Hunger Within (A Sable Hart Vampire Slayer Novel Book 1) Page 6

  He pulled me off the truck, hugging me fiercely, “Sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight.” There was such comfort in his tight embrace. For a brief second I felt safe.

  "Let's get out of here," I said.

  Dane was a bloody mess. He had at least one scalp cut; his hair was soaked with blood and his face was red with smeared blood. I looked him over; his clothes were all bloody and torn. He was limping slightly, and his left eye was quickly swelling shut. But we were both still alive, and together.

  That blessed safe feeling abruptly ended as reality reared its ugly head.

  Yuri's voice violated the night. "Sable Hart, where are you?"

  I saw a dark shape outside of the open bay, his vampiric eyes glowing red with reflected light. My belly clenched and I slipped out of Dane's embrace, pulling him down beside me. The menace Yuri radiated was palpable.

  Dane pressed his lips to my ear. "The keys are in the ignition. If I don't make it, get in and drive away."

  "But…"

  "No buts. Do it."

  "Is that you, Sable Hart?"

  I forgot about their supernaturally powerful hearing. From what I’d heard he could probably hear my heart beating from across the street. Vampires are highly attuned to humans' blood.

  I motioned for Dane to lead the way. He took off on hands and knees around the front of Gabe's pickup. I heard the first sirens in the distant. Nothing to say they were coming here. I hoped they were. I never needed rescuing so much in my life.

  I realized as we crawled that the shooting had stopped again. The silence was deafening, until a soulful wolf’s howl pierced the night. I smiled, knowing Gabe got away. I couldn't help but wonder about Wendy and Anson. The uncertainty twisted my stomach and made me tremble inside.

  "There you are, Sable Hart."

  "No!" Dane jumped up and charged Yuri with a sword. "Run, Sable! Run!"

  I charged after Dane, pulling my last weapon – the katana.

  Yuri made a waving motion and Dane rose up and flew over him, and into the darkness. I heard crashing and pained grunts, but I didn't hesitate. I charged up and took a swing at Yuri's neck. He parried the stroke with his arm, which received a deep gash. He seemed unconcerned.

  "You did not dress as I asked, Sable Hart." He sounded way too casual.

  "I was busy." He ducked under my backstroke, then dodged my thrust at his heart. I slashed his left thigh to the bone, which made him pause and gasp. I saw opportunity knocking, and thrust the sword in below his sternum, and pushed up towards his heart. "Now it's time for you to finally go to Hell!"

  "Augh." He grimaced and coughed blood.

  I looked up and smirked at him.

  Yuri backhanded me. "Bitch!"

  I spun completely around as black and white flashed behind my eyes. That hurt, like nothing ever had in my life. I'd be in a neck brace for a year – no doubt. I fell to my knees, nauseous from the pain. I tasted my own blood, realizing the inside of my mouth was all cut up.

  "Aally-oop!" and my stomach emptied. I know, I vomit funny. Dane actually laughed the first time he heard me vomit. "Aally-oop!"

  The katana clattered on the concrete floor beside me. I stared at it a long second. He was free of it. I was in trouble.

  "I am finished playing with you, Sable Hart." Yuri finally sounded angry. Good. I understood anger better.

  I reached for the sword, but he yanked me up off the floor before I could touch it. A second later I was flying out the bay door to land atop a pickup's hood. It was still warm. Once again white and black flashed behind my eyes. Another blow like that and I would be out cold.

  I threw up again. There had to be a better way to die.

  Lifting up on my elbows, I looked back at the shop. It was a long ways away. A good fifteen feet, at least. The lone siren had been joined by many others. They sounded closer. They weren't going to be in time. The parking lot was full of men scrambling for their cars, getting the hell out of Dodge. Nothing like a firefight to clear out the neighborhood titty bar.

  Yuri strode towards me. He looked angry. Determined. I whimpered, but scrambled off the hood.

  And promptly fell down.

  My treacherous legs weren't cooperating. They were slow and sluggish, kinda like my brain. I couldn't even crawl decently. I managed to drag myself to my feet. They held, precariously, as I leaned heavily against the pickup.

  "I'm going to kill you if you touch me again." I do last act of defiance real good. "I mean it, Yuri. Back off."

  I was unarmed. There were no dropped weapons near me. You couldn't take a step without tripping over a pistol or machine gun inside Gabe's House of Slayer Toys. I could've use a wooden stake right then. I'd even settle for a water gun, with holy water.

  "You took my Anastasia from me, Sable Hart." He spoke quietly: calmly. "You will replace her, in every way. I will mold you into her."

  "Well, there goes that promise to myself that I would never go blonde."

  "You are not funny."

  "You sound like my mother."

  My mother was going to be majorly pissed if I got myself killed. Can't think of anyone who would be pleased with that. Except Yuri, who would get himself a new consort. I'd probably be a bad vampire and a lousy undead lover.

  Yuri reached for me. "Surrender, and I might still be merciful."

  "Vampire mercy is an oxymoron."

  I took a swing at him. No contest. Yuri caught my fist like a child's ball. He twisted my arm behind my back and forced me to bend backwards. His free hand found my hair and forced my head back, exposing my neck to his fangs. And then he surprised me.

  Yuri kissed me. Full on the lips.

  It was a demanding kiss, full of passion and need. Then he shoved his tongue in my mouth and spoiled the moment. It tasted of blood. Nasty. Sickening. Was it the blood of my friends? Dane's blood? I abruptly needed to throw up as my mouth went numb. My world began spinning.

  Yuri shoved me to the ground. Pain lanced up my knees and legs. A sharp rock cut my left hand. I dry-heaved, sobbed, and dry-heaved some more. I was not a pretty sight.

  “Your friends are trying to get away,” Yuri said, and started shouting orders in Russian and French.

  The parking lot was utter chaos. Cars and trucks were burning rubber to escape the carnage and the cops, but mostly just crashing into each other. Everywhere I looked men ran to their vehicles, wild-eyed.

  “Help me,” I croaked out as a man raced past me.

  He didn’t even look at me as he jumped into the pickup next to me and the engine roared to life. Yuri glanced back, looking very annoyed, and returned to shouting commands. Dane appeared in the bay door, his face bloody. He spotted me, and pointed at the pickup. I nodded, leapt up as the pickup peeled out, and vaulted into the truck’s bed.

  “I’m going to kill you, bloodsucker!” Dane cried.

  I cursed, knowing he drew attention to himself to distract Yuri so I could escape. I was going to kill him if he survived.

  The pickup bounced and rocked, rolling me all over the bed. I didn’t care what he drove over, I just prayed he didn’t crash. Within seconds we were on Harry Hines, speeding north. I laughed – nerves, relief, but I was still woozy and sick.

  It was all I could do to pull myself up onto all fours to watch for pursuit. And then I puked again. Lots of vomiting. Mostly though, I looked for any of my friends making their escape, while dialing each of their cell phones. No one answered; not good. So not good. What a time for an anxiety attack.

  My clueless knight in shiny armor blew through the first red light, but slowed down and started obeying the traffic laws after that. When he stopped at the Royal Lane light, I slipped out onto the street and headed for the safe house.

  I must’ve been a frightening sight. Everyone stared at me, but no one offered any assistance. Just as well. I wasn’t feeling too trusting at the moment. Besides, who wants to be around someone dry-heaving every three steps?

  By the time I reached the safe house, I was bar
ely able to walk, hunched over in pain and feeling somewhat cross-eyed. The garage was unlocked, and I managed to get inside and to the master bedroom.

  ~**~**~

  “Crap.” I had to pee. Bad. But I couldn’t get out of bed.

  I had throbbing knots on top of knots, which explained the headache. My left ankle was swollen and very tender. Both knees hurt. I think I wrenched my back, in about three places. Both palms had cuts, and one wrist had fang marks. My tongue was bitten in two places. The inside of both cheeks were also torn up and my neck was a disaster area. I couldn't turn my head to either side. How many times had I been backhanded by a vampire? Even my jaw hurt. Did I mention I was sick?

  My phone started vibrating. It was in my front left pocket, and I was curled up on my left side. Yeah; I had to move to get to it. The buzzing stopped before I fished it out. I checked missed calls, and it was Dane. I smiled. He got out alive.

  I punched call back. It went straight to voice mail. “Dane. It’s Sable. I’m alive. Barely. Call me, baby. Let me know everyone got out of there alive.”

  A cold chill infused my body. The phone fell out of my hand as I curled up into a tighter ball and trembled. It passed as quickly as it hit, but it left me dizzy.

  “Jesus,” I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut to stop the world’s insane spinning. It didn’t help my queasy stomach at all, and then my bowels announced their displeasure. “Holy shit.”

  Despite my sickness and pain, I rolled out of bed and headed for the only bathroom. I didn’t make it. In the living room I fell to all fours and it came out in torrents from both ends. Disgusting.

  So much for my favorite pair of jeans.

  I stripped right there, taking everything off. It was all nasty. But first, I had to clean up. I’d die if my friends showed up while I was covered in my own filth. It wasn’t easy showering, which I had to do on all fours, but I managed.

  The way my belly rumbled, twisted, and gurgled, I decided to forego dressing. I crawled into bed and curled back into the fetal position. It was the only position that made the world stop spinning, but I had to remain perfectly still.

  Sleep crept up fast. Part of me knew it wasn’t good to sleep with my injuries, but I so wanted some relief from the pain and sickness. Sleep meant release. I went to sleep.

  Chapter 5

  My eyes popped open.

  I lay there a long moment. I saw everything in exquisite detail despite the dim light. I turned my head to the left, then the right. No pain.

  I sat up. No pain. My stomach was quiet. I frowned.

  Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I paused and looked down. Still naked. I cupped my breasts and felt smooth, soft flesh. No wounds. Gone. I stood up. My knees and left ankle felt fine. Strong.

  I took a deep breath. The first breath since waking up. Why was I holding it?

  My mouth was terribly dry. I rolled my tongue around, working up some spit and coating my gums with moisture. My tongue was healed, as were my inner cheeks. Then something raked across my tongue that wasn't there before.

  My hands began to tremble as my heart raced. I rushed to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. I didn’t see a single scratch on my body. I examined my boobs, and found no sign I’d ever been shot. No bruises or even a scar.

  Only werewolves and vampires healed without scars.

  I opened my mouth.

  Fangs.

  I wailed. "Oh God no!"

  I fell to my knees. It wasn't fair! It wasn't right! I couldn't be a vampire! I just couldn't! Maybe it was a nightmare. I had to wake up. Pinching my inner thigh didn't help. I pinched the very sensitive skin of my right breast. Still not waking up. So I stood up and slammed my right knee into the sharp corner of the bathroom counter. I felt the skin rip and tear. Exquisite pain lanced up my leg as blood trickled out and ran down my shin.

  "Aaagghh." I clutched at the damaged knee, and watched in horror as it healed before my eyes. The pain was gone before the wound healed, leaving only a bloody streak down my leg. "They did it! They turned me into a goddamn vampire!"

  I ran my tongue over my fangs. Strange didn’t even begin to cover it.

  "My soul. Yuri has stolen my ever-loving soul. I'm cursed. A goddamned vampire."

  The scent of my own blood registered. I was overwhelmed with hunger: with a craving for blood. My mouth began to water and my stomach growled. How long since I last ate? And that made me think: was all that vomiting my Changing body's way of expelling the normal food my vampiric body could no longer digest?

  I pulled a fistful of toilet paper and wiped off the blood. The smell of it drove me crazy. My hunger frightened me.

  Vampires were evil incarnate. Who knew what I was capable of! I was evil now. I couldn't trust myself around my family and friends. Evil: I rolled the word around my tongue, and fangs. How long would it take Dane and my friends to figure out what happened? Dane only staked Anastasia because she was a threat to me.

  I rushed into the bedroom for the change of clothes we all kept at each safe house. I pulled on faded jeans and a pink tank top. It was my Scarborough Faire tank, from the renaissance faire, that used to be kept at the Carrolton house. I was tying my running shoes when I heard my phone buzzing.

  Picking it up, I saw it was Dane calling. “Hello.”

  “Sable! Thank God. Where are you? Why didn’t you meet us at the Lancaster house? We’ve all been worried sick about you.”

  Hearing his voice was so comforting. I closed my eyes and tried to pretend all was right in the world. Unfortunately, I felt my fangs against the inside of my lip. “What? I don’t… no one said anything about the Lancaster house,” I said.

  Could I tell him the truth? Should I tell him? My hands were trembling and I felt my face heating up. Odd, I always thought vampires didn’t feel things like guilt and shame.

  “I left a voice mail. Hell, I left a shitload of voice mails,” he said. “Why haven’t you answered or called back?”

  “I was… sick,” I said. I felt so cold. So lost. My eyes started to burn.

  “Are you all right?” Dane said.

  The concern in his voice made me afraid he was putting two and two together. My throat tightened as tears welled in my eyes. It was all too much.

  “No. I’ll never be all right again,” I said. “I’m so sorry!”

  I hung up, turned off the phone, and ten seconds later I was out the front door. It was full dark but I could see just fine. Remarkably well, in fact. Didn't look any worse than a rainy day would normally. I spotted two young men walking down the sidewalk.

  "Hey baby, what's up?" one said. He was maybe six three, slim, black. I doubted he was out of high school. His friend was a bit shorter and heavier, and probably about the same age. Both had a strange aura about them: like a halo around their body. Really, a perfect glowing white circle. It pulsed slightly. "I ain't never seen you before."

  There was hunger in their eyes as they looked me up and down. I was hungry, too, but we didn't want the same thing. They stepped closer, and I took a step back. A strange scent flowed over me. I'd never encountered it before, though it seemed familiar. That scent made my heart race and my throat tighten. My nipples hardened, and I felt the first indication of moisture between my legs.

  I was horny. Beyond belief horny, and it only took a second for me to realize it was the smell stirring up my libido. What was it? I looked around, but there were only these two teenagers. They stepped closer, their lust-filled eyes leering at my chest, and I realized what it was. It was the thick rich scent of their hormones. I remembered vampires could smell desire on humans. So that was what it smelled like: warm and dark and alive.

  My right hand rose up to my breasts, covering the small bit of exposed cleavage. Vampire modesty? I was surely making history.

  "Go away,” I said. It might be their last chance.

  I could feel the incessant thumping of their hearts, as well as actually hear them beating. Faster and harder with their anticipation. Blood s
urging. Beckoning me. Calling to me in the most primal manner imaginable. I didn't know which I wanted more, to feed or fuck. All I could do was gawk at them. I’m sure they thought they were about to get lucky with an older, white woman. But the hunger in my belly was starting to win the battle over the hunger in my loins. They were fixin’ to get very unlucky.

  So I turned and ran for all I was worth. I was much better once I was away from them: away from that smell and their hot surging blood.

  I ran all the way to Harry Hines Boulevard, leaving the two teens far behind. It wasn't that far. I could've run that before I was Changed. It didn't even wind me. I was super-human now. Or preternatural? Supernatural? Paranormal? Accursed was what settled in my mind.

  I had to keep moving, but to where? I thought of Gabe's armory. It was probably a taped-off crime scene, but I had no other destination in mind. I thought of the Lancaster safe house, but that wasn’t an encounter I cared to endure. Not yet anyway.

  I consoled myself with my hand over the cell phone in my pocket. It would be so easy to turn it on and call Dane. Just tell him the truth, and ask for his help. What would he say? What would he do? Could I trust my new vampiric self around him?

  I went south on Harry Hines. Ran several miles and never broke a sweat. I fought the urge to be pleased with my new physical abilities. There shouldn't be anything good about being undead.

  The strip mall was kinda busy when I arrived at the armory. All of the other businesses were closed, but the strip joint, Crazy Girls, was booming. As expected, Gabe's shop was closed off with police crime scene tape. The place had been stripped clean.

  Some guys called to me as I left the armory. They were just coming out of Crazy Girls. Their blood was up. Aroused. That erotic scent stoked the fires of my hunger and my libido, so I hurried to get away.

  A tall man was leaning against a charcoal gray Mercedes-Benz near the street. He was impeccably dressed in a dark pinstripe suit. I thought his long blond hair spoiled the look. A pair of blondes stood one on either side of him, wearing shiny mini-dresses, fishnets, and stiletto heels. A black girl in red thigh boots, red leather bikini top, and blue leather short-shorts walked up and gave him money.