by Megan Hawke
Knowing that, I was able to stop myself. I healed his wound and felt his arms loosening. Probably from horror. I didn't take enough to weaken him, but it was enough, and I shoved him away.
I hit the floor and rolled to the side. Two bullets ricocheted off the floor, from different directions. Gabe and Wendy were shooting at me.
"That won't kill me. All it does is piss us off," I said
“Yeah, but you won’t be able to use your powers,” Wendy said.
“I’m already wounded!”
"Yyyeeeeeeeeooooooooow!" another female voiced cried, followed by. "Where are they?"
It sounded like Darcy. Then I heard Darby's scream.
"My God, y’all didn't cut off any of their heads?" I knew Yuri was pulling the stakes out of their hearts. He was reanimating them. Again. "You left Yuri up there alive? With them? Idiots! You stupid, moronic idiots! They’re going to rip y’all into tiny bite-sized pieces."
The four vampire slayers gawked at me a second. Their eyes shifted upward when four supernaturally powerful voices roared in unholy rage.
I took an aggressive step at them. "Run! Run for it, you fools!"
To their credit, none of them hesitated. They turned as one and ran for the open front door. Anson reached it first. The others followed on his heels. Yuri came down the stairs in a rush, leading his angry pack of vampires just as the last of the slayers passed through the door.
I heard two cars and two motorcycles growl to life. They peeled out in different directions. Yuri and his undead girls charged out after them. I ran to the door and watched them split up and go after the slayers. Yuri and Dominique went after Dane and Gabe, while the twins took off in pursuit of Wendy and Anson who were on the motorcycles. I stood very still and prayed the slayers all escaped.
Alone and relatively safe, I had the luxury of time to take stock of my situation. I had multiple silver bullets burning the Hell out of me, deep in my belly. Three, to be exact. They all hurt more now that I had time to consider them. I wanted to lie down and wait for them to burn their way out of me. Or better yet, Yuri could return, thrust his hand deep into my belly and pull the little monsters out of me.
I liked that best. They hurt that bad.
It was the first time since Yuri captured me that I was alone. It was kind of exciting, but I didn't know what to do with myself. The mortal men tied up in the family room were kicking and groaning, trying to get my attention. I scowled at them.
They were the same men that had joyfully abused me the previous night, under Dominique's direction. I recalled their taunting words as they took turns with me. And they were scheduled to do it again tonight.
Right after Yuri put the next Compulsion on me.
I scowled at the open door. Yuri couldn't put another Compulsion on me the previous night, because it hadn't been twenty-four hours. I thought he might do it while we shared a coffin during the day, but he hadn't. I would be Compelled to give him absolute obedience from that night onward. From what I understood, Compulsions lasted between one hundred and two hundred years, depending on the vampire's inner strength.
Yuri could own me for the next couple centuries. I would be his to command. It was my fate to be his sex toy, to be used and abused to his vile heart's delight. Unless…
Unless I leave right now, I thought.
I listened. Nothing. No indication any of the vampires were returning. I started for the stairs to get clothes, but the pain was too great. I'd never make good my escape.
I stumbled into the kitchen. Dropping to my knees with the sharpest knife I could find, I took a deep breath and sliced open a ten inch cut in my belly. I thrust my right hand in and had another of those indescribable pain moments, but I didn't have time to dwell on my agony. I sifted through my innards and found the first silver bullet. White hot. I ripped my hand out with a cry of pain and threw it across the kitchen. The cut healed, and I had to make another incision. The second bullet proved more elusive, but I finally found it. The last bullet had punched through my kidney, and went up into my chest. I found it way up under my ribs.
"Jesus Christ!" I cried as that last cut healed. Despite the pain of the "operation" it was worth it.
I raced upstairs. It’d only taken a couple minutes to remove the bullets, which had left me even more bloody and gory. I didn’t have time for a shower, so I just wiped my hands on Yuri’s discarded shirt, and then I found the outfit I'd worn the night before and pulled it on. I snatched up the other clothes I knew fit me, including the tank top and tight black jeans Yuri wouldn't let me wear.
I grabbed a duffle from the corner. The bag was more than big enough to hold my scant wardrobe. I glanced inside before dumping it, and froze.
It was three-quarters full of money. Including hundred dollar bills. Maybe mostly hundred dollar bills. I’d never seen so much money.
"Oh, shit."
Grabbing up my little pile of clothes, I stuffed them in on top of the money. There was still room in the duffle. So I went to the trunk where Dominique had removed the fistful of twenties. I finished filling the duffle up with money from that trunk.
Call it my severance pay.
I had no idea where the car keys were kept. There were a couple cars in the garage, not to mention the utility van. They were useless to me. Yuri had my battered old Mustang hauled off and abandoned across town. So I shouldered the duffle and took off into the night. I went out the back door, and over the back fence.
Two streets over, I took off westward down the street. Running.
It felt good to be free.
Chapter 11
The tree-lined street was dark and quiet in the wee hours. The trees were mostly very old oaks, with thick trunks and wide-spreading limbs. For the first time in my life I could both see and hear bats above me, mostly near the street lights. As I walked down that Highland Park residential street, I listened to all the sounds mere mortals couldn't hear. The night music was fascinating and strangely beautiful. I'm not sure how much of it I just ignored when I was still alive, but my vampiric ears picked up everything in High Def.
I could also feel all the warm bodies inside the homes that lined the street. As I passed each home, I knew exactly how many people were inside, if they were awake or asleep, and could even differentiate between adults and small children, male and female. I could also tell if they had pets.
Blood called to me like a lonely siren.
I glanced back at the sound of a slow moving car approaching. Black Chevy Suburban. Highland Park Police was emblazoned over the doors. I scowled at it. You know they were going to mess with me. A lone woman walking so late at night, wearing black PVC, and carrying a duffle bag on her back? Oh yeah, that rates a definite look-see.
The spotlight hit me before the cruiser reached me. The siren did that little BIP thing, just to get my attention, like the spotlight wasn't enough. I kept walking, but turned my head to watch the squad car roll up and start pacing me.
"Good morning, ma'am." He was alone. Bet he didn't bother to call for backup. What kind of threat would a pretty little thing like me be? "Need help?"
"Good morning, officer." I flashed a sweet closed mouth smile at him. It didn't affect him that I could see, but I felt his blood pressure start to fall. Blood senses were a wonderful thing. So were smiles. "No, I'm almost to my friend's house."
"What do you have in that bag?"
"All my clothes." I shrugged like I was embarrassed. "My boyfriend kicked me out tonight."
That rated a look of sympathy. He stopped to get out. Shit.
He didn't realize I was a vampire. A hungry vampire. Between Dane and Gabe, I might have taken half a pint of blood, but it was worth a full pint of animal blood, if not two. After leaving Yuri's house, I ran off towards the west, then turned south. I got lost for a while there, but once I found a street I knew I was fine. I’d wasted most of the night wandering around Uptown neighborhoods, which meant my measly "breakfast" was followed by a missed lunch, and now it was com
ing up on vampire dinnertime. So I turned and locked eyes with him.
The cop froze halfway through slipping his nightstick into that ring on his belt. I had him, so I took a step closer.
"Officer, there is no problem here. We had a nice talk, but now you have better things to do than chitchat with some rubber-clad bimbo. Say good-bye and leave."
I broke off eye contact and strode away. I needed to get as much distance between us as possible.
"You be careful," he called, then got back into his squad car. A few seconds later he pulled up to pace me again, and said, "Good night, ma'am."
"Have a good night, officer."
I watched him leave with a sigh of relief. The hunger was not a pretty thing. So far I hadn't killed anyone by feeding.
Boney's house was easy to find. I had the address, after all, and I’d been there. But I could smell the blood from the street. Heady stuff. Even without knowing he lived there I would've known either someone was killing people in there, or it was the home of a vampire. It was hard to believe the mortal neighbors couldn't smell that.
I knocked on the door. After a few moments the porch light came on and I heard a familiar voice. "Who is it?"
"It's Sable, Desiree."
"Sable!" Desiree flung the door open. I'd never seen anyone so pleased to see me. Not a girl anyway. She hugged me fiercely. "I didn't think we’d ever see you again."
"Really?"
"We heard through the grapevine that Yuri caught you." She looked past me nervously. Why was she suddenly so afraid? "W-why are you here?"
"Nothing sinister. Please, you guys are my friends."
She relaxed and smiled apologetically. "Sorry. It's just… Yuri is so brutal, even to other vampires. He's raided other vampire's homes and stolen all of their boys and girls to feed on."
"He's a monster. I'm free of him now."
"You escaped?"
Why did she look so astonished? Did she have such a low opinion of me?
I grinned. "Yep. Full of surprises, aren't I?"
She looked me up and down. Desiree was horny as a horny toad by the time her eyes came back to mine. I shook my head woefully. The woman was insatiable. It was too soon for her to give blood again, and I definitely wasn't going to sleep with her.
"You're looking good, babe." Her voice was all breathy. "Yuri sure transformed you."
"Calm down, girl, I'm here to see Boney. Is he here?"
"Working." She gave me another slow head to toe look.
"This late?"
"He'll be home soon." She remembered her manners. "I'm sorry! Come in, please."
"Thank you," I said as I walked past her. "I wasn't sure I'd be welcomed back, but I need a place to crash today."
"No problem, babe, if Boney doesn't want you, we can use one of the guest coffins." Her smile was anything but chaste. "I'll keep you company."
Oh shit. I hoped Boney was eager to get me in his coffin. Otherwise, I might be taking a lesbian day trip with Desiree. The scary part was the thought didn’t bother me half as much as it would’ve a few days back.
The very fact that I even considered it an option brought me up. Was sex with a woman no longer out of the question? What other ways had I changed?
"Why? You spend half the day and most of the night spreading your legs for money. Why would you want to have more sex? Just because I'm a vampire?"
I regretted the words the instant they passed my lips. Why was I angry with her? None of my problems were Desiree’s fault, but she gave no sign of being insulted.
"Pretty much." Desiree shrugged, and even seemed a little embarrassed after her confession. "I can't stop thinking about you. What can I say?"
I couldn't help myself. I looked at her throat. I sensed her pulse, thrumming away. Her heart was beating hard, blood surging into her face, lips, and crotch. So tempting. My mouth watered, and Desiree's eyes locked on my lips when I licked them. She licked hers as well, starting to mirror my movements and actions.
"Forget about me." I shook my head, trying to get my mind off her blood. It wasn't easy. "I'm not into girls. I wouldn't know what to do with you."
"I could teach —"
"I don't want to learn." She looked hurt. I wonder if she practiced that look. "Bet that works pretty good on the guys."
She slanted an amused look at me. I smiled knowingly back. We laughed.
Desiree picked up a bag of Hershey’s Kisses and picked one out, then held the bag out to me. I loved loved loved, Hershey’s Kisses. Another thing I was denied. I so envied her right then, both her humanity and her ability to eat real food.
“No thanks.” I was unable to keep the grimace off my face. “I’m a vampire now. I can’t eat candy.”
“Why not?”
“Huh? I just can’t. You know that. I have to drink blood.”
“Uh yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat anything else.” Desiree looked at me like I was daft or something. “Boney absolutely loves steak. Rare, of course.” She laughed at her own joke. “So there is no reason you can’t indulge yourself with chocolate. Hell, vamps don’t get fat no matter how much or what they eat.”
I gawked at her. I never heard that before. As far as I knew vampires couldn’t eat anything but blood.
She offered the open bag again, and I scooped a handful out. A tiny smile curled my lips as I unwrapped that first tasty chocolate morsel.
I hesitated with the candy half in my mouth. “Are you sure this is safe?”
"What's it going to do? Kill you?"
"Good point." I popped the candy into my mouth. I sucked on it, letting it melt and bath my tongue with yummy deliciousness. It tasted incredible. “Mmmmm. I love chocolate.”
“Then don’t deprive yourself, babe,” Desiree said.
“You’re an angel for telling me I can actually eat my favorite foods. Are there any restrictions?”
“Not that I know of. I mean, if bullets won't kill you I can't imagine food doing you any harm at all.” She frowned. “But, I know drugs and alcohol will really throw you for a loop, so drink slowly and sparingly.”
“Oh?”
Desiree had moved on. She looked at my duffle with a little too much interest. She put the bag of Hershey Kisses down and I snatched them up. After all, vampires can’t get fat.
"What's in the backpack?"
"It's a duffle bag." I put it down by the couch. I sat next to it, crossed my legs, dug out another Kiss, and smiled up at her. "My clothes are in here, among other things."
"Really?" She looked interested. "Do you have any more crazy sexy boots like those you're wearing now, only in red? What size are you?"
"No more boots like these. Only a pair of jeans and a tank top, and the rest is rubber fetishwear like this crap I'm wearing now. And a couple pairs of ankle and thigh boots."
Desiree made to open the duffle, but I stopped her by laying a hand on it. That much money was too tempting. I didn't want her knowing I had it, unless Boney said it was safe. The money I took from Yuri was all I had. My checking account was nearly empty. I never learned to manage my finances.
"I have something on top I want Boney to see first. I'll show you my kinky clothes later. If anything fits you, you can have it."
"Really? Sweet."
"Except the jeans and tank top."
The African-American beauty screwed up her face and waved that distasteful thought away. Apparently looking normal was a bad thing. After all, it was her off-work hours and she was wearing candy apple red short shorts, a black leather bikini top and matching black knee boots. Dog collar, chandelier earrings, and an armful of bangles finished off her outfit. Not exactly visit-the-mall clothes. Well, maybe for her it was.
I heard Boney's car, and two others, way down the street. There wasn't much to drown them out at that hour. I listened to him pull into the driveway, park, and get out. A carload of girls followed him and I listened as the other two cars parked on the street. Girls poured out of them, too. I could hear them chatti
ng mindlessly, their jewelry jingling, their high heels clattering on the concrete. I loved my new ears.
"If you hurry, you can open the door for Boney."
"What?" she said, alert and looking at the door. The sound of the key was loud enough for Desiree to hear. She hurried toward the front door, but was too late. "Told you."
The door opened as she reached for the knob. Boney looked at her like she was crazy a scant second, then his eyes snapped to me. I smiled sweetly. Hookers flowed through the door on both sides of him, still yapping merrily to him and each other. They slowly fell silent, starting to notice me as well. Some of them were not happy to see me.
"Shit," Vicki said under her breath. "Not her again."
"Yeah, me again," I said, not taking my eyes off Boney. "Hiya, big boy. Miss me?"
"Yes." He straightened his pinstripe jacket and headed straight over to me. I stood up and kissed him. His hello kisses were open mouth and involved tongue. Then he looked me over, smacking his lips. "Mmmm, chocolate. And I like your new style."
"Of course; you're a pig." I looked myself over. “Make that a kinky pig.”
"Guilty as charged." Boney's smile faded fast when he spotted the dried blood on my hands. He looked at the candy Kiss I shoved into my mouth and frowned, shaking his head. "When was the last time you fed?"
“I’m eating now.” I chomped on the Kiss. “How come you never told me I could eat real food? I’ve been on an all blood diet since being Changed.”
He shrugged. “Didn’t know it mattered. But, speaking of blood, when is the last time you fed properly, for a vampire.”
I unwrapped another candy and popped it into my mouth. Can’t eat just one. I was way behind on my chocolate intake for the month. But, underlying it all, I could feel my body’s need for vampiric nourishment.
"Well, strange you should ask that. We were attacked by vampire slayers just before sunset. I bit two of them but didn't have time to feed. So, my last meal was last night before bedding down for the day."
He turned angry eyes on Desiree. She was staring at me wide-eyed.