to buy a long-sleeve shirt.”
Purchasing a black, lightweight, long-sleeved
hoodie, she finally found real relief. Hooking the leashes to the dogs’ collars,
she walked them down to the Boardwalk. She smiled as people laughed, enjoying
themselves around the carnival-like atmosphere. Spotting a hot dog vendor,
Mariah inhaled the delicious aroma of roasting franks and changed her mind
about the cheeseburger and went to stand in line. Sensing someone was watching
her, she had the strangest compulsion to use her mind to ‘search’ for the
person.
Surprised she could read they were hunger, so very
hungry, but not for blood. Unable to see if it was a girl or guy, she didn’t
have the chance to find out because it was her turn to order. She purchased
eight hot dogs and ‘felt’ her stalker was behind her. Whipping around to
confront the person, her jaw dropped when she met the biggest pair of brown
eyes she'd ever seen. They belonged to a very thin, petite girl with short,
curly, flaming red hair. She saw in the girl’s mind her disappointment at
having failed to lift the cash out of her pocket. No money to eat with, she had
lost the only opportunity to steal some to buy food with.
“Here you go.” Handing the girl four of the hot
dogs, who hesitantly took them, Mariah asked her, “What do you want to drink?” The
girl stuffed one of the hot dogs into her mouth and was chewing happily, she
told the vender, “Two regular sodas, please.” After paying, she took the cans
and inclined her head toward the grassy picnic area. “Let's sit in the shade.”
“Umm, thanks. I sort of lost my money.”
“What's your name?”
“Lydia.”
“I’m Mariah.” Pointing to her dogs, “That’s Salish
and Bear.”
Sitting down on the grass, she handed one of the
cans to Lydia, who giggled when Bear began to lick her dirty face. Salish placed
her huge head in the girl’s lap. The wolf looked at Mariah, as if saying ‘we
cannot leave her’.
Eating in silence, she watched the red-hued sun as
it faded beyond the dark waters of the Pacific Ocean. Colorful lights and the
festive atmosphere chased away the worry and fear she had endured for two days
of becoming a vampire. Breathing in the ocean-scented breeze, she choked when
the smell of rotted flesh wafted into her nostrils. Jumping to her feet, she
started when Lydia grabbed her hand in a painful grip.
“Mariah, we’ve got to get to the crowds. They
can’t take you when you are around people, only if you’re alone!”
Lydia pulled her and her dogs across the parking
lot. The girl said, as if she were reciting a ritual, “We have to stay in the
crowds. Can’t get us if we’re with people.”
“Lydia, do you know what they are?”
“They’re coming to feed.” Lydia skidded to a halt,
grunting when Mariah plowed into her back.
Salish and Bear shot forward, the hair down their
backs rose as they growled. Out of the shadows strode four men dressed in
ripped jeans, tank tops, and leather biker jackets. The tallest had a lean
body, greasy straw-colored hair, and cold, lifeless gray eyes. When he grinned,
he had regular fangs.
“Well done, Lydia. You brought us a pretty one
tonight.” The vampire made to approach them, jumping back when Salish snarled at
him.
Alarmed that she had been setup, her concern
subsided when Lydia placed herself in front of her, holding her hand in a
bone-crushing grip. Terror radiated from Lydia straight into her.
“Garret, you will not touch her. She's my friend.” She
looked at her. “Let me do the talking. They
won’t hurt me.”
“How can you talk to me mentally? Are you a
ghoul?”
“No, I’m a telepath. Garret wants me willingly
to accept his ‘dark gift’ and become a vampire, like him. But I won't, not
ever.” Garret had forced Lydia to watch as they hunted and
tortured their victims before sucking them dry.
The lampposts went out. Only light to see by was
the moon above. No people. They were on their own with four
Purchasing a black, lightweight, long-sleeved
hoodie, she finally found real relief. Hooking the leashes to the dogs’ collars,
she walked them down to the Boardwalk. She smiled as people laughed, enjoying
themselves around the carnival-like atmosphere. Spotting a hot dog vendor,
Mariah inhaled the delicious aroma of roasting franks and changed her mind
about the cheeseburger and went to stand in line. Sensing someone was watching
her, she had the strangest compulsion to use her mind to ‘search’ for the
person.
Surprised she could read they were hunger, so very
hungry, but not for blood. Unable to see if it was a girl or guy, she didn’t
have the chance to find out because it was her turn to order. She purchased
eight hot dogs and ‘felt’ her stalker was behind her. Whipping around to
confront the person, her jaw dropped when she met the biggest pair of brown
eyes she'd ever seen. They belonged to a very thin, petite girl with short,
curly, flaming red hair. She saw in the girl’s mind her disappointment at
having failed to lift the cash out of her pocket. No money to eat with, she had
lost the only opportunity to steal some to buy food with.
“Here you go.” Handing the girl four of the hot
dogs, who hesitantly took them, Mariah asked her, “What do you want to drink?” The
girl stuffed one of the hot dogs into her mouth and was chewing happily, she
told the vender, “Two regular sodas, please.” After paying, she took the cans
and inclined her head toward the grassy picnic area. “Let's sit in the shade.”
“Umm, thanks. I sort of lost my money.”
“What's your name?”
“Lydia.”
“I’m Mariah.” Pointing to her dogs, “That’s Salish
and Bear.”
Sitting down on the grass, she handed one of the
cans to Lydia, who giggled when Bear began to lick her dirty face. Salish placed
her huge head in the girl’s lap. The wolf looked at Mariah, as if saying ‘we
cannot leave her’.
Eating in silence, she watched the red-hued sun as
it faded beyond the dark waters of the Pacific Ocean. Colorful lights and the
festive atmosphere chased away the worry and fear she had endured for two days
of becoming a vampire. Breathing in the ocean-scented breeze, she choked when
the smell of rotted flesh wafted into her nostrils. Jumping to her feet, she
started when Lydia grabbed her hand in a painful grip.
“Mariah, we’ve got to get to the crowds. They
can’t take you when you are around people, only if you’re alone!”
Lydia pulled her and her dogs across the parking
lot. The girl said, as if she were reciting a ritual, “We have to stay in the
crowds. Can’t get us if we’re with people.”
“Lydia, do you know what they are?”
“They’re coming to feed.” Lydia skidded to a halt,
grunting when Mariah plowed into her back.
Salish and Bear shot forward, the hair down their
backs rose as they growled. Out of the shadows strode four men dressed in
ripped jeans, tank tops, and leather biker jackets. The tallest had a lean
body, greasy straw-colored hair, and cold, lifeless gray eyes. When he grinned,
he had regular fangs.
“Well done, Lydia. You brought us a pretty one
tonight.” The vampire made to approach them, jumping back when Salish snarled at
him.
Alarmed that she had been setup, her concern
subsided when Lydia placed herself in front of her, holding her hand in a
bone-crushing grip. Terror radiated from Lydia straight into her.
“Garret, you will not touch her. She's my friend.” She
looked at her. “Let me do the talking. They
won’t hurt me.”
“How can you talk to me mentally? Are you a
ghoul?”
“No, I’m a telepath. Garret wants me willingly
to accept his ‘dark gift’ and become a vampire, like him. But I won't, not
ever.” Garret had forced Lydia to watch as they hunted and
tortured their victims before sucking them dry.
The lampposts went out. Only light to see by was
the moon above. No people. They were on their own with four
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