Savannah Past Midnight

by Christine Edwards

  Mr. Hoodie jogs over, shouting, “Brennan! Got your cut from tonight. I’m taking off in a minute. Let’s settle up, man. You know the cops are always fuckin’ lurkin’ around.” His beady eyes narrow as he nervously checks over each shoulder.

  I get on my ride as he answers Mr. Twitchy Hoodie, “Be over in a sec. Meet you at your car.”

  My engine roars to life and he surprises me, straddling my front wheel. His tan, blood spattered Cat work boots pin my tire neatly as his huge, bloodied hands plant down on the handles directly inside of mine. He leans in to whisper flirtatiously, “C’mon, gimme a chance. Promise you won’t be disappointed.”

  “No, I can’t. And for the record, I can assure you that you definitely would be.”

  “What?”

  “Step away, cowboy. I’d hate to add to those injuries.”

  His eyes narrow as if he’s deep in thought. This is clearly a man who isn’t accustomed to hearing no … not from a woman, anyway.

  “Fine, you need your space. I’m on board with that. But I want one-on-one time with you and I will find a way to get it. At least tell me your name before you go. Don’t you think you owe me that after all we’ve been through?”

  “You’re a funny guy. Step back and I’ll consider it.”

  With a beaming smile he releases the front wheel of my bike and steps aside. “I like you, wildcat. You’re different.”

  “You’re right, I am.”

  “So …?”

  I slide the helmet on before answering, “Cosette.”

  I flip the visor down and sigh heavily, hearing my name fall slowly, like melted caramel from his bloody lips as I speed away into the familiar, enveloping darkness.

  Chapter Three

  Eighteen Years Earlier

  Brennan Ranch, Fifteen Miles West of Choteau, Montana

  “Hold up, Vivian! I didn’t say ‘Go’ yet, you dirty little cheater!”

  She stops mid-sprint and turns to jog back. “Could’ve swore you did, Colton. All right then, we’ll start over. Remember, first one to the base of those rocks gets that last tootsie pop. Deal?”

  “Deal. Get ready to lose, Sis. Ready … set … go!”

  Both barefoot, we’re neck in neck as we sprint past the right side of the barn then farther out across the flower-strewn meadow. I can’t believe that for once I’m actually keeping up with her; she’s always been so much faster than me. Maybe I have a chance this time.

  Out of the corner of my eye I catch her sidelong, determined glance, which fires up my competitive nature even more.

  As the rocks come closer, I turn up the heat and pump my arms faster, making each stride count. I’m out of breath, trying to suck in more wind as I fly across the grass. She’s no longer next to me as I nearly plow into the rocks, coming to a sudden stop.

  I whirl around and shake both fists in the air. “I did it! I did it! I finally beat you, Vivian!”

  She’s bent over, palms flat on her pale blue shorts. She’s breathing hard as her head lifts. Furious green eyes meet mine as she struggles to say, “Yeah, well, everyone gets lucky sometimes, Colton. Tell you what. Double or nothing, you beat me up to that large boulder up there and you’ll get both the lollipop and I’ll do your chores for three whole days. What’cha think about that?”

  I stare up to where her finger is pointing. It’s not too far up the craggy incline, maybe thirty feet or so. I could easily beat her.

  “I’m not sure, Vivian. You know Pa told us over and over again to stay well clear of these rocks. If he found out, he’d whip both our butts red—”

  She cuts me off, “He won’t. Not unless you run your giant eleven-year-old mouth, that is. Now I’m thinkin’ you’re just scared, knowing you’re gonna lose to your twin.”

  That did it. “Fine. Deal.”

  She smiles at me, the pigtails making her look nearly innocent … almost, but not quite. “And Colton, when you lose—which you will, big time—I’ll watch you do all of my chores while I’m sucking on that lollipop. You ready?”

  Am I ever.

  “You’re the one stallin’, Viv.”

  “Go!” She takes the lead and starts scrambling up the huge rocks that are warmed by the July noonday sunshine.

  I do my best to quickly strategize, desperate to make it to that huge rock before she does. If there is one thing I hate most in this world, it’s losing. My fingers claw for a good hold as I heave myself up. Almost there.

  “Colton!”

  At first I ignore her cry, thinking that she’s playing games, trying to distract me from the finish line.

  “Colton, please! Help … I-I’m stuck!”

  Sweat drips down into my eyes as I quickly wipe my brow and glance down at her. Sure enough, her left leg isn’t visible. It’s trapped in a crevice between two fair-sized boulders.

  “Hold up! I’m comin’ back down.”

  “Hurry, Colton. Think I twisted it or somethin’.”

  “Just hang tight. I’ll pull ya out.”

  I edge slowly back down the misshapen rocks until I’m beside her.

  “Now how’d you go and do such a stupid thing, Vivian? Thought you were ’sposed to be the brain in the family.”

  I stare at the rocks as I try to figure out the best way to pull her out without cutting up her leg.

  “You bleedin’?”

  “I-I think so. Just pull me out, Colton. If Pa finds out we’re both done for.”

  “Yeah, you got that right. Here, I’m gonna get behind you and try to lift ya. You got down there; surely we can get you back out.”

  “Just hurry.” She squirms violently, trying to free herself.

  I get a firm grip under her arms and start to pull, quickly realizing that she’s not budging an inch.

  “Oh God! Oh Jesus! Something’s biting me! Pull!! Heeeelp me!”

  Biting her?

  I freeze in shock and she begins screaming at the top of her lungs. I pull desperately at her little body as my heart thunders violently in my chest. She is writhing manically, desperate to get away from whatever it is.

  “Colton! Pull harder, oh God! Puhleeeezzze!”

  She is shaking and sweating in my grip as I use everything I have to heave as hard as I can. Finally she is wrenched free and I fall backward with the weight of her on top of me.

  “Vivian! You all right?”

  Scrambling back up, I crawl around her to have a look at her leg. The bloody scrapes are nothing compared to the dozen or so puncture wounds that are covering her calf.

  Oh no, oh shit, please no … prairie rattlers. Pa warned us to steer clear of ’em. Normally they are reclusive. Maybe she scared then or stepped on ’em or something.

  She is shaking and crying as I touch her shoulder. “We gotta get you to a hospital, Vivian. You wait here and I’ll go for help.”

  “No!” She sobs harder, her arms flying up to cling to my neck. “No! Don’t leave me here, Colton! I’m scared. I’ll try and walk if you help me, okay?”

  “Yeah, okay. Not sure what bit you but we gotta get you help real quick.”

  I get her up and half walk, half drag her as we inch our way back toward the house. Every few minutes I look down at her swollen, bloody leg, which is rapidly getting worse.

  She stops, panting, and manages to eke out, “Can’t walk anymore ….” Tears track down her pale face.

  “Shh, it’s gonna be all right. Let’s get you up on my back. Here, try to bind your legs about my waist.”

  The added ninety pounds of weight on my skinny frame slows our progress to a crawl. My legs are shaking as I put one foot in front of the other, determined to make it to help. I’m about to lay her down in the meadow and sprint back to the house when I see Pa coming toward us on horseback.

  Quickly I pant, “Pa’s comin’ now on Outlaw, Vivian. Everything’s gonna be okay.”

  A pathetic moan is her only reply.

  I set her down as gently as I can and raise my arms in a frantic crisscross motion, hop
ing my father will understand we need him. He seems to understand because Outlaw breaks into a gallop, heading straight toward us.

  “Vivian, wha-what’s wrong?” The words fall from my trembling lips as I stare down at my sister, who is now ashen white and unconscious.

  “Pa! Pa! Hurry!”

  The horse comes to a halt not two feet from us. My father jumps down and bends to scoop up my immobile sister. “Jesus Christ, boy! What the hell happened to her?”

  “Need to get her to the hospital. She was bitten a bunch of times, might have been prairie rattlers. I didn’t see ’em. She got her leg stuck down between two rocks.”

  With my sister clutched high in his arms, he sets her gently atop Outlaw right before he mounts up behind her, her back leaning into his chest. He glares down at me—a hatred I’ve never seen before in his dark eyes.

  “Headed to the hospital in Helena. For your sake, boy, you’d best hope she’ll be all right.”

  I watch as he whips around and takes off in a billowing cloud of dust.

  “Pa, wait for me!” I race after them but by the time I make it to the house the taillights of the old blue Chevy are already a quarter mile up the driveway.

  I collapse on the front porch swing and sob uncontrollably. I didn’t know that many tears could come out of a body. Then I just become numb, fearing deep down that something is wrong—very, very wrong. Day turns into night and the only words that are pounding around in a repeat loop in my head are, “Is she all right?”

  Finally, after what seems like a year-long wait, I watch the streaky beams of the truck come down the lone dirt drive.

  I rush to the truck and in the darkness watch my father get out, his battered Stetson clutched tightly in his right hand. He looks older, beaten down. He won’t meet my eyes.

  My lips tremble as I ask, “Pa, where’s Vivian?”

  “Gone.”

  “Gone?” I repeat the single word, not understanding.

  “Too late. Nothin’ they could do. Organs started shuttin’ down on the drive there.”

  “But, but, they can fix her. I saw on TV they have medicine for snakebites—anti-venom I think it’s called—right Pa? They’re gonna fix her, ain’t they? Never heard of nobody dyin’ of a snakebite.”

  I gasp and stumble back as he rages at me, “That’s because you ain’t never seen a small girl get struck seventeen times by rattlers and have to wait close to three hours for treatment! They pumped her full of that shit—I watched ’em do their best—but she was already in a coma. Now know this, boy, now and forever, I put this all on your head, Colton.”

  I stand alone, shaking in the night as he turns and walks away from me.

  “Vivian?” I whisper helplessly into the air.

  Her reply never comes.

  Chapter Four

  2:15 a.m.—Present Day

  Club Sub-Zero, Broughton Street, Savannah

  The smooth, rhythmic strains of “Greyhound” by Swedish House Mafia throb in perfect unison with the rapid flashes from the overhead strobe lights as I wind my way through designer-clad bodies, heading toward the roped-off VIP area of the ultra exclusive nightclub. Tristan’s pale eyes are watching me with chilling potency as I close the distance between us. He nods to one of his men to release the latch of the leather rope, which obviously makes him feel quite important.

  “Cosette, it’s been a while, my darling.”

  “Not long enough.”

  His mouth tightens in distaste at my insult, but he shows no other sign that he’s affected before smoothly offering, “You look stunning as always. Please join me. Belvedere and tonic?”

  “No. I’m here for one reason, Tristan, you know that.”

  With an exasperated sigh, he waves his men away before leaning forward, both forearms resting on the thighs of his gray designer suit. “Cosette, I’ll be straight with you. I want us to put the past behind us. I want you back in my life. I want things to be how they were before you moved out. And before you respond, know that declining my offer would be a grave, regrettable mistake.”

  He can’t be serious. Threats? I thought this would be a meeting about information regarding the recent attacks, and here he is, turning it into something to benefit his needs. Narcissist.

  “You’re one hundred percent declined. That ship sailed long ago, Tristan. Now, do you have the information I’m here for, or was the phone call just a ploy to get face time?”

  He pats the black leather seat beside him. “Sit with me.”

  I’m boiling with anger at his arrogance. “No. You can’t smooth-talk me, not after what you’ve done. Now, you have exactly five seconds to tell me what I came for tonight or I’m gone. Five, four, three ….”

  He straightens and runs his right hand back through his long, flaxen hair. His controlled power is undeniable as he muses, “All right, all right, always so tenacious, Cosette. Actually, that is one of the qualities I’ve always loved in you.”

  Seething inside, I lean in and hiss cruelly, “Really? That’s interesting, Tristan, because that quality couldn’t possibly have been in the forefront of your mind when you repeatedly tried to turn me against my own uncle by filling my head with black lies. Or to give another example, when I caught you with Sonia’s mouth wrapped around your cock. I see that this meeting is nothing but a complete waste of my time.”

  He’s livid as I spin around and cut back the way I came.

  I hear his voice behind me calling out to his men in barely contained rage, “Bring her back to me. Now!”

  He wouldn’t dare make a scene here, in a club filled with witnesses, would he? If they try to stop me then I definitely will. Humans watching or not.

  Suddenly a long arm lands hot and heavy across my bare shoulders, momentarily stopping me in my tracks.

  I’m about to shove the male aside when a low, familiar voice floats down to me, “You’re sure in a hurry tonight, wildcat. Somebody botherin’ you that I need to know about, sweetheart?”

  Does his timing ever suck!

  “Move away, cowboy. I’m in kind of a hurry.”

  Still holding me close, he pivots us around to watch Tristan’s thugs fighting through the heaving crowd.

  “You sure do keep some nasty company, sugar.”

  “Not by choice. Now move or you’re going to regret it.”

  “Nuh-uh, princess, took me over a week of asking around to try and find out anything about you. Just happened to be on my way home tonight when I saw your ride parked out front. Not missing this opportunity.”

  I seethe, “Are you deranged?”

  He grins, his white teeth flashing in the strobes, “Fuck, yes, although I’ll admit, I’ve never been asked that question by anyone as pretty as you. Kind of a turn on.”

  I huff in exasperation as I shove him out of the way and power forward toward the edge of the jammed dance floor, only to be stopped by a mammoth human bouncer whose dark eyes are moving between mine and the guard dogs rapidly closing in. He touches the device in his ear, saying, “Got it, will do.”

  Damn! I underestimated Tristan’s level of control in this setting. I never should have come alone tonight. I should have brought Ambrose and Alina with me for backup. Shit!

  The towering bald bouncer frowns and says, “Back up, lady. Looks like Tristan needs a word with you.”

  A cool, menacing voice answers for me, “She’s with me and we’re leavin’. You got a problem, my man? If so, let’s settle that shit right now.”

  His hand snakes around my waist and I’m pulled in tightly against the warmth of his torso.

  He hasn’t a clue who he’s starting trouble with. Tristan could snap his neck as an afterthought while drinking a martini, while playing a game of chess … all simply for touching me.

  Closing in from behind, one of Tristan’s guards threatens, “Release her now. She’s coming with us.”

  He twists us around to face them and I watch Colton smile a malicious grin, one of a fearless killer, before he lands th
e two giant vampires with, “You just try and take her from me.” I’m stunned to see a glimmer of excitement in his eyes, as if he would almost welcome the violent altercation.

  I speak low and quickly, “Don’t do this. You don’t know what they’re capable of.”

  I know I can get out of here, but now I need to try and get him out of here as well. Damn it!

  His eyes never leave theirs as he says, “Think that’s the other way around, wildcat. Time we bail. This place has always been a den of fuckin’ wannabe assholes, anyhow.”

  As fast as a whip he lashes out with a powerful haymaker that catches the first of Tristan’s men square in the jaw. It hardly fazes the vampire—only causes him to stagger back two steps. Both of them lurch for us as we spin around, the bouncer blocking our way.

  No time! Need to move fast!

  “I’ll handle this.” The words fall from my lips as I kick the bouncer backward through the set of swinging glass doors. Any humans who see the act will most likely be too drunk or high at this late hour to process it. Even if they do, it would have appeared to be a fast, bad-ass martial arts kick that caught him right in the chest, nothing more. There is no way for them to measure the inhuman power behind it.

  We leap over his splayed out body as Colton shouts, “My ride is right behind yours! Go!”

  I jump onto my bike and take off as Tristan’s furious guards race out onto the sidewalk, fighting their way through the crowd of bystanders. I can hear Colton’s engine behind mine, knowing that he’s made it. Not until we’re three traffic lights away do I pull over to the curb. He rolls up beside me on his low-slung chopper that perfectly suits his huge frame.

  I lift my visor to meet a glacial stare as he asks angrily, “You wanna give me some idea what all that bullshit was about back there?”

  “No. I don’t. It was my personal business.”

  The muscles in his neck and shoulders go rigid as he grates out, “Your business, huh? Woman, I about capped three guys in a packed nightclub just to get us outta there safely, so I think the very least you can do is give me a fuckin’ explanation. The cloak and dagger act is wearin’ thin, sweetheart.”