyes were getting darker. That was never a good sign.

“So, you think I should stay beside Izabella, and wage a war instead?” Bram asked stopping with his back to turned to the shadow entity.

“Eudom thinks that Bram should take Izabella and hide. Just be still. Enjoy what you have now, worry about everything else later.”

“Then why the hell—” Bram could feel the anger rising as he turned on his heels.

“Eudom only answered your question. Bram’s the one who didn’t ask Eudom’s opinion. We just wanted to make sure Bram knew it anyway.” Clickty-clickety-click.

Bram deflated. “I can’t just ignore it all.”

“We can, Bram just doesn’t want to.” Eudom stood, moving closer. “Izzy and the littles should stay here. The ugly witch,” Bram almost chuckled at that despite everything, “is hated by us, but she seems to like Izzy and the kids. I will watch them. I will protect them. But Bram must be prepared to come back. He will take Gavin and Tyler with him, because the witch does not care for their lives. Jen can go. Or stay.” Eudom’s head did its weird, bouncing back and forth thing for a bit. “She can learn lots from the witch. But she misses Gabe. Not that she’ll find him by chasing him.” The way Eudom clicked their finger against their chin made Bram note that in his memory. “The priest can stay for a while, but Eudom will need to take him. He cannot stay here too long. It will risk much, and with where we’re headed, he might be good to keep. Not as good as Matt, but Gavin makes up for that.”

“And you’ll let me know if I need to come home?” Eudom held out a closed hand, and Bram offered him a palm. A ring was dropped into it. Very much like the one Izabella had. This one was a man’s ring though. It was a thick gold ring with nuummite wrapping around the entire band.

“Eudom almost gave this to Bram as a wedding ring. We almost suggested using Izzy’s as hers. But we didn’t want to overstep.” Bram could see a blush rising up on Eudom’s cheeks. “We made it for Bram after he almost died. We wanted to make sure he was safe from now on.”

“Eudom, did you just offer me a ring that brings me to the shadow room?” Bram stared into his palm. Such a small thing. But the meaning behind it was substantial. Eudom trusted him with Izabella’s father’s secret room. A room, full of items that he could use at his will with such a treasure. A room that held things that could kill Eudom if anyone so desired. A room many hunted for, even now. A ring his mother would kill to have. “You don’t have to do this.”

“We did. And we do.” Eudom cocked his head sideways. A little too far sideways. “Bram needs a safe place too. Someplace to run to if needed. Someplace Eudom can still help him too.”

Bram tried the ring on a number of his fingers before finding the only one it fit on was his pointer finger on his right hand. “I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“Thanks would work.” Eudom smiled at him. Bram already knew how to work the ring. Izabella had shown him, and he didn’t think that Eudom would change anything. Clicking the password on the stone, he instantly got sucked through time and space and ended up in the cold and dark shadow room. Eudom was already there, laughing, as he held out a red flamed, black candle. Bram took it, laughing. “I just… wanted to make sure it works.” He took the candle from Eudom. “And this is the only fire that will work in this place.” Eudom nodded. Bram circled around, looking at the room at large.

“Eudom, is there anything that I should bring with me when I go see Gabe? I don’t want to hurt him. I’m looking for something that might help.”

“Eudom knows of some things here, but not all. Nothing we could offer help with to the monster though.”

“Could we stop calling him a monster and just call him Gabe?” Bram frowned, looking over at the entity.

“Bram may call him whatever Bram wants. We will call him a monster, because we want Bram to remember, always, that Gabe is no more.” Bram wasn’t fond of that statement at all. But, unable to argue, he just nodded.

“Thank you, Eudom. I really do appreciate your help.” He reached out, patting them on the shoulder before clicking the ring and dropping onto the floor of library.

Izabella was standing there, looking worried. Eudom waived, and Bram stood, his side unhappy with him being tossed around the way he had been. “Iz?” He got up, stumbling toward her. “Iz, babe, I’m sorry I upset you earlier.”

“You went to the shadow room?” Her green eyes were wide, and she looked nervous.

Bram stepped back, worried she might have the wrong idea. “Eudom gave me a ring. I didn’t touch anything, I just… wanted to see it work.” He held his hands up, like a white flag in a war zone. Izabella’s gaze went directly to Eudom, who nodded with his Cheshire smile. When she rushed at him, Bram almost lost his footing, shocked. “Iz? Are you okay?”

“What did you take?” She asked, speaking into his chest.

“Nothing. I was going to talk to you first, and ask if Tom had half an idea maybe?” His arms slowly engulfed her. “I’m sorry Iz. I know you want me here… I know I’ve made a damn mess of everything too. And I’m sorry, babe. But… I need to set this right. I need to make it better.”

As her head nodded into his chest, he had to wonder if they saw the writing on the wall and were now just testing him. She squeezed him tight. He just let her do her thing, as he waited. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” He said, a bit confused. Though Eudom was now wearing that shit-eating grin that made him suspicious.

“Bram. Come upstairs.” She took her hand in his. He couldn’t deny her. “Eudom?”

“We’ve got you covered.” He giggled.

As Izabella pulled him out of the library and down the hall, Bram followed, confused. “I’m sorry.” She said, over her shoulder as she pulled him down the hallway. “This castle is too damn big.”

That was the first swear word that ever came out of Izabella’s mouth. Bram didn’t know whether to smile or pout. He knew he was an ass for wanting her first time to be more dramatic, but it was cute none-the-less. “You okay, babe?”

“Yeah, I just need to get you alone.” She was still a few steps in front of him, her small hand wrapped around his wrist.

“Babe. We’re alone.” He laughed. Nearly knocking into her as she stopped dead in the hall. His hand went for her waist. Pinning her against the wall, his body responded to the way she pressed against him. “you’re way too tempting.”

“Is it wrong that I want to tear the clothes from your body and throw you onto the bed and just have my way with you?” She pressed her breasts against him, bucking against his leg.

She looked a bit shocked as he pushed away from her, but then he closed that space again, pulling her into his arms and against his chest. The air passed by them like a breeze, and a moment later they were standing before his door. “We could have taken our time.” She whispered, but her fingers were tracing his lips and he was ready for her now.

“We’ll take time where it’s important.” He kissed her, pushing the door open with a foot. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing. You’re right. We need to go after him. And Jen needs to know she’s loved. Gavin has been passing notes between us.” Izabella giggled. “She thinks it’s a great idea for you to go talk to Gabe. He’s caught up on his master.” She gave him a pointed look. “He’s complained about his family and father a lot too. I believe you and him have more in common than any of us think.”

“You’ve been talking with Jen?”

“Kinda?” She shrugged, massaging his shoulders, “We can’t really be face to face. But we’ve written to each other, and between the two of us, we send multiple texts per day.”

Bram grabbed both of her wrists, holding them in his vice like grip, pressing them above her head. “Now that I have you, here, under my control, tell me, darling, what was all of that back there?” Izabella squirmed under him, looking sheepish. Her gaze suddenly avoiding his.

“Well….”