The High School Reunion From Hell - Saranna DeWylde Page 0,55
ability to hide from your kind. I can move through the world and prey as I choose, and no one knows. You couldn’t even tell with a DNA test.”
The horrible truth of it came to light just as all the pieces finally clicked together in my mind’s eye.
“Yet, there’s a price to be paid for that, isn’t there? You have to recharge in complete darkness. You’re made of shadow. You were the thing in the vent.”
“Yes, Marge.” He admitted as we began to circle each other. “If only you’d let me taste me you. Open your veins for me, babe. Let me drink. Give me the gift of your blood, and I’ll no longer have to take that shadow shape.”
“What fucks do I give if you have to live in shadows? All you had to do was ask me. I’d have given you my blood if you’d come to me like a friend and told me what happened to you. But instead, you set all of this up, didn’t you? You are part of the Order.”
“I’m not part of the Order, I am its lord and master.”
“You could have stopped this at any time, but instead, you were willing to murder my friends, my fucking dog, you piece of shit.”
“I could still stop it, but the price has gone up.”
“Fuck you,” I said.
“Every vampire in the world is bidding on your blood. They’re all going to watch me take you down. And they’re all going to pay for their very own piece of finely aged, and nicely marbled slayer.”
“Christ, you’re disgusting.” I wrinkled my nose. “And why are you naked? Do you think your danger worm is that intimidating? Because I’ve got news for you. It’s old hat. Men have always used their bodies to intimidate women, and to hurt them. Get that thing anywhere near me, and I swear to God, I’ll twist it off like rotten fruit.”
“It’s not that, silly slayer. It’s for this.”
And suddenly, all the light was gone from the space and his skin fell from his body like melting sugar. He crawled from the hollowed-out shell he wore to move through the world, and his darkness was absolute.
I grabbed my phone and turned the flashlight app on and raised the brightness to retina-searing, but it did little when the darkness was all around me. A second and third creature just Gabe swarmed me, followed by human stooges. This was a fight I couldn’t afford to lose, but wasn’t sure I could win. There were too many of them.
Despair crept into my chest and wrapped around my heart and squeezed.
Literally.
This was his power, his strength. He could make me doubt myself, doubt everything.
I dug deep and pulled on my love for Ryder, for Marc, for Lila Jean, for Vlad, and even, I realized, for Cornflake.
I could do this.
I would do this.
Brooke and Vlad were depending on me.
I was depending on me.
My strength rallied and warmth grew in the center of my chest and when I tried the light from the phone app again, it worked.
The Gabe-Shadow howled in pain and rage.
“Yeah, eat every dick, fucker.” I waved my phone around, until one of his stooges knocked it out of my hand.
The three shadows swarmed me, and tried to wrap themselves around my throat, and they kept biting, even though their fangs couldn’t penetrate my skin. All the while, his stooges were fighting me hand to hand.
They kept coming, no matter what I did to them. I broke two ribs on one guy, I’d felt and heard them give with a snap, but these guys were like zombies. Their pain receptors must’ve been turned off or something. It seemed like no matter what kind of damage I could dish out, they could take it.
“You can’t fight us forever,” Gabe said.
“You think not? I could do this all day.” I’d pay for it later, but right now? I’d fight until I couldn’t lift my arms. He didn’t know how long my super strength could last.
“But will it last long enough to save Vlad and Brooke?” I heard a voice in my head.
“Get the fuck out of my head,” I growled and took a couple hits from the goons so I could grab my phone.
Anything to inflict more pain on these shadow cunts.
A shot rang out, and one of the goons heads exploded. It still took long moments for his body to drop. I saw Marc and Ryder both with weapons raised out of the corner of my eye.