Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 33

"That sucks," Julie slurred. "I don't have a spare."

"We can just walk," I said. "I don't think we're that far away."

Jesse shook his head. "Absolutely not. I'll call somebody." He flipped his phone open and began talking to one of his buddies.

"Julie," I said, "how are you feeling? Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine. I forgot to tell you I drank a Long Island iced tea. Do you know how much liquor they put in those things?"

"Yeah, you told me already. How's your neck?"

"Fine, but that stupid vase nailed me real good. Wanna know the worst part though?"

"What?"

"I didn't even get the blond's phone number. He was so hot."

Jesse cut in. "Trust me, you don't want that guy's number."

"Yes I do."

"He's way too dangerous."

"A bad boy, huh? I like that."

"Not a bad boy. He's a bad man-a real bad man-and like many of the guys back there, he's nothing but trouble," Jesse said. "You two had no business being at that party out in the middle of the woods with a bunch of older strangers."

"Yeah? Well, I guess we were lucky you were looking out for us," Julie said.

He smiled.

"So what can we do about the tire?" she asked.

"My friend's coming," Jesse said. "I'll wait outside for him. You two stay put."

"Why not stay in here with us?" I asked.

"Because I have to make sure the big, bad wolf doesn't come and eat you."

"Ooh. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" Julie slurred.

I laughed as he slammed the door shut.

"He's cute," Julie said, "and funny too."

"Yeah, but if that party was so dangerous, what was he doing there?" I asked.

"Maybe he's just as dark and dangerous as they are," she said in a creepy voice. "Boo!" she said as she grabbed my arm.

I jumped and screamed, "Julie! Stop that!"

She began laughing like a crazy person. "Oh, man! You...Taylor, you shoulda seen your face! Priceless."

"Ha-ha. Very funny."

"I'm sorry the party didn't work out, but at least you found Prince Charming. Wasn't that the important thing?" She shot me a sly smile as she gave me a fist-b.u.mp.

Grinning, I b.u.mped her back.

"Look at you, all l.u.s.t at first sight for our bad boy."

"There's definitely a connection, but I don't think it's l.u.s.t...and I don't think he's a bad boy."

"That's too bad. But anyway, it's obvious that you're attracted to him like there's no tomorrow."

I smiled and couldn't possibly deny it.

"You've got it for him big time, don't ya?"

"Yes," I admitted.

"Then why are you sitting in here talking to me when he's out there all by himself, glistening in the moonlight?"

"Meh, I'm sure girls throw themselves at him all the time. I don't wanna be like that."

"Going out there and saying h.e.l.lo would not be throwing yourself at him, unless you intend to take your top off while you do it," she said, then winked.

"Very funny," I said, then laughed again. "Okay."

She grinned as I hopped out of the truck.

Outside, Jesse was sitting in the truck bed, his gorgeous black locks blowing in the wind.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey."

"Need some company?" I asked.

His eyes twinkled in the moonlight. "I'd love some."

I jumped into the cab and sat next to him. "Keeping us safe from all the wild animals out prowling around?"

"Lots of dangerous predators hunt at night."

"Like the bobcat? I know they're nocturnal." I smiled, then gazed into his eyes.

"I almost didn't come tonight," he said. "Now I'm glad I did."

I smiled, nervously tossing my hair to the side. "If you knew it was dangerous, why did you-"

Before I could even get the question out, he turned to the left and glanced into the towering woods. "Taylor, get back in the truck and lock the doors," he said.

I smiled, thinking he was joking. "Why? Are we being stalked? More mountain lions?"

He didn't laugh, though, and his face remained stern. "Please get back inside the truck.

Knowing he was dead set on protecting me and realizing how serious he was, I didn't protest. I opened the door and climbed in.

"What's going on?" Julie asked.

I tried to get a glimpse of some hungry wildlife, but I saw nothing. "He thinks something's out there."

"Like what?"

"Like a wild animal."

She blew out a breath and glanced out the window. "He needs to get his b.u.t.t inside too. I don't wanna watch him get torn to shreds!" She rolled down the window. "Jesse, get your b.u.t.t in here."

While we looked out at Jesse, who was pacing the road and staring deep into the dark woods, I began to get really creeped out. Where the heck is this friend of his? I wondered, knowing we needed to get back on the road and get home before Julie's mom did. She had worked the nights.h.i.+ft at the hotel, but she would be home by eight a.m. at the latest. If we didn't make it home before she did, my own mother would find out, and I'd be grounded for weeks.

BANG!.

Suddenly, something shattered the driver's-side window of the truck. I ducked as flying gla.s.s sprayed everywhere. Disoriented, I glanced up at my friend.

"Now you're bleeding!" Julie shouted. "Where's that medic when we need her?"

Chapter 5.

I glanced down and realized that some of the gla.s.s from the window had cut the top of my hand. "It's okay," I said. "I just got cut when the gla.s.s shattered."

Suddenly, rifle shots echoed through the darkness.

I froze, and a cold chill shot down my spine.

"Somebody's shooting at us!" Julie said, her voice wavering as she stated the obvious. "We're being robbed or somethin'."

The words remained frozen in my throat, and I could only shake my head in shared disbelief. I reached for my phone and quickly called 911, but the call wouldn't go through. "No signal!" I said.

"Same here," Julie said, trembling with fright.

"Jesse!" I shouted through the broken window. I glanced around for him, but he was nowhere in sight.

BOOM!.

More gla.s.s shattered like rock candy, spraying us with shards as the winds.h.i.+eld was shot out.

"We've gotta get outta here!" I said. "Some crazy person is shooting at us, and I've kinda got the feeling he's not gonna stop until we're dead."

"No!" Julie said. "I'm not leaving. If we step out of this truck, it'll be like target practice for our trigger-happy stalker!"

"Julie, if we stay in this truck, we're as good as dead."

She met my gaze, her eyes wide with terror. Clearly, she'd been scared sober.

I gripped her hands. "We can hide in the woods."

"No way! Haven't you ever seen a horror movie in your life? The hockey mask guy always chases girls into the woods, and I don't wanna be chopped up with a meat cleaver!"

"That's just the movies, Julie. I've been in those woods already. I know it's dark, and there are so many trees and shrubs and boulders. He'll never find us."

"But what about Jesse?" she whispered.

Droplets of sweat rolled down my face. "I-I don't know. I don't see him anywhere."

"So he just abandoned us? Your knight in s.h.i.+ning armor left two damsels in distress?" she snapped. "Humph. Some Prince Charming he turned out to be."

I tentatively glanced out the window, and another chill shot up my spine when I noticed a puddle on the street, glimmering crimson in the moonlight. "Oh my gos.h.!.+"

"What?"

Biting my lip hard, I pointed. "Blood! Jesse's hurt."

She cautiously glanced out, peeking through her fingers the way someone would look at a car accident, then let out a trembling breath. "Wh-where did he go?"

A cold feeling washed over me, and I felt as if all the blood had instantly drained from my face. "I dunno."

BANG!.

More gla.s.s shattered as a bullet destroyed one of the side windows, garnering another scream from Julie.

I gripped Julie's hand. "We've gotta get out of here. We're sitting ducks if we stay."

She nodded, finally realizing I was right.

I opened the glove compartment and fumbled around through all sorts of junk, everything from gum wrappers to a tire gauge to coupons for fast food places. "You got a flashlight in here or under the seat or anything?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I know I should, but I didn't expect to be..."

As she trailed off, I heard an unmistakable howl echoing in the distance, and the hair on my neck rose.