Chapter Fifty-five

“Stay close, and no matter what, don’t touch the fire.” Bram said, listening for any noise that would let him know where the majority of the others were.

“Fire?” Gavin asked.

“You’ll know it when you see it.” Bram said, walking up the stairs. He could smell blood already. A door opened above them, and two men came running down. There was a ruckus coming from the room they came out of. A young girl screaming for help.

One of the vampires coming down leapt from a few stories up, landing on the railing beside Gavin. He went in for the kill as soon as he landed, almost grabbing him. Gavin dodged, and Bram got his hand on the back of the guys neck, bouncing his head off the stairs. Gavin pounced on him, ripping open his chest and tossing his heart. Bram was already making his way toward the next guy. Gavin jumped on the railing, pulling himself up both the landings. As Bram took down the next guy who lunged at him from above, Gavin got a surprise attack on the one that stuck his head out the door to call to the others. “What’s going on out there?”

Jumping over the railing, Gavin slit his throat with the dagger Bram had given him. Then slammed it through his heart. Gavin didn’t run into the room, waiting for Bram. He motioned that the next room was empty, and they entered silently. The screams were clearly coming from down the hall. Others were also being loud, but the girl was still screaming. “Please! Stop. It hurts.” She was sobbing. “Why are you doing this?”

“Collect any kids in there and get them out into that first room.” Bram whispered, “Stay there and protect them. If you need me to come back out, just yell.” Gavin nodded, following behind him. Bram reached for the knob, turning it and letting the door crack open trying to get a feel for what was happening in the room. A young girl was trying desperately to cover her naked body. They were biting at her and grabbing her as she tried to jump away from them.

“Bring the boy over here, lets see if he wants to wet his little pecker once before we fucking eat him.” The boy was a teen, and he was digging his heals in trying to get away, but the fight was futile. There was nothing he could do against them. They laughed and jeered as he tried to kick and punch them.

“Just leave her alone!” He yelled.

“He might make a good vamp, he’s strong and has some good fight to him.” Bram heard a female voice. But he couldn’t see her. “He’s a pretty good-looking boy too. Don’t hurt him too much.”

Bram threw the head he was still carrying into the center of the room. It quickly got everyone’s attention. As many of them crowded around it. “No! Don’t—” the woman started to yell, but an inferno boiled around the group. And chaos broke out as many of the vampires tried to run from the room all at once. Smashing the door open, he threw another one on top of a burning conflagration of bodies that had already started to crumple.

“Bram, you fucking bastard!” The woman screamed, pulling a dagger out and leaping toward him. Ducking, Gavin twisted around, landing behind her and slammed his dagger into her back as Bram burned a corner of the room where other vampires had collected. None of them seemed to have been warned about his fire, and they were scrambling to try to douse the flames.

The teens had run off to another corner of the room, collecting the other children behind them. The girl used the boy to help hide her nakedness, both watched in horror as the room filled with blood. “Over here.” Gavin yelled at the kids, waving them toward him.

The boy looked back at the girl, taking her hand. “Come on.”

The girl pulled back though, “We don’t know if it’s safe.” Tears had filled her eyes and she looked horrified.

“We’re here to get you out. Come on!” Gavin called again, watching as Bram desiccated everyone who went for him. As one of the vampires flung himself at the children, Gavin jumped in, going blow for blow with him. The guy took a chunk out of Gavin’s dominant arm and sliced him nearly to the bone on his leg. Gavin stumbled. Just as the vampire was about to impale him with a large dagger, Bram slammed him against the wall, then threw him away from Gavin, jumping on top of him as he broke his neck, then removed his head clear from the body.

The children were all screaming. Gavin got to his feet, limping this time as he grabbed the boy’s arm. “I’m not fucking kidding. Let’s go. All of you.” He stayed between the children and the battle, but as he opened the door, there were a ton of men standing ready to take them on. “Bram!” He pushed them back away from the door. In one swift movement, Bram spun around, Gavin going in to stop the vampire that was about to attack him from behind. Lifting his arm and blue flames erupted in the hall, swallowing everyone in it.

There were only three living vampires in the room now, and they had backed away. They looked terrified as Bram descended upon them, rage gleaming in his eyes. They started to beg, and the only mercy that would be shown to them was a swift death. But he wasn’t feeling merciful. Gavin turned to the children, “Close your eyes.”

The girl dropped to her knees, pulling the youngest children into her arms. Gavin turned to the boy, “Are there any more of you here?”

“I-I don’t know.” He was shivering now. The poor thing looked exhausted, but he couldn’t pull his eyes away from Bram. “Who is he?”

“Him? He’s the fucking devil and I didn’t even know. I’m going to kill Tyler for not warning me.” He grumbled, crossing his arms as Bram played with the last man. “Come on, just kill him. You’re torturing these poor kids too.”

“You were supposed to get them out of the room.” Bram barked.

“You set the hall on fire, you jackass. I can’t take them anywhere.” As Bram glared at him, Gavin took a step back. Feeling his own heart jump into his chest. “Sorry.” He said. Bram held out his hand, and Gavin threw the dagger at him. Swiping it from the air, he slammed the dagger in the last man’s chest.

“Are there other kids?”

“They don’t know.” Gavin said, watching as Bram stormed toward them. “Are these all that were taken from the orphanage tonight?” He asked the boy.

“All of us that are still alive. They killed three already. Who are you guys? Why are you here?” Bram stopped in front of them, and the kids stared up at him in horror.

“They nearly killed my son a year ago. I found out they were doing it again and decided to put an end to it. How are you feeling, Gavin?” Bram looked down at the cuts and bite out of him.

“I’m going to need to feed after this.” He tugged at the mask. Having it on was driving him nuts.

Bram frowned, then raised his wrist to his mouth and bit down. “Here. Don’t take too much, but my blood will help you heal.” He put his arm out, and Gavin grabbed it, drinking greedily. Bram raised his arm, waiving his hand. The moment he did, the blue flames died out.

“They’re going to kill us too.” The girl sobbed.

“Can you heal her too?” The boy asked, watching with fascination as Bram pulled his arm away.

“Sadly, no.” Bram held his arm for a moment, though it didn’t take long for the skin to stitch back together. “If I tried she’d become like us. And I don’t turn children.” The boy nodded.

“What are you going to do with us now?” He asked as Bram removed his shirt kneeling beside the teenage girl.

“Here, put this on. You’ll feel better once you’re covered up. And I promise, I have no intention of hurting any of you. Come.” He held out his hand, and the girl pulled the shirt on as quickly as she could. “Gavin, call Jerome. Have him bring clothing for everyone as quickly as he can. You stay in the front room with them, I’m going to go see if I can find anyone else.”

“Are you going to be okay going alone?” Gavin asked, but then laughed. He had slaughtered nearly all of them himself. Gavin had barely been needed. Bram laughed with him, before heading out the door.

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

There was nothing else to find though. Bram came back down within fifteen minutes and Gavin had explained to the kids what would happen now. Jerome showed up a few minutes later carrying two bags filled with clothes. “Sir. I did the best I could for what is open right now. The littlest ones will only have large shirts. I have a van outside though. So, they won’t have to go very far.” He held out a third bag. “Bottle water and towels too. I wish I had brought more water though.”

“Thank you. Especially for the water and towels. Maybe Izabella won’t feel the need to kill me walking in looking like this again.” Bram smiled. He turned to Gavin. “Are you coming with us, or going?”

“Heh. I don’t think it wise I hang out in a house full of children. Especially when some of them are bleeding. You’re lucky I’m able to hold myself together so well. You and Tyler must be mad.” Gavin held his arm out. “But that was one hell of a fight, Sir. I’m honored to have been here.”

Bram smiled at him. “Tyler won’t be at my place tonight. I think I’ll send him to the Royal Suites. His apartment has been taken over by Devon’s birthday, and he shouldn’t go the bar right now. Penthouse suite, Mr. Jones.” As they both pulled off their clothing, the teenagers stared, watching them attempt to wash away the blood.

Gavin still wouldn’t pull the mask off though, not until he was well away from the building where they wouldn’t be able to find him. “You shouldn’t stare. It’s rude.” Gavin finally said, looking at them. They both turned around, blushing. And the children all closed their fingers tightly. “And thank you. I appreciate that.”

“Tyler will too.” Bram said, realizing that he was naked in front of what were very likely to become his children. He turned his back to them, not entirely sure that was better. He quickly pulled on his clothes. He felt ashamed that the kids were still sitting there naked. “Wash up and get dressed. Can’t go outside like that. What are your names?”

“I’m Jennifer and that’s Gabe.” The girl said. They both rushed to get their clothes on. When Bram was done, he knelt on the floor, calling out to the smallest child. “Come, I’ll help you.” A little girl, probably around the age of five, looked up at him with large brown eyes. “And who are you?”

“That’s Missy. She doesn’t speak. She can, but she’s got a real bad stutter. Then there’s Alex, Mable, and Sarah. They’re all between five and seven. Alex can’t see real well, and Mable hears poorly. But glasses and hearing aids aren’t something they give to kids like us.”

Bram smiled at all of them, “Well, you can be my three little monkeys.”