Bloody Rhapsody (Damon Salvatore Love)

24. Vampires and Cryptic Warnings

  "If you were so worried, why didn't you go inside and warn Jim?" Zeke narrows his eyes, his voice low and challenging. His words dig into me life a knife as I imagine our old friend stepping out of his establishment to find the gruesome remains.

  "We are in a bit of a rush." Damon barks, saving me from having to scramble for a response.

  Still, I feel frozen, trapped by the accusation. What will happen to Jim, to everyone? Why didn't I try to tell them. If only I had listened to Damon! If I didn't insist on going for Zeke, then one of those things wouldn't have been dragged right in the center of town.

  "Ugh!" I grunt, slamming myself back into my seat no longer able to stand looking at Zeke. "Why were you even there!" I whine, unfairly turning the blame over to him.

  "We went to get coffee, sue me!" Zeke huffs. As if my emotions weren't already a complete mess, a sudden pang of jealousy ripples through me.

  "You guys made plans to go to the coffee shop?" I asked quietly, peeking at the two men from over my seat. I had assumed that it was a coincidence that they were there together, a possessive part of me roars inside at not being included.

  "Yea, Zeke invited me this morning." Leo mumbles, finally showing some sense of life after listening to our argument.

  "You didn't invite me?" I ask, feeling stupid but unable to squelch the hurt. Zeke's posture softens under my searching eye, he sighs before shrugging.

  "I saw you leave with him," he says, his voice dripping with resentment as he jerks his chin in Damon's direction. "Seems you guys went and found some adventure!" Zeke all but whines.

  "It's not like this was fun!" I argue, but it does nothing to stop the pout that forms on Zeke's lips.

  "Children!" Damon scolds, turning to the three of us with a stern expression, his eyes demanding silence. "This is not the time, now lets go!"

  I stare out the window as the revelation that we are no longer moving hits me. How did I not even notice that!

  "Where are we?" Zeke asks, also looking around at our new surroundings in awe.

  "Paradise" Damon quips sarcastically, shoving open his door and stepping out in one swift motion. Zeke scowls, but rather than engage in another pointless argument he silently follows Damon's lead.

  With a shaky breath I too step out of the car only to stop short, an eerie shiver coursing through my bones. The icy wind howls through the trees of the thick forest, nipping at my face bringing with it the chill of death. The setting sun casts shadows that reach out, threatening to drag you away into the approaching darkness. I tense, my hair standing on end, and watch with anticipation at the snap of a branch. Something scurries in the distance, the rustling of fallen leaves echoing their warning.

  Something is out there....

  I jump, just barely containing my scream, at the slam of Leo's car door. He notices and shrugs sheepishly, but doesn't bother to offer an apology. Not that he really needs to, I am just too on edge. Pushing down my paranoia I turn away from the woods, swinging my door shut behind me.

  My breath catches in my throat and my stomach drops when I finally set eyes on our destination. The whole structure leans to one side, its old bones ready to give with one strong gust. The aged wood, graying and faded with time, is cracked and uneven, dangerously stabbing into the air with its splintered edges. The only sign of life within the haunted cabin is the glowing light that fights to escape through the dust covered glass of its windows.