Your Job Bites!

Chapter 37 Hide and seek

Emerging from the darkness was the scariest predator in existence, Madraeus Ravilla. His face and clothes were covered in dried blood from his killing spree last night. His movements were the silky smooth animations of someone at the top of the food chain.   His head was angled slightly downward but she knew he was staring straight at her. He stalked forward with his weight carried on the balls of his feet ready to burst into the chase if she ran. He held his hands out from his body ready to grab. Every muscle was tensed.

She wanted to run but she couldn't break away from where she was rooted to the ground. Shaking with fear seemed to be the only movement she could manage. She couldn't even bring a sound out of her throat.

Slowly he smiled. The light glinted off his ghostly white fangs. Whitney's gaze was riveted to her boss's dark glare. Hatred and the promise of death shone in his eyes like black light.

Suddenly he snarled and surged forward. He raised his right arm to slash her as he ran. Whitney still couldn't get her instinct to run working. Her death was coming so fast and all she managed to do was breath faster. She just stared at him as he bore down on her.

About halfway across the garden his face changed. The hideous snarl was replaced by the look of blank confusion. His steps faltered and he stumbled. His expression quickly morphed into one of anguished recognition. He let out a soul tearing howl.

The sound finally broke the spell and she managed to get her body moving. She cried out and dropped to the ground cowering in a ball with her arms over her head trying to ward off the blow she knew was coming.

Nothing happened.

She waited.

Still nothing.

She waited another full second before she peeked through her arms. Her eyes darted around the garden looking for an explanation. Madraeus was crumpled in a pile a mere foot from her. He was whimpering. Struck dumb, Whitney just stared at him. Slowly she lowered her arms. She tried to slow down her breathing. She could already feel her lips tingling from hyperventilation. Slowly in jerking increments she raised up on her knees.

He raised his head. His eyes were black orbs still but they held only anguish now. The malice was gone. With a groan he scrambled forward on all fours. Before Whitney could react he practically tackled her burying his face in her stomach. She swayed backward but managed to remain on her knees. His arms held her in a steel grip.

"Forgive me." He croaked. He was shaking almost as much as she had been.

Whitney didn't know what else to do so she wrapped her arms around his head and held him. She didn't hear Thomas behind her until she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"What just happened?" She looked up at him.

"I don't know, but you're not dead so it's all good. Let's get him out of here." He said quietly.

Thomas ran to the garden's arched exit while Whitney awkwardly tried to untangle herself from Madraeus. She couldn't get him to stand. He just kept mumbling and pleading for her forgiveness.

"I don't think he is completely coherent." She grunted still trying to get him to let go of her.

"Doesn't matter as long as he's calm." Thomas said absently as the checked the street again. Thomas scanned the street and then motioned for her to bring him forward.

"You're gonna have to help me." Whitney hissed at Thomas.

"We don't have time for this!" he snarled reaching over to grab Madraeus. He tried to haul him to his feet but only succeeded in angering Madraeus again. The vampire snarled and took a swipe at him. His eyes were glazed as if he wasn't really seeing what he was doing.

"OH NO! NO! NO!" Whitney threw her body weight to stop him from trying again pulling him over backward with her.

"Oof," all the air rushed out of her as they landed hard. She lay still for a moment trying to get her breath back, "This is ridiculous."

Thomas stood back and watched. He had no desire to get near his boss again.

Whitney finally managed to extricate herself from Madraeus' grip and stagger to her feet then reached down and grabbed his arm hauling him to his feet. She pulled his arm over her shoulders and started walking him toward the archway. Thomas moved out of the garden first. They stepped through the archway and made it about three steps before Thomas stopped.

"Ah crap!" He stared down the street at the line of men and vehicles approaching. Haina had called in the Army.

"Back." Thomas snarled at Whitney. She looked up and saw the force of arms slowly progressing toward the Abby. They were searching each building and alley as they came. After a fraction of a second hesitation she started struggling to get Madraeus to turn around. She didn't make much progress. It was like trying to steer a drunk.

"Can't you call them to come get us or something?" she hissed at Thomas when she finally had their momentum under control.

"I can try, but we'd be the only car in town moving that isn't the army. Might draw a little too much attention."

"What if we can get away from the Abby section of town then have them pick us us?" Whitney swayed again as Madraeus moaned and pushed his face into her hair. She patted him absently like a puppy.

"IF.." Thomas growled.

"We're going to have to get out of this town anyway." Whitney glanced toward the archway then looked up at the werewolf." We have to get to Devon and soon."

"Philtzer is supposed to be getting us a cargo van so we can just go. That way Rami and Unkhabami can keep doing their healing thing and we can keep him," Thomas pointed at Madraeus, "and them out of the light."

"So where is he?"

"He left this morning just before lunch." Thomas shrugged. "No idea when he'll get back."

"Great." Whitney sighed as Thomas moved back to the archway and poked his head out.

"They're getting closer." He said as he returned.

"Is there a back way?" Whitney asked looking around the garden. Thomas shrugged and ran to do a quick search of the garden wall.

Whitney tried to turn her head to look at Madraeus but even the slightest movement made him tighten his hold on her. His behavior was scaring her. He had never been anything but completely in control since the first time she had met him. It was almost as if he was in some kind of a trance.

Thomas appeared out of the darkness shaking his head.

"It's a solid wall all the way around except for a door that leads into the gardener's shed."

"That figures." Whitney snorted.