Part 13 (2/2)

I followed behind Eli as he led me over the school oval and into the thick bush behind it. The wind speed had picked up and the air grew colder. I resisted the urge to hug myself, worrying that it might make me look weak. If I was going to do this then I needed to look as fierce and unbothered as Eli. He glanced back at me with a rea.s.suring smile, making me wonder if he heard my thoughts.

The wind pushed and pulled the trees surrounding us. I kept my hands out in front of me, careful not to trip or get whipped in the face by a branch. If it wasn't for the gap in the tree canopy that allowed the moon to shed light on the ground, I wouldn't have noticed when we had come to the school's border.

”This isn't the way we came last time.”

”Your right, it isn't. It leads to the same place; it's just a different gate.”

The cast iron gate squealed as Eli pushed it open. The noise sent tingles rolling down my spine - being in a spooky forest with a screaming gate is enough to put anyone on edge.

We pushed further into the thick forest. The wet ground sploshed and bubbled with every step we took. The inky sky had turn pitch black. The light of the moon was fading as clouds pa.s.sed in front of it, creating new shadows and dark patches around me. The wind wailed between distorted trunks, carrying the scent of rotting wood. I moved faster, ignoring the wilderness that grabbed at my jeans. The bush seemed so daunting, I couldn't help but feel claustrophobic. Then we stepped out into the clearing. Cool air chilled my lungs and my vision swayed with my dizziness for a few seconds before normalizing.

”Just in time.”

I searched the darkness for Eli, but he blended too well. His voice was colder than the wind. A lavender scented gust of air blew past my face. I glanced sideways at Eli, who was staring into the darkness of the clearing, his jaw clenched. Wrapped around his arm was Ludiia, smiling up at him.

”I missed you,” she purred.

”We're ready to go,” I stated.

One by one, pale faces began appearing out of the forest, surrounding us. I reached out and grabbed Eli's arm for support I was so scared. Why weren't we leaving? Why were we being trapped in a circle of vampires? I didn't understand.

”Uh-uh-ahh. You can look but you can't touch,” Ludiia hissed, pus.h.i.+ng my hand off Eli.

Eli shot me a sympathetic glance. Even Eli wasn't dumb enough to cause a scene right now.

The moon slid out from behind a cloud, making the pale faces glow. Each vampire had their own freaky look. Some were tall, some had scars, and some had no hair, but none of them were as scary as Lucian. I inhaled sharply as he stepped into view. Even in my nightmares he wasn't this frightening. Although he looked normal, his presence and power made his features seem scarier.

”You're late.”

”By one minute,” Eli replied curtly.

”Two minutes,” he corrected sternly. ”But who's counting?”

Only Lucian could sound so sarcastically upbeat and threatening at the same time. Most vampires were angry and serious, but Lucian was enthusiastic. It made me more cautious. At least with an angry vamp, you already know what's going to happen. Lucian lured you in on a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under your feet.

”You were going to attack the school because we were two minutes late?” I asked in disbelief.

The empty s.p.a.ce in front of me was filled with a body, Lucian's body. The vampires move so quickly I can barely track them.

”Am I that predictable?” He didn't go out of his way to hide his hideous fangs as a wide, greasy smile spread over his face, but then again, why would he? He enjoyed making me uncomfortable. He knew what Hank did to me.

”You do need to pay for wasting my time, though.”

My spine shook with every s.h.i.+ver that spiralled down it. I pondered what he could do to me. He wouldn't kill me, he needed me, but he didn't need Eli, and the best way to get at me would be to hurt Eli.

”We should go, Lucian,” said a vampire with a long scar from his furrowed brow to the top of his lip - immediately he was stored in my brain as Scar-face. ”We've had nothing but possums and the occasional hiker to feed on. We're getting restless.”

The vampires that circled us mumbled and moaned in agreement. Lucian watched his feet as he took slow steps over to the mouthy vampire.

”Oh, you're hungry are you?”

Scar-face nodded slowly, regretfully.

”Go on, take a bite.”

Some vampires spat in jealousy, other vampires inhaled sharply in shock and my stomach dropped as Lucian flicked his head in my direction. I felt Eli tense next to me. If this vampire came anywhere near me, Eli would tear his head off. Scar-face eyed Lucian and me suspiciously, unsure of what he should do. His charcoal eyes searched Lucian's for any hint of a joke, and when he couldn't find one, he slowly put one boot-clad foot in front of the other, eyeing me hungrily. A low growl rumbled through Eli's chest and Ludiia chuckled under her breath, but my attention was elsewhere. I remained riveted solely on Scar-face, who was approaching me with increasing speed. Soon he was within inches of me.

”Unh,” Scar-face groaned as Eli jumped in front of me, slamming into the vampire.

The collision caused a loud crack to crepitate through the air and Scar-face stumbled backwards before regaining his balance. Ludiia purred beside me, somehow aroused by the situation. The vampire's fangs were bared as he hissed angrily at Eli. The ground squished and gurgled as the vampires slowly began moving in on us.

”Stop,” Lucian ordered.

The surrounding vampires came to a halt, but I still couldn't release the big gulp of air I had swallowed. This wasn't over yet.

”Liam, Yasmine, and Oryx - restrain Mr De Luca.”

The three vampires dashed in a blur over to Eli. Long, pale arms wrapped around his arms, neck, and waist. Eli thrashed and tried to break free, but he couldn't.

”Well, Cage? You said you were hungry.”

Scar-face has a name - Cage. I still think the nickname I gave him suited him better. Cage was wasting no time. He zipped over to me and I saw his face up close. I felt like a small fish in the deep blue sea and Cage was a Great White shark about to eat me. 'Take a bite' was what Lucian said, but if Cage was as hungry as he looked, then there was no way he would stop. He could drain me completely before anyone realized what was happening. His cold, hard hand grasped my shoulder and I winced under the pressure. His other hand grasped my neck. I saw his face in great detail now, his scar was a lot thicker than I thought. His damp clothes came into contact with my skin and an unpleasant earthy scent floated into my nose. I pushed against him, trying to distance myself from his fangs, but here was no point. He had a powerful grip, so I wasn't going anywhere. Close by I heard Eli grunt and swear as he tried to pull away from the three vampires restraining him.

Cage's fangs clicked loudly as they protruded further out of his gums. Hastily, he tilted my neck to the side. My heart began to beat erratically as he slowly brought his fangs to my neck, savouring the moment. Tears burned my eyes and a lump rose in my throat. I wanted to be somewhere bright and safe. Warm tears wet my cheek as I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the bite to be over with, and if I was lucky, the sweet release of death.

A distinct neck snapping crack forced me to open my eyes. Cage's face was replaced by Lucian's. I glanced down and Cage was in a twitchy heap. Having his neck snapped didn't kill him, it just hurt and immobilized him.

Lucian knelt beside Cage. ”You didn't actually think I was going to let you feed on her, did you?” Lucian's voice was high and amused.

He put one foot on Cage's chest and his hands grasped the sides of his face. In one swift move, Cage's head was removed from his body. I jumped backwards as blood spilled out from the large orifice at the top of his neck. The vampires that circled us made no noise, they didn't dare to.

The three vampires let Eli go and he ran over to me. I stared unblinkingly at the headless body in front of me.

”Is anyone else hungry?” Lucian asked.

The vampires shook their heads and sunk back into themselves. How could one vampire have the ma.s.ses in fear? If they all ganged up on him, they could take him easily. So many questions flooded my brain. Was he really that powerful? Could my father's blood make him that powerful?

”Good. Let's go.”

Most of the vampires disappeared into the bush with the exception of a few, Lucian being one of them.

”Here's the address, sweetheart,” Ludiia whispered to Eli.

I tried not to cringe as her dead, cold lips came into contact with his warm skin, and then she disappeared.

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