The Fangs of Bloodhaven (3 page)

***

Light pierced his eyelids. Everett lifted a hand to shield his face, but the movement was impeded by the clink of a chain. Fear rushed through him. Everett opened his eyes to see handcuffs chaining him to a cot. There was a bandage on his wrist. A glance showed that the tube coming from it was hooked to an IV on a pole near his head. Red liquid flowed down the tube from a bag that was almost dry.

“You’re finally awake.”

Everett craned his head to see the girl from the night before standing in the doorway. She watched him with a guarded expression, her eyebrows pulled together and a spoon coated in dark liquid held in one hand. Her hair was caught back in a loose braid and there was more of the dark liquid in the few strands that hung around her face.

“Where am I?” Everett asked, pulling meaningfully at the handcuffs. He realized his strength had returned. His stomach no longer hurt, and the rushing sound had vanished. He glanced back at the IV. “You gave me blood.”

“Someone had to,” the girl replied, taking two steps into the room and pausing as though worried he would break free and attack her. “You about died from that little stunt you pulled back there. I’d think a vampire would be a bit more careful.”

Everett grimaced and said, “I prefer the term blood-deficient.” He remembered her ducking under his arm and pulling him to his feet. He recalled the sound of her blood pounding through her jugular inches from his face when she helped him walk. It would have taken less than a second to bite her neck and drink the life-giving liquid. “I could have killed you.”

Humor touched her eyes and lifted the corners of her mouth the slightest bit. “I’m not sure you would’ve enjoyed it. Who knows? Maybe you would have grown furry ears and a tail.”

“You’re a werewolf,” he said in amazement.

She gave him a wry look. “I prefer the term canine-inclined.”

Everett fought back a smile of his own. “So you could have handled those guys on your own.”

She shrugged and crossed her arms. “I had it covered until you showed up.”

He thought about the look in her eyes when the men had confronted her. He hadn’t seen fear, only frustration.

“What is it about the night that reveals the true monsters?” she asked.

He watched her, not sure if she expected an answer or was being rhetorical. Her eyes held his, questioning and steady. Uncomfortable at her scrutiny, his shifted his gaze to the room. He appeared to be in the main living area. There was a small kitchen through one of the doors and a bathroom through the other. He could see the small square of a closet from a crack in only other door.

It was sparsely furnished with only the cot and a lamp on a simple end table, yet it was filled with color. The walls had been painted with a tapestry of murals. On one wall, children knelt on a grassy hill eating a picnic, on another, a mother and father pushed children on swings. In the next, a flurry of faces, hands, ribbons, and activity made up a scene from a party.

Each picture captured intricate smiles and joy on every face. The warmth of the scenes belied the emptiness of the room. The pictures looked so real, as if they had been copied out of a photograph. Everett couldn’t see the one behind his head, but he found himself wanting to. He tried to sit up and found that there were handcuffs around his ankles as well.

“I didn’t bite you before,” he said quietly. “Why worry about it now?”

She gave him a searching look. “You can never be too careful, especially around vamps.”

That caught his attention. “Do you know many vampires?”

She shrugged and her cheeks colored. “No. You’re the first. I’ve just been told things.”

“What things?” Everett asked. He pulled at the cuffs around his wrists, testing them. If he channeled his strength, he could snap the chains. The thought made it easier not to fight. He willed his muscles to relax.

“Plenty of things,” she replied evasively.

Silence settled between them. Her gaze moved from his eyes to his chest. Everett realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt. He glanced down at his pale skin. The wound along his side had healed. A small, even row of stitches marked the line where the knife had bit. He looked back at the girl.

“You stitched me up?”

“Couldn’t let you bleed to death. The blood took a long time to kick in, and you’d lost more than it looked like you had left.” Her gaze shifted away as if she was uncomfortable at the sight of his bare chest.

“Uh, thank you for patching me up,” Everett said.

“Thank you for trying to save me,” she replied.

Everett smiled. “Even though it wasn’t necessary.”

She smiled back as if she couldn’t help herself.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Everett said in what he hoped was a persuasive tone. “Seriously. I could have let them do it instead of almost killing myself.”

Her smile faded and she regarded him silently for a moment, her expression untrusting.

Chapter Two

Everett let out a slow breath. “I’ll leave and you’ll be safe,” he promised. “You won’t have to worry about having a vampire in your place.”

She seemed to make up her mind. The jingle of keys sounded loud in the room when she pulled them from her pocket. Letting out a breath, she crossed to his side. She regarded him warily while she unlocked his left wrist. As soon as the first handcuff was free, she tossed him the keys and backed up.

Everett caught the keys and unlocked his other wrist. He sat up and did the same for his right ankle. He hesitated on the left and glanced at her. He channeled his strength and yanked. The chain broke. He squeezed the cuff and the hinge snapped as well. It fell to the floor.

“You could have broken free this entire time,” she said; it was more of a statement than a question.

Everett fought back a smile at the accusation in her voice. He pulled the needle from his wrist. After ensuring that the needle was hung so it wouldn’t catch on anything, Everett made his way to the door.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Confused, he turned with his hand on the doorknob. “Leaving, like I promised.”

“You need a shirt,” she replied. “You’re as white as a ghost. It’s a kind-of dead giveaway that you’re a vampire. Rule number one, they won’t treat you like a monster if you don’t look like one.” She gave a sigh of resignation. “And I should probably take out those stitches. You don’t need them anymore.”

At her motion, Everett walked back to the couch. He told himself he stayed because she had saved his life, but there was something else, something that worried him. He pushed the feeling away.

He listened to her rummage around in the kitchen. “I really can take care of myself.”

“I noticed,” she answered. “Finding food in the garbage at Dalia’s isn’t exactly taking care of yourself.” She came back out of the kitchen and hesitated at the look on his face. “Sorry. That was a low blow.”

Everett cursed himself for being so easy to read. He looked away. “Don’t worry about it. It wasn’t exactly a high point for me, either.”

She crossed to him, her bare feet barely making a sound on the worn carpet. “It’s not my place to judge,” she said, her voice apologetic. “I don’t know what you’ve been through.”

He looked up at her from his place on the couch. “I wasn’t paying attention to my blood level. It’s gotten me into trouble before.”

A half-smile crossed her face. “I’m sure that’s not the only thing that’s gotten you into trouble.” She caught herself and dropped to her knees next to the couch. “Turn, please.”

Everett did as he was told. He lifted his arm so she could reach his side better.

At her touch, a tingle ran through his skin. He sucked in an involuntary breath. “I really can do that,” he told her.

A small snip was followed by the slight tug of the first stitch as she pulled it free from his skin. “It’s not the easiest place to reach,” she replied, her tone unreadable.

He glanced down at her. She met his gaze for the briefest second. There was vulnerability in her eyes that stilled him. He could break her neck or drink her blood. If he attacked, she would be defenseless. The thought tightened his chest and he looked away.

“Done,” she said a few minutes later. “Hold on a sec.”

She rose and threw away the pieces in the small garbage can near the end table before heading to the closet. She ruffled inside for a moment. “I knew it was still here,” she said with a note of triumph. She pulled out a red and white striped button-up shirt. “Vanguard won’t mind,” she said, tossing it to him.

Everett caught the shirt and gave it an uncertain look.

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like my closet’s brimming with clothing choices for hot guys.” Her eyes widened as if she realized what she had said. She shut the closet door with a loud bang.

Everett slipped his arms in the shirt and buttoned it up. He was finally starting to feel normal again. He let out a breath of relief and nodded toward the IV pole. “Do I dare ask where you got that, and these?” he asked, pointing toward the handcuffs that lay broken on the floor.

“You can ask, but I won’t tell you,” she replied.

Everett shrugged. “I can respect that. Pig’s blood isn’t exactly on aisle B in the local grocery stores. Believe me, I checked.” He gave her a warm smile, not caring that his fang showed. “Thanks again.”

“Thank you for trying to save me,” she replied with a small smile of her own.

He opened the door and paused. “Do you know where a payphone is?”

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Why?”

“I need to call my mom.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Your mom? You have a mom?”

Everett knew the comment shouldn’t hurt, but it did. “Yeah,” he said shortly. He turned down the hall. “Never mind.”

He walked to the stairs. He heard her door shut, and a moment later, the sound of her footsteps.

“You don’t have to follow me,” he said, pausing at the bottom step. “I promised I’d leave. You won’t see me again.”

The girl appeared at the corner with a hint of chagrin on her face. “I was rude. Sorry. I’ll show you where the payphones are.”

She led the way along the short hallway and around the corner to the small lobby. Two payphones were at the end of the hall opposite the door. The windows and glass door of the apartment building were barred, giving the place more of a jail appearance than a home. Lights flickered on outside even though a glance through the closest window showed that the sun hadn’t quite set. Everett was glad nobody would see him in the striped shirt. He had no doubt whoever Vanguard was, he wouldn’t miss it at all. He wondered if he should burn it and save the world from such an eyesore.

At the phones, he reached in his pants pocket where he usually kept his coins, but it was empty.

“Here,” the girl said.

Everett glanced at her and found her holding out a coin on her palm. He accepted it with embarrassment at being caught unprepared. “Thank you. She’ll be worried sick. I was supposed to call last night.”

He dialed the number and waited a moment. A little voice answered that never failed to make him smile. “’llo?”

“Hi, Izzy, is Mom there?”

“Evy! Evy!” her little voice shrieked. He could hear her jumping up and down. “Mommy, Evy’s on the phone!”

“Oh, thank goodness,” his mother’s familiar voice replied. He heard her take the phone from the little girl. “Thank you, Isabella.” His mother’s voice was filled with relief when she said, “Everett, I’m so glad you called. We were all so worried!”

Her concern made him smile. “I’m okay, Mom.” He glanced at the werewolf. “I, uh, made a friend. A girl.”

The girl gave him a quizzical look.

“A friend?” his mother said in surprise. “Well, that’s good, a friend’s good!”

Everett wondered how much the werewolf could hear. His mother was never one to control her enthusiasm. “Yes, Mom. I’ll be home soon.”

“Bring your friend,” she said. “I’d love to meet her. We’re having dinner in an hour. I have your vitamin drink. Everett, we’ve been so worried. Hurry home, okay?”

“Uh, okay, Mom. I’ll be home.”

“And bring your friend,” his mother insisted.

Everett could feel the girl’s gaze between his shoulder blades. “Yeah, okay, Mom.”

“Bye, sweetheart.”

“Bye, Mom.”

He hung up the phone feeling relieved and embarrassed at the same time. He glanced at the werewolf.

“Everett, huh?” She twisted the name as she said it as though she wasn’t sure how she felt about it.

“You heard that?”

She gave him a meaningful look. “Werewolf, remember?”

“Most people call me Rett.” He realized something. “I don’t know your name.”

“Adrielle,” she replied.

“Adrielle,” he repeated. “I like that.”

She looked at the phone he had just hung up. “It’s the only thing my parents left me with.”

Everett didn’t know what to say. If she had heard his name, she had also heard his mom inviting her to dinner. He had never brought anyone home before. He guessed Adrielle could surmise that from their conversation. The thought of inviting a werewolf into his home was unsettling.

Despite his misgivings, something about the details of the paintings in Adrielle’s room stuck in his mind. He saw the beautiful faces of the children, the intricate work in the eyes to capture the smiles, the way the mother and father pushing the children on the swings looked as though they were having as much fun as their little ones.

She had saved his life. She could have left him to bleed to death in the alley and no one would ever know. Her fear of vampires was clear, yet she had risked herself to save him. Everett made up his mind.

“Come to my house for dinner.”

Adrielle stared at him. “Are you crazy?”

He shrugged. “That’s still under debate.”

She kept silent.

He realized the darkness in her golden eyes was actually fear. His heart went out to her. “Come on, Adrielle. They’re nice. You might enjoy it. My mom’s an amazing cook, and I owe you for saving my life. What do you say?”

She lowered her gaze, shielding her emotions with her long eyelashes. “Is everyone in your family a vampire?”

He laughed and shook his head. “I’m the only one, thank goodness.”

His comment seemed to surprise her. She looked back at him with a curious expression, tipping her head to one side. “Are you so bad, then?”

Everett gave her a small smile.

She sighed and shook her head. “Okay, but I think this is a bad idea.”

“As bad as you bringing a bloodthirsty vampire into your apartment?” Everett countered.

She led the way to the street. “That’s still to be decided.”

Everett glanced at the sky. The sun was setting; its gray light reached between the buildings with weak fingers, casting shadows on the people hurrying home from work before the curfew. Everett figured the light wasn’t strong enough to be a problem.

He caught Adrielle watching him as they crossed a brighter patch between the buildings.

“What?” he asked self-consciously.

“Are you going to burst into flames or something?”

At his questioning look, she gestured at the fading sunlight.

Everett held out a hand, letting the light splay between his fingers. Mist began to rise with from his skin along with the burning sensation. He shoved his hand in his pocket and hurried to the shadows.

“What do you know about vampires?” he asked, keeping the question quiet so the people flooding around them wouldn’t overhear.

“Not much,” she admitted.

He decided to humor her. “Vampirism is like a cancer. For those of us born with it, when we hit puberty, it begins to attack our red blood cells, killing us from the inside out. We’re forced to drink blood to replenish our bodies and keep our organs from shutting down completely.”

“Does it hurt?” she asked quietly.

Everett nodded. “A lot,” he admitted. He closed his hand into a fist. The faint blue lines that made up his veins stood out in contrast to his pale skin. “Because I have so little blood in my system, I also lack the melanin responsible for protecting my body from UV radiation.”

“You sound like a professor,” she commented.

Everett chuckled. “My parents are scientists. I think I take after them.” He gestured toward the setting sun. “I’m just trying to keep from looking like a thousand year old mummy.”

That succeeded in bringing a small smile to her face. “That many wrinkles are only appealing on a Sharpei.”

Everett chuckled. “Leave it to a werewolf to know wrinkled dogs.”

She snorted, but her eyes creased with the smile she kept from her face.

Everett shoved his hands in his pockets. It felt strange to walk through the city with Adrielle at his side. The few people left hurrying home before curfew still moved around him as though he was invisible, but with her, it was almost as if they shared the invisibility together. Nobody wanted to look too closely at someone with pale skin in case their curiosity revealed something more sinister.

Monsters had surfaced near the conclusion of the Ending War. Too much chemical warfare combined with the nuclear fallout had created more subspecies than the government wanted to admit. The seventy-five years following saw the construction of the Pentagrin, the five great cities of the survivors. The Kingship had done what it could to reduce the number of monsters with drastic measures. Everett knew there had to be others in the cities, but he had never met one besides Adrielle.

A little girl clutched her mother’s hand as they hurried past. Everett ducked his head, reminding himself not to smile at her curious gaze. He led Adrielle down a side alley and to the tunnels.

“Are you sure we should go in there?” she asked, hesitating at the long steps to the network of underground passageways.

Though they had once been a vast subway system, the tunnels had been converted into survival housing during the Ending War. Everett peered into the darkness, grateful the war had ended before his time. He couldn’t imagine living beneath the earth for nearly a decade while the survivors waited for the fallout to dissipate. Vines snaked into the depths, the continuation of the jungle that attempted to reclaim the five cities for its own.