The Sanctuary (Union Cross Park Series Book 1)

by Felicia Leibenguth

  “You don’t want to do that,” I say in a calm, dark voice.

  She narrows her eyes in anger and pulls the trigger.

  Click.

  Nothing happens as I anticipated. She never checked the safety.

  I snatch the gun from her and throw it on the dash. She takes the opportunity to open the car door at fifty miles an hour, ready to jump out.

  This chick is riding my last nerve and I’m seriously starting to rethink my plans…

  I clutch her car door and slam it shut, keeping her from killing herself. Why exactly am I trying to keep her alive?

  I pull the car into the same spot she previously parked and get out of the car. I quickly get around the car and snatch her from the vehicle by her hair. I drag her behind me and at some point, she managed to get the gun from the dash and shoots me in the leg.

  “Bitch!” I growl, throwing her to the ground with a hard thud.

  She tries to scramble away, but she doesn’t get far…

  My wound will heal in a matter of seconds, but the injury sends a flash of fury through me. I don’t have a rational thought as I pin her to the ground, with her arms out to the side and my legs on either side of her waist. My ankles help pin her legs to the ground, so she cannot fight me. I watch her horrified eyes as I lean closer to her, as if I’m about to kiss her. She whips her head to the side, exposing the tantalizing artery in her neck…

  Chapter 10

  She screams, cries, and pleads, but I am out of patience. I lean down to her neck, licking her skin sending a wave of sheer fear through her system. Humans always taste better with adrenaline pumping through their blood, adding a wild flavor… nearly intoxicating.

  I sink my teeth into her flesh and she screams out.

  I suck the heavy flow from her vein as it sends extreme waves of pleasure through my body. Her blood… so pure… so light… so incredibly, beautifully, seductive. Her flavor is undeniably perfect as if it’s made for me. I’ve never savored anyone like her, and I want more...

  It isn’t until her screams slow, and her fight becomes frail that I force myself to stop and lick the puncture wounds closed. She can’t fight me anymore as I sling her limp body over my shoulder. She will live, much to my displeased, yet satisfied mind. I dislike having these confused emotions. I honestly didn’t think I held many human emotions anymore. But this… Alexandria seems to be waking up something inside me.

  I grab a bag from her trunk and the small toiletry bag from her back seat and run to my concrete building in a flash. I easily jump the five stories to the roof then open the trap door, ignoring the ladder; I step off the roof and plummet down into my home, landing softly on the concrete floor.

  Laying her on the black leather couch, I watch her chest rise and fall in shallow movements as her eyes are closed in slumber. Her hair lay across the small leather pillow, beckoning me to touch the soft brown strands in my fingers once again.

  I twirl several strands between my fingers and smell the strawberry shampoo once more. The alluring scent pulls me closer, nearly touching her delicate skin. My eyes flash to the damage I caused earlier when I dug my nails into her flesh. Her blood red shirt hides the stain well, but to my eyes, it glares at me as if it’s a bleach stain on a black shirt. I pull the fabric away from her wound and become remorseful for the damage I have done to her milky smooth skin. The curved nail marks are surrounded by dark bruises, tainting her perfect flesh.

  A pain stabs in my heart.

  Remembering she is human and their wounds can become infected, I know I need to clean it up and get it covered. But being a vampire, I have no need to keep medical supplies. The bullet wound healed five seconds after she fired the gun.

  Knowing she will be out of it for quite some time, as the human race is weak and needs much time to heal, especially to replenish their blood supply, I decide to leave her momentarily.

  I head to the B&T Grocery that’s been closed for the night. The camera system hasn’t worked in years and the bars on the windows cannot keep me from getting what I want. When he put the bars on the windows, he didn’t take into account the upstairs apartment. I grin darkly and leap up onto the red metal, barn like roof with ease and head for the small window with the open curtain. Peering in, I see that the owner lives up here, which could explain the reason for such heavy bars on the windows downstairs.

  Quietly, I open the unlocked window and enter into the small living room with the older style, plaid furniture. With the way the owner acted earlier toward me, I want to slip in and out unnoticed. I fear compelling him again will not work to well this time. Besides, I don’t have time to cover up another murder.

  I silently move through the small apartment and find the door that leads to the store below. Sneaking down the old steps, I enter the store and search for a first aid kit. I find it, and realize it’s not as big as I would like, but it will make due. Thinking Alexandria may be with me for a while, I remember humans need food to eat so I grab a bag from behind the register to fill. I maneuver around the store grabbing some items like pop-tarts, cereal, eggs, milk, lunch meat and bread and throw it all in the bag then work my way back up the stairs. Going unnoticed, I head back out the window, closing it behind me and sprint back to Alexandria.

  Chapter 11

  Checking on Alexandria to make sure she is still sleeping, I begin to put away the food in the empty cabinets. The fridge holds a small stash of blood bags that I’ve collected from my victims and blood slaves. They don’t last long before they coagulate, but it keeps me in a fresh supply, especially during times there aren’t any trespassers in the park, or many humans staying at the rehab facility between the weekly visits from my blood slaves. I hate drinking cold blood; it’s rather disgusting but sometimes necessary.

  I move the blood to a lower shelf and place the milk, eggs and lunch meat on the top rack. Three things I would never have thought I’d see in my house again…

  I give a hard laugh as my mind wanders to my past.

  Two-hundred years is a long time, but the night of my death and rebirth has never left me.

  It’s turning dusk as I had into the tree line of the dense forest. Riding my youngest horse, I know it’s a risk to ride him through the woods for the first time, but it’s the shortest route home. After a few minutes of smooth riding down the narrow path, I notice my horse’s ears are turning in all directions and he is becoming uneasy.

  I put it aside as it’s his first time going through the woods, but he soon comes to a halt and steps back a few feet. His ears point straight ahead and his focus bothers me.

  I pet his neck as I peer around, trying to see through the dim light of the lasting sun.

  “What’s the matter Noir?” I question my horse. “It’s alright, walk on,” I urge.

  Noir refuses to move and his head suddenly whips to the side, glaring into the woods with wild eyes. He turns slightly on the narrow trail and hits his rear end on a tree, causing him to rear up and whinny in panic. I hang on tightly as he lands and takes off full speed down the trail. I try pulling back on the reigns and yell “Whoa!” but to no avail.

  As Noir runs full speed down the trail, I hear a loud snap, followed by significant creaking up ahead. This spooks Noir further and he continues to run down the path.

  I soon see what caused the loud snapping to echo through the forest as the massive tree crashes through, and lands several feet in front of us. The tree crosses over our path and Noir comes to a halt, bucking his back feet off the ground, causing me to fly off his back and land a good thirty feet down the trail. I land hard, hitting my head causing everything to go black.

  I awaken in a fog, with unfamiliar whispers surrounding me. My head hurts and I groan in discomfort. The whispers stop and I realize I hear a fire crackling not far from me, and the smell of smoke fills the air. I’m lying on the ground with something soft under my head when a hand lightly caresses my cheek.

  My eyes fly open in shock and I jerk away from the hand. My vis
ion is blurry, and all I’m able to make out is a fuzzy mass of red.

  “It’s alright my sweet,” a gentle voiced woman said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  I blink my eyes several times and my vision clears. My eyes focus on a stunning, porcelain skinned woman with dark red lips, golden brown eyes, and wearing an unusual skin tight red dress. It’s like something I have never seen, as it drops just below her knees with a plummeting neck line, showing more skin than I have ever seen on a woman.

  I stare, captivated by such strange clothing and the stunning woman wearing them.

  The woman smiles down at me as I move into a sitting position. I stare up at her, but movement behind her catches my eye.

  Peering around her, I see a large man approaching us. His clothing is a stark contrast to the woman’s before me. His pinstripe, long sleeve white shirt is surprisingly baggy on his large frame. The brown wool pants are tight against his legs and the suspenders are sloppily laid over his shoulders and are twisted. I also notice the man is not wearing any shoes, and the bottoms of his pants are torn and filthy.

  The woman looks up to the man and smiles brightly at him, keeping her back toward him. She lays a hand on his cheek and he caresses her around the waist, pulling her back into his torso.

  She kisses his cheek, but he doesn’t react to her affection as he glares down at me with his dark eyes, unshaven face and messy brown hair.

  She lets out a laugh and says to the man, “Don’t be jealous of our new friend, Hiram. You know I like to play,” she laughs cheerfully.

  He grunts disapprovingly and kisses the woman on the lips before departing, heading back to tend the flames of the fire.

  The woman then turns to me and says, “Don’t mind Hiram, he’s harmless for the most part,” she smiles freely. “My name is Lena,” she holds her hand out to me.

  I take her hand wearily and shake it, but she suddenly pulls me from the ground and onto my feet, showing little effort.

  “That-a-boy,” she grins.

  Confused, I look around at the small clearing in the trees. In the center, Hiram sits by the fire, throwing another log into the flames. I see nothing else, no shelter, no bed, and no food… my mind spins with unpleasant thoughts.

  Something isn’t right…

  The hairs rise on the back of my neck as the woman closely watches my face. I try not to show the anxiety that I feel, and smile reluctantly at her.

  Her face falls slightly, and I decide to distract her from my discomfort by saying;

  “Thank you for helping me. I truly appreciate it,” I nod at the woman named Lena and pull her hand up to my lips, kissing her soft skin.

  “Oh my, what a gentleman,” she laughs.

  I smile, “Sadly, I must be getting home. If you could point me in the direction of the trail, I will be forever grateful.”

  Her eyebrows rise in thought, “Forever, you say?” she grins, “I like the sound of that.”

  “Lena…” Hiram warns from across the fire.

  “Don’t you think he could be useful Hiram? I mean look at him… Young, handsome, gentlemanly, and could help in the hunts. He could probably woo any woman he wants,” she looks me up and down like I’m a piece of meat. “Besides, you didn’t topple that tree for nothing Hiram,” she glances at him with a smirk.

  Hiram sighs and turns his attention back to the flames.

  Suddenly, unsteady on my feet, I take a step back from the woman. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay. Thank you again for helping me.” I take several steps back and quickly turn on my heel and head in the direction I believe the trail is. My gut is screaming at me to run, to get as far away as possible.

  Before I get too far, the woman’s hand wraps around my wrist, forcing me to stop. She’s extremely strong, and it makes me sick to believe I am standing here amongst the monsters responsible for so many disappearances in town.

  “Now, now…” she whispers with a hint of a deadly tone.

  I feel for the small dagger I keep wrapped on my wrist, and find that it isn’t there.

  “You’re not going anywhere my sweet,” she purrs as she pulls me closer into her body.

  “You’re them… the ones taking people from town…” I say sternly looking down into her eyes.

  She laughs. “Yes. But do you know why we take them?” she toys with me.

  I don’t answer and she continues, “To feed on…” she smiles and two of her teeth extend into long sharp points.

  Horrified, I try to pull away, but she is too strong.

  She locks her eyes with mine and I seem to be pulled into them, unable to break away.

  “Don’t move my sweet,” she whispers.

  She releases my arm and my mind is screaming for me to run, to move, but my body isn’t listening. I’m frozen in position.

  She circles around me, like a cat about to pounce on a mouse. Lena stops in front of me and lifts my wrist to her mouth. She smiles as she rakes her fangs across my skin.

  She pauses and looks toward Hiram, “Hiram, my love…”

  He looks at her with unhappy eyes.

  “Would you like to do the honors?”

  “No, Lena. Have your fun,” Hiram says disgusted.

  “Thank you my love,” she says and blows him a kiss before turning her attention back on me.

  I laugh lightly, out of nervousness or horror, I’m not sure which.

  Lena looks at me with a bit of confusion.

  “I heard the rumors about you,” I said, hoping to distract her. “That there’s monsters’ stealing people from their beds without a sound. The Night Stalkers as they call you.”

  She laughs gleefully, “Hiram, you hear that? We’re famous!” she exclaims clapping her hands together.

  Hiram sighs, “Would you just finish with the human already, Lena. I want to get moving.”

  Lena pouts, “Always the mood killer. Can’t you have a little fun once and a while Hiram?” She gets a twinkle in her eye, and then winks at me. “Maybe this fine gentleman here will join me in my fun. Maybe I will find him more desirable than you, once he’s turned, of course,” she grins at me.

  Hiram gets up from the fire, and within a flash of an eye he holds my throat in his hands. “Really Lena, how about I kill him right here!” he growls, glaring at her.

  My breathing is being cut off as I gasp for air.

  Lena grins, “Maybe you should Hiram. Finish him off… or…” she pauses getting Hiram’s attention. “We can play a game…” she grins.

  He releases my neck and turns toward Lena, “I’ll bite, Lena…”

  She laughs, “We let him go, give him a few minute head start, and then we take chase. If I catch him first, we turn him into one of us. If you catch him first, you can kill him.”

  Hiram grins and then nods his head in agreement.

  During their exchange, I have tried to move, to run, to escape, but it’s like my body isn’t mine to control.

  “Wonderful!” Lena exclaims. She then turns to me, looking deep into my eyes, drawing me in. “Run,” is all she said with a sly smile.

  Without a second thought, I take off as fast as my legs will allow. My heart is racing beyond my control and my mind is frantic in its thoughts of escape.

  It’s not long before I hear something behind me. Next thing I know, I am being pinned to the ground by Lena. She again draws me into her eyes and says, “Stay quiet, and drink.” She then pierces her wrist with her fangs and presses the open wound to my mouth, forcing the red liquid to coat my tongue.

  I want to vomit, but my body isn’t listening to me. I reluctantly swallow again and again as the liquid continues to flow into my mouth.

  She soon pulls her wrist away and licks her wound, and I watch in shock as it heals completely.

  “Get up, and run,” she commands.

  She quickly disappears and I follow her orders. It’s only seconds later that Hiram finds me. He instantly grabs me from behind and throws me, causing my back to slam against a tree. A s
ickening crunch fills the space around me, and I lose the feeling in my legs. I try to crawl away and don’t get anywhere. Hiram again grabs me by the neck and lifts me into the air.

  He looks at me with a hint of joy and says, “I win.” He then slams my head against the tree causing my vision to blacken, and an ear piercing sound to fill my mind. I feel my body pull away from the tree, and I’m once again slammed with incredible force against the trunk. My mind darkens and I feel nothing. A peace comes over me and I feel safe.

  I don’t know how long I’ve been dead, but my eyes fly open in a panic, and I gasp for air. My body is cold and stiff as I sit against the tree. I’m alone and covered in dried blood with pools of it around me, soaked into the earth. The smell of blood encircles my nostrils and my mouth begins to ache. I bring my hand up to my mouth and feel my teeth. Two of them are extending into sharp points. My body shivers in horror… I’ve become a monster, a night stalker…

  Quickly shaking away the dark thoughts before I relive the horrors of my first few days as a vampire, I turn my attention to the first-aid kit and take it over to Alexandria. I need to get her shirt off to bandage her arm, so I take the pair of scissors that came with the kit and cut the shirt off her perfect body.

  I stand back for a moment and let it all sink in as I stare at her topless frame. The lacey, low cut, black bra cannot hold my attention, as the marks on her body cause my eyes to widen as I search over her skin. Marks, scars, of every shape and size, cover her seemingly flawless body. A majority of them seem to be claw marks dragged across her flesh, raised in pink, ragged scars. I stand horrified as those claw marks look like the ones I have left on my victims in my earlier days…

  My eyes scrunch in frustration. I don’t understand, and yet I am enraged that someone, or something, would do this to her. My stomach drops, realizing that I too have damaged her body…

  I growl at myself for my earlier actions and commence working on her sleeping frame. I clean the wound with care, trying not to wake her. When she groans and her body twitches, I freeze in place until she calms into slumber once more. After finishing her bandage, I search through her luggage and pull out a baby blue nightshirt. Slowly, I maneuver her so I can place the shirt over her head and pull it down, covering her ravaged body.