It's Never Over.

It was a dark and stormy night. Brand could relax, a little bit. Besides, he had company.

He turned to the person sitting on the armchair next to him.

"Are you comfortable? Do you need anything?"

He was rewarded with a shake of the head. He smiled.

"Okay. It will be bedtime soon."

The little boy nodded at him. "Okay." He returned to coloring.

Brand turned to the TV and flipped the channels until he found something suitable. No one in this little boy's family would miss him... all they ever did was berate him and beat him for being in the way, being alive.

He was going to serve a very special purpose though. Brand was preparing him, treating him like the little Prince he was for the next few days. Soon enough he would be set free, cleansed, his little soul liberated.

And Dr. Murphy the vampire would understand just how absurd his life was. A vampire who healed children? Brand supposed he could understand, in a way. Vampires needed live humans to survive... perhaps Dr. Murphy viewed himself as a sort of veterinarian. What Brand saw when he looked at him, though, seemed to go much deeper. He really was protective.

If Rowan hadn't been where he'd been that night Brand might never have acknowledged him. Knowing the good Doctor was a vampire, though, was far too good to resist. Brand enjoyed a challenge, and what could be more challenging than engaging Rowan and his boyfriend in a game of life and death?

Standing, Brand took the boy's ice cream bowl from him and ruffled his hair affectionately. He should be honored. He was going to die for a good cause, released from his miserable life at last.

((ooc: Brand out))