Page 95 of Envious Of Fire
With that, their progress slows considerably. Mikey clings to Kyle’s shoulders and back with annoying force, feeling likea heavy, fleshy backpack as the two proceed. Kyle realizes this is the second time he’s half-carried this guy through some kind of perilous situation. It’s far easier this time with Mikey being conscious, admittedly. “Watch your step,” Kyle coaches. “Stay by the wall on your right. The path drops off to the left. Good, just like that.” Mikey only replies with nervous grunts. It’s clear the young man is reevaluating his fear of the dark, terrified and relying completely and utterly on Kyle’s guidance.
It’s nearly an hour later. They are still worming their way through the tunnels. No sign of the exit in sight. “Are you sure you know where you’re going?” asks Mikey, voice echoing all around. Kyle doesn’t reply as he continues to pass through the tunnels, growing more and more frustrated by the minute.
Another half hour later, Kyle is certain they’re lost.
“Just admit you don’t know where in the hell we’re going,” says Mikey. “Admit that we’re gonna get caught, that I’m gonna be dead meat, that I’m gonna be punished because of your—”
Kyle comes to an abrupt stop.
Mikey, too, crashing into Kyle’s back. A moment’s pause. “What is it?” he whispers in a panic. “K-Kyle …?”
It’s Kyle’s Reach. It picked something up just now.
Something that wasn’t Mikey.
He turns his head, eyes searching in the darkness, senses nothing. Turns the other way, senses nothing. He listens more, listens further, reaching as best as he can.
He blinks.
Then: “Aww, you guys went without me?”
Both Mikey and Kyle slam against the wall, terrified.
Until the shape emerges from the darkness, and Kyle lets out an irritable sigh. “Damn it, Drake, what the fuck?”
Drake, who has donned his favorite denim jacket again, shrugs. “Sorry, boys, didn’t mean to give you such a spook.”
Kyle takes a second to catch his breath. “I thought you leftwith your brother.”
“Told him I had to run back for the sedatives. It was a lie.” Drake smiles. “I’m gonna help you boys get outta here first.”
Kyle squints at him. “Why?”
“No reason.” A swirl of excitement dances within Drake, a swirl that turns into a chuckle that flees his cutely curling lips. “Well, maybe your last words got to me. Just a little.” He meets Kyle’s eyes, turning soft. “I’m not like my brother. I’m not like you, either. I’m something else. I’m … me.”
“Profound,” states Kyle dryly. “Now are you gonna help us get outta these tunnels or not?”
Drake smiles, perhaps taking that as an acceptance for an apology he didn’t quite utter. “You did well without me, by the way. Almost there. Just a little further this way and to the left.”
“Lead the way,” says Kyle, then follows Drake through the darkness, Mikey clinging to his back every step of the way, still uncertain and completely blinded by the dark.
Soon, the first sign of actual light spills forth: moonlight from the exit of the cave. The sight of the exit is such a greatly welcomed relief, even to Kyle who wasn’t fully blinded by the darkness. The three of them hurry toward the pale light of the moon and the stars pouring in.
Until someone appears, eclipses the light.
Long flowing white hair. Slender shape.
The catsuit-wrapped figure Kyle saw sitting high atop the tallest pile of junk, watching over everything.
Only now, this close, Kyle realizes the vampire’s face is significantly more beautiful than previously thought.
And the raspberry outfit isn’t completely consistent in its color, nor is it shiny everywhere. It’s redder in places, darker or lighter and duller in others, like an uneven coat of paint.
“Blood,” the vampire recites in a shockingly deep voice.
Kyle would be more bold to speak, if it wasn’t for the factthat even Drake seems to have frozen to the spot at the sight of this peculiar individual. Kyle picks up Drake’s worry, feeling like a cold blanket over his shoulders, stinging and icy.
And from their visitor: Kyle feels nothing.
