Death of Night

by Krissy Reynolds

  I took a cautious step backward. Each one, except the leader, took a small step forward, following me. They now stood in their straight line; individuals joined together for one cause.

  They all took another footstep towards me. And another one. They were only three feet away from me. There had to be something I could do to stop what was coming.

  "Wait!" I shouted when they advanced even more, "At least tell me why you're doing this!"

  Thanes, Rhiannon, the second male, and the other female paused, glancing at their leader. He nodded his head, and turned his dark eyes to my face. The rest of them looked at me as well.

  It was Thanes who spoke first. "You are dangerous," he said matter-of-factly.

  "I am?" I asked, confused.

  "Yes, deadly to us," the second man took over, "That's why we need to eliminate you."

  I choked on my next breath. "You stabbed me?"

  "No, we had no part in that," Thanes said grimly.

  The second female said slowly, "We are not the only ones after you. All of our kind have taken a side. One to is kill you and the other to turn you."

  No words came into my brain for a few seconds. I didn't understand any of this. "All of your kind?" I decided to say.

  All five of them had expressions of surprise on their face, some mild, and others shocked.

  "Well, that explains a lot," Thanes breathed, understanding.

  Rhiannon's surprise quickly turned into glee. The woman next to her smiled. The second man had a sinister gleam in his eyes. Oh, this was just great.

  "She doesn't even know what she's up against," Rhiannon leered with delight.

  "Shall we show her?" the man with the disturbing look growled.

  I shivered, curling my fists into tight balls. I didn't try to delude myself into thinking I could take down five people, but I was going to fight for as long as I could.

  The seconds ticked by. The rain was falling harder now, hitting the parking lot's gravel with loud drumming sounds. I made eye contact with the second man. He grinned menacingly at me. I gasped when I saw his canines were extended far beyond what was normal. Panicking, I looked at the rest of them. They smiled, finding my fear entertaining. Through the smiles, their teeth seemed abnormally sharp. Sharper than they had been before.

  Eyes completely black and razor-sharp canines made them look like creatures from a different world. An aura of seductiveness and unearthly power encompassed each and every one of them.

  Thanes moved, and I jumped slightly. I saw he was just testing me. The nameless woman ran a tongue over her teeth, eyes narrowed, focused on me. The second man began circling around me, lips curved in the same lethal smile. I twisted to the right so I could watch him and the ones in front of me.

  It became apparent that they wanted to play a game with me.

  "Who are you people?" I hissed under my breath.

  Rhiannon laughed darkly and said, "We're not people."

  The security light went out with a click. Darkness surrounded us. My eyes didn't adjust to the blackness, and I stared blankly into the night. I couldn't see any of them. Alarm and panic ran through my veins, settling in my stomach, but still hummed in every inch of my skin.

  An ominous laugh filled the night's silence. My skin prickled at the sound.

  Without a warning, I was hit with the impact of an 18-wheeler truck.

  Chapter 6

  * * *

  I went down on my knees, gasping for breath. Water from the puddle underneath me soaked through my jeans with a cold sensation. I tried to gather my scattered thoughts. I didn't even know where I had been hit. I reached a shaking hand out, touching the wet ground to stable my world. My other hand pressed firmly into my forehand to stop its pounding.

  After I had somewhat collected myself, I raised my head to look at them. I had adjusted to the darkness, but not enough to make out their faces. I merely saw their outlines, looming over me.

  The one on the far left disappeared in the blink of an eye. I turned, bewildered, in my position to search for them, only to be propelled backwards to land flat on my back. I struggled for air when an ice-cold hand wrapped itself around my neck. It tightened as I attempted to wriggle out of its grasp. My head was being pushed into the gravel, limiting my movements.

  I choked, seeing stars in my vision. The hand suddenly let my neck go. My own fingers massaged it gently. My chest heaved as my lungs welcomed the oxygen back in.

  I rolled onto my side, preparing to push myself back up to a standing position. My heavy breathing mixed in with the dropping raindrops to fill of the silence of nighttime. Slowly, I balanced on my feet to stand in an upright pose. I brushed my dirty palms on my coat and looked up.

  The one on the far left was back in place, like he had never moved. I thought it was Thanes, by his wiry form, but I couldn't be sure.

  The person in the middle of the line broke off from the group, and began to walk around me in a circle. I knew from that that it must have been the second man I had seen. I followed his movements with my eyes, watching the four others with my peripheral vision. I saw his white, elongated teeth flash in the red light of the Sea Shell Motel's neon sign. He was grinning at me, sickly excited at tonight's events.

  All of them seemed to have incredible night vision, holding a great advantage over me. I glanced at the front of the run-down motel. If I could trigger the security lights again, maybe I would be able to fight them off easier. Or maybe I would just be able to see them more clearly when they killed me. Either way, I wanted those lights on.

  I threw my head to the left, as if I was going to go in that direction, to distract them. I turned on my heel and sprinted towards the motel. The lights would come on if there was any movement twenty feet from them. I was probably about forty feet away. I kept running, rain hitting my face harder at my increased speed.

  Ten feet away from me stood the man who had been circling me. I tried to stop, digging my heels into the ground, but to no avail. I slammed right into his hard chest, almost falling. He slid a hand around my waist, supporting my weight with no noticeable strain. He hadn't even budged. His other hand gripped my wrist, and brought it close to his face. My eyes held his black gaze in surprise.

  How had he done that? He had been behind me when I had started to run.

  "How-" I whispered, not understanding.

  The man smiled wickedly, and held my bared wrist closer to his mouth. His pointed canines scraped against my skin. Startled, I tried to jerk my hand out of his grasp, but his iron grip didn't loosen.

  "Hmm," he sighed, closing his eyes, "She smells so good."

  My hair rustled in the wind and a female voice murmured, "Oh, yes. Like a flower. How fitting."

  The man holding me broke his grip. Not expecting it, I fell, only for him to grab both of my forearms and pull me back up. He then pushed me away, letting me go completely.

  His shove was so forceful that I landed in a heap five feet away. Looking up through my curtain of dark hair, I saw him start to walk around me once more. On my right stood the others. They had just appeared; one moment near the parking space Veronica's car had been pulled into, the next right beside me.

  I blinked, and when I opened my eyes, Rhiannon was in front of me, blocking my view of the motel. I stared at her leather shoes for a moment, wondering how she had materialized so quickly. I must have bumped my head, or oxygen wasn't getting to my brain fast enough. Something like that.

  Rhiannon's white hand went out, and backhanded me with a deafening slap. My cheek immediately went numb. I'd been hit quite a few times in the past, since it came with the job, but not like this. She had hardly moved, but my head had rocked back.

  "How is she dangerous?" she called out to the others.

  She pulled me to my feet with one yank. I stumbled at the newfound ground beneath me.

  "She can't outrun us," she laughed.

  Rhiannon hit me again, with her fist this time. My vision swam, and doubled over, holding my shoulder. Her b
low had almost dislocated it. I panted, trying desperately to gather my resolve. I couldn't just take this lying down.

  "She obviously can't fight back," came Rhiannon's voice, softly mocking. I heard a couple of others laugh.

  I made myself stand up straight. I ignored the pain coursing through my body, gritting my teeth. The pain developed into something much more useful: temerity. I would have preferred courage, but it would do.

  Rhiannon was facing away from me, and I took the chance. I charged at her, using my body to knock her down. It would have worked on anyone else, but she just let out a yelp of surprise, and then used one hand to push me off.

  "Ooh, I like this one," Thanes's voice said, admiring.

  Rhiannon growled. The sound came deep and low from her chest, and the sound made me want to run. It was raw, purely primitive. She moved, and then I was lifted off the ground.

  I was flying. I wasn't sure if I was going nuts, but it certainly felt like it. Air whipped through my hair, and no part of my body was touching anything. It was freeing for a moment, then alarming when I became aware I was dropping. It was like the time I had jumped off that cliff in Canada, thirteen years old and thriving. The water below would eventually rise up and take me in.

  Sure enough, half a second later, it did. Except this time it wasn't wet and cold, it was hard and rain-slicked.

  My eyelids slammed shut. The rest of my body I was unable to move. I could feel every inch of me aching, though. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't even think. Pain took over my body and mind, smothering me until I fainted.

  * * *

  My face was being slapped repeatedly. "Tired, are we?" Rhiannon teased.

  My eyes flew open at the sharp burst of pain. It was quickly overcome by the various other hurts I felt. I looked up, seeing the night sky, covered in rain clouds. I moved my hand, testing my muscles. It touched the surface of something solid and smooth. I turned my head. I was lying on top of the beat-up Chevy, stretched out on its hood. When I had first arrived at the Sea Shell Motel, the Chevy had been parked at the far side of the entrance. It had been at least thirty feet to the left of us when Rhiannon had punched me. What in the world?

  Trying to regulate my breathing, I stayed where I was. It was probably safer not to move. Rhiannon's face appeared in front of me, barely visible. She was smiling, and the two others, the other woman and Thanes, behind her were, too. I didn't like it.

  Deciding not to hide, I easily slid off the Chevy's hood, aided by the wetness. My feet hit the gravel with a crunch.

  Rhiannon's eyes went wide. I could tell because the neon red light glinted off them with more glow.

  "Not going to cower any longer?" the other woman asked from behind Rhiannon.

  My lips curved upwards, but I didn't speak. I leaned heavily against the bumper of the truck, faking a look of casualness to give myself a moment to recover.

  "We are far beyond anything you've ever faced," the woman said snidely, "You really think you have a chance?"

  It was only in times like these that I lied to myself. I knew I didn't have a chance, but providing myself with confidence, however false and deceptive, helped me stand in front of them. I still didn't answer, keeping silent so as not to provoke them with my words.

  The five of them moved around me, forming a half circle. We stood there, me looking at them and them watching me, for some time. When I made the slightest shift in my position, they moved the moment I did. It sent chills down my spine, making me shiver.

  "Are you frightened, little human?" Thanes's voice murmured. He stepped forward out of the half circle, approaching me slowly.

  I didn't move. "No," I said in what I hoped was a brave voice.

  Thanes chuckled, and stopped one foot away from me. He reached a hand out, and I jerked when it touched my skin. It was cold like the others' had been. Ice cold, like he had stuck his hand in a snow bank before coming to the motel. He caressed my cheek. I turned my head out of his reach.

  "You aren't scared of us?" he asked playfully.

  "No," I answered, hands gripping the car's bumper tighter.

  "Well, we'll just see about that," Thanes said.

  The others glided out of the way when he grabbed and threw me away from the car. I was on the ground. Again. Anger began to swell up in my chest. I propped myself on my feet as fast as I could, not wanting to let them have the benefit of having me lying down when they finally got around to killing me.

  I realized the front of the motel was diagonal from where I was stationed. It was unblocked by anyone, so I took the chance and darted towards it. They must not have been expecting it, because they didn't stop me before I ran into the twenty yard line. The light blinded me, but I kept running. I wasn't expecting to get away, or even make it into on of the motel's dingy rooms. I was right. Firm arms grabbed me and pulled me around in a complete circle before encasing me in their grasp. I tried to pull away, but it made no difference. I raised my head to look straight into a pair of black eyes. They were solid black, even in the floodlights. It was one of the most unsettling, unnatural things I had ever seen.

  The leader showed me his pointy teeth. "Oh, no you don't."

  I held his gaze, mesmerized by the depths of his eyes. I couldn't look away. His smile widened.

  The dark rings under his eyes were brought out in the bright light. They made him look even more dangerous. But it was a seductive danger.

  The leader dropped his eyes to look around at the others in his group. They were spread out all around us. Thanes was standing the furthest away, with the other man parallel to him. The two women were the nearest to the leader and I. We were close to the trees that encroached on the motel's parking lot. I saw the Chevy in the distance, a small dent on its hood.

  The woman standing next to Rhiannon started toward us. I noticed now that she had honey-coloured hair cut chin-length. The breeze blew through it, blowing it behind her. She walked intentionally slow, each step careful. Thanes and the other man began to come nearer the leader and I, as well. Rhiannon stayed where she was, watching us with her onyx eyes.

  I looked on with amazement. The three of them danced towards. It was the only word I could use to describe it. Dancing. The movement was slow, beautiful, and alluring. It may have only taken them ten seconds to come even with us, but it seemed longer. Compelling black eyes settled on me as I let a slow breath out.

  Their attention was uncomfortable and disconcerting. I fought out of the leader's hold, beating my fists against his hard chest. One hand left my waist, and grabbed my right fist in an impossibly short second. The hand crushed my own. I took a sharp intake of breath when he squeezed harder. I tried to wrench my fist out of his grasp, but he only clamped down harder. My eyes went back up to his face. He was grinning at my apparent distress.

  Anger surged through me once again. "Let go!" I yelled.

  He did, only to grab my wrist and twist it until it made a sickening snap. A scream filled my ears, and I didn't care if it was mine. I almost collapsed, but managed to remain standing, bent over clutching my wrist. It hurt to touch it, and I knew that it was broken.

  "You son of a bitch," I rasped, eyes on the gravel.

  "Oh, look at that," Rhiannon's taunting voice said next to me, making me jump, "We're stronger than you, too."

  I straightened my legs, meeting her eyes with flaming animosity. "Maybe."

  She blinked, appalled. "Maybe?" she said in a low voice.

  In one long blur, she was over by a giant oak tree, hands resting on its thick trunk. She had been right next to me! And now she was twenty feet away. I must've hit my head when I flew into that Chevy.

  Eyes fixed on me, she pulled on the tree. What was she doing?

  The night was flooded with the sound of wood cracking. It was deafening, unbelievably loud. I watched with wide eyes as the big oak was pulled up, roots emerging from the ground, stringy dirt clinging to them. Rhiannon lifted the tree over her head, and flung it with incredible ease into
the middle of the parking lot. Resounding cracks were heard when it hit the rocky surface. The ground shook underneath my feet when the oak collided with it.

  A small sound escaped my mouth. This was not happening. That woman did not just lift that five ton tree out of the ground.

  "'Maybe'," Rhiannon mimicked my previous words, "Maybe?"

  I felt dizzy and lightheaded. Maybe I was dreaming all this. My shoulder throbbed and my wrist was in excruciating pain. I hurt too much to be dreaming.

  "Okay," I corrected, "You're stronger."

  Dark laughter echoed all around me. The five of them stood in front of me in their usual line. This time the light was to my back, and it shone on them. Each one had blackened eyes and smiles that bared their sharp teeth. I took an involuntary step back.

  Thanes unexpectedly jumped up and flew. Yes, flew. He went high enough for me to see the soles of his shoes. I saw the logo of an expensive brand on the bottom of his foot. He must have had a lot of money to afford those shoes. I shook myself and tried to focus on the flying man. It shouldn't have been so hard.

  Thanes dropped down to hover above me. He stayed there for a second, and then swooped down on top of me. I went down yet again. I grabbed his shoulders one-handedly to lessen the impact. His full weight pressed down on top of me, and my lungs felt like they were going to burst. Since I couldn't use my right hand effectively, I send my knee up into his most sensitive area. He may be an inhuman piece of crap, but he was still a man. He let out a groan and rolled off me.

  The unnamed woman snickered. "Ouch, Thanes. That must've hurt."

  "Good one, human," Rhiannon smirked, "He's really pissed now."

  I scrambled to my feet. Thanes hopped up, brushed himself off, and turned to look directly at me. His expression was murderous.

  "Uh-oh," I muttered under my breath.

  He abandoned the flying tactic, and lunged right at me. I hadn't even the chance to prepare myself for the attack when he shoved me down again. I was alone on the ground this time, and I glanced up at Thanes's livid face. It came just inches from my own, and his lips whispered words I couldn't hear. All I heard was another scream rip through me as my stab wound ignited on fire. I rolled back and forth on the wet ground, clutching at my side. I felt blood seep through my bandage, shirt, and jacket. Tears leaked out the corners of my eyes. I took deep, agonizing breaths to come to terms with the pain.