Soul Keepers (Editing) #Wattys2020

05|

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“If you will not come willingly, then we will have to make you.”

Millie raised her chin. “Well, then come and get me,” she taunted dropping her bag at her feet.

She saw the one who spoke, she assumed her was the leader, nod to one of the six others and he surged forward. His hands were outstretched towards her, his feet quick. Millie dodged his attack easily, his movements were sloppy, though quick he moved with drunkenness. Grabbing him by his elbow she lifted him off the ground throwing him across the parking lot. He fell unto a car, cracking the windscreen with a loud crash. The five others stood watching her in astonishment, as if they didn’t expect her to put up this much of a fight, or any fight.

They all came towards her at once.

Taking off in a run, she jumped in the air slamming her knee into the one closet to her. His head snapped back and he staggered a few steps away. She felt a grip on her arm. She wrenched away, dropping and swooping his feet out from under him.  Back-flipping away she studied the men still coming at her.

Millie reached into her boots and took out the dagger she kept there. “We don’t have to do this,” she tried hoping that they wouldn’t want to fight her but the down turned scowls on their faces told her that they weren’t going to back down.

She moved again, her feet soundless, barely touching the ground, to the duo closest to her. She swiped the dagger at one—he dodged—swinging her legs around to catch the other in his face. A restraining hand was placed on her shoulder and she dropped low sweeping her feet and kicking his legs from under him.

She felt a fist slam into her side and she gasped in shock, her dagger falling from her fingers. He came at her swiping fists at her. She stumbled back just managing to dodge them. Hands locked around her arms restraining her up against a body. She struggled but his hold was stong the other coming quickly at her. Millie threw her head back connecting with the face of her captor, his hold loosened and she dropped to the ground the punch intended for her catching him in his chest sending him flying backward.

They all were slightly stunned but they shook of the shock and came at her again.

Three of them circled her, one distracting so that the other could ambush her from behind. She felt the sting of something piercing into her collarbone. Millie broke away from them brushing her fingers over the spot, feeling a syringe imbedded in her skin. Extracting the needle she studied it momentarily, before she let it fall between her fingers landing with a soft clatter.

Her head suddenly felt fuzzy and her vision swam. Shaking her head she tried to clear her vision. She shook her hand trying to rid herself of the numbness settling over her right side. She blinked and inhaled deeply, drawing the cool night’s air into her lungs. She brought her arms to protect her stance but her movements were sluggish, her limbs feeling like lead.

They all moved towards her and she stumbled back, dodging fists. It was harder now to protect herself, and she found herself tripping over her feet. Hands grabbed her and she feebly tried to free herself, but found that she had no strength.

He appeared in a swirling puff of black smoke. Easily he dislodged Millie from their grasp holding her close to him. She stared up at him, her tongue heavy in her mouth. It was her mystery vampire.

“Six guys against one little girl. That hardly seems fear now doesn’t it.” His voice was as she remembered and she was somehow comforted by it.

The leader snarled, his lips curling back to reveal his fangs “Give us back the girl and we won’t have to kill you.”

“Really,” his voice was heavily laced with amusement as his gaze swung to the men around him, she had given them one hell of a fight. “Well then come and take her,” his voice was confident and deathly calm.

He was fast. Easily evading their attacks all the while keeping a tight hold on Millie. The leader growled snarling at the intruder; he didn't think it would be this hard to collect one girl. The vampire laughed at them and that only spurned their frustration. He was only playing.

"Sonofabitch!" One of them cursed.

A sword appeared in his hand as he disappeared from next to Millie. She swayed unsteady on her feet. Puffs of black smoke appeared next to each of her attackers just before a hand and sword swiped and they fell limply on the ground, never having the chance to defend themselves, before he appeared next to Millie once again.

Her body had gone pliable and her weak knees crumpled. His arms went around her holding her up or she might have slid into a puddle of limbs.

“Who are you?” she slurred looking up at him.

“Someone who just saved your life,” he answered, his narrowed eyes appraising her face, she was growing pale quickly.

The tingling had spread to her fingers and Millie looked down at them. Black spider like veins had spread, covering her skin in what she thought was a pretty pattern. Her mystery vampire followed her gaze his eyes widening a fraction. He peeled back the collar of her jacket letting out a low curse, as more webbed veins were spreading up the side of her neck and face.

He should have known. The moment that she started to lose the fight, he should have known that they would poison her. The scent of the toxin was largely hidden by Millie’s own uniquely seductive fragrance and he let out another curse before sweeping her into his arms.

“I can walk,” she murmured, loosely wrapping her arms around his neck, tethering on the edge on consciousness.

“I’m sure you can.”

He cradled her body close to his, her fragile frame pressed to his chest. His eyes swept around the parking lot. It was empty. And in a puff of swirling smoke they were swallowed into darkness, anyone having seen it would have thought that it was a trick of some sort. The lights in the parking lot slowly flickering back to life illuminating the now empty space.

She was a fiery little thing; he thought with a smile tugging at his lips when he materialized in dimly the hall of his mansion. Someone like her usually wouldn’t last as long as she did in a fight. He was watching her all week and she had been on edge, cautious and slightly afraid so he didn’t think that approaching her again was a wise choice.

Tonight he was standing in the shadows watching her when he sensed the ambush—maybe a little too late—mostly because he was so preoccupied with watching her. He had waited wondering curiously what would happen to her. He hadn’t expected her to put up much of a fight and then he would intervene but he was pleasantly surprised.  

She was never in any real danger until the poison entered her system. He looked down at her beautiful face. She looked serene and was no longer conscious. Yes, he thought, she was very much a surprise. 

He opened the doors with just a thought—it swung open gently on its hinges—and strode into the room. He laid her gently on the bed and peeled back the layers of her clothes. The black veins had spread, almost covering all of her skin now.  Without a second thought, he lifted her, supporting the back of her neck with his hands. His tongue darted out of his mouth to moisten his lips, anticipation simmering under the surface of his calm before his fangs elongated and they sank into the delicate barrier of her skin.

Her blood sweet and seductive,a temptation in itself, flavored his mouth as he drew the poison from her body.