Authors notes deleted 12/01/13
Three Years Later.
I was running, always running. Dodge led my way, his snow white fur keeping him on my visual radar in the dark. Thick clouds had rolled over the big moon, shrouding us in darkness on the empty back streets. My boots were sticking to pools of mud and squelching. If the men chasing me couldn't hear my panted breath and erratic heartbeat, they would definitely hear my feet.
I had to be close. I was exactly where Alice said he was supposed to be. What Alice hadn't told me however, was that I would be hunted down by yet another vampire, whilst in this non-descript Mexican town in the pouring rain.
The silver canister was clasped tightly in my right hand, my finger poised over the release button. It even had a leather strap that was knotted around my wrist. The odds were I would drop it before I could use it, so this little feature had been added, just for me.
A chilling chuckle passed me on the breeze; I dodged right, spinning till until my back hit a wall, raised my hand and sprayed. The vampire came into my vision the very second the venom laced flames engulfed him where he stood. He didn't notice at first and went to speak. Then when did notice, he screamed, stumbling backwards and trying to put the flames out by rolling on the wet ground. It didn't work, it wouldn't work. Venom flames couldn't be extinguished till until the venom was burned up. By then his marble skin would have splintered and cracked, only adding fresh venom to the flames, fuelling it the fire till until he was burned up and nothing was left.
He screamed in pain, till prior to the cracking sounds started. Then he shrieked. I knew it was over when he couldn't make a noise anymore. Not because he was dead, but because his throat and mouth had been engulfed in fire. His venom glands would've acted like a bulls eye for the flames. His body splintered and popped; the gaps created were a bright yellowy orange as his life force, his venom, turned to fire, lava in his veins.
Dodge waited a little ways away and barked to get my attention. I edged around the pyre and scratched him behind his ear, never taking my eyes from the sight in front of us. Not till I knew he wouldn't be getting up again. I had found that blood could do amazing things for vampires.
When the body began to collapse, it was over. The full shape quickly deflated, the flames sputtered before vanishing and the rain washed away the ash that remained. I took a deep relieved breath as my heart rate began to go back to normal.
Turning in a circle I surveyed the small Mexican town I had no name for. I highly doubted it would be on a map. There was no railway, no bus route, and no vehicles of any kind in sight. The small buildings had patched up roofs and shuttered windows. They stood a few feet apart creating countless alleyways and deep impenetrable shadows.
As I turned back to look at Dodge his lip curled back and he lowered himself to his haunches. I braced myself for attack, securing my grip around my canister and looked in the same direction as the dog. Only I saw nothing.
"Hello?" I called, my voice sounding strong and sure, but it was drowned out by the rain which began had suddenly increased in velocity. I got no reply, but Dodge shuffled forward till he was pressed against my leg, a steady growl rumbling in his chest.
"I know you're there. Please, don't waste my time." I backed up to the wall behind me, my hand stretched out to curl my fingers in the fur by Dodge's ears. My trigger finger curled and flexed, tapping on the button release of the canister, just waiting.
He'll be there. Just wait it out.
Alice's words rang in my head. Even though I felt like running again, I didn't, I stood firm. It was all about confidence, not looking afraid, presenting a challenge. They weren't going to kill me. I was assured of that. But they had just seen me, the meek human girl take down one of their own. They wouldn't be happy, but they would be afraid. Fear was never a good emotion for a vampire, they acted like wounded animals, lashing out till the threat was gone and they felt secure again.
So I stood in the warm rain, my hair plastered flat to my face and shoulders and tried not to balk. Letting go of my dog with a stern command for him to be still, I swung my leg over him so he was sat between my legs. His low pitched growl didn't stop, but he stopped gnashing his teeth. I hoped that by having him entwined with me he didn't become the target. He was my saviour, my friend and my secret weapon. I remembered what had happened to Daisy, and was not going to let that happen to Dodge. He may be better equipped to deal with a vampire than an ordinary dog, but I wasn't going to risk it.
I brought my hands together in front of me and debated about letting go off of my canister. I pulled the cord over my wrist, still holding clutching the metal as hard as I could. Dropping my eyes from scanning the landscape I tucked my weapon into my front pocket and clasped my fingers together in front of my stomach. And waited.
Any minute now.
I began to fiddle with a charm on my bracelet, twirling a small wooden carving restlessly between my fingers. One second, thirty seconds, a minute. Time began continued to pass, but slowly, sluggishly.
The more time that passed the more agitated I became. I could feel the eyes boring into me, but I didn't know where from. Dodge was looking towards a small cluster of wooden shacks, some kind of empty market stalls. They were too dark for me to distinguish clearly, but he must be there, tucked away in the darkness, hiding from me, the now defenceless human.
Twenty minutes after the ashes had washed away I was still waiting. I knew not to fidget or show signs of unease, but I couldn't help myself. Bending down I pulled a packet of cigarettes from my boot and tapping the bottom, released one into my waiting fingers. Leaning back under the small overhang from the roof of the building I was propped against, I twisted my lighter from my belt buckle and let the small flame ignite the end as I inhaled.
As the smoke hit my lungs a tall figure stepped out of the shadows by the shacks. He walked towards me at a human pace, an undeniable swagger it to his gait. It was that same type of cocky overconfidence that had gotten me this far and mostly unharmed.
Now that he had ascertained I wasn't a threat he was revealing himself. He was a coward.
I knew he would be able to hear my increasing heart rate, but I still stayed calm and collected and puffed away on my cigarette. I had my shoulders pressed back against the wall to keep my cigarette dry but my legs planted either side of my dog so my hips were thrust forward. I tucked my cigarette packet in my empty front pocket and then hooked my thumb in the belt loop by it; I appeared the perfect picture of calm and arrogancet.
I nudged Dodge with the side of my boot and, leaving my cigarette in my mouth, clicked my fingers with a warning growl from between my clenched teeth. He huffed in agitation but stayed between my boots, not attacking, but glaring as much as large wolf was capable of. A low warning growl rumbled in his chest as he shuffled back, away from the threat.
I stayed steady, taking long drags and trying not to balk. My weapon was tucked away, the enemy knew where it was, and he would be on me before I could grab it. Contingency plans ran through my mind unabated, I kept my smoking pace steady. He stepped into a beam of moonlight and his skin met the weak reflected beams from the sun.
An eerie other worldly glow settled across the few visible areas of vampiric flesh. He had a hat on, the brim tilted down over his eyes. He stopped five or so feet in front of me and made a show of removing his hat to greet me.
I dropped my cigarette in shock.
"Isabella," he greeted, nodding his head and holding his hat to his chest. I spluttered in surprise but covered it with an unimpressed scoff from the back of my throat. He looked as though he bought it.
"Peter," I nodded and crouched down over my dog, who was now snarling and snapping like a rabid animal.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Take me to your leader," I quipped, which earned me a bark of harsh laughter; before I even had the chance to scowl I was pinned to the wall by my throat, the contents of my bag digging into my back.
"My mate is dead, because of you!" he snarled in my face, I choked and brought my hands up to claw at his arms but he was knocked aside. He landed a few feet away from me, on his back, my dog tearing into his throat. I landed roughly, on my feet, and spluttered to get my breath back.
Peter was too shocked to defend himself, it was always the that way. No vampire expected a wolf hybrid to be able to cause physical harm to them. But then again no vampire that met a dog like mine lived to tell the tale. I twisted my lighter free again and crouched over the wounded vampire as I pulled Dodge back by his collar, patting his sides and silently praising him.
I got as close as I could to his face and flicked my finger over the lump of metal. The small flame shone in the vampire's eyes, making the fear and anger I saw there flare. He brought his hands up to his throat and tried to staunch the flow of venom.
"I could kill you," I breathed, watching the dancing flame. "Right now, but you know that, don't you?" He grimaced in pain, and moved slightly, trying to get away from me.
"No one would find your ashes; they would have washed away come morning," I continued, as if musing out loud.
"No one will know who to blame, no one would think to look at me...the weak little human." I patted the side of my dog and nudged him to a large puddle, telling him without words to rinse the venom from his face. He did, but kept his eyes on us, edging around the vampire sideways so he could keep his eyes on him.
"I have killed far more, for far less than just laying their filthy hands on me." I lowered my voice to a deadly whisper and spat my words at him, bringing the little flame closer to his spilt venom and tilting it slightly so the rain was unable to extinguish it. The vampire's eyes widened and he let out a sound akin to a whimper. One corner of my mouth tilted up in a smirk.
"But...unfortunately...I can't kill you." I drew out my words, making it appear as though I was loathe to say them, which I was.
"Not yet anyway," I added, letting the flame flicker out.
"You see," I said, shuffling even closer as if I was about to tell him a secret, "right now you are useful to me." I ran a finger along the venom puddle on the ground and rubbed my finger and thumb together before holding it under my nose. Something earthy, and fresh, like cut grass. I wiped my fingers on my denim clad leg and leant back again, adjusting my weight on the balls of my feet. His black eyes showed an understanding and I think I saw a little bit of respect there, but it could have been a trick of the dim light.
"I need to see the Major, and you are going to take me to him."
I twisted my lighter back onto my belt buckle and readjusted my crouched position to bring one of my legs forward. Reaching into my boot I grabbed my knife, flicked it open and spun the blade between my fingers, catching it against my palm, again and again. The vampire watched in trepidation.
"Never underestimate me, Peter," I told him. I watched him carefully for a moment before dragging the sleeve of my jacket up and removing my the leather cuff that encased my wrist.
"Now, move your hands," I directed, but he didn't move.
"That wound will not heal. Not without fresh blood and you have lost too much venom to even think about hunting for yourself." I narrowed my eyes and clenched my jaw. Here I was, trying to help him and he was refusing to cooperate.
"Move. Your. Hands." He complied this time, slowly.
Leaning over him I pumped my fist a few times, letting the bunched material around my arm act as a tourniquet and make the little blues lines -–which I couldn't see in the dim light- bulge. I swiftly ran the sharp blade over my wrist, just deep enough to make the blood drip and held the bleeding appendage over the tears in his throat. I let the dark flow freely land in his wound. He hissed and writhed as he tried to reach out for me, but I sucked my own wound before swiping a finger in some more of his venom from the ground and healed healing myself. I retied the tight strip of leather around the now healed wrist and cleaned the shiny but bloody blade in a convenient puddle before wiping it dry on my shirt. I flicked my knife expertly back into its handle and stuffed it back into my boot.
"There, that's better isn't it?" I soothed, before landing on my butt with a chuckle as the vampire sprung to his feet and then backed away as Dodge advanced on him angrily, but slowly, his white fur stained a morbidly dark shade around his mouth and chest.
"It's your fault," he chockedchoked, his throat still mending and his voice rough but I could still hear the raw emotion coming from him. I knew he wasn't talking about the damage my dog caused to him -as he was already craning his head this way and that to test the durability of his newly knitted flesh- but the loss of his mate.
The pain coming from him was, to me, completely unjustified. How dare he mourn a woman he fucked like an animal but hadn't had a single conversation with? He didn't know what her favourite colour was, how she had liked to separate each food item on her plate before eating, or how her forehead would crease when she was concentrating. Emotions I tried to keep hidden, tried to pretend didn't exist roared to the surface and I jumped to my feet.
"No!" I spat, stalking after him as he retreated from both me and my animal.
"She was my best friend, my sister, my l-" I stopped, thinking it best not to rub salt in his wound. I may be brave to the point of insanity, but I was not suicidal.
"I have loved her, my whole life. I was there when she fell down, there when she learnt to ride a bike and there when she lost her first tooth. We did everything together. No matter what you think you felt from an hour of interaction, that is NOTHING compared to what I feel. Every. Damn. Day," my voice descended into a snarl, still husky from his attack and now deepening further in anger.
"You threw her into a mirrored wall. You dislocated her shoulder and you damn near knocked her out! Seconds after you disappeared into the fray, I was by her side dragging her out of the way of a giant, snarling monster! It's your fault she's dead! Yours! Not mine." With every 'me' or 'I' I pounded on my own chest with one hand and with every 'you' or 'your' I pounded on his with my other.
Once I had finished my rant I was breathing heavily and was shaking with barely controlled violence. I took a deep breath and took a step away from the vampire, nudging Dodge back with my boot and straightening out my tattered clothing.
"I've just saved your life- whether it was endangered by my own hand or not, I spared you and healed you. I know vampire law and I know you're now indebted to me. I don't like to repeat myself, but I will, just this once, given the circumstances." I gestured to his throat dismissively.
"Take us to the Major."