CHAPTER THREE
1181 Words
There comes a time when knowing too much becomes a pain in the ass.–Dave
Eloise POV
Dave caught up with me in the parking lot.
"Are you still mad," he huffed, and I smiled.
"Of course not, now let me go home."
"I'll drop you off," he offered, and I shook my head.
"I can walk just fine, my home is blocks from the office."
"Yeah El, blocks littered with dark alleys and a monster we don't understand roaming the streets."
"I'll be fine, Dave, go home. I'll call you to get me for the dinner tomorrow. Deal." He watched me, trying to stare me down. Finally, he agreed.
"Call me when you get home," he ordered, and I gave a short salute.
"Yes sir." He laughed and got into his car, driving off.
I followed the path he'd used. The streets were full — it was Friday, happy hour, everyone with a stressful week out looking for drinks and hookups. Already some were not waiting for the bars to let them in. A few rowdy and very inebriated wolves were tossing themselves against each other, being a nuisance. I also caught sight of a couple of young adults making out by the doors and sighed.
"Enjoy the youth while you can," I muttered beneath my breath.
‘You do not have to confine yourself to obligation.’
I stiffened at the voice. I had almost convinced myself that it was all my imagination — but apparently not. Unwilling to let whatever it was cause harm in a crowd, I increased my speed.
‘Do not run from me, my red riding hood. You are the pinnacle of my dreams and achievement.’
I scoffed.
"Don't know if you can hear me but I think I'll pass."
He laughed. I wasn't sure how I knew it was a he — well, there was the fact that he was stalking me first, like some creep. He laughed harder, confirming that he was in my head.
‘I admit I am stalking you, but you are special. A shining beacon of power among so many dull-witted ones.’
"That doesn't comfort me as much as you think," I retorted. I'd turned into a dark lonely alley and like clockwork a cloaked figure followed about six paces behind me. I swore, my hand going into my bag. At this point I was speed walking — my stalker didn't add any speed, keeping his familiar pace, which made me a little afraid. He wasn't afraid of losing me.
"What exactly do you want," I asked.
‘You, my sweet. Just you.’
That was all the warning I got before I was pushed to the ground, a large weight on top of me. I swung my elbow into his gut and he hissed, losing his grip slightly — so I did it again. He turned me over, hand pressing against my neck, with a strength that surprised me.
"What the f**k are you," I gasped. He smiled, revealing white teeth with one aberration — f*****g fangs. I hissed, pulling my head as far as I could.
"I'm your killer, Eloise." I knew he wasn't lying. His too-handsome face held eyes that seemed like an open book, leading deep to his soul — a very neat trick, I had to admit.
"Of course you can be honest, my love."
"Get the f**k out of my head, and I am not your love," I gritted. He smiled, as his fingers tightened over my throat.
"You don't want to make me mad, El," he hissed. Choking, I tapped at his hand.
Okay. I really didn't want him mad — not until I knew what he was.
"But you know what I am, dear red. You and that friend of yours have been reading very heavily — Dave, is it — has been quite committed," he whispered. I jerked, aiming to knee him, but he stopped me, squeezing at my knee until I cried out in pain.
"Leave Dave alone," I groaned. He huffed as if put out.
"Of course. I don't need him, I just need you," he hissed, fangs exposed, as he darted towards my neck.
There was faint pain from the scratch of teeth against my neck — I stiffened, bracing for more — when a rush of cold air brushed me. I heaved a breath, blinking quickly to adjust to the dark. I heard crashing and growls and hisses but all I saw as I pulled myself up was a blur. Whatever had pulled the vampyre off me was fast but struggling to keep up with my assailant. The blurry bodies crashed over a stack of crates and that seemed to be the end of that fight. The vampyre was gone — and a young one was left behind.
He was not very tall, with a thin build and light brown hair. As he walked towards me, his face etched with concern, I realized he was pale — as pale as my assailant had been. His eyes seemed to reflect the little light around them so they seemed like green crystals.
"Can you stand," he asked, his voice smooth and tinged with worry.
"I think I can," I replied, rising to my feet. I stumbled slightly but he reached for me, holding me until I was steady.
"Thanks."
"That's okay, I'm sorry he got you. I was watching but he's faster than he looks," he offered, his lips twisted in a wry smile.
"I can attest to that," I answered.
"Wait — how long were you following me," I asked. He opened his mouth to answer but I continued.
"What are you, you're as pale as he was and just as fast."
"I was following him, not you. He just happened to be following you," he replied with a sheepish grin. I caught a glimpse of fangs. I hissed.
"s**t, you're whatever the hell he is."
"If you mean vampyre, then yes — but unhinged killer, no," he said, sort of smug. Then he winced.
"I wasn't supposed to tell you that."
"I guess you're gonna have to kill me now," I deadpanned. He seemed to be actually considering it before he shook his head.
"I don't think that's what father would want," he mused. With a sigh he muttered beneath his breath. "I'm not very good at this." I was just about to ask what he wasn't good at when he became serious all of a sudden. I felt a presence in my head. Every muscle locked.
Hell no. No one was getting in my head.
I fought the presence but somehow I lost the battle, my mind fogging at the command to fall asleep. I felt myself dropping towards the ground as the world went dark.
The last thing I registered before the world went dark was movement — fast, certain, arms that caught me before I hit the ground. And beyond that, at the edge of my fading vision, the white washed walls of a large house and a gate swinging open.
Then nothing.
- Writer
