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Chapter 7 - revelations and dismay

Although Brandon already knew the truth of what was happening, the sight was still unbearable. Jacqueline, the first person he had cared about in long time, being torn apart by a man he knew all too well. Her kneck poured with blood as his teeth sank deeper and deeper in to her. He licked and lapped at the blood, as Brandon stood frozen in terror. The strange man lent back and focused his eyes on Brandons pale face.

"Brandon, my son, what a pleasure to see you again. I'm a little busy just now. could you come back later? just give me 10 more minutes." He licked the blood from his lips and placed a hand on jacquelines bare thigh.

Brandons fist lept into action before his brain could and he landed a punch deep into his fathers chest.

his father grabbed brandons other arm and threw him over the day bed. he landed on his back and lay in pain for a moment, then got up, standing over jacqueline. she was covered in blood, barely breathing and unconscious. it almost looked like she was sleeping.

brandon glared at his smirking father and pulled her naked body off the day bed, setting her against the wall beside it. "you b*****d." he growled at his father, tearing a large strip off his shirt and tying it gently around her neck to try and stop the bleeding. "every woman i ever care for, every woman i ever bring here is attacked by you. and why? why do you do this?! what is the ******** point, father?!" brandon was shouting now, and threw another punch at his fathers face this time, but his hand was caught, and his arm turned behind his back. "silly little boy." his father smiled sweetly, his hair turned black with replenishment and his eyes and body young again. "theyre just too delicious not to eat!"

The Count lifted Brandons head by the back of his hair, and thrust it at jacqueline. He held his head inches from her dripping kneck and cackled manically. "why don't you have a taste Brandon. You have half my blood in you after all. You used to do it all the time. Oh where oh where has your hunger gone?" He dropped Brandons weak body onto Jacqueline's dying body and poured himself another glass of wine.

A single tear ran from Brandons left eye as he knelt beside her. "I'm sorry." he whispered. Brandon then lifted his wrist up to his mouth and sank his teeth in deep. Soon blood was pouring from the gash and he lifted it to Jacqueline's mouth. His blood tricked down her throat as she lay unconscious. Soon after, she began to couth and splutter as life flowed back through her.

Brandon's father turned around and smiled widely. He took large slow steps over to the bed and put his long arms around them both and beamed. "I'm so happy Brandon. I'm so happy that you've finally chosen a wife. I thought you'd never have anyone join our family. Especially such a tasty little human."

jacqueline curled up and huddled against brandons chest, feeling very small beside the two men. "whats he talking about...?" her voice was soft and barely audible. brandon held her close to him as his father stood, smiling, and poured more wine. "im talking about our family tradition of course! share your blood with the one you love and wedding bells shall ring!" his voice boomed throughout the space and he ran up the stairs, calling back to them "i must tell your mother, brandon!"

brandon sighed, stroking jacquelines hair and running a finger over her blood covered necklace. "i am sorry, jacqueline. first i let you get to my father, and nearly have your life taken away from you, and then you force you into marriage. i even got you hurt before this. i truly, truly am sorry for everything ive done." he kissed the top of her head and looked at her for a while. his face turned into a curious expression, and he gently lifted her chin. jacquelines eyes were closed and her breathing soft again. she was sound asleep, warm in brandons arms. he stood up, holding her cautiously and sat cross-legged on the day bed, jacqueline in his lap.

He softly kissed her gentle lips and felt no warmth to her breathe. Laying his hands beneath her, he scooped her up as if she weighed nothing. He kicked the side door he had come through open and carried Jacqueline down the staircase. His eyes were wide and his was expression blank. Brandon kept walking. He carried Jacqueline all the way back to his manor, some 30 miles away. Although the sun was rising by the time they got back, Jacqueline remained asleep the entire time. He lay her own the lounge sofa and looked at the fallen beauty before him. although a long spot of rain on the journey back had cleaned off most of the blood, she still looked a mess. He sighed and went to get some warm water and towels. He had cursed her with such misfortune. He cursed their chance meeting and his own stupidity. Happiness was his own selfish ideal that constantly tears at the world around him.

The lavish dress from the day before was now a shredded mess encrusted with blood. Brandon tore at the dress, ripping it gently from her body. still she did not wake. he dipped the sponge into the warm water and began to clean the blood off of her near naked body. crimson splashes fell onto the carpet as he cleansed her body. if only he could do the same for her soul.

brandon went on like that for hours, unable to clean her well enough. he wiped gently at her neck and below her ear, tossing blood coated clothes to the floor. finally brandon was tired of this. he couldnt clean her anymore and he picked her up, slowly carrying her to his bed. he tore the last of the dress from her tattered body and laid her in the bed, closing the curtains around her. "why does this happen every time?" he muttered, picking up her dress and collecting the pieces in a chair. eventually brandon lay down beside her, staring at her nearly motionless breathing and fell asleep.

midday brandon rose to find jacqueline the way he had left her. he sighed heavily, unwilling to move from this spot. he felt so bad for what hed done, he couldnt eat, he couldnt sleep any longer. he softly brushed her cheek and her hair from her face and turned to lay on his back, staring at the folds of the curtain above.
the curtains were a blank canvass that he wished he could empty his soul onto. Brandon studied the now faint scars on his wrists, tracing a thin pale finger across them. He applied a little pressure and sliced one open a fresh with his nail. fresh blood trickled out and he watched it carefully. once there was enough blood glistening on his arm he lifted it to her mouth and squeezed the cut. droplets hit her sleeping lips and she stirred as her body awakened. He kissed he as soon as she moved and held her tight in his arms as she opened her eyes.

"im sorry, Jacqueline. i love you. please dont leave me."

she yawned and murmered as she stretched and heaved her newly wakened body. "i had this funny dream last night. we went to a party and there were vampires. one bit me. funny eh? i always wanted to be a temptress of the night, feeding on pretty boys. fancy that. " she giggled and hugged him tighter

"i also ended up in some marriage packt with you. how amusing." she giggled more and looked up into his face, noticing his agonized expression as he couldnt hide it any longer. "whats wrong, brandon?" brandon gently pulled her head under his chin so she wouldnt see his face. she was so far mistaken at the moment and he could barely stand to look at her. he stroked her hair and cleared his throat, willing himself to tell her. "jacqueline..." he paused, trying to find the right words. "jacqueline, that wasnt a dream, it did happen.... my father attacked you, just like emily. the only difference is that i was able to save you.... but that bound us into marriage.... im sorry.... you could run, if you wish..." jacqueline felt him begin to shake a bit and she slowly looked up. she was nearly frozen when she saw brandons tears. he was in so much pain over this.

slowly and carefully she reached her hands up and dabbed at his tears with her fingertips. jacqueline pulled herself up a bit, keeping the blanket covering her, and she tenderly tucked his head under her chin now. "brandon..." her voice was soft and soothing as brandon struggled to breathe normally. "i love you too... and i marry you." brandon looked up cautiously and saw her angel's face, her soft pink lips turned up at the corners. brandon suddenly hugged her so tightly she could hardly breathe and smiled up at her, the tears stopping. "thank you jacqueline.... but i would like to give you a formal proposal."

Brandon stood up and went to his dresser. He tried to subtley wipe the tears from his eyes by pretending to fix his hair, as if he thought that some how Jacqueline hadn't already seen them. She giggled at him as he fumbled with his damp sleeve.

"you like making me embarrassed dont you?" he said as he removed a small box from one of his drawers. He held it out flat on his palm for Jacqueline to see and bowed until he was eye level with it. The box itself was small plain and black. However, it was covered in around a dozen tiny locks and accompanying chains. Each lock was a different colour and had a different intricate design on it. Brandon then used his other hand to draw a strange love heart shaped rune in the air above the box with a bony index finger. The shape glowed where he had drawn and hung in the air between them. Brandon blew a kiss through the hole and Jaqueline instinctively blew one back. The heart filled a deep red then burst into a pink flutter as the chains fell off allowing the box to spring open to reveal a glorius wedding ring.

jacqueline smiled with a slight gasp and gathered more blankets to her chest as she slowly sat up, leaning closer to it. "brandon.... its beautiful...." her voice was a mere whisper as he knelt down on one knee and slipped it onto her finger. jacqueline marveled at it, but brandon took her hand. "jacqueline, will you marry me?" his voice was low and gentle. "yes." she smiled brightly at him and moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. brandon gently hugged her back and jacqueline pulled away, a curious expression on her face.

"brandon.... can you tell me what happened to my dress....?" he sighed heavily and stood up, walking to the chair and picking up a few pieces to show her. she bit her lip and sighed. "can we go shopping today?"

END CHAPTER 7

**BY JUDOMASTERS AND MNM27**