Page 115 of Heathens

Twisting as hard as I can, I tear his head right off his body with an agonizing and sickening wail. I almost think I heard him try to say something one last time, but it was too late. It always is.

My chest heaves from the effort, but I have no time to rest, turning to see Sofie cradling Ruby in her arms and trembling like a leaf. Her chest is stained with blood and she lets out a wretched sob.

“She’s dying.”

When I don’t move fast enough, she loses control, slamming one hand on the floor as she shrieks at me.

“Dominic, fuckingdo something!”

The grief in her voice makes me nauseous. I toss Theo’s severed head to the floor and crouch down to check Ruby’s pulse. It’s faded to nearly nothing.

“I can’t live without her, Dominic. I’ve lost everyone I love.” She lifts her chin, suddenly defiant. “I won’t do it again.”

“I’ll turn you both,” I choke out. “But you’ll have to die before I can.”

“Ruby first, and then me,” she whispers.

I roll up my sleeve and drag my claw down my wrist, opening the vein like a canyon. A rivulet of crimson comes to the surface, and I press it to Ruby’s lips as Sofie strokes her head.

“Come on, babe. Drink.”

Ruby lets out a moan, her eyelids fluttering. I can only see the whites of them, but her lips latch on to my wrist and she begins to feed. The sickening silence is filled by the sound of Sofie’s heavy breathing.

“We can help with Rene.” Her voice is raw, but still full of hope. “With the three of us we can—“

“You won’t have the strength to take him on. He’ll do the same thing to you that I did to Theo.” I pause, letting out a long sigh. “And he’ll enjoy it.”

Ruby moans as she feeds, her body twisting as her grip on my arm tightens. Normally, this is an extremely intimate process, but time is of the essence. Sofie and I stare at her in a silent plea for her to keep drinking. Seconds feel like hours, and the weight of my anxiety crushes me.

Finally, it feels like enough, and I check Ruby’s pulse again. Her heart has slowed, and she lets out one final wheezing breath before her body goes limp.

“Did she get enough?” She chokes out through tears.

Ruby’s body seizes up and her eyes shoot open, one still blue and the other fading to a midnight black. She lets out a panicked gasp, and Sofie clutches her to her chest.

“What’s happening?!”

“She’s coming back. It’s okay.”

Ruby’s body seizes violently, her broken neck straightening out as the bones snap and crack back into place. Her pupils widen, eyes now fully black as she stares at the ceiling with parted lips. A low howl pours out of her, filling the room as she shakes. The veins in her forehead and neck are engorged with blood, and she foams at the mouth, letting out another gurgling wail.

And then a car door slams outside, and I hear him whistling.

Put on a Happy Face.

Fuck, we’re out of time.

I shove Ruby aside and grab Sofie by the hair, pulling her neck to the side as I sink my fangs into her. She chokes and claws at me in a panicked desperation. I drink deeply, hearing Ruby moving and whimpering in the background before she leans in, newly yellow irises vibrant and piercing as she lets out a little hiss.

Sofie grabs her and brings her to the other side of her throat, pressing Ruby’s mouth to her skin almost as if by instinct. This has to be done delicately. Ruby could kill her before I have the chance to step in. A human can’t be drained for too long before we bring them back or the change isn’t always guaranteed.

Sofie moans and I can hear her flesh tear as Ruby drinks from her, the two of us feeding until her heart finally comes to a complete stop. Ruby lets out a growl and tries to go further, but I grab her and throw her off to the side. Blood-drunk, she flops against the wall and sobs.

“More.”

“Shut up.”

I can hear his steps getting closer and the panic sets in.

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