24. Crystal Burst
Crystal Burst
T he scream was one I would never forget.
There was no cry for help, no words were said. The voice of it was distinctly feminine and young. There was so much pain in it that when it stopped, I still felt her agony linger and echo, never stopping. When it did end, I could feel the permanence of its finality.
We had heard someone’s last sounds.
I clutched Quinn’s hand hard while my other hand had a death-grip around the safety harness. There was something agonizingly familiar in hearing that. I had never heard someone die before. Why did this feel like deja vu?
“Wait here, girls!” The attendant directed. Then he ran off toward where the scream came from.
When he rounded the corner and disappeared, we heard another scream. This one just as bloodcurdling as the last.
And it was closer.
“Okay, fuck this.” Quinn let go of my hand to push the safety harness up and over her shoulders and head. She jumped from her seat and softly landed on the platform. She turned to help me do the same.
“Oh, my little rulebreaker,” I teased to distract from a growing panic gnawing at my stomach. Quinn grinned before lifting the harness and gripping my waist to lift me out of the ride’s seat with an incredible amount of ease, despite my size. I liked the feeling of her rough hands on my soft curves. Where her fingers met the exposed skin between my tank and shorts, I felt enough electricity to charge my phone at least twice over. I wish I had enough time to savor it. Still, the moment felt much longer than it actually was.
Quinn placed me on the ground. Looking down at the catwalk, I noticed a flicker. It made me freeze. I almost thought that my changing vision was playing tricks on me. But I followed it. I stared at my shadow on the floor, standing still next to Quinn. Then my shadow warped for a moment before snapping back to normal.
I immediately knew what was happening and what was causing it.
An energy vampire.
A very strong one.
Vampires were far from the worst supernaturals out there. They were not like what a human would see on TV or in YA novels. At least, not exactly. They were bloodthirsty, immortal and never aging, and super strong, of course. They were turned by ingesting another vampire’s blood and then being drained of their human blood. Real vampires could go into the sunlight without exploding into flames or being a lyric in a Rihanna song. Daylight just made them weaker and super grumpy. More than not, they were real Karens when it was daytime. There often was little that could calm them down. At night, their powers flourished. In the darkness, they could control the shadows, and the most powerful among them could use your worst fears and nightmares against you. While their powers were impressive, regular vampires were mostly just annoying more than anything because they were pretentious, old people at heart with massive god complexes.
Energy vampires were particularly annoying because of their variety. The vampire aspect was a misnomer in some ways. Energy vampires could be a type of fae, witch, vampire, or even a shifter. They could steal life force, emotions, or both. They looked normal enough, able to blend in with humans seamlessly. It made them hard to identify or locate. But energy vampires were often manipulative and greedy. Usually, energy vampires lurked close to their hunting grounds. Many worked at the DMV or at customer service call centers if they fed off annoyance. Others worked at funeral homes or hospitals if misery was more their thing. But the strong ones could be anywhere. They could feed off of anything, and they could manipulate energy, including shadows. They could be some temperamental bastards. And according to Everett and the books I had read, they were hard as fuck to take out.
There had to be an energy vampire on this ride, feeding on riders. They were able to take energy as folks rode on throughout the day, taking a little at a time to get their fill. Unfortunately, there weren’t many patrons today. The being was probably starving and irritable.
And Quinn and I were the first on the ride.
And the menu.
“Um, Quinn?”
“What’s up, baby girl?” Quinn asked, her hands still on my waist.
“How much do you know about energy vampires?” I whispered.
Quinn lowered her voice’s volume while I kept my eyes on the shadows around us. “Enough.”
“I think there’s one here. I think they are the reason for the screams.”
Quinn stiffened, her grip tightening on me. I glanced at her, watching her eyes scan the shadows in the distance behind the animatronics and scenery. There was a shift in her demeanor. Gone was the snark and flirty nature I had become accustomed to. Now, she was… different.
The shadows around us were starting to waver more. The energy vampire was closing in.
Quinn’s voice was deep and commanding when she spoke again. “Okay, here’s my plan: there’s an exit over there. We just have to get to the door before that creature gets to us. It isn’t far, so it shouldn’t be too hard. But just in case…”
Quinn bent down and pulled her jogger pants up to reveal two large sheaths strapped to her ankles. She took out two long obsidian daggers. Despite the relatively dim lighting around us, they shimmered with an aura of colors like a moonstone opal. They hummed with a soft radiance of energy. They were magicked. My eyes widened. Something tugged at the back of my brain, but I was more focused on the questions I had at the sight. Where had Quinn gotten magical swords? I knew she said she did contract work, but even Everett, who did mercenary work, didn’t get issued weapons to carry all the time. What kind of work did her family do exactly for her to carry weapons with her? Why did seeing her with them do something for me?
Miss Puss, now is not the time for that. Do you have any survival instinct, bitch?
“Um, do you always carry knives with you?” I asked as she straightened her pants.
“Oh, you mean, Tina and Amy?” She gestured to the daggers she now held in each hand.
My eyebrows furrowed even deeper. “So sorry, you named your daggers after comedians?”
“What? They are hilarious.” She smirked. How was this my life right now? “Now, I’m going to distract the vampire while you make a run for the exit.”
“Are you kidding me? That never works in the movies!”
Quinn raised her slitted eyebrow. “Do you have a better idea, baby girl?”
I swallowed. This was the best option we had, I guess.
“Now, on the count of three, you go, and I will be right behind you, okay?”
I set my lips in a straight line. “You better not die on me, Quinn Garcia. Don’t be a hero and get to me as fast as you can.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice, sweetness.” Quinn smiled. “Ready?”
I nodded.
“One.”
Gods, I’m so freaking terrified. These creatures are no joke. In or out of folklore, they are monsters.
“Two.”
I don’t want anything to happen to Quinn, but I can’t get help if I’m dead, too. Please be safe, starlight.
“Three!”
She looked so fucking hot with those knives.
Quinn and I took off. I ran as fast as I could toward where the male attendant had gone, and Quinn ran in the opposite direction. The catwalk rattled under us. Just a little bit further, and I would be at the door?—
Behind me, I heard a grunt and a cry before the catwalk shook hard enough for me to almost trip. Oh, no. Was that Quinn? Was she okay? I could hear her groans, so she sounded alive, at least. Please be okay, pumpkin. I promise I’m going to get help . I pushed myself to run faster, lift my legs harder. I had to get to the door. I had to find help.
I was almost there. Just a few more steps.
Suddenly, I got slammed hard against the wall. Stars danced across my eyes with pain radiating from the back of my head. Nails dug into my skin as a large hand gripped my neck tight enough to strangle me.
“You girls really thought that plan would work? What is this, a movie?” The creature said with a raised eyebrow. He was tall, dark, and handsome, being over six feet, black, and very conventionally attractive. He was all muscles, which I felt as he held me by one hand. I could see his fangs peek from under his lips as he spoke. His eyes were a vibrant yellow-green color like bile, and he made me sick to my stomach just seeing him.
“Wh-what did you do to Quinn?” I choked.
“You needn’t worry about her.” He smiled, fully displaying his sharp fangs now. I gripped his wrist around my neck like I was holding on to my strength. I was scared shitless, but I was trying so hard not to show that to him.
The energy vampire leaned in and sniffed me. I grimaced but took the chance to look over in the direction Quinn had run. It was dark around us again, as if someone had a hand over the work lights. The vampire must be using his shadow magic everywhere. Fuck, he was insanely powerful to be able to manipulate so many shadows at once.
I could see Quinn’s arms and legs wrapped in ropes of shadows. She was trying to saw at them using her daggers, but they were too strong and thick. Quinn looked at me and the energy vampire. If she was a fire elemental like I had thought she was when we first met, her golden stare alone locked on the hand around my throat would be enough to incinerate it.
“Mhmm, your energy…” The energy vampire’s voice brought my attention back to him. He sent his head back like he had just tasted the best dessert of his life. “You smell so rich and… Divine . I’ve never tasted such a delicacy before.”
“Don’t you fucking—” Quinn started to say. Then her voice became strangled as something silenced her.
The creature used his thumb to ensure I couldn’t turn to look at what was keeping my girlfriend quiet. His long talon dug into my jaw. I knew it was going to leave a mark. He pulled me close.
“You are so sweet. It’s the most delectable experience. What are you, sweetness?”
I heard Quinn growl through her constraints. My grip on the energy vampire’s wrist tightened. Sweetness was Quinn’s nickname for me. It made me sick to my stomach to hear it from his mouth. I was not his. He had no right to say that.
Also, it’s so fucking rude to ask that. What a fucking asshole.
“Ah, yes! You’re even more delicious with your rage. Fear’s taste is so acidic and thick like a lemon custard. But anger? It’s spicy. Yours tastes like a hot barbecue plate. Truly, you are my favorite flavor of energy. You must tell me what you are.”
“Rot in fucking hell, motherfucker.”
“Charming. You are going to die here, you know. So, why take such a secret to the grave? Tell me.” His grip around my neck tightened, and his claws punctured my skin. I could feel the blood trickle down alongside my sweat.
“Fuck you and your mother, you bastard.”
The energy vampire narrowed his eyes. “I suppose it doesn’t matter. One doesn’t try a Michelin Star meal and expect to eat that every day.”
He pulled me close, smelling my hair and skin again. He hummed. “I don’t usually sink my fangs into my prey, but I need to taste you.”
My heart sank. Energy vampires didn’t need to drink blood like normal vampires. Honestly, if they did, it was certain death for their victims as they were absorbing both one’s life energy and the life flowing in their veins. It was like drinking from a cup with a hole in it. Tears streamed down my face as the fear finally set in.
I was going to die.
His mouth grazed my neck, making me shiver with disgust. He chuckled. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I will savor you so you will not be forgotten.”
Then he sank his fangs into my neck.
The venom was excruciating . It was like being stung by bees in every pore of my skin. I could hardly breathe for the pain. But it was becoming laborious to do that. It was like someone pulled the drain in a tub. All of my energy and will was leaving me. My grip loosened around his wrist. My eyelids grew heavier along with my limbs. Darkness was encroaching on the edges of my vision.
Was that Quinn’s muffled screams? I wasn’t sure. It felt so distant, so far away. Was this it? Was this really how I died? Death by a real life Dementor in a theme park ride taken straight from a problematic book series by a transphobic author? Gods, was my life just a fucking joke?
Fuck that.
That voice…
Survive. Fight.
My eyes burst open. A surge of power rapidly coursed through me, washing away the venom and filling me with more energy that I didn’t know I had. The lights and their casings burst, plunging us into darkness again. My nails lengthened into claws. I could feel my teeth sharpen into fangs. With my renewed energy, my fingers wrapped tightly around the energy vampire’s wrist. I watched as my talons broke his skin, blood starting to drip down to the catwalk.
The energy vampire pulled his mouth back. In the dark, I could clearly see my blood painted on his frown. Something about that made me even more furious. “What is this? This isn’t possible! How do you have so much energy? You should be dead .”
“I think you’re projecting there, buddy. You are the one dying today,” I growled, clawing more into his wrist.
Suddenly, he screamed and let me go. I crumpled to the floor, coughing and gasping for breath. I looked up to see Quinn behind the energy vampire in the dark. One of her daggers was in his back. The other one had an otherworldly glow in the darkness.
“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted.” She stabbed with her other blade. He cried out again. “Don’t fucking touch her or be prepared to die. You really should have let me finish.”
Quinn twisted her daggers in his back. The energy vampire gasped before his skin darkened and began to crack. The light left his eyes and shined through the cracks in his skin. Then it died as his skin dried. He crumbled into ash that flew off on a wind that wasn’t there before. My energy returned, making me feel like I had just had a chai tea latte with a triple shot. With the surge of power, my teeth dulled in their sharpness and my nails returned to their manicured coffin shape. Feeling myself go back to normal, the shadows all disappeared, too. We were bathed in light from the work lights that hadn’t burst from before. The catwalk lit up along with an emergency exit sign above a door.
“Attention, guests. Something has gone wrong with the ride. Please remain calm, exit the vehicle, and follow the lights to leave the attraction.” A robotic-sounding announcement aired on repeat above us.
Quinn held her hand out for me, and I took it without hesitation. She pulled me up with such a fierce strength that I ended up right against her. I didn’t know if it was our proximity, my returned energy, or the adrenaline that made me feel electric, but it was addicting.
“Are you okay, mi tesoro ?” Quinn delicately took my chin between her thumb and her index finger.
“I-I think so? I think I’m more shaken than anything. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine. Not even a scratch. He just knocked the wind out of me, that’s all. Let me see your neck.” Quinn moved me to look at my neck. I watched her eyes dance over my skin as they examined the bite and claw marks that I was sure were on my neck. Her eyes brightened with lingering rage. Before I could recognize what she was doing, Quinn used one of her daggers to cut strips off her shirt. She folded one and pressed them to my wounds. Her touch was so tender and affectionate that my heart flew into my throat. It barely hurt because of her.
“Wow, you know improvised first aid, too?” I asked breathlessly but also jokingly.
Quinn smiled. Her eyes remained focused on tending my wounds with the scraps of her shirt, but I saw some of that hard edge disappear from her eyes. “It’s hard to be in my family and not pick up some tips and tricks here and there.”
“Are those tips and tricks how you were able to kill that vampire?”
“More or less.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Is that also why you carry magical daggers with you?”
Her eyes flicked to mine. There was something there that I couldn’t read, something she wasn’t telling me. “How do you know they are magical?”
“I mean, they would have to be to kill an energy vampire, right?” I asked innocently. Humans weren’t supposed to be able to see magic. It was something only witches and certain supernatural creatures could do. But as was becoming quickly more unavoidable, especially after today, I was not human.
And I had no idea what I was.
Before I could go down a rabbit hole of anxiety, Quinn tossed the blood-soaked scrap of fabric and pressed another to my neck, tying it off with another piece. “Are you in any pain from the venom? I heard that can hurt like a bitch for ages.”
“Technically, the effects of vampire venom can last for up to seven days after initial contact, if the folklore I read on it is right, but I’m okay. I’ve read that some folks are immune to vampire venom, so maybe I’m lucky?” I shrugged. It was mostly true. The timeframe of the effects was accurate, and some folks were immune to the effects. I just didn’t mention that those people were often supernatural in nature, like I very clearly was. I didn’t feel any effects from the venom. So, I wasn’t human. I had no idea what I was. I only knew I was about to go insane.
“I love when you talk nerdy to me.” Quinn pulled me in close and tight against her.
I snorted into her chest. “Oh, that’s nothing. You should ask me about my Masters thesis sometime.”
“I’m happy I will get the chance to now.” Quinn kissed the top of my head. “I was so worried about you, baby girl. You have no idea. I’m so glad you are okay.”
“Ditto.”
Quinn was able to wrap her arms fully around me, and I wrapped my own arms around her waist. I had never felt so together and comfortable before. No one had been able to do that, wrap their arms around me and make me feel small and cherished. She was so warm right down to the scent that filled my nostrils: bonfire and roasting chocolate. In this place, the last few minutes hadn’t happened. There were no energy vampires. No secrets existed here. There were no mysteries about dead parents and old books. It didn’t matter what I was or could be. No, we were just two girls holding each other.
It was nice.
After what felt like forever in the best way, Quinn kissed the top of my head again. “Let’s get out of here, mi tesoro .”
I nodded.
As we made our way to the exit door hand-in-hand, I asked her something that had been nagging at my brain. “Can you answer me something?”
“Of course.”
“What does mi tesoro mean? I noticed you’ve been calling me today.”
Quinn’s smile was slow and sweet, like watching sugar melt into caramel. “It means ‘my treasure.’”