Chapter Sixty-seven

Mihaela was pinned against the side of the building before she knew it. “Where the fuck is my family?”

“On their way home. It was the only way your parents could think of to get you to come back.” Her hand reached out, touching the side of his face. “They won’t let you have her. We heard what you were doing, and the elders found out too. They were moving to collect them, you’re lucky we got here first. Those assholes that work for you ratted you out. Aleigha is still sitting her chair. You’re lucky she is loyal to us. They would have murdered the whole clan. They won’t go to the castle though. Especially if you travel there too. Between mom, you, and me, they wouldn’t dare. Let alone dad. He would kill them on sight simply because he can.”

“You speak like you’re doing this for my own good.” Bram growled at her, pressing on her throat more tightly.

“Bram.” Tyler put his hand on his arm. “You can’t kill her. You don’t know what Scarlet will do to them if she doesn’t return.” Bram smashed his fist through the massive window he held her against. This time she jumped.

“Your mother is thrilled that you found your mate. This is the one time she will accept that you will be better with someone else. When she learned this, and then found out that I was with Marius, she took him from me so that I would come here and fetch you.” Mihaela was trembling before him. “She knew the moment your heart started beating for that poor girl. Did you forget that she tracks you all the time?” He had. It had been so long since she’d interfered.

“I was going to help you. I would have listened. Why did you let that bitch touch my family?” He roared over the alarms that were now blaring from the building.

“We need to leave.” Tyler grabbed them both, pulling them away from the screaming building and the people who had now gathered to watch.

“I’m going after them. They wouldn’t have even made it to the airport yet.”

Mihaela grabbed his arm before he could take off, looking at him seriously. “She doesn’t need a damn jet, Bram. She had a seal set in your apartment when you first moved in. I used my magic so that you wouldn’t detect it. I didn’t know anything like this would ever happen. If we can get to your apartment, we’ll be able to join them in just a few minutes. You need to settle yourself first though. The girl is probably terrified. She doesn’t need to see you running in in a fit of rage, and you don’t want to kill your parents in front of her little virgin eyes.”

“If they so much as hurt a hair on her head, I will kill you all. No matter who’s watching.” That was it. Bram took off toward his apartment, leaving the others to follow.

***

Izabella clicked the phone off. She stared at it a moment. That was not the reaction she expected to get from him after saying, ‘I love you’ for the first time. She wasn’t sure what he would do but hanging up on her wasn’t what she anticipated. All she could do was hope he was okay. Rose grabbed her leg, hugging it.

“Daddy?” She looked up.

“He should be home soon, hopefully.” She reached down, lifting the girl into her arms. “Alright, everyone.” Izabella looked over at them into the living room where they had collected to watch a movie. “Time to go get your pajamas on. We’re going to have to go laydown here in a little bit.”

The only one who listed right away was Devon. Taking off into his room, she smiled after him, following his down the hall. “Thank you, sweetheart. How are you doing? I know it’s been a bit overwhelming today. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He said, pulling out his drawer and grabbing clothing out. “It was weird to be out shopping and not buy anything. But it was good to see everyone else so happy. I wasn’t lonely at all today. I think I’m going to like having brothers and sisters around. Gabe still annoys me though. And I wish dad had been around. Then he wouldn’t have been ordering us around.”

“Yeah, your dad will be coming back soon, I hope. He said that we’ll go look at the house together. It’ll be a lot to bring everyone, so I think I’m going to ask Jen and Gabe to watch the others. But I wanted to see if you’d like to come with us when we go look at it tomorrow?” Izabella asked, leaning against the door frame as he tore off his clothes and threw on the pajamas.

The house suddenly felt very hot. Devon grabbed onto his dresser and Izabella watched as Rose’s head went down onto her shoulder and she started to shake in her arms. A moment later, Izabella was hit with a wave of dizziness. Her knees shook and she slid down the door frame as Devon landed on his butt. She could hear the kids in the living room all collapse too. “What on earth…”

“Hello, my darling!” A woman said, walking out of her room. She wasn’t tall, but her hair was a deep burgundy red, her eyes as blue as the ocean. She wore bright red lipstick, and her smile was huge as she looked over at Izabella. “I have been waiting an eternity to meet you!”

“Who… who are you?” Izabella stared up at her. A chill ran up her spine as the woman knelt in front of her.

“You are the one, right? Did you just tell my son that you love him over the phone?” Izabella didn’t like the way the woman was looking at her. Her eyes were nearly crazy with anticipation.

“D-do you know Bram?” She asked, staring at the stranger who just appeared in the middle of his apartment.

“I gave birth to him.” Her smile was never ending. “I’m sure, if he’s talked about me at all, it hasn’t been good. But I’ve always loved him so much. You are surrounded by little angels, so you must understand a mother’s love.”

As she said those words, Izabella suddenly felt the urge to get all the children agathered and hidden from this woman. She had hurt Bram. In more ways than one. He’s said he hated her, and even then she remembered the one time he seemed to have any sort of fear. His parents were monsters. Weren’t they? She knew it had been a long time since they’d seen each other. Maybe something had changed?

“I-I um… I’m not a mother. I’m Bram’s nanny.” She looked around, wishing to hell he was here, right now with her. Devon started to come to, but when his eyes saw the woman beside her, his face went white, and he started to shake his head. Bram had warned him of her. That meant a lot. She was sure they would have eventually gotten to that conversation, there just hadn’t been enough time.

“But, you could have a baby with him. You want to, do you not? Every fiber of your body calls out to him, and his to you.” Her eyes were shining. Devon ran over, grabbing onto Izabella’s arm as he curled his little body against her.

“We’ve only known each other for a short while. I… I can’t say that I would want that. N-not yet.” Izabella stammered, feeling completely awkward at the moment. Who enters someone else’s home, without their permission and starts talking to a total stranger about having her grandkids. She didn’t even know Izabella. What if they hated each other? “Why are you here? I don’t think he’ll be very happy that you dropped in without any notice.”

“Oh, well, you see, there are some very bad people about to show up here to murder you and the kids. Vla-I mean, Bram, will thank me for what I’m about to do. At least he will once he realizes it was to keep you all alive. So, you should call the children into that room over there. That way, I can take you somewhere safe.” The woman leaned in, kissing her cheek. “I see why my son is so infatuated. You are just a heavenly aura waiting to be eaten up. He must have to fight off the world to keep you safe.” Bram hadn’t, but her father had. An image of him popped into her head and the woman stepped back.

“Oh, you knew Father Corvino?”

“What the heck!” Izabella became infuriated. “Are you reading my thoughts?”

“Sweety, honey, I mean… I am. But it’s not something I do consciously. It’s like people who are really good at reading the room.”

“He was my father. How do you know him? What is your name?” Izabella stood, laying Rose in Devon’s bed, as she asked him to stay with her. Devon crawled under the blankets with her and threw them over their heads.

“My name is Scarlet Tepes. I knew your father because about twenty to thirty years ago. He came to us after learning that vampires exist and wanted to learn how to navigate our world. He was angry and wanted revenge. There’s a reason most are smart enough not to hurt those with family. But someone did him wrong. He was a destroyer of vampires here in the city before he found you and retired. I knew him then.”

“Why would he talk to you?” She whispered. Izabella hadn’t meant to get sucked in. It happened non-the-less.

“I’m not a vampire, love.” Rubbing the back of her neck, “I’m more rare. I can only create one by my own body, just like you. I can’t give them blood. I need to take you with me. Time is of import right now, though. I need to get you out of here.” Those cold blue eyes settled on her. That was it. That’s where he got that stare from. “Unlike him, I can’t actually face anyone and fight. Neither can those children.”

“Can I call Bram?” She squeaked.

Scarlet nodded. “Of course. He probably won’t even hear it though.”

When he didn’t answer, her heart raced.

Sighing, Scarlet announced, “I’m not going to force you. But I’m going to tell the children and see who will go with me. I won’t force anyone. Bram won’t take long to show up there, I even provided a guide. But there are others who are coming. I don’t know when. I want you out before that happens.”

Izabella stood up. Following the woman halfway to the living room. Devon ran behind her hugging her waist. “We can’t. Dad will be soo mad.”

“I know. But I also don’t believe she would be here if she thought he would make it in time.” When a knock sounded at her door, she knew it was no one who she could trust. “Wait. Kids. Come with me. Now.”

There was no argument. Gabe and Jen popped up and pulled all the kids with them. “What?”

“Follow me.” She waved, sending the kids into the room. At the last moment she felt a cold chill. But it was too late. Her phone was ringing on Devon’s floor.