“Yes. I wanted to be a nurse. I was supposed to start this semester, but… then I died and all.” I smiled, maybe finally accepting this crazy situation. “I guess that’ll put a damper on anyone’s plans.”
Guy huffed with amusement. He kept silent for a long moment, mulling over what I’d said. But before he could speak, an electric bolt jolted through my body, pushing a scream from my mouth, my legs shooting out straight in front of me. Guy pulled me in closer, tighter, and brushed my hair back with his fingers. It felt like I’d drunk hazardous chemicals and they were traveling though my bloodstream, toxic and grotesque. I panted, the contractions taking my breath away. Sweat beaded my forehead.
“You said you had a boyfriend. What was his name again?” Guy was trying to distract me again. But bringing up the man who’d crushed my heart in my direst time of need wasn’t my idea of a good distraction.
“John.” I all but growled his name, hating the sound of it. “John Rodgers. We grew up together.”
The searing pain crashed through me more viciously this time and I couldn’t take it anymore. I let out a belting curse. My body jolted and thrashed again, bucking like a wild animal.
“Faith… just concentrate.” Guy’s tone reminded me of soft, rolling thunder, his arms still wrapped around me from behind. “Concentrate on my voice.”
“I’m… trying.” Flashes of light blinded my eyes and loud screeches rang through my ears. My bones felt like they were breaking, every single one of them. Fire consumed my skin and my muscles cramped like a son of a bitch. I’d thought dying was bad, but compared to this, it was nothing.
I released a slew of undiscernible vowel sounds, my legs flailing about, and kicked over the nearby chair. Guy climbed atop of me, holding me down, his body wrapped around me like a hot blanket, and I squirmed for the discomfort of my handcuffs jammed between our bodies. But after a few moments, my pain subsided and Guy shifted so I could unpin my wrists, but he did not get off of me, instead leaning in close, his face a mere inch from mine.
“It’s okay.” Even in the dark I could see the sincerity in his eyes, feel his breath on my face. “It’s going to be all right.”
His nose was nearly touching mine, our eyes locking. We were so close that for a moment I thought he might kiss me. But instead of the imagined tender moment that was preposterous even in its consideration, I vomited. Right on his face.
Puke ran down his eyes and chin only to drip back onto me. He stared at me for a moment, frozen. I wasn’t sure if he was going to punch me, gag, or vomit himself.
I bit my lower lip in embarrassment. “I feel better now.”
He blinked, his face covered in slime, and I laughed in spite of myself as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe off the sickness.
“Good. I’m glad.” His mouth peeled into a grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and I imagined he thought I was pretty disgusting. I didn’t blame him, I was absolutely disgusting.
But I stared into his grey gaze for what seemed forever and felt myself getting lost there, the pain wafting away. The young man before me was the most handsome I’d ever seen and I felt myself being drawn into him— even with the remnants of my throw-up on his face. It could’ve just been because we’d been thrown into this unfortunate situation together, and being in such close quarters for all this time, it could’ve happened to anyone. But it was different somehow, unique. It was a connection of sorts, like none I’d ever had before, and I knew he felt it too.
“Now that you’ve puked on me,” Guy stated. “It’s only fair I call you what I want… Faith.”
I rolled my eyes, knowing he couldn’t see me as well as I could him. “Why do you insist on changing my name?”
He shifted his position on the floor and laid on his side so we faced each other, propping himself on his elbow, showing a mound of bicep muscle. He stared down at me with hooded eyes. “Because, you don’t look like a Ruby to me.”
“Maybe that’s because you’ve only met me since I’ve been a vampire. My name fit me just fine before.”
“Perhaps.” I studied the flecks in his eyes, dark blue on grey, and after one long moment, blinked free of their hold.
“Why ‘Faith’ though? Why not Fangs or Count Dracula?” In my opinion, those were more appropriate nick names.
He regarded me, his eyes sparkling like the stormy sea. “For someone who’s just been damned to Earth for all eternity, you still got to your knees to pray. You have faith and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The sentiment warmed me and I smiled.
“Okay, fine.” I fluttered my lashes playfully. “But if you get to call me Faith then I get to call you Captain Impossible.”
He snorted. “Whatever appeases you, Faith.” This time his grin reached his eyes, a full on smile.
TEN: GUY
I sat in the old wooden chair, leaning back against the wall, my legs propped on top of the desk. Exasperated, I removed my hand from the wooden stake at my side and glanced down at the sleeping vampire, though it was pitch black and I could only see her outline. It had been hours since coming into the room, but Ruby had finally drifted off into what I assumed was a very deep sleep.
The day spent in the small church room had been long and relentless. I’d tried my hardest to soothe Ruby through her transformation, but who the hell was I kidding, I had no idea what to do. Still, there was no mistaking the connection I had to her, one I was having trouble admitting to. Yet somehow she’d made it easy for me to open up to her and reveal information I’d never told anyone, like re-opening a wound. But instead of scorning me, Ruby had listened as though she really cared and the thought made me uncomfortable.
Since that night long ago, the night that changed my entire life when I lost Lily, I’d vowed never to let my guard down again, building a brick wall around myself to keep myself safe. But I wondered why I felt so compelled to let that wall down around Ruby. What was it about her that made me feel? I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t like it, thinking it made me vulnerable and weak. Not like the hardened man I had molded myself to be. I sighed and leaned forward from my chair, lighting the candle on the desk. The little room took on a yellow glow.
I shifted my gaze down to Ruby, lying on the floor so still she could’ve been mistaken for dead. She was in the final stages of turning. Her irises, which had been brown, were now a deep shade of violet. Her hair, which before held strands of golden honey, was now a stark platinum, growing twice in length. And her nails were sharp as daggers. But the final clue to her transformation was her fangs.
Though I knew what to expect after all my years of training, it still surprised me when she opened her mouth to scream out in pain, baring her fangs. They were thick ivory and perfectly pointed, showing from beneath her pink lips— weapons of mass destruction. That’s why I’d handcuffed her, knowing it would happen eventually, but I’d been pushing it aside for as long as I could. But time was running out and the venom had taken over her body. She was mostly vampire now.
Her chest rose and fell with gentle breaths and her thick black lashes rested against her cheeks. I took in her features —delicate nose, curved cheekbones, small chin. I focused on her lips, full and red like a rosebud. Her eyebrows remained brown, dark when compared to her light hair and she was breathtaking; I couldn’t help but notice her beauty. Any man would.
She curled her small fingers and twitched as though deep within a dream, the silver cuffs hanging from her wrists like jewelry. I wondered what was in that mind of hers, what she dreamed about. Was it her family, her old life, or this John guy she had spoken about before?
Jealousy over her boyfriend boiled my blood and I subdued the urge to laugh at my reaction, considering it to be crazy. She wasn’t mine and she certainly didn’t belong to anyone else. Hell, she wasn’t even human and could kill me instantly, being the beautiful weapon that she was. And now only time would tell how ravenous she’d be when she woke.
But she had been so sweet and —
strangely enough— funny, even through her transformation and I wondered if her demeanor would change, now that she was a vampire. I shook my head, deeming the thought unimportant. Once she awoke and I fed her, I would take her to the old vampire and let him deal with her. Then I’d be back to headquarters before anyone knew better.
Headquarters. Shit.
I slipped my cellphone from my pocket, mentally kicking myself for not thinking about it before. If they’d wanted to, FUSE could track me with my phone. I powered it off and put it back in my pocket before standing. They could still track me with it off, but I was hesitant to dispose of my cell just yet, not knowing when and if I’d need to call for backup. But I didn’t expect my men to miss me for a couple days yet, knowing I still had time before they tracked me down.
I stretched out my arms and yawned. I’d hardly gotten any sleep for the last twenty-four hours. Once this was all over, I’d sleep like a baby, but for now I had some hunting to do. I needed to get Ruby some blood for when she awoke.
The evening air was still warm and dry from the recently set sun, a typical summer night in Arizona. The plants, few as they were, were a dull yellow-green. Cacti grew in hordes of every shape and size, and sticker trees clawed at the evening sky with their pointy fingers. I glanced back at the tall mission, now barely visible in the twilight, and figured I’d have a couple more hours before Ruby awoke.
I sat down on a flat rock and, pulling my blade from my pack, began to sharpen it. It had my last name, Stone, engraved on the side and nostalgia hit me hard as a bludgeon upon seeing it. Everything around me —the desert, the knife Lily had given me, the smell of summer— was a harsh reminder of what I’d lost long ago, the night she was taken from me. I felt myself being pulled into a memory, but I shook it off, unwilling to go down that path again. I had become a product of my past, but I would not let it overwhelm me in that moment. I had bigger problems to worry about.
A sudden shift in the breeze interrupted my thoughts, causing the hairs on my neck to stand on end, and I instantly knew something was wrong. I froze, the blade of my knife still resting on the whetstone, daring not to move, holding my breath. I knew something was out there— maybe it was the way the air had become oddly still or because the crickets suddenly ceased their evening chirp. But either way, dread sank through me. The sky darkened and the brilliant orange glow over the mountains turned dull and grey. The first stars of night twinkled into existence.
The hoot of an owl pierced the silence, and that’s when I knew for sure that someone or something was out there, the owl warning me of their presence.
Careful not to make a sound, I slowly placed the knife and whetstone on the ground and slid my gun from my pack, cocking it with a soft click. I wanted to turn on my flashlight, but didn’t dare take the chance for it would be a dead giveaway of my location.
I stood cautiously, my movements slow and liquid. I held up my arms, elbows bent and gun at the ready. My heart thundered and pounded in my ears as I felt a sense of Déjà vu, like I’d been here before, had this same feeling. I knew why, but I wouldn’t let the memory cross into my mind. I pushed it away, needing my mind clear in case of danger.
I must’ve held the same position for a long time, because my legs ached to move. I strained my eyes and ears, grasping for the slightest sound or movement, but the night was as still as death.
Again, the owl hooted and I shifted my legs, the sound of crunching beneath my boot giving me away. Without warning, I was slammed backwards, my body flying through the air like a trapeze act, except much less graceful I presumed. I almost lost grip on my gun, but fumbled with the cold metal, regaining my hold at the last possible second. I landed hard on the ground, the air knocked from my chest, and something flashed by me, a blur of darkness. I knew in an instant I was in the company of a very experienced vampire. But how, out here in the middle of nowhere? And why? I shot up to a fight-ready position.
I barely had time to let any more questions come to mind when I was struck again, my body taking air and twisting painfully before landing on the ground once more. I shook the dizziness from my brain, my heart hammering in my chest. The vampire was playing with me, trying to stun me. It’s what they did before they fed, a game like cat and mouse. They liked to make sure their target was good and weak before they went in for the kill. It was just a matter of time before I was knocked senseless.
I frowned. The hell if I would let that happen.
Another blur sped by and I squeezed the trigger, the sound of the bullet echoing through the desert like a bottle rocket. I held my breath and waited…
Silence.
But before I had the chance to wonder if I’d gotten him, a fast breeze whooshed by me, indicating I hadn’t. He was still alive and well, the asshole. I got to my knees and shifted my gaze back and forth, gun at the ready. I edged toward a large boulder and pressed my back into it. I would not let the bloodsucker sneak up on me from behind.
I listened, but heard nothing except my own breath and the pound of my heart like a drum beating inside me. I didn’t understand why a vampire would’ve come out here all alone. They usually ran in packs and stuck to the sanctity of cities and alleyways where they could blend in, not in the middle of nowhere with nothing to feed upon except rabbits and quail. I inwardly laughed at myself. Of course, they had something to feed upon. Me. But that still didn’t answer how this rogue vampire found his way to such an unpopulated area. Could he sense Ruby somehow? Fear crested in my chest.
A delicate breeze brushed across my skin. A distant howl of a coyote sounded out through the still night. There was no way this vampire was one of our own. He would’ve revealed himself to me if that were the case. Our supernatural associates were paid very well and they were under strict contract should they ever break the rules, they’d be given over to their own kind and executed as traitors.
I shook my head, thinking it didn’t make sense. But regardless of the semantics, it was only him and me. If there had been more than one vampire, I wouldn’t stand a chance. But he was alone and I was well trained. I might be able to pick him off if I remained careful.
I wrenched my neck to the side and cocked my ear, hearing a faint rustling in the bushes beside the rock I hid behind. I jumped and shot at the spot where the noise had come from, the aftershock reverberating through the air, my hands tingling from the effects. I was too slow— maybe from lack of sleep or the strain my body had been through— but the vamp forged ahead regardless, knocking me from my feet. This time he stayed with me, his sharp nails digging into the flesh on my arms. My gun flew from my hand as we sailed through the air, his onyx gaze locked on mine, fangs bared. We tumbled to the ground, rolling. I fumbling for the stake at my hip, but he knocked my hand away, keeping a tight hold on me. From the darkness of his eyes, I knew this vampire was old and strong.
He pinned me to the ground and hovered over me, saying nothing. His breath smelled of death and stale blood as his mouth drew in closer and closer to my neck. But I smiled and, after a moment, spit in his face.
He reared back in shock, eyebrows raised, and I took advantage of the distraction by freeing one arm and punching right through his jawbone. I knew it wouldn’t knock him out, but it would buy me a few seconds. He hissed and fell to the side as I plucked the stake from my belt and jammed it hard into his chest. His eyes went wide, his mouth opened in a silent scream. I scrambled to my feet, searching for my gun in the pale moonlight. But I froze when the vampire let out a howling laugh, a sound so wretched I cringed. He wasn’t dead.
Panic struck me as his gaze descended to the stake in his chest. He gripped it and pulled it out, dripping with blood. I’d missed. How the hell did I miss?
I didn’t even have time to think before he attacked me again, this time his fangs sinking deep into my neck. I struggled with all of my strength but my efforts were futile. He drained the blood from me with immense speed and I began to grow weak. My vision blurred.
I thought of Ruby, my Faith
, and I worried about her. She was too young and inexperienced to be left alone and if this vamp found her, he would more than likely kill her. She would be seen as a threat to this rogue devil, not a welcomed partner. Faith. I was supposed to protect her and see her to safety. Faith. She was all alone. Faith…
ELEVEN: RUBY
I woke with a gasp, my body flying forward, my eyes widening in the darkness.
It was done, I could feel it. And there was no more pain.
I was reborn in the same body, but different. It was definitely not the one I’d had for the past eighteen years, that’s for dang sure. This body was denser, but lighter. Stronger, yet nimble. My bones felt like titanium. My muscles like solid rock, yet pliable.
I was aware of every hair on my flesh, every shred of air whispering past me in the draft. And my eyes… I could feel my irises narrowing, catlike and sharp, soaking in every particle of light, defining every shape, carving every line and color out of the objects in the room. Only a single candle lit the dark windowless room, yet I could see as well as if it were daylight.
I breathed in, my lungs burning with their new, expanded capacity. I tried to stretch my arms out to my sides, the soreness of what would be compared to the after-burn of a triathlon singeing through me, but the handcuffs held my wrists tightly together and I growled in frustration.
I froze, being momentarily distracted from my restraints by a strange sound, my hearing so intensified that I wasn’t sure exactly what I was listening to. At first, I thought I heard thunder, the low booming roll that would ripple across the desert before a monsoon struck. But I focused on the noise, surprised when realizing it was the sound of the old church settling around me. I could hear every creak and crack, every strain and rumble, as if the old building were alive and breathing.
Unfortunate Souls (Book 1): Unfortunate Souls Series (The Unfortunate Souls Series) Page 6