Chapter Seven
Terror In the Night
A cold hand muffled her scream.
Kerry was face-to-face with a man who looked more frightened of her than she was of him.
Trying to break from his gasp, Kerry tried to kick him until he was forced to reveal his long fangs that were blackened with decay. She shrunk away immediately.
She knew he was a vampire…even though he went against everything that was typically expected from his attractive kind.
"Don't try my patience you wench!" He warned. His hands began to tremble when he saw her exposed neck.
"Here, let me handle her," Another person said from behind. "The last thing we need is for you to kill her off."
"I can handle it!" Her captor snapped.
"Shut up Matthius before I rip your fuckin' fangs out!" The second man shoved himself between Kerry and the vampire. "Get the car started."
Matthius scowled but left the bedroom.
By his warm hands Kerry knew this second man was no vampire. She found an opportunity while his back was turned to her. She grabbed an alarm clock and smashed it into the back of his head hoping to buy time for escape.
He didn't even flinch.
Instead, with cold laughter, he struck her across the face causing her to fall back. When she tried to get back up she felt a little sting in her thigh.
He had injected her with something.
Kerry started feel numbness overtake her body as he flung her effortlessly over his shoulder. The man took her downstairs and out the front door. Kerry prayed that one of her neighbors would see and help, but no one came. All the houses on the street were dark. Kerry struggled to clear her dimming vision until all she saw was pitch darkness
She fell in and out of consciousness several times that night, her body was completely paralyzed. All she could hear were the voices of her kidnappers. Kerry remembered being shoved in the back of a small car but she didn't know how long they were on the road. She saw an occasional street lamp from her angle but she couldn't move to look at the window.
Were they even in Brockport anymore?
Why couldn't her life be normal for once? Why did everything have to happen to her? First the whole Ethan Bryne mess, then werewolves, and now this? Kerry tried to stop herself from crying, it would not help her in this situation.
"I swear if it's the wrong girl I'll rip your throat out myself." The driver said.
"How would it be my fault?! It's that damn old witch who sent us here anyway!" It was the vampire speaking this time. "Besides…if it's not her, we could always just drink her…."
"That's disgusting."
"Don't act all high and mighty when you've killed multiple humans before." Matthius sneered.
"I don't drink from them like a fuckin' bottle of wine."
"Whatever…there's no point in taking her back. She's going to die either way. I just don't want to waste perfectly good blood." He shrugged.
"Watch your mouth leech," The other warned, "If this girl is the real deal, she could kill us both."
Kerry was going to die. Her dad would never know what happened to her. She would never see her friends again…never go to college. Her life would end before she could legally drink.
"WHAT THE-?!" Matthius cried.
Before Kerry knew what was going on, she was flung forward onto the car floor. She felt the car whirl around uncontrollably until it came to a sudden halt.
She heard her kidnappers scramble out of the car muttering a line of profanity.
"Where the fuck are you?!" The driver shouted. "We know you're out there!"
"Who was that?" Matthius asked.
"How the hell should I know!" The other yelled.
Kerry heard their footsteps fade as they chased after the perpetrator of the accident.
But as theirs disappeared, another's approached.
The back door swung opened.
Kerry tilted her head up to see if it was one of her kidnappers.
"Shhh!" A man she didn't recognize pressed a finger to his lips. Looking around to make sure no one else was around, he whispered, "My name is Logan. I'm here to help you, but you have to cooperate."
He knelt into the car to pick her up with cold hands. Another vampire.
The entire time Kerry eyed him suspiciously, she couldn't trust anyone in this crazy world.
He laughed, "I know you don't believe I'm saving you, but you really don't have a choice do you?"
He was right.
"PLEASE! NO!" They heard a cry from a dark building.
"Let's go see what's going on." Logan grinned.
"What?! No! Why would you go towards them?!!!" Kerry complained.
He raised an eyebrow. "So you can talk? For a second I thought you were a mute."
"Please! Don't take me back to them!" Kerry pleaded. This vampire…he seemed more reasonable than the other two. He was definitely better looking but that was beside the point.
"Don't worry. They won't be able to lay another hand on you after tonight." He laughed.
"Huh?" Kerry gaped at him.
Without answering her, Logan carried Kerry towards the direction of the sound. Kerry realized they were on an empty street that was lined with broken, and most likely, abandoned warehouses and buildings. When Logan leaped threw a shattered window the desperate pleads of Matthius led them to an upper floor.
"Please! I didn't do anything! It was all Kent!"
"Shut up Matthius!" Kent barked.
"You're both going to die tonight either way." A voice said.
Kerry saw who the last speaker was when Logan turned the corner into a large torn down room.
"Michel!" She cried.
Her fallen angel turned his face towards her and smirked. "Hello Kerry. Logan you're an idiot for bringing her here."
"Like hell I'd miss this!" Logan scoffed, "I brought her along for the show."
Michel's smile disappeared when he saw the dark bruise on her right cheek where Kent struck her.
Rage overtook him and in lightning speed he slammed Matthius against a rusty file cabinet, denting the metal even more.
"Did YOU do that to her?!" His claws tightened their grip around his victim's neck.
When the answer didn't come quick enough, Michel broke Matthius's thigh bone with his free hand until it hung limply. Matthius let out a gurgled cry.
Looking at what Michel was talking about, Matthius then raised a shaking finger towards Kent.
"H-h-him…"
Michel dropped him onto the floor. Matthius let out a piercing scream when he landed on his broken leg but Michel didn't seem to notice and turned around to face the other man.
"By the time I'm done with you, you'll be begging for death." He growled.
"Uh-oh…" Logan said quietly, "If you're squeamish, now's the time to close your eyes."
Kerry could hardly see what was going on. Half of the room was open to the cold night as if a bulldozer came through but didn't finish the job. The only source of light was the moon.
When Michel took a step forward, Kent began to laugh.
"You're a fool." He looked at Michel with pure hatred.
"Oh? Please enlighten me." Michel grinned. He wasn't taking the situation seriously!
Kent started laughing again, this time it was maniacal. His laughter soon turned into agonizing screams.
Logan took a step back and held Kerry close protectively.
Kent was beating his head with his own fists brutally. His saliva poured out of his heavily panting mouth. He fell to his knees as he continued his self-inflicted injuries.
"Is he crazy?!" Kerry wondered out loud, "He's trying to kill himself!"
"That would be awfully nice of him," Logan said bitterly, "Don't waste your pity, you'll see him for what he really is soon enough."
Kent's body began to shake. Kerry screamed when she saw his bones lurch out as if they were snapping inside his flesh. His fingers twisted into disgusting angles.
Kerry wished she could cover her ears to shield them from the painful crunching sounds of his skeleton shifting. She closed her eyes to block out the image.
When she opened them seconds later, he had completely transformed into a monster. Kent's skin was partially covered in thick dark fur, his face retained few of his humanistic features, and his fingers were now lengthened with sharp black claws. Although he was standing upright, he was hunched like a raptor. His ears were pointed and covered in fur as well. In the moonlight his yellow eyes glowed ferociously.
Kent was a werewolf!
The creature let out a frightening howl and then lunged at Michel.
"Michel!" Kerry cried.
But her vampire easily dodged the attack. However Kent did not stop, he ran straight for Matthius, who sat on the ground helplessly.
"NOOOOO!" The vampire threw up his arms to protect himself in vain.
Kent ripped his arm off like a ragdoll, and then bit into Matthius's neck. Blood poured down his dirty shirt and the vampire's scream was cut-off when the werewolf viciously tore his head from his neck. Matthius's head dangled from its flesh by Kent's sharp, canine-like teeth.
Kerry screamed in horror.
Kent's ears twitched at the noise. He tossed Matthius's body aside and pounced in Kerry's direction.
Two things happened at once.
Logan turned around to take the brunt of the impact, and at the same time Michel intercepted the lycan by tackling him from the side.
Because of Logan's position, Kerry had no idea what was going on. She heard noises of struggle, but she didn't know who was winning. She heard a yelp and then a vicious snarl and then the rustling stopped. Her heart sank fearing for the worst.
When Logan turned around, Kerry saw Michel run towards her to block her view but it was too late.
"Logan don't!" He warned.
Kerry saw Kent…or what was left of him. His jaw made a bloody trail five feet from his body and his chest had a gory gaping hole.
Kerry fainted.
Kerry rolled over on her soft bed, body stiff and sore. She opened her eyes and it was still night time. She cuddled back into the silk sheets and the man next to her.
Wait…man?! Silk sheets?
Kerry shot upright and took in the foreign surrounding. She was in some kind of gothic nightmare. There was a dim lamp in the corner next to an ancient book shelf, it was the only source of light in the overwhelming darkness. She could hardly make out the shapes of the room and her own imagination warped chairs and tables into ghouls and goblins. This was definitely not her room.
When she turned around to see who the man was, she realized it was Michel.
Was this crypt, HIS room?
For a second Kerry was worried all her fussing had woken him, but he didn't budge. He laid there like a tragically beautiful statue.
Did they sleep together?
Kerry's face flushed red but she was relieved to discover her clothes were still on.
She contemplated opened the thick layers of black curtains to see what time of day it was, but she realized if Michel was still asleep, it was probably still daytime. He had this perfect internal clock in him and Kerry knew as soon as the sun set he would rise...not a moment before, not a moment later. She was also certain Michel wouldn't appreciate a rude awakening by a little sunshine.
Slowly slipping out of the humongous bed, she wandered around the vast room. When she went to pull out one of the books, she was surprised that it was completely void of dust. The entire room was spiffy clean.
In the corner of her eye, a painting attracted her attention. It was a beautiful portrait of a woman who looked like royalty. Her neck was covered in jewels and her hair was fashionably piled on top with a crown that sat in the center of her white curls. Judging by her dress, Kerry knew this woman was from a time period a few hundred years ago.
Unfortunately, this marvelous painting was defaced by a long tear that started near her collar bone that seemed to be made with a knife. At the bottom of the tear Kerry spotted elegant script.
'Marie Antoinette.'
"No way…." Kerry thought aloud. There was no way this could be an actual real portrait done of Marie. It must've cost an unimaginable amount of money!
Except…staring at Michel, Kerry began to think it was probably a souvenir from when he was younger. How old was he?
…Did they have a fling together?
Kerry shook the thought out of her head. It shouldn't matter to her what Michel did back then or now, her grandparents weren't even alive at that time.
Suddenly feeling bitter, Kerry returned to the bed.
"Hmph," She stared at the sleeping vampire. "So what if you and Marie had something. Not like it matters to me. She can have you for all I care. You're mean, you lie, and you're so cocky. You treat me like I'm a kid! I hate you Michel…Whatever-your-last-name-is!" She said with her nose pointed up.
'You're also ridiculously hot.' Kerry groaned. Who was she kidding?
Kerry leaned in closer to get a better look at him. She removed a stray hair from his face as she nervously touched his cold skin. Everything about him screamed perfection, he was out of her league. Yet here in a deep slumber, he looked so innocent. He seemed at ease with his hands lazily resting on his stomach. He was the 18, 19, 20-year-old boy…or man that he fooled everyone into believing. He was the Ethan Bryne that stole her heart three years ago.
She smiled.
Her finger had gone from his eyelids to tracing his lips. He was still asleep and it'd probably be a while until he was awake.
Just for a second…he wouldn't find out Kerry thought.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she lowered her lips to his. She was just a few inches from the man who haunted her dreams.
Kerry closed her eyes.
"I thought you hated me."
Kerry opened her eyes to see Michel smirking below her.
"GAH!" She flung herself backwards and almost fell off the bed entirely.
Michel's grin widened as he put his arms behind his head, looking a lot like Leon the night he was in her bedroom.
"Like I said," He crossed his leg over the other, "Haven't changed at all."
"What?!" Kerry cried, "I-I-I didn't do anything! I don't know what you're talking about! How long were you awake for?!!" She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him.
'You're such an idiot!' She thought to herself. 'This is sooo embarrassing!!!'
"I've been awake for the past…let me see…hour?" He laughed.
"Wha-?!" Kerry found herself pinned below Michel. He had both her arms held above her head with his hands. She was trapped.
He hovered above her body, slowly lowering himself until he was at the same distance she was earlier.
"You didn't have to stop you know…" He said lowly to her ear.
"I d-dunno what you're t-talking about…" Kerry struggled to keep her words coherent.
The tip of his tongue was like ice against her skin as he made a path along the side of her jaw.
"I think you do." He smiled slyly when she shivered.
"I…I…." Kerry couldn't find words.
Michel chuckled and kissed her softly on the forehead. In a blink of an eye he was on the other side of the room. He opened a closet and took out a white shirt, a green plaid button-up, and a pair of jeans.
He began to take off his tie. "I guess I was just imagining things."
"What are you doing?!" Kerry blushed. He was going to change in front of her!
"Oh! My bad." He feigned embarrassment. Michel flicked on the lights of the closet and shut the door behind him. He came out fully changed a minute later. He could've passed as a high-schooler in those clothes.
Michel grinned at her skeptical look.
"We're going out." Michel said bluntly. He went inside his walk-in closet and never came out. Kerry followed him when she heard running water.
There was another door at the other end which led to a bathroom. Kerry wondered what other hidden doors were in this bedroom.
"Where?" She asked.
Michel was trimming his hair with a pair of scissors. It was amazing how all the pieces of hair managed to land in the waste basket in front of him without straying.
"You're house." He replied.
"What?!" Kerry's mouth dropped, "Wait wait wait…"
He tilted his head a little to listen to her.
"You're not seriously going to just drop me off like all this never happened!" Kerry cried, "I want...no…DESERVE some answers at least! Who were those guys? Where are we? Is this your new house?"
"I saved your life. Can't you thank me and leave it at that?" He roughly threw the scissors aside and then leaned against the sink counter to scowl at her.
"You did NOT just say that to me." She prodded his chest with an accusing finger, "Last time I recall, I saved YOUR life and then you dragged me into a situation where some lunatic kidnapped my family and then tried to kill us both! Not to mention I saved your ass again by hauling you into that closet!"
He pushed her hand away and cornered her against the wall.
"That seems about right Kerry. You forgot to mention that you had no chance of escaping the laundry mat without me anyway. Also, I never asked for your help in any case, I told you to shoot me and you didn't. Not to mention you were the one who handed Marsala the gun in the first place. And finally," He pressed his sharp fangs to her neck, not yet piercing the flesh, "You keep forgetting what I am…I feed off your kind. I don't have to play these human games. Your life was supposed to be over once you knew, therefore I owe you nothing. "
Kerry made a sharp intake of breath when he applied more pressure against her neck.
"Then why did you let me go…?" She whispered.
"Because I find your games particularly entertaining." He grinned.
He went back to cutting his hair without another word and Kerry left to the bedroom not wanting to be in his infuriating presence any longer.
'He acts like I'm some kind of sport or toy that he can mess around with until he's bored.' Kerry fumed. 'He doesn't care about anything but himself!'
She went to open a door when it opened from the other side.
"Woah there! I see you're awake!" It was Logan, "Hope I didn't interrupt something." He winked mischievously.
'Pervert.'
Kerry tried to walk around him but he grabbed her arm.
"I wouldn't go out there if I were you. Never know who's hungry in this house." He warned, "So…where's our friend Michel?"
"I'm right here." Michel said as he walked out of the closet.
"I knew you'd come out of the closet for me." Logan joked. Michel glared at him.
Kerry couldn't help laugh at their interaction. She wasn't sure if they were really friends or not.
Logan looked Michel up and down. "You look like an unruly hooligan."
"I try." Michel responded dryly, "I gotta take Kerry home."
"You're not going to keep a girl out overnight, and then meet her parents looking like that, are you?" Logan said with feigned shock, "Kerry! What would they think?!"
"It's not like I'm going to let this asshole come anywhere near my dad, let alone my front door." She muttered.
"Now that's something I'd pay to see, Michel versus Girlfriend's Father." Logan daydreamed, "I'd place my bet on dad."
The reference of Kerry being Michel's girlfriend made her feel uncomfortable. It would never happen. She unconsciously grabbed her necklace that was tucked under her pajama shirt.
Logan's smile faded when both vampires saw the crystallized flower.
"Where did you get that?" Michel snapped. He tried to grab her necklace but she turned away protectively.
"It's a long story, besides you'd never believe me." Kerry realized how stupid those words sounded when said to vampires.
"Humor me." Michel said with a harsh smile.
"I don't know where to begin!" Kerry struggled. She was frustrated that they were acting so weird over a necklace.
"Would I be wrong to guess it ends with a tree that glows?" Logan said half-jokingly, although his face was severe.
"How did you…" Kerry gaped at him.
"Merde…" Michel said angrily. "Who gave it to you?!"
"No one gave it to me!" Kerry cried.
"Kerry!" Michel grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, "Don't lie to me!"
Kerry angrily slapped his hands away. "I'm not! I don't know how it happened you insensitive jerk! All I did was touch the freakin' thing and it just changed! I don't understand it either, I don't know anything anymore!" She mentally punched herself when she felt burning tears blur her vision.
'Don't cry now! Not in front of him!'
She looked away to try to hide her weakness.
"Let's give the girl a moment." Logan said sympathetically. He meant to pull his friend out the door with him but Michel shook him off. Logan shrugged and closed the door.
Kerry's body trembled as she tried to stop herself from breaking down. Everything was falling apart, her indifferent wall collapsed and she couldn't contain all her problems, sadness, or fear any longer. She spent three years trying to forget everything but now it was all coming back tenfold.
She used the sleeve on her wrist to wipe the stray tear that fell.
"Kerry…" Michel said softly.
"Go away." She responded.
She felt his cold arms wrap around her.
"Ma chérie," He cooed as he rubbed her back soothingly trying to calm her.
"You don't have to try and be strong in front of me. Besides, I knew you were brave ever since you tried to cut my wrists in the process of helping me." He smiled.
Kerry choked out a giggle. She almost felt guilty for ruining his shirt but she loved being in his arms too much to pull away.
"And I know you've been through a lot up 'til now, and I can't promise it's going to get any better," He pulled her away a little so he could rest his head against hers. "But I'm not going to leave your side until you're safe."
He stared at her with his captivating blue eyes. "I also owe you an apology for freaking out, but that crystal is extremely important to us. And now so are you."
Kerry's heart sank at his last statement, but she expected as much. She knew there was something strange about that tree and she made the connection that she was somehow involved. There was no other reason for Michel to be around her, let alone protect her.
But no matter why he hung around her she didn't care. She still loved him.
He wiped away the last few tears that escaped her eyes with his thumbs.
"That's more like it." He mused.
"Thanks." Kerry said quietly. She was truly grateful for his gentleness when she knew he didn't have to.
"Anything for you chérie." He stroked her hair.
"Doubt it." Kerry frowned.
"You're right." He grinned.
"You ruin perfectly good moments." She glared at him, but she couldn't help smile.
"And you ruin perfectly good shirts." He countered with a grimace but he eventually grinned too.
"But really though…thanks for everything." Kerry stayed in his arms for a few more seconds before finally letting go.
"I meant every word." He responded.
Kerry didn't know what he meant by every word but she wasn't sure if she wanted to know his answer so she kept her mouth shut.
"I guess you have to change again…sorry…" Kerry said, feeling awkward.
"Yeah…I'm gonna change my shirt, but we're still going to your house to pick up some stuff." He said as he walked back towards his closet.
Please review! Much love to AiDeeKay! My kickass beta reader who keeps me in check!
