Grim Echoes

Chapter 61 - Maeve

Ander explained their plan to her. Didn't want to wait in the SUV, but she also wanted no where near that hive. Not a soldier. She had no useful skills for monsters. Ander handed her a small gun and asked if she knew how to use it. The only thing she knew how to do was turn off the safety. But weren't all guns the same aim and pulled the trigger? It wouldn't kill a vampire just to buy time.

"If something happens and you need to use it, fire until the target does not move. Then run. Run to the nearest place with people, it does not matter where. If you are able, notify us. Do not try to follow us," Ander told her sternly.

"Please, be careful," she whispered. Her ill feeling was back in force. She didn't want them to leave the vehicle.

"We need to move, so I can catch their scent to follow them," Will growled.

Maeve forced herself to remove her hand from Ander's arm and turned to Will, who stared out the window. Seconds later, he opened the door without even a glance back. It devastated her. Ander flicked his eyes to her before he joined Will. She moved to the driver's seat and stared through the window, but lost track of them in the darkness, both clad in black. She sat back, her hand still held the small firearm.

The sense of dread sat like a rock in her stomach. It urged her to leave the SUV and follow them. Only days ago, she'd learned anything about vampires. She had no training and couldn't even control whatever random abilities she had. It made sense to be worried. What they did was dangerous, but they weren't infiltrating the hive, only confirming its location.

Maeve tried to fall back on her psychology knowledge. Acknowledge her feelings and work through them. In the past, that'd worked. At the moment, she wanted to scream. She'd gone to school for psychology and seen the techniques work. Every time since she'd met them, she tried to use her skills. All she'd felt was rage. They were pointless. Guess Freud, Jung, Rogers, and Skinner hadn't ever dealt with monsters.

Time passed, the minutes seemed like hours. A bizarre thought formed in her mind. Staying there was worse than being in danger. That made no sense. Sitting filled with anxiety wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't worse than being hunted by monsters. And yet, the thought crossed her mind again, more urgently. She shook her head. Wanted to listen to the radio, but it'd drain the battery and she was told not to have anything on in the SUV. She peeked at her phone, they'd been gone for forty minutes. Not long considering the hive was two miles away.

Too long, needed to go after them, get out of the vehicle. What? She paused, the phone still in her hand. Maeve scanned around outside. Something wasn't right. Her stomach knotted. They needed her, had to get out now. Her eyes darted around the area near the SUV. Will mentioned vampires could get into your head and make you do things. Were they in her head now? Was it just her own paranoia?

She peered out the window. The sky had shifted a shade. Not dawn yet, but soon. In the distance, she saw subtle movement. Was that them? She gripped the stock of the gun and tried to make out their shapes. It's them, they're hurt, she heard her own voice say in her head. Their movements were off. They looked wounded. But Ander and Will had been explicit not to leave the SUV. Panic filled her. She gripped the steering wheel and considered driving off road. They might not make it to the SUV. Running out of time. Against her better judgment, she left the keys in the ignition and unlocked the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, focused on getting to them.

As soon as her toes touched the ground, she took off toward them. Not her best plan, but they were hurt. Vampires might be after them. Just as she was about to reach them, she stopped short. Will and Ander vanished and left a male and female gawking at her like she was lunch.

"Hello lovely, that took long enough. You are a tough nut to crack," the short male with fangs told her, his voice velvet.

The tall, thin female looked irritated. Maeve turned to run back to the SUV when someone grabbed her from behind. Damn it, should've shot them.