chapter 6. Shattered Calm

Brian's mother had just finished cooking and was setting the table for dinner when she heard the door open. "Brian, are you back? I didn't expect you so soon," she called out, placing a cup of water on the table. When there was no response, she didn't think much of it and continued her preparations.

"Brian, let's eat and talk," she said, turning toward the door. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the three men from earlier, accompanied by Bryan.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?" she asked, her voice a mixture of shock and anger.

The intruders exchanged glances. "It seems you weren't expecting us, but we're not here for you. Where is your son?" one of the intruders demanded.

"My son is not home. I told you earlier. Who are you to come to my house and question me?" she retorted, trying to muster as much courage as possible.

"We're not here for you, as we said. But I know your son was here this afternoon. You lied about his absence. I can still sense his smell. Tell us where he is or where he might be hiding with that little vampire," another intruder said, stepping closer.

"Stay away from me, or I'll inform my son that you came here to threaten me," she warned, stepping back cautiously.

"Do you really think your coward son can do anything to us?" the leader taunted, his voice dripping with condescension.

In a flash, Brian's mother grabbed a knife from the table and hurled it at them, but they dodged it effortlessly. Seizing the moment, she dashed to the kitchen and snatched a silver knife, brandishing it with determination.

"You will not harm my son!" she declared, holding the knife firmly. The intruders paused, recognizing the danger the silver blade posed to them.

For a moment, the tension in the room was palpable. The intruders eyed the silver knife warily, knowing its lethal potential. Brian's mother stood her ground, her heart pounding but her resolve unwavering.

Brian's mother, holding the silver knife tightly, faced the intruders with fierce determination. "You think that will help you? Just tell us where your son is, and we will go," one of them said, his tone dismissive.

"No, I will kill you myself!" she shouted, lunging at them with the knife.

One of the intruders deftly sidestepped her attack and used her momentum against her, twisting her arm and forcing the knife into her own side. A pained gasp escaped her lips as she staggered, blood staining her dress.

"But you shouldn't kill her like that," one of the intruders remarked with a touch of disdain.

"But if I didn't act fast, she might have harmed me too," the aggressor replied coldly, watching as she collapsed onto the floor.

"How are we going to get her son and find Mia now?" the third intruder asked, looking around nervously.

"The village isn't that big. We'll find him and the vampire soon enough. We just need to keep searching," the leader said, his voice resolute. "Let's leave before anyone sees us. We shouldn't be exposed."

The intruders quickly departed, leaving Brian's mother behind in her final moments. As the door swung shut, her breaths came in ragged gasps. Her vision blurred, but she managed to whisper a final, desperate plea.

"Brian... find them..." she murmured, her voice barely audible as she succumbed to her injuries.

Outside, the intruders disappeared into the night, their voices fading into the distance. Brian's mother's house was left in eerie silence, her blood a stark reminder of the danger that loomed over them all.

As Brian approached his home, an unsettling quiet hung in the air. The door, slightly ajar, beckoned him with a foreboding sense of dread. He pushed it open, his heart racing, and was greeted by a chilling sight.

His mother lay on the floor, her body sprawled in a pool of her own blood. The once vibrant warmth of their home was now overshadowed by the stark reality of her grave injuries. Brian's eyes widened in horror as he stumbled toward her, his mind struggling to process the scene before him.

"M-Mother!" he choked out, his voice breaking with the weight of anguish. He dropped to his knees beside her, his hands trembling as he reached out to her, but the blood that stained his fingers only heightened his despair.

His mother's once kind eyes were now dimming, the life slipping away from her as she took her final breaths. Seeing her in such a state, Brian felt an overwhelming wave of grief and guilt wash over him. Tears streamed down his face as he cried out, "No, no, this can't be happening!"

As Brian's sobs echoed through the empty house, his world seemed to collapse around him. The profound pain of loss was a brutal reminder of the violence that had shattered their lives. His mother's final plea, whispered with her last breath, pierced through his grief.

"Did you see Giovanni?" she asked faintly, her voice barely a whisper.

"Yes, yes, Mother," Brian replied, his voice choking with sadness. "He's a crazy wizard. He's been saying rubbish, telling me you and Dad aren't my real parents."

"His words… they're true," his mother said with a labored breath.

Brian's eyes widened in shock. "Mother, what are you saying? You've always been the parents I've known and loved!"

"Yes, but what Giovanni said about you being a hybrid… It's true. You're not just a human," she confessed, her voice growing weaker.

Brian's face contorted in confusion and anguish.

"Okay, we can talk about this later. Who did this to you?" he asked, desperately trying to keep his mother's consciousness alive.

"The werewolves," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

"They came for you… they came to find…"

Brian's eyes filled with determination.

"Let me get someone who can help you," he said, struggling to lift her.

But as he moved, his mother's breathing slowed to a halt. Brian's heart sank as he realized she was gone. He collapsed beside her, his tears mingling with her blood, the weight of her death crashing down upon him.

In that moment of heart-wrenching despair, Brian's resolve hardened. He understood the full gravity of his situation and knew he had to face the truth of his destiny. Giovanni's revelations and the attack on his family had forced him into a new reality he couldn't ignore.

As Brian grieved, the echoes of his mother's last words resonated in his mind. The realization struck him like a lightning bolt: his family's tragedy was not just a personal loss but a call to action.

Determined to honor his mother's final wish and confront the darkness threatening everything he held dear, Brian stood up with a newfound resolve. He wiped his tears and, with a steely determination, set out to seek vengeance and uncover the truth.