But it has. She has seen me, and now that I'm close, I don't think I can let her go. Her scent fills my nostrils as she backs further away. She smells like home, but with hints of nectar and spice. Her heartbeat thrums in my ears, sending an ache to my teeth and my cock.
She will be my undoing.
"I want to help you. To protect you."
Her fear permeates the air, and I straighten my back. Can she not see I'm not like them? That I am strong and can protect her?
I shove my hand out again. "I am not here to harm you."
She rushes me, shoving against my shoulder as she passes. Her bag is on the ground behind us, resting near the dead dhampir, and she snatches it off the ground without pausing.
I watch her go. This time, I will not let her get away. Once she has run a few yards ahead, I begin to follow her.
The sun is bright, sending a blinding light over the horizon. Kora is jogging, her head bobbing with each step. Not once does she turn her head to look back at me. She does not see that I am done hiding. It’s time to explain myself, to show her I can be trusted. If today has taught me anything, it is that Kora will not be safe unless I’m there to catch her when she falls.
Brother, are you there?
My brows furrow together. I thought I told him to go away? Does this male not understand that I am no longer interested in his friendship? My life has become too complicated for friends, and I will not have him snooping on my thoughts.
Leave me be.
I stomp down the path, my eyes still trained on my mate. I cannot allow distractions right now, especially not while she is out in the open and vulnerable.
But you don't understand-
I said leave me be! A growl rumbles low in my throat, and I shove him from my mind, repairing the mental wall once more.
Kora continues down the road, and I listen for any creature who dares to approach. If anything gets in her way, blood will surely be spilled.
Kora
By the time I reach my cave, the sun is dipping below the horizon.
My skin itches, and I know someone is watching. The vampire is following me. Why else would he have let me go? He's playing games, hunting me like a cat hunts a mouse.
I skirt around my makeshift pallet door. Is he watching me right now? I take a deep breath. It doesn't matter. If he wants to kill me tonight, he will. I just need to get inside.
My hands shake as I move the door aside and cross the threshold. I take my first look behind me. I see evergreens and brush, no vampire in sight. I release the breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Okay. Maybe he's really gone.
I slide the door back in place and the darkness swallows me whole.
Shit. I toss my bag to the ground and struggle with the zipper again. Come on, open! Finally, it unzips, and I stick my hand inside. My fingertips brush against cold plastic, and I latch around my flashlight, pulling it free.
Click.
My hands shake as I lift my bag off of the ground and continue deeper into the cavern. These tunnel walls are smooth and safe. I don't have to worry any more. But still, a lump is lodged in my throat. I came too close to dying today. Way too close.
A vampire. A vampire nearly took my life today.
A vampire touched me, and I'm still alive. He told me he wanted to help. How? Why?
I collapse onto my throne of blankets. Too bad I dropped my pillow in the blood-soaked parking lot. I lean back against the old lump of clothes and release a pent-up shudder.
All of my problems are stacking up again. He's probably out there now, hunting me. If my sister was still here, she would kick my ass all the way to the North Pole. I should be coming up with a plan, but instead, my fears keep me stuck in purgatory. I’m useless. Even my trip to the department store was an utter failure.
Pull yourself together, Kora.
Okay. So not everything was a failure. I did manage to get food. And candles. And medicine and batteries. I turn my flashlight off as I relax into my bedding. I need to meditate, to think this shit through before I lose my mind completely.
With my eyes closed, his stupid dumb face keeps appearing. It's etched into my memory now. Why was he so different? His hair was long and silky, as black as a raven’s. Do vampires brush their hair? He had to have brushed it. All the other vampires have tangles and locks covered with mud.
Maybe if vampires weren’t so intoxicating, I wouldn’t be humanizing him. That’s probably his plan, after all. He wants to ride in on his black horse of death and become my knight in shining armor, so he can destroy me. Maybe he isn’t just a vampire, but a demon, hellbent on sucking out my soul along with my blood.
I open my eyes. Dammit. I need to think about something other than vampires.
I sigh and switch on my flashlight, aiming at the tunnel entrance and the beautiful stalactites that hang there. They glimmer as the light catches, sparkling like Mom's opal ring. The familiarity sends a soothing calm over my body. Everything will be just fine. I inhale deeply, and then exhale.
My hand dips, and the flashlight shines on an object placed in front of the tunnel entrance. That wasn't there when I walked in, was it? Surely I would have noticed a box placed directly in my path. I would have tripped over it, or kicked it, or...
No fucking way. Dread seeps into my pores and into my lungs. He's followed me. Not only that, but he's been inside of my home, my safe place.
I rise to my wobbling feet. The walls move as if they’re breathing, and I have to remember to breathe alone with them. It's okay. Maybe something fell out of your bag when you came inside. Yeah. That’s it.
I cross the room and crouch down beside the bundle, eyes watering. Nope. It's not mine. The scratchy wool material wrinkles as I grasp it in my hands, knuckles white. When I stand, it unfolds. A gray blanket. It doesn't have any holes or frayed edges, but it smells of faint mildew.
Why would he do this? Why would a vampire bring me a gift, especially this?
I must be finally losing it. Either that, or I'm tripping on all of the DMT that was released into my brain when the vampire from the store killed me, and I’m dead. Yep, that makes sense. A vampire bringing me a blanket? Makes no sense at all.
I toss the blanket onto my bed as I lift my flashlight once more, down the tunnel, and to my door. It's closed, but in front of the doorway, another item sits. This one is smaller.
Gulping, I tip toe forward. A glossy rectangle, with petite white script covering its back. A book? I pick it up gently in my hands and turn it over.
The door is directly in front of me now, and I hear soft footsteps approach. My arms begin to tremble, and my throat bobs as I swallow down a shriek. The book falls and thumps to the floor.
"My name is Aldeon." His voice comes through the cracks in the door. The vampire.
I back away, my hands trailing against the textured wall so I have something to grasp. I feel faint, my chest aches, and the walls move. I crumple onto my bed, throwing the blankets over my face.
As Kora enters her hidden passage within the earth, I climb the nearest tree and watch from afar. Now I know how she's managed to stay alive all this time. Her scent disappears almost immediately when the door slides shut behind her.
The wind causes the branch I'm perched on to sway. As it does, I catch a glimpse of a structure far within the forest past the mounded earth where my Kora hides. I glance back down to her den. She will be safe inside.
With one push of my legs, I launch myself to the earth. For a brief moment, I feel as If I’m flying, but then my feet slap against the earth and I’m running. Trees blur past my head as I make my way through the dense thicket of briars.
Only moments pass before I am reaching the structure. A fallen tree leans against the roof, causing it to appear lopsided. The exterior is made of logs, and the steps groan as I approach the screen door. All is quiet but the chirp of small flying creatures that watch me from the tops of wooden posts.
The door bangs shut behind me as I enter. Perhaps this aba
ndoned human settlement can give me clues about my mate.
Inside, the stench of rot is strong. Fabric covered seats lie crooked in the center of the room, and there are boxes filled with loose papers along one wall. On the opposite side, a door remains closed. That door is where the smell is the strongest.
I cross the room and open it. Sitting in a massive basin is a corpse, brown and bloated. Small insects crawl into the deceased’s gaping mouth. There’s a metal object in the corpse's hand, and a hole sits dead center on it’s forehead.
I close the door and lean against the smooth wood. Kora will not turn out like the dead thing behind this door. I'll not allow it.
Rats scatter through holes in the wall as I cross the room. Surely something here can give me hints about my mate. Or perhaps, I'll find something to give her, a token that proves I am no longer the monster I once was.
I toss papers with strange scrolling out of the boxes, hunting for the perfect gift for my mate. My eyes catch upon a dusty rectangle. It has pages filled with the same foreign scrawls, and the photo on the front shows a man holding a woman close to his chest, their lips touching. A love in blossom. My knuckles turn white as I squeeze the bound pages. I want that.
I'll give this to my beloved. When she sees it, she'll want the same touches that this woman on the cover is getting. She'll know that I have come to claim her as mine. This brushing of lips that they are doing... We’ll do this together, when the time is right.
The time is not right yet. First, I have to prove myself worthy. I stand with the book in my hands. The wind has picked up again, slapping branches against the side of this rickety home. Kora might be discomforted by the cold.
My eyes scan the room for something that could warm her. Laid across the back of the seat is a gray blanket. I seize it and leave the cabin as quickly as I came. Five minutes have come and gone, and my mate is waiting.
I allow the invisible thread in my chest to tug me forward, guiding me back to her.
A creature perched in the tree near her den hoots, flapping its wings in warning. Does this beast mean to harm my human? Not only do I have to worry about other dhampirs coming to leech her away from me, but now, I have to stay alert to any predator on this plane. I bare my teeth, and it flies away. Good.
When I'm at her cavern door, I move it to the side. Her breathing is even and her heartbeat is steady, thrumming loudly in my ears. The damp earth swallows me as I enter, leaving the door cracked behind me.
It's pitch black, so dark that even I can barely see. When I reach the depths of the dwelling, I gaze around. Pointed stones hang from the ceiling, and human things litter the floor. Objects are piled against the wall, while other trinkets are perched on stone shelves.
When my eyes land on the white bundle of fabric on the floor, I see her. Her eyes are closed, her chest rising and falling. Inside her mind, I can hear her thoughts as they center their attention around me. The strange vampire who has no name.
I deposit the blanket down on the floor, and then retreat back through the tunnel. I place the bound paper with the lover's embrace in front of the threshold before I leave, sliding the door back closed.
Once outside, the night resounds around me. Chirps in the air, creatures burrowing into the ground, a beast howling. And a gasp, from within the cave. Ah, she has found my gift. Her breaths quicken, soft whooshes in and out as fear spikes in her mind. I falter, stroking my chin. Have my gifts frightened her?
Her footsteps near the doorway, and I hear the crisp pages shuffle as she lifts my second offering. Surely this one will fill her with joy.
The silence that follows tells me nothing, but her panic does. I rack my hand through my hair, tugging at my scalp. How have I failed so completely? My teeth ache, and rage fills me. Not directed at the fragile woman behind this door, but at myself.
I have to do better.
"My name is Aldeon."
I hear her feet pad through her den as she retreats from me, and I hang my head low.
Tomorrow. I will fix this tomorrow.
Kora
I awaken with a start, wiping damp sweat from my forehead. The vampire. Blood caked lips. Heads bouncing against the pavement.
“Fuck,” I whisper, wiping the sleep from my eyes.
I wish I had never woken up. If I remain asleep, I can’t remember the face of the vampire who wasn’t quite as feral as the others. I wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that I know he’s followed me home, and he’s out there waiting. And sooner or later, I’m going to have to find out why.
I can’t waste away like a cow being shuttled to the slaughterhouse. Get the fuck up and survive. That’s what Cece told me, and I plan on hanging on to those words for as long as I can. I reach around me in the darkness and search for my bag. When my fingers finally brush over its worn fabric, I pull it to my chest and quickly unzip it. Reaching inside, I feel for smooth wax.
Candles. I slip my lighter from my pocket and flick, lighting up the dark cave. The wick catches quickly, and I set the candlestick down onto one of the jutted rocks that line the walls of the cave.
The cave is as familiar as any home I’ve lived in in the past. All of the nooks and crannies made by jutting rocks or smooth limestone are stacked with old supplies. My food still hasn’t been unpacked, so I properly examine all the spoils from the dangerous voyage I just returned from.
Canned potatoes, beans, and carrots never looked so good. My stomach groans in protest, and I set aside one of the cans for my breakfast. But first, I want to get organized. My cave is the only thing in my life that I have complete control over, and all of these cans and supplies are going to be put away in an orderly fashion. ‘Clean house, clean mind.’ At least, that’s what Mom used to say.
After all of the cans are neatly stacked against the wall, and all of the extra candles and batteries are lined up on a rock, I give in to my hunger. I don’t have a can opener, but all of the cans I brought back were the pop lid kind. I pop the top and the scent of beans permeate the air. I swirl the can, like a fine aged wine, and sniff. Holy hell, that smells good.
The thought makes me giggle like a child, but my glee sours. No use in laughing when no one else can hear. I tip the can back and swallow mouthfuls at a time. My hand halts midair as I set the can down on the floor. A rock bounces down the tunnel and rolls to a stop at my feet.
Oh no. I know what’s down there. I hoped that if I avoided it long enough, it’d go away. Withdrawing backwards, I reach into my backpack, pulling out both my flashlight and my pistol. The cool metal slicks against my palm.
“Hello?”
If this was any normal vampire, I would already be dead. He would have heard my voice and charged so fast, I wouldn’t have time to blink. But… this isn’t a normal vampire.
Maybe it isn’t a vampire at all. It could have been a squirrel, or even a raccoon scavenging for scraps. I grip my flashlight with white knuckles and angle it toward the tunnel. One. Two. Three.
Click.
Light floods the tunnel, and my heart plummets. At the end of the tunnel, where the pallet door should be, is a lone figure, crouched. The vampire’s face is lit up by the light from my flashlight, but he doesn’t move a muscle. Only stares, watching me. My hands quiver.
He reaches behind his back. I hold my breath, scared that if I make any noise, he’ll pounce. When he pulls his hand forward, a cardboard shoe box is in his grasps. He slides it across the floor, and it comes to a stop in front of my feet.
My eyes fall from him to the box, and back up again.
“It’s safe.”
I jump, startled by his words. He sounds so normal, so human, so… No. He’s a vampire. He’s one of them, and anything that spews from his mouth is tainted with lies.
“Why haven’t you killed me?”
He cocks his head to the side, his dark brows furrowing. “I don’t want to kill you. Why don’t you understand I’m trying to help?”
I shouldn’t be carrying a conversation with
him. Then again, I can’t ignore his presence either. Eyes on the enemy. If I want to survive, I’ll just have to play along.
I tip the lid of the box open with the edge of my flashlight. A can opener. It’s tarnished and rusted on the edges. How… How could he have known?
“Why did you bring me this?” I squeeze my flashlight tight, and my gun tighter.
For the first time, the vampire looks uncomfortable. He shifts on his feet, and his eyes drop to the floor. “Your mind speaks louder when you are upset.”
I take one step back. My stomach quivers, and I lift a hand to clutch my midriff. I think I’m going to be sick.
He can read my mind. A shiver works its way down my spine.
“What do you want from me?”
The vampire lifts his head, and slowly stands to his full height. His smoldering gaze traps me, paralyzing me with fear and emotions that I can’t even recognize. His inky irises are like my unlit cave, safe and familiar, but the scarlet ring around them reminds me that he’s got blood on his hands.
“You may loathe me, but I will not let you send me away. I want to protect you from the others. I just wish you would let me speak my truth. Let me explain what has happened.”
Explain what has happened? Explain away everything I’ve been through? I shake my head, tears blurring my vision. “Just leave.”
He reaches out a hand for me and takes a step further into my cave. My home. “Kora-”
“Leave!” I shout, and I lift my gun. Squeezing my eyes closed tightly, I pull the trigger. My ears ring, and the gun plummets to the ground. I blink, once, two times, before I can regain focus.
When I lift my flashlight back to the entrance of the cave, the vampire is gone.
Aldeon
I leave the tunnel, and Kora, behind. Her fire spitting metal tool burned my flesh. I roll the strange pellet between my fingers as I think.
Blood at Dusk: A Dark Vampire Paranormal Romance Novel (The SoulBlood Series Book 1) Page 4