Vairi's Revenge - The Secrets of Avelina Chronicles Book 3

Chapter 34: Bran

Vairi was the only one to know that Bran was not missing or out walking on Purgatory Island where they couldn't reach or hear him. He was in fact, sitting down in the cellar by himself, hidden from sight.

Before venturing on their night journeys for fire wood, Benedict and Leonard had taken the rowing boat across to Charlesville, where they left Isaac's body in the care of the doctor, Knox.

The weather was so dreadful that the boat could only risk making one trip and there wouldn't be enough room for anyone else to accompany the body. Hyacinth would have to wait for better weather, before she could bury her husband. Until then, Knox would take care of him.

Vairi found it rather odd, herself. If that body had been her lover, she would have offered to help one of the men row the boat, if that was the only way to accompany his body to safety. But, Hyacinth was too well bred for that.

While everyone was in a commotion for most of the afternoon about Isaac's untimely death, believed to be from his asthma attack, Vairi went into the cellar, to see Bran. It was already pitch dark down there with the electricity going out and cold enough to give anyone pneumonia after only a few hours.

Bran, however, was not just anyone. He sat against the brick wall, his wrists and ankles held to the wall with chains that allowed him free movement as long as he didn't venture too far.

Rushing down the steps, Vairi greeted him with a kiss, falling to her knees before him. "I am so sorry I have taken so long darling. I had to wait until everyone else was busy. I told them that I'm trying to fix the electricity box," she apologized, gently caressing his face, which was already thinner and dangerously unhealthy looking.

She had known the minute she read his last letter that he would have to remove himself from the other guests...from her. Not just because he had been seen in Charlesville, but because it was becoming too dangerous for him to be around people.

"I do not care how long it has taken you," Bran professed, cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her, so long and so sweetly, that Vairi was afraid it would be the last time he would do so. If not forever then for a while at least.

"Darling, you should not be here. Tonight will be the worst," he warned her. "It will be a full moon tonight...my first...and despite the old tales, it will be dangerous for you to stay here after sundown," he advised her.

She knew him well, by now, and knew he would never forgive himself if he harmed her, even by accident. Vairi decided that since he was avoiding the issue, she would come right out and say it.

"My love...your father..." she began.

Bran nodded and smiled, hopefully.

She wasn't sure how to break the news to him, but she had to say it, otherwise she never would. He looked at ease, with her first few words, expecting them and anticipating what she was going to say next. She had no choice but to continue.

"I did it as kindly as I could," she promised. "He had an asthma attack and went to lie down. I knew it was the right time, so a little while later, I went up to see him. He was sleeping or so I thought. He opened his eyes as I stood over his bed and smiled at me, just before I did it," Vairi explained sadly, a tear falling from her eye at the reminder of what she had not long done.

Isaac had been so nice to her, so kind and caring. He didn't care about her past or the fact that her relationship with Bran was obvious. He liked her, despite who and what she was, and she would always remember him for that and appreciate his kindness towards her.

"Thank you darling," Bran smiled sadly, with the words, tenderly brushing aside a strand of wispy hair from her eyes. "I know you liked him, but it had to be done. He would have suffered terribly had we let him live. Not because of your plans, but because of his illness. He did not want to die in pain," He reminded her of the crucial facts, so she didn't feel she had killed his father needlessly.

He had wanted to die, happily, without pain and knowing that his son was in love. Bran confessed that his father had known, when they had discussed the change, that he had another secret; a woman in his life he hadn't mentioned. One look at Vairi inside her house, with the two of them in the same room, had instantly given them away. But she didn't care; his father had died exactly as he had asked to, on his own terms.

"But your mother," Vairi protested, not sure she fully understood Isaac's plans. "She doesn't know. Isn't it kinder to tell her that he was dying anyway? That he wouldn't have lived much longer? She was heartbroken...she broke her arm falling down the stairs, because she was in shock," Vairi still felt that Hyacinth should know the truth. That Isaac had wanted to die.

Even if no one told her that he had been killed on purpose to prevent his suffering, it only seemed fair to warn her. But on that account Bran closed off and interrupted her.

"No!" he growled, adamantly. "My mother never loved anyone but herself. She was planning to abandon my father, Vairi, just two weeks ago. I heard her discussing it with my aunt. She was waiting for next week's mail from Somerhalder, when she would receive the official papers from her lawyers. She has no heart to break," Bran protested angrily.

Before he could say anything more on the matter, he clutched his chest.

Frightened, Vairi pressed her hand to his strong chest and felt something pounding on the inside, desperate to get out. It was the same feeling he had explained to her, just recently, after arriving at the house.

"Now please, I can feel it starting...go. Go now!" he demanded.

Any moment now, the change would happen whether he wanted it to or not. It had only been a few weeks since he had first discovered his true nature and, if Vairi didn't leave soon, she would witness the transformation for herself. She wasn't sure she could bear to see him in so much pain.

Just the look in his eyes, when he had told her of his true nature, a few days ago, in this house, had terrified her. She couldn't stand by and watch him suffer, if there was no way to help him.

"I love you," Vairi sighed sadly, as she got back to her feet and started to make her way towards the stairs. She was a little afraid to leave him on his own, worried about what would happen to him. But she felt that if he was sure he could handle it himself, she had better leave instead of making him even angrier.

She headed up the stairs without a backwards glance, shutting the wooden door behind her. Leaving Bran to go through his change alone.

Leaning against the door in worry, she could hear the shouts and desperate cries Bran made, down in the darkness below. She was afraid for him, but turned to bolt the door, so that if anyone ventured down in the night, no one would disturb him.

Trying desperately to ignore the roars and cries of agony coming from within, Vairi headed to bed, hoping beyond all hope that when she saw him again, he was in a better state than she had left him.