Blood Bound

Chapter 23: Beast and Prey

"Y-You're not used to torturing your victims?" I ask defiantly, even though my voice is shaking.

"Torture is too complicated and I usually want to kill them swiftly and without any extra messes," Miss Madden replies haughtily.

"How kind of you," I mutter sarcastically and a fist smacks my cheek. I've been hit before, when I was bullied but they usually made sure to aim their punches on places on my body where I could conceal my bruises. So I was never hit in the face. Sophie has slapped me before but a punch is much more severe, much more painful. I groan as the pain blossoms around my cheekbone and I see spots dancing before my eyes. I should have been prepared for that.

"Yes, it is kind of me!" Miss Madden snarls in my face. "I never wanted any of them to suffer. Dying in your sleep is the best death and I wanted to give them that, in exchange for their blood."

"Wow, you're a real Angel of Death," I say sardonically and I suffer another blow to my face for my unusal cheekiness. This one is harder than the first punch and my face hits the gravel harshly. The pain is unbearable and I can feel something warm and wet run down my mouth. I want to lie there in the uncomfortable yet cool ground, but Miss Madden pulls me to my feet, a handful of my hair in her hand.

"Swift death is the easiest," she says, raising my head up so that my neck is exposed. "But it's sometimes not the most painless," and she holds up a gleaming knife to my face.

My heart sinks. This is it, isn't it? I'm going to die at the hands of a madwoman and an vampire blood addict. For some reason, I can no longer focus what is happening around me and am instead reminded of the time the mugger tried to kill me, but I was saved in the nick of time by Sophie. Will I be so lucky this time?

I can almost feel the cold blade touch my throat when there's a rustle and a branch snaps nearby.

We both freeze on the spot, I even hold my breath as I watch Sophie emerge from the woods and walk towards us. I almost want to scream in joy and relief at the sight of her but as she walks nearer and I can see her face properly, my joy dies instantly.

Crouched like a feral animal, fangs bared and snarling, Sophie doesn't look like a human. Or even a vampire posing as a human. Her eyes are nothing but black pools of shimmering tar, no sign of white or even her lilac pupils. Her fingers are tense and twitching, like she's aching to snap some bones. I might have wanted Sophie to save me but definitely not in that condition!

Miss Madden quickly hides behind me but my arm is still securely grasped by her left hand while her right holds up the knife close to my throat. Now I can really feel the coolness of the blade.

"That is your vampire?" Miss Madden mutters in disbelief, staring straight at Sophie. "I must admit, I've never met vampires like this. I thought all of them were more. . . civilized."

I almost want to laugh. She really knows nothing about the kind she is serving. I bet if she had witnessed vampires in a similar condition, she would have backed out of this new business deal ages ago.

"Stay where you are!" Miss Madden shouts behind me as Sophie approaches us. Her voice is steely but I can detect panic nonetheless. "Don't come any closer or I will kill her!"

I find it absolutely absurd that she's threatening a vampire, especially since she was so keen on killing me five minutes ago. Sophie surveys us both with mild interest, like a dog who has spotted a squirrel. But she stands still nonetheless.

Miss Madden seems relieved as her hold on my arm slackens but the knife is firmly on my throat; her hand is not even shaking.

"The smell of blood lured me here," Sophie finally speaks but it's not her usual snarky voice. It's more raspy and guttoral, almost animal-like, inhuman that it sends shivers down my spine. Her tar filled eyes are fixed upon me and I realize she's referring to the blood running from my nose.