Eternal Vow || ONC 2024 ||

7. Bee

Jared wasn't at the apartment when Bee went to box her stuff.

Grace offered to be the 'muscle' in case Jared ambushed her, but Bee knew Grace juggled college and helping her folks. Besides, the maximum damage Jared could do would be to call her fat and lazy. Again.

Empty cardboard boxes bearing Chop & Chow's name, curtsey of Grace, did the job. Bee cried as she packed the life she'd built together with her ex-boyfriend.

With the last box in the trunk, Bee made the journey back to her granddad's house. She'd left instructions to have the staff call her if that Zach guy shows up. Pestering an old...an interesting level of low. She hated the haunted look in her grandad's eyes, and it stressed him. When she was a kid and couldn't sleep, he'd weave stories of magic and magical beings, much to her mom's disapproval. The older she got, the more her grandad lost the excitement to tell those stories. He stopped entirely one day and tensed at the mention of them.

Bang!

Bee lurched forward, her foot stomping on the brakes as her mind grabbled with the sudden hit to the back of the car. The airbags burst open as she crashed into the sidewalk.

'Oh my god, I'm so sorry." The panicked voice of a woman spoke of the ringing in her ear.

Bee clambered out of the car as the airbag deflated.

Bee inspected the collapsed bumper and the dented trunk. The car that hit her had a fuming engine and a shattered windshield. Shards of glass littered the driver and passenger seat.

The driver who hit her kept apologizing. "I'm so sorry. I-I shouldn't have been texting...I'll pay for it. Let me take you to the hospital."

Bee could feel bruises blooming, every breath left her sore. "I'm fine. Are you?"

The middle-aged woman had a matted ponytail down her back. Her pale pink manicure was chipped, and her cheeks were sunken. She licked her chapped lips.

A sliver of fear ran down Bee's spine. She watched the woman's beady eyes land over Bee's heart and Bee saw a warm glow of light emanating from the locket around her neck.

"Let me help you get inside," the woman gestured towards the Miller house.

"How did you know I live here?" Bee took an involuntary step back.

The woman gave a shrill laugh. "Oh. I'm your new neighbor." She scratched her head. "Let's exchange insurance numbers while we sit down and get to know one another."

"Uh," Bee glanced around and realized what was wrong.

Nothing. The air hung still, there were no chips or barks or signs of traffic.

They stood alone and the woman smiled, lips spitting, beads of sweat dripped down her face.

"Come now, Brianna." The woman stalked towards her a knife materializing in her grip. "Don't you wanna play?"

Bee sprinted. Her feet pounded to the door and the woman followed her rapid footsteps getting closer, laugh turning maniacal.

Bee pushed the door open, but the woman jammed a foot before she could get it shut.

"What do you want?" Bee yelled, straining against the woman's weight.

"Your life," the woman bared her teeth, sharp fangs. They were freaking fangs!

The woman slashed between the ajar door and Bee narrowly escaped the intended slash. Which was all the crazed woman needed. She barged in, landing a punch to Bee's gut.

Bee grunted, ass hitting the floor as the woman loomed over her. Bee tried to find anything to throw at her, but the woman pounced, pinning Bee's wrists to the floor.

"We can do this the easy way," the woman cooed. "Or the hard way."

Bee thrashed landing a kick to the woman's groin which only seemed to amuse her further.

"Hard." Came a butterscotch voice Bee recognized from last night.

Zach swung a pan at the woman's head. She fell, breaking away from Bee. Bee sprinted to the kitchen. Behind her guttural sounds of bodies crashing into furniture and splintering wood reverberated. 

Shaking, Bee went back to the living area. The butcher knife she never used clutched as if it were the only thing standing between her and the nightmare, she was in.

The woman kept swinging at Zach who danced around her, deflecting the attacks with practiced ease. Each failed attempt had the woman roaring in frustration. Zach wore a mask of nonchalance, fists curled and loose by his sides. Bee didn't know if she should help or let them have at it.

As if he could hear her thoughts Zach said without turning his head from the attacker. "Hide, Freckles."

Freckles?

As if she'd forgotten she was still in the room, the woman turned, and Bee gasped. She'd transformed into a terrorizing creature, skin scabs of scarlet, twin red horns sprouted on her head. She jumped over the couch and Bee froze.

Zach tackled her, an arm wrapped around the creature's neck.

"Go," he rasped, struggling to maintain the chokehold.

Bee watched him dodging the creature's stabs, wincing at a near miss. Why was this happening? And to her? She didn't do drugs or wild parties.

A cry of pain snapped her out of her reverie. The creature broke free, and Zach stumbled, hand against a gash across his abdomen.

The creature chased Bee up the stairs. Bee was almost to the second floor, one more step...

A vise-like grip clutched her ankle and Bee braced herself for impact.

It didn't happen.

The creature screamed as a thin snake with green scales hissed at it. Zach huffed behind them, grabbing the creature by the hair, and smashing its nose on the stairs.

The creature shrieked louder, and Bee jammed the butcher knife at any opening on the creature's body. The knife bounced off, hitting the stairs in a dull thud.

"You'll pay for this," the creature snarled. She snapped her fingers and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Bee's knees gave out next and she sank a few feet from where the thing that tried to kill her with fangs and horns and oh my god...

Bee's eyes widened as the snake slithered to Zach's khakis and wrapped itself around the fresh wound on his stomach.

"What...?" Bee's mouth felt dry. "You?"

Zach flashed a lopsided smirk and agreed. "Me."