Pulse (On Hold)

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

I didn’t realise I had fallen asleep until I woke up feeling cold and drained. My body’s drenched from the rain that’s now falling like tears from the sky and there’s an ache in my heart I can’t erase. I recognise the pain as loss. Not for Renee exactly, although that’s definitely still here, but for Logan. It feels like he’s taken a piece of me with him.

I slowly stand up and look around me. I have to get down from here, but how can I do that when I’m standing on top of a very high, derelict building? I wrap an arm around myself to stop my body from shivering and make my way over to the fire escape. I take hold of the old, rusted rail with my free hand and begin to descend the stairs hesitantly.

The metal creaks with every step I take as I make my way down. Why did Logan have to take me up here? ‘He wants to kill me,’ I think to myself. The harsh wind picks up suddenly, playing havoc with my hair, and I grab onto the rattling, railing before I fall over the edge. ‘Yep, he definitely wants me dead.’

Logan’s violent red eyes flash before my eyes. Vampire… What did I know of the vial creature? No much, that’s for sure. But I don’t think they’re exactly like the predators described in stories though.

I can’t imagine Logan emerging from a coffin at night and stalking a weak, easy human like in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. No, that doesn’t sound like him at all. I don’t think he would go on a crazy, murderous rampage like Damon did in The Vampire Diaries either.

I figure Logan would attract his prey with his camouflage. A poor unsuspecting girl would take his beauty at face value just like I did and get trapped in his dark, sticky web. Only he’d sink his fangs into her neck and drink the life from her veins before she can escape.

As I step off the last stair, I wonder why Logan left me alive. I was so sure he was going to kill me, to rip out my throat and let me bleed to death under the stairs. But he didn’t. He left me right after he got what he wanted most… For me to finally know what a true monster he is. 

God, how could I have been so blind? He warned me so many times. But I ignored him. Now I’m paying the price, and so is my poor best friend Renee and Jared. Jared… I hope he’s okay after hitting his head? What if he died right there and then? I never get the chance to thank him for being my anchor, the person keeping me safe and steady.

I find myself running the rest of the way home. I don’t care that I have a history of collapsing from exhaustion whenever I run. My body might be aching from head to toe and my lungs might be combusting, but I have to know that he’s safe. I have to know that I haven’t lost him too.

I turn right into my driveway, fling open the wrought iron gate and fall onto my knees in front of Jared. He’s still breathing, I can see the slow rise and fall of his chest, but the blood stained gravel around him says it all. I realise with a pang of guilt that he’s like this because of me.

“Jared? Baby? Speak to me,” I plead, as I brush back his blond hair from his face. I hear Jared grunt and he says my name barely above a whisper. “Yes, baby. I’m here.” I press my lips gently to his mouth and he says my name again. “Jared, I was so worried. I thought I lost you,” I say, and begin to sob uncontrollably in his chest.

Jared’s arms wrap around me, hand stroking my back soothingly. “Michael always said my head was harder than any rock,” Jared chuckles, bringing us up into a sitting position. I look into his eyes, seeing the life shine through them, and kiss him again. “I thought I lost you too a ghrà mo chroì. How did you get away?”

“He let me go,” I say quietly, feeling Jared’s arms tighten around me protectively. “He let me go,” I repeat, this time in wonder. I can’t believe I didn’t die tonight. It’s just all so surreal!