"I love you." I whisper to him, gliding my fingertips along the icy perfection of his face. He is so cold, all the time, even out on this warm summer evening.
"I need to tell you something." He breathes, his voice smooth and sweet as caramel. I try not to dwell on the fact that he didn't say he loves me also. Sam is always a bit detached, careful to keep a cool distance between us. He is scared of falling, or at least that is what I have convinced myself.
"Then tell me." I stare up into his eyes, their bluey-purple depths gleaming in the moonlight.
"I am not the same as any of the other boys at school." He says quietly, adverting his gaze so he is staring over my head at the forest that surrounds our little picnic area that we hiked to.
"I know that. You are so much better. You are everything I have ever dreamed of." I lean up and kiss him, meaning for it to be filled with passion, but he pulls back after only a second.
"That may be more true than you know. Ember, I am going to tell you something very important. And then we are going to play a little game." His eyes have become playful, his smile a bit taunting.
"What is it?" I am becoming frightened now. Every fiber in me is screaming at me to get the hell out of there. I take a few steps backwards, breaking free of our intimate embrace.
"I am a vampire. And I want your blood more than I have ever wanted a human's blood before." He advances on me, fingers curved into claws.
"Sam, stop it. You're scaring me. Sam, I am serious! Stop!" I shove him off as he begins to nibble at my neck.
"I am not joking." He says, and then to prove his point, punches a full grown maple tree. His fist makes a hole in it, and the whole thing quivers. When he pulls his hand out, it is covered in sap.
"G-get away from me." I am so confused, not sure of what is going on. Without stopping to think about what I am doing, I turn on my heel and make a run for it.
"Oh, Ember. That isn't fair. You didn't let me explain the rules of the game first." I can hear his voice all around as if he can be everywhere at once.
"Rule one, I am allowed to trip you up." A stick comes hurdling out of the night, hitting me on the arm and causing me to cry out as I fall over. I jump up as quickly as I can and take off again, ignoring the pain.
"Rule two, I am allowed to mess with your head." Shadows dance in my peripheral vision. I turn, but there is nothing there.
"Rule three, scream and your family will pay for that mistake." My heart somehow pounds even faster at the thought of my parents and my younger sister Olivia dying at the hands of this creature I have been in love with for the past half year.
"And finally, rule four, is that I will win. You will die tonight, Ember Rayns." There is laughter in his voice. Oh, God. Sammy. I've always loved your dark ways, thought of you as being so studly and mysterious, but how did I never see how flat out insane you are?
I continue running, stumbling, and falling through the forest in bare feet, shredding up my jeans and shirt.
My irrational head is telling me to scream for help though it would kill my family, but my instincts keep me in check, making sure I don't waste any of the air I am struggling so hard to obtain. But what is the point? I am doomed. He is going to kill me.
"Being a vampire is amazing." He begins talking as if we are having a normal, everyday conversation. "You never age! It is nearly impossible to die! And you become so beautiful and graceful. Vampire women.. Oh don't even get me started! Of course, not being able to have children or ever eat anything or ever see anyone from your human life is sort of a bummer.. But I'm over that by now. The senses, the speed, the strength. It makes up for everything. Killing humans.. It is bliss. Pure bliss. I can't wait to feel your blood pumping through my veins." He laughs and I begin trying to run faster. Faster, faster! Just go faster!
I run for what seems like an eternity. My lungs are on fire, my sides feel like someone punched me in them repetitively, my body is covered in cuts and bruises, my legs are in so much pain they have gone numb, and those horrible shadows are messing with my head as they continue to dance along the very edge of my vision.
"You're so beautiful, Ember." He appears in front of me so fast I nearly collide head first into him. His eyes are flaming red. "Everything I have ever wanted in a mate. And perhaps if I didn't already have Jinx, I would change you. But killing you should give me nearly as great of a high as having sex with you would." He grins.
"Please Sammy.. Please don't.." My voice is quavering, tears are streaming down my dirty cheeks. My legs are wobbly, my muscles on fire. I am ready to collapse and I know there is absolutely zero chance of me running so much as another foot tonight.
Sam reaches over, brushing a finger along my face where a tree branch slapped me. When he pulls back there is scarlet liquid slowly dripping down his pale finger. He licks it and my stomach heaves.
And seeing this beautiful nightmare right in front of me looking so satisfied by the taste of my blood... Then all the running I've done tonight... Plus the fear of him killing my family.. Also the realization that the person I have been in love with for six months is a sadistic vampire.. And of course the knowledge that my death is only moments away.. It is all just too much. I throw up right there on Sam's shoes.
"Oh, hell, Ember. That is just disgusting." He jumps back so quickly my eyes don't even register he has moved by the time he is hanging just above on a tree branch. I am buckled over, vomiting up the strawberries, pasta, and small glass of wine I had consumed just before this all happened. A time that couldn't be more than an hour ago, but seems like a whole different lifetime. Back when Sam was the boy I wanted to marry, not the creature that wants to kill me.
After I am done wrenching, my legs give out beneath me and I collapse on my side. Sam appears above me and I stare up at him in fright. He kneels next to me, taking off his jacket and using the sleeves to wipe my mouth with. Then he picks me up, cradling me in his arms like a small child. I am sobbing.
"Shh, little human. Don't be frightened. A vampire bite is the most lovely form of ecstasy. Quiet down." he brushes his hand through my long dirty-blonde hair. I begin to cry harder as he slowly lowers his head.
"Now this was a fun game wasn't it?" he whispers. He kisses me softly on the mouth, causing me to cry a little harder, and then parts his lips and bites my throat. I didn't mean to scream, but the horrible pain caused the involuntary act.
I can feel him sucking, can feel the blood being pulled directly from my veins. This isn't ecstasy. This is torture. But suddenly, I am no longer in his frigid arms. I am sent tumbling into the foliage, doing somewhat of a forward role and bashing my head agains a large rock. I land on my side, the forest doing spins around me. And I watch as Sam, looking enraged, slowly circles with an angel. An angel with pale skin, clouded red eyes, and long black hair hair. He is dressed in all black from his head to his toes, and looks like the best Dracula impersonater I have ever seen. Not that I've seen many.
Their lips tremble, and they both become more angry, but no words are spoken. After only a few moments, I hear Sam growl and then disappear into thin air. That is when the fire enters my veins. The stranger walks over to me, kneeling down to my height. I stare into his eyes that are red and filmy.
"Thank you." I whisper before I black out.
