White Witch, Black Curse

Gasping, I flung myself to the side. My arm burned as I found the carpet, facedown. A terrifying sound filled the boat, and whipping my hair from my eyes, I watched them grapple. I couldn't breathe, and still on the floor, I sat up and fumbled in my bag. But my fingers wouldn't work, and it took an agonizingly long time to find my gun. I cried out in relief, shoved my bag aside, and pointed the muzzle at him. I'd shoot them both if I had to.

"Not like this," the older vampire said with a snarl.

"You got that right, coffin breath," I said, and I pulled the trigger.

His face an ugly mask of anger, the vampire shoved Kisten. He flew backward across the room, and his head made a loud thump as it hit the boat's metal wall, behind the paneling. "Kisten!" I shouted as his eyes rolled back and he slumped to the floor, out cold.

Shaking, I got to my feet. "You son of a bitch," I said, hardly able to point the gun.

"You have no idea," the vampire said, then showed me the splat ball, safely in his hand, unbroken and worthless. He set it gently on the dresser, and it rolled, falling behind it. Eyes slitted, he breathed deeply of the fear I was filling the room with.

Tears of frustration started leaking out. I had to let him get closer or he'd just catch the next ball, but too close, and he'd have me. Kisten wasn't moving, and I backed up. "Kisten," I said, nudging him. "Kisten, please wake up. I can't keep both of us alive. I need your help."

The smell of blood drew my eyes down, and I felt my face go pale. Kisten wasn't breathing.

"Kisten?" I whispered, shock filling my entire world. "Kisten?"

My eyes warmed, and hot tears slipped down as I realized he was dead. The vampire had killed him. The son of a bitch had killed Kisten.

"Bastard!" I shouted, in agonized pain and anger. "You son-of-a-bitch bastard. You killed him!"

The vampire stopped short and stared at Kisten. His black eyes widened as he realized he had, and his mouth twisted into a grimace. An ugly rumble of anger, almost a growl, lifted through the air. "You puking little witch," he snarled. "He was mine to kill, and you made me do it before I had even tasted him!"

I couldn't stop shaking, and as I stood with my feet spread wide before Kisten, I aimed my gun at him. "I'm going to—"

"Kill me?" he taunted, his expression so full of hate it was frightening. "Right."

He moved. My back hit the same wood that had crushed Kisten's brain against his skull, killing him instantly. The air left my lungs. The flat of the vampire's arm was at my throat, pinning me there. My eyes bulged, and I struggled to breathe. His weight let up, and I got a gasp of air in as the world spun and suddenly he had my front against the wall.

Pain exploded in my wrist, and my hand opened. I heard the dull thump of my gun hitting the carpet, and the pressure vanished.

"You ruined my entire evening," the vampire said, leaning against me so I could see the thin rim of brown around his eyes. "I was promised someone's last blood, and Kisten's is gone. Guess what that means?"

He was feeding off my fear, bringing himself to a higher pitch. I struggled, and he pressed his entire body length against mine. I couldn't move, and my fear edged into panic. My fingers dug at the paneling, and my tears slipped down.

"It means," he said, sending the scent of damp cement over me, "I'll drain you instead." I jerked as he pulled the last of my braid apart and ran his dust-scented fingers through my hair. "I'd rather have played with Kisten," he said as he breathed deeply of my curls. "Piscary has been at him a good long time, and the boy has so much saliva in him that I could probably cut out his heart and he would writhe for more."

"Bastard," I said to the wall, terrified.

He sucked in air as he ran the flat of his nose along my neck to breathe in my scent. I shuddered as his pheromones dove deep and brought the scar to life. Tension shifted to adrenaline, and I stifled a moan of what might have been ecstasy. But there could be no ecstasy here. This was evil. I was not turned on. I was scared shitless. "Leave me alone," I said, but it was a powerless demand, and he knew it.

"Mmmm," he said as he turned me around and I could see the lust reflected in his eyes. "I've a better idea. I'm going to keep you alive as my shadow. Take my revenge on sweet Ivy slowly. Piscary's little bitch needs to be taught her place."

He knows Ivy? Terror gave me strength, and I fought him. He let me go. He had to have. I couldn't have gotten away otherwise. He's playing with me, I thought as I ran for the door. I was on the water. I couldn't tap a line unless I could get off the boat. I am so lost.

Stars exploded, and I stumbled, falling on the bed. He had hit me. I hadn't even seen him move, but the freaking bastard had hit me, and I felt my face grow hot as I tried to figure out where the floor and walls were.