“It’ll come,” Kyle told her. “I didn’t shift until I was nine, which was way later than everyone else. But it works different ways for different people. It’s pretty awesome that we have another full blood in the group now. We couldn’t let Gabe go on thinking he’s special just because he’s the only one.”
“Being full blood doesn’t make me any different than anyone else, really,” she was quick to counter.
“She hasn’t even shifted yet,” Sharla reminded everyone. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves until she’s at least shifted. Assuming she even can.”
“She will,” Gabe determined. “It’s in her blood.” He handed his phone back to Carly. “Pick something out to get us home. The louder, the better.”
Carly searched through the album list, and asked, “How about Rage Against the Machine?”
“It’s like you read my mind.”
“I’m trying, but I’m not quite there yet.”
Gabe smiled, and turned back to the road.
Sharla cleared her throat. “Gabe, how did you like the show?”
“I thought it was great. What did you think?”
Sharla started chattering on about how The Futura Collective was her favorite band of all time, and how it was the best show she’d ever seen, and how she was glad she got to share it with Gabe.
“Who’re you texting?” Carly asked Kyle, watching as his thumbs grazed his phone screen. “Do you have a girlfriend?”
“I wish,” Kyle muttered. “I’m texting Crys. She got that guy’s number, so she’s pretty pumped.”
“Good for her. You’re in her class, right?”
“You think I’m a senior?”
“You’re not?” Carly asked.
“If only. I’m stuck in the tenth grade with Sharla,” Kyle answered. “And it wouldn’t be so bad, except all the hot girls are older than me.”
“Not all of them,” Sharla spat, turning around to glare at him. “You know how hot I am, Kyle.”
“You won’t let me forget. Can’t you drive any faster, Gabe? I seriously can’t be late. I came home thirty minutes after curfew last night, and my dad was so pissed he almost didn’t let me out of the house this afternoon.”
“I’m already going twenty over the limit,” Gabe told him, peering down at the dashboard. “What the hell?”
“What?” Sharla gasped, resting her hand on his arm. “Gabe…?”
“I don’t know how, but I’m on empty. I had three-quarters of a tank when I parked outside the club before the show.”
Carly wasn’t sure why, but a shiver raced down her spine. “Are you sure you’re not remembering wrong?”
Gabe locked eyes with her through the rearview mirror. “I filled up when we got here this morning. I’m sure.”
“There’s a place right up here,” Kyle mentioned as the station came into view. “I think it’s just pay at the pump, but it’ll get us home.”
Gabe let out a sigh as he pulled into the station, which was little more than two gas pumps and a rest area. He jumped out of the car, and Carly hopped out after him.
“I think I’m okay out here,” Gabe said as he twisted off the gas cap. “Not that I mind your company.”
“I was just heading to the restroom,” Carly said.
He eyed the dimly lit rest stop. “Take Sharla with you.”
“I can pee by myself, Gabe.”
He looked like he might protest further, but nodded. “Sure, just… be careful.”
“I always am,” she assured him. She stepped into the deserted women’s room, thankful for a moment to herself. Being around Gabe was way more intense than she’d thought it would be, but she was beginning to like it. Having a crush served as a nice distraction from her dark reality.
Carly used the restroom and stopped to wash her hands. Moonlight poured in from the window and left silver sparkles on her sandy blonde hair. She drew her face close to the spotted mirror to examine her reflection. She was decent looking, but pretty enough to compete with Crystal and Esther and Sharla? Pretty enough for Gabe? She didn’t know about that.
Carly turned for the door, but froze before she made it there. She tried to breathe, but couldn’t get her lungs to work. She’d never encountered the ghastly creature hovering over her before, but knew instantly what the foul thing was.
The ruskah stood a good eight feet tall, a bobbly head atop a tiny body. Its neck was at least two feet long, thin as a rail, vertebrae bulging out of slimy white skin. Spindly legs and arms sprouted from its center like algae under water. The creature was the very essence of grotesque, with its neck as its most intriguing feature—so stretched and narrow that she wasn’t sure how it was supporting the head.
The ruskah’s head framed black, saucer-like eyes—something found only in science fiction movies and the nightmares of sleeping children. The soulless eyes held Carly’s attention but for a moment before she looked down to its mouth.
The lipless mouth parted, baring white razor teeth, the ruskah’s acid breath spilling onto Carly’s face. She reeled in horror, and tried to take a step back, but her legs wouldn’t comply. She was unable to move any part of her body, somehow trapped under the spell of the wretched beast.
It moved its mouth over her hair, one of its teeth catching on her forehead. Still frozen, Carly could feel the trickle of blood on her skin, could sense the frenzy it seemed to build in the creature. The ruskah started moving its gangly neck back and forth, around and around, as if immersed in some sort of sacred dance—as if excited.
Carly had no breath, but her pulse was racing now, forcing blood from her heart up through her neck to pour from the cut on her head. She couldn’t think, let alone call for help. She may as well have been facing death itself in that moment.
The ruskah slid a black noodle tongue out of its mouth and licked at Carly’s wound. The taste sent its neck dancing again, and it seemed to shudder as if experiencing pure ecstasy.
Carly remained motionless as the unwholesome ghoul brought its mouth to her ear. It spoke not in a voice, but in some other form—sending the words directly into her mind. I came looking for you, but found your mother instead. If only she had tasted so sweet.
Carly’s lungs begged for air, her limbs for movement. Something had to happen, or she was going to die. Someone had to come save her, or she was going to fall prey to this pathetic, loathsome monster.
Gabriel! She hoped he could hear her, that somehow her thoughts would break through to him. Gabriel, please! Help me!
Just like that, the door flew open, and a large, gray and white wolf came bursting in. Gabe leapt at the ruskah and sunk gleaming white teeth into its long, disturbing neck. His pale blue eyes flashed to Carly but for a split second before he turned his full attention to the ghoul.
The ruskah’s limbs flailed around the room and seemed to extend as it writhed on the floor. Carly finally found her breath, sucking down heaping mouthfuls as Gabriel battled the beast on the floor. She thought for certain that Gabe would rip it in two, but the ruskah pushed at the wolf and sent him sailing through the air.
No! Carly thought. She couldn’t lose Gabe, not like this. If something were to happen to him, well, the ruskah may as well take her, too.
Gabe’s wolf body crashed into the cement wall, and he whimpered as he rolled back onto paws. He made a semicircle around the ruskah and leapt to attack again. But the ruskah must have sensed his move and went racing for the door.
Gabe chased it outside, did a one-eighty, and came sprinting back to Carly. He trailed his wet nose along her cheek, lapping at the cut on her forehead. She threw her arms around his neck, plunging her nose into his soft fur. It still smelled like him somehow.
Carly held onto Gabe as if her very life depended on it, tears filling her eyes. She wept for what seemed like ages before she looked to Gabe again. It wasn’t until then she noticed he’d shifted back into his human form.
Gabe swept Carly’s hair out of her eyes. “Are you okay?”
Gabe pulled her up into his arms as he stood. “Kyle and Sharla went after it. They’ll make sure it doesn’t come back.” He carried her outside, scanning the dark trees surrounding them as they reached the Jetta. Gabe settled Carly in the passenger seat and raced around to the driver’s side.
Carly’s head fell onto his shoulder as he turned over the engine and screeched out of the parking lot. She wondered briefly how Kyle and Sharla would get home.
“They’re quicker on foot than you might think,” Gabe answered as he wrapped his fingers around Carly’s hand. “I told them to go after it and kill it if they can. But they’re not as strong as I am, so I don’t know…”
She closed her eyes, trying to talk herself out shock. But it was no use. That thing would have killed her if—
“Carly, I will never let that happen,” Gabe assured her.
She squeezed his hand to thank him for saving her. She couldn’t imagine her life without him, and not just because of this. Gabe meant everything.
Carly was on the brink of unconsciousness by the time Gabe pulled up to her house. He had her out of the car and in his arms in a matter of seconds. She managed to open her eyes as he carried her to the front door.
Howard had the door open before Gabe had a chance to ring the bell. “Ruskahs?”
Gabe nodded as he carried Carly into the foyer. “One of them.”
“Take her up to her room,” Howard instructed. “Is she all right?”
Gabe shook his head. “She can’t speak, but that should pass soon enough.”
“I’ll bring her some tea.”
“Honestly, Mr. Morneau, I think she just needs some sleep. Is it okay if I stay with her tonight?”
Howard drew his lips into a thin line. “Yes, fine. I’m at least going to get her a glass of water.”
Gabe headed up to Carly’s room and lie her down on the bed. He knelt on the floor beside her, running his fingers along her cheek. “I’m so sorry, Carly. I’m sorry for everything.”
She marveled up at him. Gabe had nothing to be sorry for. He’d saved her.
“I knew better than to let you go off on your own,” he reasoned with himself. “You’re just so damned good at convincing me otherwise. I’ll make that thing pay for what it did to you, I swear.”
“One glass of water,” Howard said as he joined them. “And I also brought a first aid kit. That cut on your forehead doesn’t look so good, sweetheart.” He set the glass on the nightstand and ripped into the kit. “You said there was just one?”
“That’s right,” Gabe answered.
Howard tore open a bottle of peroxide and soaked a cotton ball. He gritted his teeth as he cleaned Carly’s wound, then placed a couple bandages over the cut. He was so gentle that it barely hurt at all. “There you are, Carly. I’m sorry I ever brought you here.”
“She needs to be here,” Gabe argued. “She needs to understand her bloodline.”
“Not at the expense of her life.”
“I only left her for a second.”
“I guess you picked just the right one then, didn’t you?”
“I care about her just as much as you do,” Gabe growled. “I’d give my own life before I’d ever let anything happen to her.”
“I do hope you’re right about that. Carly, sweetheart, I love you very much, and I am so sorry about all of this. We’ll be more careful next time. We’ll all have to be more careful.”
“I will be more careful,” Gabe informed him. “And I’ll also make sure she gets to sleep okay.”
Howard looked like he was going to protest, but hung his head in defeat instead. “Good night, Carly, I love you.”
She wanted to say it back, to say anything back, but still had no voice.
Howard let out a sigh, shaking his head as he turned to Gabe. “I’m trusting you with her. You know that, don’t you? And it’s not because I want to—it’s because I feel I’m left with no other choice.”
“Fair enough.”
Howard stared at him for a moment and headed for the door.
Gabe waited until Howard was gone before jumping to his feet and pulling back the covers on the bed. He helped Carly settle underneath them, and then positioned himself on top of the comforter beside her. She snuggled up next to him, resting her head on his arm. Her eyes fluttered for sleep, although she didn’t want to allow it. No, it was much better to be awake, to look over Gabe’s handsome face, to bask in how he’d saved her life.
Tonight had made Carly realize she could lose Gabe at any moment. Tonight had made her realize she couldn’t let that happen.
Soon it became impossible to hold onto consciousness. Please still be here when I wake up, Carly begged as she finally allowed her eyelids to close for sleep.
seventeen
Sun streamed in through the windows as Carly opened her eyes. She couldn’t help her disappointment when she realized that Gabe had abandoned her. She thought for sure he would have heard her request before she’d fallen asleep…
“Thank goodness,” Crystal moaned as she jumped up from the upholstered chair across the room. She threw down her book and rushed to sit on the bed next to Carly. “How are you after everything that happened last night? Are you okay?”
Carly’s throat was on fire, her head killed, and Gabe wasn’t there, but other than that, she was fine. She opened her mouth to speak, but only a squeak came out.
“Take it easy,” Crystal urged. “You can work on trying to talk later.”
Carly opened her mouth again, and this time whispered, “Gabe?”
“He and the guys went out patrolling. I told them it was no use during daylight, but Gabe never listens to me anyway. He should be back soon. He hated to leave you, but he couldn’t just sit here and do nothing. At least, that’s what he was thinking. I’m so sorry for what happened, Carly. We all should have been paying more attention.”
“That thing said it came looking for me a long time ago, Crys, but took my mom instead,” Carly explained, straining to get the words out. “My mother died because of me. And last night… Last night, it almost had me—it could have had me if Gabe hadn’t shown up. What if he’s not there next time? What am I supposed to do then?”
“There won’t be a next time—”
“Carly?” Gabe called as he sprinted through the door to bombard her with a hug. “I’m so glad you’re awake. I couldn’t have lived with myself if something had happened to you. How are you feeling?”
“I… I’m not sure,” she said. “I just woke up.”
“But you’re talking again. That’s a good sign.”
“Did you guys find anything out there?” Crystal asked. “You’ve been gone a while.”
Gabe let go of Carly and sat on the edge of the bed beside Crys. “Nothing—not one single trace of anything suggesting a ruskah. I think trying to find them during the day is useless.”
“Duh.”
Gabe glared at her before looking to Carly. “We’re going out again right at twilight. I’m not going to let that thing get away with what it did to you.”
“What exactly did it do to me?” Carly wondered.
“Ruskahs are rumored to put their prey under a spell before they drink their blood,” Crystal spoke. “It was savoring you for its amusement. Which means the rest of the lore is probably true, too.”
“The rest?”
“According to the story,” Gabe was quick to offer, “now that it’s tasted your blood, the ruskah won’t be satisfied with anything less. Before, the creatures were merely stalking you, hoping to get a shot at you. Now, this one in particular won’t let up until it tastes your blood again. Or until it’s dead—which I intend to make happen tonight.”
“You’re going to kill it?” Carly realized. “Can you?”
“I have every single reason to end that th
ing’s life. This was all my fault. I should have kept better watch on you—”
“Gabe, you can’t blame yourself,” Carly insisted.
“Then whose fault is it?” he demanded.
Carly wasn’t sure how to explain that her very existence was putting all of them in danger, so she didn’t bother trying. “Does my dad know I’m awake?”
“I’ll let him know,” Gabe volunteered as he stood. “Can I get you anything?”
“Coffee.”
There was the tiniest tug of a smile at his lips. “Of course you want coffee. I’ll be right back.”
Legacy: Bloodline Book 1 Page 17
