Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [84]
“Good, Sarah,” Claire said. “Closer proximity is probably better to focus the energy.” She focused on the light and then a big smile came over her face. “It shouldn’t take long now to get a fix on her location.”
I grabbed the front of Claire’s sweater and pulled her closer, then tilted my head to the side. Her attention finally landed on me as her gaze met my own.
“Sarah,” she began, “what are you doing?”
“Shh.” I pressed my index finger against her mouth.
I could feel her heartbeat in my head, hear it thudding in my ears, as if it took over for my own silent one. So close now. The pulse was close. My mouth watered at the thought of sinking my fangs into her warm flesh. So alive. So vital. Blood from a keg wasn’t sufficient for me. Too cold. I needed it fresh, from the living, breathing source.
“Uh… somebody?” Claire called out, but otherwise she was frozen in place. “A little assistance, please? I’m too weak from starting the location spell. Scary Sarah alert! Help!”
My fangs grazed her neck. I wanted to make this last. To enjoy every moment of it. It was a primal need. A driving desire to feed. And somehow, at this very moment, it felt so completely right to me. This is the way being a vampire should feel. This ache inside that could be relieved by only one thing: blood.
I heard footsteps pounding behind me, but I knew they couldn’t stop me. I was too strong now. I could fend all of them off if they got in my way. They would be wise to stay far away from me until I was finished.
But before I could seal the deal, so to speak, I felt a strange sensation. Instead of grasping hands attempting to pull me away from Claire, I felt a sharp and painful jolt of electricity. I backed away from her with a snarl and looked up. Butch stood very tall and large next to me, and in his hand he held something that I foggily registered as a stun gun.
Thierry stood behind him with his arms crossed in front of him. “Again,” he said tightly to Butch. “Do it quickly before it’s too late.”
My hands curled into fists and in one fluid motion I rose to my feet and lunged at him. Butch also froze in place; whatever he saw in my face was enough to stop him cold. Thierry grabbed the stun gun away from him and without hesitating, touched it to my chest where my stake wound was a fading memory, and the electricity coursed through my body, freezing me in my tracks.
My eyes widened as I met his gaze.
His expression was tense. “I’m sorry, Sarah.”
I fell to the ground, feeling the cool ceramic tiles press against my face seconds before the world went completely and totally black.
When I woke, my eyes still felt too heavy to open, like little cinder blocks tipped with smeared, day-old mascara.
I didn’t know where I was, but I could hear people talking.
“And what happens if that doesn’t work? She’s dangerous.” That was Butch.
“Give her a break, she’s been through a lot,” George said.
“And what would you suggest I do?” Thierry’s deep voice asked tightly.
“I would suggest that we take care of the problem before it becomes a larger one,” Butch said.
“You are going to have to be more specific, I’m afraid,” Thierry replied. “It has been a long couple of days, so I find myself unable to understand your exact meaning.”
“If she’s a nightwalker, for real, and we can’t find this witch, then she needs to be eliminated. There’s no other solution.”
“Are you crazy?” George said. “This is just a stupid curse, not the way she normally is. No way. We can’t hurt Sarah. I won’t let you.”
“Oh, yeah?” Butch continued. “You really think you could stop me?”
“Perhaps George alone could not,” Thierry said. “But if you make one move toward Sarah that I find to be threatening, make no mistake, I will kill you myself.”
“Look,” Butch said. “You still don’t understand what I’m trying to say here—”
“No,” Thierry cut him off. “You are the one who doesn’t understand. If you attempt to hurt her in any way, I promise to return the favor.”
There was silence then.
“I can’t be here,” Butch finally