Authors: RaShelle Workman
The gun went off, a loud pop like the cork of a champagne bottle, and Christopher dropped.
“You idiot,” the leader shouted.
“Let’s get out of here,” the guy with the gun said, kicking Christopher in the
sh
ins.
They too
k off running. And I floated
, helpless, as a large pool of Christopher’s blood emptied onto the asphalt.
“No. No. No,” I wail
ed, tears streaming down my cheeks
.
I’d never felt so
useless in all my life. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. “If I’m dreaming, let me wake up,” I choked out between sobs. When I opened my eyes, I hadn’t moved
. Sirens sounded in the distance.
“Yes, hurry. Maybe he’s still alive.”
Chapter 8
“T
here, there
,
young one,” a soft,
musical voice soothed
.
She seemed to appear out of thin air. She, and two others, wore black
cloak
s
, large hood
s covering their heads. As one, they glided over to Christopher and I. Frantic,
I
placed
my body in front of his, to block her, but she went right through me
, and knelt beside Christopher
.
“Leave him alone,” I cried, and was rew
arded by a glare from the woman. She was breathtaking
. Her lips were red as blood, her lon
g hair black as a starless night sky, and her skin
glowed the color of moonbeams.
“Come. We must turn him quickly,” she ordered, and
the other two figures knelt beside Christopher.
The first one gently
gathered Christopher’s head in her
arms,
tilted him so that his luscious neck was exposed,
and bit.
Vampires, my inner voice shouted.
Breathless,
I
watched. A hungry ache gnawing at
my throat.
The other two
sa
nk their canines into each of his wrists.
A moan escaped Chri
stopher and he arched
further into the first vampire’s mouth.
That I
understood
.
I’d done the same thing when Christopher first bit me.
Seconds later, they withdrew, and the first spoke. “Rise!”
Christopher
eyes opened
, and I inhaled.
They glowed red.
“We must go,” the first commanded
, taking one of his hands
.
Right then I knew who, or what she was—that Vampire Queen.
A confounded look clouded Christopher’s features, but he
nodded, and th
ey all vanished into the night.
I expected to be pulled along after him, but that didn’t happen. My ghostly body remained near the blood. The Vampire Queen, the other two women—probably Worker vampires—left. And I remained. Alone.
For some reason,
kusala
and
akusala
, those strange words Christopher spoke to me last night, came to mind. Had those boys been evil, and the Vampire Queen good?
Did she really save him? Sure he still walked.
But, at what cost?
Had he become an empty shell?
A plaything for the queen?
No! He was much more. He cared about me, didn’t he? Frustrated, I crossed my arms, wondering why I was still there. I was about to take my misty carcass back to Christopher’s house when I noticed something strange within Christopher’s blood.
The wooden bear he’d carved.
Hovering so that my nose almost touched the statue, I peered at it closely. It was stunning, so precise. Right down to its claws, and the pupils.
I had to have it. Deep down, I knew that was the reason I witnessed what happened. Christopher needed the carving for some reason. I reached with one hand, and grabbed for it. My fingers went right through. I tried again. Again. Again.
And, again.
“Ugh, please. What do I need to do?” I pleaded.
A tiny thought budded in my heart. Relax.
I snorted, and tried again, with both hands this time. My hands floated through.
“
Awwwww
!” I’d never been so frustrated in all my life.
Relax.
“Fine.” I breathed in through my nose, held it a second, and let it out through my mouth.
Relax.
I breathed in, held, and blew out.
The muscles in my shoulders loosened. Tension left my stomach.
I reached for the carved bear, the buttery wood stained red with Christopher’s blood, and… picked it up.
“Yes!”
A light, irritating tapping
repeated
between my eyebrows, near the bridge of my nose.
“Snow, Snow White. You can move now.
We have removed the toxins
.”
Arianna.
I was back in Sharra.
“Christopher,” I gasped, and stood
, searching urgently for him. I needed to see him for myself
.
A flurry of pixilettes pulsated around me
, my quick movements startling them
. Breathing heavily, I stepped forward, and a wave of nausea
rocked my body
, making me dizzy.
“Easy, Fr
osty.” Warm hands encircled my waist
, and
his
soft chuckle tickled my ear. “I’m here.”
I sank into him, pushing down a fearful moan.
My Hunter, Chace, Christopher…
My mind still clung to the awful experience I’d just witnessed. “I saw you,” I said, my voice hushed.
“Saw me?” he repeated
, touching his fingers to my forehead
.
I turned in his arms, and put
a hand
on his neck. The ache for his blood burned in my throat. “I watched you fight those awful boys, and one shot you.” His
hands tightened
. I continued. “I watched you
become a v
ampire.”
He winced, and pushed my head against his chest. “Shush. You’ve had a traumatizing day.”
I forced my head up. “No. Don’t shush me. I’m telling you I saw… her. The queen. She’s the one who changed you.” I wasn’t sure how I knew, but the fact remained, there was
n’t a doubt in my mind I’d
seen the face of the Vampire Queen.
He shook his head dismissively, his gorgeous hazel eyes hooded, and his lips pursed in a smirk.
His attitude angered me, aroused me. I wanted him, his blood, the way the queen
took
it. And before I could think further, I lunged at him; sinking my
now extended,
needle sharp
teeth
into his warm, inviting throat.
He moaned, his arms encircling me more tightly.
Chapter 9
“W
e can discuss it later. Right now you’re supposed to be at Adam Henry’s.” Christopher said
. My face was cupped
between his hands. He kissed me gently, and continued, “I’ll wait here
until
you get back. Okay?”
I nodded
. “You’d better
,” I returned.
We were standing in my kitchen. My body was back to normal, and my lust for blood satisfied.
“It’ll be my turn when you get back,” he said, his voice low, husky
, his thumbs stroking my neck.
My stomach quivered in anticipation.
“I’d like that.” I turned to
leave, but remembered the wooden bear. Opening my hand, I was slightly shocked to see I still had it. Most of it was covered it burgundy, almost black.
His dried blood.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you—” He stopped and inhaled. “Where did you get that?”
I turned. “I told you I was there.”
He crumbled, sagging to his knees. “How?”
I kneeled in front of him. “I don’t know how, or why, or even where I was, only that you were there, and after she and the others left with you, I picked this up.” I held my hand out. “For you.” He took it between his first finger, and his thumb.
“Thank you,” he said, his eyes watery. Seconds later, he’d pulled me into an embrace, his arms crushing me to him. “You have no idea what this means,” he whispered against my hair.
The force of his words, the ache, and urgency, caused me to tremble. “You’re welcome, Christopher.”
As quickly as he hugged me he released me.
“Go. We have a lot to talk about when you get back.” He stood, and pulled me with him.
“Okay, but… stay down here. No snooping.” I didn’t want him to see my child’s room.
“What don’t you want
me to find?” he asked, planting a swift kiss on my mouth
.
Gatsby made an appearance, and started howling, winding between Christopher’s legs, and then mine.
“
Make yourself useful, and feed my cat,” I said in mock irritation. He quirked a brow, and I added, “
Just
don’t go in my room
.”
“Fine. No snoopin
g.” He swatted my butt. “Hurry
.
The sooner you get there, the sooner you’ll be back.
”
I yelped, my cheeks hot
.
“Alright.” I
left, running at lightning speed over to Prof
essor Pops’ house without tripping
once.
Oh yeah, better than ever, I thought happily.
***
When I knocked on the door
to Professor Pops’ house
, Daniel answered immediately. “Bout time, Snow. Gabe’s been chomping at the bit.”
“Gabe?” I questioned, my voice not my own as fear clutched my chest. “I-I thought Dorian was training me today?”
“Change of plans. You better get down there.”
“Right, thanks Daniel.” I hurried past him, jogging down the stairs, past the Museum of the Supernatural, and into the room filled with weapons. Gabe’s angry gaze found mine, and slammed my feet to a stop.
“Where were you
?”
“Hey, chill
,
bossy pants. I’m here now.” I giggled, releasing some nervous energy.