Welcome to Wednesday Briefs! It's flash fiction, so this story will be presented in 1000(ish)-word chapters. I hope you enjoy it, and check out the many other flashers, whose links are below. You can also check out the Wednesday Briefs Blog for more info and to sign up for email notifications.
Thanks for reading!
Thanks for reading!
THE BOYS OF BELSMEADE
Chapter Nine
An annoying buzz woke John Berenz just after midnight. He groped around and grabbed his phone. With a yawn, he said, "Dr. Berenz speaking."
"Dr. Berenz, my name is Aristes Ambrogi. I sit on the board of Mass General."
The doctor was truly perplexed as to why a board member would be calling in the middle of the night. "I've heard your name before, Mr. Ambrogi. What can I help you with?"
"Well, it's about your son. I don't want to alarm you, but I'm afraid there's been an accident."
John shot out of bed and began dressing. "What? Where? Oh my God!"
"Please remain calm, sir. Eliot is in stable condition. The accident also involved my own son."
The doctor's heart rate was already through the roof, but when Mr. Ambrogi made that statement, John felt nauseated. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ambrogi. Is your son alive?"
There was a slight pause before the reply. "Yes, my son is… alive."
"Oh thank God," John breathed. "Where are they? At Mass Gen?"
"No. I have moved them to a private clinic in Brookline, run by a team of some of the best physicians in the area. This way, we can give Eliot the individual attention that he needs."
"Individual attention? Please tell me what happened, Mr. Ambrogi."
Aristes cleared his throat. He was still unsure of how to explain the night's events to Eliot's father. As it was, the council was in an uproar, and it was only through unabashed begging that Aristes kept them from destroying the accidentally turned human, as well as Aramis for turning him. Attempting to sound confident, he told Dr. Berenz, "I think it best if you come and speak to the doctors yourself."
"Just tell me what—"
"I'm sorry," Aristes said. "You'll have to come down."
John huffed. "Fine. Give me the address and room number."
"Dr. Berenz, my name is Aristes Ambrogi. I sit on the board of Mass General."
The doctor was truly perplexed as to why a board member would be calling in the middle of the night. "I've heard your name before, Mr. Ambrogi. What can I help you with?"
"Well, it's about your son. I don't want to alarm you, but I'm afraid there's been an accident."
John shot out of bed and began dressing. "What? Where? Oh my God!"
"Please remain calm, sir. Eliot is in stable condition. The accident also involved my own son."
The doctor's heart rate was already through the roof, but when Mr. Ambrogi made that statement, John felt nauseated. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ambrogi. Is your son alive?"
There was a slight pause before the reply. "Yes, my son is… alive."
"Oh thank God," John breathed. "Where are they? At Mass Gen?"
"No. I have moved them to a private clinic in Brookline, run by a team of some of the best physicians in the area. This way, we can give Eliot the individual attention that he needs."
"Individual attention? Please tell me what happened, Mr. Ambrogi."
Aristes cleared his throat. He was still unsure of how to explain the night's events to Eliot's father. As it was, the council was in an uproar, and it was only through unabashed begging that Aristes kept them from destroying the accidentally turned human, as well as Aramis for turning him. Attempting to sound confident, he told Dr. Berenz, "I think it best if you come and speak to the doctors yourself."
"Just tell me what—"
"I'm sorry," Aristes said. "You'll have to come down."
John huffed. "Fine. Give me the address and room number."
********************
No one was sure how long the change would take, but with the sudden manner in which the boy had been turned worried the council. Such a traumatic change usually caused a newborn to turn quickly, and be very unstable and violent. For that reason, they had transported Eliot to their private clinic under careful observation.
The mere suggestion of leaving his mate in the doctor's care sent Aramis off the deep end. He hadn't moved from Eliot's side since the human had slipped into unconsciousness, and Aramis didn't intend to leave him until he woke. Someone touched Aramis on the shoulder and got a low growl for an answer.
"You need to rest," Mr. Ambrogi said gently.
His son shook his head. "What did the council say?"
"They will not destroy him."
Aramis head snapped up and he looked on his father with disbelief. "They're not going to…"
"Neither Eliot nor you. I explained the unusual circumstances, including the theft of your phone. Whoever took it and sent the message to Eliot seems to be the guilty party in this mess. Trust me when I say that person will regret the day they crossed the Ambrogi clan."
A quiet moan came from the bed and Aramis gasped. The moan morphed into a whimper, then a growl, which quickly grew in intensity. Eliot's eyes flew open and he leapt from the bed and into the corner of the room, panting and scratching at his throat. Unable to speak, he hissed at the two other vampires. Long fangs pierced his bottom lip, and the pain infuriated him further.
Aristes slowly made his way across the room, attempting to look non-threatening. He reached out a hand as though he was approaching a wild horse. His voice was steady and calm. "We won't hurt you. Do you know who you are?"
"No," Eliot croaked out.
Mr. Ambrogi edged closer. "Do you know what you are?"
"Vampire." The word was barely a whisper. Eliot's face crumpled and he sank to the floor, shaking with sobs.
Aramis ran to his mate and scooped him up in his arms. Eliot fought against the hold and growled, but Aramis didn't care. As fangs and sharp nails shredded his clothes and skin, he sat and held his mate, murmuring his apologies. Eventually, he could no longer fight against his new mate's feral strength. Eliot knocked Aramis on his back and straddled his legs.
"Who are you?" Eliot demanded. He wrapped his fingers around Aramis' throat.
"I'm your mate!" Aramis squeaked. "Dad, do something!"
Mr. Ambrogi urged, "Let him feed, Aramis. The taste of his mate will soothe him… I hope."
Aramis caught the last mumbled words and gulped. This could go one of two ways, either Eliot would feed a little and calm enough to be able to grasp the situation, or Eliot would drain Aramis, toss him aside and continue on his raging spree. Desperately hoping that the first outcome would prevail, he turned his head and exposed his neck.
Eliot's glowing eyes zeroed in on the thick, pulsing artery. Without a second thought, he bit. After the satisfying pop, the sweet, thick liquid filled his mouth and cooled the burn in his throat. With a groan of pleasure, he sucked at the wound and gulped down more blood. His own heart rate began to slow and the anger in his confused mind cleared. He released Aramis and sat back, wiping the back of his hand across his chin.
Mr. Ambrogi exhaled slowly. "Feeling better?"
"Yes, sir," Eliot replied. "Much."
"Good. Now, are things coming back to you? You know who you are?"
"Eliot, sir."
"Excellent. Now do you—"
A loud noise outside made all three vampires turn to the door. It flew open and John Berenz burst in, with guards attempting to restrain him. "Where the fuck is my son?" he boomed. "Those idiots at the desk wouldn't... tell me any… thing."
His eyes came to rest on Eliot's terrified face. "Eliot!" he cried. The doctor made the mistake of running at his son before anyone could stop him. Fearing for the safety of his mate, Eliot tackled the human and went for his throat.
The mere suggestion of leaving his mate in the doctor's care sent Aramis off the deep end. He hadn't moved from Eliot's side since the human had slipped into unconsciousness, and Aramis didn't intend to leave him until he woke. Someone touched Aramis on the shoulder and got a low growl for an answer.
"You need to rest," Mr. Ambrogi said gently.
His son shook his head. "What did the council say?"
"They will not destroy him."
Aramis head snapped up and he looked on his father with disbelief. "They're not going to…"
"Neither Eliot nor you. I explained the unusual circumstances, including the theft of your phone. Whoever took it and sent the message to Eliot seems to be the guilty party in this mess. Trust me when I say that person will regret the day they crossed the Ambrogi clan."
A quiet moan came from the bed and Aramis gasped. The moan morphed into a whimper, then a growl, which quickly grew in intensity. Eliot's eyes flew open and he leapt from the bed and into the corner of the room, panting and scratching at his throat. Unable to speak, he hissed at the two other vampires. Long fangs pierced his bottom lip, and the pain infuriated him further.
Aristes slowly made his way across the room, attempting to look non-threatening. He reached out a hand as though he was approaching a wild horse. His voice was steady and calm. "We won't hurt you. Do you know who you are?"
"No," Eliot croaked out.
Mr. Ambrogi edged closer. "Do you know what you are?"
"Vampire." The word was barely a whisper. Eliot's face crumpled and he sank to the floor, shaking with sobs.
Aramis ran to his mate and scooped him up in his arms. Eliot fought against the hold and growled, but Aramis didn't care. As fangs and sharp nails shredded his clothes and skin, he sat and held his mate, murmuring his apologies. Eventually, he could no longer fight against his new mate's feral strength. Eliot knocked Aramis on his back and straddled his legs.
"Who are you?" Eliot demanded. He wrapped his fingers around Aramis' throat.
"I'm your mate!" Aramis squeaked. "Dad, do something!"
Mr. Ambrogi urged, "Let him feed, Aramis. The taste of his mate will soothe him… I hope."
Aramis caught the last mumbled words and gulped. This could go one of two ways, either Eliot would feed a little and calm enough to be able to grasp the situation, or Eliot would drain Aramis, toss him aside and continue on his raging spree. Desperately hoping that the first outcome would prevail, he turned his head and exposed his neck.
Eliot's glowing eyes zeroed in on the thick, pulsing artery. Without a second thought, he bit. After the satisfying pop, the sweet, thick liquid filled his mouth and cooled the burn in his throat. With a groan of pleasure, he sucked at the wound and gulped down more blood. His own heart rate began to slow and the anger in his confused mind cleared. He released Aramis and sat back, wiping the back of his hand across his chin.
Mr. Ambrogi exhaled slowly. "Feeling better?"
"Yes, sir," Eliot replied. "Much."
"Good. Now, are things coming back to you? You know who you are?"
"Eliot, sir."
"Excellent. Now do you—"
A loud noise outside made all three vampires turn to the door. It flew open and John Berenz burst in, with guards attempting to restrain him. "Where the fuck is my son?" he boomed. "Those idiots at the desk wouldn't... tell me any… thing."
His eyes came to rest on Eliot's terrified face. "Eliot!" he cried. The doctor made the mistake of running at his son before anyone could stop him. Fearing for the safety of his mate, Eliot tackled the human and went for his throat.
****************************************
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