Page 23 of Our Little Monster
I slid down the wall, trying in vain to catch myself, but my ankle rolled an awkward direction as I stumbled to my feet.
He came for me again, but I grabbed the sawed-off shotgun that was strapped to my back under my jacket, already loaded with buckshots. I normally stuck to stakes in close combat with a vampire in such a public place, as they were quiet and just as lethal, but I didn’t have a choice.
I aimed and pulled the trigger. The vampire blasted a few feet away from me, landing with a hard thud on the concrete.
He gasped for air before he began groaning. With the splintered wood in his body, he would be weak and his wounds wouldn’t heal until he removed every little piece that was embedded in his skin.
I swung my gun back into its holster while I got to my feet, limping over to him. Pain shot up my leg with every step. I leaned over with my good leg and wiped my stake clean against his jeans before I sheathed it and looked for the other one.
With a sigh, I realized I’d have to grab it from the other guy’s back before I left with the information I needed.
I squatted, keeping my distance.
“Who killed John Velika?” I asked.
He choked over his words. “What are you talking about?”
“Eight months ago, some ofyour kindkilled John Velika. Who. Killed. Him? Who was involved? It was a planned attack,” I asked, shoving two of my fingers into one of his larger wounds and causing him to growl in pain. He’d feel it just as strongly as any human.
Once he caught his breath, he started, “I–I don’t—”
I shoved my fingers deeper, and he cried out.
“There was a party around that time, a lot ofmy kindwere there.” He snarled the words for emphasis. “I had heard about John’s death, but I never knew who killed him. Maybe go there to try and find some answers.”
“Where?” I demanded.
“On the outskirts of Fredericksburg, close to where everything happened,” he said. I removed my fingers, and he released a breath.
Of fucking course it would be the one town I’d been avoiding for almost a year.
With a huff, I grabbed the stake on my hip.
“Please, no, I gave you what you wanted. I haven’t done anything. We wouldn’t have killed those women; we were just having some fun. I haven’t crossed any lines. Please, just let me go. Just let me—” His words were cut off as I shoved the stake into his heart and his body went limp against the pavement.
I didn’t care about rules anymore, and I didn’t bother cleaning up my mess. The sun would take care of it for me.
Next stop, Fredericksburg.
7
Serina
Thecoolwindwhippedmy hair wildly behind me as I gassed my motorcycle down the empty highway that was the final stretch leading to my destination.
My bike was the only thing I had left that reminded me of my dad since his car was left parked in the cabin’s garage by my uncle.
A small town to rest was just what I needed. And that was exactly what Fredericksburg was, but I’d rather be anywhere but here. The longer I rode down this highway, the faster memories barreled into me.
I held my head up as I pushed on, shoving away the burn in my throat. I couldn’t stop. If I stopped, I would break, and I refused to break until this was done.
Alive or dead in the end, I wouldend this.
Most Vampires preferred large cities. Plenty of warm bodies to sink their teeth into. I never understood why so many were in such a small town that day. They had to have followed us all the way there.
It let me know I was more than likely dealing with Higher Vampires. They didn’t need to feed as often. They were the ones that had walked this world longer than most. The ones that knew what they were capable of and learned the extent of their power, strength, and magic through the time they had to master it.
Higher Vampires were incredibly intelligent, and most had unique supernatural abilities that went beyond the changelings. Telekinesis, mind reading, causing pain without touching you, I had seen some even possess an invulnerability to sunlight, and even stronger regenerative capabilities against wood and other things that were known to weaken them.
