Dusk – Chapter Five

Sometimes I hate being right. Especially when I say that they will find me… being wrong would’ve been much better. Better for me, for the baby, for…

San!

“San,” I whispered furiously, turning to face him. “Listen to me. What I just told you, that’s a problem for another day. Right now, you need to run. San!”

I shook him, breaking his shocked reverie. “San, you need to get out of here. Please, just go!”

“No,” he said, focusing his eyes on me. “I’m not going anywhere. Whoever those people are, I’m not letting them hurt you… or our baby.”

“San, they will kill you!”

“I don’t care.”

“I don’t need you to die for me, San, do I look that clingy?” I argued. “Just. Go.”

As I spoke I shoved him away, hoping he would go, live his life, because staying could end it in a matter of seconds.

“I won’t ever abandon you, whatever happens,” he promised, pulling me into his arms. “Don’t believe for a second that I would ever leave you.”

Then, without another word, he turned and walked quickly away.

“What a pansy!” called one of my hunters derisively. “You sure know how to pick ’em, Duskie. That one couldn’t even handle meeting the family!”

“Leave him out of it, Karilya,” I said. “You know it’s me you want.”

“You’re no fun. But, I should tell you – there are two ways this can go. There’s the boring way, where you come along with us voluntarily and no-one gets hurt, and then there’s the fun way. That way is the one where we beat the living daylights out of you and drag you with us in pieces. Your choice.”

I was so close to just surrendering. There was no chance for me to beat them in a fight – one of them could kill me in under a second.

But then I thought of San, and the baby. If I wasn’t going to fight for myself, why not fight for them? The idea gave me strength.

“No,” I shouted defiantly. “I’m not coming with you. Death would be kinder than going back to that hell-hole.”

“The fun way, then?” Karilya asked. “Unexpected… you never fight anyone. What could possibly be the reason for this change of heart? That guy who just left? What was his name? Sand? Well, he did seem cute… maybe a bit…”

“Human?” I suggested, heart pounding.

“That’s the word! Anyway, it’d be a huge shame to have to mess up that pretty face of his… but sometimes accidents happen!”

“You lay a finger on him and I’ll…”

“You’ll what? Lecture me to death?” she mocked.

Rage burned in my throat. My vision took on a red tinge and my head spun.

“Leave. Him. Alone,” I said, walking towards her in what I hoped was a menacing fashion.

Karilya stepped back, eyes widening for a second before she recovered her confident demeanour.

“Make me.”

I launched myself across the space between us, knocking her to the ground. Blindly I threw punches, knowing most of them were going wide, except for a few which made the satisfying sound of fists connecting with bone.

Suddenly Karilya’s knees rammed into my stomach, sending me flying off her and onto the concrete. A pair of icy hands grabbed me from behind and held me back.

Vastrin! I’d forgotten about him in my anger, but I knew I had mere seconds before he administered the promised beating. I did the first thing that came to mind – I jerked my head backwards into his face, dazing him enough to release his grip.

And that was when I saw him.

The oh-so-familiar man sneaking up behind the raging Karilya. San, the idiot! You can’t sneak up on a vampire!

My point was proven when, a split second later, Karilya spun around and launched a vicious kick to his gut that sent him flying back into the wall of the hospital.

There was a sickening crunch as he hit the wall, knocked unconscious (or worse…). I cried out in horror.

“Oh, dear,” said Karilya, walking slowly towards San. “Look what happened… I suppose there’s only one thing to do now… Vas, you fancy a snack?”

“No!” I gasped, lurching forwards as Vastrin held me back again. I couldn’t struggle this time – the burst of strength and bravery had disappeared with my rage, leaving me scared and weak.

Karilya’s teeth were inching closer and closer to San’s throat when I heard it – the pounding of feet. Human voices shouting, coming closer.

“Karilya, people are coming,” cautioned Vastrin, dropping me and zipping to her side. “We can’t be discovered – leave Dusk for another time.”

“Fine,” Karilya spat, stepping away from San. “Well, this was fun, Duskie, but we have places to be. Don’t worry, though – we’ll visit again… soon. Buh-bye!”

With that, they vanished into the shadows. I wasted no time, sprinting over to San. I shook him gently, checking his responses.

“San? San, can you hear me? Oh Berry, San please wake up! I need you! Wake up! Please!”

——-

From aus/G

Hope you liked this chapter, sorry it took so long to get out. As you can see it’s 31 pictures, which is longer even than chapter 1.

Anyway… chapter 6 soon! Oh, also, you win 10 cyber-cookiez if you can leave me a comment telling me which line in this chapter is from Doctor Who 😀