Chapter Ninety-five

When Bram made it to the Church of Eternal Light, as Gavin had expected, there were police lining the streets. The lights were on, but the sirens were silent. Groups of people had gathered to see what was happening. He could see the Pastor outside, speaking with one of the police, but he couldn’t see Izabella or Devon, nor any of the other children, anywhere. He didn’t like to think that they were still inside the church. He didn’t stop to talk to the officer in front of the Pastor, instead, he looked around to see if he could tell who was in charge.

After debating, he chose an older man who was in a suit rather than a uniform and decided to talk to him. “Hello, are you an officer?” Bram walked up, the children trailing behind him.

The man looked up and down the kids before turning to Bram, “Detective, actually. We’re kinda busy here, so—”

“My fiancé called me. I rushed here as quickly as possible with the kids to see what’s going on. She told me the church was being robbed. I would like to see her. But I don’t see her out here anywhere.” Bram looked around again, hoping the detective would tell him where he could find her.

The man grunted. “Yeah, we’ve already determined there was no robbery. The pastor said the woman inside is under some duress and she refused to leave the church unless her husband was here. So, I must ask, who are you?”

“We’re only engaged, but I call her my wife and she calls me her husband, my name is Bram Stoker.”

The man looked at him skeptically for a moment. “Fine. Then can you come with me so we can see what prompted this call and why she won’t come out?” He walked to the gates of the church, and Bram knew he couldn’t follow.

Bram stopped, standing still as he realized what was happening. “Detective? I’m not welcome on the premises. I can’t go inside the church. Could you possibly bring her out?”

“Excuse me?” The man looked over at him.

Bram shrugged, “I’m a non-believer, and it’s against my beliefs to step on holy ground if I don’t follow the religion. It’s sacrilege. Could you tell her that her husband is here and waiting outside for her?” That lame excuse was the best he could come up with. The detective looked at him like he was a complete psycho. “The only other option I have is to send the kids up. I’m sure she’ll come down when they tell her that I’m here.”

He looked down at the children by Bram’s side. “You kiddos, ya’ll okay? You look like you’ve been taken through the ringer.”

“We’re fine. We were rough housing earlier. We just want to get our mom and go home.” Mable started, then looked back at Alex.

The boy nodded, “Right. We’re just tired.”

“These are my adoptive children. Izabella is inside right now, and she will be their adoptive mother once we get married. I also have three children and a young man under my attendance in the church who stayed with her. I can give you their names. Any of them can come down to confirm who I am. I can’t cross that line, but I really do need to know what’s going on with Izabella Corvino. All I know is that she called me in a panic, told me the church was being robbed, and I was disconnected while she was in the middle of talking to me.” Bram was becoming overly annoyed with the detective. All he wanted were his kids and Izabella. He didn’t want them here at the church where he couldn’t get to them. “I can even call her.” He lifted his phone.

The detective nodded. “I mean, that would be a great way for you to tell her you’re here without me leaving you to do whatever you want.”

Bram frowned. Had he waited too long? Maybe someone had already told the detective not to trust him. He dialed Izabella’s number and waited for her to answer. Her voice was small on the other end. “Bram?”

“Iz? It’s me. I’m standing outside. No one should try to stop you or the kids from coming out.” He said, clinging to the phone and praying he was right.

“Tell me something only we would know.” She said in a small voice.

“The first thing I ever bought you was a shirt, that I still love to see on you anytime you wear it. It was funny, because of the lips and wording. Devon was the only one who found it unamusing.” He said, gripping his phone. “Iz, please. What’s going on? I’m so worried about you.”

He heard her sob on the other end. “Is it really you? Bram? Really?”

“Please come down. I need Devon too.” He said into the phone, and she broke down.

Balling, she could barely talk. “I-I can’t see him! They won’t let me. I haven’t since you dropped us off and it’s the only thing I can think of. I want to see him. I need to know he’s okay Bram, and I can’t do that on my own. They won’t let me. I’m locked in my room and can’t get out.”

Standing on the street, it looked like a firework exploded over the roof. It was far worse than fireworks. Bram knew those blue flames. There was no one else who should have been able to use them. Everyone around the church fell into a panic. “Iz, you need to get out of there. Something bad is happening inside. Get the kids and get out. I can’t come get you myself.” Bram felt his own panic rise, he took a few steps forward, but Alex stood in front of him, pressing him back with his hands.

“Sweetie?” Bram turned, surprised to hear her voice. When he turned, Scarlet stood behind him. “May I intervene now?” Her hands on her hips and a smirk on her lips. She was way too happy that he needed her, and he didn’t like it,

“My mom is coming to get you.” He stood back, holding onto his kids. He nodded at her, “She’s headed up now.”

The detective opened his mouth to argue, but with a wave of her finger, he snapped it shut and smiled at her. “Go ahead ma’am, thank you for your assistance.”

“Thank you for your cooperation. Tell your men to stand down, and if anyone tries to stop me from bringing my daughter and grandchildren down, we’re going to have a lot of issues. So, your officers should make sure those sketchy looking men over there stay out of my way, hm?” Her fingers grazed the side of his chin, and Bram could have sworn that her eyes glowed in the darkness surrounding them.

“Yes, ma’am.” She sauntered past, and the detective followed, shouting orders to his men. The pastor started to argue and pressed through the officers to try to stop Scarlet from entering his church, but as Scarlet chuckled, the officers pressed back. Not allowing him to get close.

Working her way through the halls up to where she assumed the rooms would be found. Mostly, following the flow of magic and the incessant pounding she assumed had to be coming from Izabella’s room. “Let me out! I want my children! Let me out!!”

“Touch my sisters again, and I swear, I will kill you!” Another burst of flames erupted down the hall, and Scarlet had to raise her arm against it.

“Devon, sweetie, is that you?” She called, turning to Izabella’s door. “Stand back, I’m going to burn the door down.” She called and heard Izabella shuffle away from the door. Red flames quickly licked at the door, and Scarlet pressed her palms against the burning wood until in crumpled into burning cinders. With another waive of her hand, the flames died down, and Izabella rushed through the frame and into the hall.

“Where is he?” She turned, seeing the scorch marks down the hall. The feel of the heat from the flames was intense.

Scarlet grabbed her arm. “You go down to Bram. He’s worried sick about you. I’ll get Devon.”

“Like hell.” Izabella’s eyes burned with determination. “I’m not leaving my son behind.” She shook Scarlet off her and ran down the hall. “Devon! Devon baby, I’m out here!”

“They won’t let us leave!” He cried back. “They want to kill us.” The little boy’s words shook with fear, and Izabella slammed her shoulder against the door.

“That’s only going to hurt you.” Scarlet chided, pushing Izabella back. “I’ve got this.” She repeated the same steps with Devon’s door, but this time it didn’t burn. “What the?” She looked angrily at the wood.

Izabella tapped her fingernail against the stone on her finger. The lights around them flickered briefly, and she saw Scarlet’s head whip around toward her, shock evident on her face as Izabella disappeared. The moment she was back in the shadow room, she scanned the books on the shelves, looking for one particular thing. She hoped her father had one like he had in the office. A book of keys. The pages were made from board, and all the keys to the church were in there, labeled appropriately. They were the spares in case she ever needed to get into a room and her father wasn’t there with his set. Frustrated, she didn’t find what she was looking for. So, she pulled out the books that lead to the office and went through that exit instead.

When she reached the room, it was dark, and red glowing eyes were trained on her from behind her father’s old desk. “You are not following the rules.” Eudom said, staring at her without a hint of amusement on his face.

“Forget your stupid rules.” She snapped, fumbling on the shelf. The book with the keys was exactly where her father had left it. On the bottom shelf right behind where he sat. That way, those who did come into the office wouldn’t see it if they perused his shelves. “You took my baby.”

“I didn’t take him.” Eudom said, annoyance in his voice. “You gave him to me so that I could protect you. You just haven’t seen the big picture yet.”

“Can you help me get Devon out of here?”

“No. Scarlet is no friend to me. She will try to capture Eudom and I will have to kill her. She has her uses, unfortunately.” This was the first time Eudom had actually out-right scowled at her. “Eudom is still Izzy’s protector.”

“Yeah, well Izzy has to go protect her son. I may have lost my own baby, but I won’t lose Devon. Not to you or anyone else.”

She moved for the door, but Eudom put his hands up, pointing to the shadow room. “You go back and leave with the ring. Otherwise, you’ll get it all twisted up and ruin it.” Izabella blinked at him for a moment, wanting to push straight through him. But she didn’t doubt that Eudom was right. She couldn’t mess with his magic. Not in ways that could be dangerous, she would only be ruining what her father had worked so hard to procure. “You have the box? The one for magic users?” He asked, his shadow following her. “You need it. Eudom didn’t have you take it for nothing.”

“I can’t even trust you anymore.” She snapped, clicking the password onto the bookshelf and feeling like she was about to vomit as she dropped to the floor. She didn’t want to see Eudom again, she didn’t want to listen to him, or get help from him. She was… she was… “I’m pissed you jerk.” Having the key to the kids room in hand, she clicked on the ring and swayed dangerously as she landed back in the hall. Now, though, it was filled with thick smoke, and she could hear the kids screaming from inside. As she gagged and coughed.

“Mom! Help us! Mommy!” They were all screaming, pounding on the door.

Scarlet’s face was white. “What did you just do?”

Izabella only glared at her, rushing toward the door.