They must have fallen asleep some time after. The next thing David knew, he felt the sun nearing the horizon. The first streaks of pink and orange made his eyes ache. Ruby was out cold in his arms, her head nestled against his chest. David groaned, realizing they weren't going to make it back to the cave in time.
"Shit, this is not happening." He whispered. He figured he had five minutes to think of something to do, to save both their lives.
He left his bike; it was relatively out of sight and no one really ventured down here anyway. Cradling Ruby, he took flight. The woods were their best chance – a bough of trees or something would be dark enough. Eyes darting this way and that, he settled on a grove of trees twisted by the wind.
Unfortunately, he'd miscalculated. The sun hit the horizon, its rays sending a shock wave through the two vampires. They tumbled, startled. Ruby woke with a jolt, realizing she was in the woods and the sun's rays were creeping up on her. David was face down in a bed of fallen needles. Ruby swallowed, figuring he'd crash-landed. Picking herself up off the muddy ground she sprinted towards the shelter, hauling David with her.
Pushing him into the thick grove, Ruby howled as a sunbeam hit her hand and cheek. Flesh smoked, turning black quickly. Last ounces of strength and the fear that filled her managed to get her safely into the grove. But she was marked already. David was out cold and she was injured. And they were trapped until nightfall, roughly nine hours away.
Biting back tears, the pain searing through her cheek and hand, Ruby curled against David and pulled his trench coat around her self. It was the first time in years she had feared for her life. Marko was back in the cave, sleeping; Paul and Dwayne were as well. And David probably had a concussion.
David was old enough that the first rays sent him directly to sleep. Ruby wasn't that lucky. He vampiric nature was still too new to be used to years of daylight slumber. She found herself whispering the old prayers Jeremy taught her over and over, hoping God was listening. As the sun fully engulfed the grove, casting them into murky shadows, Ruby found sleep and leapt into its open arms.
