Take My Hand

Later that night, I emerged from my bedroom on the search for my father. I needed some answers and I needed them urgently. I know he knows something about those vampires and Brendon, but what that was I didn't know. But I'm determined to find out what it is. My mother doesn't seem to know anything about Brendon, since I've mentioned him to her numerous times and she hasn't acted any differently like the way father does. I'm not sure if she knows anything about any other vampires though. It's a possibility. I'm sure I heard both parents talking about them the other night, when I listened through the wall. But I could be mistaken. Highly unlikely. I hate not knowing. It's like a fear. The fear of the unknown and right now no-one is telling me anything, so it's come down to me to force some answers out of people.

I already asked Brendon if he knew anything about my father and the vampires, that time when I was down in the sewers. But I believe Brendon when he says that he knows nothing at all. I trust him. I think I trust him more that I trust my parents. My parents have kept this vampire fiasco a secret my whole life, maybe? So, why should I trust them? My life is in danger and both my parents think it's best for me to not know about this? I don't see the logic in that.

I had been debating in my room for a long period of time whether or not I should, interrogate my father. The questions might have a downside, like what if he actually doesn't have a clue on what I'm talking about, then thinks I've gone crazy for thinking such things. He would find out that I've been going out at night, with Brendon and to make it worse Brendon is a vampire. He could completely lose it and lock me in my bedroom for eternity.

Then there was the upside. The situation I'm stuck in now, might be cleared up completely for me and all of the questions I've been wanting to ask will be out of my system. I could live a normal life if I fix the problem that's making the vampires want to kill me and only me. Well, I'm probably not the only person they're trying or have killed.

Finally shaking out of the argument of thoughts that were clouding up in my head, I decided to go find my dad for definite. God knows where he could be in this house. Hopefully not with mother. I don't want her getting dragged into this conversation. It'll just make it harder, with her asking both of us questions and right now I want to be the one asking the only questions.

After searching half of the house, I found my dad sitting at the bar casually drinking whiskey from the fragile, beautifully patterned glass as he held a big black cigar in his right hand. He stared up into space, his eyes fixated on the high-raised ceiling, letting his thoughts overcome his mind.

I coughed slightly to make sure he knew I was standing in the room. He jumped slightly, being startled by a persons presence in the room.

"Sorry, for startling you, father." I apologized as I walked deeper into the bar, my bare feet coming in contact with soft, dark red carpet with every step I took. I placed myself onto one of the bar stools next to him as looked at me waiting for me to say something else. "Can I talk to you for a few minutes?" I asked.

"Sure. Go ahead, beautiful." He replied, placing the cigar into the near by ash tray.

"I just wanted to ask you some questions. I'm not sure if you know the answer to them or not, but they've been driving me crazy for a while now. Please don't think I'm insane after I've asked these questions I'm about to ask you."

"Ask me what you want."

"Okay. Why were you acting so uneasy when the name Brendon was mentioned earlier? Do you know him in any way?" I questioned, not quite sure where to start with the questions. I decided to question the most recent questionable events. After I had asked the question, he tensed the same way he tensed before.

"I heard his name being mentioned a few times. That's all. Why?"

"I haven't finished with my questions yet." I said, holding a finger up indicating that I wanted for him to be quiet. "Who mentioned his name?"

"Just...someone."

"I'll come back to you on that one. Do you know of anyone who goes by the name, William?" I shuddered at the thought of him, as I breathed his name through my lips. It was a vile sensation.

My fathers eyes widened in, what it looked like, shock. "Before I answer anymore questions, I need to ask you something. What do you know? You know something. I know you do. Tell me what you know." He ordered, his eyes begging me to tell him as he gripped his glass tight, inching closer to me eager to get an answer.

"Please, don't get mad about this, but I'm going to tell you what I know. Don't tell mother about any of what I'm about to tell you, she will kill both me and you for having this discussion. Okay, first off. I don't know what it is that you have done, but a gang of vampires need something off you. Money, I guess? Apparently, you've stopped giving them it and instead are now taking it out on me. My life is endangered, if you don't continue to give them what they want. I'll admit, I've been going out with Brendon to explore Las Vegas, but Brendon's been there numerous times to save me, he's not the bad guy in this. I know that William is the leader and is pure evil and if you don't give him what he wants he's going to do something drastic. What is it, that you did to him?"

He ignored my question, "Why didn't you tell me, you knew all of this earlier? He could have killed you!"

"Please don't ignore my questions. I need to know this. What did you do? What do you owe him?" I questioned further.

"Okay. When I was young, I was stupid and an adrenalin junkie like any other teen boy. I heard that there was an abandoned warehouse in an empty street, that was supposed to be haunted. For the sake of it, me and a bunch of friends went down there one night to check it out. Long story short, one of my friends dropped his lighter on the floor setting the warehouse alight. The whole thing was on fire. My friends ran frightened that they might get caught by the police or something, but I couldn't move. I was frozen, just staring at the burning building. Once my friends had ran off, I was harassed by, as you know, vampires. Apparently, I had just burnt down everything they owned. All of their stash, their belongings, their home. Now, I'm repaying them for every single thing I ruined. Lately, I haven't been paying them, since our finances aren't doing too well. William said if I didn't have the money for him, he'd do something that I wouldn't like."

"Father, you've got to stop him! If you don't he's going to kill me. I'll help you. Brendon will too. He knows alot about them and he can compare to them in some ways."

"What do you mean by that?" My father asked suspiciously with a raised eyebrow.

"Father. It's hard for me to say this and it's probably going to be hard for you to understand this, but here it goes. Brendon's a vampire." I replied, making his eyes widen in shock. "Please don't go mad. He's only a vampire at night and he's harmless." I tried to explain to him, but I don't think I was succeeding. He just continued to look even more enraged.

"He's a vampire! What are you doing hanging around a vampire?! I don't want you seeing him, he's bad news."

"You can't do that! He's different."

"He's one of them! Can't you see! He's going to hurt you, if you don't stay away from him! He's dangerous!"

"No he's not, he protects me from them! He doesn't want to be like them, he can't help it! He makes me feel safe! How do you know about him, anyway!? You don't know him!" I tried to reason with him, my words echoing around the large room.

"William, mentioned his name a few times in my presence. He mentioned to me that he had done something bad to Brendon and he would do the same to me and people that I love if I don't give him the money."

"Yes, he did do something bad to Brendon! He turned him into a vampire! Now, Brendon wants revenge on him. We can get this whole mess fixed if you help me and Brendon deal with them."

"Belle, this is all nonsense. We can talk about this some other time. I don't want your mother finding out about any of this so if I don't tell her anything, you don't either. As for Brendon, I don't want you seeing him still, until further notice. I need to think about this and think about the consequences, ups and downs."

"But-" My sentence was cut short, since my mother entered the room with the phone in her hand.