CHAPTER XXXIX

Samuel stands confused at the doorway as the scene looks strange to him.

He was pumped up for a fight after Marcel came to inform him about the attack on Gabriel.

So seeing his brother and the hunters conversing seems strange.

Something here feels off.

He can see that John is bruised and battered but what troubles him is Rachael's presence.

What is she doing here?

Samuel's nose picks on the smell of bullet shells and he sees the wall of the cabin that has been damaged.

What happened? What made the hunters stop attacking Gabriel?

He enters the cabin, observing the people in the room with side glances.

Rachael rushes to Samuel's side and hugs him.

Her body is soft against his and her scent gives him a strong and soft chill in his chest.

But this turns to sadness when he thinks of how it could be so easy to take her away from him.

He notices that her shirt is torn in the chest and he touches it.

"A gunshot," he mumbles and his face turns into a frown.

He looks at his brother and the look Gabriel wears tells the story, Rachael was shot.

"This is Samuel," Rachael begins to introduce him, "Gabriel's twin brother," she says.

Samuel is quiet as his eyes move around trying to pick the boss of the hunters.

He begins to walk towards Marcus, "Stop," Gabriel says but his twin ignores him and stands in front of the 5'11ft man in the center of the room.

"One of your men shot her," his eyes glow for a brief second, "I am going to kill you, hunter".

"You and your brother have already led my sister and her family to the path of death," Marcus says.

Samuel looks over at Gabriel, "The McQueens. He is Mary's older brother," Gabriel says.

Samuel's anger drowns in his guilt but he hides it and turns his eyes back to the old man in front of him.

"I was under the impression that I was coming here to kill some hunters after they kidnapped our stooge.

Seeing as things are not going in the direction I expected, can somebody explain to me what is going on here?" he says as he slowly walks around the room.

"They are going to help us kill Dracula," Rachael says.

He stops, "You must be joking," he says with a soft chuckle.

"We want revenge for our sister," Kate says, "In fact, from our point of view, you are the ones helping us.

We are only letting you live because of Rachael," Marcus says.

"Of course," he does not argue. He welcomes their help; the more the merrier.

Humans find honor in vendetta; with the resources at their disposal they will be useful and if they die, Samuel would not be affected in any way.

"As you know, this is a family issue" Lucas throws in.

Damn it. They are Rachael's family too and the last of her blood ties, their death may mean nothing to him but it may affect Rachael.

Samuel looks at her, strands of her black hair covering her forehead.

A human thrown into the chaos of the supernatural world.

Exposed to secrets beyond her spectrum and yet she stands; Samuel admires her.

"As you said, it is a family matter. Do as you please", Samuel turns his attention to Rachael.

"Where is Bryan?" "The rest of her friends her outback, vampires aren't welcomed into the cabin" Kate says.

John and Cassandra hold each other as they watch Samuel leave the room with a nonchalant attitude.

Bryan and Elma are smoking behind the cabin when Bryan sees his boss coming out from the back of the cabin, "Shit," he throws away his cigarette.

"Hey handsome, you guys have got one crazy human," Elma says and pecks Samuel on the cheek but the sphinx acts like she isn't even there.

His dark eyes are fixated on Bryan who is shaking in his pants.

"What is Miss McQueen doing here?" he asks, his voice is hard.

"I'm sorry boss, I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen to me so I accompanied her" Bryan says, "Hey, it's not his fault.

Besides you and I know that the human will come to save John, he is the last real family she has" Elma says.

Samuel glares at her, "Be quiet vampire,".

He turns his attention back to Bryan, "At least tell me you have something on Detective Peace," "His record is clean but suspicious" Bryan says.

"He moved to New York a few months ago.

His background is hidden, in fact before last year it's like he didn't exist" Bryan says.

Samuel rubs his jaw as he thinks, "Hey" Gabriel comes to join them.

"We are about to leave. Come,".

The twins walk together while Elma and Bryan follow behind.

"What do you think about them?" Gabriel asks, "They are going to be useful to fight off father's men but I don't trust them.

They shot Rachael and being related to Mary doesn't make that go away," he says.

"I agree but we are accepting their help," "We already have, Gabe".

"Bryan says the detective didn't exist until a year ago," Samuel says.

"Yeah, I think he is working for someone, I don't know if it is father but he is suspicious" Gabriel says.

"What did you get from him?" "I don't know, he pretended to be hypnotized,".

Samuel is shocked, "You couldn't hypnotize him?" "No, I couldn't but he tried in his act.

Unluckily for him, I am more than 400 years old, there is no way I wouldn't be able to spot someone who is faking it.

And he said Dracula is going to get Nightmare soon,".

"Nightmare? The same Nightmare we have in our basement?" "Yes,".

"That is a trap to draw us in," "I agree. I think we should watch him for now,".

"If Dracula is after Nightmare then we should go for Nightmare as well with John behind us," Samuel says.

"If it is father then we will let him capture us, we know he can't kill us immediately" he adds.

"That way we can be prepared to sabotage his plan," Gabriel says, "Exactly but we will need a sorcerer,".

"The fact hypnotism doesn't work on him is a red flag," "He doesn't look like a hunter or a shifter, as far as I am concerned he is just a human,".

"Not just a human brother, a human with supernatural secrets".

They reach the front of the cabin where the Tremblays are waiting alongside Rachael and the supernatural couple.

"One of us will be going with you as a sign of our partnership" Marcus says.

Samuel eyes him like a creature beneath his heel, "I don't think that will be necessary," Gabriel says.

"We want to help," Marcus insists.

Elena Martin comes out of the cabin and joins them, "She will be going with you,".

Gabriel's eyes widen with rage, "You must be joking,".

Samuel hears the anger in his voice and connects the dot, she did it.

She shot Rachael.

"We accept," Samuel says, "We will have her with us,".

"What? Why?" Rachael asks with hostility behind her voice.

She isn't happy about it since Elena put a bullet in her chest.

"Don't worry, she will be a good girl," Samuel says while he flashes a set of fangs.

"Come on now, the day just started. We have a lot to do,"