Savannah Past Midnight

by Christine Edwards

  She slides off me and stands beside the bed, adjusting her skirt. “My cowboy. So protective.”

  I get up and twine my arms around her waist. “You know it, Cosette. One last thing … why did you come to the fight tonight? It’s been two weeks and I was beginning to think we might never see each other again.”

  “It’s simple, really. I couldn’t fight the pull anymore. You’ve done things to me, to my emotions, that are difficult to explain and impossible to deny. I tried hard to stay away, but each hour, each second that went by became more of a weight, a discomfort that had only one cure. You, Colton. You.”

  My chest tightens as I pull her against me. In that moment I realize that she’s the one I’ve been searching for my entire life.

  Now I just have to come up with a solid plan to keep us both alive.

  Chapter Nine

  Eleven Years Ago

  Brennan Ranch

  I glance sidelong at the headlights of my old Bronco that are providing the only source of illumination for my grueling task. The fierce blizzard started up just shy of three hours ago. After checking miles of fence line I’d met up with the old man a quarter mile from the house, where he informed me that there was a massive gap on the western side barbed wire. Lucky me, I was the guy for the job.

  The wind is so fierce and the driving snow so thick that my visibility is limited to about twelve inches ahead. I’ve already re-seated a new post—the one that caused the collapse in the first place. The old one had substantial rot and is lying to the side, mostly buried beneath the snow. My leather work gloves provide little in the way of warmth, and at this point sensation is nearly gone, but they’re my best defense against my hands getting torn up from the barbed wire. I pause for a second and consider climbing into the truck to warm up for a minute but decide against it, wanting to get the job done. Fucking around will just stretch the misery out longer.

  Our heated disagreements over just about everything have steadily become more frequent over the years and the tension between us constantly threatens to boil over. I thought that after my father remarried six years ago, he might calm down. Alice seems like a nice lady, far better than he deserves, but he’s still the same damned mean-ass bastard he’s always been. Nah, I’ll stay out here until the job is done—don’t want to give him yet another reason to come down on me. I do the work quickly and efficiently and things are nearly tolerable between us. When my work is not to his liking, well, then there’s hell to pay.

  “Aw, shit!” I’m nearly finished when my right glove gets snagged up on a rusty barb. I fuck with it for a few minutes; finally, teeth chattering, I give up and slide my hand out of the protection.

  The burning in my exposed hand is immediate and intensely painful. Cursing furiously, I get to work in the near blinding conditions, finally managing to get the last wire strung and secured, doing my best not to get my bare hand snagged up.

  I curse a blue streak as I grab my tools and haul ass over to my Bronco. Thankfully I left the thing running and I moan at the welcoming heat.

  Staring at the mended fence I lash out, “Bastard wolves, let’s see you fuckers try to get at the cattle through this!”

  After what seems like forever, my teeth stop chattering, and that’s when the panic sets in because my right hand is still numb and deathly white.

  “Fuck!”

  I flip on the overhead light and whip the glove off my left hand to compare them. The right one definitely looks different, ghostly, but it’s the loss of feeling that makes my stomach twist and clench.

  I unfasten my coat and shove the injured hand into the center of my Carhartt, doing my best to warm it against my flannel shirt as I use my good hand to drive back to the house. It seems to take forever because the drifts have become deeper. Even with four wheel drive I’ve spun out a few times.

  The old man is watching the news and before I have one boot in the front door he asks without looking at me, “Repair done?”

  “Yup. Think I might have a problem though.”

  In open annoyance he mutes the TV and stares over at me. Without saying a word, he’s letting me know he expects me to start talking. The caring type he’s not.

  “Glove got snagged up on the wire. Had to work without it for a while. Think I might have frostbite.”

  He shakes his head and growls, “Then drive your butt to the hospital, boy. I’m sure as hell not gonna take you. Next time I step foot in that place is when the meat wagon comes for me.”

  I stare blankly as he looks away and clicks the sound back on.

  Standing silently in the corner near the kitchen, Alice says in a small voice, “I’ll drive you, Colton. Just let me get my coat.”

  As the last word leaves her lips my father states matter-of-factly, “No, you won’t, Alice. Your tail is staying put right here where it belongs.”

  I turn on my heel and head back out into the storm, wondering why I even bothered to come into the house to begin with. In that moment I’ve come to realize that he’s never gonna change his nature. Not ever.

  The doctor scribbles a few notes after the examination and I’m on edge with what he has to tell me.

  “Well son, looks like you got lucky. It’s my assessment that you have suffered only first degree frostbite on your right hand. The fact that the skin was exposed in the current wind chill and wasn’t severely damaged amazes me. We are going to wrap it to allow it to heal properly and I would like you to stay here under observation for the next forty-eight hours. I’ll send the nurse in to take care of everything. Do you have any questions for me or is there anyone we can call for you?”

  “No, sir. I’m not gonna lose any fingers, am I?”

  “No. As far as I can determine, everything is going to heal. The trauma was limited to the surface of the skin only. So long as you follow the treatment instructions and do not re-expose or injure the hand then the skin will return to normal. It might take up to a week for full sensation to return but you should not have any permanent nerve damage.”

  I nod at the silver-haired doctor and he starts to leave the room. When he’s a few feet from the door I call out, “Hey Doc, one last thing.”

  Glancing down to check his pager that has just gone off he asks, “Yes?”

  “Passed by an Army recruiting office on the drive into town. Do you know what time they open?”

  “I’m not certain but one of the nurses can bring in a phone book for you.” She straightens his glasses and asks curiously, “Why?”

  “ ’Cause when I check out of here that’s my next stop.”

  He stares at me and nods before saying, “Well, you seem to just meet the age requirement so I’d have to say that’s an admirable decision.”

  He’s gone before I can respond.

  Alone in the sterile room, I stare out the second floor window at the endless swirling snow, wondering why the fuck my mother didn’t take us with her when she left him for that bull rider so long ago. Had she owned up and done the right thing, my sister might very well be alive and I’d certainly be in a hell of a lot better shape than I am now. After tonight, I know that if I stick around he’ll all but take my soul away with his relentless demands and indifference.

  Nope, time to go the solo route. My eyes slide shut and I will myself to rest up for the unknown.

  Chapter Ten

  2:20 a.m.—Present Day

  West Hull Street, Savannah

  The sweet scent of magnolias and jasmine permeates the humid air as I step out of my three-story stucco home, nestled between two other elegant ones very similar in style. The night is tranquil, and aside from an unfamiliar van that is parked about a hundred yards away, everything seems quite normal.

  I’ve replayed my last encounter with Colton countless times in my head. I never knew how profound an impact one person could have on another in such a short period of time. The fact that what we have together is rare is beginning to really sink in, and I’ve decided the best thing to do is take it step by step
. Earlier tonight I made a trip over to The Fresh Market on Abercorn Street. I want to cook for him and hope that after a long shift he’ll be hungry. I smile in anticipation of what he’ll think of my house. I hope he likes my taste. The décor is not far off from the subdued tones and classical styling of his own pad. I was going to text him that I’m heading his way now, but we’ve already agreed that I’ll pick him after his shift so it isn’t necessary. Besides, I like the anticipation factor.

  My fingers reach out for the handle of my car when the first violent blow comes from behind, so unexpected, rapid, and forceful that I’m launched forward over the hood of my Audi, slamming hard against the iron gate that leads to my home. The precision and force of the attack could only have come from a single source—vampire.

  The instant my body hits the ground I put aside any pain and go straight into survival mode, flipping upright onto my feet. Then I hear an unfamiliar voice say, “Get the wolf! I’ll force her into the back garden. Remember, he said it has to look like it took her down, not us.”

  I’m livid, thinking, Just you try me, fuckers.

  I hold still and wait for the battle to begin. All my training flashes through my mind as I catch sight of the back of the van opening up. Immediately I scent the wolf that is led over on a heavy chain by an unknown vampire. I should trace, but I know that if I do they’ll keep hunting me and I’ll never have the answers as to why I’m being stalked and threatened. No, I’ll take them down in this order: vampire number one first, wolf second, and finally, vamp number two— that is, after I extract intel from him about why I’m being targeted.

  In the blink of an eye the vampire traces in front of me. His hand reaches out to grab hold of my neck, but I drop low and take his legs out in a blur of speed. He goes for my ankle and traces us both to the walled back garden where the other vampire and the huge animal are already waiting for us.

  Play it smart and tactical, Cosette. Fear has no place in scenarios such as this one.

  The vamp on my ankle has just let go and is now upright, about to leap onto me, when I disappear, tracing behind him to get his neck in a chokehold. He hisses violently and flips me up and over his back, which shakes loose my grip. Instinct takes over and I simply react, kicking him hard in the chest. My kick sends him flying back against a gurgling fountain that is quickly demolished. I’m doing my best to keep the other vamp and the animal in my line of sight, just in case they decide to join in the fun. The wolf is snarling uncontrollably and seems to be working itself in a frenzy to get at me. I charge headlong at the injured vampire, and before he can put up much of a fight to push me away, I go for his neck, biting savagely over and over again until I nearly take his head off. That will come later.

  I turn back to the wolf and the second highly pissed-off vampire, who sneers, “You’ll pay for that, you stupid cunt.”

  I shrug. “Not my fault that your amateur buddy couldn’t hold his own, now is it?” He glares at me as I continue in a bored tone, “Well, what are you waiting for? Come collect, big talker, and know that I’ll find out exactly who sent you. Trust me, you’re not going to like how I play.”

  Both our heads whip to the right as a neighbor shouts from an open window directly across the dark street, “Hey! What the fuck? It’s after two in the morning! Shut your damn dog up or I’m callin’ the cops and animal control, assholes!”

  The vamp sneers cruelly and with cold eyes never leaving mine, he reaches down to unclip the beast from its thick chain. It’s salivating hard as it lunges straight for me like Stephen King’s Cujo. I flash to the side and punch it in the head as it passes by, hardly fazing it. I do my best to take down the wolf first but the second vamp is tracing all around me, doing his best to disorient me as I fight. The first vamp is long gone, leaving only a pool of blood in his wake. He must have taken off after I ripped into him. I’m surprised he was still able to trace, but there’s no time to dwell on him.

  Suddenly I’m hit brutally on the side of my head by the swiftly tracing vampire. The blow brings me to my knees for a moment as I trace to the far corner of the courtyard to get myself together. Unfortunately the wolf is already waiting there, only two feet away. I don’t have time to pull back a fist. All I can do is hold the thing by its neck as it lunges for me, its powerful jaws snapping away as it gets closer to my face.

  To hell with this!

  Using all my strength, I toss it forcefully to the side, which will buy me the time I need to reposition myself and take it down. The moment I release the wolf it lands on all fours and spins back around, already coming at me. I’m bracing for impact when I lose sight of the other vampire. Panic grips me as the wolf leaps, and in a split second I’m shoved forward by the sneaky vampire who has traced behind me. My raised hands aren’t enough to stop it as the beast’s teeth rip into the side of my neck with the power of an electric chain saw. I scream in agony at the possibly lethal bite. It’s crazed as it unleashes on me, mauling me repeatedly in the chest and neck as the vampire holds me down by the arm, preventing me from tracing away. At this point I’m trying desperately to just get it off of me. Its weight is tremendous as it presses me against the damp grass.

  Suddenly the strobe of a flashlight swings in our direction. “Savannah Police! Don’t move!”

  The vampire hisses in black rage, “Next time there won’t be anyone around to save you, Cosette!”

  And with that he takes off with the wolf, disappearing over the back wall into the cloak of night. I choke out a cry of desperation, knowing that the wounds are going to be fatal if I don’t get help immediately. The lights of the police officer are closing in and I hear the latch of my gate click open. He’s only thirty feet away when I clasp my shredded neck and will my body into stillness, using the last of my energy reserves to trace to the safest place I know—Severin’s. I only hope that someone is there to help me.

  “Hey … someone here? Ambrose? That you?”

  I know that deep bass voice; it belongs to Case. With my throat nearly carved away I can’t respond. Lying prone on my back in their dark kitchen I do the only thing I can do—I smack my free palm frantically against the hardwood floor and hope to God that suspicion gets the best of him and he comes in to investigate. My vision is dimming, but I can make out his imposing frame as he rounds the corner a second before the recessed lights flick on overhead, causing me to squint.

  “What the fuck ….”

  He speaks in a stunned whisper. Suddenly his instincts override the shock and in a flash, he’s kneeling down by my side, uncertain of where to start because I’m so wrecked.

  He says in a rush, “Gonna text Severin. Two seconds, Cosette. Hold tight for me, girl.”

  I’m trembling hard from the massive blood loss as I watch him whip out his cell, his thick fingers flying across the glowing blue screen. Setting the phone to the side he wastes no time ripping into his own wrist, and his warm blood immediately begins to fall in fat plops on my cheeks as he positions the wound against my mouth. The only thought that keeps echoing in my head is, Please, please let my throat work enough to take in his blood. If not, I’m doomed.

  His rich blood fills my mouth but I can’t seem to swallow. Wide with panic, my eyes fly to his. He seems to understand the problem and carefully slides his dark tattooed arm beneath my shoulders to prop me up.

  I nearly weep when I feel the first healing trickle slide down the remnants of my ravaged throat. Even that miniscule amount begins to work its magic as my body jolts hard in his arms. It’s like someone just hit me with a defibrillator. More blood slides down and my body responds greedily, going straight to work on the damage.

  “Better?” he rumbles.

  Still unable to speak, I do my best to answer with my eyes.

  “All right. Just relax and drink.”

  A female voice calls out from the hallway, “Baby, the movie’s about to start. What’s the hold up?”

  She rounds the corner and I watch her hands fly up to her lips at the carnage
. Her eyes are wide and questioning as they meet Case’s.

  He speaks quickly in a controlled voice, “Severin’s niece, Cosette. He’s on his way. Go get us some towels, Kiana.”

  The unfamiliar brunette turns and races back the way she came as I focus on getting as much of his healing blood as possible into my body.

  Severin’s voice booms out from the adjoining room, “Case! Where is she?”

  “Kitchen,” he calls out over his shoulder.

  I pick up on the unmistakable worry in his tone as his footsteps close in.

  “Cosette!”

  He drops down on the other side of me. I flinch at the distress that’s etched into his face. I hope he knows that I would never show up like this unless it was a life or death situation. As family, he was my only choice, regardless of our personal differences. Behind him stands a petite woman with waist-length golden hair. I’ve never known my uncle to have anything other than casual physical relationships but I’m in too much agony right now to speculate as to whether or not they’re together.

  His eyes leave mine and he asks Case, “Details?”

  “Not much, man. I was heading to the wine cooler to tag a bottle when I heard a strange gurgling sound. Almost blew it off ’til the smacking started up. She was obviously trying to get one of us to help her. Thank fuck I’m a suspicious bastard. No clue what took out her throat. From what I can see, it doesn’t look like the work of a vampire. Thoughts?”

  “Got the towels!” Kiana races over and sets a stack of gray towels down next to Case.

  I can feel the repair already in process. The muscles are knitting back together and my depleted energy is slowly returning, bringing me back from the brink. I so owe Case ….

  “Difficult to tell without a closer look.”

  Severin’s cool hand brushes across my forehead. His tone is calm as he leans closer to ask, “Cosette, can you release your neck so I can have a look? Don’t be frightened. His blood is already healing you. The trauma is fading rapidly.”