by G. K. DeRosa
When Declan had suggested stopping halfway, I’d considered objecting. I wanted to drive straight through. Now I understood why. Every muscle in my body was screaming in protest. We’d only stopped once for a quick bathroom break about two hours ago, and I was so ready for another one.
I scanned the surrounding woods, nothing but tall green pines all around us. Declan had been right. Central Pennsylvania was pretty desolate; it reminded me a lot of back home. I bumped my helmet up against the back of his, and he craned his head back. “Do you think we can stop soon?” I shouted.
“Sure. I wanted to get as far as we could in the daylight. I’ll get off on the next exit.”
“Okay.”
Daylight. That was a relative term. It was more like daymurk. The murky cloud-filled sky never allowed real light to shine through. I’d hoped it would be different the further south we went, but there hadn’t been much of a change so far.
Declan slowly turned off the exit ramp just like our whole ride had been—at a snail’s pace. The downside of the sidecar was staying below fifty miles per hour. I couldn’t complain though; anything was better than walking.
We hadn’t passed a single vehicle along the highway with the exception of the broken down ones on the side of the road. Most had probably run out of gas as their owners had tried to escape. I still didn’t understand how Declan’s solar-powered motorcycle continued to run. I made a mental note to ask him more about it once we found a place to stay for the night.
Yellowing fields of corn stretched out on either side of the small road. One abandoned gas station sat off the highway and that was it. No restaurants, no supermarkets, nothing. This was definitely rural Pennsylvania.
Declan pulled up to an intersection and stopped.
“Now where?” I asked.
“Not sure. With all these corn fields, there must be farms nearby we just gotta find them.”
I peered down a small side street, the pavement ending and giving way to a dirt road. “Let’s go that way.”
“You sure?” He eyed the gravelly road skeptically.
“Yeah. Most farms are off dirt roads. Ours was anyway.”
He nodded and turned the motorcycle to the left, revving the engine. The pavement fell away, and the bike jerked along the rocky road. My teeth chattered as we bounced up and down.
After a few hundred yards, the unending fields parted, revealing a small red house with white shutters. A matching barn and silo stood a few feet away, both in the same dilapidated condition as the home.
Declan drove up the gravel driveway and cut off the engine. Duke hopped out of the sidecar and raced toward the nearest patch of yellow grass. I dragged my leg over the side of the motorcycle, my joints stiff and sore. I stood on the parched earth, my legs bowed like there was still a bike underneath me. I pulled off the helmet and reached to the sky stretching my arms out and inhaling a deep breath.
“How long have you been traveling this way?” I glanced up at Declan as his dark hair tumbled out of his helmet.
“Awhile now. Your body gets used to it.”
We walked toward the door and up the steps to the small front porch. An old wooden rocker sat by the railing. We had one just like it. Dad used to sit and watch our old dog, King, and I run around the yard for hours after school when I was little. My throat tightened. I didn’t have much time to think about my parents anymore. Besides it was better that I didn’t. The pain of their loss was still too fresh. If I let it in, I’d never be able to keep going. And I had to.
“Let me go in first.” Declan moved in front of me and jiggled the doorknob. The old wooden door creaked, the hinges whining as he tried to force it open.
“Why don’t you just go get your lock pick?”
“Nah, I don’t need it.” He took a step back and kicked the door in. Splintered wood flew inside the house, the door coming right off its hinges.
My jaw dropped as I stared up at him. “Seriously?”
He shrugged. “It was old, and it felt great.” He shot me a playful wink, revealing that cute dimple.
“Yeah, but now there’s no door.”
“It doesn’t matter. Look around, the place is deserted.”
I puckered my lips and frowned. I still didn’t like it. Who knew what kind of wild animals came out around here at night?
Declan marched into the house, Duke and I trailing behind him. It was a quaint little home with wood paneled walls and flowery wallpaper. It reminded me of somewhere an old lady would live.
A large stone fireplace took up most of the sitting room, and I could almost picture my grandma sitting in her recliner in front of it. I shook my head, ridding my brain of the image. Thank God she’d passed before all of this started.
“I’m going to check out the back,” said Declan as I headed toward the kitchen.
“Okay.” I rifled through a few cabinets, finding the typical pantry items. After our stay at the fancy condo, we were pretty stocked up.
Declan’s footsteps stopped, and the sound of a door clicking open echoed down the corridor. Duke growled, and the hair on my nape bristled.
A gunshot blasted across the silent space, and my heart leapt to my throat.
“Declan!” I raced toward the sound.
“Stay back, Liv. I’m okay,” he shouted.
“Yeah, stay right where you are,” another voice hissed.
I froze at the end of the hall. Declan’s back was toward me, and a rifle pointing at his head poked out of a doorway.
“Please don’t hurt him,” I cried. The thought of losing my new traveling companion tied my stomach into a giant knot.
The man snarled. “Hurt him? You two are trespassing on my property.”
“We thought it was abandoned.” Declan’s voice was remarkably calm.
I could hear the tremble in my own. I took a step toward them, the old wooden boards creaking under my feet.
“Hold it right there, young lady,” the man said.
Declan’s face turned to meet mine, and he gave me a reassuring smile. “Stay there, Liv. I’ll handle this.” He turned back to the gun-toting crazy guy, putting his hands up. “Like I said, we thought the place was abandoned. We were just looking for a place to spend the night. Put the rifle down.” The words flowed from his lips like molasses, smooth and sweet.
The man lowered his weapon and poked his head out the door, peering down the hall at me. He had a full head of white hair and two missing front teeth. His lip curled into a half-smile when he saw me.
“Jesus, girl, what are you doing traveling on the road? You can’t be more than sixteen.”
I gritted my teeth to suppress the urge to yell at him. “I’m almost eighteen,” I muttered.
“Out of the way, boy.” He pushed Declan to the side and emerged from his hiding spot, throwing the rifle strap over his shoulder. “I thought you two were looters. There’s been hordes of them making their way north.” He trudged to the sitting room and sank into the recliner.
“We didn’t see any on our way down.” Declan sat on the edge of the couch, and I moved beside him, refusing to take my eyes off the squirrely old man. My knee bumped up against Declan’s thigh as I scooted onto the sofa. The unexpected contact elicited a wave of calm over my frayed nerves, and my body relaxed. Why was I leaning into him? I shook my head and convinced myself it was a side effect of the shock of seeing him held at gunpoint.
“It’s probably the vampires. The woods are crawling with them.” The man eyed the busted down door and huffed. Then he reached for a jar on the side table and filled his mouth with some nasty brown stuff. “Where are you two headed?”
“Washington, D.C.” The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.
A surprised laugh lurched out of his mouth, stirring up a dry wheezing cough. “Are you crazy?” he choked out. “D.C. is completely overrun by them angels. You’d think they’d be better than the vampires, but they’re not.”
“I have a friend there. I have to g
o,” I snapped.
“Suit yourself, girl.” He spat into a cup, and I had to hold back the urge to vomit.
“Sir, could we stay the night?” Declan sure was laying the charm on thick. “If what you say is true about the vampires, I’d rather not go out in the dark in search of somewhere else to stay.”
He frowned, chomping on the tobacco. After a pause, he pointed out the window. “You can stay out in the barn.”
Jerk. I guessed it was better than nothing though.
“Fine. Thank you.” Declan stood and I followed him, Duke right at my heels.
The old man dug into his pocket and produced an old keychain. He yanked one of the keys off and threw it at Declan. “You’ll need this.” He sat back in his chair. “I suggest you stay put till daybreak. And don’t even think about lighting a fire or anything that might attract those monsters.”
Declan nodded, and we marched toward the exit.
“And you better fix my door first thing in the morning. All the hammering would surely bring out the vamps at night.”
“Yes, sir.” He leaned the broken door against the doorframe, doing his best to cover the entryway.
Once we were outside, I let out a breath. “Geez, what an a-hole.”
“Yeah, but let’s look at the bright side—at least he didn’t shoot me.” He smirked, and I couldn’t help but smile back. No matter how dire the circumstances, he somehow found a way to lighten the situation. I’d only known him a few days now, and yet it seemed like a lifetime. Maybe it was all the high-stress situations we’d found ourselves in since we met.
I couldn’t help but think of Asher and compare the two. He was the only other boy I’d really gotten to know, and they couldn’t have been more different. Losing Asher was the worst thing I could imagine, and somehow Declan made it bearable.
We trudged over to the barn, and Declan unlocked the big rusty padlock. He swung the chipped red doors open, and the scent of straw and manure assaulted my nose. Bleh. I held my breath and walked in.
“Hopefully it’ll air out.” He swung the doors back and forth.
I pulled my flashlight out of my backpack and shined the light over the large space. Four empty stalls lined the left wall; the rest was covered with hay and animal feed. And cobwebs—tons of cobwebs. A loft hung overhead filled with more hay, burlap sacks and a variety of old rusty tools. A mouse scurried out of a corner as my flashlight moved across the floor, and I jumped to the side, nearly climbing on top of Declan.
He laughed. “You know they’re more scared of you than you are of them, right?”
“Whatever, they’re gross.” I extricated myself from his side and made my way toward a big pile of hay. After thoroughly checking for rodents underneath, I smoothed it out to create a makeshift bed.
Declan followed my lead, making his mound across from mine.
I lay my head on my backpack and yawned. All the exhaustion of the day suddenly hit me. “Goodnight, Declan.” I rolled over and met dark eyes regarding me. One arm was splayed out between us, and I had the strangest urge to reach out and entwine my fingers in his.
His lips twitched, and he exhaled a long breath. “Night, Liv. Sweet dreams.” His fingers brushed my arm, then slowly retreated.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I willed my racing pulse to slow. I needed to get my raging hormones under control ASAP.
Dark shadows danced overhead as the click-clack of critters scurrying about made my skin crawl. I wrapped my arms around myself, focusing on Duke’s steady breathing beside me. In seconds, my lids drooped, and I fell into a fitful sleep.
Chapter 16
A hand clapped over my mouth and I jolted awake, my body bolting upright. My heart thundered against my ribcage as it made a frantic attempt to escape.
Declan’s maroon eyes were wild and wide as he hovered over me. He pressed his index finger against his lips until I nodded in understanding. He removed his hand from my mouth, and I drew in a quick breath.
“What’s going on?” I mouthed.
“Vampires,” he whispered.
I strained to hear, but I couldn’t make out a thing. My lungs pumped hard and fast, and I willed them to slow their frenzied pace. My heart was pounding so loud I was sure the vampires all the way in New York could hear it.
The crackle of dry leaves made my heart stop. I froze, too scared to breathe. Eyeing my backpack, I considered grabbing my gun. Declan still didn’t know I had one. I’d purposely decided to keep that from him until now. Not that a gun was going to do much against a vampire, but if it were stryx, it would at least slow them down.
“Don’t move,” mouthed Declan.
He must have read my mind.
The crash of splintering wood echoed through the quiet night. Footsteps stomped, and then a terrible cry rang out from the main house.
I gasped.
My legs trembled, my feet itching to run. I couldn’t just sit here. They would come for us next.
Declan’s warm fingers wrapped around my hand. “Breathe,” he whispered. “You have to slow your heartbeats.”
I nodded, my teeth clamping down on my lower lip. I took a long slow breath.
More footfalls. Approaching in our direction.
The rusted metal handle of the barn door jiggled. My eyes bulged out of my head, and I dug my nails into Declan’s hand.
Duke growled, his hackles raised. I shushed him, but it was too late.
The doors crashed open, and Declan shot up to his feet. I lunged for the backpack and pulled out my gun.
Three vampires blocked the doorway, their tall lithe forms outlined by the moonlight. Blood dripped from their fangs, the bright red in sharp contrast to their freakishly pale skin.
I was wrong; vampires were ten times scarier than stryx.
The tallest one moved forward, and Declan yanked me behind his back. The vampire’s black pupils were rimmed in crimson, an eerie glow emanating from the fathomless pits. He set his gaze on Declan, scanning him with an odd expression. The creature’s dark brows knitted as he drew closer. The two males next to him waited, watching.
My hands shook, but I tightly clutched the gun. I’d never seen one used against a vampire, but at the moment it was all I had. Duke barked like crazy, growling and running back and forth in front of us.
“Brethren,” he hissed, still staring at Declan.
“Get out of here.” He glared through narrowed blazing eyes. “She’s under my protection. I forbid you to harm her.”
Okay, I was pretty sure Declan had lost it. What was he blathering on about? How was he going to protect me?
“Tsk, tsk,” said the male, wagging a long finger. “By the terms of the Accords, humans on vampire territory are vampire property to do with as deemed fit.”
“I didn’t agree to those terms.” He pressed me closer against his back. “You can take it up with Nathanael.”
The monster’s eyes glowed, fury flashing across his dark pupils. “Get out of our way or we will end you too.”
“I’d like to see you try.” Declan spun around and lifted me up over his head. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, his maroon irises pulsating.
For a second, I was weightless, flying through the air. Then I landed on the loft above, flat on my stomach. Oof! All the air was expelled from my lungs. The clatter of my gun hitting the barn floor drew me to my hands and knees. I crawled to the edge and peered over the side.
Two enormous snowy wings sprouted from Declan’s back and illuminated the entire space in an intense white glow.
My jaw dropped.
No. It wasn’t possible. Declan was one of them?
I watched in shock as the three vampires lunged. Declan held his hand out, and a gleaming sword appeared in his palm. Blue flames danced across the long blade. He thrust his weapon into the chest of the tall vampire, and the monster screeched as the azure flames consumed him from the inside out. Seconds later, he was nothing but a pile of dust on the dirt floor.
Holy angels!
&nbs
p; Duke barked, jumping up and down.
The remaining two pounced, each attacking from opposite sides. Declan swung his radiant sword in an arc, running the blade right across vampire number two’s neck. His head fell off, hitting the ground with a thunk and rolling to the far corner.
My stomach roiled and nausea crept up my throat.
The last vampire jumped Declan from behind, wrapping his clawed fingers around his throat. Declan twisted and squirmed to shake the monster off, his large wings unfolding and flapping, but his grip was relentless. He swung his sword to the left then the right, but the vampire dodged each blow, staying just behind his wings and out of reach.
I clutched the wooden ledge, leaning further over the edge as they moved below the loft. Fear constricted my chest, its fingers tightening like a noose around my neck.
Declan’s mouth gaped, his face growing redder by the minute. He released his sword, the glowing blade clattering to the floor, so he could use both hands to pry the vampire’s fingers off his neck.
The vampire’s fangs lengthened, and he chomped down on Declan’s shoulder. A scream tore out of his mouth as blood and white light spurted from the wound.
What the hell? Or maybe heavens was more accurate in this case.
Declan’s eyes rolled back as the monster sucked the life out of him.
No.
Adrenaline hemorrhaged through my veins. I couldn’t just sit there and watch. Or could I? He was an angel. He was the enemy. My chest tightened as indecision clawed at my insides. I shook my head—no. No matter what Declan was, he’d saved my life. I owed him.
I leapt to my feet and scurried down the ladder, creeping behind Declan and the vampire. Duke was still barking and nipping at the creature’s legs to no avail. A disgusting sucking sound filled the air as I crept forward. Holding my breath, I snatched Declan’s sword off the floor and drove it into the vampire’s back.
The vampire unclenched his jaw and shrieked as blue flames ignited in his torso. Working its way outward, the heavenly fire engulfed every terrible inch of him. Declan’s eyes widened as they landed on me and then his sword, before he crumpled to the floor beside the mound of sooty ash.