Chapter Fifty-four

Gavin was waiting outside his car a few blocks away when they showed up. He had his usual, frosty gaze set on his visage. It was strange to see him smile as Tyler got out of the car and went to him. “I’ve been missing you.” Bram gave them a moment, as Tyler kissed him, pulling Gavin into his arms. He was happy to see that Tyler had found someone he was so interested in.

Gavin wrapped his fingers into Tyler’s hair, gazing up at him. “Getting to see you made it all worth it.” Resting his head on Tyler’s shoulder, he frowned at Bram. “Those assholes were insufferable. I may not feel much for humans in general. But the things they were talking about doing with those poor children made me sick to my stomach. Don’t ever ask me to go back there again.”

“I’m not planning on letting them do this again, so that shouldn’t be a problem.” Bram went to the car. “Is the kid in here?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Opening the back door, a poor dirty little girl sat there. She was crying and scared. “Hey, kiddo. How are you doing?”

“They ate Kevin up. He said you wouldn’t eat me.” She peeked at him through her fingers. Her eyes looked a lot like Izabella’s, her hair too.

Bram touched her arm gently. “No. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. How old are you?”

“Four.” She finally took her hands away from her face. She was a pretty little thing, her small feet were nearly black with dirt.

“What’s your name?”

“Rose.” Her voice was so small.

“Rose, would you like to come home with me? I have a son just like you, his name is Devon. He’s turning seven tomorrow. You can even come to his birthday party. Is that something you would like to do? Would you like to have new brother?”

She sniffled, her little green eyes going wide. “You are going to be my daddy?”

He smiled, opening his arms to her. “If you want me to be.” The little girl launched herself at him. Crying into his shoulder. Rose was so worked up, she started to hiccup. “Okay. I am going to have my friend, Tyler take you back to my house. Your new brother and a woman named Izabella are waiting for you already.”

“Will I have a mommy too?”

Bram looked at her, pinching her nose gently. “Not yet. I’m looking for someone to be a good mommy, though. So I hope you’ll have one soon, okay?”

“Okay.” She hugged him close. Kissing her hair, he went up to Tyler.

“Here. Get her home.”

Tyler took the girl, “You had better come home in one piece, you hear.”

“Wait, you’re not going home with her?” Gavin looked surprised.

“No. I’m going to see if I can help any of the other children. I was hoping you might have recognized some of the other buyers.” Bram said, taking a bag out of the car.

Gavin shook his head. “No, I didn’t recognize any of them. All I can really tell you is that two were ancients and then the others were Bloods. I can give you this though.” he reached into his back pocket and held out a card, “I was invited to share her and bring her for some awful games. I told them that I already had plans with her, so I couldn’t make it. If you hurry, you might be able to save the teens they took tonight from some awful shit. What they were going to do to them is what they tried to use to sell me on going. It was the most despicable and terrible thing I’d ever heard. You’re going to try to go there alone?” His cold gaze was back again, directed at Bram this time.

“Yeah. I’m going to go see how many of those kids I can still save. Do you know how many they bought?” Bram asked.

“There were a dozen vampires from their group just at the sale tonight. There’s likely even more of them at that place who didn’t come tonight. You aren’t going to be able to take on that many.” Gavin glowered. “They may all be young, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any ancients there. For all you know, and elder could be there too. Heading up the whole damn thing.”

“The only elder in the area was killed the other night.” Bram’s eyes met his, and Gavin frowned.

“That was you? I…”

“How do you think Tyler got hurt.”

“There will be more this time.” Gavin argued, “At least then you had Tyler.”

“Well, he was the reason I ended up there. He was already down and out when I showed up. They were using him as a hostage to get me there.” His eyes bounced to the little girl clinging to Tyler now. “Anyway, I’m wasting precious time. I have to go.”

“I’ll go.” Gavin sighed. “At least I can assist with getting you the hell out of there if there's too many of them.”

“You do realize that I’m putting a huge target on my back by doing this. You come with me, and you’ll have one too.”

“Fuck you, Bram. I already have one. They’re going to know that I was the one who gave them up anyway. At least if I keep you alive, you may take pity on me when the ancients show up for my damn head.” Gavin said, flipping his car keys in his hand.

Bram chuckled, “I’ve never seen this side of you before. That sass must be why Tyler likes you so much. I welcome your assistance tonight if you’re serious.” Gavin nodded. “Here.” He held out the bag. “There’s a change of clothes in there. It was for when I was finished, but I can’t exactly have you show up there wearing what you wore to the sale. I have one mask too, you’ll have to wear it.”

“What about you?” Gavin asked, pulling the clothes out and changing right there on the side of the road.

“Eh, they’ll peg me anyway. I’d rather them not know about your involvement if we can help it. Izabella’s going to have a shit fit when I come home covered in blood again though.” He groaned. As Gavin changed, he went back to Rose, taking her in his arms again. “She’s going to be thrilled to meet you though. You’re one pretty little girl, you know that.”

“It’s funny, though. If you get Izabella to agree to be your mate, you’re going to have a one hell of a good-looking family. Devon looks just like you, and this one looks like Izabella.” Tyler smiled, ruffing up her hair.

Bram smiled, “I know. It’s perfect.”

“I picked her because she looked like the woman you were with the other night.” Gavin said, “But I am curious, how will they know it’s you in a few days?”

“I have a pretty well-known card that I’ll use. Not all vampires will figure it out, but once it reaches the elder’s ears, they’ll know who did it.” Once Gavin was dressed, Bram gave Rose back to Tyler, “You ready?”

“As ready as I’m going to be.”

Bram grinned, “Try to keep up.” He started running and Gavin stayed on his heals. It would take them less time running than it would in the car, and the place on the card wasn’t that far from where they were now.

When they got there, it was a building with a seedy bar in the basement, and a night club with a line down the sidewalk. They entered the ally on the side of the building where there were doors. Gavin pointed to the one that he was directed to. “I’m pretty sure this is where we want to be.” He pulled on the mask.

Bram slammed his foot through the door. The guard that had been standing there lost his head before he even realized what was happen. Gavin used his teeth to rip out the throat of the other.