Chapter 8 #2
“Where are you!” Her voice is panicked.
Instantly I'm on high alert. My eyes land on a sign saying 'ladies' and I push open the door. The room seems empty and the two cubical doors are open.
“I'm just on a date didn't Cassey tell you?”
“Yes, she told me everything! You have to get away from him! Where are you? I'm coming to get you!” I can hear her getting her shoes on with Cassey in the background swearing.
“What?”
“Listen to your instincts Krista! He's a vampire! They reek of death and decay!” The front door slams down the phone.
My blood runs cold. Alistair's a vampire?
! Slowly pieces fall into place. The compulsion, the way he disappeared in the changing room that time.
I was putty in his hands just moments ago and all he wants is to drain the life from my body.
The hurt and betrayal makes me feel sick.
How was I so stupid!! My mums right I should have listened to my instincts.
Alistair said himself he's shocked as to why I wasn't running a mile.
For fuck sake! Tears fill my eyes making my vision blurry.
My mums voice yelling down the receiver snaps me back.
“I'm in the car. Tell me where you are so I can come get you!”
“We're in town. It's a restaurant that's also a book shop.”
“Kitty's. I know the one. Now listen to me.
Get outside and straight ahead you'll see an alley way next to a bakery.
Go through it and there's a park surrounded by trees across the road. I'll be there in 15 minutes. Wait 5 minutes, then run. If he follows use your powers to protect you. I know you’re strong enough.” My mums voice is all business but her worry is thick in her tone.
“OK mum. I love you.”
“Love you too baby.” The phone cuts off.
I stare at myself in the mirror as I run through in my head what my mum told me.
Somehow, I think I had started to put the pieces together about what Alistair is.
That doesn't make the shock of it any less hard to swallow.
He isn't attracted to me, he just wants to turn me into dessert.
The champagne has left my head a bit fuzzy so I splash cold water on my face to help clear the fog. I can do this. Just get to the park.
I stare at myself in the mirror as I try to calm my nerves.
I need to think clearly and not panic. I picture the lay out of the restaurant in my head.
Alistair shouldn't be able to see the toilets or the front door to the restaurant.
From our table in the cosy alcove all you can see is bookshelves.
That should make it easier. From there I just need to sprint down an alley and to the park where my mum will hopefully be.
Checking my phone, I see 4 minutes have passed.
I gingerly open the door and peer outside.
The coast is clear. I try my best to look calm as my eyes scan for any sign of black hair and grey eyes.
I gracefully try to power walk out the door.
Fresh air and fine rain hit me and I take a deep breath.
Stage 1 accomplished. The road is clear and I leg it faster than I've ever run before.
My stilettos tap tapping on the pavement echo around me but it's too late to take them off now. I run across the road and see the alley tucked between two buildings. As I reach it I glance behind me and see nothing but an empty street. As I turn back I hit a brick wall directly in front of me. Except it’s not a wall.
Strong arms wrap around me pulling me against him. His chuckle makes my blood run cold.
“I thought our date was going well.”
I try to wriggle out of his grasp but he's too strong.
“If you want to call it a night, I'm more than happy to give you a ride home.” His smirk is back as he runs his fingers through my hair.
“Go to hell!” I bring my knee up as hard as I can.
It hits home between his legs. He groans and lurches forward.
I fall out of his grip and scramble on all fours away from him.
I get to my feet and once again take off running.
I hear him laugh behind me as I reach the other side of the alley way.
I don't see my mums’ car anywhere. The road is dead quiet as I set my eyes on the park several meters away.
It's small. Only a slide, swings and a metal climbing frame.
Without stopping I run. The rain falls harder and I struggle to hear anything around me.
I reach the grass and thankfully my stiletto heels don't sink into the soaking wet ground.
I feel the energy of the trees around me and let it flow through me.
It gives me confidence as I turn and see Alistair standing the other side of the road.
“You can't outrun me. Come back inside so we can talk.” His voice is softer than before, almost pleading, but I refuse to fall for his games any more.
“I'm not coming anywhere near you!” I let the power build up within me. Using my anger and hurt to fuel it further. “I wasn't going to sit around and wait for you to decide between the Eton Mess or my Jugular for dessert!”
“Yes, I heard your little chat with your mum on the phone. I assure you, as perfectly delectable as your blood is surely to be, I have no intention of drinking from you.”
Even from across the street I see his eyes darken at the prospect of draining me. In a flash, he's gone quicker than my eyes can follow and before I can react, he's pinning me to the cold metal slide. His weight and strength making it impossible for me to move.
“This should have been your reaction to me from the beginning.”
I'm surrounded by his dark aura suffocating me with its heavy feeling of death. Despair fills me as I struggle to feel past it to the power I desperately need. His lips are barely touching my own as he speaks in a whisper that's smooth as silk.
“This is how it should be between us. Predator and prey. It's what makes the hunt so fun.” His hand cups my chin and his thumb drags across my bottom lip. “So why is it I take no pleasure in this?” He's almost speaking to himself as he murmurs the last admission.
He pulls away from me slightly. Enough for me to see his eyes. Pale grey and filled with confusion. We both lay there for a moment drenched from the rain looking at each other. He seems deep in thought as his eyes flicker between my own.
I'm too scared to move but the fog from his aura shrinks away allowing my head to clear.
I feel the humming of energy from the ground beneath us.
I picture the blades of grass covering the floor around us to be as sharp as needles and they shoot from the ground like darts.
Alistair is snapped out of his thoughts as they pierce through his clothes and into his skin.
He yells in pain as he jumps off of me. I get to my feet.
Drawing more power, I force a couple of branches from the trees surrounding us to grow.
They speed through the air towards Alistair as he's pulling the green shards from his face.
His black suit now tinged with blood as it soaks through from his punctured skin.
He looks up in time to see the branches streaming towards him and he jumps out the way quicker than my eyes can follow.
He ducks one branch and kicks the other.
It snaps in half and shrinks away. I try and get the one that's left to wrap around his throat but I'm too slow. He grabs it and rips it apart.
The pain rips through me like it was my own arm and tears fill me eyes. He looks at me in shock as I stand before him in agony. His face is already healed from the blades of grass and the rain has washed most of the blood from his skin.
He steps towards me in two quick strides and cups my face in his hands.
His lips crush mine in a deep desperate kiss that knocks the breath from me.
His lips are demanding but they're oh so soft.
I fall into him and tilt my head allowing his tongue better access.
He moans against my lips making warmth pool between my legs.
He tastes like dark chocolate and honeyed bourbon.
Its exquisite and I want more. I press myself against him as his hand slips through my hair to the back of my head.
He pulls slightly tilting my head back further.
His lips kiss and caress my jaw and down my neck until I feel his breath on the sensitive spot beneath my ear.
I shiver against him as his tongue licks and sucks up and down the side of my neck.
His other arm wraps around my back pulling me against him in a vice like hold.
I feel his hardness jutting against my pelvis and I grind myself against him.
He growls deeply in my ear and it vibrates through me down to my core and turns the heat between my legs to a blazing inferno.
Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm aware of the darkness flooding from him, surrounding us, blaring out a warning but I ignore it. His touch is far too addictive for me to resist. I know I shouldn't want this but I can't help wanting more. He's intoxicating and delicious.
I feel two sharp points graze against my neck and I freeze.
Alistair goes ridged as if woken from a dream and jumps away from me suddenly.
I fall forward into the empty air and land on my knees in the mud.
His arms grip my shoulders and stop me from falling flat on my face.
I'm still trying to catch up on what just happened.
I look up at him and his expression is full of.
.. fear? Why? I'm the one that should be terrified.
I snogged the guy that's trying to kill me!
He licks his lips and I catch a glimpse of two long white fangs. His eyes are black with a smoke like pattern swirling around in the whites of his eyes. He blinks and shakes his head as he lets go of me. He almost looks vulnerable.
“Fuck!”