“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you guys, is Hazel here? I popped my tire on a curb up the street and my phone’s dead… I knew she lives here. My dad is going to be so mad at me!” Collette perfectly impersonated the cadence of a young, insecure teen in need of help. Sara’s Achilles Heel if there ever was one. She rubbed her arms and bounced as the wind blew by her into the house.
A tendril of icy fear crept up Adam’s spine. They know who Hazel is and that was a clear message to him that he needed to play along for her safety as well as Sara’s. He’d never felt such dread before in his life. He almost choked on it.
“Oh honey! Come in. It’s freezing!”
Sara had invited her in.
Adam stopped breathing.
“You poor thing. My cell is in the kitchen, I’ll go get it.” Sara stepped aside letting the teen pass by her.
Poor little thing , she thought. Sara remembered a similar incident she’d gotten herself into when she was sixteen. Back before cellphones, and having to knock on a stranger’s door at two AM for help. Sara, lost in the memory, didn’t notice the newcomer had closed and locked the door behind her. Which should have seemed quite odd.
“There will be no need for that.”
Startled by the voice that now came from the pixie sized girl, Sara looked at her. She no longer slouched, her voice was clear and confident. She looked Sara straight in the eye. She had thick raven hair and her eyes were an odd gray. Almost silver with chips of diamonds that made them gleam. They pierced through Sara with a confident malice that took her breath away.
Sara was utterly confused. She looked back at Adam and he looked like someone had stunned him. His eyes sparked with what bordered on desperation and it made absolutely no sense to her.
Sara tried to take a step back to get a hold of what was becoming a completely baffling situation. Who was this girl? What is Adam’s problem?
She was stopped by the girl’s small hand on her wrist. Sara looked down at it. She’d never felt anything like the grip of this hand encircling her wrist. She puzzled at it. The strength of it was otherworldly.
“Hey, what…” Sara couldn’t go on as she tried to pull her hand away and it didn’t move a millimeter. The confusion in her brain was now being clouded with pure fear. How is this girl holding her this way and why?
“Collette, stop! What is your game?!”
Adam’s deep, iron laced voice broke through Sara’s bewilderment. She heard his fear and adrenaline shot through her system almost buckling her legs. He called her Collette. He knew her.
“Adam!” Sara still uselessly tugged at her wrist. How could she not pull away from such a small girl? Her brain could come up with nothing to explain this.
Collette breathed in deeply through her nose and smiled, “Do you smell that Adam? That first shot of straight fear dumped right into the bloodstream?”
“Why are you here? Did Rebecca send you? Let Sara go and I’ll go with you to work this out. Whatever you want? Just leave Sara alone. Please!”
“Oh Adam, so naïve.” Collette smirked at him. “She doesn’t know what you are, does she?”
“No.” Adam sounded defeated.
Sara looked into his eyes questioning him.
“What you are?” She whispered.
Sara stopped trying to pull her arm away. It was obviously completely futile and she needed to focus on what was happening. Who this Collette was and why she seemed to be a danger to them. What was wrong with Adam? Why he was not trying to gain control of this Collette. She was maybe five feet tall and a woman. Adam being six foot four and completely jacked, why wasn’t he just picking her up... Too many thoughts cascaded into her mind.
Adam remained silent.
Collette laughed and said, “Oh this is everything. Rebecca will be so sorry she missed it. She’s on an airplane. We couldn’t have her anywhere near this, but she will be quite jealous of how delicious this is… and will be.”
“Collette, why are you doing this? I’ve known you for fifteen years. I thought we were friends?” Adam said desperately. His mind raced with possibilities. What had they planned and what could he do to get Sara out of this?
“Oh honey. I’ve known Rebecca for three hundred years. You are nothing and will be nothing very shortly. You’re just a mistake Rebecca would like to forget.”
Collette moved forward, easily dragging Sara along. Sara’s eyes were wide, surely that remark about three hundred years was blowing her mind. Adam clenched his teeth. He would die in a fair fight with Collette. He readied himself, watching the scene for any vulnerability. He knew now that they weren’t meant to survive this plot and he needed to figure out a way to save Sara’s life.
“How do you think you can get away with this? Everyone will know it was Rebecca’s doing.” Adam desperately needed more information to find a way out.
“Adam, what is happening?” Sara demanded, her fear palpable.
“Yeah Adam, what is happening?” Collette mocked. “Explain yourself to this food you’re fucking.”
“Sara, it’s going to be all right. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. I just wanted a normal life-”
Collette cut him off, “Shut up, Adam. Go ahead and move ahead of me very slowly to that bedroom that was just rocking. We can set a scene there. Don’t even think about trying anything. I can make this very drawn out and filled with unimaginable pain.”
Collette pulled Sara along indicating for Adam to take the lead to the hallway.
Sara panicked. Like a wildcat, she fought and pulled at her wrist. Adam’s head spun. His drive to protect Sara was killing him, but he knew he was no match for Collette and watching Sara’s fear filled face wrenched a knife in his gut.
He hadn’t fed fully in months. The thought of feeding on Sara and then being able to defeat this bitch flew through his mind. The many consequences of that also flew by. Collette could kill her in an instant and would he ever get a chance to make that move.
That would be the end of the relationship.
Who am I kidding? This fucking situation is the end of this relationship.
Adam’s heart clenched like a stone in his chest. He looked deep into Sara’s eyes. A tear had escaped. She was looking at him for help that he couldn’t give her right now. Her struggles were getting her nowhere. She reminded him of a gnat buzzing around the face of a lion. His stone heart became a boulder in his chest. He almost doubled over.
Adam knew he needed to keep Collette talking. She was so sure of herself. She had already given him the information of Rebecca’s involvement. He took a deep breath and steeled himself.
“So what, Rebecca’s on a plane? You don’t think the Elders won’t automatically think of you?”
“Why would they? When it will be so obvious what’s happened here.” She stated cryptically.
“What is going to happen here?” Adam demanded at the entrance to Sara’s bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and turned to face Collette. He contemplated fighting her.
Collette poked him in the chest with her index finger. He hadn’t expected the blow. He found himself sprawled out in the middle of the floor instantly. He heard Sara’s gasp at the display of power from Collette’s slight form.
“What are you?” Sara screamed at Collette.
“Bitch, I think you mean what are we ?”
She pulled Sara through the door and closed it behind her.
Chapter Twent y- Nine
Sara stood in the middle of her bedroom. The one in which she had just shared in pure bliss with Adam. Only ten minutes earlier, she had been falling in love in this room, with the man that now was splayed out on the floor looking utterly defeated. How had that small woman’s touch sent him flying?
The events of the past couple minutes were unbelievable and made no logical sense. Time was moving slowly. She had been dragged into this room for what? Adam knew this woman and someone named, Rebecca.
Rebecca. The moment she’d said the name Becky, Adam had gone weird. That’
s when this started. Like she had said the magic word and now she was in Hell. Collette had known Rebecca for three hundred years. Was she joking? The display of inhuman power, that defied every bit of Sara’s logic, made it a possibility.
I’m going crazy, that makes knowing someone for three hundred years a possibility?!
I’m in the fucking Twilight Zone.
“Sara.”
Adam’s tortured whisper broke through her panic. “You’ll be okay. I’ll find a way. You mean everything to me. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t get your hopes up, he can’t win. He’s weak. He hasn’t fed like he should have in months.”
Fed? What the fuck does that mean?
Collette put a delicate foot down onto Adam’s arm and pressed. Adam screamed in agony as she smiled. He tried to push her away with his other hand, but she barely swayed.
“Stop! Don’t hurt him! What do you want?!” Sara’s stomach rolled. The sight of his pain sent tears streaming down her face.
Collette turned her silver gaze to Sara and picked up her foot. Adam’s howl stopped. He rolled over quickly to put some space between them before jumping up to his feet.
“I can’t fight her like this, Sara.” Adam whispered his eyes filled with sorrow.
“Have you guessed yet?” Collette quipped cheerfully.
“Guessed what?” Sara responded.
Collette rolled her eyes, “What we are? Your new boyfriend has been keeping a little secret. Bad boy.” She sat down on the bed, completely relaxed. “What drinks blood and fucks your brains out?”
“Drinks blood?” Sara whispered.
“Yes, ma cherie. We drink blood. Have you ever seen Adam during the day? Think, you ape. He’s a vampire. But Adam here wanted to live a human life and throw away everything Rebecca gave him. Can you believe that? How ungrateful. You know Rebecca, you met her this morning. Yes, she and Adam used to be a thing. I think it’s safe to say Rebecca’s over you. Or will be after I’m finished here.”
“Vampire.” Sara said the word in shock. “No. There’s no such thing.”
Sara looked at Adam, her eyes filling with questions and disbelief. His eyes were hardened, filled with determination. Sara couldn’t imagine what he was thinking. His jaw was set in a hard line and his eyes seemed to be begging her, but for what?
“He does fuck like a much older man.” Collette mocked Sara’s earlier private statement. “I was listening outside to everything. It was very entertaining.”
“Why?” Sara needed an explanation. “Just leave us alone.” She pleaded.
Adam was slowly inching closer to Sara’s side. Sara couldn’t look in his eyes any longer. She looked to Collette. Panic was giving her tunnel vision. Everything about Collette was hyper focused. Everything else in the room was a blur. She sat on Sara’s bed her legs up and crossed. To any casual observer, she would look like a friend ready to gossip.
“I was waiting for the perfect time to interrupt your evening, but when you mentioned meeting Rebecca, I knew the jig was up. I sure as shit didn’t want to give Adam time to get to his phone and text any friends of ours.”
“How will you explain this?!” Adam’s steely voice demanded.
“Oh all right. I’ll play the blabbermouth villain. I see why they do that now. It prolongs the moment. I mean a villain could just do whatever it is they were going to do and explain nothing but then there would be no relishing of the moment.”
Collette was carrying on so nonchalantly about the fact that she was here to hurt them, Sara thought she must have fallen into another dimension. How could any of this be happening? Hot tears scorched her eyes when she thought of Hazel’s face. The beautiful life she’d lived as Hazel’s mother flashed before her eyes. She had to survive this. She had to find a way to fight.
Fuck this bitch . She thought.
Sara looked back to Adam who was now slightly closer than the last time she made eye contact with him, his masculine features so otherworldly in their perfection. She would have never imagined they actually were supernatural, but now she could see it clearly. He was too strong. Too handsome. Too everything. A vampire.
What the fuck?
Sara was brought back to the moment when Collette continued.
“Adam hasn’t been taking care of his needs. You see he’s poor. Can’t afford the rations of blood needed. He’s been stretching out his supply. Rebecca noticed the last time she was inside your home that your supply was dangerously low. She knew you didn’t have the cash to restock. So… we knew you’d be in a weakened state. That it would be easy to kill you. Come to find out you’re as weak as a baby and have no chance at all to save yourself or Ms. Cougar over there.”
Adam growled, “You still haven’t explained how you expect to get away with this. Our friends aren’t stupid.”
“They know you were a cuddled little modern vampire bitch who has never feasted direct from the source. You don’t know what it does to you. How you won’t want to stop. And how easy it is to accidentally kill the first delicate human you drink from. In a moment of passion you give in to temptation and devour your new woman friend. Overcome with guilt you kill yourself. Voila!”
“Shit.” Sara whispered. “Adam?”
She had to admit it sounded like a good plan. The news of her impeding demise made her knees weak.
Sara looked up at him. He looked like a predator. Every sense keen and alert. His eyes so laser-focused on Collette’s every move. He looked ready to pounce. From what Sara had witnessed earlier, he would lose. He would die.
Sara’s chest tightened and her breath escaped in harsh expulsions. Her mind raced for any possible escape from this.
“I need you both naked for this set up, so take off your clothes.” Collette leapt off the bed like a jaguar and was next to Sara in an instant. “You sounded like you’ve really been enjoying this hunk. Let’s recreate the scene.”
Collette reached out and brushed Sara’s hair behind her ear as if they were lovers. The bizarre dichotomy of gruesome intentions and the gentle touch made her cringe back in revulsion.
Adam grabbed Sara from behind and pulled her away from Collette. Tightly held against him in a protective embrace, Sara almost felt safe.
Collette laughed, “Oh Adam, you’re so cute.”
He squeezed Sara and said evenly with intention, “I won’t lose control.”
Sara got the message. She’d already weighed every possibility. There was no way to run. No way to fight. The only way out was to trust in Adam. She tilted her head exposing her neck to him.
Sara’s consent granted. Adam knew this was their only chance. He had one shot at taking control of this situation and killing Collette. His sharp incisors elongated. It disgusted him that his mouth began watering in this dire situation. He was about to put Sara’s life in the balance.
The instant he lowered his head, Collette rushed toward him. The advantage to being 6’4” was the wingspan. He stopped her at arm’s length at the exact moment his teeth penetrated the warm silk of Sara’s skin. He turned his body away from Collette keeping Sara as far away from her as possible. Protect her or die trying. His arm bent from the pressure Collette was exerting to reach them.
Sara’s gasp filled his ears.
Blood filled his mouth.
Collette screamed in indignation as she pushed against his hand. At her size, she looked like an angry child being held away from him. Adam’s large hand gripped her throat. She kicked and swung at him. She dug her feet into the floor and tried to push closer. His arm bent further. Her hands were within inches of his body. Saving Sara gave him the extra determination he needed. His arm was on fire. Every ounce of his will focused through it.
The hot sweet nectar poured forth from Sara and Adam eagerly locked onto her and sucked it down. This was beyond anything he’d experienced. Fresh and life sustaining, he could feel his starved cells rejoicing as they assimilated the bounty. His heart pumped wildly in his chest. He gulped greedily letting the pow
er roll through him. It heated him from the inside out, licking his every molecule with flame.
Collette doubled down on her efforts. The floor creaked under the pressure. Like a Mack truck against his arm, it buckled further. Her hands tore away his shirt, but thankfully could not catch his skin. She changed tactics and seemed intent on breaking the arm holding her back. She raised both feet and drop kicked him in the side. She held onto his arm and used her feet to climb up his body. She kicked his ribs mercilessly.
Adam focused on stoking the blaze inside him. He was strong when he was turned. He knew he was stronger than Collette fully blooded. He was the strongest vampire he knew. He hadn’t met anyone else turned at the peak physical condition that he had been at twenty-four.
He swallowed another mouthful of Sara. Velvet ribbons of blood flowed down his throat. He could feel her pulse on his lips. With each pump of her heart his thirst was being quenched. Her life-force was fueling him. The ecstasy of doing exactly what a vampire was made to do was intoxicating. This felt too good. He didn’t want to stop.
Can I stop?
Sara’s whimper broke through the violent whirlpool of his thoughts.
The damage he was sustaining to his ribs and arm was brutal. The sound of cracking bones filled the room. Despite the pain, he remained steadfast. Torrents of life-sustaining energy vibrated through his body. Every muscle tingled as if coming to life.
He swallowed one last time and raised his head from Sara’s neck. He kissed the two wounds there and swiped his tongue over them. Cleaning the blood that oozed from the punctures. He unceremoniously tossed Sara, across the room, hopefully to land on her feet but he couldn’t be certain. He needed her as far away from Collette as possible.
“Put pressure on it!” He shouted to her and focused completely on subduing Collette.
Collette had destroyed the right side of his torso with her feet. He was lucky his hand had remained tightly closed around her neck. The crushing pressure of her grip finally broke through his resistance and his arm gave way.
Sweet Nightfall Page 19