The Vampire's Pet (Published) Book 1 and 2

Chapter 28 (REWRITE)

Their lips separated and smiles engulfed their faces.

"I love you," Henry murmured.

Rose's smile widened and she looked down, feeling a blush seep into her cheeks. "I love you too," her voice was beyond mumbled.

Henry laughed as he tilted her face up. "What was that?" he asked.

"I love you too."

Henry smiled again and pecked her on the lips. When he pulled away, he rested his head on her shoulder and grasped her hands. Breathing in deeply, he spoke, "I'm going to go make sure Rider is ok and Rick's wounds are healing."

Rose nodded and remained put. She wasn't too keen on seeing Rider or Rick anytime soon. However, when she heard inexplicable noises fill the air, she hopped down from the counter and peered into the living room. Her eyes landed on Henry, who was sprawled out on the ground. Before she could react, her back was against the counter, and hands were wrapped around her throat.

Rider reached for a knife and managed to grab the handle. As he plunged the blade down, Rose disappeared, causing the knife to imbed itself deep into the counter. He screamed in both frustration and pain as he wedged the knife free. Turning around, he saw Rose crouching over Henry, who was beginning to stir and had a healing lump on his forehead.

This time though, when Rider stepped towards them, Rose didn't leave, she stood between the two brothers. Her body was shaking and her mind was fuzzy with fear, but all she knew was Henry, Lilly, and Joey were not going to get hurt. He stepped forward again, but his weak body was forced to slump against the doorframe.

"That's sweet," he said, "the abomination is capable of feelings." His grip on the knife tightened.

Joey and Lilly came out of their rooms, knives in hand. Both were immediately spotted by Rider.

"Who's that?" he asked. Sniffing the air he smelled the scent of their blood. "I could always use another blood Pet, especially after the other one died protecting you."

Rose became outraged and all her fear was ripped away from her. She disappeared and reappeared in the air in front of Rider. She punched him hard in the face. Rider stumbled backward but swung the knife. Rose appeared between the brothers before it touched her.

"Her name was Jessica!"

"Its name was Pet. You of all people should know this." He used some of the last of his strength to read their emotion. His eyebrows raised and he looked up at Lilly. "Sister?" he asked. He knew a sibling bond when he came across one, and this was no different.

Henry slowly began to raise himself from the floor. Despite barely being able to think straight, one glance around told him everything he needed to know. Sorely and painfully rising to his feet he slowly walked next to Rose, faintly getting in front of her.

"Rider," Henry said, "please stop this. This isn't you." This is Phil. Somehow, the small infiltration of Rider's brain, caused whatever hold was keeping him there to break apart. Tears filled his eyes and he looked at his brother with a mixture of fear and confusion.

"It hurts," Rider whimpered out.

Henry stepped forward. "I know. I know it hurts. An ambulance is on its way; they can help you."

"Please." Rider began to crumble to the ground, only the doorframe keeping him upright. "I'm s-so tired."

"I know." Henry cautiously reached out to take the shaking blade. "You have to trust me." His fingers gripped the handle.

Rider looked back to Rose and the darkness returned to his eyes. The knife jutted up and lodged itself in Henry's side. Henry screamed and grasped his brother as his knees struck the ground.

Rose's eyes widened and she couldn't help the scream that erupted from her mouth.

Rider tried to run forward, but Henry grabbed onto him. Within the next second, Rider's back slammed into the counter. The knife had been dislodged from Henry's flesh and Henry was now holding Rider's arm to the side. Rider managed to shove them to the side and off the counter. The two crashed onto the ground, the knife slipping from Rider's grasp and clattering to the floor. The older brother's fist slammed into Henry's face.

Henry grabbed Rider and managed to flip their positions. Rider desperately reached for the knife, which was now within reach. Henry grabbed his arm and held it in place. Rider's free hand rammed into Henry's hurt side, lodging his fingers into Henry's flesh. The younger brother screamed and tried to dislodge the fingers, allowing Rider's other hand to be free again.

Just as his fingers brushed against the handle, Rose appeared and scooped up the knife. She stepped back and away from them. The thought occurred to her to stab Rider and end all this, but then the thought of Henry mourning his brother halted everything. She couldn't kill Rider, despite how many Pet's he had killed or whatever else he had done, she couldn't do it.

The two brothers transitioned again. Henry grabbed Rider's shirt and slid him out from underneath him. He rammed Rider's back into the wall, where Rose was standing. Thankfully, she disappeared just in time.

Rose reappeared in the living room, stopping Joey and Lilly from going into the kitchen. Despite their knives, they were utterly defenseless against a vampire, especially after being drunk from. They had no powers to help them: no superspeed, gift, nothing.

"Stay here," Rose said.

"No!" Lilly said.

Rose roughly grabbed her shoulders, she didn't even know she was capable of doing so. "Stay here! I'll be fine, I promise." With that, she was gone.

Rider slammed Henry into a wall before he tossed him onto the counter. Rose grabbed Henry and the two disappeared right as Rider's first was about to connect. His hand slammed into the counter and he screamed in pain.

Rider stumbled away from the counter, his hurt fingers healing. Henry's side was almost back to normal. But the two were still bloody, beat, and exhausted. The older brother stepped forward, but crumbled to the ground, hands clutching his head as he cried out. Despite how much he wanted to, Henry didn't go to his brother. He had done it, he had outlasted Rider.

Tears appeared in Henry's eyes as he stared down at his suffering sibling. When they were younger, he looked up to Rider as the 'cooler' older brother – always followed him around, dressing like Rider did, watched the same movies he liked and copied his body language. Now, he was standing over his brother who was a shell of the boy he had known.

"Please," Rider pleaded. He tried to crawl forward, but he only cried out and curled into a ball. "Henry," his voice cracked, "it hurts!"

The front door opened and medics rushed into the house. Rose and Henry stepped to the side and allowed the workers to attend his brother, who was crying out in pain.

"Manipulation," Henry explained as they strapped Rider to a stretcher. "He has episodes. Call my dad and ask him about it." The medics knew who Henry was and knew who his dad was. As they passed by Rose and Henry, Rider reached out and grasped Henry's hand. Henry gently squeezed back before they were ripped away from one another.

The medics had already moved Rick into the ambulance. Henry had heard them say the bullet had scraped his heart and he was dying.

A tear fell from Henry's eye and he pulled Rose closer to him.

Thank you as always for reading. Hope you liked it.

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