Crave - Teresa Mummert Page 0,70
under his breath as the car crept forward at a snail’s pace. When we reached Green Valley Road, the congestion had dissipated and Elijah was free to drive at his usual high speed. We slowed to a crawl just before Reid’s farmhouse. Elijah clicked off the headlights and we drifted by, inspecting for signs of life… or death.
One solitary light in the front of the house glowed as Elijah circled around, pulling the car off the side of the road about a block away. He nodded and I knew that it was now or never. We both got out of the car and I met Elijah at the trunk. He slid his keys in the lock and popped it open, revealing an arsenal of vampire-killing weapons, most of which I had never seen and would not even begin to know how to use. Rows upon rows of stakes lined the walls of the trunk. On top of those sat several flat open top creates. Each held a different type of weapon, one filled with crossbows, and another with handguns. The rest looked like movie props from horror flicks.
“You ready for this?” he asked and I was not sure if I ever would be. I nodded and a quick smile spread across his face but faded leaving behind no visible emotions. He pulled out a wooden stake and inspected the tip. It seemed to meet his standards and he handed it to me. “Use the gun first. Hopefully, no one can get close enough that you will need the stake,” he explained and I continued to nod like a bobble head doll.
He slid several weapons into the waist of his jeans and closed the lid. He placed his hand on the small of my back and his confidence flowed freely in the air, calming me. This was Elijah’s favorite pastime and I could tell he was damn good at it.
We moved silently through the dark, circling the house and finding a door near the back that housed a furnace. Elijah tugged on the handle and it swung open. I held my breath.
The room was silent as we stepped inside. I could not make out which part of the house we were in and the glow from a few rooms away did not light my path enough to make it out. I placed my hand on Elijah’s back and followed blindly through the maze of rooms. When we reached the entry to the lit room, I recognized it immediately. It was where I had come face to face with Reid, and discovered my brother was not exactly dead. Elijah turned and nodded quickly and I tucked my body in close to his and followed him around the corner. By now, someone should have known we were here, but nothing came for us. I was beginning to lose confidence in our ambush tactic. Elijah motioned for me to stay put as he snuck up the stairs to the second floor. I pressed my back against the wall, praying to a god I was certain didn’t exist.
The sound of quick footsteps startled me and I struggled to see up the dark staircase. Elijah bounded toward me with his gun in hand.
“I know where they are,” he said as he walked passed me. I followed behind quickly as we snaked our way back through the home and out the same way we had come in.
“Well?” I asked, practically running to keep pace.
“They’re at the club,” he answered over his shoulder as we reached the road. Elijah kept walking, but I stopped out of habit and glanced in both directions to make sure no headlights were in sight.
“What club?” I asked, not trying to hide the irritation in my voice as I got into my seat. The car lurched onto the road before my door closed. “Elijah! Please talk to me,” I begged over the sound of the radio. His jaw clenched and the muscles in his face tensed.
“Remember the club I had told you I worked at when we first met?” he asked but not giving me a chance to respond. “That is where Reid is at tonight, but it’s not just a typical strip joint. It caters to vampires,” he explained. His eyes smoldered, even in the darkness of night.
“I don’t see what the problem is. We just walked into a vampire nest ready to kick some ass. Why are you worried?” I asked, still not understanding the serious tone he had undertaken.
“On any