Chapter 12
The snow had picked up since we’d gone inside. The air around me was full of fat, fluffy flakes. The snow collected on my hair and sweater, sticking to my eyelashes and my cheeks. I made my way towards Drake’s car, not really sure where I wanted to go. I could run back to Sue’s. I hadn’t done any of my speedy vampire running since I’d been back to visit Harold and Mrs. Harold. I jammed my hands in my pockets more out of habit than the cold. It barely registered on my skin.
The cars were already collecting snow, covered in a thick coat. If it kept snowing like this, we might have trouble getting home later. I’m sure Morgan would love it if we had to stay overnight. No thanks. I’d rather sleep in a coffin again.
I got to Drake’s car and wished I could get inside and just sit down. I did not want to go back to the party. I was hoping he’d follow me out and bring Lauryn and Monty so we could hang out at one of their houses, but I wasn’t sure if they’d be willing to give up the alcohol. Morgan was annoying, but she wasn’t annoying them specifically. And I shouldn’t be mad, not at him. He was just trying to be nice and not cause any more of a scene than Morgan already was.
I paced next to the car and kept my ears perked for the sound of the front door. The snowflakes flurried around me, muffling noises. I pressed my eyes closed and breathed deeply, taking in the fresh, clean air. Or not. There was a scent I hadn’t smelled in a while. Someone was out here, and it wasn’t human. Instantly my senses kicked in and my ears strained through the snow to hear something, anything. But there was nothing. I spun around, trying to partly conceal myself behind Drake’s car, but I had no idea where it was or which direction it would be coming from.
I heard a rustle from above me and watched in horror as one, two, three bodies dropped out of the maple onto the parkway of the house in front of me. If it hadn’t been for the thick snow falling and stupid Morgan clouding my brain, I would have seen them earlier. The tree had no leaves, so only the elements and my own lack of attention had kept them hidden.
I scrambled up on top of the Hyundai, not sure what to do or where to go. At least from this vantage point, I could see their first moves clearly. I weighed my options. I could run and get away, but there were three of them. Two could follow me and one could go ravage the entire house of partygoers that was visible from where we stood. Stupid Morgan and her stupid lights. Way to be inconspicuous. Although I’m sure she didn’t expect vampires to come and crash her party.
I hissed at them, preferring not to use a standard greeting. They didn’t deserve one.
“Wow, she’s like a wild cat. I told you this would spook her, you idiot,” a female voice said from the right.
I attempted to assess them through the thick snow, which was not easy. One was a girl, a little taller than me, black with hot pink braids, now almost white with snow. There were two men, one tall and skinny with a shock of floppy, red hair and tight jeans covering his skinny legs. The other was short and stocky, but muscular, with dark hair and dark skin.
This was so not good.
“What the hell do you want?” I folded my arms across my chest, but kept light on my toes. The guys stalked to the two ends of the car, the girl stayed in the middle. I had to be ready to move, but it was going to be really hard to take this group on by myself. I needed to buy time to come up with something. I scanned my surroundings. Aside from the cul-de-sac, there were only houses. Not many places to hide.
“Look, just get down from the car and come with us, if you want to do this the easy way,” said the girl as she twisted a pink braid around her finger.
“And what if I don’t want to go with you?” I asked, tapping my foot impatiently.
“Unfortunately, that’s not an option,” said the redhead as he shook his head. “We were ordered to bring you back. Just like the last two were, only they couldn’t handle you.”
“What makes you think the three of you can?” I forced myself to sound more confident than I felt. I hoped they didn’t notice my knees shaking. I balanced on top of the car and tried not to slide off in the thick snow that was piling up around my ankles.
“Well, for starters, there are three of us, and one of you,” said the dark-haired guy. He inched closer to the front bumper of the Hyundai.
“You must be the smart one,” I said sarcastically, glaring at him through the flakes.
I glanced at the three of them again, trying to judge who would be the weakest and therefore the easiest to take down first.
Redhead. He was tall and skinny, if I went for his knees, I could take him down like a gazelle. Besides, dark hair was making it look like he was going to make the first move, his arms now spread a little wider. Red didn’t look ready for a fight. I snarled and leaned towards the dark-haired guy, making him think I was coming there first and then kicked the speed into gear and was off the car and on the redhead before they could blink. I kicked his legs out from under him and we tumbled to the ground. My arm snaked around his neck, my hold like a vise.
“How is she that fast?” the girl hissed, her voice betraying her disbelief.
“That’s why we have to bring her back.” The dark-haired guy leaped on top of the Hyundai, where I had just been standing.
Red struggled and tried to pull me off, but his strength was no match for mine. I heard him hiss as he tried to bite my arm, so I ran my fingers into his ginger hair and yanked his head back.
“This is going to end just like it did with Jack,” he screamed at them. “I told Steve this was a bad idea, but does anyone listen to me? He made her, he should come and get her himself.”
“Who’s Steve?” I whispered into his ear. “Why did he do this to me?”
“Shut up you idiot, and don’t you dare say another word or I’ll kill you myself,” shrieked the girl, her braids flying.
“If you go away and leave me alone, I’ll let the ginger live.” I desperately hoped they’d go for it. I really couldn’t get used to this whole killing thing, people or vampires.
“Nice try sweetheart, but we don’t even like Neil. He’s annoying as hell. Go ahead. At least we won’t have to keep listening to him whine.” The dark-haired vampire sneered.
“Don’t listen to them. I can help you,” Neil shouted, his voice shaking.
“You lie. You all lie,” I screamed. My voice pushed out against the snowy veil around me and echoed back in my ears. “You can’t help me. You ruined my life. You killed me.”
“Come on now, is your life really that bad? You can do so many more things now that you’re a vampire. Life is so much more cool when you’re in charge.” The girl laughed. “I’d say we did you a favor.”
“Shut up!” My mind swirled, images of my parents and my brother popping into my vision. “You didn’t do me any favors. So why should I come with you?”
“Because you don’t have a choice.” The dark-haired vampire snarled and dove at us from the top of the car. Without thinking, I shoved the redhead at him and rolled to the side. I heard a high-pitched scream and tearing sound as I scrambled to my feet in the deepening snow. I slid and almost wiped out, but caught my balance. Something rolled across the cul-de-sac, trailing splatters of dark red against the white. It stopped at my feet, staring up. Although it was coated in pinkish snow, the red hair was unmistakable. It then dried up and crumbled into a heap of gray ash, mixing with the snow under it.
Horrified, I looked up. The remaining vampires approached me slowly, circling.
“You killed your own friend! What’s wrong with you?” My voice fell flat.
“Who cares? He wasn’t our friend and he couldn’t do his job right. Nobody should be incapacitated by a fledgling. You’re what, a whole week or two old? Neil was too weak. Come on Bianca, let’s finish this now, I’m starting to get annoyed.”
Bianca’s pink braids were now covered in snow as she slunk towards me, a lioness caref
ully approaching her prey. “That sounds awesome Vinny. This weather sucks.”
With a nod Vinny became a blur. Suddenly there was a hand squeezing my throat. I struggled to breathe, my lungs burning. “Nowhere to go now, Vicky. Let’s make this easy.”
I reached forward and grabbed his elbow, pulling it downward. With a sickening snap, his grip on my throat loosened and his arm collapsed. He shrieked and took a step back, and I took my chance. I lunged forward, grabbing his hair with one hand and his shoulder with another. I spun him slightly and pulled. With no more pressure than twisting the top off a new jar of jam, I pulled his head clean off. My stomach flip-flopped as I heard the skin rip. I didn’t want to look down as his body collapsed at my feet.
“Vicky!” I heard a familiar voice shout from somewhere in the distance. My heart dropped to my knees.
There was a loud crack and I looked up to see Drake running full-force across the cul-de-sac, wielding the giant, jagged branch of a tree. He was rushing straight for Bianca.
“Drake!” I screamed and dropped Vinny’s head. I watched in horror as he plunged the branch into Bianca’s chest as she turned towards him, missing her heart. With a cackle, she ripped it from her chest, blood spurting, and rammed it straight into Drake’s stomach. I raced across to him in half a second, taking in the stunned look on his face. I threw my arm around his shoulder and let his weight rest on me.
“Vicky, I’m sorry, I just wanted to help.” He gasped and bright red blood oozed out around the wound, spreading across his blue shirt and dripping giant splotches of red onto the fresh, white snow.
“Shhh, don’t say anything right now. Come on, let’s get you down, I’ve got to get this out of you.” I sobbed, my tears mixing with snowflakes as they surged down my cheeks.
“Aw, did I hurt your little human?” Bianca sneered. “Serves him right, stabbing me like that.”
I could only guess she was giving herself a moment as the wound healed. Unfortunately Drake wouldn’t have that same opportunity. As I lay him down in the fluffy snow on the street, it was clear he was fading fast. His breaths were ragged—the smell of chocolate was overwhelming as his blood spilled out. Somehow this time my hunger didn’t rise. I knelt at his side, watching his life trickle out of this world, all because of me. I stroked his cheek as he gasped for air.
“I’m so sorry baby.” I struggled to get words out between the sobs. Through the fog in my brain, I figured there was one last thing to try. I dragged my nail across my wrist, releasing a fountain of blood and pushed my wrist to his mouth. “Drink some, it worked before.”
He could barely move his lips over the wound, most of the blood just ran into his throat and he started to choke. I pulled my wrist away, not wanting to drown him in blood.
“I don’t think it worked. It hurts so bad.” He looked down, taking in the branch. “I don’t think you should take it out right now.” He met my eyes. His were already clouding over, the veil of death seeping into them. He struggled to say something. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. “I love you.”
My heart shattered into a million pieces. He shuddered and then lay still, his eyes still looking at me, but no longer seeing. I gently pushed his lids closed, my fingers brushing across his cheeks.
“No, no, no, no, no!” I screamed, pulling his head into my lap and trying to ignore the fluffy snowflakes as they piled up on him. He was cold to the touch, so cold. And I could do nothing. Not one thing. I glanced up through my tears, remembering that there was something out there, someone out there that I was supposed to be afraid of, supposed to be running from. But she was gone. I was alone with nothing but the snow to hear my screams.