Bradford Manor

XXIV

The funeral was held a few days later.

Amaimon never did really get his memory back. Arie stood next to the casket in the light rain crying into his handkerchief as Laos patted her back and held her umbrella.

The red headed twins also walked up and looked down at his pale white body. "We know you stabbed him." They smiled simultaneously.

Arie let out a small gasp and looked through her tears to see the twins. "He was going to kill me!" She argued and Laos grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back.

"We'll help you bring him back... for a price." Marcellus the one with the messy red bowl cut, cut her a side eye.

Arie looked at them hopefully and gave Marcellus a hug. "Thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and he sniffed her.

Laos pulled her back and scowled the twins. "Meet us in the cemetery at midnight tonight." Donavan handed Arie a yellow sticky note.

"You're not going." Laos snatched the sticky note from her hand. "Laos you have to let me fix this." Arie sniffed.

"Not like this." Laos crumpled up the paper and Arie pushed him. "I killed your brother do you not even care!"

The other guests at the funeral started to look around. Arie stared at Laos for a glimmer of hope, a answer, anything but instead he said nothing.

Arie ran off and locked herself in her room. Minutes later Mila came in so easily as if the door hadn't been locked at all.

"Arie... sweetie." Mila sat down on her bed and Arie pulled her knees closer to her as she leaned against the headboard.

"It's not the same for everyone else. You vampires are used to this, I'm not. I love you guys, you're my family, but I'm scared I'm always scared someone will end up dying and I'll never know if it's the last time I'll see them or not." Tears streamed down her cheeks and Mila reached out her hand.

Meanwhile....

Ulysses stood in the garden talking with his brother Luther when a young boy walked up. He dark skinned and had dark brown hair and one dangling earring.

"Mr. Ulysses." He stuck out his hand and Ulysses shook it. "I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm here to offer my help." The boy leaned in.

"Let's take a walk." The boy lead and Ulysses slowly but curiously followed. "Ezekiel Eisner  half blood and son of Charles Eisner head count of the vampire council and brother of Dash Eisner, pleased to meet you." He bowed and chuckled.

Ulysses face grew pale and he choked on his words.

"The head count has only one son, Dash." Ulysses eyes widened noticing the similarities. The devilish smile and pale and sculpted face matched with dark black curly hair.

He couldn't tell if he looked more like Dash or the head count himself. "That's what he tells himself to get by." Ezekiel folded his arms.

"The vampire world is a lot more twisted than you know. As a council member you'll come to see that. My father wants my head now than anything now. He thinks I'm not his kid." His eyes darted down to the ground and his eyes were filled with sadness and his voice became empty.

With a smile he pushed ig back down and spoke, "There's a school in England. Vampires are accepted and they live amongst humans almost undetected. It's the only co-nocturnal school in the world. That's where I'll be hiding" Ezekiel pushed his hair slightly out of his face.

He smirked, "Thing is it's on the expensive side. If you pay my way Mr. Bradford I'll make sure you never have to bury your son again and as for Arie, I'll treat her like a sister. I know a guy, he can completely wipe her memory. What do you say?" He stuck out his cold pale hand.

Ulysses stared at his hand and looked away, "I need to talk it over with my wife." Ulysses walked off and Ezekiel smiled.

Ulysses found Mila weeping alongside another a woman and grabbed her hand.

The funeral ended and everyone went back home and the Bradford's went inside.

Arie stood on her balcony wistfully starting into the wind. She watched as the lights in the garden twinkled around his casket.

Meanwhile on the other side of the house Ulysses also found himself staring out at the front of the property.

His vampire hearing picked up on some bushes. His eyes focused in and he saw some men in all black sitting in a black car outside the estate gates.

The boys were standing in the front yard near the fountain talking. Ulysses watched as their window rolled down and the barrell of a gun poked out.

"No!" Ulysses screamed and watched with wide eyes as the bullet hit the fountain causing the water to spew from a crack in the cement.

The gunshots continued and the boys ducked covering their heads. Savonn stood up and started to shoot back.

Ulysses made it downstairs and opened the front door.

He rushed out in his pajamas and they all stood up.

"Who was that?" Laos questioned.

"Laos your hand!" Cael gasps and Laos looked down to see his limp hand bleeding.

Arie and Mila rushed out the house and Arie ran over to Laos as Mila called for an ambulance.