Two
1148 Words
Chapter Two — Chaos in the Parking Lot
Grabbing Faye by the arm, Thea yelled, “Run!”
For a fleeting moment, the entrance to the parking lot was clear. And then—like shadows rising from the asphalt—three men blocked the way. No, not men. These were something else. Twisted, inhuman, playing a sick, perverse game.
They circled Thea and Faye slowly, each step measured, deliberate.
“Now, we can do this the hard way… or the easy way,” Xavier’s voice slithered through the darkness. “Don’t get me wrong—I love the hard way. But my men? They don’t know limits. And your pretty little neck…” His smirk widened. “…might snap like a twig.”
Thea’s mind spun. She couldn’t comprehend what she was hearing. These people were beyond reason. But they weren’t after her—they wanted Faye. If that was the rule, then Thea would play along. She just needed to get her friend out of harm’s way.
“You want me?” Thea spat, eyes blazing. “Fine. But my friend goes free. You won’t touch her.”
Faye’s grip tightened on her shoulder so fiercely her nails bit into Thea’s skin. “No! I’m not leaving you with these psychos,” she cried.
“Promise me,” Thea said, glaring at Xavier. “You have to let her go.”
Xavier’s grin was playful, almost whimsical. “You have my word… as a gentleman,” he said, hand over his heart.
Thea shot a glance at Faye. Her friend’s wide eyes were pools of panic, shaking her head violently. “No! I’m not going anywhere without you!”
“You have to go,” Thea insisted, her voice urgent but trembling. She pressed Faye toward the exit, wrapping her arms around her friend in a tight, desperate hug. “Someone needs to get help… please, just go.”
Faye’s eyes were wide, fear and loyalty warring in them. Her body shook against Thea’s, but the weight of the moment pressed her forward. Reluctantly, she stepped back, glancing once more at her friend before moving toward safety.
And just as Faye slipped out of reach, Xavier’s hand shot out, yanking Thea to him.
“Go ahead, boys,” he said with a casual nod toward Faye. “She’s mine tonight.”
Chaos erupted. Faye’s scream tore through the night as hands gripped her, pulling her down. Thea fought, kicking and biting at Xavier’s iron grip until he finally loosened his hold—but only to backhand her across the concrete. She tasted blood, saw stars, and the world tilted.
“Wake up, Thea. This has to be a nightmare,” she muttered, scraping her palms along the rough ground.
“YOU LITTLE b***h!” Xavier roared, yanking her upright by her hair. Pain seared through her scalp.
“You promised to let her go!” Thea shouted, fury in her voice.
Xavier’s frown melted into amusement. “I gave my word as a gentleman… do you see any gentlemen here?” He gestured to his friends, to the empty lot.
Thea’s stomach dropped. Faye’s eyes were closed; her lips pale. Four vampires clamped onto her arms and neck, drinking, teeth glinting in the dim light. One pulled back, licking crimson from his mouth. Veins dark and twisted around his bloodshot eyes.
“She is… sweet,” he murmured, eyes dark with hunger. “I can’t get enough.”
Thea’s pulse thundered. “Who… who are you?”
Xavier released her hair, stepping back, theatrically bowing. “Ah! How rude of me. I’m Xavier Chasanov. And you?”
“This… this is insane,” Thea whispered, scrambling backward. “What are you? No—what do you think you are?”
Dramatically, he spread his arms. “Well, sweetheart… we are what humans like to call vampires.”
Thea sank to the wet, cold concrete. Vampires? This was impossible. Fantasy. Fiction. Yet here they were, drinking her friend’s blood.
“Vampires don’t exist!” she shouted. “WAKE UP! THIS IS REAL LIFE!”
They laughed. High, cruel, echoing laughter that bounced off the parking lot walls.
“Funny girl,” one whispered, clutching his side. “She tells us to wake up.”
In the chaos, Thea’s hand slid into her bag. Quick as a heartbeat, she whipped out her pepper spray and aimed. Xavier screamed, clutching his face, and Thea bolted toward Faye.
But the others recovered quickly, snarling as they intercepted her. She skidded to a halt—Xavier appeared, blocking her path.
“You are going to pay for that,” he hissed. His fist swung toward her face.
Thea closed her eyes, bracing—but the impact never came.
When she opened them, Xavier was flying across the parking lot, landing hard against the asphalt. He hissed, fangs bared, recovering instantly.
“Enforcers,” he growled.
And then Thea saw them—her saviors. A woman and a man, both lethal, both impossibly capable.
The woman moved like liquid, throwing Xavier across the lot as if he weighed nothing. She wore black from head to toe—skintight, armored, and perfect. Her wet, raven hair clung to her pale face, icy blue eyes piercing. A sword strapped to her back, a gun at her thigh, she radiated danger.
The man appeared from the shadows, tall and broad, hair dripping and eyes the same icy blue. A grin revealed sharp fangs. “Nice throw, babe,” he said teasingly.
“Don’t call me babe,” she snapped.
“You know you love it when I call you—” He went flying into a wall, a pillar cracking with a puff of dust.
“Next time it will be more than your ribs,” she said calmly, brushing herself off.
The banter continued, surreal and oddly humorous amidst the c*****e, until Xavier’s roar split the air.
Xavier shouted, furious. “ENOUGH!”
“Leave, enforcers. And take that i***t clown with you if you want to live till sunrise,” he bellowed.
Before Thea could react, hands grabbed her from behind. Xavier’s iron grip wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground.
“LET GO!” she screamed, kicking and twisting.
He shoved her into a luxury Cadillac, climbing in behind her. Tires screeched.
Adrenaline surged. Thea lunged at the wheel, yanking it hard. The car spun, slamming into a pillar. Sparks flew. Xavier tumbled across the hood, groaning.
Thea, chest aching from impact, scrambled free. Pain lanced through her head, vision blurring. Figures ran toward her.
“She’s hurt… pretty bad,” a male voice said.
“Faye… help Faye,” Thea whispered.
“Take her,” a woman’s voice replied. “I’ll get the girl.”
Darkness claimed her—and for the first time, Thea welcomed it.
- Writer
