Page 10 of Blood Illusions

I turned to him and met his steady gaze. “And I’ll save your ass like I always do.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Under the cloak of night, Damon parked the Ford away from the abandoned silver mine. The Ford’s headlights cut through the darkness, revealing a desolate landscape of rugged mountains and a crooked sign that read Shadow Mine dangling from the silver mine’s entrance. The night air was still, and moonlight bathed the scene in an ethereal glow, casting low shadows over the ground. But no matter how hard I squinted into the darkness, I saw nothing.

Not Dad.

Not vampires.

My breath quickened as Damon exited the car and tightened his grip on his sword. I followed suit, opening the passenger side and clutching my dagger so tightly my knuckles turned white. We exchanged a nervous glance.

Something was lurking in the shadows.

I could feel it in my shaking bones.

Our boots crunched on the gravel. With every step we took, I winced.

Vampires could hear a pin drop a mile away. We were practically ringing the dinner bell.

The entrance to the mine, a dark void in the mountainside, appeared even more foreboding under the moonlight. Its aged wooden frame, warped and groaning with the secrets of the past, stood as a silent sentinel to the unknowns within. The remnants of the mine’s once-thriving activity now looked like eerie artifacts under the night sky. Rusted tools lay scattered, and the skeletal remains of carts seemed frozen in time.

As I got closer, I sucked in my breath. A thin frost coated the tools, the same way my blade had been. Maybe that was a coincidence. After all, these were the Rocky Mountains.

Then, I noticed it. A faint, almost imperceptible hum, like the buzz of a distant power line. It was that same electric charge, a signature I had come to associate with their presence. It wasn’t the cold or the mountains. They were here.

Damon gestured for me to take a position opposite the mine entrance. I pressed my back against the rough rock, my heart pounding like a bass drum in my ears. I prayed its thunderous beat wouldn’t betray us.

After Damon’s silent count, we sprang into the cave, weapons ready. Darkness engulfed us, oppressive and disorienting as if a blindfold had been yanked over my eyes. A chilling sensation crept up my arms, the cave feeling less like a part of our world and more like a gateway to a realm ruled by shadows and unseen threats.

I inhaled sharply, expecting the musty scent of dust and mildew. Instead, a metallic, acrid stench assaulted my senses, reminiscent of copper mixed with the decay of long-forgotten carcasses. Panic surged, a wave of nausea following close behind. My thoughts raced to the worst possibilities. Was it Dad? Had something happened to him?

From the enveloping blackness, a pair of glowing red eyes emerged. A husky male voice broke the silence. “You’re walking into a trap just like your dad.”

His speech revealed a glimpse of sharp fangs. My grip on my dagger tightened. I scanned our surroundings, half-expecting an ambush.

“Who are you? What do you know about my dad?” Damon’s voice was a low, menacing growl.

The figure stepped forward, and the dim moonlight revealed his rugged features. His deep, dark eyes stared directly into mine, and I was paralyzed by his gaze.

A beard and mustache framed his face, giving him an alluring, pirate-like look. He was a few inches taller than Damon, and his white shirt was partway unbuttoned, revealing a chiseled chest. Tight jeans hugged his muscular thighs. This guy was undeniably gorgeous, but it could be an illusion created by the vampire’s glamour to seduce its victims.

Look what happened to Mom.

He focused on me as if reading my thoughts. “I’m not your enemy,” he stated calmly. “I am Justice, a vampire, but not like the ones who seek to harm you.”

Damon grabbed him by the shirt. “Start talking, bloodsucker. What do you know about my dad?”

“Your father isn’t here,” Justice continued, unshaken. “I helped him escape. He came here tracking the creatures, which was a mistake. He was wounded and almost got himself killed.”

The blood drained from my face as I thought of the bloodstain on his bed. “What do you mean he was wounded?”

“Like I said, he was wounded. He had a carefully bandaged gash on his side, but I could still smell the blood, and so could those creatures.”

Damon gritted his teeth. “How did he get hurt?” His accusatory voice hinted that he thought Justice was responsible.

Justice held up his hands. “I didn’t hurt him. He told me one of these creatures attacked him, and he trailed them here. I think he wounded one of the vampires.”

His words sparked a flicker of hope in me. “Why would you do that?”

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