Henry quickly rushed under the stairs, he opened a hatch that was an empty storage space

"Get in." That was all he needed to say. Lilly and Joey quickly ran to the space and went in, Rose followed before she stopped. "Get in," he repeated.

Rose looked up at him with tear-stained eyes and forced herself into the space.

He closed the door, it blended into the wall. Don't come out no matter what, Henry said to all of them.

Right as he made it to the middle of the room, Rider and the Leader came through the door, the door handle melted to nothing. Henry immediately recognized their dark red eyes.

"Where is she?" The Leader asked.

"Who is she?" Henry asked.

The Leader pulled out a gun and aimed it at Henry. "The little abomination you seem to like." His eyes darted to the couch where the stolen notes were. "I don't think you can deny you were there."

Henry bit his bottom lip and stayed silent.

The Leader's hand began to tremble, making the fact a gun was being pointed at Henry all the more nerve-racking.

"Henry," Rider said, "just tell us where she is. You and I both know that she was never meant to be anything more than a Pet. You trying to create something more has disrupted-"

"Stop talking like dad. You're not dad! I know what's happening to both of you right now. I know this isn't you, Rider."

"Oh please, don't pretend like you know me! You avoided me my entire childhood!"

"Only because you were never you! You were never the brother that I needed! You were always a poor imitation of what dad wanted you to be!"

Rider's eyes flickered from dark to light red. Gasping, he fell to the ground, his hands clutching his head as he whimpered. Henry stepped forward to help his brother, but the Leader shot the gun. The bullet zoomed past Henry and into the wall. Henry couldn't tell if it was an actual bullet or an electrical one, so he froze.

"Please, let me help him," Henry said.

The Leader's gaze didn't shift away from Henry. Henry didn't even think the Leader knew Rider was on the ground. Tears appeared in the Leader's eyes as he began to fight his own battle.

"Do you remember me?" he asked. Henry stayed silent for a few tense moments. The question was so weird, so random, so unexpected that his mind went blank for a second.

Henry's eyes glanced down at the dog tags around the Leader's neck and realization struck him. His father had a similar pair. "You're my dad's friend. You-"

"Were tortured?!" The gun was shaking more. Henry nodded his head. "Humans are bloodthirsty animals! That thing doesn't deserve to live!"

"Rick, right?" Henry asked.

The man nodded his head.

"I know what you and my father went through." He cautiously took a step forward. "That shouldn't happen to anyone . . . vampire, human, and anything in between. But you have to listen to me, Phil is manipulating you."

Rick's hands shot to his head and he let a whimper escape his lips. Henry stepped forward again, but as soon as he had, the gun was pointed back at him. Tears were in Rick's eyes, but he couldn't seem to fight this.

Rider had gone still.

"I'm giving that creature three seconds to come out before I shoot you," Rick's shaking voice said.

Don't come out, Rose, Henry thought to her.

"Three . . . two . . . one-"

"Stop!" Rose yelled as she ran out of the storage space, quickly closing the door so Lilly and Joey wouldn't be seen.

Lilly started to stand up and almost sprang out of the space, but Joey quickly grabbed her and pulled her back down. He wrapped one arm around the front of her body, holding her arms in place. His other hand was cupped over her mouth, and he pressed the back of her head into his chest.

Lilly started to cry, thinking about the day Rose was taken, how she didn't do anything to help her sister. It was happening again, and she couldn't help but think of what was going to happen. Joey felt her hot tears run over the hand that was cupped around her mouth. He felt terrible for holding her down, but he wasn't going to lose her.

Rose froze when Rick pointed the gun at her, but before he could fire, Henry jumped in the way. Weakness was beginning to overtake his body again and the fear alone of what would happen if he were to pass out kept him from doing so.

"Move," Rick said in a shaking voice.

Rider whimpered as his body curled in on itself more. His face was pressed into the floor, his shaking hands were holding his head, and his teary eyes were staring at Henry. Henry stared back, but he knew if he moved, Rose would die.

"You're choosing to protect that thing," Rick gritted out. "If you don't move, I will shoot you."

"Rick, this isn't you-"

"Shut up!" Rick stepped closer to Henry. "Move. Now."

Henry remained where he was. I love you, he thought to Rose.

I love you, too, Rose said as a tear fell out of her eye. She couldn't just let Henry die! Couldn't just stand back like with her parents! She had to do something, but what?

Rick pulled the trigger, the gunshot rang throughout the air and Henry naturally closed his eyes, waiting to feel pain. However, when he didn't feel anything, he opened his eyes before shock infiltrated his body. Rose was standing in front of Rick, the gun raised in the air with both their arms up. The two struggled for a few seconds before he managed to backhand Rose. She fell to the ground and the gun was pointed at her again. As soon as he fired, Rose was gone - a bullet hole in the floor.

Henry grabbed Rick's arms and the two began to struggle, both trying to keep the gun away from their chests. It became clear very quickly that Henry was weak. Rick managed to get behind Henry, the gun on Henry's chest. Henry quickly slid down. At that moment, Rick pulled the trigger.

Rose appeared near Henry, both looking up at Rick with shock filled faces. Blood seeped through his clothes and he collapsed to the ground, the gun falling out of his hand. Henry quickly turned him over and observed the wound, listening for a heartbeat.

"He's alive," Henry said. His hand landed on top of where his heart was, the wound directly next to it. "I think it skimmed his heart." He sped to the couch and grabbed his phone, calling an ambulance. What to do with Rose, Joey, and Lilly could be thought of later.

Kneeling next to Rick again, he placed his hand over the wound, at least attempting to slow the bleeding.

The call ended and Henry tossed his phone to the side before he applied more pressure. Rose came into view, her pale face looking at the scene.

"Teleportation," Rose mumbled. "Teleportation." More shock filled her body. The scene had been so sporadic and terrifying that her brain wasn't allowing her to focus on what was really important. It had been trained to do that after years of abuse - focusing on the temperature of the house or the wrinkles in Rider's clothes.

"Rose, are you ok?!" Lilly asked as she and Joey ran out from hiding. Lilly grasped Rose's pale face with her hands. Her eyes were glossed over.

"Y-yeah, I'm . . . fine."

"She needs blood," Henry said, just by looking at her, he could tell. He breathed in and smelled the blood coming from Rick's body. "I need blood."

Lilly and Joey stepped back a little. Joey's hand naturally falling on his knife. However, after a second, his hand left the handle as he thought about everything Henry had done for him, mainly not killing him and then risking his life protecting two humans and Rose.

There was a long pause before Joey stepped forward. "Ok." He hesitantly went to Henry and sat down next to him. "Will it hurt?"

"No, it'll be just a small pinch. You won't even feel anything after a second." Joey nodded his head. "You're sure you're ok with this?" Henry asked Joey.

"You didn't kill us. You let us stay here and just saved both of our lives. I owe you one," Joey said.

Henry removed his hands from Rick's chest, already, he had begun to heal, making it so little to no blood was coming out.

"Tell me when to stop."

Joey nodded.

Henry grabbed Joey and pierced his neck. The pain only lasted a second before it subsided.

"It's ok," Lilly said to Rose. Though she couldn't completely comprehend that her sister was a vampire, she was willing to help.

"Are y-you sure?" Rose asked her. "I don't want to hurt you."

Lilly nodded her head. "Rose, just do it."

Rose grabbed Lilly and penetrated her fangs into her sister's neck, not meaning to be so forthcoming, but she was so hungry. The blood tasted weird, yet it was so good, so sweet, so filling.

"Stop," Joey said to Henry. Henry took his last gulp and retracted his fangs. He licked the wound, healing the holes in his neck. A few seconds passed before Lilly said the same thing. Rose took two gulps and licked her neck.

"Are you ok?" Rose asked Lilly. She had never done that before, what if she did it wrong?! Took too much?! She remembered when Henry had done that to her and the thought of doing that to her sister sent waves of fear into her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Lilly rubbed the newly healed skin.

Rose nodded.

"You two should go rest," Henry said. "Regain your strength."

The two nodded and slowly made their way upstairs, leaving Rose and Henry.

Henry grabbed Rose and pulled her into his embrace. His breathing was shaking and his grip on her was iron. She hugged back gently. His eyes stared at Rider as tears began to collect. How did this happen? How had this gone so far?

Grunting, Henry picked Rick and carried him to the couch. Next, he picked up Rider and placed him in a cushioned chair. Right now, there was nothing more he could do for Rick or his brother but wait for an ambulance to arrive.

Rose and Henry walked into the kitchen. He lifted her up and sat her down on the counter. Gently, he touched the healing bruise Rick had made on Rose's lip.

"I'm glad you're safe," Henry murmured. He closed his eyes and pushed his face into her hair.

"I-I'm glad you're ok."

Henry pulled away from her and cupped her face. "No stuttering, ok?" he asked with a joking smile.

Rose smiled and forced out a laugh. "O-ok."

The two fell into silence as they stared at one another.

Henry suddenly smashed his lips into hers. Unlike last time, he wasn't as gentle, not scared he would hurt her. He had almost lost her again and he was determined to make sure she knew he wasn't going to let her go anytime soon. He would protect her until he couldn't.

One hand held the back of her neck while the other grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. His hold on her was somehow stern and yet soft. It made her feel protected and safe, trapped against him.

One of her hands tentatively ran through his hair as her other gripped his arm that was holding her waist.

At this moment, their problems floated away. It was only the two of them. He was hers and she was his and that's what they wanted.

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

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