It was darker than midnight. Not a star danced in the sky, nor a flicker of the moon could be seen. Large stones marked the path in the small English town. Lined on their sides was dented and rusting lights. Flickering yellow before shattered into a nothingness. Not a soul notice this strange happening.
All far to busy in their own homes to care, and the town far to small to have any wondering their streets so late in the night. The few souls who were up were old men sitting in their boxers, falling asleep watching their shows. Crying babies passed out for no reason in their grateful parents arms.
Slowly, from one worn house to the next. People fell asleep, not even a yawn passed the lips of the lone midnight snacker. They slid to the floor, nightgown and all. If they did wake their eyes would bulge, and the whispers would brew. For out in the darkness, out any wondering eyes; was two people flying high on a single broom. A lean man riding in front looked ragged and beating, and a women clinging to a small bundle.
His name Eric Blood, Eric was notorious in the best sort of ways. A vampire hero, who saved both the siren's of Ireland, and the witches. Being a hero didn't help save him. Eric's robe laid in tatters around his shoulders, and his hands cut and bruised, shook on the handle of the broom. His black eyes were large, usually calm and filled with the light of a caring man.
Now they narrowed in determination, his will grinding his teeth. His fangs dug into his bottom lip, making them bleed. He welcomed the blood. The copper taste reminded him to live, not for the ones leaning on his back, but for the one they left behind. Tightening his hands until they turned white, he lowered the broom.
How vampire could ride a broom, though unknown to most; was not a big secret. Bound to his wife, a pure blood witch; he learned a few tricks other vampires could not. He was blessed in many ways, but cursed in another; cursed by old evils that refused to rot in their graves. Old evils that made him run from Ireland, his home; their home.
Sweeping over roofs. He saw the torn shingles of the poor outskirt town. Ignoring the pain in his chest he flew on, past the shops and chewed up pave roads. Turning at the first dirt path he took them up a small hill. The worn, and degraded manor. A grimace tore what handsome looks he had right off his face. He may not have a heartbeat, but it didn't stop his heart from hurting.
"Terra we're here." His lips did not move as he spoke, instead he talked directly into his wife's mind. Not daring to utter a word which might bring their hunters closer. Even in their minds, his voice carried his rolling Irish brogue. Something he would never loose, despite being so far from home.
"It's awful Eric, why must we leave him!" Terra replied in the same fashion, her accent more of a song than a roll. She appeared in better shape than him. Bags shagged her brown eyes, and turned her peach skin white. Her robe and long curly hair were wild and clinging to dirt. A tiny woman that couldn't look her husband in the eyes without a step.
It was a miracle that she could hold their baby. Clutching a small bundled waddled in red. Despite all the commotion, their child laid sleeping peacefully in his mother's arms. Trusting, despite everything; in his parents.
"They'll never look for him here." Eric sent waves of comfort through their link. The broom slowed to a stop, he lowered his family to the ground. Stopping in the yard of the offal place.
"We lost Veronica!" Terra cried, speaking of their third, with large tears rolling down her face. Rocking their baby more for her own comfort than for his. "I don't want to lose him too!"
"I'm sorry." Pain, soul searing pain; broke Eric's voice. Veronica was the tie, the balance between them. The lost was more than any witch or vampire to bare. Pulling Terra and his son into his arms, he gentle rocked them both. Letting her cry.
A vampire could shed no tears, but he always wondered if that would help him ease his pain if he could? Holding his wife until her tears fell into whimpers. Eric thought that he couldn't hurt. His eyes drifted to the old manor, dead and decaying. Once proud towers were leaning to one side, singles laid in rambles on the roof and patches laid on the ground. Bricks crumbled and fell to dust off the exterior walls of the home.
It appeared that someone attempted to paint them grey at some point. Only to have it peel off and make the home look worse. To say this place was haunted, not a single person would doubt you. At the very least the original owner turned in his grave. What made matters worse was the wood weather sign, it sat on a slight tilt above the simple wood door. 'Cloverleigh Orphanage' it read in bold and ugly script. Children lived here, and this is where the Blood family was leaving their son.
"They can't even take care of the building!" His wife shook and tears filled her red glazed brown eyes. Raising her chin he wiped the tears from her eyes with a gentle hand.
"I know. I had a thrall check out this place for us." Eric told her solemnly. The place was better than where he grew up, but he knew that truth would bring no comfort here.
"Then he knows where we are?" Terra rocked her baby, not at all hiding her fright in her shaking frame.
"No. I killed him." Eric said. To him it was a small matter. Death came to the weak, it was the vampires way. Terra's eyes pinched. She could never do it herself, but she couldn't stop the sigh of relieve that the new of the thralls death brought her.
"Mm." A small noise like a purr came from the bundle. Both parents stopped, a smile spread across their faces. Their hearts cried. Through their bond the pained was equal, and shared; both carried the burden of what they must do.
"For him." Eric spoke through their bond, sharing not pain, but his strength to his wilting wife. To have a son, was a rare and joyous thing to Eric, but for Terra who gave birth to their little miracle. The pain turned in her like a knife.
"Isn't there another way?" Tears fell in little drops onto their sons face. Making his large eyes blink open, and his little mouth yawn. They say babies can't smile, can't laugh. Their son did. Looking right into the faces of his parents. He wiggled until his arms were free. Smiling he took the outreach finger that his father offered before his eyes fell shut again.
"Can't we take him with us?" Terra watched it, and despite his calm demeaner, she knew Eric wanted the same.
"His life would hard, harder than here." Eric whispered. Ignoring the chance they may not survive. A life on the run, was no place for the child. "We must protect him. We must be strong."
"I know." Terra's shoulder slumped in defeat. She knew all along, but what mother wished to part with her child?
"It'll just be eleven years. Then he'll go to school." Eric said gentle taking his tiny son in his arms. Terra wiped her face with her palms.
"I wish he could go to my school." Terra loved her school in the rolling greens of her Irish home.
"England has the Potter family. They need more strength before they'll venture forth here." Eric didn't like the idea of relaying on another's strength, but he was a man without options. Walking up the four steps to the door, his wife followed behind. Pulling her wand from her robe sleeve she summoned a small basket to place their child in.
"Good luck my son." Eric said through the tie that he shared with his only son. Putting him into the basket with great care. He took off the necklace from around his own neck, he placed it around his son's. It was a small heart with a Celtic knot embedded in its front. Flipping around Eric showed it to Terra. With a gentle flick of her wrist, she craved her son's name into the locket's back.
"This should help keep your vampire nature in check." Eric put it over his small head, with shaking hands. Watching it shrink to fit, he didn't fear the necklace would choke him. Made from his own magic, and blood; it would not harm his son. A last act of care, he placed a small kiss on his son head.
"I love you," Terra said placing her own small charms on the locket. Making sure no one could steal their son's only gift from them. "At least you'll have this." Terra smiled, ignoring the taste of her own tears on her lips.
"He'll do great." Eric reassured. "He is our son." Pulling her by the arm. He felt her body fall into another quake. Again with the unending stream of tears rolling down her face. He could do nothing for that this time. His own eyes blurred red with his anger at his inability to keep his family together. Picking up the broom, he straddled it and got his wife to hold onto to his waist.
"I love you my son." Eric whispered out loud, taking the risk to share the heavy load of emotions with his child. "One day, one day we'll be a family again. I swear." With his vow he kicked them high into the air. His back soaked with the tears of his wife, they fled England. Leading those who hunted far away from the most important thing to them, their son. They could only hoped that one day he would understand.