The Price of Blood

Chapter 31

Bradley's POV

My whole body shakes with in-suppressible anger.  

I have been hiding behind the back door of the room for at least ten minutes since Jake's exit, watching Lauren and Kenny clutching one another, crying quietly. Lauren tries to wipe away his tears.

"Be strong Kenny." she whispers, "So help me god, be strong for me, for us both."

"Why does he hate us L?" asks Kenny.

"Because he is an evil man." she says, "Not even a man, not even human."

I decide that it is time for me to reveal myself.  I come out from behind the door and start walking towards them.

"Brad?" breathes Lauren, "what are you doing here?"

I don't reply, not at first.  I go over to the corner of the room and start to rustle through the drawers, trying to find a knife.  Finally, underneath the multiple coils of rope, I find a sharp, serrated one, as well as a set of keys.  I try not to think that this is too easy,and grab both of them, before starting to try and cut the rope attaching Lauren's hands together.  She tries to help me, but eventually I just push her hands gently away, and continue to cut the rope, trying to keep an ear and an eye open for my brother and sister who might be walking past.  The others are keeping watch outside, so there are only us three in the house.  Well, us five.

"Brad, what are you doing?" repeats Lauren.

"Isn't it obvious?" I snap back, and then realize that was totally the wrong way to start, "I'm saving both of your goddamn lives."

My terror is making me rude.  Shit Bradley, I tell myself, get yourself together.  You may be scared, but try not to sound like a dick.

"Oh." she replies shortly, "Well, thanks."

"Well, I haven't saved you yet, but this is a good first step." I tell her, and make a brave attempt at a smile, which doesn't succeed that well.  I've never been very good at hiding my terror, even to the people I love. I finally manage to remove the ropes wrapping her hands together before passing her the keys to Kenny's chains.  The key is stiff, but there are the right ones, and they come off.

"Right, Jake and Jess are off to feed in five minutes." I explain to them quietly, "He'll probably come and check that you guys are locked up, so that gives us five minutes to get to the basement okay?"

"Wait, what do you mean, 'feed'?" asks Lauren. Crap! Does she not know what we are yet? She must be kidding.

"You know, 'feed'. On blood." I say, "We all do. Have you not worked out that we're all vampires yet?"

That was the bluntest reveal of our world that I have ever done, and probably ever will do. Lauren stares at me, open mouthed.

"Yeah, I know you think I'm crazy. And that's OK." I reassure her, "But right now we have much bigger problems that me trying to explain how the vampire world works. So, I suggest you follow me."

"What the hell?" Lauren shrieks, clapping her hands to her mouth, "No, this can't be happening."

She clutches Kenny's hand like it the only thing keeping her from not falling over or running away.  Though she probably will try and run away now. I carefully make sure she cannot move and then try and listen through the door.

"You are kidding, right?" she says to me, "Vampires don't exist. They never have. And they never will."

Some part of me understands the confusion of understanding and being told there is a completely new world outside your door, something that you have never known and never will know. But the other part of me feels irritated and just like punching the door and shouting at her. So instead, I go for a mixture between the two.