Keeping his wound open Adam placed his wrist against the boys mouth. Jeremy gripped his wrist, pushing against it. His legs began to kick in futile attempts to get away.
“Jeremy you listen to me,” Anna said with authority. “You need to drink his blood. It will help you.”
The boy shook his head back and forth with repulse. His nose crinkled up and he rolled his lips in on themselves like a force field.
“You need to trust me, Jeremy. I’ve never lied to you. Do it, and stop wasting your energy,” Anna insisted.
Jeremy looked into his sister’s eyes for a moment as if seeking the truth; then he nodded his consent.
Adam’s wrist had healed so he bit into it again and placed it against the boy’s mouth. Jeremy cringed at the taste at first, but kept drinking. When he began to gag Adam removed his wrist and wiped the boys mouth with his fingers. “I’m sure that didn’t taste good, but you keep that down.”
Jeremy continued to cough and gag and at one point he coughed so hard he sat up in bed clutching his chest.
Anna took his hands in hers, as she slid closer to him. She picked up a wet rag from a wash basin setting on a small table next to his bed and dabbed his forehead. A comforting hum radiated from her chest and Jeremy stared into her eyes as if hypnotized by it. Soon his coughing ceased and he laid his head back on the pillow. “That’s right, you rest now,” Anna said leaning down and kissing his forehead.
“He already has color,” Ben said amazed.
Adam took Phoenix hand and pressed it to his cheek. She picked up on the emotions emanating from him and squeezed his hand in return, knowing he was relieved that he didn’t lose control and was able to help the boy.
“Mister,” a scratchy voice said and all eyes went to Jeremy. He was now sitting up and looking every bit like a healthy young man.
“Yes,” Adam said humbly.
“Thanks.”
“You welcome, little man.”
“I’m not a little man.” Jeremy protested trying to look fierce.
“You’re right.” Adam extended his hand to shake Jeremy’s, which made the boy grin from ear to ear. “You’re a man.”
Anna sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “He hasn’t spoken in weeks.”
“I’m glad we could help,” Phoenix said.
“Ya’ll have earned ya a stay over. I insist,” Ben said standing and slapping Adam on the back firmly.
“We would be honored,” Adam replied.
“I say a celebration is in order,” Ben said with a chuckle as he walked out of the small shack.
Jeremy threw the covers off. “I’m going.”
“Don’t you think you should take it easy for the night?” Anna insisted.
“Nope. I feel fine.” He began throwing clean clothes out of a dresser that had seen better days.
“Jeremy! I just washed those,” Anna yelled.
“We’ll leave you guys to it,” Phoenix said giving her a hug.
As they walked out of the tiny shanty the festivities had already started. People were cheering and clapping.
“Should we do the Top Gun hero walk?” Adam said grinning.
Phoenix nudged his side. “Stop it.”
“You know I’m kidding. What happened in there was a miracle.”
Walking up the dirt road to Ben’s house they were greeted with many thanks and praise. Adam insisted every time that it was nothing and it was his pleasure.
When they walked into Ben’s shanty they found him with his butt up in the air as he bent over digging in a large trunk.
“Need some help?” Phoenix asked.
“Ah ha! There they be,” he replied standing and holding up two fairly large boxes of fireworks.
“Where did you get those?” Adam asked walking toward the old man with his hands out and excitement in his eyes.
Phoenix rolled her eyes. “Guys and fire.”
“Guys and rockets,” Adam corrected.
“I’ve been keeping these for a special occasion,” Ben said with a schoolboy enthusiasm.
“Are you sure you want to waste them on us?” Adam asked.
“Ain’t no better time.”
Vera stepped through the back door with a basket of laundry in her hands. Ben dashed to unload the burdensome weight which she gladly handed over and removed the washboard from the top stack. “So how’d it go?”
“The boy is healed. It’s time to celebrate. Get out the shine and I’ll start cookin.”
Vera hugged Ben and kissed the dimple on his chin before walking off.
“Hey, get the good stuff, darling!”
Ben put the fireworks on the table and pulled the large hunting knife from his hip. He wiped it a few times across his jeans. “Time to get the hog.”
“I’ll just stay here,” Adam insisted.
“No way boy, get those pretty hands of yours dirty.”
Ben walked out knife in hand.
“Did he just call me boy?”
“Better go slaughter the beast,” Phoenix said smiling.
“I have the feeling this is going to be some crazy ass shit.”
“Well you need to impress our host, so go.” Phoenix knew Adam killed animals all the time for food so she was puzzled over his hesitation.
Adam sighed removing the bandana that he kept tied around one of his boots and his arm bracelets. He handed them to Phoenix.
Phoenix snickered as he walked out the back door with his head hung low. “The rock star becomes a butcher,” she quietly snickered.
“Can you help me, hun?” Vera said as she walked up the stairs carrying a wooden crate full of Mason jars. They clanked together with each step she took.
Phoenix dashed over at vamp speed. “Here let me take those.” She lifted the crate with ease and Vera went back down the stairs. Phoenix quickly set the jars on the table and beat the older woman to the shelf in the root cellar. “No lifting for you.”
Phoenix took a look around. The tiny space was filled with home canned food and smoked meat. Underneath the shelves Ben had dozens of crates of moonshine covered in burlap tarps. “You guys are set up pretty well.”
“Yeah, Ben dug this before we built the house. Took him and the boys weeks digging with shovels.” Vera wiped her hands on her apron.
“Very smart.”
“He may be all hillbilly, but Ben’s a prepared man.” Vera pointed to another crate. “I think three of those otta do it.”
“Three?” Phoenix blew a breath out. “This entire village will be drunk for months.”
“I’m sure we won’t be drinkin it all, but I don’t wanna walk down these stairs again.”
“Okay,” Phoenix replied with hesitance. She stacked another crate on top of the one she already had and carried them up.
Phoenix glanced outside and noticed that the entire village had gathered and where quickly setting up makeshift tables along the road. “Wow, you guys really know how to party.”
“Don’t happen much, so when it does folks get excited.”
Ten minutes later Ben came in with a grin filling his face; Adam on the other hand didn’t look so happy.
“I killed one of the hogs. Boys are cutting it up, no time to roast the whole thing,” Ben said happy with his accomplishment.
“You okay,” Phoenix asked Adam, taking his hand.
“I’ll pretend I am, how about that?” He picked up his things from the table, where she had left them, and put them back on. “I don’t want to ever see that again.”
“You eat meat you know.”
“Yeah, but that was more ceremonial. I kill all the time, but that was different.” He paused to kiss her lips gently. “He ripped the heart out and bit into it.”
“You’re a vampire. Why would that bother you?”
“I don’t rip the heart out of my victims and bite into it and then yell and scream. Hell I didn’t go near that far when I was new and killed a few innocent people.”
“Think of it as Ben being thankful
for the food he has. Native American’s used to do it.”
“I’m not saying it was wrong, just disturbing.”
“Come on, there’s a party in the street.” She tugged on his sleeve.
The village amateur musicians had formed a makeshift band and Adam went right for them. Some of the instruments were homemade, like a washboard and wood stick. One guy had two spoons tied together with fabric. “You play?” one of them asked.
“Yeah, I play guitar,” Adam replied proudly.
Phoenix had been longing to see him play live. It was no sold out concert at Madison Square Gardens, but it would work.
“Here man. You wanna sit in while I get us some drinks?” one guy offered handing Adam his guitar.
Adam took it without hesitation.
One of the guys spit on the ground and then stretched out his hand to Adam. “Names, Henry. What kinda music you play?”
“I was in a rock band.”
“Don’t really have the equipment for playin Metallica.”
“I can follow along with whatever you guys play,” Adam responded.
“Well, alright then.”
Adam brought the guitar up and nestled his fingers against the strings.
The gal in the back with a violin started in with a familiar song, The Devil Went Down to Georgia. It was one of Phoenix’s all-time favorites. The others chimed in as the song went along. A guy with barrels and pots played a mean drum set. Though the drums were crude he did have actual drumsticks. Washboard man kept a steady rhythm and Adam strummed the guitar like he had played the song a thousand times.
Everyone began to dance and soon formed a sort of a square dance. As Phoenix clapped her hands to the beat someone dragged her into the circle. She twirled around locking elbows over and over with various individuals. Every time she came around to face Adam she couldn’t help but stare. No matter the current situation and band members he still looked like the rock God he had always been.
A few pieces of plywood were laid on the ground and an all-female line dance started. Their feet pounded the wood in sync and it added to the barrel drumming.
The next elbow Phoenix took was Jeremy’s. He smiled big as he twirled her around. Then came Doug. He gripped her arm tight with his hand and glared before shoving her out of the circle. When she stumbled and fell the music screeched to a halt.
ADAM RUSHED TO help Phoenix up. As soon as she was standing he confronted Doug. “So you think its okay to push women around?”
“That ain’t no woman.” He spit at Adams feet.
As Adam moved closer to Doug, Ben stepped between them. “There’ll be no fightin.”
“Our deaths gonna be on your head, old man,” Doug spit out before walking away.
“I apologize,” Ben said rubbing the top of his head.
“Not your fault,” Adam said patting Ben’s shoulder.
“Don’t have the heart to kick him out. Not much out there to run too.”
Phoenix sighed. “That’s true, but I hope he doesn’t make things worse for you.”
“He just needs to cool off. Come on let’s get back to the party.”
The party had come to a standstill. Every eye in the village was watching the confrontation. Some looked worried, other’s amused, but it was evident that everyone was waiting to see if retaliation would occur.
Ben clapped his hands together loudly. “Let’s not spoil our night, folks. Start that music again.”
The guy Adam had borrowed the guitar from had it in his hands as he sat down on a rundown chair. The other band members had departed and he was left a lone solo artist. “Everyone get your sweetheart. This will be a slow one.” His voice was deep and very Texan.
Adam took Phoenix’s hand. He twirled her once before bringing her to rest against his chest. With his right hand clutching her left and her head on his shoulder Adam swayed to the soft acoustic guitar. The melody was sweet and romantic. It reminded Phoenix of a warm summer day and lying in a field of daisies.
Adam kissed the top of her head and the feel of his lips softly grazing her hair sent chills down her spine. She smiled up at him. Being in his arms at this moment made her momentarily forget about the world they lived in. When his lips brushed against her mouth she took the chance to kiss his deeply. Phoenix didn’t care who was watching or what they thought. An overwhelming feeling came over her. “Adam?”
“Yes, beautiful.”
“I love you.”
He stopped dancing and she wondered if telling him might have been the wrong thing to do. Finally, he cocked his head and grinned helping her to relax.
“I’ve been wanting to tell you that, but didn’t know if you were ready to hear it,” he replied.
“And I’ve been waiting to hear it.”
Adam took her face in his hands and stared deeply into her eyes. “I love you, Phoenix. I love everything about you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, let her fingers knot in his hair and kissed him again. Phoenix stopped and looked over Adam’s shoulder. The guitar strings were silent, which made her grin. She didn’t realize the song was over. Leaning in she kissed Adam again.
They stopped and stood looking up at the sky when cracks and booms of fireworks display filled their ears. Cheers of excitement and claps of joy came from the small crowd.
The party lasted until early morning when everyone picked up their sleeping children and staggered back to their own shanties. Some were very drunk and still in a festive mood, while others had the heavy feet of exhaustion.
Ben took one more swig from a Mason jar as he walked hand in hand with Vera. Phoenix and Adam followed with their arms wrapped around each other’s waist.
“Ya’ll can sleep in there,” Ben said in a slightly slurred voice. His finger pointed to a room off to the right where the doorway was covered by a blanket that had been nailed across it.
Adam pulled the blanket back for her and she ducked inside. When the -covering fell back in place the room was pitch black. Phoenix stared at Adam’s eyes, which glowed like tiny lighthouse beacons.
“Let me light this lantern,” Adam said picking up a small box of matches.
Her hand slid down his back. “We don’t need it. I can see perfectly.” When she looked at Adam and the furnishings it was as if she were looking through night vision; everything had a grey cast to it.
Adam turned and smiled at her. “I’m kind of liking this new vision and hearing.”
“Me too,” she replied as she kissed his lips.
Adam slid her tank top over her head and unhooked her bra. As they hit the floor his mouth encased one of her breasts, while the other was massaged with his hand. Phoenix moaned and curled her fingers around his hair. He let his hand slide down her side and over her hip. She moved her legs apart as his fingers slid between her thighs. When his middle finger slid inside her he moaned. “You’re ready and I didn’t have to do anything.”
“Oh you’re gonna do something,” she replied.
“Yes I am.” Adam turned her around and pressed her ass to his crotch. His fingers flicked and played with her. As she began to breathe hard his fingers moved faster. She wanted to scream out, but kept her cries to herself as her body exploded.
He bent her over a small chair in the room and took her hard and fast. His orgasmic release came fast and his arms wrapped around her body. As he laid his head against her shoulder he whispered, “you’re amazing.”
Phoenix curled up to Adam using him as her own personal body pillow. The bed was nothing to write home about; though she was glad Ben had asked them to stay. She adjusted herself to remove the spring pushing into her side.
“Comfortable?” Adam asked leaning his head down to kiss her hair.
“It’s better than rocks and hard earth, that’s for sure.”
He chuckled, which made the bed squeak. “Goodnight, love.”
When he closed his eyes the room went a bit dimmer. Phoenix listened to the sound of his heart and her mouth curle
d up in a smile. There was never anything like this in all the vampire movies, TV shows, and books that she had seen or read. All the fictional characters were considered dead and soulless. Both she and Adam were very much alive; unless they didn’t replenish their blood. Phoenix was glad that her mutation had continued and she now had super intense vision and hearing. As she closed her eyes there was fear in the back of her mind that their growing abilities were a result of the TSP’s continued chemical spraying. Pushing that fear of the unknown from her mind, she let herself drift off only to be startled awake, hours later, by Doug.
She felt the tip of the knife push against her jugular first and her eyes shot open. She quickly rolled over and grabbed Doug’s wrists, throwing him to the floor within seconds. Doug managed to slice her neck as he was going down. The warm blood ran down her chest. Rage filled her and she curled her hand into a fist and punched Doug over and over until his own blood ran from his nose and mouth. She could hear the bone and cartilage crush with every blow. Her strength had increased overnight, and she felt like the Hulk, filled with rage and crushing fist abilities. Doug tried to block her punches with his arms, but she moved to fast. Over and over again her fist made contact with his face.
Adam, who had awoken to the first movements, wrapped his arms around her body to restrain her, but she continued to punch. As soon as Adam had a good hold on her arms she kicked instead. Doug groaned as his ribs cracked. He turned over on his side and coughed up blood. When her foot made contact with the back of his head the blood shot out of his mouth like a volcano.
She was spun around to face Adam and he shook her hard. “I got this. Get dressed.” He didn’t wait for an answer as he pushed her behind him. Phoenix looked down and felt a flush of embarrassment. She had forgotten that she was completely naked, but that fact was quickly pushed out of her mind. Naked or not she had to defend herself. As she dressed, she turned in time to see Adam pick Doug up from the floor and throw him out the makeshift bedroom door.
Sliding across the floor, Doug’s body slammed into the large table in the center of the room. The leg shattered and the top fell on his chest. When Adam picked it up Doug was pointing a handgun at him. Phoenix froze. The gun wobbled in Doug’s hands. His swollen eyes fought to focus as he moved his head from side to side. When he did manage to squeeze the trigger the bullet missed Adam completely and lodged in the ceiling causing Phoenix to duck. Ben appeared with a shotgun in his hand. Vera stood behind him tucking her hair behind her ears trying to make herself look presentable.
Rise of the Phoenix (The Phoenix Trilogy Book 1) Page 8
