Night Guardians

Chapter Twenty Six- Rude Interuptions

*Beth's POV*

My lips curled back, a low hiss threatening to escape my mouth. Vampires, all of them full-fledged to make it worse.

I could sense Ash’s fear from beside me. I couldn’t let them see him. Grabbing his collar I pulled him down so we were out of sight. Touching my pendant I reached out to Ash’s mind.

I’ll get you out of here, I promise.

I reached into the waistband of my jeans. Ash stared at the handgun I’d placed in his hands, his eyes widened as I shoved the wooden bullets in his palm. He opened his mouth to speak. I quickly clamped my hand over his mouth, miming for him to keep quiet. Vampires had extraordinarily keen sense of hearing. If they heard Ash, we’d both be dead.

 I had no idea whether Ash could handle using a gun, let alone one against vampires, but at least this way he had some form of protection.

We scurried across the landing, trying desperately not to make a noise.

Too late, “Up there! There they are!”

Both of us practically flew down the hall. I stayed at the back behind Ash. I was the only one of the two of us who could fight off the vampires. Even without my gun I could stall them at least.

Damn it! If more of the Luna’s were here instead of doing Zane’s stupid patrol we wouldn’t have to be running at all. We could kill them all so easily.

Ash stumbled over the carpet. I swung him up over my shoulders knowing he wouldn’t be able to keep up the pace much longer. But Ash’s weight made a significant difference in my speed. It was faster that his had been but not fast enough to outrun the vampires. They should’ve already caught us by now. I shook away my curiosity and counted my blessings.

Planning our escape, I turned the corner that lead to the widow’s walk. I’d have to jump off the rail and run to town where it was public. They couldn’t attack there. Even these vampires wouldn’t risk exposure.

I broke through the doors. I was wrong. No wonder the leeches downstairs didn’t get us. They weren’t chasing us. They were herding us.

Two pairs of hands grabbed a hold of me, restraining my body. Ash jumped from my back at my attackers.

“No!” I cried to him to run, but he ignored me.

Rage in his eyes, he pointed the gun at the vampire. The leech laughed mockingly at him, the other behind me chuckling just as maliciously. I struggled against the vampire who held me back, their grip on my arms tightening like a vice.

Ash jumped as he squeezed the trigger. The vampire behind me burst into sardonic laughter at Ash.

His amusement died away as he watched his partner. “Ray?”

 The leech clutched at the left of his chest. He opened his mouth as if he were struggling for breath. He staggered forward, almost collapsing into Ash. Ash stared at the man, trauma and horror written all over his face.  The vampire lurched to one side, his legs failing to support his own weight. Suddenly he lost his balance on the railing, sending him toppling over the edge.

“Ray!” The leech immediately let me go, moving rapidly to the edge to the railing.

Ash rushed to my side, taking me in his arms instantly. A moment later, the vampire clocked us, its eyes vengeful. I jerked Ash behind me.

I stepped forward. One leech I could handle. “What are you doing here? I demand to know who you are!”

Its mouth turned curled in a twisted snarl.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve half-breed.” Its eyes shifted to Ash. I heard him gulp behind me. “I’ll make you a deal, give her to me and I’ll only hurt you a little when I drink you dry.”

Red flashed before my eyes. While it was looking at Ash, I charged into its chest. As it made to grab for me, I catapulted myself up in the air, landing on its shoulders.

I wretched the knife from my boot, holding it angled at the leech’s neck in my hand.

The vampire twisted round, trying to reach me. It let out a screeching cry of agony as I plunged the dagger to its throat, my hand quickly growing sodden as its hot blood seeped through my fingers. I brought my lips to its ear, my voice a venomous hiss.

“Not nice is it?” I twisted the blade. It made another gargled scream. My eyes snapped to Ash, terror stricken by the scene in front of him. “The gun, Ash, shoot it!”

Ash fumbled with the gun while I struggled to hold the vampire still. Hands shaking, he pulled the trigger and the shot rang out.

I jumped off the vampire as it crashed to the floor, ripping my knife back as I did so. I watched as its body decayed before my eyes. Its white skin withered and moulded in front of me. The leech had looked young when it was alive. Now its true age shaped before us.

The rotten corpse lay still, its eyes hollow as it sprawled face down into the ground.

I looked back to Ash. His face was chalk white and sickly as he stared open mouthed at the dead vampire.  

Reality rippled through me. Of course he was terrified. He’d be an idiot not to be. I was the idiot to even believe that he would be able to handle the truth of my world. He was human. I wasn’t, not anymore. He could never get used to this stuff. And he shouldn’t have to.

I remembered my earlier mental vow. I’d do whatever it took so that Ash would be safe. I was going to keep to that vow.

I smiled weakly, trying to hide the ache that now began to eat away at me.

“I’ll take you home.” I added. “You can go to Mia’s party tomorrow and pretend like today never happened.”

I turned to the body to take it away when Ash’s hand took my arm. He spun me round to face him, his eyes clear and unwavering.

“Just because I was a little freaked out by some vampires doesn’t mean that I’m running away.” He braced both of his hands on my shoulders, looking me straight in the eyes. “I’m not running away Kayla. If this is what your world entails then I’ll deal with it. ”

I buried my head in his chest, letting him embrace me. Relief flooded through me. This could work, we could do this. If we both wanted it badly enough then it was possible.

I smiled into his shirt, inhaling the scent of smoked wood and pine that was Ash Gautier.

The sound of slow clapping made the both of us freeze. I spun around to the sound.

I knew who it was as soon as I laid eyes on him. The short cropped dark hair rustled in the slight breeze. The long, grey military coat blew in the wind.

“You,” I blinked as I realised both Ash and I had spoken.

Caleb Noctis chuckled darkly at us.

“Well done you two, very well done indeed.”

I crouched myself, ready in case he decided to shift into his wolf form.

“What do you want, Midnight?”

He shrugged offhandedly. “Only you, Grey, not too much to ask is it?”

I lunged forward, my knife still clutched in my hand. But he was too quick. He twisted himself round, grabbing me as I flew past him. He held me in a vice hold, his forearm pressing against my windpipe. He tightened his grip. Black dots danced in front of my eyes.

I heard Ash’s screaming as he was being pulled away from me, by the third and last vampire Caleb had brought with him here. As I opened my mouth I only lost more air.

Caleb brought his lips to my ear. I was powerless to stop him.

“You look just like your mother, Elizabeth. Elaine would be so proud.”