Chapter Five #2
Finally, a grand foyer appeared ahead, dominated by an ornate front door. Freedom!
He dove for it, fingers outstretched.
Six vampires converged from different directions, cutting off his escape. They moved with supernatural speed, reaching the door before he could.
“Come now, little fae,” one cooed. “We just want a taste.”
“Hard pass.” Newt changed direction so fast he nearly collided with a wall. Up. He needed to go up. Newt raced up the staircase and down another hallway. His wings strained with the effort of his rapid ascent, muscles burning as he pushed himself harder than he ever had before.
A door stood ajar. Newt darted inside and slammed the door shut, fumbling with the lock until it clicked into place. For what little good it would do against vampires.
A bedroom, different from the one he’d entered through.
Large windows lined one wall, but heavy curtains blocked most of the light.
Newt flew to them, yanking at the fabric until it fell in a heap, revealing blessed sunlight streaming through the glass.
He grabbed the latch, trying to force it open. It didn’t budge.
“Stupid window,” he hissed, fingers slipping on the wood. “Don’t do this to me now!”
Paint had sealed the window shut over decades of neglect.
Behind him, something heavy slammed against the door. The wood splintered around the hinges. Another impact and the door frame cracked.
With desperate strength, Newt heaved at the window one more time. It gave way suddenly, sliding up with a screech. Fresh air rushed in, carrying the scent of freedom.
The bedroom door exploded inward. Vampires surged through the opening then immediately recoiled with pained hisses, shielding their faces as they retreated into the shadows of the hallway.
“What’s wrong? Not morning people?” Newt taunted, adrenaline making him braver than he had any right to be. “And here I thought you were scary.”
The scarred vampire’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “We’ll find you after sunset, little fae. And when we do, we’ll drain you dry. Slowly.”
“Your hospitality sucks almost as much as you do!”
He tumbled out into the morning air, wings catching him before he hit the ground. The sensation of freedom washed over him like a cool breeze. He’d escaped. Barely.
After flying a safe distance, Newt landed on soft grass, careful to make sure no humans were around to witness his descent. His legs nearly buckled as the adrenaline drained from his system, leaving him shaky and exhausted.
From his vantage point, he could see the vampire house clearly now—a sprawling Victorian mansion set back from the road, surrounded by ancient oak trees. In daylight, it looked almost charming, if you ignored the fact that it housed six bloodthirsty vampires who wanted to use him as a juice box.
Newt sank down onto the grass, wings folding back into his skin. His borrowed T-shirt, Vaughn’s shirt, was rumpled and sweat-soaked, but intact. The memory of his mate's scent still clung to the fabric, reminding him of safety and warmth.
“Now what, genius?” he muttered to himself. “You’ve escaped one problem only to create three more.”
He needed to get back to Vaughn’s house, but he had no idea where he was or how far he’d traveled through the portal. Creating another one was out of the question—who knew where he’d end up next time? Probably in a dragon’s lair or a kraken’s bathtub, given his luck with magic.
Newt pushed himself to his feet, brushing grass from his knees. Time to find his way back the old-fashioned way, by walking and hoping he didn’t get eaten by something worse than vampires in the process.
“Next time,” he promised himself, “just tell the handsome wolf shifter you’re a virgin instead of creating portals to vampire houses. It’s less embarrassing in the long run.”
With a sigh, Newt set off down the winding driveway, keeping to the shadows of the trees. The sun climbed higher in the sky, warming his skin and reminding him that, at least for now, he was safe from his fanged pursuers.