Darkness Fading

Chapter Four

***This chapter contains violence. It will get bloody, but don't worry, it won't be this graphic the entire book. Do you think the violence was too descriptive or not enough?***

"If you think you are too small to be effective,

you've never been in bed with a mosquito."

-Bette Reese

"Let's cut the monitors off and disconnect the speaker. I don't think he's messing with me, but he might start." James finally released me from his suffocating grip and resumed pacing.

"Wait, what color are his eyes?" Maybe he's not messing with me and I've finally lost my mind.

"Uh, they looked black to me. Why?" He stopped pacing and checked the screen to double check. He did a double take and leaned in closer to the image of Callum. "Evie, hand me the medallion."

"No way! You want to give it to him, don't you?" We are so screwed.

"Of course not! I have an idea." He reached into his back pocket and handed me a small knife. "If I try to take it out of this room, stab me."

"Have you lost your mind?" He reached out and snatched the Asonja before I could react. Instead of bolting out the room like I imagined he would, he faced the monitor again and leaned close. He dropped the medallion on the desk and looked at Callum again. Four or fives times he repeated the process.

"What are you doing?"

"He looks ... different if I'm holding this thing. More human or something. It's a heavy feeling, though, like an illusion."

"But I wasn't holding the medallion when it first happened."

"Your hand must've been touching it. If I hold it without looking at him, I feel fine."

We both jumped when Callum's voice echoed through the room. "Well, you two are quite the detectives. Do you plan to give me what's mine or will I have to come retrieve it myself?" When we didn't respond, he took an exaggerated sigh, his shoulders lifting with the effort. "I did want this to be easy." He snapped his fingers and his two lackeys were instantly by his side. With one sharp nod, they launched themselves at the door. Long black  claws extended from their fingertips as they began shredding the steel. Well, that's new.

James pointed toward the escape hatch on the floor. He signaled for me to go down first. The hatch went down and leveled off into an exceptionally narrow corridor, snaked underground, and resurfaced in an abandoned barn a half a mile away. There was only enough room for one person at a time, but fortunately, we could use that to our advantage.

I quietly lifted the hatch open and slipped down into the pitch black hole. My arm brushed against the light switch and I turned to flick it on. The lantern style sconces flicked a dim light down the stony walls. James came down after me, closing the hatch behind him. He handed me the medallion and my journal. He pulled the 4 stakes from his belt and passed two of them to me.

I shoved the medallion in my back pocket and crammed the journal in the back of my jeans. I pulled my .45 from the ankle holster to slow them down if I had to. Thank God I didn't take it off before falling asleep this morning.

As James backed down the hall, the hatch was ripped open. I flinched as a horrible screech echoed around me. The first vampire flew at James, fangs bared and claws extended. As it landed in front of him, he shoved the stake into its chest, missing his mark.

Grunts and groans were vibrating the claustrophobic space as the second vampire slide between the legs of James and his opponent. Gripping the stake with my left hand, I aimed the .45 with my right and fired. My attacker slowed but kept coming, steadily increasing speed. I shot again, the bullet hitting him in his right eye.