Gas-Mask

Roger:

“IT’S BEEN A FUCKING WEEK!” Elias roared from the hallway as JR and Max struggled to keep him subdued, but it failed the second that bastard touched her, and kidnapped her with the help of…Dani. Growl…

That fucking two-faced bitch and her little lap dog, Patrick, played and tricked us into allowing them as “trainees”, just so the “Masters” could keep tabs on us and see how FUCKED in the Head we really were.

Seriously, what did they expect from four brothers, quads, born into an underground Hell with our father leading the troops. Numbered out of the womb, then plucked away so our mother could die abandoned, but “Thank the Gods” she was caged with Max. Fucking eight-years-old, delivering four pups while trying to survive that Hell.

“Some help would nice?” Max snarled against the elbow that slammed into his sternum as Elias thrashed and wrestled against their muscular frames. We had gone back to the Vampire Kingdom, so we could maintain some form of sanity, but it was failing horribly.

Randi was locked in one of the guest rooms, blaring “Even If It Hurts” by Sam Tinnesz on repeat, because apparently it was the last thing Elicia played in his “Evil Mini”, before all Hell broke loose. The poor guy was treading water, and then Boom! He cracked like annealed glass, while Rex stood by his side, ignoring the warnings from his father, The Sultan, after Rex finally stood up to his father and announced his mating and marking to Randi.

Talk about Nuclear fireworks, that family has some serious deep-rooted issues, but who the Fuck am I to say anything.

Looking around the crimson, burgundy and black velvet ornamented study, while Dad sat with his leg crossed lazily, fingers tented as he slumped back into the thick upholstered high back, looking like death warmed over with a spit of napalm intravenous. He looked like the classic caption of a heart-broken beast with the heart of gold as the flickering waves of ambered light, danced darkly across his unshaven jaw and bloodshot eyes.

“Enough!” Mom growled defeated as she plunged a syringe of sleeping cocktail into Elias’ bulging jugular, cupping his thrashing cheek in a loving embrace as he slowly subdued enough to drag back to our room.

Yeah, we share a room, but we always did until we moved to London, wanting to experience our independence in our own ways.

Smiling softly from my slouched pose on the dark brown leather couch, studying the ambered liquid of brandy swirling around in soft circles, while the little imperfections along the ice surface reflected the soft flickering flames.

“Where are your brothers, well, besides Elias.” She motioned over her should with a crushed sigh as she cupped Dad’s trampled expression in her gentle palm, kissing his forehead as her jaded eyes looked past her arm with a reassuring smile.

“Ben is balls deep in his online gaming. Chris is locked in the entertainment room, playing Elicia’s song lists on the surround, while watching security footage of her. You just tranquilized Elias and yep, I’m right here sulking into this piss warm brandy.” Tossing the glass and brandy into the fireplace with a shattering crash, drinking in the burst of rolling flames as they whipped and twirled up the chimney before stabilizing back out to a normal crackling.

“Well, at least that’s better than the time Mei was kidnapped, well, the second time. First time, JR was a wreck but manageable with your dad. The second time, we had a drunk, dysfunctional Max and JR along with this one.” She smiled down to dad, patting his shoulder with a gentle palm, breaking him from his silent turmoil, kissing her hand gently.

Grumbling under my breath at their loving display of affection.

“Well, Ben hasn’t showered for a week and the guards are beginning to complain about his stink. It takes a lot for the guards to complain, so that says a whole Hella-lot.” Smirking at her comment with a half-scoffing chuckle, reaching for another glass and the scotch.

“Don’t touch that scotch, or I’ll hop-scotch your ass back to your room.” She snapped her finger out, growling with puffing cheeks as her jaded eyes misted over with a deep seeded sadness. Exhaling in defeat as she turned back to dad, stroking his hand overtop hers as his bloodshot eyes stared at me with an understanding of our pain.

“Matter of fact, gather your brothers and Randi, all this sulking is depressing me, and we don’t like it when mom is depressed, right?” Nodding with dad, remembering the last time she was depressed after our big-ass fight in the front lawn, over …Dani and Patrick. Snapping my eyes up to her knowing expression.

“Exactly, now go get them. Cattle prod Elias, the tranquilizer will help with the initial shock. I want that song banned for at least a few months, can’t ruin a perfectly good song over a sulking Vampire, now can we? Hide the security footage and bring me Elicia’s phone. Poor girl won’t be able to enjoy her own music, because I have pussies for sons. Throw Ben in the pool, it’s a quick wash.” Choking on the sudden hiccup of laughter, nodding in agreement wanting to debate the whole “pussies for sons” part, but that can wait, jumping up from the couch with a quick kiss to mom’s cheek before dashing out of the study. Hooking a quick left then right into our wing of the castle facing out over the courtyard and inner-city shops.

Elias will have to wait for last, cattle prodding an unconscious trained fighter could be disastrous, so I’ll need extra hands for that awakening. Noticing the guards along Ben’s hallway, wearing gas-masks as the rotting foulness tickled my lungs, gagging out coughing breaths as a guard tossed me a spare mask.

“This is not what I use these for.” Smirking at the guards, remembering the day we got caught shot-gunning with a gas-mask in the entertainment room. Desmond was a little disappointed, but Izzy was quick to remind him of his younger years, so they joined us.

God, I love that woman.

“Ben?” Beating on his gaming room door with a solid fist, hearing him groan in our link as he shuffled through a clattering mess, unlocking the door with a heavy click as the toxic fumes vaporized the semi-clean air outside of his door.

“Jesus Christ! Did you move the landfill into your room?” Waving away the putrid stench that seeped through the filtering system of the gas-mask, staring at Ben’s untamed locks sticking up in all directions, heavy, darkened bags under his bloodshot eyes that usually sparkled with life stared back blankly.

“Mom requests your presence, but first…” Blocking the door with my foot as he tried to barricade himself back into the disastrous array of crushed energy drink cans, crumpled wrappers from various food vendors highlighted by the glowing hues of colors under the LED blacklights.

“I’m not in the mood.” His normal airy attitude, suffocated by a raspy horsiness and gloomy presence as he tried to force my foot out of the way, grabbing his arm as he reached out to shove me away. Kicking the door open as his thrashing body crashed into my bear hug, hoisting him up with a snarling growl as his head slammed back into my nose with a skull racking crunch.

“Fucking Prick!” Motioning to the housekeepers, standing off to the side with hazmat suits and three carts full of cleaning supplies as my struggling brother kicked out his legs trying to throw my balance off but managed to piss me off more.

Time for a bath.