I stared, wide eyed, into the glimmer silver eyes that will haunt my dreams from that moment forth.
A vampire held an old man's neck to his blood-stained mouth. The man's eyes wild with fright, his lips open on a silent plea. The life draining from his eyes.
I felt sick to stomach, urging myself to look away, but my muscles locking me into place.
Earl turned as white as a sheet. His skin ashen and his pulse no longer beating.
The vampire dropped his dead body to the floor of the shed. It made a sickening cracking noise. The sound of bones breaking. A skull cracking.
Beside me, I vaguely became aware of Aiden shifting. Tearing his clothes to shreds and leaving his awful boat shoes busting at the seams.
His canines gripped my blouse and yanked me back, fully saturated in the dazzling sun.
But my eyes were frozen on the vampire. His black hair perfectly smoothed back and three-piece suit pressed to crisp lines.
The only sign of his true monster nature was the glistening sheen of blood on the corner of his lips which he brushed off with his thumb before licking it clean.
Aiden's wolf nudged a wooden stake into my hand as the vampire edged his way around a work bench and closer to the door of the tool shed.
His movements were slow and deliberate. As if trying not to spoke us.
As if we were the prey and he was the hunter.
He can't step outside. He can't walk in the sunlight.
Those were words I chanted in a silent prayer. Manifesting my thoughts into being reality.
And it must have worked as he grabbed an extra-large black umbrella and opened it up.
Just like that, he covered himself and took a step outside. Careful not to let the sunlight touch him.
Aiden's wolf growled low and dangerous at him, a warning. My grip on the dagger tightened as I ran through the training I've done for the past week.
The blood sucker stopped right outside the door with a smile.
His skin was bloodless and pallid. Cheeks lacked that ruddy tinge and skin admonished of the glow from a warm tan. Lifeless and sickly. Unnatural and eerie.
"Wolf," He greeted with a thick French accent and a nod of his head.
Aiden responded with a snarl, saliva flying out between his canines. He positioned himself slightly in front of me.
Always protecting.
"You're alone," I called out as I picked up on only his scent. "Brave of you to be out during the day.
His silver eyes flickered to me with a spine-chilling gleam. His nose turned up to the air as he sniffed.
"Ahh, so you're the magnificent creature Aiden's found," He grinned.
I faltered at what he said, surprised by his knowledge of us.
But I supposed he's known of Aiden seeing as he was the werewolf between the vampire and their mermaid blood.
He spoke again as if reading my mind, "My vampires have told me all about you...well your blood in particular. Old Earl there was tasty, but a bit bland with his A positive blood. You ma chéri," He sniffed again, "are incredibly sweet."
Blood type O negative was in fact like a rare aged fine wine for vampires. It's apparently one of the rarest blood types.
Just my luck...
Before I could give a retort, he said, "But you have a bleeding heart."
That had my heart speeding up.
Bleeding heart?
Aiden didn't like his words at all, which made him low his body and ready to pounce.
"Uh, uh, uh," Vampire man enunciated as he unwrapped a silver chain from around his wrist. A silver cross dangled at the end as he lengthened the chain.
The sinister gleam of the silver metal had me grabbing a fist of Aiden's black fur, holding him in place.
While I had no doubts about our ability to take him on our own, adding silver to the fight was asking for a miracle.
My muscles were still weak, my heart could start its untimely pain feast at any moment and vampires are still strong.
Experience-wise, my first fight ended with a dislocated shoulder and my second was a stroke of luck by having the others with me.
If this creature got the chain around Aiden, we'd be done for.
"What do you mean?" I asked with a still face, but I felt my nose flare at the thought of him knowing more about my health than myself.
Swinging the chain in a circular motion, he shrugged, "You're sick. Dying, really."
Aiden growled a few decibels too high. I flattened my hand on his wolf, mild panic washing through me because of two things.
1. His growl could garner unnecessary attention from neighbours and well, there's a dead body a few feet away from us.
2. A vampire, who has the strangest ability to read my heart and blood with a sniff, just told me that I was dying.
"You're lying," I snapped, the waver of my voice betraying my lack of conviction.
He snickered, a nasally quality layering the sound.
"Of course, you don't have to trust me, I barely trust myself at times," He sighed heavily. "By the time you do realise I'm telling the truth, you'll be dead."
Dagger clutched in my hand, blood boiling, rage coursing through me - I sprang off my heels to bury the wood in his chest.
But Aiden's canines clutched the end of my blouse and pulled be back just as the vampire's chain whipped it in front of my face.
The stinging heat and pain that the silver promised, kissed my cheek in a faint whisper before it was yanked back into the bloodsucker's hand.
"A weak heart isn't your only weakness, wolf," He goaded me on.
My muscles protested as my anger fuelled my wolf to come forth, but with great control, I pushed the beast back.
Knowing I needed to be in human form to bury the dagger in the vampire's chest. Opposable thumbs were, unfortunately, something we didn't have in wolf form but was important in getting the dagger where we wanted it.
"A flimsy umbrella isn't going to protect you from the sun," I retorted through clenched teeth.
"Oui, but it does provide some reprieve."
I stared at him in complete contempt and disdain.
"Why are you here?"
"I live here," He rolled his eyes.
"I'm not sure 'live' is the correct term to be used in conjunction with you."
Aiden whimpered at my side, tugging on my blouse to move away, but I stayed put as the vamp snorted in response.
"I've been around for over four hundred years and you honestly believe I haven't heard sad excuse of a joke?"
I narrowed my eyes on him, anger burning through me, egging me on to attack.
"Your lack of life is not of interest to me, but the lives of humans are. Including him," I pointed to the cold corpse laying in the tool shed.
The vampire shrugged, "Wrong place at the wrong time."
"This is his house," I bit out between a growl.
He sighed, almost as if his hundreds of years of life is finally catching up to him, "Your wolf boy there is une tête carrée...an idiot. You're not the only ones searching for answers. I heard about this useless human and well, he proved useless of course."
"How?" I barked at him.
"Tsk tsk," He scolded and licked his lips. "Answers don't come for free mademoiselle. Let me have a taste and I'll tell you anything."
Aiden's paws dug into the dirt, his eyes shifting on the bloodsucker, calculating his movements for an attack.
The vamp caught on as Aiden lunged at him.
Aiden knocked the vampire onto his back but the lecherous creature kept one hand on his umbrella and flicked his other to wrap the chain around Aiden's right front leg.
He snarled lowly as the silver cut into his flesh.
Pushing my muscles forward, I sprinted towards then. The wooden stake in my hand, poised and ready to kill.
When the vampire's deadly silver eyes caught my sluggish movement behind Aiden, he pushed the big wolf off him and scrambled back into the shed. Careful to keep his umbrella covering his skin and tightening his grip on the silver.
His smirk was sinister and his messed-up hair and rumpled clothing gave way to the demon that he was. The chain pulled as he tried to tug Aiden into the shed with him.
My mate struggled to stay in place as the silver sent blood trickling down his leg.
I didn't stop and think as I grabbed the chain with my bare hands. A swear tore from my lips as the biting fire blistered my palms.
Aiden whimpered but I continued holding the chain as I tried to tug it loose. Only to realise that the cross attached to the chain was weaselled between a few beaded links, making it impossible to unhook.
The vampire laughed cheerily at our struggle, fuelling my anger which sent shot of familiar pain through me.
Not now, I yelled at my heart.
But as usual, it never listened to a word I said.
So, this time, instead of ignoring it, I welcomed it. Used it to boost my dangerous level of anger.
The chain was thin, but the pain was immense.
Sweat broke out on my forehead as I tugged to the chain, trying to rip the links apart.
Excruciating pain sliced through my chest.
My breath grew heavier, more laboured than the one before.
The feeling of suffocation from my lack of oxygen enriched blood entwined with the inferno my palms felt from the silver and the heart wrenching torture, all shocked my body into hysteria.
The shot of adrenaline that tore through me gave me the last ounce of strength I needed to break the chain. The vamp went stumbling back as the tension in the chain broke.
My hands were sore and burnt, red gashes slashed across both palms.
I felt my knees buckling beneath me, but Aiden stuck head under my arm and supported my weight before pulling us back from the shed.
Further into the sunlight and away from the vampire.
His laughter died slowly on his lips but he kept an arrogant smirk plastered on his pale lips.
"You broke my rosary," His voice lacked any emotion that would suggest he actually cared for it. But it wasn't as if he'd need it, for no God would allow him into their kingdom.
"You'll survive," I bit out between the pain, wishing Aiden was in human form to help me verbally battle this creature.
"But you will not," He grimaced. "Unless you want me to do something about that..." He licked his fangs. "I can change you or maybe just end your life now to prevent you from going through the pain you'll have to endure later."
The thought didn't even have a nano second of living in my mind as I shut the thought out.
I shook my head, "I'd never become something like you. I won't give up my humanity to prey on the innocent."
"Humans are not innocent," He scoffed.
"Earl was," I gritted out as Aiden licked the palm of my hand.
Providing a cooling relief on the slow healing wound.
My body fell further into his, but he kept me upright, his own wound healing just fine.
Vampire man shrugged, "I consider uselessness a sin."
It was ironic, how saintly he carried about himself yet he was the walking, talking spawn of the devil.
A creature created to kill for blood. Innocent or otherwise.
"And Earl here was rather useless," He continued. "I showed up to find out about his mermaid and before the man could even scream, he was trying to take my eye out with a fishing hook. Didn't give up anything about her but when I said 'mermaid', oh boy the look in his eyes were thrilling."
He closed his eyes and vibrated as if recalling Earl's face and taking immense pleasure.
"But then he was having a heart attack. Tragic really, I had to rush my meal of him before his blood ran cold. Then you two showed up," He rolled his eyes at us. "So, that brings us to why you're here."
Dread sank into my stomach as he paced the tool shed, his umbrella in hand and acting like a cane.
"You're here because you want to know what I know of course, but the thing is you were late. So, I'll just spell it out for you, free of charge," He stopped right in the middle before facing us. Face upturned with regal angles to his skeleton. "Earl was healed with mermaid blood. The golden question is, how..."
Aiden's wolf went rigid. His muscles coiled and his body turning into a slab of stone.
"You see, I do want the answer to that question. Desperately. But as summer draws closer, the sun is making my skin itch. So at this point, I really don't give a shit. I'll have the Mermaid Queen's blood one way or another," His smile sent a chill down my spine and his words tore a hole in my heart.
"You'll never have her," I snapped just as the scent of rotting flesh grew in the air. The scent drifting from the thick tress behind the tool shed.
"And it looks like we have company," the vampire laughed.
Aiden starting moving then. His focus snapping back into place.
I stood on my own two feet as he grabbed his wallet and boat keys from the pile of his shredded clothing.
Then he lowered his body for me to climb on and I didn't hesitate as the stench of more vampires grew.
But before we bounded out of the backyard, the vampire called to us.
"Wait!" He yelled and Aiden reluctantly stopped at the end of the side path that went to the front yard. "Anvi sends her regards."
Aiden bared his canines at him, his body shifting to back and fight. But I firmly gripped his fur and steered him back to the path.
My palms burning in protest of my grip. Still unhealed.
Reluctantly, he growled lowly before bounding away as the sound of the quick footsteps of the other vampires grew louder.
The name 'Anvi' rattled around my head with vague familiarity.
As we crossed the front lawn, I panicked as the street stretched out before us without a hidden alley in sight.
I don't see how a big wolf running around with a girl on its back won't raise eyebrows.
"Did you have to tear your clothing?" I whisper-yelled at him.
He grunted in reply before taking off down the middle of the street.
My heart raced in my chest as I listened for the sound of oncoming vehicles or footsteps on a front lawn. The fierce pounding only heightening my struggle to breathe.
Our luck, that had seemed to vanish, finally bloomed again as we made our way through the street and then finally finding an alleyway that led to the shops at the beach.
Aiden stopped and lowered his body for me to get off before placing his wallet in my hands.
His red eyes were distressed and wild with panic. But they conveyed one thing: hurry!
I nodded before sprinting out of the alleyway and then slowing my steps as I made my way to a clothing shop.
The opinions were limited and very tropical beach chic. And despite my fear and agony, I couldn't help my chuckle as I grabbed a Hawaiian shirt and a swimming trunk.
Making my way to the counter, the human girl paid me no heed until I pulled out some cash and winced as the edge of the bills grazed my sore palms.
Her eyes turned worried as the cash fell out of my hands and exposed my wound.
"Fell off my bike," I blurted out before she could ask.
She nodded, unconvinced, but lacking the drive to press me further.
I tapped my feet impatiently as she bagged the clothes with what felt like slow motion movements.
With a quick thanks, I all but sprinted out of the store, scared of being apart from Aiden too long.
If anyone had walked into that alleyway...
But as I approached there were no signs of human distress, and I slipped in between the narrow passage.
Aiden's wolf slumped in relief when he saw me.
Turning around, I gave him his privacy to pull on his clothes before his hand was grabbing my own and pulling me towards the dock.
His shirt left unbuttoned in his haste to get off this vampire infested part of the coast.
"I forgot shoes," I mumbled as his bare feet trudged across the gravel road.
"It's alright."
"And your hand," I winced at the laceration on his wrist. Dried blood crusted on his skin.
His eyes shifted to his own wrist but when he caught the sight of my palms, he sucked in a raged breath.
Aiden face washed anew with guilt, but we didn't have time to say a word more as we quickened our pace when we reached the docks.
"Get your life jacket on," He said as we jumped into the boat and he began undoing the rope that anchored us to the dock.
I planted myself in my seat as my trembling fingers tried to buckle the life jacket in place.
In under a minute, Aiden had the boat untied and started, manoeuvring us away from the human town.
We moved faster this time, in a rush to make it back to safety despite knowing we were safe once under the sun.
But what could be under the sea...under the boat, was terrifying.
The motion of the boat bobbing along the water made my stomach queasy and my heart lurched every time water splashed onto the windshield.
Maybe coming face to face with the vampire had something to do with my fear or maybe it was the fact that he'd told me I was dying.
Both would make sense, but I knew in my gut that those reasons were as truthful as if I said the sky was green. A lie and an excuse to shadow the thing that I didn't want to accept because of how real it almost came to be.
Losing Aiden.
If there were more of them or if I couldn't break the link...we'd not have made it out alive.
My life was as good as gone with my sentence from the vampire, because if Emery couldn't fix me then my time was wearing to its end.
But Aiden couldn't die. He had Tourmaline and a pack to take care of and while I'm still alive, he had to remain alive too.
Because I don't think my heart would be able to take it if he died and I had to live.
As if sensing my thoughts on him, his pained eyes found mine. Stretching his hand out, he gestured for me to come to him.
And I did.
He kept one hand on the steering and steady me with his other hand on my waist before pulling me to sit between his thighs. The seat was big enough but Aiden hold on me was firm.
The warmth of his exposed chest seemed through my thin blouse and into my skin. A soothing touch that drastically eased my inner turmoil.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice husky with emotion. Taking the back of my palm, he turned it over before he squeezed his eyes shut for a second. "Fuck!"
My breath caught at his outburst. Cursing for Aiden was rarer than an occurrence of a blue moon.
"It'll heal," I whispered as his ragged breath fanned across the left side of my cheek.
"You shouldn't have been hurt in the first place. I put us both in danger by attacking," I could hear him grinding his teeth.
Aiden's explosive anger was simmer just below the surface. Waiting for something to trigger the eruption of his rage.
I turned my head to him, and pleaded with my eyes, "Just hold me."
The burning dark blue his eyes were, lightened in shade as a fraction of his anger dissipated.
Nodding, he released my wrist and flattened his palm on my stomach, pulling me further into his warmth.
Lowering my head, I placed it in the nook of his neck. Inhaling his scent and simultaneously easing my pain.
His stiff posture from being wind up eased as he rested his chin on head. Taking in my scent as I was doing to him.
"What's my scent?" I asked out of the blue.
"Pink summer berries, bergamot and tropical hibiscus," He answered without missing a beat.
I smiled against his neck, brushing my lips against his skin as his grip on me tightened.
"That's very specific," I teased. Hoping it would help him release his stress.
But I knew there was nothing I could do to help his anxiety with the biggest information we learned.
The human, Earl, was in fact healed by a mermaid.
"You're addicting," I felt his breath on my hair, taking a deep inhale of my scent.
Trailing my nose along his neck, I placed a kiss below his hair, "Thank you for wanting to protect me."
"You don't need to thank me."
"And you don't need to protect me," I countered as I rested my head back on his shoulder.
He huffed, "As if that would stop me. Whatever that thing said back there...I don't believe him. Emery would heal you and you'll be fine."
Bleeding heart.
The word rang out in my head, startling me back to the realization that we'd have our answer to that by tonight.
Emery and Thane would be here by sunset and I wasn't sure if I dreaded or welcomed their arrival.
Shaking the thoughts away, I said, "That's not important right now. We have bigger issues to deal with."
"Your life will always be important to me," He growled.
"And my life will be worth nothing if we don't figure out how to stop the vampires. There's still so much that we don't know about the mermaid blood," I sat up and shifted so that my arms wrapped around his neck. "Aiden, what are we going to do?"
He must have detected the despair in my voice or the trepidation in my eyes because he softened under me.
I knew how hard he was trying to keep it together when he responded with, "We could move to Sweden or Iceland during the summer. Watch the midnight sun chase away the vampires."
A humour-less smile touched my lips, "And in the winter?"
Pupils contracting, the darkness filled his eyes again. His expression clouding over like the sirens themselves conjured up another storm. This one more deadly than the last.
His lack of a response was answer enough. That's as far as this conversation will go right now.
For I knew, the only thing that would truly calm him was having Tourmaline in front of his eyes, alive and safe.
The name 'Anvi' still haunted me, but I would just have to wait until we get back on land.
"He'll never have her," I enunciated as we continued pushing against the waves to get back home.
A/N
Did I ever tell you all that my stories are on Goodreads? You can add them to your list now ❤
Well...shit.
Everything seems to not be going their way. BUT ALSO TAIDEN / TIDE IS GIVING ME ALL THE FEELS!
Also can't believe I took that long to update...again 💀
Song: Novo Amor - Anchor
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