Dark Realms
Page 58
Someone knocked on the door as I tried getting out of the bed to search for my phone.
“Yes?” I answered.
“Hey, Sleepyhead,” said a man wearing a white lab coat.
The nurse walked in behind him and they both approached the bed.
“How are you feeling, Chelsey?” he asked, looking at a clipboard.
“My head hurts.”
“I’m sure it does,” he replied.
“Um, can you tell me if there was a girl named Susan Fields who may have either visited me or was admitted here?”
The doctor removed his reading glasses. “No, not that I’m aware of. Is she a friend of yours?”
I nodded. “Yes. Where are my mom and dad?”
He sighed. “Actually, we’re not real sure. We tried contacting them and they haven’t returned any of our calls.”
My eyes widened. “What? How long have I been here?”
“Since last night,” he replied.
That was strange…
“Okay, well what about my cousin, Melody Fairfax? Did she bring me in?”
“No, actually a young man brought you here and then left rather quickly,” said the doctor. He tapped his pen against the metal on the clipboard “That’s what I was told, at least.”
“Who?” I asked.
“I’m really not sure,” he replied. “Look, Chelsey, the sheriff will be in to see you sometime this evening. He has some questions for you.”
“Good, because I need to speak to him too,” I replied. “Do you know where my things are? I need my phone.”
“They’re in here,” said the nurse, opening the closet door. She pulled out my purse and walked it over to me.
“Thanks,” I replied, taking it from her. I unzipped the top, pulled out my cell phone, and then quickly dialed my mom’s cell phone.
“We’ll be back in a minute,” murmured the doctor.
“Thanks,” I replied as mom’s phone continued to dial. When she didn’t answer, I left her a message and then dialed my dad.
“Dad, call me. I’m in the hospital, the one in Shore Lake, I believe,” I said, staring outside, into the darkness. It was after eight, and I couldn’t imagine why they hadn’t been to the hospital yet. “I can’t get a hold of mom, either, and… I’m scared.”
Next, I tried calling both Melody and Susan, but neither of them answered. Trying to remain calm, I sent them both texts.
I searched for my Aunt Jody’s name in my contact list and dialed her as well, but got the same results.
What in the hell is going on? Why weren’t any of them answering my calls or texts?
My eyes filled with frustrated tears as I tried my mom again. “Mom, please call me!” I choked into the phone. “I need you!”
As I hung up, there was another knock at the door.
“Yes,” I said, wiping the wetness from my cheek.
A man with dark hair poked his head in the door and smiled. “Excuse me? Chelsey Fairfax?”
I forced a smile. “Yes.”
“I’m Caleb Smith, the sheriff here in Shore Lake. Do you have a few minutes?”
“Yes, of course,” I replied, sitting up straighter. “I’m glad that you’re here.”
He chuckled. “Now that’s not a phrase I hear every day.”
I pulled the blanket in tightly. “I’m so scared, Sheriff. I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know where my parents are, and I think my best friend might be dead.”
His eyes widened. “Whoa,” he said, reaching into his brown uniform. He pulled out a pen and a small note pad. “Now you’re scaring me. Chelsey, I think we’d better start from the top. Tell me how you ended up with that bruise on your head? What do you remember?”
“Uh, okay. Have you spoken to my parents?”
He sat down next to me. “I’m trying to locate them. Have they been traveling lately?”
“No,” I said, and then proceeded to tell him about my cousin Melody.
“You say she’s missing?” he asked.
“Well, she was and then I found her. But…now she is again. I think.”
He frowned. “I’m confused.”
Sighing, I started from the beginning and told him everything. When I got to the part of how we used the fake I.D.’s to get into Club Nightshade, his eyes narrowed. “Obviously, you know that’s against the law.”
“I know,” I replied. “And… I realize that it was stupid. Very stupid. But, we did find Melody.” I proceeded to tell him the rest of my story, but when I got to the fight involving the band Venom, he stopped me.
“Chelsey, were you taking any drugs last night? Any hallucinogens?”
I shook my head vehemently. “No,” I replied. “Absolutely not! It was all real, Sheriff, I swear to God. I’m not making any of this up.”
From the expression on his face, he obviously did not believe me. He scratched the side of his cheek. “Hmm… Well, why don’t you just continue?”
I did, but when I got to the part of Susan being swept away by the freaky-assed gargoyle, he groaned. “Come on, Chelsey… you can’t expect me to believe that, now can you? Honestly, a gargoyle?”
I grit my teeth. “You have to believe me! It really happened!”
“You’re talking about vampires, Chelsey.”
“Yes, and werewolves!”
He closed his eyes and sighed.
“Look, did you find my car?” I asked, getting desperate. “The gargoyle ripped the door right off of it. A human couldn’t do that!”
“We did not find your car anywhere,” he replied, jotting on his notepad. “We’ll keep searching for it, though.”
“We’ll, it happened about a quarter of a mile east from Ruth’s Diner,” I protested. “It’s got to be there. Unless, Melody drove off with it. Have you spoken to her?”
“No, I’m sorry.”
My head began to pound even harder. Frustrated I covered my face. “What is happening? My family is missing and so is my best friend.”
“We’ll find them,” he replied. “I’m sure they’re fine. Hell, maybe they’re out driving around, trying to find you.”
“They thought I was seeing a movie, last night” I replied.
He scowled. “Obviously, they were wrong.” The sheriff stood up. “Let me make some phone calls and see if I can send someone out to your aunt’s place.”
I grabbed a tissue and blew my nose. “Thank you, sheriff.”
“We’ll keep trying to get a hold of your parent’s, too,” he said, walking towards the doorway.
“When can I go home?” I asked.
“I’ll check with the doctor and if you can leave, I’ll drive you home,” he said, putting the notepad in his pocket. “Maybe we’ll run into your parents.”
“I hope so. Thanks,” I replied.
He gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, honey, we’ll reunite you with your parents soon enough. Let me speak to the doctor and we’ll get the ball rolling.”
“Okay.”
After he left, I got out of bed and pulled my clothing out of the closet. I then went into the bathroom, washed my face, and then changed back into my sweater and jeans. A few minutes later, there was another knock on the door.
“Yes?” I said.
The door opened and the nurse from earlier appeared. “Here, I brought you something to ease the pain,” she said, holding two white pills and a small cup of water.
“Thanks,” I said, talking them from her.
“You might feel a little sleepy,” she said, staring at me as I swallowed them down. “But at least the pain will subside.”
“What did the doctor say about my head?” I asked.
“You have a slight concussion, nothing too serious.”
“Okay. Does that mean I can leave soon?”
“Yes, the sheriff is talking to the doctor now. I’m sure you’ll be checking out soon enough.”
“Cool.”
“Let me know if you need anything else.”
“You’re welcome Chelsey. Relax and wait for the sheriff.”
After she left, I grabbed my cell phone. When I noticed that there was a message from Melody, I sighed in relief. I quickly dialed my voicemail and listened.
“Chelsey- it’s Melody. Listen, you’ve got to get out of the hospital, now! Don’t go anywhere with Sheriff Caleb, he’s one of them Chelsey. A freaken vampire! I’m serious… don’t say anything to him or go anywhere with him. Meet me in the parking ramp. Fourth floor. Don’t tell anyone, especially the sheriff, Caleb.” She began to cry. “They’ve already gotten to our parents, Chels. They’re dead! Please, hurry and get your ass out to the parking lot!”
Caleb was a vampire?!
Our parents were dead?!
Choking back a sob, I grabbed my purse and rushed to the door. Just when I was about to open it, someone knocked from the other side.
Crap, crap, crap!
Trying to remain calm, I pulled the door open, and stood face-to-face with Sheriff Caleb.
“Oh good,” he said, beaming a bright smile at me. “You’re ready. Perfect timing because I’ve been told that you can leave as long as you’re under my protection.” He rubbed his hands together. “I’ve already signed you out, so we can just go. I take it you’re all set?”
I swallowed hard. “Uh, actually, I’m almost ready, but my stomach hurts. I think I have to go to the bathroom. Can I just meet you in the lobby?”
His smile fell. “Uh, sure. I can wait for you there.”
I smiled in relief. “Good. I won’t be long, Sheriff. Thanks so much for doing this.”
“No problem. You know,” he looked at his watch. “I need to call a friend of mine anyway. Tell her I’m running late.”
“Good idea.”
After he left, I waited a few minutes and then snuck out of my room and down the hallway. I then followed the signs until I found an exit that led to the parking ramp. When I reached the fourth floor of the lot, my eyes scanned the cars, but I didn’t recognize any of them. Sighing, I pulled out my cell phone to call Melody, when an old black Firebird with tinted windows turned the corner of the lot and headed towards me, its engine rumbling with power. My heart began to race and I almost turned and ran, but then the passenger window rolled down and a hand waved at me.
“Melody,” I said, sighing in relief as the car stopped next to me.
She opened the door quickly, got out, and pulled the seat back. “Hurry, get in before someone sees you.”
When I noticed who was driving, I stared back at her in horror. “What are you doing with him?”
Slade looked up at me from inside of the car. “Get in, Chelsey.”
“No way,” I said, taking a step backwards. “You’re a fucking vampire.”
Slade smiled grimly. “Yeah, I’m a vampire, but I’m also you’re only hope. So, get in if you want to make it out of here alive.”
Melody’s eyes were haunted. “He’s right,” she said. “We’re both dead without him.”
End of Book One
Watch for book two, Slade, July of 2014.
Author Note
Thank you for taking the time to read these sample books. To find more of my work, please see the following links. Thanks again!
www.kristenmiddleton.com
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