The Consort (MalexMale) 《COMPLETE》

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"The choice is yours, Finn," she whispers. "What'll it be?"

Fiona's question sounds as loud as a siren, pressing against my ear drums with heated pressure. She's right; as hard as Leo is trying to protect me, it's only a matter of time before I'm found. I'm a liability to him and everyone else in that house.

"Will you be alright?" I ask.

Fiona smiles and shakes her head. "I know how to take care of myself, Finn. I have a plan. Don't you worry about me."

Except it's impossible not to. Then again, the last time I stuck around to save a friend, he ended up turning into a vampire.

The glass of the driver's side window shatters. Fiona and I both let out a startled yelp, and Mark reaches into the vehicle with a bloody shirt around his hand. He fumbles for the lock, and Fiona tries to swat his hand away. Panic sweeps over her features. I shove her into the driver's side while simultaneously giving her a hug.

"It's me he wants," I tell her, already getting out of the car from the backseat. "Make a run for it, Fiona and don't look back."

We lock eyes, and in that speck of time, every memory shared between us plays back like a movie reel. I remember the first time I met her, her bright personality catching me by surprise. Kelly was smitten with her. It's like she cast a spell on him, one that nothing could break. Not even time. I remember all the late nights, the laughter, her famous pancakes, and her fuzzy, pink slippers.

Mark shouts at the both of us, and like many golden moments, ours passes by with a bitter-sweet adieu. I tell Fiona I love her and open the back door. She yells that she loves me too just as my feet hit the pavement. Mark claws at her arm, but somewhere she finds the strength to push him so hard that he stumbles back a step. It provides the perfect getaway.

Fiona slams on the accelerator. The tires squeal to life. A few drops of liquid fall from the pipes, an odd form of tears as the vehicle drives further and further away from me. Mark shouts obscenities after her, but when his eyes land on me, relief replaces his anger.

"Get over here," he says, breathless. "Leo will be here to pick us up soon."

His eyes are clouded with worry. He reaches out to grab ahold of my elbow, but I jerk myself away from him. Mark is twice the size of me, but I'm faster. I know I am. Blood rushes to my face, and my senses seem to be tingling in trepidation.

"Bogdan!" I shout without glancing over my shoulder.

He's far away, but he should be able to hear me. At least, I hope he can hear me. Mark frowns and reaches out for me again.

"Lower your voice, you idiot. There could be vamps around."

I stay out of his reach, and he doesn't try to grab me again. Instead his eyes widen as a wave of movement and wind approach us. The empty space beside me is replaced in an instant by a tall, hooded figure, his stillness overpowering and utterly characteristic of the vampire species. Mark fumbles into his pocket.

"Get away!" he shouts to Bogdan. "Leave him alone!"

I expect Mark to pull out a gun or even a knife, but what he takes out of his pocket terrifies me. It's a vile and a needle, and the liquid inside the vile is glowing a light hue of green. It's poison – vampire poison. Bogdan doesn't react, but my heart flutters in fear. If that vile goes near Bogdan, he could be gone within minutes.

"We need to go," I say, and look up at Bogdan.

The hood masks most of his face, but what little I can view takes my breath away. His fangs are elongated, the red of his eyes bright enough to serve as small flashlights. Mark quickly fills the needle, his movements frazzled and almost-possessed. If he was paying any attention at all, he'd see that Bogdan wasn't trying to capture me. On the contrary, I'm the one who wants to be taken away.