by L. C White
“What the hell are you smiling about?” she snaps.
“Oh, nothing.”
Her view switches from me back to the road. “Look Nathan, I know you think I’m being a bitch about… well everything.”
“Not at all,” I smirk.
“If you’re going to be like that about it.” Her tone has become almost congenial. I’m actually intrigued.
“I’m not being like anything Sara,” I say. “It’s been a tough day.”
“I need to make sure we follow the plan. I allowed all of this to happen,” she says in frustration.
“What?”
“I should have stopped Adrien. He should have never gone near Liz,” she sighs. “I knew it would result in something terrible.”
“You could say we all knew, Sara. If I’d have been there for Liz, not been such an asshole, then who knows.”
“You really do love her still don’t you?”
I swallow down, glancing briefly outside. “I think I always will… but it’s different now. Seeing her happy is all that matters. I hate Adrien for what he’s done, but Liz will never see me in the same light. She’ll do anything for that dick. That’s why I’m here, to make sure whatever happens, I can bring her back.”
“Wow, Nathan, I never knew you had such depth.” Her smile hits my side vision, and it’s contagious. “I think you’re brave to come here, and it’s sweet.”
“Sweet, no. It’s necessary, Sara. She has a kid to him, and they’re both in danger.”
I glance over the headrest. Finally, after near on forty eight hours, he has his eyes closed. His little podgy face is all scrunched up as though he’s annoyed he’s sleeping.
“What will happen to him?” I ask.
Sara peers at Daniel in the rear-view mirror then looks back to the road. “I don’t know… all we can do is wait, and make sure he’s protected.”
“You believe Adrien can stop Selene?” I ask, doubtful.
“Not one vampire would ever believe that possible. The days of blood wars ended centuries ago.” She bites briefly on her cheek. “Adrien will figure it out.”
I laugh out. “Yeah, I’ve seen how he figures things out that night Laurie nearly killed you and Liz. He did a good job there.” I grow angry talking about him, but can’t help myself. “I was told he used to be some kind of assassin for The Order. All I see in him is a weak fuck-up, who likes to pull others down with him.”
“You need to shut up.”
“Well, look at us,” I say. “I’m a Vigore, and you follow him into the shit willingly. Liz has had her life ripped from her, and now this little guy in the back, faces a life on the run.” I check to see if he’s still sleeping. “When are you all going to conclude, that Adrien Knight should be avoided at all cost?”
“For all that’s happened, the good he’s done outweighs everything else,” she insists in a nasty tone. “He’s saved countless human and vampire, and the only reason we are in this mess, is because he fell in love. So if I hear one more word, I will kill you myself.”
I roll my eyes, watching the trees whizz by. Just what is it about him that they all think so godly? I hate him for what he’s done. Yet others forgive him and follow his every word. Well I won’t be a kiss-ass. I’m here solely for Liz, and Daniel. They don’t deserve this.
Chapter 24: Under my Skin
Nathan
After spending two long hours in silence, because I’m not allowed to say a bad word about Adrien, we’re finally pulling up by a black Chevrolet pickup truck, just inside the boarders of Cove forest. I eyeball our temporary safe-house, expecting to see some huge glorified modern statement of glass. But this place, I didn’t expect. It’s an old white panelled building with a porch, and next to it stands a dilapidated barn.
I look into the backseat to see Daniel still sleeping soundly. His face has now un-scrunched with not a care in the world. I envy the little fella. This world is kind of mind-numbing when you have so much time on your hands. Even drink doesn’t help. Yes, alcohol numbs my senses, but even the effects of that get boring after twenty-four hours. I even miss, dare I say it, being hungover. I miss being able to punish myself because the energy and blood I draw in, makes me inhumanly able to cope with anything toxic.
Sara gets out as I unclip the seatbelt from the baby seat. She staring at the house because it’s not up to her standards. I’m enjoying the disappointment on her face. It’s the kind of look you’d see on someone who has won the lotto, only to be told they’re sharing the million pound jackpot with a million other people.
“You going to be alright here Sara?” I smirk. “It’s not the lap of luxury you’re used to.”
She ignores me, doesn’t even give me her signature bitchy eyes, and storms up to the porch as Ben emerges.
Okay, I’ve sacrificed a lot to be here, and now, I’ve got to spend god knows how long under the same roof, with a bunch of Sangs who don’t particularly like me. Great.
“Where’s Liz?” I ask, gently placing Daniel down on the stained decking.
Ben crouches down to the car seat. He’s not met Daniel yet, and is clearly amazed by him.
“Ben,” Sara interrupts Ben’s wonderment. “Is Adrien here yet?”
Ben stands up, and I don’t like the look he’s giving me. Asshole. I swear, if there wasn’t a baby right next to my leg, I’d have my hands around his neck.
I try to go in more tactically; to get inside his head. But I get nothing. He’s all prepped up to be in close quarters with a Vigore.
“No,” he eventually replies to Sara.
“Nathan. Man. Long-time no see.”
I look over my shoulder to see Dom casually wandering over, with his arms out. I don’t want to meet and greet, to act all pally-pally. I want to know what’s going on. I refuse to shake his hand, and step right in front of Ben’s face.
“Well, let’s have a look at the little cherub,” Dom cheerily continues, squatting before the car seat. “What’s the little dudes’ name?”
“Daniel.” Sara picks up the car seat, and places it on a dusty oval rug through the front door.
“Has Adrien not called you?” I ask Ben. “I knew that prick would mess up again.”
Ben grabs my neck, not for long though. I’m not going to stay here without putting my foot down. I thrust him back, and now I have him pinned up against a dark dresser before a staircase.
“Nathan, let him go you idiot,” Sara yells, leaving Daniel with a gooey-eyed Dom.
I grunt and push him back hard, as I release my hold.
“Give me his number,” I demand, ready to blow again.
“No one is to call him… unless it’s an emergency,” Ben eyeballs me.
I get close to his face, he doesn’t scare me; Adrien’s little pet. None of them do, bunch of failures these Sangs. If you’re going on the run, you have a decent plan. I want to know where they are, and if Liz is safe.
“Well I think this counts as an emergency doesn’t it?” I say.
“I will call tonight. The time I was given, and not before,” he says, making his way to a door on the far wall.
“Nathan,” Dom says. “They’ll be here soon, trust me.”
Sara takes Daniel out from the car seat, and walks through the same door Ben vanished through. I don’t think she’s happy about me flying off the handle.
“The boss has never let any of us down before,” Dom adds.
“Yeah, does that include Liz?” I anger.
“I know this isn’t ideal.” He takes a step nearer and pats my shoulder. “Watching this shit unfold. It’s crazy to think, this time last year you and Liz had no idea we existed.” I shake my head, moving away from his annoying chirpiness. “But we need to work this out together. Adrien will protect Liz, and you need to work with us.” He pulls a twenty pack out from his jacket pocket, and flicks the butt end of a cigarette up between his lips. “Want a smoke?”
His damn enthusiasm, is getting on my nerves. It was okay to deal wit
h when I was human. I could have a laugh with Dom. The world was carefree back then. The world I’m in now is dark as hell and dangerous. So no good will come from his uplifting bullshit.
I can’t be in the same room as him, so I walk to the stairs and stop by the bannister rail. I take out the cell phone Sara gave me to see that it’s only midday. There are no messages or missed calls, and I’m beyond pissed-off. It’s obvious Adrien doesn’t give a shit about his son. I slide it across the surface of the dresser. I need to get out of here. To think. To calm down before I flip out again.
***
I’ve taken refuge in the attic, the furthest place without actually leaving the house. It’s a huge dusty empty space, and the silence up here has my mind running in overdrive.
I’m sitting on an old orange box, looking out of the circular apex window, waiting to see her again. I’ve not felt this way since being turned; so damn helpless. One of the main characteristics of a vampire, is a strange calm nature. It could be because we have all the time in the world to get things done, or a lack of fear. But now, time is killing me with every second that ticks over.
“Nathan, there’s a bag here if you need one,” Sara calls up the stairs, like it’s perfectly normal to serve blood bags for dinner.
“Leave it.”
Oh great, I can hear her footsteps on the creaky wood. Is she going to force me to feed now? She’s probably worried I might be going rabid or something.
I don’t turn to her as she comes through the doorway. I don’t need to talk right now.
“You should feed.” She walks to my back, I can feel her chill on my neck.
“Sara, why do you think I came up here… to get away from you lot.”
She runs her hand over my shoulders in a slow seductive way, before pulling up another orange box to perch on. If she starts to go on about how Mr Prick is going to solve everything, I’m going to have to find another hideout.
“You don’t need to stay up here,” she says.
“Yeah right… you lot down there, carrying on like this is all normal.”
“There’s no point wallowing about it,” she says in a concerned tone, arching over so my view is drawn to her smooth rounded cleavage. “We’re stuck here… for now.”
With a sudden sexual frustration swelling inside me, I laugh at her, removing my eyes from temptation, as my cock stiffens up against my zipper.
“I don’t want a pep-talk from you Sara. You have about the same amount of understanding as a bag of spanners. So just piss-off will you.”
“You really love her still, don’t you?”
Oh fantastic. Like this is something I want to discuss with her, when all I can visualise right now, is her wet lips around me, sucking. How the hell she does it, I don’t know. She has the ability to flood me with a destructive need. I know she wants me. It’s in her eyes. Those big brown fuck-me-now eyes.
“It won’t change a thing Nathan,” she says. “I’ve never seen two beings so meant for each other.”
I bite down. I really, really don’t want to hear this. Of course I love Liz. I always will. But at this moment in time, my attention is on Sara.
“Nathan,” she hums out my name all needy.
She arches over, running her red fingernails up the inside of my thighs, as she rises to stand up over me. My eyes move from hers, down to her tight jeans as her hands lie on my face. I clench my teeth and glare at her zipper, horny and hard as fuck.
“Will you ever see me that way?” She grips my hair and pulls my head back, so I’m forced to look up at her. “It wouldn’t bother me if you did.”
I try to fight it, but she’s managed the impossible. She’s brought me back from that dark place where Liz lingers.
I want her. I need to fuck her right now. I grab her pert firm ass and it pains my cock. Swallowing down, I rub my hands hard against the denim.
“You want me to beg,” she says in a damning hot whisper.
I jump up from the orange box and lift her ass, so her long legs are clinging around my waist. She tugs the roots of my hair, rubbing her slit against me. Shit, I’m grunting. I can feel my vamp side waking, and we both want her hard.
I walk across the attic, holding her. Our eyes lock as I slam her back against the central beam.
“What are you waiting for, Nathan?” she teases too damn well.
With one arm holding her, I reach up with the other and yank her lips to mine. I move down to her neck as her fingers wrap around the beam above her head. She uncoils her leg grip, and pushes me back with her feet.
“Take off your pants,” she demands, biting her cheek. “I want to see what you’re going to use on me, Nathan. I want to see how big you are.”
With my view fixed on her lusting movements, I step back as I unbuckle my belt, slowly. Her back rubs up and down the beam as I gladly let my jeans drop down. Her eyes are on my tender erect cock, and her hands run over her breasts to her waistband, sensually. She unfastens her zipper, then her fingers rise to grip the beam again. She lifts her sexy ass up like a gymnast as I tear off her pants, to reveal that tasty clit I remember very well.
Her wild side comes out to play as her legs swing out and grab me with a vise like grip. I thrust my cock inside her hard, and it’s just what the doctor ordered. Biting her neck, drawing just a tiny amount of her blood, I suck and fuck her, violently.
“Go… On!” she growls, fucking me right back.
I bang her up against the beam. Her blood and come are the perfect combination of ecstatic energy that fuels me.
Her fingers rip my mouth away from her neck, positioning my forehead to rest on hers. She gazes at me with something I’ve not seen in her before, care. I slow my pace as her lips nibble mine, softly. This deeper, slower rhythm, has the tip of my cock ready to discharge.
I kiss her mouth firm and angle back to see the expression every man loves. She’s climaxing, clenching her ass and moaning. The feel of her cool come slicking up my cock is so damn good. Fuck. Too damn good. I ejaculate, pushing hard into her as the last spurt leaves me groaning into her hair.
I breathe out and move my head back to see her smiling. It’s a tender smile. I thread her messy hair behind her ear.
“What was that?” I ask.
“What was what?” She’s trying to be casual, but I can see her crumbling.
“That’s not the Sara I know. She wouldn’t have released so easy… so soon.”
“What do you really know about me, Nathan?”
“Clearly not enough,” I say, meaning every word.
A noise draws my attention from the bottom of the stairs. Sara loosens her leg hold and I pull out, sliding my hands one last time over her smooth ass. I bend quickly and yank my jeans up over my legs.
“Sara, put him down… We have company,” Ben yells upstairs.
I rush across to the window, fastening my belt buckle. Adrien is bent over in the backseat of a white rusty truck. He pulls Liz’s body out, up into his arms.
Sara is standing right behind me, and as shitty as it is, she is now nothing but a distant thought. I push by her, and hurry down the stairs.
I skid to a stop, holding onto the wall unit, watching as Adrien lies Liz’s bloody lifeless body on the couch. Sara jogs by me and takes Daniel out of Dom’s arms. He’s staring at his mum. Fuck, she’s dead isn’t she?
I hurry to the back of the couch. I need to see her. Adrien kneels, stroking her hair from her face. She has dry blood over her head, cheek, and down her top. She’s filthy. What the fuck happened to her?
Adrien looks up at me. He’s riled I’m here, but I don’t give a shit.
“Why isn’t she breathing?” I yell. “What did you do?”
He calmly stands up. “I did nothing, and she is breathing you idiot.” He rubs his hands down his face. “We were followed, and I had to take a detour to get them off our tail,” he explains. “She got loose and… and well as you can see, she took them out.”
“Who was it?” Ben steps f
orward.
“Two new bloods at a service station in New Westminster. I thought we’d shaken them off, but that piece of crap outside kept stalling, and we were rammed off road.”
“How the hell did they know where to find you?” I bark. “Are there more?”
He peers down at Liz. “No.”
I notice how he has not one drop of blood on him. My fingers curl into a fist.
“So, she really stopped them did she?” I yell. “Or did you just fancy another taste of her.”
He freezes up, doesn’t say a word in response. I gaze down at her. My best friend all messed up.
“Ben, Dom, take Elizabeth upstairs,” he orders. “Make sure you restrain her to the bed.”
“Is that really necessary?” I keep my anger fixed on him.
“Yes it is,” Adrien snarls.
“I want to talk to her,” I demand.
“Does she look in any sort of state to talk to anyone,” he yells. “You can see her when I say.” He storms through the swing door into the kitchen.
I inhale, watching Dom lift Liz from the couch. Her arms flop lifelessly as they take her to the stairs. I know if I stay here, I will end up losing it. I need a timeout.
***
I have half a bottle of whisky left and it’s doing fuck all to ease my irritation. I’ve been sitting here behind the barn for hours now, smoking Dom’s cigarettes, one after the other, and drinking Ben’s alcohol which I found in the Chevrolet. I’m questioning whether I made a mistake coming here. I guess I’m still holding onto the past. Pretending I’m still Liz’s protector. Human. I need to get my head around the fact things will never be like that between Liz and I again. We’re both no longer those people.
With my knees to my chest and my back against the corroded wall, I flick the drained cigarette butt from my lips, and take another glug of whisky.
“Hey.” I turn my head against the wood to see Sara standing at the corner, holding a blood bag.
I shake my head and turn away, unsure whether I’m pissed-off she’s here, or kind of relieved. I decide to hold onto the cruel comment on the tip of my tongue.