Page 9 of Liberty

I turned, determined to leave this creep, and get home, but his finger wrapped tightly around my bicep. “I’ll walk you to the train, then.”

I tried to pull my arm away, but his grip wouldn’t budge. “It’s unnecessary. I’ll be okay.”

“It is.”

Did his voice change? It sounded deeper, more sinister. I swallowed hard, looking around. There were a lot of people on the street, for that I was thankful. If he just walked me to the entrance of the train terminal, what harm could that do? He didn’t have to go to the platform, and with this many people around, I doubted he would try anything funny.

I licked my lips, and his eyes followed. “That would be nice, thank you.”

He smiled unexpectedly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s my pleasure.”

I bet it was.

He walked beside me the short distance to the train station’s entrance, and with each step, the streets grew darker. Had I said it would be safe? Wrong. It most definitely wasn’t safe, and when we approached the station it was closed. “It’s closed.”

He announced it like I couldn’t see the big ol’ sign and the chain locking and sealing the door. “Only this entrance, I can go one street over and enter through there. That’s the platform we used earlier. Again, thanks for walking with me. You have a nice night.”

“I can’t leave you now. I need to make sure you’re safe.” His eyes roamed over me, gooseflesh rose.

Under normal circumstances, I would have my pepper spray, my self-defense keychains, my trusty, and rusty fifth-grade karate moves, but right now? Well, nothing fit in this clutch, and I doubted I could do karate in these shoes. Hell, I was still questioning my walking ability. I wished I were at least smart enough to bring a rape whistle.

“I’ll be fine,” I insisted as I continued walking.

“I need to make sure you’re safe.” He walked closer until he pushed me toward the empty alley, slamming my body against the wall. “Safe from people like me.”

My heart rate skyrocketed as I pushed against him, but he was stronger than he looked, deceptively so. Even using all my strength, I couldn’t get him to move. I knew it was hopeless. Pointless really. But, even knowing those facts, it didn’t stop me from pitifully begging, “Please stop, just let me go.”

He laughed loud and long like there was some inside joke I wasn’t privy to. “With the glares you’ve been shooting me all night, I didn’t expect of a victim speech from you. Maybe a bargain, an attack back. But here you are, weak like the others.”

The others? Fuck. That couldn’t be good. I tried to pull my wrists. They were throbbing with the pain of his grip, nearly raw from being rubbed hard against the brick wall. “Well, I forgot my rape whistle at home today.”

He laughed. I was serious. “You’re such a witty one, which makes it such a shame I have to do this.”

Why do villains always say that? They don’t have to do anything. They are choosing it. “You actually don’t.”

“I have no choice, you know. My maker demanded it. It is what her boss desires; it is what she gets. But they didn’t say I couldn’t have a little fun with you first.”

“I’m no expert, but don’t both parties have to enjoy it to be considered fun?”

I tried to raise my knee, but he blocked me. “You won’t be alive long enough to dispute that fact.”

Think. Think. Think. Find a way out of this, Libby. I know you can. Buy yourself time. “I’m disappointed how cliché this is.”

He smirked. “It wouldn’t be cliché if history didn’t constantly repeat itself. You think you’re the first person I’ve had up against the wall in the dark alley?”

“Unfortunately not.” I gasped as I tried to turn my body. He slammed me back, hitting my head on the brick. Fuck, my hip would definitely have a bruise. My head, well, things were growing fussy.

He laughed, and this time, I was positive it was sinister. When his smile stretched across his face, his teeth began to poke out right before his eyes glowed. “It’s a shame; I sort of liked you.”

Panic, I was panicking. There was no way I saw what I think I did. It had to be the head injury. Maybe the drink? It didn’t taste all that great. Maybe it was spiked? I’d been roofied, that had to be it because if my vision was correct, and God, I hoped it wasn’t, the solid slab of a body wasn’t human at all, but a . . . shit. I shouldn’t let myself think it. But I couldn’t stop either.

Vampire.

My foggy, crafty, little mind put the word on repeat. Once I thought it, I couldn’t get past it. Daniel wasn’t a person; he wasn’t even human. He was a vampire.

“Fuck, I have to be seeing things,” I groaned.

“I wish you were. It would make what I’m about to do that much more of a surprise.” He licked his lips, his tongue toying with the tip of his sharp teeth.

When his mouth opened, his jaw nearly unhinged as he leaned forward, with his eyes solely on my neck. And despite all the composure I had earlier, despite my determination to escape and get away, I knew I wasn’t escaping this one. I had one option left, one single option, and though I knew it would do absolutely no good at all, I pulled air into my lungs and screamed.

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