I STARE DOWN AT THE corpse as I step over it. Male, late twenties, his neck bearing a bloody wound, and his once-white shirt now soaked with blood.
It’s late. Cold, dark, and eerily silent, with most of the streetlights blown out, casting the road into a deep shadow. Red Thorne is a quiet place. Not many people venture out when the sun disappears – for this very reason. A dead body has been dumped off to the side of a footpath, bordering on the edge of the woods.
‘They’re getting messy,’ Theo growls, a furious flash darkening his stare. He shoots his gaze over at me, the frown deepening the shadow over his features as he appears to study my face carefully. He’s a total pain in my ass – and he also happens to be my best friend. Someone I simultaneously love and hate, if that’s even possible.
‘What do you know about this?’ he barks, gesturing toward the messy remains of the body at our feet.
‘As much as you do,’ I reply with a sigh. ‘I’m sick of spending my nights cleaning up after them. I have better things to do with my time.’
‘Oh yeah? Like what?’ Theo raises an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curving upward. ‘Studying?’
I give him a flat look. ‘Yeah, actually.’
‘You’re such a fucking bore, man,’ he rolls his eyes. ‘I give you eternal life and you waste it by going to university and actually studying.’
‘You make it sound like I asked for it?’
The fury flashes once more in those stormy eyes of his. This is the constant battle between us. He thinks I owe him for this life. But he made the decision for me. It’s not something I would have chosen. He took that right from me.
‘Asshole,’ he mutters.
‘Besides, what’s wrong with getting an education? Just because I’m not going to die any time soon, doesn’t mean I should waste the time I do have. I’ve always wanted to do something with my life, only now I have longer to do it. Otherwise, we’re just existing, and what’s the point of that?’
‘I’m not having this conversation with you again.’
‘Then stop bitching about it.’
We stare at each other for a long moment, equally as stubborn. Theo clears his throat, which he always does when he’s about to cave, and we both return our attention to the dead man at our feet.
‘Next time I see one of those douchebags, I’m going to rip their heart from their chest and put it in a pie,’ he says through gritted teeth.
‘You don’t like pie.’
‘That’s not the point I was trying to make.’
Crouching low, I survey the corpse more closely. I pick up a variance in scent as I carefully inhale. The strongest smell lingers over the neck wound, but there’s another, more subtle scent and I trace it eagerly to its origin. Another wound. I yank up his shirt and reveal a second bite.
‘Oh shit,’ Theo groans, glaring down at it.
Flicking my gaze between the two wounds, I notice the difference in the holes that pierce the skin.
‘Two vampires,’ I say.
Theo crouches beside me and inspects the second wound, his gaze sharp. His messy blond hair looks dark with the lack of lighting, his body composed of tall, hard, lean muscle. Winding, thick lines that run over his pale skin, and tattoos decorate his long arms, similar to my own.
‘He’s made another.’
‘It could be more than that.’
‘Do you know something? Are you holding out on me?’ Theo demands, rising.
I groan inwardly as I follow suit. ‘No, I’m not holding out on you.’ I glance around, making sure we are still alone. My heightened hearing always detects people beyond my line of sight, but I can’t help ensuring we aren’t being watched. ‘I want answers just as much as you. And for this to stop.’
‘You’re not the one with a target on your back,’ Theo points out, glaring up at me – he’s a few inches shorter than me, much to his annoyance.
‘It makes no difference to me whether the target’s on you, or me – I would still approach this situation the same way.’
He grunts, which is his way of letting me know he’s happy with my answer. ‘Well, what should we do with this one?’ he asks.
‘Burn it.’
‘Good idea.’
Theo bends at the knees and scoops the dead man up and over his shoulder effortlessly before shooting off into the protection of the dense woods. I follow him. I can’t believe they’d so carelessly left the corpse on the footpath, out in the open for anyone to find. Assholes. Blood has dripped over the grass, and I drag my foot over it, flattening the grass until the blood blends in with the dirt.
Jetting forward, I stick closely behind Theo until we are far enough amongst the trees not to be seen or heard.
Withdrawing a lighter from my jeans, I watch Theo throw the body roughly to the ground. His movements are at lightning speed, scouring the trees to find the gasoline we’d stashed after the last body we had to dispose of.
He douses the body generously before cautiously backing away, his eyes on the lighter in my hand. I wait until he’s in the safe zone before flicking it on and tossing it toward the body, while simultaneously hurtling myself backwards to a safe distance. The body erupts into flames, the strong stench of burning flesh filling my nose. My insides coil in repulsion, and yet a hunger gnaws at me so violently I stagger slightly. Theo’s head whips towards me, his eyes narrowing.
‘What was that?’
‘Nothing.’
‘When was the last time you fed?’ He asks, and by his tone, I can tell he has already guessed what I’m about to say.
‘Two days ago.’
‘You’re kidding?’ he growls angrily, striding towards me while giving the burning body a wide berth. ‘Do you have a bloody death wish?’
I shrug. ‘We ran out of blood bags.’
Suddenly, Theo is right in my face, but I don’t let it deter me. I stare down at him, unflinching. His marble skin glows in the pale moonlight, and his eyes are silver-grey, the same colour mine should be, but instead, mine are so dark that they’re almost black since I’m way overdue for a feed.
‘I don’t think I need to remind you that there’s plenty of food sources, you know, walking by you every second of the day.’
‘My classmates?’ I ask. ‘Oh wait, no, my professors?’
‘Don’t be a brat,’ he spits. ‘Act like the fucking vampire you are. Stop being an embarrassment to your kind.’
‘I don’t tell you how to live, Theo.’
‘Because I don’t need to be told.’
I look away, and step around him, watching the flames dance across the remains of the corpse, consuming every inch of it. I feel the heat of his gaze as he stares at me, but I refuse to turn around. It’s not until the fire begins to subside, when there’s nothing left to feed it, that I turn and flee without a word, leaving him in my dust trail.
When I finally slow, I stumble, falling to my knees. I clutch at the dirt as I steady myself, needing a moment before I stand. When I do, I feel woozy and disorientated and I take a moment to right myself, to refocus. It’s dangerous that I’m this weak and light-headed being this close to town – especially with everything that is going on.
The sound of loud music piques my interest as it weaves through trees towards me, coaxing me back to my feet. Laughing, talking, the sound of footsteps, of bodies moving.
A party.
Usually, I wouldn’t have an issue walking by it and ignoring it completely. But I have been disorganised and lazy this week. Now I’m paying the consequences, because I need to feed, and having vulnerable targets this close is too much temptation.
I pause for a moment, weighing up the options. I don’t want to be this kind of vampire. The stereotypical predator that hunts humans. Yet, the hunger rises, clogging my throat, burning my lungs, and I know I’ve left it too long.
I hate this. I hate myself, and every part of this. The feeding. Taking from people. Innocent people. I can’t stand it.
My body moves effortlessly as I speed through the night, feeling the air rushing past me. Within seconds, I’m walking into the party, smoothing my hair and straightening my jacket. I’d seen this party advertised around campus but paid no mind to it. I don’t go out much, and I’d rather be anywhere except here right now, but desperate times and all that.
The first couple of years after I turned, I partied a lot, but I quickly realised how out of control I could get, and each time I did, I felt less like myself.
I refuse to be like them.
As I step into the room, I feel overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught on my senses, feeling my head growing lighter by the second. Clenching my jaw, I try not to gag over the smell of sweat and alcohol that permeates the air when suddenly a high-pitched voice screeches over the noise towards me.
‘Hey!’
I silently curse. I should never be startled by a human approaching. Ever.
‘You came!’
Turning, I force a smile on my face as I come face to face with Adriana, a girl who has shamelessly flirted with me for weeks. Not that I haven’t enjoyed the mild distraction, though her insistence on inviting me to every social event on the calendar is wearing thin.
I try to focus on her pale blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, but I’m instead drawn to the delicate skin of her long and graceful neck. Her skin is so fair, I can almost see the veins beneath, and I am momentarily hypnotised by the pulsation of her skin at the base of her neck, keeping time with her heartbeat. Despite my best efforts, I feel myself start to salivate, and I clench my hands into tight fists, welcoming the pain as my fingernails dig into my palms.
‘Are you not even going to say hello?’ she chides, fluttering her eyelashes at me, forcing my attention back to her face.
‘Hey,’ I force myself to say with what I’m hoping is a charming smile. Her eyes glaze slightly, and I release a breath, relieved my charm still has an effect, even in my weakened state.
‘What brings you out tonight?’ She beams happily, enjoying finally having my attention.
Why can’t I enjoy this? Why can’t I be normal?
‘I wanted to see you,’ I say, forcing a relaxed smile onto my face even though I’m talking through clenched teeth. ‘I felt bad for not coming out those other times you asked.’
Her eyebrows fly up, though she quickly tries to hide her surprise. I’ve been nothing but closed off to her since we met. But hunger changes everything.
‘Oh,’ she grins, a slight blush colouring her cheeks. ‘Can I get you something to drink?’
My gums are aching to let my fangs descend and I struggle to control their premature release. ‘Yes. Please.’
I follow her as she sashays over to the bar and mixes us both drinks. I notice how strong she makes them, but I’m thankful for it. Alcohol is great to help curb the cravings, although it’ll affect me more in this weakened state.
Adriana is talking, but there’s a ringing in my ears that is making it impossible to pay attention. My fingers tap restlessly against the bench as she finishes making the drinks, totally oblivious to my internal struggles.
My mouth waters as I absently inch closer. My gums tingle as my fangs threaten to descend and I quickly swallow, pushing the thoughts back but I can feel myself losing the battle. With a quick shake of my head, I clear my throat, and try to focus on the girl in front of me.
Innocent. Kind. Pure.
You can walk away. It’ll be hard, but you can do it. One voice whispers. Just do it. She won’t die, nor will she remember anything ever happened to her.
Shaking my head, I try to fight the dark thoughts taking over my mind.
Again, my gaze drops to the smooth skin of her slender neck. Heaviness weighs on my chest, like someone standing on top of me, constricting my airway. Unable to contain myself any longer, I growl, reaching forward as I grab her wrist and drag her out into the backyard. The cold and windy night is the harsh slap back to reality that I need, although my bloodlust still roars through my veins.
‘Is everything okay?’ she asks breathlessly, stumbling to keep up with my long strides. I can hear the slight tremor in her voice, like she’s unsure whether she should be thrilled or scared. As the alcohol sloshes over the side of the cups and onto her dress, she curses. ‘Hunter, what the hell?’
I slap the drinks out of her hands, and she yelps, staggering back against the brick wall behind her and hitting her head. Generally, I’m much more subtle about it, but I can’t help myself. Gripping her face, I lean in, gaining access to her neck.
My fangs release and sink deep into her flesh before she has the chance to protest. The warmth of her blood coats my tongue and I groan as a shudder of pleasure courses through me. Wedging my knees between hers, I drink deeply and hear her gasp against my ear, her fingers tightening around my shirt. A breathy moan escapes her and when I step back, her expression is one of blissful content as she stares over my shoulder, out into the night.
Rubbing my pointer finger on the edge of a fang, I nick open the skin on my finger and press it to her lips, forcing my blood into her mouth. Instantly, the wound heals, and the cloudy expression intensifies.
‘Thanks,’ I mutter, licking my lips, stepping back. ‘That was fun.’
‘Yeah,’ she murmurs.
‘See you around.’ I leave her there and disappear into the shadows, feeling rejuvenated and not in the least bit remorseful after seeing how pleased she looked. Strolling through the trees, I glance up at the bright moon overhead. Ah. Full moon. No wonder I felt so much weaker than usual – I always have less control on these nights. I keep my ears trained for any movements as I walk, knowing the full moon always brings out the creatures of the night. And not just us vampires.
I jolt as a scream pierces the air and I turn towards the rustling of leaves, the groans of a struggle, and a final scream for help. I take off in a blur, hurtling through the trees before coming to a stop at the edge of the clearing.
Standing there is a darkly dressed figure, wrapped in shadows, leaning over a girl with volumes of dark hair cascading around her. The hairs on the back of my neck stand. Another vampire. One that isn’t in control.
I shoot forward, knocking him back with an easy swipe of my hand, while simultaneously reaching for the falling girl. She screams again and I catch her before she hits the ground. Across her neck is a gaping wound and I appreciate the fact that I just fed.
A solid whack to the head pulls my focus back and I grunt, taking the hit. I gently lower the trembling girl before I spin around and face the vampire. With a hiss, he bears his fangs, still dripping with the blood – the smell is distracting.
‘You’re going to regret that, Hunter.’
He knows my name. Interesting.
‘Am I?’ I raise an eyebrow, holding his gaze, daring him to try and hit me again so I can drive him into the ground. His eyes scan over me, as though sizing me up. I notice the miniscule shift of his foot, and my eyes narrow as I brace myself. Instead of coming at me, he turns on his heel and flees into the night. I consider chasing him for a moment, but quickly dismiss it as the girl whimpers behind me.
Crouching down, I reach out my hand. She flinches, scampering backwards, crying out.
‘Hey,’ I say softly. ‘Look at me.’
Timidly, she raises her head, her dark hair falling across her eyes.
‘You went for a walk and got lost. You feel a little disorientated, but you’re okay.’ I tell her, pushing my coercion onto her as strongly as I can. Her stare softens and she blinks slowly and sleepily as she nods.
‘Yeah.’ She agrees, her voice soft before she yawns. ‘I got lost.’
I heal her wound before helping her to her feet. I decide to lead her back to the party, and she’s quiet as we walk. As soon as the other revellers are in sight, I gently push her forward and quickly leave, but not before I hear her friend cry out in relief as they reunite. She must have been missing for a while.
Within seconds I’m home, and music is drifting out the open window. I walk inside and stop, staring at my friend and his girlfriend, with their fangs sunk into the neck of the human girl between them as she stares straight through me, blissfully unaware.
Crimson ribbons run down her pale, slender neck. Theo’s hand trails up the girl’s thigh, as Lucy leans in closer, her raven-black hair running like a midnight river down her back. The smell of fresh blood is potent in the air, raising a tsunami-level hunger inside of me.
I say nothing as I pass through and head upstairs to my room, deciding to tell them about my encounter with the baby vamp once they’re a little less preoccupied.
Sprawled across my bed, I’m lost in my own thoughts, watching the moon from the window. My bedroom is my safe place. Simple, dark, and quiet – for the most part. When people leave me alone, anyway. Laying on my bed, listening to the sounds of the night makes me feel at peace after the craziness of the evening. At least for a few moments.
The creak of a floorboard is the only giveaway of Theo’s arrival. I glance over to find him leaning against the doorframe. His arms are folded over his chest, and he still has a dab of blood on the corner of his mouth. It’s distracting and I wonder how it tastes, before mentally scolding myself. I hate that I have this nagging thought all the time. The line always wants to be crossed. It’s begging me to.
‘Didn’t want to join us for dinner?’ he asks.
Scoffing, I stare back out the window. ‘Stop acting like you’re a monster, Theo.’
‘We are monsters.’
‘We don’t have to be.’
‘You wouldn’t have said that five years ago.’
‘Five years ago was different.’ I sigh. I don’t enjoy thinking about the first twelve months after I was turned. It’s basically a blur anyway. A whirlwind of blood, drinking, and reigning havoc. ‘What do you want?’
‘Have you fed?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good.’
He turns to leave but stops when I speak again. ‘I stopped one of the new vampires from killing a girl tonight.’
‘Did he fight?’
‘No,’ I shake my head. ‘He knew my name.’
Theo curses, rubbing his hands roughly over his face. ‘They’re getting closer to me.’
Since Theo has been turned, he has made questionable choices. Ones that have led to him having enemies. Theo carelessly fed on whoever, whenever, and one day, he chose the wrong girl, and he went too far.
Six months ago, Theo was doing what he always does; partying, feeding, and having the time of his life when he took too much blood, and was too out of his own mind to heal the woman he fed on, he left her to die.
Turns out, she belonged to a vampire – Adrian Black – who is now making it his life mission to torment Theo and reign chaos in his life. My efforts in telling Theo to pack up and get out of this town fall on deaf ears. He has always been stubborn. Painfully so, only becoming worse after being turned.
He likes it here. We all do. It’s the perfect place for us. The weather is accommodating, the people here make it easier for us to be ourselves, and most of all, we get to meet other people just like us. I don’t particularly enjoy meeting other vampires, since they are all much the same, but Theo thrives on finding more of us. He loves the thrill of partying with someone who can keep up with him, on every level. In all fairness, vampires are fun, if they’re not out to get you.
There aren’t a lot of towns like this one, but I still argue that Theo has endless time. He can always come back, when things cool down.
‘We’re stronger than they are,’ I say, facing him. ‘We can take them.’
‘Unless there’s an army.’
Exhaling, I nod. ‘Right. Well. We could leave.’
‘I’m not leaving,’ Theo quickly argues, eyes darkening. ‘I like it here.’
‘You can go anywhere.’ He raises an eyebrow dubiously at me. ‘We can go anywhere.’ I amend, not wanting another argument to start. I attempted to bring up the possibility of us parting ways a few weeks ago, and got a punch so hard to the jaw that it dislodged my teeth. I didn’t get a chance to say we would see each other all the time, we just wouldn’t live together. I haven’t broached the subject since.
‘I like it here.’ he reiterated. ‘Vampires run this town. We won’t get this kind of . . . environment, elsewhere.’
I frown at him. That’s not much of a reason. ‘There’s plenty of places just like Red Thorne, Theo. Places that aren’t swarming with other supernaturals.’
‘I’m not leaving.’
Sighing, I rub my hand down my face. Theo’s practically a brother to me, and as much as I love him, he is hard to tolerate at times. It’s his way, or no way. Back when we were at school, one of the student’s descriptions of him at graduation was, ‘Theo’s always right. Even when he’s wrong, he’s still right.’ Sums him up perfectly.
‘Why?’ I ask in exasperation.
‘I am the top of the food chain in this town,’ Theo growls, face darkening as I – yet again – don’t just simply nod and take whatever he is saying and roll with it. He hates when I argue back, and actually have an opinion. ‘I’ve started over again and again. Lasting only a few months in some random place is not my idea of a good time.’
‘I know,’ I say, understanding exactly what he is saying. ‘But this time is different. You have people hunting you. They’re using you like a pawn in their game, and you’re letting them.’
‘No,’ Theo disagrees, pinning me with his brutal stare. ‘I’m playing the game. They just don’t know it.’
‘You know that’s not what I mean. This isn’t a game, Theo. It’s real life, impacting real, innocent people.’
‘Running away scared is allowing them to win, Hunter. I won’t back down.’ He steps forward, thrusting a finger at me. ‘I won’t give up.’
With a sigh, I give up. Theo would argue the sky was green if the mood struck him. It must infuriate him when I always ignore his jabs that thinly veil his attempts to start an argument.
‘We need a plan,’ he says, pushing off from the wall. ‘Let’s brainstorm tomorrow.’
‘Sounds great,’ I reply sarcastically.
The room falls quiet once more after he leaves. Rubbing the palms of my hands into my eyes, I feel exhausted, and drained.
The war inside me rages on each day. The constant battle between the need to feed, and the urge to protect people. I’ve always wanted to do more, to be something. Someone who people could rely on, and look up to.
I’ve always wanted to protect people. I never would have imagined that I’d have to protect them from myself.
When Theo turned me five years ago, I thought I was being offered endless freedom.
All I feel now is trapped.