Page 21 of The Curse of Eternity
Then a pop like a wet slap thundered through the air as the vampire’s head was torn from its torso. The pavement flooded with grimy blood while I scrambled away. Breath hot and fast, I looked up from the fallen body to where Drake stood, holding the decapitated head between two blood-stained hands.
His expression was furious, all his rage directed at the beheaded, undead man—his ownkind. Drake tossed the head aside, glaring in disgust at its rolling progress. Stunned, I tightened my grip on my machete’s handle and forced myself to stand. At the shift in my movement, Drake’s gaze immediately found mine.
Where a split second ago his dark eyes were filled with loathing, now there was only concern—directed on me.
“Are you alright?” he asked, and I swallowed despite my dry mouth.
“I’ll be fine,” I stammered, but sobered at the low moan from the shadows. The woman was still alive, slowly bleeding out from her neck wound and delirious from having been charmed. I ran to her, falling to my knees and instantly tearing off a chunk of her pink blouse. Wincing at her now exposed stomach, I pressed the fabric down against her punctured throat.
“Will the woman live?” Drake asked, voice urgent, and I shook my head.
“I need my phone. I have to call someone—” With one hand, I fished through my jacket pockets for my car keys. Fumbling, they slipped through my fingers, but never hit the pavement. Drake took them, gone in the blink of an eye before returning moments later. My phone was offered, screen black, and Isnatched it up with one slippery hand, soon struggling to swipe it open with the woman’s blood staining my fingers.
“Come on,” I grumbled, nearly a shriek while I hoped to hell that the woman would make it.
“Maria, I must leave you.”
“What? What’s wrong?” I looked up just as my phone unlocked, but Drake wasn’t there. Whirling, I glanced this way and that, but I was alone. To keep from hyperventilating, I forced a slow breath and went through my contacts list.
“Unreliable fucking vampire,” I rasped, my thumb hovering over the name of the one person I could trust to help me—and hopefully would keep his mouth shut. It took three rings before he picked up, my words a rush before he could speak. “Caleb? I need your help.”
− 8 −
Light the Torch
Exhausted, I warmed my trembling sand-and-clay coated hands over the fire that turned the vampire’s remains to ash. Crackling flames obscured the soft thud as Caleb closed his car’s trunk, always careful with his ‘87 Mustang coupe. He shuffled over, across the deserted plain a little ways off I-40. We’d opted to meet halfway between Albuquerque and Cedar Crest, where the Tsosies lived.
Dead flesh crumbled away like dry tinder in the ditch I’d dug. Beheading was the easiest way to incapacitate them, disconnecting the spinal cord so they couldn’t move. A stake to the heart would slow them, since it’d make it harder for the vital organ to pump the blood they still needed to survive throughout their bodies. The problem was trying to overpower their lightning fast reflexes and strength to skewer them properly.
Quick decapitation was a more sure method, and it also dried the vampires out, making them easy kindling. Still took ages for the things to actually disintegrate, which was why Caleb and I were out here well past midnight. I flinched when Caleb sighed, my nerves frayed.
He stopped beside me, rubbing the back of his neck below his long black hair, tied up in a bun. Unfortunately, I’d left my scrunchie back at Everly’s. The dark curls around my bare shoulders knotted from the desert winds blowing in, but I’d done enough shivering tonight—from fear and otherwise.
Just as I was about to ask Caleb to let me have it, he said, “That was the last of the kerosene I brought, but I think it’s pretty much toast now.”
“Thank you,” I said, having to clear my throat when it came out hoarse. Caleb’s warm brown eyes glanced me up and down, then he raised one thick eyebrow.
“I wasn’t going to mention it, but you’re pretty dressed up for an ice cream run.” A grin spread across his full lips, gentle as always. His amusement was contagious, so I cracked a smile.
“Everly was bored. Apparently she’s been hellbent on dressing me up for ages,” I murmured, my mirth fading as my heart squeezed when I remembered Drake’s comment about how I looked.
“Not that I’m complaining, Everly did great work. It’s rare to see you this way.” Caleb’s shoulder bumped into mine, and heat spread through my chest from his affection. Totally different from how I’d felt when I’d touched Drake’s hand earlier. This was playful camaraderie, with family. With Drake… Okay, I needed to stop thinking about him.
“I’ll pass your compliments on to Everly,” I replied, but my forced smirk faded when I found Caleb’s expression had lost its humor. His brow furrowed, concern plain across his features even before he voiced his thoughts.
“You shouldn’t have taken the vampire on alone, Maria. You know that.” His opinion wasn’t unexpected, but somehow, it still hurt.
“What was I supposed to do? Let the woman die?” I didn’t know for sure if she’d made it, but I called for an ambulanceas soon as I’d hung up with Caleb. Bitterness filled my mouth, regretting how I’d had to drag her to the roadside, leaving her there alone so that I could deal with the decapitated vampire before the cops showed up. Once she was loaded in, sirens blaring around the next corner, I’d scampered off to do the dirty work.
Caleb’s lips pressed together. Vindicated by his silence, I faced the slowly dying flames, hoping the woman was okay.
“Even Johann doesn’t take them on alone. My dad, either. I’m just worried that you’re going to bite off more than you can chew. After what happened at the warehouse the other week—”
“I made it back in one piece, remember?” I retorted, face flushed. Deep down, I knew he was right. Both times, the only reason I lived to tell the tale was because Drake was there. If any other vampire had caught me alone in that warehouse… More importantly, if Drake hadn’t stepped in to save me tonight, I’d be dead.
Instead of berating me about my impulsivity, Caleb exhaled a long sigh. The shake of his head and quirk of his lips seemed to be his way of conceding that we weren’t going to agree. Personally, my energy was too depleted to argue, either.
With the last of the vampire turned to charcoaled bits, I edged away from the fire, morose on the walk back to my car, which sat parked beside Caleb’s. I leaned against the hood, and the cold metal chilled the back of my thighs where my dress rode up. Caleb stomped out the glowing red embers before sauntering my way.
