CRIMSON

The danger is closer than you think

- chapter thirteen -

One more night, one more workout.

It was Friday night and Brielle was training in the gym, angry. Her parents and Ace's had left to follow a lead from the mysterious vampire who had helped them kill the coven. Since they were still under house arrest, they had been forbidden to go with them. And it was making her very angry. She was fond of the hunt, it was the one thing that made her life less boring. She liked to have some quiet time, but she would also like to have some action, and the hunt was her only action of the week, and the parents had taken that away from her.

She was alone in her house, it had been days since she had talked to Ace and now was not the time. She was so angry that she could hit him even though he wasn't guilty of anything. As she did her exercises, she felt a breeze blow across her back, sending shivers down her spine. She frowned, she couldn't remember leaving the windows open. She left the room to find out which window might have been open. When she saw nothing suspicious, she returned to her favourite room.

As soon as she was in the room, there was no doubt in her mind that she was no longer alone. And just as her instincts had told her, Elijah was standing there with his back to the wall. She didn't hesitate. She grabbed a wooden stick from the wall and took up a defensive position. Elijah chuckled and crossed his arms over himself. He looked down at the floor. Then he moved away from the wall and walked towards the blonde teenager. Don't come any closer, she warned, starting to move slowly. Not knowing his weaknesses or his power, she couldn't bring herself to attack him. To attack him now would be too risky. Instead, she analysed every move he made, not wanting to give him a second to come after her.

— Oh Brielle, I've heard so much about you, he said, ignoring what the teenager had said. You have such a good heart, then why do I have the feeling it is rotten? You and your family get paid for killing people, we do it, we're the monsters. He walked over to the punching bag and gave it a big punch, puncturing the bag in the process. He took his hand out and shook it before looking at the fingernails on his hand.

— I can kill you, Brielle threatened.

— No, you can't. I know the way you work, Brielle. You analyse the monsters, find their weakness and strike at their point of pain. But you see, my little dove, I do not have a weakness. Nobody can beat me.

In a second, he picked up the stick that Brielle was holding in her hand and threw it across the room. Brielle didn't give up so easily. She started to hit him, but Elijah was faster, stronger. He took hold of her wrist and twisted it around before he let go. The reason for my coming here is that I wanted to thank you for almost killing those three stupid homophobes at your high school, you said. Seeing how you're frowning, you're wondering how I know that. Victor told me. What a precious human being, his blood looks so exquisite, he declared as he licked his fangs.

Brielle screamed in rage and tried to hurt Elijah. She could not bear to hear such comments being made about Victor. Elijah let out a sigh and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the wall. I'm thirsty, it's been days. I had no intention of tasting your blood, but the sound of it coursing through your body makes me want to... just... drink. He brought his canine teeth close to the teenager and licked the back of her neck, causing Brielle to shiver. She struggled to get the dagger out of her back pocket and jammed it into his shoulder as the vampire immediately let go with a slight groan.

She tried to make a run for it, but Elijah pulled the dagger from his body and ran towards the blonde, blocking her path. The same damned savage mind... He whispered before he lunged at her. He bit her, viciously. He sucked out her blood and sighed with pleasure at the taste of the blood that it gave him. When she was on the verge of unconsciousness, Elijah released her. He had to follow the plan, her time had not yet come. He walked away with a smile on his face while Brielle sat there trying to regain consciousness. The wound that Elijah had left in her was one that she had to heal as a matter of urgency, or else her life would be in danger. He had deliberately left a poison in her system. He wasn't going to let her live without doing something.