Once Bitten, Twice Dead - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,54
move, covering the distance between the trees and the front door in a hustling sort of crouched jog. Sarah followed behind as best she could on her gimpy leg. The twilight had turned to full dark as they finished searching the woods around the house. No lights shone from within.
Sarah’s eyes had adjusted to the dark. It wasn’t a pitch-black night. There was thin cloud cover and a bright moon that had risen before dark. Its light reflected off the clouds, bathing the world in an eerie glow. Creepy, but useful.
Xavier went to the door, warning her first and counting down before he kicked it open. It made the most horrendous noise. He reached one hand in, looking for a light switch in the dark interior.
The light went on inside, casting a warm glow over the threshold.
“Looks clear. I’ll go first. I want you right behind me, then shut the door. We’ll hear it if anyone comes in after us.”
She understood. The door squeaked like the dickens. If anyone opened it after them, they’d definitely hear it. There was no way around it.
Xavier entered and she followed close behind, shutting the door after her. When she turned around, Xavier was already across the large, open great room and in a short hall. He was at the door to a side room and reached in to find the light switch.
“Fuck!” he swore, pulling his hand back. It was bloody. Long furrows marred his tanned skin from wrist to elbow. They were deep and painful looking. “There’s one in there. Bastard scratched me.”
The lights were still off in the room and no sound came from within.
“Hang on. I’ll shine my light inside.”
“Do it from back there.” He indicated a spot about three feet away. “I may need room to maneuver.”
Sarah backed off three paces while she reached for her flashlight. On Xavier’s nod, she flicked it on and aimed the widely dispersed beam into the small room.
She saw the creature right away, huddled in the corner. It was female.
The poor girl was young. Maybe twenty or so, with what had been long blond hair, now matted with blood and filth. Her face had no doubt once been pretty but was now a ruined mess. She shied away from the light as Xavier walked into the room. He took aim as the pathetic creature looked up at him.
“Mas-ter?”
The girl seemed to be addressing Xavier. She’d clearly called him “master.”
“What the hell?” Xavier seemed completely taken aback.
So was Sarah, if truth be told. The creatures weren’t supposed to be able to speak, according to Xavier.
“That’s right,” Xavier temporized. “Be a good little zombie and stand up for your master. Stand up, girl.”
Astonishingly, the girl got to her feet. Sarah could see the fresh, bright-red blood on the talons of her left hand. That was Xavier’s blood.
“What’s your name?” Sarah asked from the hallway.
The girl looked past Xavier to stare blankly in Sarah’s direction.
Xavier shot Sarah a questioning look. She shrugged. “It was worth a try. If we knew who she was, we might be able to learn where Sellars is getting his victims. It would also help to be able to notify next of kin when this is all over. Knowing who she is would probably close a missing person’s case. Somebody is bound to be looking for her.”
Xavier looked impressed by her reasoning. Suddenly the girl started to move toward him. Her claws rent the air as she advanced on him. There was no doubt about it. The girl was out for blood.
He took aim and fired three rounds into the girl at point-blank range, backing off as she continued to move forward. He added a fourth dart for good measure as he crossed the great room, Sarah preceding him toward the door. The girl followed behind, her left leg lurching at a funny angle. It was broken near the ankle, but still she kept walking on it. The very image of it made Sarah want to retch.
“I suppose that’s why she wasn’t outside as part of the welcoming committee,” Xavier observed, watching the girl’s halting progress carefully. “Probably why she was left behind, too. She can’t move fast on that.”
“This is so sad.” Sarah felt awful for the ruined creature that had probably once been a beautiful young woman in the prime of her life.
Xavier looked at Sarah with understanding in his eyes. “It is, but what we’re doing is a good thing. We’re putting them to rest, giving their souls peace.”