Chapter Eighty-seven

Warm water sprayed over Izabella’s body. It had been a few days since she’d said goodbye to Bram. Tom still hadn’t let her see the kids. Every now and then, she still stood at the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of him, but true to his word, he’d stayed away. The mixed feelings of relief and disappointment warred in her, but she pushed all those down, locking them in a little door behind her heart. Izabella already knew, that when she finally got to see him again, her emotions would burst like the crumbling of a dam, and she already felt sorry for him.

One thing that had been a blessing was once Bram had shown his powers in the streets, it was clear that he wasn’t human. At first, everyone had assumed that she had known already. However, when she came back in tears, and had an anxiety attack in front of Pastor Tom, he was ready to believe she’d had no idea about what Bram was. When she hugged him close and begged him not to make her and the kids leave, he’d gone into protective mode, and made the others in church keep their distance. She was, first and foremost, one of his sheep, and he’d declared, quite loudly, they wouldn’t touch her without his or her permission.

Izabella didn’t know who Tom really was, but the other hunters did as he said, keeping their distance. She was really uncomfortable with the way some of them eye-balled her though. Secretly, she was glad Pastor Tom had kept the kids out of their sight. It felt like he was doing it on purpose, she was just nervous what that purpose was. She could only hope and pray that it wasn’t because they’d gotten information from Devon or the others. Pastor Tom had given her free reign over the church, and when one of the hunters had questioned his motivation, he had defended her with the fact that she was Matthew’s daughter and would be treated with the respect that deserved.

Turning the water off, she dried herself. Her mind wandered to some of the things her father had said to her on his deathbed. At the time, she had assumed it was his mind bringing up his past which was irrelevant to her as he was passing, but now she had to question it. Had he given her any information that would be applicable now? Her mind hadn’t focused on those words. They had been confusing at the time, and she had been mourning his inevitable passing. One of the things she remembered was him telling her they had it wrong. He’d talked about changing direction a lot. She wondered if that was something that had to do with Bram or his vampire hunting days? Tom had told her, when she came back, that her father was really a priest from the Vatican, as was he, and they were sent to this church as a cover. Their main objective had been to learn more about Bram, and to take him and any other supernatural being out whenever possible.

Izabella hadn’t told Tom about anything her father said. She needed to try to piece that together herself. The last piece her father had left a clue about was just a few minutes before he went into a coma. He’s squeezed her hand, his eyes had opened wildly without seeing, and he had yelled, *“Don’t let them find it! Protect it, Izabella. It’s the key. Ubum knows. Find Ubum. I love you.”*

Izabella had no idea what an Ubum was. Or who they were? It sounded like it was a person, but there was no way for her to know for sure. She had tried to find some information about it or them after her father had passed, but hadn’t spent a lot of time on it, since she had no idea where to start.

Pastor Tom had taken her card and gone out to pick up clean clothing for her and the children, which was what she was putting on now. Leggings and an oversized t-shirt. As she dress, she could hear a commotion outside the door. She watched the door nervously once fully dressed, not sure if she should try to leave the bathroom or not. Pressing her ear to the door, she could hear men shouting, but they weren’t close by, and she couldn’t make out their words. A fist pounded on the door, and she jumped. Her heart suddenly pounding in her chest.

“Izzy!” It was Pastor Tom. “Izzy, come out! We’re under attack!”

Flinging the door open, his wild-eyes were the first thing she saw. “What is? Is it Bram?” She looked up and down the hall, but didn’t see anything outside of the ordinary.

“No. Something else.” He grabbed her arm, pulling her down the hall toward the bedrooms. “I’ve never heard of a vampire that could enter a church!” He opened her bedroom door and started to push her into it.

“Wait!” She pressed her hands against the wood, “You can’t lock us up! How are we supposed to protect ourselves?”

“These rooms have additional protection on them from your father, trust me, it’s the safest place you can be.” He started to close it again, despite her pushing against it.

“No!” She cried out, “At least let me be with the children!” She fought against him. She was able to keep the door open, but when she tried to slink past him, his arm came out, pushing her forcefully back until she fell on her butt. The door clicked closed.

“I can’t let you do that Izzy. If they’re here for you, this is the safest place.”

“What if they’re here for the kids!” She pounded on the door.

“They’re not!” He hissed through the door, “Now be quiet so you don’t give away your position.” She heard his feet carry down the hall, and realized, he’d just left her completely alone and unprotected. Trying the door handle anyway, it turned but didn’t give. He’d seriously just locked her in her room. Going to the window, she looked out, hoping to see what she could. She thought it would be better not to open the window.

“God, I hope the legends are true and they can’t enter without permission.” She frowned, unable to see anything. Her room looked toward the back of the building where there was a small section of grass and a little playground she used to love. There were a couple lights on outside, but overall, the little area back there was dark and she couldn’t tell if anything was happening down there or not.

“Legends tell us truths about things that go bump in the night, but they’re rarely accurate when it comes to such trivial details.” A deep voice said from within the room. Izabella turned, pressing her back to the wall. The room was dark, she hadn’t bothered turning on a light as Tom had forced her in. A shadow in the corner to her right shifted, and her heart hammered in her chest as she started to back away.

“Who… who are you?” She asked, backing away from the shadowy movement.

“A friend.” The husky voice purred. “You are Izabella Corvino, correct?” She swallowed hard, her lip quivering as red eyes suddenly blinked at her from the darkness. Stumbling, she fell back onto her bed. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for anything that she might be able to use as a weapon against a vampire. Her hand slipped between the wall and the cushion. The eyes blinked, whoever it was could clearly see her going for something. “Matthew Corvino’s little Izzy? Bram Stoker’s sweet little Iz?”

Pressing her lips together, she pulled out her hidden phone. Before she could do anything with it, a stiff breeze and a tug later, the phone was gone, and she still could see nothing. “I can’t let you do that, deary. Now tell me your name. If I wanted to hurt you, it would be done, no one the wiser. I’m here to help Izabella, but I need you to confirm your name.”

“And what if I’m not Izabella?” Her voice shook as she asked. The eyes moved to the window, but as the sill squeaked open and whoever was in her room with her placed her phone done on the lip, she jumped up off the bed. She was far closer to him than she had planned to be. “I am Izabella Corvino.” Those red eyes were hard as they turned back to her. The window closed ever so slowly. She could see the outline of his face, and his teeth were pearly white. He didn’t have fangs. At least, not yet.

“What should I call you, little one? Izabella? Izzy? Or Iz?” His voice purred again. Standing next to him, she suddenly felt very cold.

“Any of those is fine. And who are you? Are you a vampire?” Izabella asked, shrinking away back onto her bed where she pulled her knees up to her chest. He had a completely different aura about him than any others she had met.

“I am not a vampire. And your father used to call me Eodum. A fancified name for darkness. I made your father a promise, many years ago. And I am here now to keep it.” He backed away, as if he could sense her discomfort with him. “But before I can do that, I have to know some things about you. Did Matthew tell you about me?”

“No. What are you?” Her brow scrunched, trying to make out anything she could of him. Though, darkness was a good name for the likes of him. He looked like he was made of the shadows.

His fingers tapped a quick tune out on her bureau; click, click, clicket-y, clicket-y, click… click. “Hmm… that is a good question, but not one I can answer, I’m afraid. I am just an entity.” He made a show, she was sure for her sake, to shrug in an extravagant way so that she could tell that’s what he was doing.

“Okay. You knew my father? Do you know Bram too?”

“Ah, yes. I knew your father. Well, I’d add. Bram and I have met. Mostly in passing. And I’m more than positive he would have no idea who I am. I have more interest in him, and he doesn’t believe an entity such as myself is possible. Your father is the only one in many a year to designate me a name.” He bowed, “My turn. Do you love him?”

“Who? Bram?” She asked, starting to feel a little more comfortable with him in the room. Was he the one that the church was going crazy over?

“My question, you answer.” His smile faltered.

She was nervous again. Something in her gut told her this *entity* could be the very definition of dangerous. “Sorry. Um, yes. I love both my father and Bram. And the children in the other room. I could keep listing those I love if you need me to.”

“That is unnecessary.” Silence surrounded them. Though he watched her expectantly. “I don’t think you are understanding the rules of our game.” He said some time later.

“Oh.” She looked around, was she supposed to ask another question? “What did you promise my father?”

“That is a good question, and I will answer, but there’s a better one at the tip of your tongue which you should ask first.” His eyes were shining with excitement again.

Izabella took a deep breath. Asking the first question that came to mind. “Why me?”

He leaned forward, seeming too close for any being that was leaning against her old dresser to be from across the room. His smile too big. His features too dark. His eyes too red. His fingers click-click-clicket-y clicked again. “Now, deary. That is *the* question.”