Page 20 of Evil Hearts

I assume the fetal position and let out another groan. My attacker comes up to me for a third time, and I grit my teeth as I prepare myself for the finishing blow. Looking up, I notice the asshole’s helmet and sneer. It looks like a giant, rusty bucket with a slit in the center.

“Killed by a walking trash can,” I rasp. “Cool.”

“Shut it, vampire scum,” the deep voice echoes inside the tin can. “You will be cleansed by fire by the Order of the Sugardove Paladins.”

Oh. Oh, no. It’s bad enough that I’m about to die—that definitely sucks, yes, but getting killed by one of the paladin dorks? This can’t be happening.

Groaning, I roll onto all fours and try to crawl away. But the paladin’s metal boot slams down onto my back, sending my chin into the pavement. More teeth go flying out of my mouth and tinkle across the concrete.

“S-Stop, man—come on,” I choke out. “Just stake me already.”

But the paladin presses his boot into my back. It feels like I’m going to turn into vampire soup.

“Silence,” the walking tin-can bellows. “Goddess knows I take no pleasure in my duty, but in the name of my lady, I purge this city of filth and—”

The paladin doesn’t finish his sentence, because a set of claws punches right through the slit of his helmet from behind.

Holy shit.

Blood trickles in thick, gooey rivulets through the hole. I cringe as I try to pull myself up to my feet, but find myself unable to move.

The paladin sinks to his knees and topples over to the side, revealing a terror-stricken Nosferatu in his place. Her mouth falls open as she takes in the sight of me. Juliette rushes forward to drag me off into the alleyway and out of sight.

“Scotty…” she murmurs, propping me up against the wall. I place my hands over my chest as she examines me. Her fingers run over my neck, my shoulders, my back, everywhere.That fucker broke some of my ribs, and my body is still trying to repair itself. It’ll mend, but it will take more time.

I let out a wheezing cough and say, “It’s been so long…”

She raises an eyebrow and stares deeply into my eyes. “Yes, Scotty?”

“So long since … a woman’s touched me,” I rasp.

Juliette smacks me across my shoulder, and I let out another wheezing cough.

“Ow,” I moan. And then the strangest thing happens.

Juliette laughs. And it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.

I expected her to cackle, or at the very least growl. But this … this sound like music. Her voice is light and feminine like a little bell, and if it could, I’m sure my heart would flutter against my broken ribs.

“Wow,” I say, and without thinking, cup her cheeks in my palms. “Well, isn’t that the sweetest sound?”

Juliette swallows her laughter and stares at me, like she can’t decide if she wants to pull away or … or … kiss me, perhaps? Or hug? When’s the last time I’ve been hugged? Decades, at least. Not even my own mother hugged me. And girlfriends? Forget it. They mostly just want to take a spin on my dick and leave before dinner.

God, I’m such a loser.

But Juliette looks at me like I wish girls looked at me, with a sort of longing they only write about in books.

Then, as quickly as the moment comes, it’s over, and she’s turning away from me. I clear my throat and push myself up to stand. My body’s finally done healing itself, it seems. Juliette glances up at me and furrows her brow.

“It’s okay, I’m fine,” I say, and run my fingers through my hair. When I look at my hand, it’s covered in blood. My blood, coagulated and so dark it’s almost black. That stupid fucking paladin. “Didn’t know the paladins were still a thing, though. That would have been good to know.” That’s what I get fornot paying attention to anything outside of the club and music scene, I guess.

“They’re rare, but yes,” Juliette says, standing up beside me. She looks me up and down once more, checking me over for any signs of injury. “I’m sorry. I only noticed the silhouette from a distance, but I didn’t know.”

I throw my arm around her shoulder and give her a cheesy grin. “No sweat. We survived, didn’t we? And we bagged three bodies. We could always take them to go. Do a movie some other time.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Go where?”

“Back down to ‘Le Salon de Juliette,’ of course. I mean, I know food’s best eaten fresh, but takeaway could be nice. Besides, we don’t want to run into any more of those chucklefucks.”

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