Burned (Book1) The White Rose Vampire Series

Chapter Nineteen

The house where Bethany and Cally were hidden was a run-down two-story white house with peeling paint and a porch roof that had collapsed to the ground. Windows were cracked or missing in every pane and there was an expectation that the whole thing would fall at any moment. I glanced at Mrs. Claiborne, my heart in my throat as I imagined the girls hiding there within the darkened, cold corners but I couldn't bring myself to believe that Mrs. Claiborne would leave them here.

"They're here?" I asked a frown marring my brow as I glanced skeptically at the house once more.

Mrs. Claiborne nodded, her face grim. "It was the safest place for them," she whispered. "The church wouldn't think to look here."

My eyes roamed over the house again. "The safest place? This seems like the most dangerous."

Mrs. Claiborne's eyes darkened. "Isn't that how it often is, Lanie?" She asked, her chin raised as her eyes slid to the two vampires beside us. "Sometimes, the things that seem the most dangerous are the very things that will cloak you in protection."

Bastian's arm tightened around my waist. "Come on," he said pressing his lips against my temple and giving me some reassurance. "The quicker we get them out of there, the quicker they'll be safe."

I nodded as we moved around the house to the back door. It was the only thing that seemed as if it was still in working order even if it was decrepit and squeaked as we opened it. We moved into the house finding complete darkness within.

"I wish Izzie was here," Mrs. Claiborne said, softly. "She could give us some light," Then, she called out, "Cally...Bethany, come out."

"Mom?" A female's voice echoed through the house and I felt Gilliam tense beside me at the sound of her voice.

Cally moved out of the shadows. She was a beautiful woman with wild, long chestnut brown hair and amber expressive eyes. I heard Gilliam's intake of breath and glanced at him wondering what was going on with him. It appeared as if he'd just been hit by a steam roller.

"Staring isn't nice," Bastian whispered to his brother as a smirk slid over his face.

"Really?" I asked, lowering my voice so Cally and Bethany couldn't hear me as I blinked up at him. "You should talk."

His lips twitched. "And what did you think of me when I did that?"

"That you were creepy," My smile spread over my face as Bethany stepped from the shadows. Bethany's blonde hair was in disarray, tangling around her pale face. Her blue eyes were wide as she glanced from Mrs. Claiborne to us. My gaze moved back to Gilliam whose eyes hadn't left Cally.

"Exactly," He said in my ear. "Maybe I don't want my big brother to make the same mistakes."

I turned to him as understanding slid through me. "Do you think Cally is-"

He pressed his finger over my lips stopping me in case she heard me. He tilted his chin toward his brother. I turned to find the same familiar stare in his eyes Bastian had possessed for months before I moved into the manor. He was certainly not taking Bastian's advice. Cally shifted closer to Bethany as her troubled gaze slid to Gilliam.

"We're here to help you," I said trying to calm them.

Bethany tilted her head as she studied me, recognition passing over her face. "You're Lanie, right?"

"We share a class," I said, nodding, then motioned to Bastian. "This is my boyfriend, Bastian," I said and waved toward Gilliam, "And this is his brother, Gilliam."

"Both are vampires?" Cally asked, her eyes sliding from Bastian to Gilliam, wincing when she noticed his eyes still had not left her.

I nodded. "They are."

"My mother said vampires would help us," she said, moving toward her Mrs. Claiborne. "There's some sort of alliance between them and witches."

I couldn't say much without telling her things she needed to discover on her own. "That's correct," I gave her a smile hoping to calm the worried expression on her face. "They helped me and Izzie. They will help you too."

She narrowed her eyes as her gaze slid over us but then, relaxed. "Well, please say your help includes taking us to a place with hot, running water," she said, relieved.

I laughed. "Whenever you're ready to go."

"Lead the way," she answered, excited.

As we turned to leave, we realized our way was blocked by a large dark-haired man. His cold eyes settled on us.

"Four witches and two vampires?" A smirk covered his face. "The grace of God has shined down on me."

I tensed as a cold pit of fear settled in my stomach.

**********

Bastian placed his body between me and the man before us as Gilliam did the same for Cally and Bethany. Mrs. Claiborne refused to step back as she stood beside them with her chin raised.

"Clayton," she said between gritted teeth.

"You know him?" I asked, frowning as I glanced over Bastian's shoulder and my eyes widened in recognition as a sliver of light fell over his face. I had seen him before. He was the janitor who had been with Margaret Harrison.

"He's one of the custodians at the school," Mrs. Claiborne said as if to confirm my thoughts.

"You're part of the church?" I asked, my body trembling as I wondered how many people I saw every day were members of that fanatical place.

"I thought witches would be smart," he said, raising his brow as he stepped further into the room.

Gilliam narrowed his eyes. "They are," he said, tilting his head as he studied him. "But you aren't. You came alone, didn't you?"

"I know your weaknesses," Clayton said avoiding the question and giving away the answer that he was in fact alone as he puffed out his chest. "I can take you down."

Gilliam glanced at the gun on his hip. "With that?"

Clayton smiled, "It will weaken you," he said, tilting his chin toward me, Cally and Bethany before his narrowed eyes landed on Mrs. Claiborne. "And they haven't learned to use their powers yet."

Gilliam sighed. "I guess you might be right," he said but a moment later, he was behind Clayton gripping his head fiercely to the side. "If you could have gotten to your gun before I got to you."

His teeth sank into Clayton's neck, draining him impossibly fast before dropping him to the ground. As he wiped his mouth, he stared down at the man in disgust before raising his head to peer at Cally and Bethany.

"I hope you didn't get too attached to this place," he said before glancing at Bastian with a smirk as he pulled a lighter from his pocket and flicked it causing a flame to erupt from the tip surrounding us in a soft glow. "We need to conceal what happened here...I guess my arson skills will finally come in handy."