Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122030 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“It was only my second time.”
“Good. Well, we’ll have to make sure you get a third. Wouldn’t want to stunt your growth.”
She smiles big as she backs up. “I’ll give you your privacy.”
“Thank you. And… happy New Year, Echo.”
“Happy New Year to you too, lord.”
I watch Echo until she disappears around a corner, and then I turn my attention back to the door.
CHAPTER FIVE - SYRSEE
It’s like I want to get caught.
I don’t want to see a dying woman in my dreamwalk, I want to see my grandma the way she was. The way she used to be before her curse took her soul. So I am excited when the fog that floats up around me isn’t lavender, but purple.
The past?
I hope. But it could be the future because I’m not with my grandma, I’m in a winter forest. Large flakes of snow falling from the white sky like feathers from Heaven. I’m standing on the edge of the same clearing where I was earlier, except it can’t be the same clearing because that haze was lavender.
And aside from that, there is a man here now. He’s sitting on a fallen tree trunk in the center of the clearing and holding a baby wrapped in furs. He’s gazing down at it the way a man might look down on his own beautiful child.
I take a step forward, surprised that this one step comes with the sound of snow crunching under my boot. When he looks up, I realize my mistake. He is not a man.
He is a monster. Black wings unfurl from the furs covering his back. His eyes brighten to silver. His mouth opens, revealing fangs. His face is something evil, but I can’t look away. I’m drawn to him.
And he to me, apparently. Because he’s looking right into my eyes.
No. No, no, no. He cannot see me. Not only can he not see me, I cannot see him. This is how it’s always been. This is how it always shall be.
But of course, that’s not how this ends, is it?
Grandma is dying and that means her protection of me is dying with her.
And I have just gotten my first look at the vampire Paul.
I get a sick feeling in my stomach.
Is this my future? Is that my baby? Does this mean I get caught?
I sit upright in bed, breathing hard, the purple dream over.
A noise outside startles me and I quickly get out of bed, suddenly remembering who I am and what I’m doing.
I’m endangering myself. Just being here is a huge risk.
It’s like I want to get caught.
There is more noise on the other side of the door. Partiers, probably. But when I press my ear against the wood, I detect whispering. Then footsteps.
Just as I’m about to sigh out a breath of relief, the doorknob turns and the door crashes open.
CHAPTER SIX - PAUL
Just another wicked, wicked witch.
When I open the feeder’s door, it is completely dark. I have excellent night vision but it is the stench of sickness that hits me first, not the sight of my feeder. I put a hand over my mouth and nose, forcing down a gag, then I flip on the light.
This room contains one bed, one chair, and one table. There is a small stainless-steel toilet in the corner, something you might find in a prison.
The chair is in the center of the room and the feeder is sitting on it. She is naked, head hanging forward, matted-up gray hair covering her face and old, saggy flesh bitten hundreds of times. Blood is weeping from sores left over from older bites and trickling down her arms and legs from newer ones.
It has never been clearer to me that her soul left this body decades ago.
I close the door behind me and force a smile, even though her eyes are closed. “Happy New Year, Rose. I hope the partying didn’t keep you up.”
She doesn’t even moan.
I walk over to her and kneel down, placing my hands on her bony knees. She flinches. “Aw. There you are.” I reach up and push her matted hair aside so I can see her wrinkled face. “There, there. It’s almost over now. Was Lucia mean to you? I will punish her for that. You know I don’t like it.” I caress her cheek with the back of my hand. “You are so important, Rose. You should be respected, shouldn’t you?”
Her eyes open, momentarily brighten, then go sharp. I smile at this reaction. She wants to spit on me, I can tell. But she hasn’t the strength to do it.
“And there’s that spunk I’ve always loved.”
“Fuck,” comes out as a whisper. “You,” is barely a breath.
“No, Rose. You can beg for it all day long, but you’re just not my type. I like the pretty ones. Remember when you were pretty?” I pet her. “It was long time ago now. But even back then, you were not pretty enough for me.”