Survivor - By Kaye Draper Page 0,56

they can blank their minds and be still for hours at a time. He said it was refreshing. However, they don’t sleep. This vampire slept. Granted, I wasn’t ever as tired as I had been before being turned, but every now and then, I needed a nap.

I flopped onto my pillow with a sigh. Peter had left to visit Leah. He had refused to take me with him, stating that I wasn’t ready to be exposed to people yet. I think he was concerned that I was still a bit weak, and he didn’t want the other coven members to know it. Without the gentle sounds of him going about his day, the house felt very empty. I thought I would have trouble sleeping without him near, but drifted off to sleep in no time.

I don’t know how long I slept. When I woke, I smelled blood, thick and choking. I got out of bed and moved soundlessly to the bedroom door, a hand pressed to my burning throat. Being careful not to make a sound, I slipped into the hallway. I paused and put a my hand to my head as a wave of dizziness hit me. The hallway was crowded with people, all of them dead. I wanted to call for help, but I didn’t dare. Whoever had done this might still be in the house. But where had all these people come from?

I gingerly stepped over bodies, trying not to look too hard. Some had been bitten, their flesh torn and ragged. Others looked like they had simply been taken apart. I stepped over an arm and my fangs elongated. Lifeless blood held no appeal to me, but the stress of the situation pulled my defensive instincts into play. The house was silent. There was no moaning or cries for help. I wrinkled my brow, wondering how I had slept through such a gruesome battle.

Exhaling, I knelt and peered into a lifeless face, someone I didn’t recognize. Chills walked up my spine. Lying next to him was a woman. I had seen her at the coven house. I couldn’t see any visible injuries, but she was dead. Clenching my fists, I stood.

As I neared the other end of the hallway, I found Cynthia. Not far away was Viktor. Leah and Peter were crumpled at the landing, their bodies entwined as if they had fought and died together. I felt numb and unreal, a sort of floating sensation. I tried to scream but nothing sound came out. I turned and pummeled my fists against the wall. My blows should have obliterated the weak sheet rock but it remained undamaged. That’s when I saw the dead man in the corner. Haine’s silver hair was streaked with blood, like a bad dye job. His wide shoulders covered the body of a woman, as if he had shielded her. Her thick, light brown hair was covering her face, but she was wearing my clothes. I tried to touch her. Me. But couldn’t. I tore at the walls. I kicked, and screamed and shouted, but I couldn’t effect my environment at all. It was as if I didn’t exist. Something wrapped around me from behind, pinning my arms to my sides as I struggled.

My eyes flew open and I pushed at the restraining hands that bit into my upper arms. Peter’s face was pinched. The worried look in his eyes lessened when I stopped struggling. His voice was anxious. “Melody,” he loosened his hold on me and stared into my eyes, “are you okay? Does it hurt somewhere? What’s going on?”

He sounded panicked, probably wondering if my body was rejecting the turn. He had told me it could happen, though that was rare. I took a deep breath and gave him a weak smile. “I’m fine,” I said, striving to stay calm. “It was just a bad dream.”

He sat back with a short laugh and ran his hand through his thick, wavy hair, making it stand on end. “Is that all?”

I nodded, then laughed. “It was just a dream. Not a big deal.”

He nodded slowly. A slight frown creased his brow, but was gone in an instant. “Well that’s good then.” He said nothing about the fact that vampires shouldn’t be able to dream, just gestured at the dark window. “Do you want to go out?”

I nodded eagerly, pushing the memory of those lifeless bodies out of my head. Going outside was a treat. I couldn’t tolerate the sunlight right now. It