He cocked his head, and in the dim lighting, she could just see his eyes narrow. “Now, now, you don’t need to lie to me. You already smell different.”
“Now you’re talking crazy.” She gritted her teeth against the pain of blisters forming from the shoes and pushed faster, twenty yards from the house and ten from him. Except he kept gaining on her.
“You should’ve stayed in the nest until you morphed. You would’ve had a better chance. But it’s better this way. I’ll kill you quick and easy. It’ll be painful for you, I won’t lie, but at least it won’t be prolonged, right? I don’t even need to change to do it.”
Her heart quickened, which was amazing, because it was already beating a mile a minute. She took long strides just short of a run, knowing he’d probably spring into action as soon as she tried to book it. She needed to distract him until she could make a fast hobble-sprint into the house and scream for help.
“Why are you loitering outside, anyway?” she asked, turning for a few fast steps before glancing back. Sure enough, he’d jogged a couple of steps forward. Her breathing harried, she nearly wanted to stop and strip off the heels, but she didn’t have time. He’d be on her before the first buckle was through the loop.
His thin lips pulled up into a sneer. “Waiting for you, of course.”
She shook her head. Fifteen yards to the house, five from him. She’d never make it. She’d need to stand her ground, get in a hard shot to a vulnerable area—eye, throat, or groin—and then hobble-sprint.
She stopped and faced him, her feet planted and her hands out, pretending to ward off his advance. He’d think she was helpless, lose his wary edge, and give her an easy in.
She hoped.
“I don’t even know you,” she said, allowing fear to ride in her voice. Playing into her role as a helpless damsel in distress.
“Did you even ask what was in that drink?” he asked, his energy becoming eager. He sensed blood about to be spilled and it excited him.
Cold washed through her body. Fear pulsed deep inside.
She maintained her calm. She was trained for this. Ready.
“He said it was unicorn blood,” she said.
The guy sneered. “I didn’t know vampires told jokes.”
“Dude, you need to lay off the drugs. They are having a bad effect on you.”
Three yards away and the guy stopped, facing her. The lights from the front porch gleamed in his manic eyes. He leaned forward, all eager anticipation.
“Not me. You.” His muscles coiled and he sprang, his hands out and reaching for her throat.
She swung her hand up as she turned, pushing his reaching hands to the side, fast-stepped to him, as much as she could manage in the shoes, and punched him in the middle, hard and fast. The breath gushed out of his mouth. She turned, wobbling, and sharp pain cut through her heel. She ignored it and slammed her other fist into the side of the guy’s neck, losing some force because of her unsure footing.
“What the hell—” The guy’s body shivered. A strange green mist drifted around him.
“Stop!”
The voice rang out, deep and full of command she couldn’t help but heed. The guy in front of her froze just as she did, the manic light in his eyes drying up and alertness taking over.
Devon strode up the driveway, his face hard, an air of command pumping out of every pore in his body. Now was the time to run. To yell for help. But all she could do was stand and stare, caught in his influence.
“What’s going on here?” he asked, barking each word.
A new fear trembled through Charity, one she didn’t understand. Something within her didn’t want to disappoint him. Didn’t want him to be angry with her.
She took a step back, remembering the fog of lust from the unbelievably attractive man in the house. This was similar, but not sexual. This was like seeing her battle commander stalk up and feeling the need to fall in line.
“What is happening to me tonight?” she asked in a daze.
“You drank an elixir that will change you,” Devon said, stepping between her and the other guy. “Did you take blood?”
“I…” His strong presence felt like a blow to her middle. “I didn’t drink— The punch, you mean? I didn’t drink any. I don’t drink.” She shook within the power of his proximity.