Secondhand Garagyre

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

PAISLEY

The faint sound of whimpering pulls me from the depths of unconsciousness, and I frown in confusion. Who is making that sound? I can feel my eyelids flutter, before slowly opening.

Sitting up gingerly, I look around. I don’t recognize the area of the cemetery I’m in and I’m not sure how I got here. The last thing I remember is having a conversation with the creature I’ve seen countless times as a stone statue…and then passing out.

Oh no!

I passed out!

Talk about a “too stupid to live moment.”

My eyes widen as the cobwebs begin to clear from my mind, and I take in the sight in front of me. One of the thugs Bradley hired is suspended in the air in front of me, mere feet away, while Laithog is…

What exactly is he doing?

Squinting , I finally make out that his dark head is attached to the man’s neck and Laithog’s throat is rhythmically swallowing.

Oh shit.

Laithog is a vampire?!

But …he looks like a dragon had a lovechild with a gargoyle.

Why in the world is he drinking that man’s blood?

Not that I really care that he’s doing so. Because let’s be real. That bastard helped beat the hell out of me, so I don’t really care what happens to him. That , and he works for Bradley , so he can’t possibly be a decent human being. The same Bradley that admitted he killed my brother. The Bradley , that somehow, I am going to figure out how to kill because Patrick’s death cannot go unpunished. Especially now that I know Bradley did it on purpose.

Bradley murdered Patrick . And . He . Must . Pay .

However , that is a plan for another day because the thug’s struggles are getting weaker and weaker. I could also see the color is almost completely gone from his complexion and it didn’t appear as though Laithog is done…eating. The thought did make me a bit squeamish, but everything needs to eat.

Right …?

The abrupt sound of the man’s body hitting the ground makes me flinch.

Laithog’s head snaps around, the slight movement of my body bringing his attention fully to me. I instantly know this isn’t the male I met earlier. His eyes are crimson, not the piercing jade green of before. Concern fills me as he turns to face me and pads towards me, his feet silent on the grass. Not a whisper of sound can be heard as he moves across the grass. A sign of an apex predator, to be sure.

I freeze, fear filling me. I don’t dare move. There is no way I could outrun him, no way I could fight him off, so here I sit as I wait for him to do whatever it is he will. Hopefully , I survive it.

He reaches me in seconds, looming over me before leaning forward. His large hands on either side of my shoulders and his knees straddling my hips. I feel his hot breath against my neck and manage to whimper a one-word protest before his teeth graze the vulnerable skin of my throat.

“ Laithog .”