Now visibly shaking - but she couldn't tell if from fear or anticipation - Jane waited for Forest to answer.
Seconds turned into minutes before Forest finally moved. He stalked over to Jane, an unnerving glint flickering in his eyes. "I will tell you where he lives, but it will cost you."
"I'll do whatever it takes to help my daughter. Name your price." Straightening from her cower, she leveled Forest with determined eyes.
His answering response was a sinister smile.
Chapter Five
When Valerie came home from school, she found her mom sitting in the living room, looking weary. She came over to the couch and sat beside her, wrapping her arm around her shoulders. "Any luck finding dad?"
Valerie's mom let out a deep sigh. "I have an idea where he is staying. He has a cabin he enjoyed retreating to when we were first married. I've never been there but I think I can find it."
Exhaling her own relief, Valerie sagged back against the couch. "We need to go as soon as possible then. I so wanted to take a taste of Keelie today. It hits me with no warning."
As if she actually summoned it herself, another onslaught of bloodlust smacked into Valerie, sending her into a frenzy.
In the next instant, she lunged at her mom. Without conscious effort, Valerie managed to flip the two of them off the couch and pinned her mom to the floor, ready to strike. Only the sight of two barely visible puncture marks on the side of her mom's neck froze Valerie where she hovered above her mom.
No, she didn't want to be like that. Battling the side of her that just wanted to quench the fiery thirst, Valerie grabbed her head and squeezed her eyes shut.
After agonizing moments, the roar finally died down to a tolerable level. Backing off, she shook her head as another thought came to mind. "Who did that to you?" Then her eyes widened in horror. "Will you now change into one too?"
Rubbing the area where the two holes were, Valerie's mom sat up. "No, sweetheart. No need to worry about that. And it doesn't matter what happened. I got what I needed. You are more important than anything and we're running out of time."
Without wasting another minute, Valerie and her mom ran out to the car and headed toward the woods near Willow's Grove. The car drive was in silence. Her mom was in deep thought while Valerie was trying to fight back the urge to attack again; all her concentration was centered on keeping herself fastened in her seat. Even having the window rolled down, the confined space was wreaking havoc on Valerie's self-control. The blood lust was beginning to show signs of victory.
When they arrived at Willow's Grove, Valerie's mom pulled the car off the road and ripped the keys from the ignition. It looked as if the only way in was a narrow path. They had to go the rest of the way by foot.
Jane tossed Valerie a worried look. "You ready?"
Valerie nodded.
Then the two of them jumped out of the car and started down the path.
Even though no longer in the confines of the car the journey through the dense woods to her dad's cabin was urgent. Being the only two in the woods and the fact that her mom smelled delectable drove Valerie practically mad with thirst. The waves of bloodlust were becoming more difficult to tamp down. Valerie could feel her whole body shuddering, demanding she drink. Each tremor lashed at her with more ferocity than the previous one, until ultimately she lost the struggle.
Feeling her fangs descend, Valerie growled and tackled her mother onto the leaf invaded ground. Her heart tried to argue this was her mother but she just couldn't fight the overpowering need within any longer. Straddling her mother's hips, she pinned her to the ground and dove in for a taste.
Miraculously, her mom managed to grab Valerie's head and force her to a stop. "Don't! You can fight this! We don't have much farther to go! Don't give in now or you'll always have to give in! Fight it, Valerie! Fight it!"
Thrashing about like an animal caught in a trap, Valerie fought an inner battle. Just a taste. Satisfy her craving. No she wouldn't accept defeat. She didn't want to live like this. Just hang on a little while longer. Can't, it's too strong. Can't fight it anymore. Have to. Just. Have. To.
Pushing against her mom's shoulders, Valerie heaved herself up and then slumped to the ground. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I can't do this. I can't hold on any longer. How much farther?" Valerie's words were coming out in between gasps and her arms were wrapped tightly around her stomach.
As if an answer to her prayer, her mom twisted to look ahead and pointed. "I see a cabin. That has to be his. Let's go!" Scrambling to her feet, her mom grabbed Valerie's hand, pulled her upright, and the two of them took off at a dead run.
No sooner did they reach the rustic cabin, her mom knocked on the door while Valerie held her breath. What would she do if he turned them away? She was a danger to everyone. How she managed not to sink her teeth into her mom on the way here was nothing shy of a miracle. And she would have died a thousand deaths if she wouldn't have been able to stop.
The door swung open and a tall, muscular, dark haired man with dark piercing eyes greeted them. "Jane, what brings you out here?" He glanced over at Valerie. "And what is wrong with our daughter?"
Shoving past her dad, Valerie stumbled into the cabin. Eyes that were wild with bloodlust locked on her father and she couldn't help the hiss that escaped her lips. Arms wrapped tightly around her stomach, she knew she was precious seconds from tearing into someone.
"She's a vampire? When did that happen?" Renard looked over at Jane, eyes wide with questions and concern.
Valerie's mom shook her head. "Then Forest never told you we were coming to see you and why."
"No. He was probably hoping you would miss me. It seems I might have to have some words with my friend. Actually, I was on my way out to North Dakota." Gesturing to a large suitcase near the front window, he moved to shut the front door. "I was thinking of leaving in a little bit. I'm glad you got here when you did. But we can discuss that later. Right now, Valerie, you need to come drink from my wrist."
"What if I can't stop?" Now violently shaking, Valerie's words trembled from her lips.
"Don't worry. You'll be able to stop. You will be amazed how quickly the craving will subside." Her father took a seat on a worn out brown sofa and patted the spot beside him.
Valerie sat down beside him and accepted his offered wrist. Her fangs already descended, she popped them into his vein and drank. His warm thick blood filled her mouth and flowed down her throat, quenching the fire that had been a raging inferno for over a week now.
When she was sated, she released his wrist and looked up at him.
He gave her a smile and touched her cheek. Then he brought his wrist up to his mouth and sealed the two punctures.
Laying her head in her father's lap, Valerie closed her eyes in relief; the violent sensations had finally ceased. For good.
"I'm sorry. I never should have left." Valerie's dad gently ran his fingers through her hair as she relaxed on his lap. "I allowed Forest to convince me he was right. He always wanted me to marry his sister. To have children that were born vampires, not ones I would have to wait around to see if the child would transform into one. Ensuring our kind survives is very important to him but my family is more important to me. I'm sorry I let you both down. I can be there for you both from now on . . . if you will take me back."
"Well, I can't speak for mom, but I want you back. I need you to show me the ropes and I do need a dad." Picking up her head, Valerie looked over at her mom and smiled. Then she got up from the sofa and joined her.
"I think we can discuss that over coffee or something." Valerie's mom, wearing a slight smile, hadn't moved from her spot right inside the doorway.
Valerie's dad glanced over at Jane and a smile began to spread across his face. But just as quickly, it turned into a frown. "Jane, what happened to the side of your neck?"
Jane's fingers lightly brushed over the fading
punctures. "No big deal, Renard. It's okay."
"No it's not." Renard got up from the couch and made his way over to Valerie and her mom. "It seems I have much to talk about with my old friend. He has no right to inflict any harm on my wife. Whether she is at my side or not. That will not be tolerated."
When he reached them, Valerie wrapped her arms around both her parents and held them tightly.
In response, her dad hugged her close and kissed her forehead. In his embrace, Valerie thought to herself that maybe being a vampire wasn't all bad, especially since she had someone to share it with now.
About the Author
Lori Meyer is currently busy at work on the second novel in a series about a teenage boy with incredible abilities that are connected to an immense, uncontrollable power hidden away in a cave.
She hopes to publish the first in that series soon. But for now, you can check out her other short story, also available as an e-book.
The Journal
When Lilian finds herself kidnapped, the only thing providing her with a shred of hope is a small book. But can the words jotted inside its binding help her make her way to freedom?
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