She was grateful he had spared them. Even if they had died before they could see her grow up. Her mind paused. If she had gotten attacked by a vampire, and Joshua healed her and changed her, how did her parents die?
You already know the answer.
«No, I don't,» Ruby declared, «I don't remember.»
She waited for the voice to answer. When it didn't, she sighed. She was going crazy. Speaking to yourself is one thing, but arguing with yourself was another. After everything that's happened, she was surprised she was still able to think straight. Even though it took a lot out of her to think clearly, she did what she could.
After sitting back on the bed, Ruby flung her legs to the bed and lay there. She focused on her breathing. In and out. Slowly, she found herself drifting off. Her eyes shut slowly and the room around fell dark.
The smell of crimson woke her in a frenzy. Around her were old run-down walls with wallpaper peeling off the walls. Empty half-broken picture frames hung slanted on the wall. She rose slowly with a searing pain in her head, causing her vision to blur. Still, she forced her way up. The hallway was long, just like the one from her dreams. And just like her dreams, she felt called to someplace.
She walked down the hallway taking in the empty photos and holes in the walls. About halfway down, the crimson smell grew thicker as well as the smell of ashes. She turned to see just how far she had walked but was met with only darkness behind her. Swallowing some saliva, she pressed forward.
Soon, the empty picture frames were full of photos. Black and white photos of blurred people. People she thought might be someone's family. As she looked closer at one of the photos, she noticed a young man and woman holding blades. Ruby recognized them as hunters. It must have been their first kill. Who could so happy killing something?
Another photo was exactly like the one she had in her room. Her parents stood in front of their house, with Kai standing beside his father. And her mother held a small bundle in her arms. Ruby smiled as she traced a finger down her mother's picture. They looked happy. Peaceful even.
As she filled herself with the possibility of their happiness, she was jolted away at the sound of a scream. Ruby felt her heart skip and race against her chest. She knew what would happen next. She'd follow the scream to find someone torched in flames. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to see it. Not again.
As the screams grew louder, Ruby covered her ears and fell to her knees. She begged it to stop. That she couldn't bear to see it. Then she felt it. A heat, so strong that it knocked her down. She fell to the floor hard and let out a shriek as she did. The heat grew to an excruciating level. Ruby let out a scream when the flames grew closer to her.
Rising to her feet, she took off quickly down the hallway. She wanted to find someplace safe. Somewhere the flames couldn't find her. But the hallway wouldn't end. It just continued on. Ruby could feel herself losing momentum and tried to muster up any leftover adrenalin. However, she fell short and fell back to the floor. The flames rushed over her and covered her in heat.
Then, just like that, it stopped. The flames disappeared as did the heat. Lifting her head, Ruby found herself surrounded by darkness. Looking forward, she noticed a single door. Getting back to her feet, Ruby hesitated to open it. There was no telling what was on the other side of it.
On the other side of the door was a king-size bed. The blankets were draped to the floor like someone was in a hurry to get up. Ruby walked through and was hit with a strong scent of blood. It filled every inch of the room and weighed her down. Covering her mouth, she studied the room for anything out of the ordinary. Standing on the other side of the bed was a girl the same height and build as Ruby. Tilting her head, Ruby wondered who it was. When the girl copied her, Ruby tilted her head the other way to make sure she wasn't seeing things. The girl repeated what she had done.
Ruby's heart pulsed quickly as she stepped back. As she looked around the room she found, there was nothing in the room she could use to defend herself. When she looked back to where the girl was, Ruby noticed she had vanished. And in the blink of her eye, the girl was back and lunged toward her.
Ruby let out a blood-curdling scream as she shot up from her bed. Her body drenched in water and her pulse beat so quickly she felt like she was having a heart attack. She needed water. Maybe something stronger than that. She wobbled out of her bed and down to the kitchen. Her body was heavy and shook with each step she took. When she reached the kitchen, she told herself only a few more inches to the fridge.
She ripped open the cupboard and pulled out a glass.
«Shit,» she barked as the glass slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.
Taking a breath, she tried to grab another glass, only to have it fall and shatter once more. She cursed at her, shaking hands and opened the fridge. Sitting on the door was a tall bottle of wine. She reached for it and prayed it would survive her grip this time. As she pulled it out, she quickly popped the top and took a long swig. It didn't work. Her body still trembled.
«Fuck,» Ruby said as she took another drink.
Leaning against the counter, Ruby closed her eyes and counted in her head. Wrapping her arms around herself, she begged for the sensation to stop. She was terrified and alone. She cried out for help. For Joshua. Just as she opened her mouth to let out another cry for help, she heard a knock on her door. Her body refused to move. She let out a shout hoping that whoever was at the door would walk in and help her.
«Ruby!»
Ruby looked over to see Kai rushing toward her. Tears fell from her eyes as her brother wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't Joshua, but she was thankful he was there. She felt Kai's grip tighten on her and she let out a breath of pain.
«Sorry,» he said as he removed himself from her, «are you okay? You're crying. What happened?»
«I...» Ruby hesitated for a moment before continuing, «I had another nightmare. It was worse than the others.»
«It's okay,» Kai said, «I'm here. You're safe. They can't hurt you.»
«Damnit, Kai,» Ruby shouted, «I don't want your damn pity. Not when I know you were lying to me.»
Kai's eyes widened at his sister's words.
«I can explain,» Kai said and rose to meet his sister's gaze.
«Explain what,» Ruby yelled, «that you and Naomi lied to me about what happened. About how I got this scar. Joshua told me all that.»
«Ruby, please calm down,» Kai begged.
«I am fucking calm, Kai,» Ruby hissed, «how long were you planning on keeping this from me? Until I died. Can I even die? I don't know.»
Ruby felt her blood boiling in her veins. This was not what she wanted. She wanted time to figure out how to talk to him. Instead of having everything unravel itself in a chaotic mess. She could calm down. Kai had kept this from her for so long, and Ruby wondered what else he was keeping from her.
«Please let me explain,» Kai pleaded, «I was going to tell you. There was no right timing for it. But now that you know there's something else you need to know.»
«No, Kai,» Ruby interrupted, «I want to know what else your hiding from me. What else do you know that your hiding?»
«I'm not...» Kai said, «there are things that you don't know. Things that I can't tell you right now. It's for your own good.»
«My own good, for Christ sakes, Kai,» Ruby snapped, «I'm a fucking adult I can handle it. I don't need your fucking protection. Which, if I remember, I was the better hunter.»
Ruby's anger grew with each moment Kai dared tell her no. She was going to get the truth out of him. Even it meant fighting him for it.
«It could break you,» Kai said, «I can't tell you. Not like this.»
«Then get out,» Ruby said and pointed to the door.
«Fuck really,» Kai replied, «you're going to kick me out for not telling you.»
«Yes,» Ruby said, «if you don't want to tell me. I'll ask Joshua. He'll know.»
«He won't.» Kai whispered, «Not with t
his.»
«Either tell me or get out.» Ruby said, «I really don't want to deal with you any longer. It was a mistake telling you I had a nightmare. It was a moment of weakness and it won't happen again.»
Lucian whistled a cheery tune as he walked down the darkened street. He smiled to himself as he thought of his future goal. The torture he would inflict on his next victim. Ruby. She was going to give him the thrill he so desired. The only thing was the timing and the pawns in which to bring her to him. First, he'd go for the waitress girl, Nikky. Then the bartender, Reid. Those two would be key players in her demise.
He let out a cackle when he thought of her begging him to let them go. And, if this girl really was the same girl as the past, then he'd be sure to make those pretty thirsty red eyes appear once more. As he turned the corner, he bumped into a young girl. He recognized her as the Hostess at the Diner.
«I'm sorry,» she said as she stepped back to look at him, «Oh! It's you, the gentleman from earlier.»
«Lucian,» he said slyly.
«Amber,» she replied.
Lucian took in the view of her. She was of average height and slender. However, those damn glasses hid the beauty in her eyes. A shame, really. However, as he grabbed a small amount of her long dark hair, she smelled like spring.
«A pretty girl like you shouldn't be out this late,» Lucian whispered, «predators can lurk around every corner.»
«I know,» Amber replied, «I was just on my way home. Although I did stop to buy these.»
Amber lifted a white plastic bag. Lucian then noticed two tall glass bottles, which he could only assume was some sort of hard alcohol, maybe tequila or vodka.
«Would you like to have a drink with me?» Amber asked sweetly.
He accepted and followed her back down the street to an old apartment building. He stayed a few paces behind her, watching as her hips swayed as she walked. For being an average looking girl, Lucian was having difficulty focusing. Shaking his head, he stopped when she did.
«This is it,» she fumbled with her keys and unlocked the door, «sorry if it's a bit messy,»
«Not to worry,» Lucian replied.
Her apartment was far from messy. A few papers sat on the small bookshelf beside the door, and there might have a few things out of place. But her place was far from messy. Everything seemed to be in neat order. Even the placement of her sofa was perfectly flush with the transition strip on the floor.
He walked into the living room and studied the pictures on the wall. Amber was an only child, it seemed. Her parents must have been proud of her many accomplishments, as he noticed all of the awards hanging on her walls, which begged the question of why she was a hostess at a Diner. As he searched through the photos, he found one with her parents in front of a surf shop.
«That was taken last summer in Hawaii,» Amber said as she passed him his drink, «they live there and run that little surf shop.»
«You're from there?» he asked.
«Oh no,» Amber replied, «I was born here. My parents are retired now and live there.»
It made sense for the most part. Lucian took place on the sofa and Amber followed sitting beside him. They talked until one bottle was finished, and when they started the second, Lucian could tell Amber was getting a little tipsy. Smiling, he placed his hand on hers. He could feel her warmth crawl over him. He looked at her and placed his other hand around the back of her neck. Pulling her closer to him, he tilted her head.
It was a pity really to kill someone so young and pretty. However, Lucian needed her to survive. Well, he only needed what pulsed through those blue veins of hers. She was like putty in his hands. Obedient to his every command. He leaned in closer to her neck and watched as she trembled. With the flick of his tongue, he marked his spot. Amber let out a soft breath as he placed his lips down that was soon followed by a shriek.
Her blood tasted bland. Just like her, it was nothing special. When he drank the last drop, he pushed her body away from him. It really was a shame. Getting up from the sofa, Lucian once again took a look around the room and then back to her and smiled. Grabbing her arm, he lifted her body up and over his shoulder.
Outside, the air was cool and refreshing. It was late and there were barely any cars out. Which made it perfect for what he was about to do. Rounding the corner to where he first bumped into Amber, Lucian continued in the direction of the Diner. It was only a few more blocks, and when it came into view, Lucian let out a small cackle.
He placed her corpse in front of the building and scribbled a small note before turning to leave. It was now the time for his plan to come into play.
22
«What's going on?»
Nikky stood rummaging through the kitchen cupboards looking for something to make. When she was satisfied with just a protein bar and a banana, she closed the cupboard and leaned against the counter while she took a bite of her banana. Her apartment was very monochrome. White walls, white vinyl plank flooring, charcoal cupboards, and black stainless steel appliances.
In the living room, Nikky had a soft grey couch and matching chair with a few teal colored pillows leaning against the arms of the couch. Under the couch was a white rug with a grey diamond design throughout it. Behind the chair was a sliding glass door that led to a small balcony. And just over the television was a white staircase that led up to her bed and a large flat-screen TV.
It had taken Nikky months to collect the money for this apartment. She had taken extra shifts and even worked overtime. And once she had the money saved, she had to wait until it was available. Nikky remembered calling Reid when the apartment went up, and she had managed to secure it. She had never been so excited. It was her first time living on her own and reminded Reid of it every chance she got. Nikky smiled to herself. One day, she was going to have Reid in there to actually see it.
Throwing out the peel and wrapper of the protein bar, Nikky grabbed her coat and headed out the door. Every morning, her neighbors on both sides would be sitting in the lounge area downstairs and would ask her about her life. However, this morning, as Nikky exited the elevator, she was surprised to see no one there. She knew she wasn't late. And checking her phone proved that she was actually early. Which, in a sense, was a good thing. This gave her plenty of time to saunter her way to the Diner.
Outside, the air was crisp and cool, signaling the start of a change in the seasons. Even though fall was just a month away, the weather was a tad early with it. As Nikky walked on the less crowded street, she couldn't help but wonder where everyone was. She figured at least some of the usual people she'd seen would be out and about. But there were only strangers wandering around the streets.
Turning the corner, she walked past the flower shop. The smell of roses and lilies filled the air as she passed by. She loved lilies and promised herself to pick some up on her way home, to brighten up her apartment.
As she drew closer to her destination, Nikky began to feel anxious. Her heart began to pulse in a sporadic pattern as she turned the last corner to The Diner. There was something off about her walk to work. Something seemed different and she placed upon the weather. However, as The Diner came into view, Nikky saw someone sitting in front of the door.
«I'm sorry,» Nikky called, «we aren't open for another hour. Could you come back?»
Stopping in the middle of the street, Nikky waited for a response. She could feel her skin crawl the longer the person took to reply.
«Hello?» Nikky called, «we're not open yet.»
Again Nikky waited for a response. When none came, she dug out her phone and held it close to her. She inched closer to the building, hoping that the person wasn't going to lunge at her and scare her. There had been far too many reports of people being murdered that made Nikky cautious of everything. Stopping again, Nikky looked down at her phone and called Reid.
«Sorry to wake you,» Nikky whispered, «there's someone sitting in front of the Diner. I've told them twice that we're not open and they haven't said an
ything. I don't know if they're sleeping or hopped up on something. Reid, I'm getting a little scared... Okay... I'll see...»
Keeping the phone to her ear, Nikky approached the person as per Reid's request. He wanted her to make sure that there was nothing seriously wrong with the person. She could hear him rustling around his apartment, more than likely looking for clean clothes. Her heart began to race the closer she got to the person. Looking down to the ground, she noticed small crimson dots leading up to the person.
Now that she was closer, she noticed that the person sitting there was a girl. She looked familiar to Nikky, but she couldn't place it. Nikky studied her for a moment, hoping to figure out who she was. The girl looked average in height and weight. Her hair was down and sticking to her forehead from the moisture in the air. Looking down to her pastel clothes, something about her seemed strangely familiar to her. Nikky took a breath before lightly tapping the girl on the shoulder.
«Hey,» she said, «I'm sorry, but we're not...»
Her words were halted when the body fell limp to the ground. Seeing the girl's pale face, Nikky realized who she was. Amber. She was one of the hostesses that worked at the Diner. She was spunky like Nikky but was very reserved.
Nikky shrieked and dropped to the ground. She couldn't make out what Reid was saying on the other end of her phone and when the call dropped, Nikky sat there for a moment trying to wrap her mind around what happened.
Amber was such a quiet girl. And didn't deserve that fate. She should have lived forever. Well, maybe till 80. Nikky wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there or when her tears had begun to fall. But when she felt a firm grip on her shoulder, she looked to see Reid kneeling behind her, and a few policemen walked passed them. She watched as they taped off the scene and asked if she'd be willing to answer a few questions. She nodded and rose to meet them.
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