Page 61 of Taken By the Vampires
I wrenched the wheel, following the track as best I could, offering up my prayer like a chant. The path ended abruptly, the wheels sinking into the trenches from where the truck had stopped before.
Mom’s eyes were closed, her body limp. “Oh, God. Oh, no. No, please.”
It took me three tries to unbuckle my seat belt, my breathing stuttering in my throat. I slammed the door open and scrambled around the front of the truck to wrench the passenger door open.
I tapped Mom’s face, and when she didn’t stir, tapped her again more forcefully. My breath rushed out when her eyes flickered open, but it was several moments before they cleared from their blank state.
An engine growl rent the silence. I gasped, my head turning towards the sound. They’d followed me! Oh my God. They’d seen me turn off!
I unclipped her belt and eased my arms around her. “Mom. You’ve got to get out. We have to walk. Just a little way, but we have to go now, okay. There’s no time.”
If I could get her through the barrier, they wouldn’t even see where we went. The barrier would hide us. I could be anywhere in this wilderness and they’d have a hard time trying to work out where we went.
Mom’s fingers curled around my shoulder as I helped her out of the truck. She leaned against me, her breathing heavy as though she’d run miles, but she’d only gotten out of the truck.
They were getting closer. As well as the engine sounds, I made out the sounds of rocks and gravel kicking against metal. They weren’t being careful at all. They were going as fast as they could to get us.
I wrapped my hand around her waist, slung her arm about my shoulders and crushed her hands in mine. I balanced her as best I could, taking as much of her weight and turned in the direction of the house.
The trees swallowed us as we walked. But it was slow. Too slow. “Just a little faster, Mom.”
She drew a shallow breath, “You go. Leave me. Save them. No time.”
I re-gripped her hand. That wasn’t going to happen. “We’re almost there. Another step. Good. Now another.”
I wished I was strong enough to pick her up, but sweat poured down my forehead, dripping into my eyes. Fear made me stumble nearly as much as Mom.
Engines sounded louder. Close. Too close. One sounded as though I could reach out a touch it. And then the sound of another engine quickly followed. The sound of more and more vehicles swarmed the path behind us like angry wasps over a fresh target.
A door slammed. Another and another. Male voices.
I recognized Gary’s voice. A man yelled out, loud and clear, and my blood ran like frigid ice in my veins. I recognized those twanging tones. It’d been the cause of the misery of my life.
I don’t know why, but Minister Jeremiah and the Holy Trinity were right behind us.
Fear made my legs weak. There was no way I was leaving Mom behind for them to find. There was no option now but to get through the barrier.
I held on to her tighter, hoping I wasn’t causing her too much pain and struggled over rocks and slippery leaves.
“Where is it?” Shit. The barrier had to be close! Branches rustled, footfalls sounded. They followed us! But how? It was almost impossible to see where we’d gone. I wasn’t even on a path.
I clenched my teeth against making any sound. I steeled my arm around Mom’s waist, ignored my burning lungs, legs and screaming muscles and surged forward. It was impossible to tell where the barrier exactly was, but I went weak as the familiar spider webs brushed my skin.
I stumbled through the barrier and was assaulted by furious wind and pelting hail. This wasn’t just a snowstorm any more. This was absolute hell.
Mom groaned, her body shaking against the arctic chill. “Xander! Cassius! Davon! Help!”
My voice was thin against the howl of the wind. I doubted they’d even hear me. There was no option but to try and reach the house. I stepped and fell knee-deep into snow. Cold wrapped around my legs, whipped through my clothing. The sweat froze instantly on my skin and soon I was wet through, my clothing only serving to chill me even more.
Mom sank, her legs giving out beneath her. I toppled over with her into the snow. Her eyes were closed, head lolling and nothing I did was enough to rouse her.
I tried to pick her up, but her body was too limp. She was a dead weight and I didn’t have the strength to even lift her shoulder off the ground.
I sobbed out loud, helplessness cashing around me. I was so close but I couldn’t take another step further. I sank down into the snow at her side. I brushed away the snow that continued to fall, fearing we’d soon be covered. There was the sound of voices right behind me. Close to the barrier. Too close.
They might even step through and find us!
God. Oh, God no.
