Blood on Roses [COMPLETED]

Seven: Him

"What's so different about vampires and humans? Both are willing to do anything for benefits and entertainment, including killing ones of their own."

~ Zachary Nolan

SEVEN

"Miss me?" Zach breathed on my neck the second he appeared. I whipped around and scooted several steps back. I stared into his eyes with a frown as they swirled back to their original pale blue color. A strong scent of blood hit me immediately after.

I surveyed his attire; his jacket and shirt were stained with blood spots as if splashed onto him from a showerhead. What the hell did he do? Pull someone's guts out and throw it in the air?

"You guys are late," said Hailee.

"I was busy ripping people apart," Zach refuted, raising his arm, showing the streak of blood dripping down his wrist. I could tell it wasn't his. I smelled four different types of blood on him that all weren't his. I cringed when he licked the dried blood there. My whole body shivered when he tossed me a glance.

"Let's go already. You got the address down, don't you, Roman?" Hailee asked and walked in between us toward Roman, paying no mind to Zach's actions.

"Yeah, I know where it is," Roman replied. His dark brown irises flashed to a medium gray, signaling us that he was ready.

"Roman can teleport anywhere as long as he knows the physical location and exactly where he'll arrive," Hailee explained as she placed her hand on Roman's shoulder.

Apparently, physical contact was also required. I followed suit, and so did Zach. When I blinked again, we were in the middle of nowhere. All I saw was a vast field of dried grass and bare trees.

"Underground facility? Sweet." Zach walked on ahead into the meadow. Even his walking speed outranked my running speed.

"Zachary, the entrance is the other way." Roman followed at the same pace in his usual monotone.

"Wait, Hazel." Hailee grabbed my arm before I could attempt to catch up to the two boys. She whispered, "Be more careful around Zach. I could be wrong, and I have no idea why, but I think he's trying to get you to hate him."

He would've succeeded if you hadn't told me that. I swallowed. There was no way now that I wouldn't over-analyze the situation. 

Hailee's words reignited my interests from when I first met Zach. It still felt like he was attempting to prove something. What was it? That he was a big bad vampire that I should stay away from? Why would he go the extra mile? I already shook in my boots every time he was around.

"Alright. Focus ahead, lean forward and move your legs. I don't know, put your back into it. See if you can already run at vampire speed." Hailee pointed in the direction Zach and Roman disappeared.

"It is supposed to happen in the first week, but it's only been three days since my birthday," I mumbled. Before I could question more, Hailee shoved me in the back, making me fall forward.

"Hey!" I took a few steps onward to regain my balance. When I turned back around to yell at her, she was already fifty meters behind me. I had stepped ahead in vampire speed.

"It's no more than that." She shrugged and shooed me away with a hand gesture. In a glance, she also raced past me, probably to meet up with the other two, leaving me here by myself.

"Just lean into it," I told myself sarcastically. Surprisingly, it worked.

The faces of the three vampires speedily zoomed into view. It was like relocating from one place to another in extreme acceleration yet feeling as you hadn't moved at all. When I came to a halt beside Hailee, Roman had already opened a tunnel with metal insides.