Splintered Nights

by Veronica Del Rosa

  Most of the myths about the bloodsuckers were true. They burst into ash in the sunlight, holy water burned them, they preferred to sleep underground, they required blood to survive, and a stake in the heart would kill them, same with beheading. I’d learned that last tidbit when Cole had sliced the bastard’s head off. Whether or not garlic harmed them, damned if I knew. And I refused to rely on a stinky root vegetable to save my ass.

  Much of my knowledge had been gleaned from trial and error, since it was hard to ask random strangers if they knew about vampires, and the websites devoted to them were run by starstruck morons. They revered the immortal murderers, romanticizing their evil deeds and conveniently ignoring the dead bodies littered around their nests.

  And I wouldn’t work with Cole, no matter how badly I wanted the bloodsuckers annihilated. I didn’t trust him, couldn’t trust him, since everything about him screamed liar. And why the fuck was I even thinking about him? I had to prepare, not analyze his motives.

  The bright full moon shining through the window lit my dreary little hidey-hole, highlighting the dust and grime on the walls and floor. No blood, though. Small mercies. Perhaps I would survive the night with my skin intact. The thought of fangs in my neck chilled me and nausea threatened to spill my meagre supper over the floor.

  I examined the stake in my hand, testing the tip with my finger. Yep, nice and sharp. It would tear through flesh with ease. The ribcage was another matter, but that relied more on knowledge of where the bones were than brute strength. And after so many years of battling vampires, it was second nature to me now.

  Footsteps outside of my tiny room interrupted my introspection, and my hand tightened on the stake. With my other hand, I flipped the knife around so the handle was clenched in my fist, blade jutting outwards. Not the best way to fight, but it’d give me an element of surprise if needed.

  The sound faded away. No one bothered me.

  I lay down, back against the wall, head towards the window, and feet pointed at the door. I would’ve felt safer if the window hadn’t been opposite the door, but beggars and all that.

  With my knapsack pressed up against my stomach, I slowly exhaled and waited for sleep to claim me. Or some semblance of sleep. I hadn’t experienced a deep, refreshing slumber in so long I’d forgotten what it felt like. Tonight wouldn’t bring one either. Perhaps I could catch at least a few winks before I was disturbed.

  My breathing deepened and leadenness claimed my limbs. My legs twitched, as if ready to run, and my heart thudded at the shock. I settled when nothing burst through the window or clawed at the walls.

  Safe. For now, I was safe.

  I could sleep, let my worries float away. Nothing could attack me.

  Safe.

  Scriiiiiitch.

  My heart skipped a beat and then fluttered like a wild bird caught in a cage. I didn’t move, waiting for the noise again. My imagination? Part of a dream? Or was something stalking me and had made a mistake? I wanted to open my eyes, but the irrational fear of eyes staring back at me kept them closed tight.

  The old childhood belief of “if I can’t see them, they can’t see me” flooded back.

  My fingers squeezed the knife handle. I wasn’t a helpless child. I wasn’t a helpless adult either. I’d survived and would continue to survive. If a vampire was in the room, I’d make sure they didn’t leave in one piece.

  Steeling myself against my irrational fear, especially since I hadn’t heard anything else, I slowly opened my eyes. My gaze swept the room and found nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing.

  I let out a soft breath.

  Maybe it’d been my imagination, but I wouldn’t let my guard down again. I wasn’t safe here. I wasn’t safe anywhere, except maybe in the Arctic during the summer when the sun remained high in the sky for months on end. I would happily spend my time in the cold if it meant I could sleep without fear.

  Money was an issue, though. Who would fly a near-penniless woman to the middle of nowhere and then leave her there? Not anyone I knew.

  Maybe when I won the lottery, I’d build myself a fortress in the Arctic, but until then, it would remain a fantasy.

  Sleep again tossed weights onto my eyelids, and they drifted downwards. The adrenaline had worn off, leaving me weak and weary. I just wanted some rest. Tomorrow would be another long, strenuous day on my feet and I still had to wake early for my workout session. Skipping it wasn’t an option, not if I wanted to stay alive.

  Peace settled over me, a false security created by the other people in the house. The threshold was decent. It would keep the vampires out. It had to.

  Disjointed dreams and random images filled my world, distracting me from the nightly horrors. I had no idea how long I slept, since time felt distorted each instance I roused enough to gather stock of my surroundings. Had I slept for an hour that time or only five minutes? My groggy brain couldn’t make sense of my watch, so I gave up looking at it.

  Faint growling and eerie howls wove into my dreams, ones I’d heard before but couldn’t place. Instead of making me tense, I settled even deeper into slumber.

  My alarm went off, the soft music stirring me. I refused to use a blaring, irritating noise as my wakeup call. There was enough to scare the shit out of me while I tried to rest. Clearing the fog from my brain, I grabbed my cell phone—I’d saved for almost a year to get the cheapest smartphone available—and glanced at the time. A little after five in the morning.

  Work started at seven on the dot. Doug hated tardiness and would dock pay for even just a minute. He felt it kept people motivated to arrive on time. I felt it made him a dick, since he also demanded we accept short-notice overtime without complaint.

  With a little groan, I pushed myself upright and ran my fingers through my short, matted hair. I refused to keep it long since I’d experienced how easily an enemy could use a braid to subdue me. I almost hadn’t survived to learn that lesson.

  Standing, I stretched out the kinks from sleeping on the hard floor and began my morning routine. I needed to pee, but it could wait. Plus I didn’t want to wander through the house looking for a bathroom, not until I absolutely had to. By all accounts, the behemoth’s hospitality only extended so far, and once he knew I was awake, he’d kick me out.

  Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I flowed through several moves, limbering up my muscles and mildly cursing my full bladder. I couldn’t hold out much longer. Burpees were out of the question. I didn’t have many spare clothes and washing piss-stained ones didn’t appeal to me.

  Heart rate elevated and covered in a light sheen of sweat, I grabbed my knapsack and glanced around to make sure I’d left nothing behind. My possessions in this world were meagre, and losing even one item would make my life more difficult.

  I opened the door, scoped out the hallway for potential adversaries, and scurried towards what I hoped was the bathroom.

  “Leaving us so soon?” The silky voice of the behemoth, so unexpected, almost made me pee myself and I whirled to glare at him as he stood in an open doorway. Big mistake. Glaring at the giant only proved I was an idiot for thinking I could intimidate him. He chuckled and crossed his tree-trunk arms over his thick chest. “Not such a timid little mouse, eh? We had visitors last night.”

  I blinked, no words coming to mind. I’d slept through a vampire attack? How was that possible? “What?”

  Wow, way to impress him with your wit.

  “Vampires tried to attack but the wolves intervened. First time I ever saw that happen. You friends with some werewolves?” He rested his shoulder against the doorjamb, his massive body filling the space. Not even a small child could squeeze past him and I again had the uncomfortable feeling he could crush my bones with his bare hands.

  His bald head, eyebrow piercing, and glowering expression gave off a mean-motherfucker vibe, one that’d make any sane person cross the street to avoid him. And run really, really fast to get away from him.

  I shook my head and patted my knapsack, an absen
tminded gesture since I could feel its weight against my back. “No, don’t think so. Pretty sure I’ve never met a werewolf.”

  “See, that’s the thing about wolves. You never know until it’s a full moon and they turn feral. Until then, they’re as human as you and I.” A calculating light entered his blue eyes and he straightened. I wished he hadn’t. He gained a few more inches, towering over me. With what I suppose was a friendly smile, though it seemed more like a snake charming its prey, he said, “You can stay here again if you like.”

  His offer confused me, especially after his hostility last night. Did he think the werewolves were protecting me? They’d never bothered to before, like the few times I’d had to sleep in the park or in one of the abandoned sewage tunnels. What had made last night any different? No, the wolves hadn’t brought me into their fold. It was a fluke, one I’d take advantage of. My father didn’t raise a stupid girl.

  “Okay, thank you. If I can’t get a bed at the shelter, I’ll come here. That’s very generous of you.” I sidled down the hallway, my gaze never leaving him. Not for a second did I trust the giant.

  “Name’s Halvar, by the way. If anyone asks, tell ’em I gave you permission.” How could such a large person have such a soft voice?

  “Um, thanks. Time for work. Bye,” I said with a quick nod. The stairs beckoned me, my salvation from the man I didn’t understand. In my line of work, it behooved me to analyse my clients. If I didn’t, then I might royally screw up and hurt someone. And I couldn’t afford the guilt or the pay cut from one fewer client. Doug wouldn’t toss another my way to help out.

  Racing down the stairs, I burst from the house like hellhounds were chasing me. I hadn’t stopped to visit the bathroom.

  Damn it.

  Chapter Three

  “One more push-up. You can do it, just one more.” My voice remained encouraging even though my mind wandered to tonight’s preparations, which were surprisingly little. No battle for my life last night meant I’d kept all my stakes. My uniform remained pristine. The beauty of training others meant I didn’t do the sweating, at least not for my morning clients.

  I wouldn’t go back to Halvar’s tonight, though. The vampires would expect it. I had to maintain randomness to keep them guessing. A night in the shelter, a night in the park, a night in a tunnel. Lucky for me, Belleville had several abandoned tunnels perfect for squatting and I wasn’t the only one who thought so.

  Abby groaned, but she completed her last push-up, then collapsed on the floor, panting. She’d come a long way since our first session almost six months ago. Then, she could barely do two. Today, her count was fifty, her personal best.

  “You . . . are . . . evil,” she gasped out, pride in herself shining through her complaint. She’d finished the third circuit in her regime. I squatted next to her and grinned.

  “Best compliment ever. How’s your food intake?” I wasn’t a certified nutritionist and had never claimed to be, but I liked to challenge my clients to pay attention to what they ate and how often. Working out only went so far, though I felt like a hypocrite, since I ate more processed crap than real food. Without a kitchen, I couldn’t cook as often as I’d like.

  Abby pushed upright and stretched, cooling down her aching muscles. I kept an eye on her movements, since cooling down was as important as the rest of the workout.

  “No fast food this week. Smoothies for breakfast, and fruit when I need a boost of energy. I feel fantastic during the day, no mental weariness. You’re a miracle worker.” Her grin warmed me and I smiled back.

  “You’re the one doing all the hard work. I’m just pointing you in the right direction.” I glanced at my watch. “Time for my next appointment. See you Thursday.”

  Leaving the room, I almost bumped into Doug. My mind immediately went to any infractions I might’ve committed, since he never sought me out unless I’d screwed up. Nothing came to me.

  “You have a new client. Room 2B. He asked for you specifically and paid extra for your time. Treat him like your job depends on it,” Doug said with a hard look. I’d yet to figure out why he disliked me. My clients sung my praises, or so the other trainers told me, I didn’t miss any shifts because I couldn’t afford to, and I’d never had a complaint against me.

  At first, I’d thought it was just his way. Some people were pricks, but nope. He was professional and polite to other employees unless they were late for their shift.

  I gave him a bright smile, refusing to let him ruin my day. “Sure, Doug, no problem.”

  Taking care to avoid touching him, I skirted around Doug and marched to room 2B without looking back. I would not show weakness. Vampires hunted me and I didn’t quiver, so why did my boss make my gut clench and my legs wobble? Of course, vampires couldn’t fire me and blackball me with other fitness clubs. It went back to his polite professionalism. Everyone else loved him.

  Breathe slow and deep, let go of the negative, embrace the positive. Yeah, yeah, mental mumbo jumbo, but damned if it didn’t work. I felt better, lighter, and ready to take on my new client, whose ass I had to kiss.

  With a spring in my step, I entered the room and stopped dead.

  “Hello, ma petite chérie.” Cole smiled like a cat waiting to pounce on a canary. He’d forgotten I wasn’t easy prey.

  I flicked my eyes along his body, which was clad in a pair of loose, black gym shorts and a tight, white tank top. Each ridge of lean muscle strained against the inadequate fabric. And yet, I was too pissed to be impressed. I crossed my arms and pressed my lips into a firm line. I had to kiss Cole’s ass? Who the hell was he to my boss?

  “I’d say this is a pleasure, except it isn’t. Why are you here?” Fuck, that’s not ass-kissing.

  I closed the door behind me, immediately regretting my action when I realized I was now trapped in the small room with a man I didn’t trust—not for a bloody second, especially when his grin widened.

  Again, my rudeness didn’t faze him.

  “I thought your boss was clear. Treat me like your job depends on my happiness. Wouldn’t want me to complain.” Cole sauntered towards me and every muscle tensed. What game was he playing?

  If he touched me, I’d break every one of his goddamn fingers, job or no job. “Fine, let’s start your workout then. Are you looking to gain mass, increase your cardio, or—”

  “Flexibility,” he said, cutting me off. “I want to increase my flexibility.”

  Not an answer I’d expected. I scrunched my brows. Maybe I’d found a way to get rid of my unwanted client. “I don’t teach yoga. You should try the studio down the street.”

  “Come now, is that any way to treat a paying customer?” Cole still crowded me, his body too close to mine, and the urge to kick his kneecap almost overcame my good sense. He’d never harmed me, so why was I on the defensive? He stepped back, his arms wide, as if showing me he came in peace. “Work with me. Please.”

  Damn it, telling him to fuck off and get out wasn’t an option. He’d done nothing to deserve it. I nodded sharply. “Okay, fine. No hitting on me, no crude comments, and no touching. Understand?”

  “Ah, of course. I wouldn’t dream of such behaviour.” Cole placed a hand on his chest, a wounded expression on his face, though something hard crept into his eyes. “Any of your clients get handsy with you?”

  “As if.” I snorted. “After the shit I’ve seen and dealt with? I can take care of myself. Well, if you’re serious about this, let’s get started.”

  “Thought you didn’t do yoga,” Cole teased, the hardness fading from his gaze and laughter taking over. He bounced on the balls of his feet.

  “I lied. Some of my clients love a little yoga tossed in with the weight training. Grab the mat,” I gestured to a rolled-up mat resting against the wall, “and set up a spot that’s comfortable for you.”

  Not surprisingly, he kept the exits in view and I grunted in approval. No one would sneak up on either one of us, though I suspected Cole had a ton more training than me. His movem
ent screamed formal education while I was self-taught and had learned from my father. Dirty fighting was more my style, since it kept me alive.

  I ran him through a few of the easier poses to gain a feel for his level of flexibility, which I had to admit sucked. He could barely get into child’s pose, and I could’ve sworn I heard him groan when he tried to touch his forehead to the ground. Poor guy, so used to doing everything well and he couldn’t stretch his thighs wide enough to get his bulk resting between them. I rubbed my fingers across my mouth, trying desperately to contain my laughter. This was the first time I’d ever seen him less than confident and swaggering. Damned if I wasn’t enjoying it.

  “My pain is amusement to you?” he muttered, his gaze focused on the mat and not me. “You’re a cruel woman.”

  “And you’re the person who won’t leave me alone, so I’ll take my amusement where I can.” I should’ve felt embarrassed, since he’d taken me to task, but whatever. “We’ll do a few more stretches, see if we can loosen you up a bit.”

  With a mild groan, Cole untangled himself and jumped to his feet. I ran him through some poses, correcting his posture and pushing him to his limit. Sweat beaded on his forehead and made his tank top stick to his chest. As if I hadn’t already gotten an eyeful of his well-defined pecs and abs.

  A sly grin lifted the corners of his mouth when he noticed me staring and I narrowed my eyes. Admiring his body was vastly different from wanting him sexually. His arrogance aggravated me.

  “What next, ma petite chérie?” His insufferable grin made my fingers itch to smack him. Did he view me as a challenge? Or was this about me being bait for vampires again? Either answer pissed me off.

  “Nothing. Your time is up and we’re done here. Find another trainer.” I stalked to the door and threw it open. “I’d say it was nice working with you, but it wasn’t.”