Page 38 of Lost and Bound

Keeping my form as loose as possible, I steady my nerves as I listen and wait to see what happens next. I already know there are at least two beings hiding out, but I suspect there are more. I make sure the guy in front knows I’ve seen him, and he smirks as he steps out from the tree he was lurking behind. The dark gleam in his eye matches the icky sensation he gives off, and the flash of his fangs doesn’t make me feel any better.

From the shadows another being steps out, and he most certainly has no intention of hiding the fact that he’s a vampire. If anything, he watches my face too closely, savoring my reactions. Like his friend, he’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt. They might look casual, but they act the opposite.

I move to keep them both in sight. And my instincts were right—behind me, someone else is creeping closer. That he’s a magikal throws me for a second, as I was expecting another vampire.

I step into the clearing, giving myself room in case I need to run.

The magikal stirs his fingers, and like on the field yesterday, I pick up on wisps of color floating in the air. Unlike yesterday, when all I saw was vibrant purple, this time it’s a bland mix of colors, which I interpret as a measure of his strength. He’s low on the spectrum compared to Emrys. Maybe because I’m comparing him to the other magikal, a part of me is already expecting his next move, even preparing for it.

He stirs his fingers through the air more aggressively, and a ripple of energy follows. Malicious hunger dances in his eyes; he wants whatever he’s doing to hurt.

I feel the moment his spell hits, and for the sake of his ego, I pretend it hurts more than it does.

“What’s going on?” I ask him and his friends.

“We’re seeing if you’re worth it.” He changes his stance, not being subtle about his intentions.

But while he was doing that, I was checking that my shields were firmly in place still.

When he sends off another magikal attack, I school my expression, bracing for the worst, but aside from a slight breeze hitting my face, nothing else happens. His petulance grows at his obvious failure.

He looks at his hands, shaking them out before rubbing them down his face. I take a couple of quiet steps while he’s distracted, but his head snaps up before I can move more than a few paces.

“Is she moving, or is it me?” he asks the others; his earlier mood now replaced by obvious confusion.

His fangy friend grins widely. “They said the white would do that.”

“Really? I don’t remember.”

The three of them talk among themselves, acting like I’m not here and they’re not stalking me. They laugh a lot, talking over each other as they recount what they can remember about the previous night. Clearly, there was a party in the woods, and a lot of the other students were there. Everyone except the Noms.

I wait until they’re distracted before trying to leave again, but exactly like when I shifted the first time, my small movement cuts off their chatter. Their expressions, and intentions change in the blink of an eye. The three of them are back to being pack-minded and on the hunt.

No matter how hard I try to stay calm, my body betrays me, and my heart rate picks up. I want to race away, but running would be dangerous. It’s hard to see a way out, but I’m not going down without a fight, and I guess they see my determination because they get even cockier.

“Try again, Garth. I’m not sure I have it in me to chase her.”

The vampire is lying about the last part. I can see in his eyes how much a chase would excite him.

The other vampire answers, but he talks softly enough that I can’t hear. The other two grin instantly, agreeing to whatever he said. Before I take another breath, they move with unbelievable speed and surround me.

“You’re not leaving,” one of the vamps croons softly.

His voice is strangely warm, dulling my anxiety. I twist to face him; thrown by the gentle way he speaks. Everything about him is now friendly and approachable.

No matter how hard he tries to pretend he’s nice, a big part of me knows he’s about to hurt me. I glance at him before looking at his friends. “Please don’t do this.”

For every step I take away, they take one closer.

“This?” one of the vampires question unnecessarily, mocking me by dancing around just out of reach.

The magikal raises his hand again and points his finger like a gun. The air around him shimmers like a mirage in the summer before his energy blasts out.

Whatever magic he was casting, works this time. I throw my hands up defensively and somehow whatever he did ricochets off me and hits them. They all stagger backward, groaning in pain.

I’m equally stunned and frozen on the spot, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. The closest vampire to me drops to his knees screaming for help and holding his upper arm. The others start stumbling off in all directions, clearly in pain, somehow hurt too.

It takes a second for their injuries to register, but as soon as I see the evidence dripping onto the ground, my ears ring and my vision tunnels.