Chapter 20

My head swims at the night’s events, including the overwhelming run from the restaurant to the house, when Chris lets me down out of his embrace. My legs wobble uncertainly under my weight as I attempt to steady myself, light-headed from the sudden change in movement. Nausea courses through me, and I try to swallow back the bile rising in my throat. I’ve never experienced anything like that. It was exhilarating. It was fucking terrifying. And vomit-inducing. I slap my hand to my forehead and let out a groan as my stomach turns.

Chris places his hands on my shoulders, steadying me. “Just breathe, Dani.”

Minutes pass as I take slow, steady breaths. I focus on his touch, on the feel of his fingers against my bare skin, sending sparks through my nervous system. The nausea fades slowly, and with that, I’m able to think clearly again, regaining my sense of conscious thought.

I back away from Chris’ touch, his penetrating stare burning through me. I think back on everything that happened tonight, starting with me entering the restaurant bathroom, and I’m consumed with rage. I’m furious that one look from this vicious, beautiful woman struck me with so much fear that I was immobilized just like that. I was fucking helpless. Useless. I couldn’t do anything to protect myself against her. And that pisses me off, while somehow still filling me with the most profound dread I’ve ever experienced in my life.

“So, tell me again, who the fuck is Amanda?” I’m still shaking, with tears collecting under my eyes. I never want to see her again because I know if I do that, I’ll just cower into a ball, too afraid to do anything. She’s the very definition of my worst nightmare. Beautiful. Terrifying. Inhuman.

Chris stands in front of me, looking just as scared as I feel. “Dani, you’re really not safe here anymore. This is bad. Amanda is of Balor’s line, and she is just as fucked up and sick as he is. She’s the absolute worst of his children. She’s brutal, blood-thirsty, and deranged, and she’ll show you absolutely no fucking mercy. The fact she has your scent now, that somebody sent her after you, really fucking worries me.”

“Why? You said you would protect me. You can beat her, right?” My voice shakes, cracking on every word. I feel the way I did right after Oliver vanished from the crash site, except this is somehow so much worse.

“It would be hard to protect you on my own. She’s twice my age, more powerful, and so much more ruthless than I am. She won’t stop coming for you, now that she’s targeted you. No one is alive today that Balor sent her out to kill. But I promise you this, I’ll protect you until my last breath, Dani. I will protect you with my fucking life.” Although he wasn’t breathing heavily during the run, his breathing now matches my own.

“Why would you lay down your life for mine? Answer me this time! Real answers, not some bullshit!” I shout in his face, consumed by my fear and confusion. None of this makes any sense.

“Because of this, Dani.”He reaches for my hand and places it over his heart. Holding it in place, his hand lays over mine, although he doesn’t need to. I wouldn’t move my hand away even if I could. “My heart. It beats faster now since I’ve met you. That shouldn’t be possible. After we die, a vampire’s heart still beats but much slower than a human’s does. But right now, my heart rate matches yours. We’re synced somehow. There is something about you, little kitten. Since the first time I laid eyes on you in that crowd, I had to know you. You’ve captured my interest, and I’m never letting you go. I don’t know what any of this means, and it shouldn’t be possible, but I think you feel it, too. That electricity when we first saw each other, the static shock when we touch each other. I could feel what you were feeling on the bus with Oliver. I could sense your fear, your pain, your… desire. These things don’t just happen, Dani.” His breathing is ragged, his eyes searching mine so fiercely as he begs me to believe him.

“So you’ve been feeling everything I’ve felt since we first met? How is that even possible?” My hand still rests on his chest, even though his grip on me has loosened. I have no intention of moving it.

Chris nods at me. “Yeah, everything, Dani. I don’t know what this is, but it isn’t normal, I can promise you that.” His grip on my hand tightens, his fingers interlacing between my own against his chest. “Everything I’ve ever said to you is true, though. I will never hurt you, Dani. And I will die for you if it comes to that.”

A strangled sob escapes me. “Chris, no… you can’t.”

A high-pitched, crazed laugh sounds from behind us, making us jolt in surprise. “Aw, this is so sweet. By the way, I lied. I said it wouldn’t be tonight, pretty girl, but I got so bored knowing I could be playing with you instead.” Amanda whines, stomping her foot on the ground.

“Dani, get in your house right fucking now.” I feel my face drain of all blood, my eyes never moving from Amanda. My feet are rooted in place, breaths bursting in and out. Chris shoves me towards the door, but my knees are locked in place—my body can’t catch up fast enough to the overbearing fear wracking my brain. The muscles in my legs tense as I stumble towards the door, but Amanda is too fast and makes it to me before I can get to the safety of my house. Gripping me by my hair, she yanks me backward, sending me flying through the air until I land hard on the paved driveway. A loud grunt of pain escapes me as I make contact with the ground, landing on my arm. White hot pain sears through my arm and my side as I feel something crack.

“Hmmm, too slow.” Amanda coos sweetly at me before turning towards Chris with a sneer. “Hello, pretty boy.” She grabs his face between both hands and throws him into the side of the house, the front wall shuddering at the impact. Amanda turns her head to sear me with a sinister smile, showing off her full set of teeth, and she has a vile glint in her eye like she’s already won.

With a growl, Chris changes into his true face, his eyes glowing a bright yellow, fangs bared. Scrambling upright, he lunges for Amanda like a feral animal. Amanda’s reaction is delayed—when she jerks her head back to Chris, she’s met with a fist to her face. Chris’ punch lands with such force that it sends Amanda skidding backward. With his vampire speed he’s in front of her again, and kicks her in the stomach—sending her flying onto her back.

“Why are you after Danica, Amanda? Balor getting bored with mass killings?” He prowls dangerously close to where she’s lying on the ground, his hand extended towards her, shaking slightly from exertion. I remember Chris telling me that he has the power to control blood, I think that’s what he’s doing.

I’m still frozen where I fell, trembling in fear as my heart beats so fast it’s all I can hear.

Amanda writhes for a second, before she sits up, her face inhuman with deep crimson eyes, elongated canines bared, and a raised ridge of skin near the bridge of her nose. Chris inches closer to her, working her over with his power at each step. He clenches his hand into a fist, and her eyes begin bleeding. She’s clutching her head, the sound of her pained shrieks piercing the air as blood pours from her eyes.

“Answer me!” Chris growls at her. He looks terrifying, like death itself, with the way he’s prowling closer to her.

Amanda stills, her head dropping. I’m confused for a second, hoping that maybe she’s dead, when her hands fall to her sides, and she begins laughing hysterically.

Chris wastes no time, launching an uppercut to her chin and sending her flying into the air once more.

This time, though, she catches herself, landing on her feet with a feline grace. “No, silly. Balor is never bored of that. But he especially wants this one dead. Dead, dead, dead, dead, dead!” She’s jumping up and down, singing the words, and it would almost be funny if she weren’t so nightmare-inducing. She sounds insane. Absolutely fucking insane. She just keeps laughing maniacally, the sound unbroken, even as her gaze catches on me, eyes darkening as she turns her attention to where I’m laying on the ground.

My breathing is ragged, and I can’t move, no matter how hard I try.

Amanda points one long finger at me, and I watch it transform again into the claw from the restaurant. “I told you I was going to play with your insides,” she giggles, flashing a wickedly sinister smile at me.

“No, the fuck you won’t, bitch!” Chris is on her in a flash, their movements so fast that I can’t even keep track of who’s doing what as they throw punch after punch at each other. There’s a lot of grunting and shouts, but neither of them are paying attention to me in the scuffle.

I try to stand up. Maybe I can make a run for the house? A shout reaches my ears, and I flinch. But Chris. Oh god, I can’t let her hurt Chris, but what the hell could I even do? I’m useless.

Chris yells in pain, and I glance over to see him clutching his stomach, blood pouring from four gaping claw marks. He drops to his knees and, in between gasps of agony, shouts at me, “FUCK! Dani, get inside. Now!”

Amanda whirls to face me. “Not so fast, pretty baby.” She’s stalking towards me slowly, clawed hand raised in front of her. “Do you know what this is? My claws have poison in them.” Her voice raises to a childish singsong as she starts dancing around me. “One scratch from these, and I can stop any vampire in their tracks. And it would be so very lethal to you, pretty girl. But I want you to die slowly so I can play with you! Wouldn’t that be fun?” Her claws disappear.

I guess dying slowly doesn’t involve a scratch from those things. “P-p-please, leave me alone. Just leave us alone. Do you want Oliver? Because you can fucking have him!” I shout at her, finding my fight within me. My fury. If I’m going to die right now, I’m not going to do it, shivering in fear. She’s going to know how I feel.

She tsks at me, her walk towards me slow and constant. “No, no, no, I had him already, silly. For two years, he was MINE! And then he said he didn’t want me anymore. He came looking for you! You stupid, worthless fucking BITCH!” Her voice rises to a shriek on the last word.

I back away, stumbling over my own feet. She is going to kill me over Oliver. Oliver, who abandoned me. Oliver, who cheated on me. I would almost laugh if I weren’t about to die.

“You took my Oli away from me. He was so good to me. He loved to play in the pretty blood with me. You know how many times he fucked me while we bathed in the blood of our victims?” she whimpers. “I miss it. Now, all he wants is you. Stupid, worthless BLOOD BAG! You are nothing compared to me.” A haunting smile emerges on her face. “And now Balor wants you dead for it. You taint him. Twist him. MESS WITH HIS MIND! We will stand for it no longer. In Balor’s name, I will reap you. I will drag your lifeless corpse to him so he can fuck you and use as he pleases.” She’s almost in front of me now. Even if I try to get away, I can’t make it to the door. She’s too fast and too strong. Tears run down my cheeks, a cry of pain bursting from my mouth as she grabs onto my arms so hard that my bones feel like they’re going to break. Chris is bleeding out on my porch and in too much pain anyway. He can’t save me.

Amanda places one of her hands in my hair, forcefully tilting my head to the side, baring my neck to her. She drops her mouth to my neck, bringing her fangs down to my throat slowly. “I’m gonna taste you now, pretty girl.” She moans loudly, her breath misting closer to my neck.

I scream, prepared for her to kill me but refusing to die quietly.

Before her teeth can pierce my skin, though, Chris is behind her, grabbing her neck and, with a brutal movement, twisting it. A loud snap sounds. “She won’t be down long- agh!-we need to move now.” He grabs me, and together, we race to my front door. With a grunt of pain, he swings it open and throws me inside.

I whirl back to him, expecting to see him behind me, but he’s dropped to his knees at the threshold, and I remember suddenly that he can’t enter because I’ve never invited him in. “Chris, I—” my words stop short as I see Amanda pick herself up off the ground, place her hands on her head and twist it back around to its rightful position.

In a fit of rage, Amanda turns and lunges for Chris.

I scream in terror, “I invite you in, Chris! Please get in the house!”

Amanda doesn’t hear my invitation over her shrieks of anger, so when she collides with Chris, she shoves him past the threshold into the house. He lands face down, crying in agony, still clutching onto his stomach. His blood leaches between his fingers, soaking into the hardwood floors at the front entryway of the house.

My door is still wide open, giving us a front-row view to Amanda thrashing her fists against the invisible barrier barring her entry, all while she shrieks at us and stomps her feet like a child. “NO! No, no, no, no, no, NO!” She’s having a full-blown temper tantrum, which should be funny, but it’s just terrifying as I kneel beside Chris’ bleeding body less than five feet away from the vampire trying to kill us. “Balor will be so displeased with me. This isn’t over! We’ll play soon, pretty girl.” Her words are scary as shit, but she’s the one who actually looks afraid, her eyes wide and wild as she lets out a whimper before vanishing in a cloud of black mist.