I sidestepped into his line of sight, blocking the doorway. “Thank you.”
Ben shook his head, and then he dropped his eyes to the muddy tips of his combat boots. “You’re welcome.”
I felt a growing tightness in my chest as the veins and arteries surrounding my heart twisted and pulled to form a giant knot. “Do you still have the note?”
“Why?”
My gaze fell to study Ben’s disheveled hair; it was wet around the edges. “I never got a chance to read your note.”
Ben lifted his head, drilling me with a look of disbelief—or maybe disgust. “You didn’t read it?”
I dropped my pack and took hold of his shaking hand only to have him pull away. “I’m sorry. So much happened and…” A quick scuffling from the closet cut me off.
Halloween leaned far enough through the blackened doorway so that the glow of his pumpkin-colored eyes was all we could see. “Accept her apology and go.”
Ben went completely still except for a twitching muscle at the corner of his jaw. “This doesn’t concern you!”
I could count on one hand the number of times I’d heard Ben yell out in anger. Even before I saw the tic in his trigger finger, I knew he wanted Halloween dead, that he wanted to finish the job he’d started, but I also knew he wouldn’t pull that trigger. He knew if he did he’d be killing the only chance we had at survival.
Then again, a ghostly reminder came to mind courtesy of Sergeant Major Duncan. “Accidents happen and a jealous man is a dangerous man.” To trust Ben right now would be a mistake. I had to put aside my feelings along with everything I thought I knew about Ben. There was no room for error.
“Did you go to the panic room? Is there anyone left?”
Ben slumped forward slightly. “On my way there now. I am not sure who made it, but I can already tell you someone didn’t. I found remains at the cave entrance. There wasn’t much left… I am not sure who it was.”
I forced the lump in my throat down. Don’t think about it. You can’t think about it now.
“We’re exhausted and need sleep, or come nightfall, we’ll be useless.” I searched Ben’s beautiful brown eyes and was startled by the malice I found. “I’ve secured the closet.” Sort of. “It’s safe enough for the day. Stay here with me and get some rest.”
“You want me to cozy up in there with you and that thing. Watch him slowly drain your life. No, Leo, that’s something I can’t do. I’ll take my chances out here.”
Turning on his heels, Ben stormed down the length of the tunnel with no fear of being heard. Halloween had asked me not to reveal the vampires daylight weakness because it was also his, but I thought maybe Ben had already figured it out.
“Ben… Please.” I issued one last plea for him to stay and barely made out the response that echoed back.
“Forget it.”
I sat on the floor of the closet wrapped in my red cashmere throw, hoping to find peace in the oblivion of sleep. I wanted to escape, to flee the bunker, my father, Jack, Halloween, and even Ben. I wanted to forget what had happened, if only for a little while, but I couldn’t.
Several times Halloween’s burning orbs appeared in the darkness where he’d positioned himself against the locked door, but after a second or two, they always blipped out.
Since sleep refused to come, I was forced to relive every horrific moment over and over again.
I could not help but see the hurt in Ben’s eyes, to hear every heartbreaking word my father spoke, to feel the pain in my throat as if Halloween ripped it open a second time. I had to watch Jack’s chest explode again, hear the boom from Ben’s rifle and shield my eyes from the bright flash of white. I had to feel the explosion of flesh, bone, and blood that pelted me, smell gunpowder and burnt flesh and blood and hear the soft thud of Jack’s body hitting the ground. And then my thoughts turned to the decimated body Ben found.
Who was it? Who died?
Death was nothing new to me, but that doesn’t mean I’d ever get used to seeing it. We’d gone so long without a single death, and within a matter of weeks we’d lost Margaret, Jack, and probably many more.
My thoughts turned to the slideshow of possible scenarios that could have happened last night… Lincoln running scared through the dark, searching for me, but I’m not there, and deep down inside he knows he’s going to die. My sick mother too weak to fight herself. Who would stay behind to protect her? Duncan and my father battling for the lives of everyone against insurmountable odds. I didn’t want to imagine what it was like for them, taking on twenty or more vampires all at once.
Who made it? Lincoln…
Who didn’t?
“If you’re not going to sleep, then you should eat. You’ll need your strength.”
I jumped at the sound of Halloween’s raspy voice and tried to cover my surprise by turning to dig through my pack.
Can he see me in the dark?
In my blind search for a water bottle, I got another surprise when my fingers grazed a leather sheath, the right size and shape of a Bowie knife. At the end of the wooden handle, a brass knob, in the form of a stylized duck head, identified the knife as Ben’s. It wouldn’t be much against twenty razor-sharp claws and two pointy fangs, but at least Ben had made sure I had some sort of protection. I quickly secured the sheathed knife under my right leg and finished digging around until I found a bag of nuts and a water bottle.
I heard Halloween shift his weight against the door. “What do you have there?”
A chilly breeze hit my face, but the closet was too dark and I couldn’t see a thing.
“Water and nuts. Want some?” I fumbled with the bottle’s plastic lid, but either the top was on too tight or my hands were shaking too badly and I could not remove it. “Can you eat real food?”
“I assure you, my food is very real.” His softly spoken words delivered a sudden chill to my spine. My initial instinct was to flee, which caused the back of my head to slam against the wall behind me.
I’d been leaning against the concrete wall before I’d fumbled to open my pack, but now Halloween’s presence had me pinned to it.
“What else do you have?”
“Open your eyes.” I was surprised at how much my voice shook. I needed to see something.
Two bright-orange spots appeared directly in front of me. He was so close that I should have felt his breath on my face, but I hadn’t. Gauging the height of his glowing eyes, I threw my hands out where his chest should be and pushed.
When he refused to move, I went for Ben’s knife, which Halloween easily confiscated with a vicious growl. I nearly screamed.
“I told you no weapons.”
Several seconds passed while I concentrated on breathing in and out.
Get it under control. You’re not afraid of him—or the dark.
“It hardly seems fair for me to have nothing when you have twenty-two sharp weapons available to you at all times.”
Halloween blinked, once, twice, and then moved his head to the side before his orange eyes returned to me. I couldn’t see his expression to know if his aggression had eased, but I felt that it had as soon as he spoke. “You don’t see me holding your teeth or your nails against you.”
“Ha! Funny. You’re a walking death machine. I’m only asking for a single blade. And it’s not like a simple hunting knife can kill you. I haven’t been without a knife or a gun in years and feel naked without a weapon. So, can I please have the knife back?”
His eyes were the only light in the room. I never saw him move but felt a brush against my skin when he removed the water bottle from my hand, twisted off the top, and then placed both the bottle and cap back into my open hands. “You’re a little old for a security blanket, but if it makes you feel better, I promise not to hurt you unnecessarily. You have my word.”
“How do I know I can take you at your word? I think we have a deal—that you’re going to help my family—but there’s no way of knowing if you’re planning to renege.” He’d wavered in his promise to
help when we were in the storage room, and so what would keep him from doing it again, especially when he encounters my father? I closed my eyes and tipped the bottle to my mouth to savor the cool, refreshing water.
“Leo, you have to trust me.” Halloween surprised me with the touch of his hand on my arm, and water sloshed down my sweater when I jerked away.
“You don’t trust me. Why should I trust you?”
After securing the cap on the bottle, I set the water aside and then reached out to the darkness. But I failed to make contact with him even though he was right in front of me.
“Come on. You want me to take you at your word. Why not take me at mine. I promise not to use the knife…unnecessarily.”
A sound erupted in the closet, a grunt or a chuckle, but I couldn’t be sure without seeing his face. “And what is your definition of unnecessarily?”
“I’m certain my definition isn’t much different from yours.”
Halloween cupped my outstretched hand between his.
“I will only use my knife in self-defense. As long as you don’t hurt me, we’re good.”
“Pain is inevitable. I have to feed.” With his thumbs, Halloween traced delicate circles on the back of my hand. I was surprised to find his touch comforting.
“I won’t fight you when you feed, but I can’t promise not to hurt you back.”
“Part of our deal is that you have to do whatever I tell you to do.”
I removed my hand from his to grab the water bottle. One swipe and the cap was gone. I took a long swig and swallowed slowly. “Yes, but I can’t give you that kind of blind loyalty, not until my family is safe.”
The light of Halloween’s eyes went out. I figured I’d lost the battle, but then I felt the sheathed knife press against my thigh.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Ben’s fingertips brushed the hair away from my forehead and then moved down to caress my face. Even half asleep I knew he held me. He’s so damn forgiving. Turning in his strong arms, I rested my head against his shoulder and sighed. Ben moved his fingers around my ear and pulled away a heavy chunk of hair that warmed my neck. A rush of cool air prickled the newly exposed skin—and my awareness. How did Ben get in the closet?
When moist lips pressed down firmly against my jugular, I knew they weren’t there to deliver a kiss. Ben’s knife was still clutched in my right hand. Skillfully, I removed the sheath and placed the sharp blade to what I thought was Halloween’s cheek, forcing him away from my vein. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Halloween’s arms flexed, gripping me tighter. “It will be nightfall soon. I need my strength if I’m to fight.”
With the knife still positioned on his face, I pushed and wiggled my way out of his hold to get to my knees. “Well, it’s not okay for you bite me while I’m unconscious.”
I felt around for my backpack with my left hand, then managed to retrieve a light stick from the outside pocket. One snap against the concrete floor, a quick shake, and the closet was illuminated with soft green light. The first thing I noticed was the nylon rope circling Halloween’s trim waist. I eyed the purple cord that he’d reattached. How could I have slept through that?
The corners of Halloween’s mouth turned up. “Scared of the dark?”
“Just want to see what’s coming.” I thought I sounded brave, but then the corners of his mouth dropped one at a time.
With an open palm, Halloween gently moved the knife aside. “I know you’re nervous. There’s a way we can do this that will make it a little easier.”
Shit! Why am I so scared? Because it’s gonna hurt. But I know pain. Fuck.
I kept the knife pointed at him, and we both watched the weapon quiver in my hand. “How?”
“First, put the knife down before you cut yourself. Then let me take control. In order for us to save your family, this has to happen. You know that.”
I couldn’t trust my voice to speak. Lowering the knife to the floor, I nodded too quickly and almost lost my balance.
Halloween grabbed hold of my upper arms, steadied me, and then let go. “You should sit or lay back.”
I felt dizzy and sat back on my heels, but the dizziness only got worse. Taking Halloween’s advice, I decided to lie down before I fell over.
Halloween sat next to me. Crossing his legs, he leaned over to pull and tug at the collar of my sweater, stretching it out of shape. He’s going to bite me and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I tried to focus my attention on a crack in the ceiling while he made his preparations, but as soon as he swiped the hair away from my neck, I jumped for the knife.
Halloween caught my hand before I reached it. Lightly he placed my empty hands on my stomach. “Relax. Take a deep breath.”
I held my breath for a second, then obeyed Halloween’s orders with one long, deep inhale followed by a slow, agonizing exhale. And then another and another.
“The knife is right beside you, but you won’t need it.” Halloween spoke softly, which made his harsh voice sound almost tender.
I needed this part to be done. Now. “Okay. I’m ready. Let’s get it over with.”
Adjusting his position, Halloween placed his fully-extended clawed hands on either side of my head and told me to close my eyes.
I stared as he leaned down farther, his hair falling forward to frame his dark face. The shimmering blue-black strands made for a striking contrast around his orange eyes. “No. I want to see it coming.”
He smiled, revealing two thin white fangs. “No you don’t.”
I closed my eyes and did my best not to scream.
Then I heard a rustling sound and felt Halloween’s legs slide along mine, easing the weight of his mid-section down on mine. “I want you to imagine Ben—his eyes, his smile, voice, and smell. All the things that make Ben, Ben. Think about what drew you to him, how your feelings for him grew.”
The first thing I saw when I pictured Ben was the jagged scar across his neck, the wound received while trying to save his family. This feeding was my scar to bear, I told myself, only Halloween could make all evidence of my sacrifice disappear.
“Now, remember the first time he said he loved you, the first time he ran his fingers through your hair…”
Clawless fingers tingled against my scalp as Halloween lifted a few strands of hair and then stroked my hair from root to end.
“And touched your face…” Knuckles grazed my chin and then ran up along my cheek and back down. His touch was so light, so sweet, and so not like Ben.
“Kissed your lips…”
When Halloween pressed his lips delicately to my mouth, my heart sputtered and skipped a beat. I wasn’t imagining Ben kissing me.
Halloween’s full weight dropped on me as both of his hands left the floor and took hold of my head. His teasing tongue was thinner than Ben’s and tasted like sweet honey. My response to Halloween surprised me. Must be adrenaline. Fear. I knew this wasn’t Ben, and I knew he was going to hurt me, and still I kissed him, moved my body against his.
His kiss moved from my mouth to my neck as one hand abandoned its hold to explore the length of my side. Reaching the hem of my sweater, he slipped his hand underneath. His bare skin against mine felt supple, and when he rubbed his hand over my breast, I immediately arched my back to get closer. That was the moment he struck.
Wrenching my head to the side, he growled and bit into my taut flesh. A blinding white pain flashed against my closed eyelids, the long agonizing pulls on my vein a horrible distraction from the pleasure of his hand on my excited flesh. His expert touch kept me from fighting him off, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to contain the scream that was building for much longer.
A searing flame burned along my neck and down my throat to scorch my heart. I tried to push him off, and when he wouldn’t budge, I grabbed the knife. I buried Ben’s blade to the hilt in the meat of his shoulder. It was Halloween who was the first to scream.
Suddenly I was vertical, my back smashed against the wall and my
hands restrained over my head. “When I release your hands, you’re going to reach around and pull the knife out.”
I thought about an apology as my head finished spinning, but I never said the words. I did exactly what I said I’d do. He should have expected it. “Okay.”
He snarled a warning before releasing my hands. I made sure not to meet his eyes directly. Extending my arms around his neck, I grabbed the hilt and, as hard and as fast as I could, pulled straight out.
When he plunged his fangs into the other side of my neck, I was the one who screamed. His vicious attack brought me to tears. I struggled to get away but didn’t dare use the knife again.
It took less than a minute for Halloween to get the rest of his fill. By the time he pulled away there were fierce shouts in the hallway and heavy pounding against the closet door.
Halloween wrestled the knife from my white-knuckled fingers and then vigorously smeared the blue-sticky goo from the blade all over my neck. I instantly felt the healing tingle of his blood mending the bite wounds.
“Leo! Open the door!” Ben yelled over the clatter of the door rattling against the metal hinges.
“I should let him in.” I reached for the flimsy lock, which could have easily been broken, but Halloween scared me away by slamming his fist into the concrete-block wall, leaving his bare shadow-skinned feet powered in white dust.
“He’s not alone.”
“They’re my family.” I stepped around him, placed my hand on the lock, and slid it open. “It’s okay.”
“He wants to kill you,” Halloween whispered as the door squeaked open.
Ben was there, along with Duncan, my father, and three high-powered rifles. When Halloween stepped through the doorway, each gun barrel moved up, aiming for his head.
I moved between the doorframe and Halloween’s aggression and stepped into the hall to address my father. Shortening the slack on the rope, Halloween forced me to take a step back. “He’s agreed to help us.”
Two gun barrels dropped while one kept aim on Halloween. My father’s hands were steady but the whites of his eyes were stained red, redder than his irises.
The Dead Days Journal: Volume 1 Page 10
