The Lost Girls (Chris Cerulli Vampire Story)

Chapter 22

My common sense finally decided to make an appearance about a mile into my ride. I figured that it would be better that I wasn't alone for what I was conspiring to do, so I went in the direction of Chris's hideout. I hope that he's ready for this. 

My heartbeat was frantic as I made my way up to the unfinished house. Was I really about to possibly go murder someone? I fully expected Chris to pop up out of thin air, but all I found inside was emptiness. I carefully tiptoed through the rest of the place and still, Chris was nowhere to be seen. I didn't really start to worry until I discovered the note on his bed.

'Ashlyn, meet us at the fair and I'll promise to keep Chris in one piece. - Dani'

"Son of a bitch." I spat as I crumpled the paper in my hand and rushed back downstairs. 

I jumped on my bike, a sense of panic over Chris overriding all my other thoughts of the danger I could be putting myself into. When I made it to the fairgrounds I saw that they had left their motorcycles by the trees and they were hanging out near the merry-go-round.  It didn't take me long to spot Danielle standing in the middle, while being flanked by the rest of her girl friends, but I didn't see Chris. 

I parked my bike near theirs and shot over to Danielle, pushing Mackenzie out of my way as she shouted while laughing, "Hey, what's the problem, Ashy?"

I ignored her and yanked Danielle around till my face was in hers demanding, "Where is he?"

She smirked as she smacked at the gum in her mouth and she chuckled darkly, "Just take it easy." 

I had enough of her games, so I asked again, "Where's Chris?"

She grabbed ahold of my jacket collar warning, "Ash, if you ever want to see Chris again then you better come with us, right now."

"Why should I trust you?"

Her smile remained as she rose an eyebrow at me questioning, "Do you have any other choice?" 

The last thing I wanted to do was go anywhere with Danielle, but it was clear to me that she was right. Danielle released her grip on my clothing when she could tell that I had decided to relent. 

Her grin only grew as she nodded in the direction of the trees announcing, "I think, it's time we go for another ride."

I followed Danielle and the rest of her gang through the zigzagging path they lead throughout the forest. After a while I was becoming certain that I was just being taken around in circles, just for Danielle's sick amusement. A distant hum of music managed to catch my earunderneath the roar of the motorcycles engines and then I could make out a faint orange glow just in the distance. 

One by one the girls rose off of their bikes and jogged towards a wide branched tree before climbing it. As I cautiously trailed them I saw that just past the tree they were in was a clearing. Five teenagers were all gathered around a decent sized bonfire. I could actually make out what song they were listening to now as two of them danced in circles around the flames. I catch Danielle grinning at the others surrounding her and I quickly got a sickening feeling in my stomach.

They were all sneering when Dani turned to me quietly calling out, "Ashlyn, over here. You don't want to miss this."

I cast my gaze between Danielle and the strangers near the bonfire, worrying that I knew what was about to happen. Nonetheless, I slid off of my motorcycle and went to climb up the thick branches. They were all softly chuckling to themselves with excited looks on their faces. Even Dawn appeared to be feeling the same way, but I could still sense the dread coming off of her in waves at the same time as I moved to be next to her. 

"Initiation is over, Ash."  I lifted my eyes to Danielle as she spoke, but her faces was covered in shadow. "It's time to join the club."

My heart leapt into my throat, did she expect me to kill these people?

Danielle gave a wicked laugh and leaned forward until her face returned to the firelight. What I saw made a scream build up in my throat, but I couldn't get it out from shock. It was strange to think that such a beautiful girl, could turn into something so hideously terrifying. Chris had described her perfectly, but actually seeing it made so much worse. She did look like a demon.

I frantically looked around at the rest of the girls, finding that they had matching yellow and red eyes with large fangs jutting out of their mouths. They all began to laugh manically at the horror in my expression and then to my shock they began drift out of the tree, as if they were feathers on a breeze. That swiftly changed though, as they darted at the group of strangers that were just minding their own business. 

A loud scream pierced the air as Peyton landed on one the two that had been dancing and in an instant ripped open the guy's throat. The rest of them quickly pounced onto the others as they tried to scatter from the scene of gore. The girls I knew to be monsters proceeded to tare their victim's limb from limb and I knew that there was nothing I could do to stop them.

The smell of fresh blood crept into my nostrils and the cravings I had been feeling, hit me at full force. I dug my fingers into the bark of the tree branches as I started to heavily perspire from the stress I was having just to keep still. 

I refused to sink to their level. I will not turn into a monster.