Chapter Sixty-four

Bram’s day was long, and rough. He hadn’t been able to check in with Izabella yet, and was looking forward to having a few minutes. Since no one was at the DAS, he’d gone to the office to see if he could find anything of import. When he’d called them all and told them that he wanted them all together, they tried to convince him that they couldn’t join a weekend event. Bram wasn’t about to let them walk all over him, so he gave them all time to get back. Insisting that they would meet him in the office by eight o’clock. Not meeting him would be a disaster for anyone who didn’t show up, and he made that quite clear.

He’d spent his morning making call backs and answering emails. Some of the bars had been targeted by the bloods, someone knew who he was, and had started to go after anyone under his hand they could. The bars were by far the easiest targets. He was happy that many of those who ran them were vampires too. And they had done an amazing job supporting each other. Many were able to assist other bars in the area with stock or broken chairs and tables. As the one stable business he still had, he gave them all permission to close the doors, and the only one who did was run by a human who knew what the rest of them were. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to go up against the others. It had been Tyler who stepped in, offering to take the late shifts so that she wouldn’t have to worry.

He met up with Tyler and Gavin for lunch. Though there were a few moments where professionalism flew out the window, Bram didn’t mind. For the most part, they stuck to their meeting notes and Gavin did have a whole plan laid out already, making it clear to Bram that the next thing he needed to do was go to the police. Gavin went with him as Tyler took off to get himself to the bar that needed his assistance. Both Bram and Gavin gave him a hard time, wanting him to make sure that he was safe, and if anything happened, they would go in for assistance as soon as he needed it. He didn’t seem worried. They’d both feed, so they weren’t as bad off as he was. Gavin actually had someone ready in the car for him, so after their lunch meeting, Bram followed him. He felt so very badly about it. She was a young woman with stage four cancer, and she had been given only a few months to live. As an only mom, with no one else to care for her children, she had offered herself as a full feed, with the request that they get their way paid through school and for him to find a home for them where they could stay together.

This wouldn’t be an issue. Gavin already had the family they would stay with lined up in another state, and they would be well compensated for their efforts. Paperwork was drawn up so that once she passed, her ‘sister’ would be the one to take care of the kids. Bram felt awful taking her life, but he knew, without taking these measures, her kids would have ended up in orphanages and home and would have had to fight for their futures. In this case, she had done her final duty as their mother, and secured them the best possible future she could. Even if she couldn’t be part of it.

Once that was settled, Bram and Gavin made their way to the police station and reported what happened the night before. The police had wanted to get the children immediately, but as Gavin gave them the paperwork, he was able to show that the state had approved temporary custody to Bram. As a known adopter, and someone with the means to protect them, not to mention the owner of one of the biggest foundations created to help orphans in the area, the state hadn’t refused his crazy request and had actually gotten Gavin the paperwork he needed in record time. They had insisted on getting statements from the kids. Bram kept everything as close as possible, and thanks to Gavin, who came up with the idea that they call themselves the bloods because they dress themselves like vampires, had been freaking brilliant. Bram understood why Tyler liked him so much.

They hadn’t left the police station at until nearly seven, and they only let them go then because Bram made it clear that he had a meeting with his foundation for orphans at eight that he couldn’t miss, and not a single on of the officers wanted to argue when he looked them in the eye and told him the only way he wasn’t making that meeting was if they arrested him. Gavin swore, as his lawyer, it was the last thing they would do as officers if they decided to try, they all backed off. Fully aware they didn’t want to bite this particular hand.

Gavin offered to join him for the meeting. “That way, if anything happens, you’ll have someone there to assist? I know I wasn’t much yesterday but—”

“You were very helpful.” Bram chuckled. “I could have done it alone, but it was nice to have someone have my back. You’re starting to take over Tyler’s job, you know.”

Gavin shook his head, “Only for now. He may be half blood while I’m full, but I’m sure his sheer size makes up for the difference.” There was no denying that shy smile or the rosy color that brightened his cheeks. “And if I thought for a moment I could mix even a few drinks, I would switch places with him in a minute. I hate these idiots. However, you’d be better shutting down your bar than putting me behind it.”

Bram laughed out loud, “I’ll take what I can get. Ancients make him nervous, and there will be a number of them in the room. So, you actually may be better suited. You also keep your head about you on a more level keel, which may help me with this. Tyler jumps to conclusions and gets angry fast. When it comes to an all out brawl, he’s great to have around. I’m hoping I can level with these assholes and avoid too much friction. I wouldn’t have accepted Tyler’s help, but with this, you have promise to be a great help.”

Gavin smiled at him. A real, true, smile. It caught Bram off guard.

“Anyway, could you give me a bit of privacy? I want to call Izabella.” There was no argument from Gavin as he left the conference room.

The phone rang once before she answered sweetly, “I thought you would be home by now. The kids have been asking about you. They want to show you their loot.” She giggled on the other end.

“Their loot, huh? Are you all a bunch of pirates?” He chuckled, relaxing back in his chair.

“Argh.” She did her best pirate imitation, and he could hear the kids making fun of her in the background. “Actually, they’re talking like that because of a game Devon has. Whatever they pick up in it is called loot. It’s what they’ve been calling it all day. We got everything in order. And I was able to look at the houses that guy sent over. Did you know that there’s one ten bedroom house in the village and they want over ten million for it?”

“Yeah, someone’s probably living there. That’s the price they would take to move out, I’m sure.” Bram sat forward, pouring himself a glass of brandy. “The price doesn’t matter. Did you like what you saw?”

“I mean, it’s absolutely beautiful. It has nearly half an acer of land too. With a tree house and a playground. There’s a formal dinning area and a breakfast nook. Well, they call it a nook, but it’s as big as your kitchen and living room if the pictures are real.”

“Have you set up a time to look at it? I could make sure I’m off if you want me to come with you.” He would buy her anything she asked of him, he was impressed she was even contemplating a place so expensive.

“No. I wasn’t going to set up an appointment without asking you first.”

“It won’t be the most expensive property I own, so it’s fine. Buy it if you like it. We can see it when we move in.” He said this simply to get a rise out of her. Though, he did own a property worth much more than that.

The silence on the other end stretched, and he could hear the kids arguing in the background. “Please, Jen and Gabe, can you keep the kids entertained for just a bit, Bram’s finally called.” She put her hand over the speaker of the phone, but it didn’t stop him from hearing what she said. “Sorry, but wait… just like that. Just buy it. It doesn’t matter. Did you hear how much it costs? I want to make sure you’re happy with it before you put that much into it.”

“Does it have an office I can use?”

“For that price? I hope so.” He could hear her brain working over the math and it was killing her. He smiled at his phone. “If it doesn’t, we can always have two of the children share a room and make sure you have what you need.”

“Or, you could share my room.” He said, trying to sound nonchalant about the idea of getting to spend every night next to her. He could practically see the blush rush up on her cheeks as she stammered into the phone.

“W-well, I-I mean, we could talk about that. More. At some point.” She took a deep breath to steady herself, “It’s a huge purchase. I would be more comfortable looking at it and having you there with me. Is that okay? I-I can do it on my own though, if that’s w-what you w-want I ju-just…”

“Iz. If you want me to look at it with you, that’s okay. I get it. You were thrown into this far faster than I was. I will be there, whenever it is. I promise. Just tell him you want to view the property. That he found someone willing to sell with that type of lot is amazing. I prefer the idea of the village over the island anyway. So, the location suits my needs better anyway. Money isn’t an issue. Did you show it to the kids? What do they think?”

“No.” Her voice was small on the other end of the line. “I wanted to talk to you first.”

No one else, in all the time he had been one the planet, had cared for his opinion so much. She made him feel like she wanted to make him happy above all else. “I love you.” Those words were never meant to slip out. He sat in silence, waiting for her to say something.

“I made cookies!” She squeaked. Clearly not ready for his confession. “They’re chocolate chip. That’s what the kids voted on.” Bram couldn’t help but laugh as she gave an ‘Izabella swear’ over the phone, and he heard the device clatter against the counter. “Fudge biscuits!” She exclaimed, “No! No sweety, we don’t eat food off the floor! There’s still plenty.” Leaning back, he heard her argue with one of the children. “I’m sorry.” She came back a moment later. “I dropped a cookie and Rose started eating it off the floor. I was not able to stop her.”

An aroma filled the air that Bram couldn’t place. He looked at the door. “Uh, I might have to go. I called to let you know I may be home later than I wanted to be. But I think someone just showed up. I’m really sorry.”

“Can you come home after this?” Izabella asked, clearly wanting to talk more.

“I hope so.” He said, feeling very uncomfortable. “I will try my hardest to make sure nothing goes awry tonight.” This wasn’t a pleasant or happy smell. It wasn’t his subordinates making their way up as expected. “I really have to go.”

“Bram?”

“Yeah.” He asked, staring at the door.

“I love you too.” He’d been so desperate to hear those words. But the joy he felt was being overshadowed by an intense fear. Whoever was coming had a scent he knew, but he couldn’t put his finger on who it was.

He stared, waiting, but the door didn’t open. Whoever was out there, was waiting for him to finish his call. “Right back at you. I’m really sorry, I have to go.” He didn’t wait for her to respond and clicked the phone off. He hated that he already knew she would have hard a time of it, but he couldn’t take the chance.

“Hello, love.” A woman with an incredible physic he was more than accustomed to walked through the door, holding Gavin by the back of the throat. “Did you miss me?”