Page 6 of Crimson Shadows
But as he moves closer, something in his expression changes. He frowns, tilting his head slightly as if listening to something I can’t hear. His nostrils flare, and his eyes narrow as they focus on me with an intensity that makes me shiver.
“What are you?” he murmurs.
That breaks the spell of my paralysis. Without thinking, I turn and run, my heart pounding wildly. I hear Wesley calling after me, his footsteps echoing in the corridor as he chases me.
I burst out of the morgue into the cool night air, gasping, aiming for my bike where I left it. Fumbling with the keys to unlock the chain, the doors to the morgue burst open, andWesley pauses as he looks around for me. My hands are slick with sweat, and the keys fall to the ground before I’ve had a chance to unlock the padlock.
“Fuck,” I mutter. “Fuck. Fuck. Come on.”
Wesley sees me and strides towards me. He is in no rush it seems. “Addy,” he says as the key finally slips into the lock.
Letting the chain and keys drop to the ground, I leap onto my bike and pedal furiously, not daring to look back.
The wind whips through my hair as I race through the empty streets. My mind is reeling. What did I just see? Was that... was that a vampire? And Wesley? Who is he? Why did hestakethat vampire?
As I round the corner onto my street, I see a familiar figure stepping out of our house. Randall. I’m glad to see him.
I screech to a halt in front of him, nearly falling off my bike in my haste. “Randall,” I gasp, struggling to catch my breath.
His eyes widen as he takes in my dishevelled appearance. “Adelaide? What happened?”
Before I can answer, I hear a car turning onto the road. I turn to see Wesley’s old black sedan coming towards us.
Without thinking, I step behind Randall, seeking protection from the man I’ve worked alongside for months but now feels like a stranger.
Randall’s posture changes instantly. He straightens, his presence suddenly seeming to fill the entire street.
Wesley drives towards us, the window rolled down as he stares at us.
It’s surreal, something out of a horror film.
Wesley’s car slows to a crawl as he passes us, his eyes locked onto Randall. The tension in the air is suffocating as this scene plays out in slow motion. I hold my breath, half-expecting Wesley to leap out of his car and attack.
But he doesn’t.
After what feels like an eternity, Wesley’s car accelerates and disappears around the corner. I let out a shaky breath.
Randall turns to me, his face a mask of concern and anger. “What happened?” he demands.
The words tumble out of me in a rush. “I saw Wesley at the morgue. He was... hestakedsomeone. A vampire? The body just turned to dust.”
Randall’s expression turns stony. “Damn it,” he mutters as his dark eyes search my face. “Are you all right? Did he hurt you?”
I shake my head, still trying to process everything. “No, I’m not all right! I saw him stake someone, and then it was like he knew about me, about what you told me. He came after me!” I shove my hands into my hair, forgetting it’s up in the bun I wear for work.
Randall’s expression hardens. “A Hunter,” he spits out the word like it’s poison. “I should have known.”
“A Hunter?” I repeat, feeling like I’ve stepped into some bizarre parallel universe.
He nods grimly. “They’re humans who dedicate their lives to eradicating supernatural beings. Especially vampires.”
My head spins. This is too much. Vampires, Hunters, me, Randall…
But the memory of Wesley’s face, the intensity in his eyes as he asked, ‘What are you?’ sends a chill down my spine.
“We need to get you out of here,” Randall says, his tone urgent. “It’s not safe for you anymore.”
“But what about Mum?” I ask, glancing back at our house. “We can’t just leave her.”
