Page 12 of Two for the Guard
They searched the room before allowing the boys to wander and gather their things. Truce positioned himself outside the door, and Bram remained inside, overseeing to make sure there were no surprises.
“They haven’t checked out?” Kyle asked.
“No, they haven’t," Bram answered.
“Do you think they’re looking for us?”
“They're probably working on a cover story and waiting for your bodies to be discovered." Bram was honest, but he didn't like the way Kyle flinched at the news. "It's okay, Kyle, you're safe. You and Casey are safe, I guarantee it."
“Have you ever had someone want you dead?” Casey asked, his tone more sad than defiant. The impact of the betrayal was making its mark.
"I'm a vampire guard, and I'm over two hundred years old. I’ve experienced many hardships and sadness, but I have also enjoyed much beauty and happiness. The greatest happiness was finding my beloveds and bringing them into my life.” He stepped toward Casey and pushed the hair back from his eyes, looking at him with all the love he was feeling. He wanted him to see how much he was loved and valued.
“I love you both with all that I am and pledge to you my loyalty and my life." He reached out to Kyle, who stepped over to stand beside Casey. "We'll finish this, and you will have a newlife with your Coven and me." That brought a lovely smile to their faces.
“Our Coven?” Kyle stated.
“Your Coven. As my beloveds, you are made members for life. They are your people now, and they will never betray you."
"I'm ready for this new life, Bram," Casey said with a nervous smile. He pulled them in, cuddling them to his chest and dropping a kiss on the top of their heads. At that moment, Truce entered the room in a rush.
"Something is going on in the lobby; we should check it out. There’s a lot of shouting.” He stated. Bram understood and released his beloveds and then turned to Truce.
“It could be them.” He turned back to Casey and Kyle. "Stay here, do not leave this room until I return. Keep the doors and windows locked and the curtains closed.” He stared at them both until they agreed.
"We'll not leave the room," Kyle promised, and Casey nodded.
"Thank you." He said, then headed for the door, where Truce was waiting. They waited in the hall until he heard the lock click, and then they took off for the lobby. There was madness and confusion in the lobby, people shouting and throwing things as security tried to regain control.
"It's staged." Truce said, and Bram turned to see Brad and Hank running out the back doors off the lobby that led to the woods behind. “They’re trying to escape.”
“Or trying to get to Casey and Kyle." Bram took off after them with Truce beside him. They were not getting away. They’d run for the woods, and Bram slowed, wanting them to get deep enough that their screams would not be heard.
They kept running, glancing back periodically to see if they were still being followed. Bram and Truce spread out, tracking them and keeping them scared and on the run. Finally, they were well away from witnesses, and Bram struck, grabbing Brad by his coat collar and flipping him backward through the air, landing several feet away.
Truce tackled Hank, taking him to the forest floor and pinning him there, letting him watch as Brad was attacked. Bram dropped to one knee and placed his palm against Brad's forehead, reaching into his brain and reading all the thoughts, all the deeds, all the evil.
"You brought them out here to die," Bram stated his anger and hatred, bringing his vampire to the surface, and the fear on Brad's face was so satisfying. “You drugged them and left them to die.”
"No, no, it was Margret. It was her idea." He tried to scream, but Bram cut him off by abruptly breaking his neck, and then he turned on Hank.
“It was Margret she set this up. She's at the Lodge; she had us cause a diversion so she could get to the boys. It's Margret." Fear and panic exploded inside Bram, and he took off back to the Lodge, moving like a man possessed. Truce finished Hank and followed.
The information he’d extracted from Brad was ugly and vile. Margret was responsible for their father's death. She set him up to die so she could take over his businesses and marry the man she'd been cheating with. She was a horrible, truly revolting person. He saw the large window of their room and went for it. There was no time for doors.
They sat on the edge of the bed, their hearts in their throats, waiting, fearing whatever was happening. “I wish Bram were here," Casey said. “I have a bad feeling.”
"This has been such a fucked up weekend in so many ways and so wonderful in other ways," Kyle interjected.
Casey chuckled. “Fucked up but also wonderful.” He continued to laugh. “I wonder what will happen to them?”
“The Coven doesn’t do police, remember, so I think it will be handled internally.” Kyle reminded.
“They have capabilities beyond any human and connections that would probably blow our minds." Casey stopped abruptly and looked at the door. “Someone is out there.”
“We can’t open the door.”
“I don’t want to open the door.” They sat there and watched the knob turn back and forth and back and forth. Then suddenly the lock clicked, and the door slowly opened. That was unexpected, but for a split second, they thought it was Bram, and their hearts lifted only to be dashed when their mother entered the room and closed the door behind her.
