Page 56 of Ghoul Kisses

The heavy rain fogs the windshield, making it hard to see the road. I pull up to the car garage, kill the engine, and walk up to Vanessa’s condo. I knock on the door, but there no response. Whipping out my phone from my back pocket, I dial her number. Vanessa’s phone rings loudly inside the condo. I grab the spare key from under the mat and unlock the door. Slowly, I push it open.

“Vanessa?” I yell as I enter into the kitchen.

“In here,” she answers. I walk to her bedroom and she lies under the blanket.

“Are you okay?” I ask, perching on the edge of the bed.

“No,” she says. I hear a sob catching in her throat.

“What’s wrong?”

Vanessa sits up and I cannot believe my eyes. Her eyeballs are pitch-black, and she has two fangs poking from her mouth. Her skin is white as snow, like she is dead. I gasp, falling off the bed. She is a vampire! Who would do this to her? I fight back the lump in the back of my throat.

“We can fix this.” My shaky hands touch her; she is cold as ice.

“Who did this to you?” I ask. She grabs me by the arm.

“I’ll talk to Eric, he can help you.”

“NO! I’m sorry. He’s here. I’m sorry; please forgive me.” What is she babbling about?

I hear the door lock, and I turn around. The last person I want to see is standing before me. Pete! He looks bigger than the last time I saw him. Two blood bags are in his hand. He tosses one to Vanessa. She opens it and drinks like a person starving for food. My body grows numb and my heart hammers in my chest.

“You said you wouldn’t hurt her if I lured her here,” Vanessa says with concern. She betrayed me!

“You tricked me!” I say as tears sting my eyes. Vanessa looks down at the floor. This isn’t the person I know. She’s a monster.

“I won’t. I just need the key,” Pete tells Vanessa.

Pete walks over and strokes my cheek. I flinch. He grabs me by the hair and my scalp stings. Vanessa launches herself at Pete, knocking him to the ground.

“Don’t you hurt her, you son of a bitch!” She bangs his head against the wall and punches him in the throat. He yanks her and throws her against the floor-length mirror. Vanessa sits up, removing pieces of glass from her right arm. Blood slips between her fingers as she presses her palm to her wound.

“Is that all you got, bastard?” She spits blood in his face.

I rush to the door, but Pete blocks the exit.

“Where is the fucking key?” he demands, stepping closer to me.

“I don’t have it!” I scream at the top of my lungs.

“You gave it to King Eric?” he asks, pushing me down on the bed. Vanessa gets up, and Pete whips out a pistol and shoots her in the arm.

“Where is the fucking key?”

I don’t answer.

He shoots her in the leg, and she screams.

“Don’t you dare tell him!” she says through heavy breathing.

“Okay, I’ll give you the key.” I can’t watch him kill her.

“Where is it?” Pete says.

“I’ll take you to it,” I whisper, wiping the tears from my eyes.

“If you trick me, I will kill Vanessa,” he says coldly. He stands behind me, nudging the gun to my temple.

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