Page 100 of Magic and Muffins

When I got close enough to read the sign in the moonlight, I wanted to groan.

The East View parking lot of Sugarloaf Mountain.

Why there? Why the same mountain where I’d fallen into a cave and found Cross?

Vivian chose the white trail marker and shoved me forward onto the unpaved path.

“Go. And if you try to escape, just know there’s a lovely wedding-vow renewal event nearby filled with aged attendees who can’t run and have no idea they’ll be my next meal.”

Escape? I could barely walk. Even with all the right gear, I'd barely managed to reach the top of the mountain. I would never survive hiking in a pantsuit and heels.

Once we entered the trees, the moonlight only vaguely touched the trail, creating shadows and hiding obstacles. I tripped several times, almost falling. Vivian laughed softly, a predatorial sound in the darkness.

He inhaled a long breath. “You always smell delicious when you’re afraid. But out here, sweating and breathing heavy through your terror, you’re intoxicating. I bet when Cross fucks you, you’re like a drug. He must fuck you all the time.”

“How far do we have to walk?” I asked, hurting my throat in my hope to change the subject. The last thing I wanted was for someone as depraved as Vivian to get ideas.

“Enjoy the night, Everly. It will be a long one.

“Just think, if you play your cards right, you can enjoy all the nights. Who needs the sun, anyway?”

Fear spiked through me, and I tripped on something. My toe throbbed as I stumbled and fought to steady myself.

“Mmm. Even your pain is delicious. It makes me want to do things to you, Everly. With my lover gone, you could be my next toy. We did love our toys. Thoroughly used them until there was nothing left.”

Distract him, my mind screamed.

I swallowed hard and tried to speak clearly. “Why here? What’s on this mountain? Are there vampires hiding up here?”

“When you ask questions, I wanted to feast on your blood and flood my brain with your memories. But I have a few from the last time you bled. You love your family and friends. Baking too. You have hopes and dreams.”

The way he said it made it sound like they were the worst things imaginable.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I didn’t. Because I’m not sure if your little human mind can handle the answers.”

“Try m—” My foot slid in something, and I went down with an awkward split. The sound of my pants ripping was loud in the quiet woods.

“Ow,” I whimpered as I slowly picked myself up.

“Here, let me.” Vivian yanked me to my feet by my hair and brought my hand to his mouth. Considering the way he groaned when he sucked on it, I knew there had to be blood. I hoped he choked on dirt.

He released me just as suddenly as he’d pulled me up.

“Walk, you sweet little blood cake, before I remember why I shouldn’t paint this trail red with your icing.”

Shivering at his words, I spun around and continued along the trail. With my focus on where to step so I wouldn’t fall again, I didn’t see the danger sign until Vivian told me to stop.

“Under the chain, Everly.”

I glanced at the warning sign for falling rocks and risk of death, then slipped under the chained-off area.

My heels didn’t stand a chance of maintaining any form of stability on the narrow leaf-and-rock-covered track. In daylight, I might have found the area beautiful. In the dark, the surrounding hills and the trees suffocating the moonlight seemed as sinister as the vampire trailing me.

While I watched my feet, a sense of danger slowly grew inside. It shouted that I needed to turn around and run before something really bad happened. Knowing Vivian was behind me and he wouldn't let me go anywhere, along with the fact that there were future victims nearby, was enough to keep me going. However, the warning of danger only intensified as I continued. Soon, I was fighting with the urge to flee, even knowing Vivian wouldn’t let me.

I was so focused on forcing myself to keep moving that I didn’t notice we had come to the end of the path until I reached an old rusty gate stuck in the gap of a towering, split rock formation.

---