The Downfall of Count Abbot

Step Three | Finish The Transformation

Once they got back to his room, Bronson opened the door and shoved Lawrence inside. "Stay here until tomorrow. I swear to hell, Lawrence if I find you outside of these walls again..." he paused and exhaled deeply. "Just stay here."

A part of Lawrence wanted to back down and do as he was told; he was shaken, and the dread still had a hold on him, but he had questions. "What did Enzo mean...that it wouldn't be the first time that someone tried to get themselves killed?"

"Nothing. He's just being a prick," the General dismissed. "Get some—"

"What did he mean?" he insisted.

Bronson looked hesitant. "Why did you kill that human?"

Lawrence clenched his jaw. "Abbot—"

"Count."

"Count Abbot cheated on me with him—I walked in on them fucking," he said, gritting his teeth. His anger was returning, and so was the dismay. His existence felt pointless again, and the desire to fall into his bed and never get out again quickly ensnared him. "I thought he loved me."

General Bronson didn't look at all surprised. He dragged out a sigh and crossed his arms. "He does this, Lawrence. You're not the first man he's lured in. A lot of the vampires in this castle were created through the same scenario as you. Count Abbot heads to a bar or a club or some other place where he knows all the pretty, unfortunate guys hang out; he lures them in, lets them get attached, and then he turns them. Not even hours later, he's moved onto the next."

Lawrence felt utterly decimated. His broken heart shattered, ground into nothing but dust, and his body ached with every stiff breath he managed to take. "What?"

"I'm sorry, kid. Someone might have warned you earlier if we weren't all bound to Count Abbot's order."

"He...ordered everyone not to tell me that he planned to dump me all along?" he questioned—he didn't want to believe it...but it had already happened, and Bronson was someone he trusted. He wasn't lying, was he?

"Every single one of us," the General confirmed. "He compelled us all not to tell any humans that he brings here what his intentions are; the only reason I can tell you now is because you're no longer human."

Lawrence dragged his heavy body over to the bed and slumped down. Abbot had been lying to him since day one. It was all a lie. None of it was real—at least not for Abbot. What Lawrence felt was real; his love was real, his desire was real...and his anger was real. His wrath. What Bronson just told him only added fuel to the raging fire inside him, igniting his fury into something devastating.

He wasn't going to stop at killing Abbot's new toy.

He was going to destroy him. Abbot deserved to feel all the pain that he'd inflicted on not just Lawrence but all the other vampires in the castle.

How was Abbot even a Count? Why was he so highly respected when he did this? Why did the men whose hearts he'd broken worship him, follow him, and love him? Lawrence scowled at the thought of love. He still loved Abbot—of course he did. But the pain was greater, and the desire to make him pay for what he'd done was getting stronger with each passing moment.

"You look like you got plenty of blood out of that guy, so I'll have someone bring your next glass tomorrow morning," General Bronson said. "Are you going to be okay?"

Lawrence turned his head and set his eyes on him. "Who else did he do this to?"

"Lawrence, you really don't want to go th—"

"Tell me...please."

Bronson sighed deeply. "Just promise me you're not going to do anything destructive with his information."