A Vampire Tale

Chapter 27

Jason

I have a real problem. Ann-Marie showed up at my house right after I got a text from Brenda that Taylor was hurt. Mom left to the store, leaving me to face the vampire girl alone.

"Jason, it's time. If you want that girl to stay alive, it is time to take her away from here," Ann-Marie told me.

"Look, I don't want to do this. I don't want to be a kidnapper or a suspect in the investigation," I told her.

"That girl of yours is being targeted as the next murder. The hunters can settle a fight, but there's no guarantee that she will keep her life," she told me seriously.

The hunters happen to be trained professionals with amazing abilities. They fight monsters almost everyday, risking their own lives. Taylor is around her for hours three hundred and sixty five days a year. He risks his life everyday and has only managed to get her injured. "That can be reversed back to you. How do I know she will be safe?" Ann-Marie really seems to want to be trusted. I wonder what's the reason for it.

"I have seen her charm. No vampire would risk attacking ones who are protected. Not only that, but if she dies, Taylor will be forced to kill himself because he would not find another source of food," she said matter of fact. She really does think ahead on these situations.

The way I see it; I have two choices. One, I can help Ann-Marie hide Brenda from an evil vampire and the guy she loves. Or two, say no and risk her life along with the hunters. When did this become so difficult for me to handle? I need to talk to Taylor about this. I don't want any trouble from the hunter's association, but she's waiting for me to make up my mind.

"Fine, I'll do it. I only have one condition if I'm going to help you," I told her with a serious face. She nodded and gestured for me to go ahead. "She has to stay human. I don't want her in any dangerous place where she could be killed or turned."

Ann-Marie looked back before turning her attention to me. "No harm will come to the girl while she wears that charm. My girls and I will watch over her as if she was one one of us,"

I wasn't sure about having Brenda treated as a vampire, but this may be the best deal I'm going to get out of her. I held my hand out for her to shake. "Deal," I told her as she shook my hand.

When she let go, she looked back to the door as if expecting someone to walk in. "You need to bring her to me soon. He's not a patient vampire. If she stays any longer, Brenda will be killed."

I could tell by her eyes that she was serious about that. "Alright. I could probably get her right now. How soon do you want her by?"

"In fifteen minutes, walk into the woods. From there, strands of red and gold ribbons will show you to our home. In order to successfully find your way back, I suggest you bring the ribbons in exchange for a tour guide," she said with a smile as she saw my confused look. "If you return the ribbons, I'll personally show you the way out."

I nodded and held the door open. "Alright, let's do it," I told her as she walked out. I followed behind her and walked in the direction of Taylor's house. with the fact about Taylor's recent injuries, Brenda should be helping his parents take care of him. As I walked to his door, Taylor's parents barged out holding sharp objects in their hands. They ran past me without looking back. As they jumped into their car, I walked over to the door and knocked three times. Taylor came to the door, obviously annoyed. It made me wonder is I interrupted something.

"Jason, what are you doing here?" he asked a bit uninterested.

"It's time. Is Brenda here?" I asked.

His face became serious like it usually does when a vampire is near. "You smell terrible. kind of like a mixture of sweat and decay."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Is she here?"

He nodded and pointed to the hallway bathroom. "Alright, you have less than five seconds to tell me everything or I'll beat it out of you." After I explained everything that happened, he shook his head no. "We shouldn't do this. I could get in serious trouble if she goes missing right now."

I sighed, "well we got to do something. Ann-Marie gave her word that she'll take care of Brenda until this investigation thing is over. That man is not going to want to wait until we get back to school to kill her, and it's not like she won't be safe."

He pushed his black hair back with his hand, "that's not what I'm worried about. If anything goes wrong with this, she could be killed or even turned. I'll be out of a job or, to be specific, executed if evidence is found about this."

"This is a risk we all have to take. We can't allow anymore people to die," I told him. "We should probably tell her too. It's not fair that we're making her choices."

He shook his head no. "We don't have to tell her, because she's not going. I'll take her to headquarters for protection." He looked up at me and said, "I'm not going to leave her at the hands of Ann-Marie. Mercy means nothing to a vampire."

Just then, Brenda stepped out from the hallway, apparently hearing everything we said. "You two were planning to get rid of me? Why?"

He stood up and walked over to her. "It's not like that, Brenda. We're trying to come up with a plan to keep you safe. "

She stepped away from him. "That's not what you two were talking about. I don't want to go with the vampire who did this to you, Taylor."

"Brenda, try to understand. We can't protect you all the time. Ann-Marie is going to treat you like one of them. You can pretend it's a sleep over or something," I told her. "It'll only be temporary. She wants that man to be captured too."