Rare Blood

Chapter Seventeen: FUBAR

Cyrus knew the second Faye woke because her heart beat went from steady to frantic, and though he was happy she was awake, he was really hoping to have made it further than they had.  It had only been twenty minutes and if she went crazy he did not want to risk stopping so close. They had too far to go.

He heard her sit up slow and quiet like she was trying to be sneaky and he said, "Faye, Whatever you're about to do, don't," but she lunged forward and wrapped her skinny little arm around his throat like she could choke him out. It wasn't even enough of a distraction to effect his driving.

"Let me go," she demanded.

"I can't."

She squeezed his throat with everything she had, "Now!"

He grabbed her hand and peeled her arm off effortlessly, "Faye, I can't."

"I swear I wont tell anyone you think you're a, a Vampire. Just pull over and I'll get out, you can drive away like nothing happened. Please Cyrus."

If she only knew how her pleading made him feel... If she wanted anything besides him letting her go he would give it to her. She grabbed the door handle, "I'll jump if you don't stop."

"The door won't open from the inside. It’s a child safety feature."

A feature he saw no use for, but was thankful to have now.

She sat back roughly, "I'm such a fucking idiot! Where are you taking me? Some dungeon where you'll skin me and dance around in a Faye suit? Huh, tell me? If you have the balls to lie to my face, you better have the balls to tell me what you've planned!" And her voice held so much anger it was almost unbearable for him.

"Stop Faye... I took you to keep you safe. I swear."

"Safe from what," she exploded.

"Others like me."

"Others?  What is there like some creepy cult where everyone thinks their a Vampire? You're not the only freak," she spat and started digging around in her purse.

Freak, his thoughts echoed the word stinging him each time it was repeated. His knuckles tightened around the wheel and his foot pushed the gas pedal down harder. His gums tightened and his fangs came down.

Pain was the one emotion that caused him to lose control, as was the case with most Vampires. It takes practice to control reactions, and being hurt emotionally requires a real attachment. The only thing he could say he was truly attached to before, was his car, and he had no trouble leaving it for Faye. In fact the car hadn't crossed his mind.

He shook his head trying to get his emotions in check when Faye said, "This is your last chance to pull over before I make you."

"Faye," he glanced back at her knowing his eyes were silver and his fangs were out, and she sat back in the seat, eyes wide, registering what she was seeing, and he said, "I can't let you go."

"You really are a, a Vampire," she asked in a ghost of a whisper.

"Yes."

She sat quietly for a minute where he  thought she was just processing, then he heard keys jingle around, and she swung her arm towards him yelling, "This is for biting me," and she stabbed him in the side of the neck with a key.

As the truck swerved Faye realized she hadn't thought the whole key to the neck thing through. But she would rather die fighting back than be some easy meal. She half expected not to be able to go through with it, but once she started, she committed, and the key went in. She was screaming and Cyrus growled a noise more frightening than anything she had ever heard. He pulled the key from his neck causing blood to spurt out as he regained control of the wheel. He pulled over to the shoulder, slamming on the brakes causing her to fly forward, but he put his arm back stopping her momentum, pushing her back against the seat.