Chapter 10

Jennifer trembled as the strange man held her tightly. She looked at him and realized she knew him from the old apartment. Brian ...something. "He's in the cult too! Abby has brought them all here!" she thought.

"Why don't we all go inside." Brian said.

He backed into the trailer holding Jennifer tightly as a scowling Owen followed him. Abby followed close behind eying him carefully. Once inside, Brian waited by the far wall for Owen and Abby to enter and motioned for them to shut the door behind them. When that was done they turned to face him as he grinned widely at them.

"I figured you two would be here since you were so damned anxious to find this drunk bitch. Did you think you could come and rough me up like that and just...get away with it?"

"Let my mom go! ... Now!" Owen growled.
Abby had her hands on Owen's shoulders and could feel his rage physically transforming him.
"Owen...control yourself...you don't want to change in front of your mother." Abby breathed through clenched teeth.

Owen heard Abby's whisper and took a deep breath...but anger flowed through him like a river of fire. Owen had noticed several times that his temper was more...spectacular...since his turning. Abby had told him this was a part of being what they were. It was dangerous to become angry. They could lose control. It was similar to when the hunger overcame them, the transformation could occur. She used her actions at the pool as an example.

"We'll figure out what to do, Owen...don't worry."

Brian noticed Abby murmuring.
"Shut up, bitch! You two don't even think about making any heroic rescue here unless 'Mom" means nothing to you."
He tightened his grip on Jennifer as he said it and looked at her frightened face.

Owen measured himself carefully.
"She doesn't have anything to do with this...let her go and we'll stay."

Brian laughed.
"You think I don't remember how you two were juiced up on something at my apartment? ...I think we'll keep 'Mom' around for insurance."

He stroked Jennifer's cheek.

"I guess you two are on some kind of drugs. I've heard about that...people being crazy strong and hyped up on adrenaline and stuff...coke maybe? You sure trashed my place with that crap in your system. ...What do you think about that...'Mom'? ...your kid is a junkie. They start young these days." Brian chuckled.

Jennifer cautiously spoke.
"Drugs? Owen...is that true?"
"No!...he's a liar, Mom!"
Brian snorted.
"Yeah...that's why you kicked my door in. ...And that's why you two run around in this weather with no coats or shoes."

Abby spoke up.
"You're right...we shouldn't have done that. Just let her go...you've got a gun...we can't hurt you."
"Not likely! I heard about how even getting shot doesn't slow you junkies down. ...Mom stays."

"...Anyway...Mom may not mind seeing you two get taken down a peg or two. ...Especially you...since she thinks you're...evil."

Abby narrowed her eyes. Her temper wasn't as intense as Owen's...but this man was pushing it.

"...I can't argue with her on that...especially after you two broke into my house and threatened me."
"That's not true!" Owen growled, "He was trying to...hurt Abby!"
"...Maybe you ought to step back, kid...or I'll blow your mom's brains all over that wall."

Jennifer whimpered at this exchange.
"He's in the cult too, Owen! Run!"

Brian looked puzzled.
"Cult? You need to sober up. I'm here to get some payback from that little cunt over there...she owes me something. I was just trying to help her out...I was going to make her feel REAL good...and they both jumped me."

Abby felt something dark rising in Owen and grabbed his arms.
"Don't Owen...he can't hurt us...but he can hurt your mom."

Brian heard what Abby said and snorted.

"Listen to your girlfriend, boy. Just behave yourself. I WILL hurt Mom here...and I'll hurt you two also...so don't go thinking I can't...I'm pretty sure a bullet in the head would ruin your day."

Brian reached into his coat pocket and produced a pair of handcuffs. He glanced around and threw them toward Abby. She caught them smoothly.
"Chain your boyfriend to that metal counter over there...that should keep him from causing any trouble while me and you spend some time in the back teaching you some respect."

Abby looked where Brian pointed. It was a stainless steel counter built into the sink. Unlike everything else in the trailer home, It looked fairly sturdy. She looked at the handcuffs and pulled the chain tight, they too were well made.

"We ain't got all night, little cunt. Lock him down so you, me, and Mom here can have a little fun...she'll be our chaperone."

Abby considered what to do. She had lived a very long time and knew there was no danger to her here. She could easily be on the man and rip his throat out before he could do much...

...except pull the trigger on the gun pointed at Jennifer's head.

Abby didn't particularly like Jennifer...mostly because Jennifer didn't like her. But Abby knew the pain of losing a mother. Though she knew Owen was going to outlive his mother by centuries most likely, she didn't want him to lose her like this.

She touched Owen's arm. Their eyes met. There was a look of determination in Abby's eyes. The look was oddly comforting to Owen. He knew full well what Abby was capable of when provoked. It was difficult to provoke her, but pity those who expended the extra effort.

"Put the cuffs on one of his wrists...and make it tight...don't get cute."

Owen held out his wrist to Abby. She snapped the cuffs in place.

"Now...to the counter like a good little girl...tie the little shit up like the dog he is."

Abby glanced at Brian for a moment with a calm, cold look and led Owen to the counter. Owen glared at Brian the entire time.

"Do it, bitch."

Abby secured the cuffs to a leg support of the counter and whispered, "Don't worry..."

"There! That's better! Now..." he pointed to Abby, "come here...I'll tell you what is going to happen."

Abby walked toward him. Jennifer was hyperventilating and sobbing. Brian motioned for Abby to walk down the hallway toward the back bedrooms. He glanced over at Owen as he turned to follow her with Jennifer held tightly.

"You just hang tight here, you little shit. I'm going to have some fun with your girlfriend for what you two did to me. I'll come get you afterward so you can see how much she liked it."

He extended his middle finger toward Owen and disappeared from view. Owen immediately tugged on the handcuffs that held him in place. The metal of the counter groaned but held. Owen felt rage build within him and pulled again.

The cuffs held. The counter held. But the leg support moved...ever so slightly.

Abby lead Brian and Jennifer into the bedroom. He ordered her to stop beside the bed. She looked at him. He had a malicious smile on his face as he looked her up and down.

"Now cunt...where were we yesterday? ...Oh yeah...you were naked. right?"

Abby stared at him without expression. She felt no fear. She only waited for him to give her an opening. She didn't feel the hunger...it had only been a few days. In spite of her hatred of the kill, she knew what she had to do. And she hated the man for forcing her to do it. "You've sealed your fate." Abby thought. The only question was how to do what she was going to do without Jennifer finding out about her.

"I like you much better naked...get your clothes off, little bitch."

Abby answered calmly. "No."

Brian was taken aback.
"No?...NO?...what the fuck...do you not see I'm not fucking around here? ...Get your fucking clothes off you little bitch!"

He pressed the gun to Jennifer's temple and produced another pair of handcuffs and some rope.

"Listen good...You're going to get naked...then I'm going to chain you to that bed all spread out nice for me...then I'm going to give you what you need...and teach you why should never have fucked with me."

Abby remained motionless and just stared into Brian's eyes. There was hate there.

"You afraid I'm going to hurt you, little cunt? ...Well...I am going to hurt you...and there's nothing you can do about it."

Abby knew he was wrong about that...she could do a great deal about the situation, but began to think it would be over soon.

This was because she could hear what the man could not. A sick twist of metal in the kitchen. A familiar presence approaching quickly. Owen was coming.

Brian was becoming unnerved by the little girl. She appeared unmoved and un-intimidated by his threats. She was just watching him. And smiling.

Smiling?

Brian screamed. Something was very wrong with his hand. He quickly looked at it. Where it should have been...holding the gun to Jennifer's head...was a mangled crimson stump. Blood began to pour out of the fresh wound and soak the front of his shirt and Jennifer's dress. She promptly fainted and fell onto the bed.

Seconds expanded for Brian.

He turned toward the door only to see Owen's snarling face staring back at him. The boy was holding Brian's crushed hand. The handcuffs dangled from his wrist and swung lazily as Brian's blood dripped from them. It was not the sight of his own mangled appendage that caused horror to well within his chest, it was the sight of Owen's face. Unrestrained rage written upon it. A pale, savage visage with blue-gray eyes and a sharp row of teeth. A voice came from that twisted mouth...a demon's voice...
"Abby...bring him..."

Now Brian saw the girl. She too had that twisted horror of a face as she approached him. Fear paralyzed. Blood loss dazed. He could not scream. Iron fingers gripped him. The walls moved past him. Outside. In the air. Wings. Landing. Woods. On knees. Crying. Not real...can't be.

The two children that weren't children stood in front of Brian staring at him. Their cold eyes filled him with terror. Predator's eyes. He wanted to beg. He wanted to pray. The boy spoke.

"Tell her what you are."

Brian could not think. Trying to wake up.

"W...what?"
"Tell her about the evil you do...you know what I mean..."

Brian had no will left. He knew exactly what the boy meant. He had caused many families to mourn the loss of a young daughter over the years. There seemed no point in lying.

"I...I...hurt little girls."

If anyone were to write final words for Brian, those would be very appropriate.

A glance was exchanged between them and they were on him. Pain...unspeakable pain. Numb. Submission. Life draining away. Relief. Everything...was over.

What was once a man, was now dead flesh. The two vampires rose over their kill. Abby turned away. Owen fished around in Brian's pocket, retrieved the key to the handcuffs, and removed them from his wrist. He then moved over to Abby and embraced her.

"Abby..."
"Owen...I..." Abby couldn't look at the man. She could never bear to look when...it...was over.
"He was bad, Abby."
"I know..."
"No Abby...I mean real bad...more than others. I could tell...somehow...I could tell."
Abby looked at Owen curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"It's like when...I felt it at the pool...when that older guy held me under water...I remember thinking how he seemed to be worse than the others. Now I can feel it even stronger."
"I don't understand."
Owen struggled to find words.
"Something in their eyes. The way they look at people. The way they move. Like I can see inside their heads...I knew he was always going to hurt people, Abby...no matter what."
"But Owen..."
"No Abby...listen. We don't have to feel bad. He was bad. We did something good. He should not be alive to hurt other people...and he was going to hurt more girls."
Abby blinked. She remembered how her senses sometimes told her things she couldn't describe...like when Owen was near. She decided she believed him. Turning, she looked at the man lying on the ground behind them. Owen's words made her feel better.
"Abby...I think we should look for people like him..."

Owen took her hands in his.
"...When we get hungry."