Stakes & Stilettos - Michelle Rowen [9]
The stake eased off a bit from my throat. “Can we?”
“Not really.” I stomped on his instep and twisted away from him. Then I curled my hand into a fist and socked him as hard as I could in his jaw. Not too much vampire strength, but since he was only human it was enough to knock him back a few feet. Enough for me to get away.
That is, if I didn’t suddenly have his vampire girlfriend behind me, pinning my arms down at my sides.
“Let go of me, Heather,” I snarled at her. “Right now.”
“Not a chance.”
“I thought we were friends. Why would you do something like this to a friend?”
“Because I love Josh. But I guess somebody involved with a cold, emotionless jerk like Thierry wouldn’t understand what true love feels like, would you?”
“This isn’t love,” I managed.
“We’re going to be together forever.”
“You’ve only known him for a few weeks, haven’t you?”
“It doesn’t matter. I know it’s forever.” Her fingernails dug painfully into my arms. “Do it, Josh. Do it now.”
“Let go of me!” I yelled and struggled so hard against her that I almost broke free. She had a fight on her hands to keep me in place. I wrenched to the side, twisting my body to possibly bite her on the nose, but then I felt something very bad slam into my chest.
I gasped.
It was something sharp.
Something extremely painful.
Heather finally released me. “Sorry, Sarah. I wish you’d given us another choice.”
My eyes widened as I looked down at the wooden stake protruding from my chest. I touched the end of it with shaking hands, blinking hard.
“Wh-what…?” My mouth was dry. I fell to my knees on the cold, hard ground and stared up at Heather, who’d gone to stand next to Josh. They both looked down at me coldly.
Oh, my God. I’d been staked. They’d staked me.
I couldn’t breathe. The pain in my chest was like a living thing that was burrowing into my body. The night that surrounded me began to fill my vision with a growing darkness.
I thought she was my friend. I trusted her.
Too good to be true.
I gasped for breath and fell to my side, my head landing on a patch of thick white snow.
I couldn’t see anything. I was blacking out. I was going to die.
Then suddenly there was a whir of movement in my now dark and cloudy peripheral vision. I heard both Josh and Heather yelling.
And then there was only silence.
I felt hands on me, pulling me up to a standing position. Gloved hands prodded at my chest, pushing the camisole to the side. I wanted to protest being groped by whoever it was, but I couldn’t find the words at the moment. The world began to fade.
A sharp smack resounded on the side of my face. “Stay with me, Sarah.”
Unfamiliar deep voice. Male.
“Who… wh-what—?”
“They won’t hurt you again. The stake… it’s not in your heart. Almost, but not quite. You’re a very lucky woman. I’d heard that about you—that you’re damned lucky. You’ll be all right. I promise.”
I forced myself to focus my vision enough to see the vague outline of a man close to me, his face mostly covered by a black winter scarf. I couldn’t see his features other than a glimpse of his eyes. He wore dark clothes—a long black coat. His hands were encased in black leather gloves. He was tall and strong and he lifted me up into his arms.
“Th… the… st-stake…?” It wasn’t more than a whisper. It hurt to talk.
“I’ll let someone who knows how to remove it properly do the honors. I don’t want to hurt you. I can’t stay, though. I’ll get you back to your friends.”
I blinked and that hurt, too. “Wh-who are you?”
“They call me the Red Devil.”
Frowning also caused pain. “The R-Red Devil?”
What the hell kind of a name was that?
“Shh… save your strength. You’re going to need it.”
The Red Devil—or whatever his real name was—pressed me protectively against his chest and swiftly began walking out of the park. I sensed that we were headed back to Haven, at least I hoped so, but I couldn’t be sure since after another moment I passed out from the pain and shock.
It was official.
Being staked sucked.
Chapter 2
She’s dead! Sarah’s dead!” It was George’s voice. He was a vampire