Chapter 3

Paige's heart skipped a beat, and her throat went dry. She reached for the talisman hanging around her neck and clutched it. "A…vampire?"

Dewey's head bobbed up and down. "Right here," he whispered.

She flicked the lights off in the room, plunging them into darkness before she hurried across the space, scanning the outside.

"Where is it?" she breathed.

Dewey spun to face the glass. "It's right…" He searched the area. "No! It was right there!"

Paige's breathing turned ragged as they both scoured the alley. "Where is it?"

"I don't know!" Dewey cried, pressing his face against the pane as he stared up, then rotated his eyes to the narrow street.

"Are you sure you saw it?"

"Yes! Right across from your window. Big red glowing eyes staring in here."

Paige wrapped her arms around her torso and shuddered. She gave the outside a final scan before she reached for the mini-blinds and released them. They slid over the pane, getting stuck halfway.

"Ugh, are you kidding me?" she groaned, tugging at the blind to release it.

It let loose with a snap, sending her stumbling backward. She cracked into the bench at the foot of her bed, losing her balance and plopping onto it.

Dewey quickly spun the rod, closing the blinds completely. "Hopefully, it's gone."

"Hopefully, this talisman works."

"I'm betting it does. The thing left. Probably couldn't find you in here." He flitted across the room and offered her a hand, pulling her to stand.

Paige nodded and swallowed hard as she studied the closed window covering. "Are you sure you saw it?"

Dewey dropped her hand and crossed his arms, fluttering in the air. He narrowed his eyes, annoyance creeping onto his teal features. "Yes, Paige. I saw it."

Paige lifted a shoulder as she straightened the bench she'd knocked askew. "I'm just asking because sometimes the lights reflect weird and–"

"I saw two glowing red eyes on a big creepy black body, and it was right–"

An ear-splitting boom interrupted Dewey's explanation. The building shook as the power flickered on and off before surging back to life, shining through the door into the darkened room.

"What was that?" Paige whispered, her eyes wide.

Dewey flicked his bulging eyes at the glass, then back to Paige.

He tapped a clawed finger toward the window and hissed, "Vampire."

A shiver snaked down her spine. Her lips parted, and she held her breath as she stared at the window hidden behind the dusty mini-blinds. She crept forward to the glass, peering through the broken blind that curved downward, leaving a small gap.

"Careful, Paige," Dewey said, flying to her and landing on her shoulder.

He balanced himself, placing his paw on the top of her head.

Paige swallowed hard as she approached the tiny opening and pressed closer to the window. Sounds of her labored breathing filled the air while she scanned the outside.

"What do you see?" Dewey inquired, tapping the top of her head with his paw.

"Stop that," she said, waving her hand in the air. "I can't see a thing. The window's all fogged."

"Fogged? From what? There's no fog."

"There's fog. Look for yourself. It's right there. All fogged. Can't see a thing."

"It's probably your heavy breathing," Dewey said, ducking to peek through the small slit. "Sounds like a nine-hundred-number hotline in here."

Paige threw an arm in the air and scoffed. "Oh, I'm so sorry the day-walking vampire stalking me made me breathe heavily." She shook her head and waved her hand at the window. "And, anyway, that's on the outside, not the inside."

"Well, it can't be. There's no fog tonight."

"Obviously, there is," Paige shot back through clenched teeth.

"There isn't," Dewey retorted before shouting across the room, "Lexa, is it foggy?"

Blue light filled the room for a moment before a female voice answered, "There is no fog in Shadow Harbor this evening. You can expect clear weather with a low of fifty-three degrees."

"There, you see," Dewey said. "No fog."

Paige slid her eyes closed as she flexed her jaw. "Then what is all over the window, Dewey?"

"I don't know, Paige. But it can't be–"

Another bang resounded.

Paige stumbled back a few steps. Dewey wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed.

Two red eyes peered through the tiny opening in the blinds. A screech sounded as claws scratched down the glass.

"AHHHHHHH!" they screamed simultaneously.

"RUN!" Dewey screeched, still clinging to Paige.

Paige spun on a heel as the claws continued to paw at the glass and raced from the room into the living room. She skidded across the hardwood in her socks, glancing around the space as she sucked in hard breaths.

She grabbed at Dewey's arm and tugged. "You're choking me."

"Oh, oops, sorry," Dewey said, releasing his death grip on her neck and trading it for wrapping his arms around her head.

"Ow, Dewey!" she shouted, her voice muffled by his scaly skin.

"Sorry, Paige, but there is a day-walking vampire scratching at your window," he said through clenched teeth.

Paige's eyes widened as she scanned the room. "No kidding! And it's after me. And it's definitely not trying to protect me like Blade."

Paige pressed a palm to her forehead. "What are we going to do? Should we leave?"

"Go outside? Are you crazy?"

"Well, I don't know. Clearly, it's trying to get into the apartment. Maybe we should go to your nest at the library and hide out."

Dewey let go of Paige's head and flew into the air, hovering in front of her. "Uh-uh, no way. I'm not going out there with that thing lurking around. It could kill us! Well, me. It won't be able to find you."

Paige swallowed hard, her lips forming a grimace. "Maybe if we–"

A loud crash interrupted her statement.

They both whipped their heads in the direction of the noise. Crisp air gusted past them from Paige's bedroom.

Paige shot a wide-eyed glance at Dewey. "It broke the window!" she whispered.

Dewey winced and uttered one word. "Hide!"

Paige nodded, scanning the room again in search of a hiding place. Panic laced her thoughts as feet slapped across the floor of the adjacent room.

Dewey darted into the living room, wriggling under the couch next to the cat.

He raised a chubby digit to his lips as he eyed Dickens. "Quiet, kitty."

Paige's shoulders slumped. Far too big to fit under the couch, she needed another hiding spot.

The footsteps came closer. A chuffing sounded followed by a snarl.

Paige skirted around the island separating the kitchen from the living area and ducked behind the counter, pressing her back against the cabinets.

She fought to steady her breathing. Her lower lip trembled as tears formed in her eyes. Her body shuddered as the slapping sound of the footsteps approached closer.

Closer. Closer.

A chittering broke the momentary silence, causing her to jump.

She froze, holding her breath, every muscle tense. She bit into her lower lip hard until she could taste the metallic tang of blood on her tongue.

The thumping feet shuffled across the floor again. Paige swiveled onto her knees and slowly poked her head up.

She sucked in a sharp breath when she spotted the beast. A hulking black monster stood feet from her. Wings poked from its back, and horns twisted out of its head.

Long, razor-sharp claws stuck from the end of the human-like fingers. Piercing red eyes scanned the room. The creature sniffed in the air as it took another step.

Spittle dripped from white fangs as its hulking form snarled again before the awful chirping echoed through the room.

Paige swallowed hard as she followed its path across the room. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and she clutched the edge of the cheap countertop.

The beast pounded across the hardwood, sniffing again before it whipped its head in the direction of the living room. Its mouth opened with another hiss as the claws on its webbed feet tapped the floor.

It waddled closer to the couch before noise exploded. The television sprang to life. An intense action scene played out. The creature whipped its head in the direction of the noise, diving toward the device.

The television teetered on the stand before crashing to the floor. The screen cracked, splintering the image of Blade into pieces and cutting off the sound.

The creature leaned its angular face closer to the device and sniffed before rising slowly. Its nostrils flared again, and it turned toward the couch. With a low growl, the beast approached the furniture piece.

Paige's heart seized. Dewey and Dickens sheltered under the sofa. The creature must smell them. She shook her head as it crouched down, sniffing again.

Her throat went dry as a clawed hand slid toward her new friend and beloved cat. On shaky legs, she rose slowly and inched her way toward the hall leading to the front door.

She couldn't let the beast kill them. She had to help. She backed down the hall toward her door. She slid her gaze sideways to the coat closet on her left. She eased the door open, reaching blindly inside for the baseball bat she kept there.

With a wince, she slid it from the corner and wrapped both hands around it as she approached the massive creature.

A hiss sounded from under the couch, and Dickens slinked from underneath, ears plastered against his gray head and his body low to the ground. He shot across the area rug before he hit the hardwood. His claws skittered as he sought to find traction and flee into the bedroom.

The beast's red eyes followed the cat's flight for a moment before it turned back toward the sofa. Nostrils flaring, it bent again in search of the little dragon still hiding under the couch.

It thrust its clawed hand underneath. A yowl sounded, and the creature yanked its arm back. Dewey dangled from its sizable paw by his back leg.

"Ow! Let go of me, you massive brute!" The little dragon flailed, his wings flapping furiously as he attempted to escape.

Paige rushed forward, bat high over her head, and swung hard, smacking the creature's wing. The broad black wing flicked outward, slamming into her and knocking her back a step.

"Get out, Paige. Go!" Dewey shouted, still hanging from his ankle.

Paige recovered, wrinkling her nose and setting her jaw. She whipped a wayward lock of hair from her face. Anger coursed through her as the creature dangled Dewey in the air, sniffing at him.

She stormed forward, bat raised high, and swung again. And again. And again. The bat cracked against the creature's wing, then its back, and finally, its hairless head.

A sickening bang resounded when the wood smacked off the dark, angular skull. The beast released Dewey, roaring from the hard hit.

Paige dropped the bat at her side, her chest heaving with effort. "Dewey, hide!"

The little teal dragon scrambled to his feet on the cushion he'd landed on moments earlier. He bared his teeth and snarled at the massive creature hovering above him.

"Go, Dewey," Paige shouted.

Dewey leapt from the sofa, flying into the air and skirting around the creature.

He reached Paige, landing on her shoulder. "Let's go!"

Paige nodded and took a step toward the door when the vampire whipped around, sniffing in their direction.

She froze, her eyes shooting wide as it took a step toward them.

"Go, Dewey," she whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm trapped, but you're not. Go!"

"I'm not leaving you, Paige," Dewey shouted.

The beast snarled again, the massive white fangs dripping with saliva.

"Go, Dewey," she hissed. "Call for help!"

Tears welled in the little dragon's eyes as he wrapped his paws around her head and squeezed. "I'll get help."

He let go and launched himself off her shoulder, darting past the beast as it pivoted toward Paige. He flitted into the bedroom, disappearing through the door.

Hot breath wafted over Paige's pale skin while the beast closed the distance between them. It tossed the coffee table aside as though it were made of cardboard.

Paige stumbled backward, her lower lip trembling and her eyes trained on the hulking creature. Her glasses slid down her sweaty nose. She stared at its glowing red eyes, piercing through her. Dark flesh stretched over bony cheekbones.

Her breathing turned shallow, and she struggled for air as she collided with the wall behind her. A whimper escaped her lips, and she pressed her hands against the cold surface.

The beast stalked closer, yellowed claws raised and ready to strike and pointed fangs bared. Sweat beaded on her brow, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she squeezed herself against the wall.

She was trapped. She had nowhere to run. Help wouldn't arrive in time. Her wound, given to her by the same beast, wouldn't kill her like they thought.

The beast itself would end her life.

She wondered how painful of an end it would be as the vampire stretched its neck forward, its flat nose coming within inches of her face. She twisted her neck, pressing a damp cheek against the textured, mauve wall.

The creature hissed, and its hot breath blew across her skin. Her nostrils flared as a metallic scent wafted to them.

She squeezed her eyes closed and balled her hands into fists as she prepared for the end of her life.