Darklight 2: Darkthirst

by Forrest, Bella

  I can think of a dozen other strengths. I admired Dorian for his strong leadership and unwavering determination, even in the face of gravest danger. I would tease him about the elk because it would feel safe. I couldn’t handle confessing much more right now.

  I nodded. “Exactly.”

  His expression shifted to become a shade more serious. “I know we’re on the run, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on being near each other when we have the chance… like now.”

  The elk slowed and stopped. Dorian lifted me, turning me around so I faced him completely. Heat crawled up my face as he slid me even closer, tugging at me until I climbed onto his legs. Touching him sent a shiver of pleasure through me. I couldn’t resist it.

  He leaned down to gently capture my lips. I smoldered with desire at his tender touch. My chest burned slightly, but I ignored it. I briefly rested my hands on his shoulders, then began to explore the strong expanse of his chest. He grunted in approval, and while his lips worked softly against mine, his hands caressed my back and sides as if he needed to feel every part of me.

  When we broke apart, I had to laugh. His brow furrowed, almost offended.

  “What?” he asked.

  “We’re sitting on an elk,” I said in disbelief. I couldn’t move past that absurdity. “We’re sitting on an elk, and I’m kissing you. I can’t even believe this is happening.”

  “You don’t like it?” he teased, raising an expectant eyebrow.

  He knew I did, the arrogant beast. “I like it too much,” I murmured dryly. “I especially love the part about touching each other whenever we get the chance.”

  His laugh was smoky, and I gave him a wicked grin.

  Had he always been this attractive? Or was it the mystical situation of riding on the back of an elk in the middle of a forest? I wanted to revel in everything we’d just discussed. If I pressed our talk anymore, I couldn’t enjoy the deep, pleasant feelings.

  I turned back around on the elk, unable to face him anymore. I might faint for a different reason. Not pain but pleasure. Still, I smiled to myself.

  The elk started moving again. I appreciated the sound of their hooves against the ground. It created a soothing rhythm as we continued our journey.

  “All this rest has been nice,” Dorian said, deadpan. “I’m feeling better every second.”

  I snickered. Our journey was tough, but at least we were going through it together.

  The elk continued down the mountain path, a babbling stream flowing alongside. A fish leapt from the water and landed safely back in the jostling current. I dreamed of a bath, but we couldn’t afford the time it would take for me to wash in the moving water. My smell couldn’t be too terrible if Dorian was willing to kiss me, right?

  He does consume blood and evil as his food, though. Not exactly an impartial judge of gross things.

  A sign in the distance disrupted my thoughts. The outskirts of a small tourist town consisting mainly of a collection of cottage-style buildings was slowly creeping into view. A weathered hand-painted sign suggested the town had been around for a while and very rarely got visitors. I sat up straighter, excitement coursing through me. Maybe I could find some food or a scrap of news from the outside world.

  “I want to check it out,” I announced to Dorian. “We can split up to be efficient while we both get what we need.”

  He raised his brows curiously but nodded along in agreement.

  Did he know hesitation and a desire to protect him from prying eyes drove my actions? I licked my lips nervously. “If you need to feed,” I said and knew that he did, “I would do it there.”

  I was disappointed our pain-free time together might be ending, but it was worth it for Dorian. Of course, there was no way of telling whether there would be anyone dark for Dorian to feed on, but we could still see.

  “I’ll keep to the trees. Let’s leave the elk by the river. If a tourist sees them, they’ll pay attention to that and not you, hopefully,” he reasoned.

  I sent him a mock-irritated look. “What’s wrong with the way I look?” I asked, with an exaggerated gesture to my disheveled appearance. “The abandoned hiker look is very in this season, thank you very much.”

  He furrowed his brows in confusion and slid from the elk. He extended a hand to help me dismount, and I took it gladly.

  I was weak, dirty, and hungry. As I approached, I could see the tourist town was more of a tourist pit stop. There was a greasy-looking burger joint, a convenience store next to a rusty gas station, a small motel, and a mountain bike rental store that advertised the lowest prices in town, though I couldn’t imagine they had many competitors.

  Bike rental was a good sign. It meant I could pass convincingly as a backpacker. I tried to ignore the strong musky scent coming from my armpits. Hopefully, I could keep enough distance from people that they couldn’t smell me.

  Dorian disappeared into the trees several feet before the start of the tourist area. The elk watched me from a distance. Well, at least they didn’t mind my appearance. I yanked a leaf from my hair with a stressed huff. Humans would notice dead leaves in my hair. As a final measure, I pulled my hair down around my face, still slightly damp from its rinse in the stream that morning, hoping that along with the general grime, it would make me look different enough from any photos of me that might be circulating. This town might be so off the grid they didn’t know about the alleged group of murderers seen in these mountains, but there was always a chance.

  With as much confidence as I could muster and trying to avoid looking suspicious, I walked into the gas station. It looked like it had seen better days, with a permanently stained tile floor that had maybe once been blue. A skinny man with a sparse mustache stared at me from behind the counter. A magazine on guns and hunting was open in his hands. I put on my best smile and made a grand show of stretching my legs, trying to make it seem like I’d just returned from a long hike.

  “How are you, ma’am?” he asked slowly, brow furrowing with a mix of concern and distrust.

  “I’m great,” I said cheerfully, attempting to embody the character of unremarkable hiker. “Sorry, I know I look like a mess. I’ve been on the trail for a while, backpacking for a month. Just came in to see another human face, maybe grab a bite somewhere.”

  The cashier scrutinized me. “Where’s your pack?”

  “Behind a tree out in the woods,” I said with a shrug. “I needed a break from all that weight. My back is killing me.”

  He hesitated, as if deciding whether or not to believe me, but nodded after a moment.

  “I hear you. It’s hard packing everything you need in a bag and toting it around.” He turned back to his magazine without another word. Relief rushed through me. Good.

  A noise caught my ear. My focus on the cashier had made me miss the TV on the end of his counter. A concerned news anchor spoke rapidly.

  “Terrible news again today as the people of Colorado and Utah are suffering from extreme forest fires. The fire department is feeling the pressure but can’t tell us why this is happening. When Channel 5 asked about how the department was handling the situation, the fire chief informed us that all regional departments are working around the clock to stop the spread of the blazes. She also noted that the fire’s unusual locations and severity pose risks far beyond the usual wildfires we see during these months and that people adjacent to current locations should be prepared to evacuate if necessary. The fires are accompanied by a rising number of reported gas leaks in mountainous regions near the fire sites. Our official government source stated that the gas leaks were responsible for causing this explosive spread of the wildfire, but we’ll have more information on that in a moment. Ten thousand homes have already been evacuated in high-risk areas. We go now to Chuck, who is on the scene with more details about the crisis.”

  The cashier paid no mind, but my eyes widened as I watched the program, transfixed. The scrolling text across the bottom noted more attacks from strange creatures. On civili
ans no less. It had to be creatures from the tear, causing these fires somehow. Finley’s stubborn face flashed through my mind. She had released that monster without being able to control it, and it took her out. I shook my head, trying to make sense of it.

  The Bureau knew something was happening, but they were in way over their heads with this excuse. It couldn’t be a coincidence the news seemed to focus on the more explainable natural disasters than the reports of murders resulting from strange attacks. I rubbed my chin in thought. Something terrible was going on, and the Bureau was covering it up.

  “I’m here with Dean Pennington, the official spokesperson for the specialist security task force assigned to this problem,” the male news anchor announced. Apprehension seized me as the camera flashed to a scene I knew well. The Canyonlands. The area had been barricaded off. A man in a prim suit gave a serious nod to the camera as the news anchor interviewed him.

  “What can you tell us about what the military has done for public safety, Mr Pennington?”

  That was no regular military task force. This had Bureau written all over it.

  Pennington wasn’t anyone I recognized. Old, white, black hair with enough silver in it to appear wise. He was the perfect face for the operation.

  “I’ll be honest with you, Chuck. The military and government officials, unfortunately, believe these incidents are tied to the emergence of natural gas leaks and the recent increased redbill sightings. We know from years of research that redbills become agitated around human activity. Our theory right now is that the redbills have outgrown their small, sparse territories and are wreaking havoc as they attempt to move into civilian spaces, spurred on by the gas leaks that are contributing to the fires. We won’t stand for another person getting hurt in the wake of these unpredictable creatures,” Pennington droned confidently.

  I wanted to smack him straight in the face. They were trying to pin forest fires on redbills?

  The camera panned back to show the barricade more.

  “As you can see, Chuck, we have the situation under control for now,” Pennington finished.

  Chuck’s face furrowed skeptically, but the camera cut back to the original anchorwoman.

  “The governors of Utah and Colorado have declared a state of emergency,” the woman said with a practiced frown. “We advise all persons to seek out their local government agency for advice on the correct procedures to follow. This warning goes for anyone living or working in an affected area. Evacuations may continue over the next week. We’ll keep you in touch with the latest news. I’m Tammy Robinson, signing off.”

  The news went to commercial. Disbelief seized me. Even Chuck, the news correspondent, appeared put off by the Bureau’s excuses. The news outlets were definitely following this with fervor. Alan had once joked during a holiday dinner that the worst thing the Bureau dealt with was reporters asking too many questions. Unlike before, I hoped they asked more.

  I remembered the acid-spitting monster. If more of those came through the tear to Earth, what exactly was the Bureau going to do about it? My stomach twisted with dread. Civilians couldn’t fight off monsters like that. Based on my experience with Finley’s team, I doubted even the Bureau would be able to contain those beasts.

  If one of those creatures escaped again, it would be too difficult for the Bureau to cover up. They were just putting off the inevitable by focusing their efforts on surrounding the Canyonlands. The tear was expanding. The barricade wouldn’t work for long if it was even working now. Who could tell, with the number of lies they were casually selling to the public?

  Finley’s dying soldiers sprang to mind. They had all been highly trained for combat and were still killed in minutes. If a monster like that escaped into a neighborhood… my hands curled into fists by my sides. It would be utter devastation. A monster like that could wipe out an entire town before the Bureau could mobilize a response. What would two monsters do? Or three?

  The Bureau had trained me for secrecy my entire life, but I’d never imagined they would stoop so low as to endanger the civilian population in order to keep their secrets. Rage made me catch my breath. If the public knew the truth, would it change anything? I didn’t know, but if I were a civilian, I would want to know there was a supernatural threat—one which was likely to get worse. The tear was expanding. There would be more evacuations, more deaths, more terrible things that could’ve been prevented by an organization willing to cooperate with the vampires for help.

  My racing thoughts were cut off by an enraged grumble from my stomach. I couldn’t think about this anymore with nothing in the tank. But I had no money, and I didn’t feel right stealing from the store. I would have to try my luck somewhere else. At least I’d gotten some news.

  “Crazy stuff, huh?” the cashier asked as I made for the door. He gestured to the TV. I nodded silently. He seemed to interpret my speechless frustration for fear. “If I was you, I’d go back out in the forest, go up to the peaks beyond the fires, and live off the land. That’s the real way to do it. Don’t worry with any of this stuff here.”

  Oh, but I do have to worry… I might be the one saving them.

  “I’ll consider that,” I said. “Have a great day.”

  Next door, the burger shop exterior greeted me with a delicious smell of grease. I inhaled it and nearly moaned from the pleasure. My stomach let out a monstrous growl. I debated going behind the building to see if I could scavenge scraps, but one glance at the state of the dumpster and I abandoned the idea.

  Moving water caught my eye outside. A charming water fountain was built in the square just outside the burger joint. It was built of rock from the mountain and was topped with a poorly cast bronze rendition of a heavily bearded man on horseback who, from the look of it, was the town’s founder. In the rippling water, coins shimmered in the warm sunshine. My heart soared with hope.

  A family of four left the building as I climbed into the fountain. A small boy carrying ice cream stared as I hunched over and began to try collecting the coins.

  His mother pushed him along. “Let’s go, Sammy. Back to the car.”

  I have officially hit rock bottom. Little boys named Sammy with ice cream cones are staring at me like I’m a wild hermit woman emerging from the woods. Still, I refused to abandon free money. I collected every coin I could find.

  I had two goals: the grimy payphone opposite the side of the burger joint and the delicious fries inside. Ignoring the looks of a concerned employee, I counted out a dollar in dimes and pennies.

  “One large order of fries, please,” I requested. The employee quickly handed me a bag, unwilling to meet my eyes. This trip is doing wonders for my self-esteem.

  I shoved a handful of fries into my mouth on the way to the payphone. Delicious cheap grease and fat popped on my tongue as I savored the potatoes. The best fries in the world. I sighed with satisfaction and downed two more handfuls, knowing I looked like a starved dog from the streets. Poor Sammy. I hoped he wasn’t scarred for life.

  Miracle of miracles, the payphone had a dial tone. I thanked my lucky stars. Who could I call? Outside of our team in the Bureau, I didn’t have many contacts. In truth, the only options were my parents. I missed them terribly. I wanted nothing more than to hear their voices again and know they were safe. Anticipation built inside me as I thumbed a few coins into the slot. I dialed the number of my father’s personal phone into the ancient keypad with greasy fingers, hoping the Bureau wouldn’t be tracking his calls.

  It rang. And rang. And rang again.

  I swore and hung up the phone after it went to voicemail. I was out of change, fries, and options. Time to regroup.

  Giving the burger joint a final longing look, I headed back out into the forest.

  “Why the long face?” Dorian asked when I found him sitting with his back against a tree. How long had he been on the outskirts of the forest? Hopefully, he’d had enough time to look around to feed.

  “A kid stared at me like I was a wild mountain wom
an,” I said in exaggerated lament, not wanting to worry him.

  When I was within reach, he jumped to his feet and snatched me into his arms, pressing me against a tree. I let out a surprised gasp before he kissed me.

  “I want to do this while I can,” he said thickly when he pulled back, scrunching up his face teasingly. “You taste odd.”

  I blushed. “Those would be the world’s best fries, thanks.” I worried about his own nutrition. He didn’t look any better than he had before. “Did you manage to feed?”

  He shook his head. “Nobody suitable here. All the souls had pretty much the regular amount of darkness. Certainly not enough to warrant feeding.” He saw my worried look and waved it off. “Get on my back. I’ve recovered some strength simply by resting.”

  While I wanted to believe he wouldn’t lie to me, it didn’t seem likely he had managed to search the whole town so quickly. He had made it back before I had, and I wasn’t gone for long. The town stretched at least a few more blocks and possibly out into the forest. I felt like he stayed too close to the outskirts. He does move fast, though…

  He stooped down. I gave him a skeptical look. He read the hesitation.

  “Look, the elk moved off while we were busy. I’ll be fine to carry you, I promise.”

  I didn’t want to waste the energy to argue. I climbed onto his back and braced myself against him, enjoying the sensation of brushing my skin against his strong body.

  “Hang on,” Dorian warned. He took off into the forest, not wanting to draw attention from any people on the town’s outskirts. His speed was about the same as it had been this morning, but he seemed stronger beneath me. I briefly rested my head on his back, thankful for him. The past two days were so… bizarre. In a strange way, I felt elated.

  After only a few minutes, Dorian stopped. His head angled slightly in one direction.

  I leaned forward with a nervous breath. “What is it?” I asked. “Do you sense something?”