The Beauty in Pain | Book One of In Pain Trilogy *EDITING*

28. Vampires

How was this even possible?

They were supposed to be extinct. King Francis III led a war to exterminate every single one of these creatures a hundred years ago. It couldn't be that they actually survived.

No, this had to be a trick of the light. But there was no light. The alleyway was as dark as ever yet those shining red eyes were piercing her as if he knew exactly what was going through her head.

"H-how...?" She couldn't get the words out. There was too much shock coursing through her for her to even fix a correct sentence.

"How do I still exist?"

Mynera nodded, trying to swallow back the fear that rose up on her throat. It wasn't working. She was standing in front of a century (maybe more) year old vampire that has her cornered in the dark where he can suck her dry in peace. That was more than enough reason for her to be scared.

The vampire shrugged, the silhouette of his shoulders going up then down. "Why would I tell you that? When you're about to die?"

She couldn't help the frightened gasp. Oh, God, she should have went back inside the inn. She should have never set foot inside that tavern. She would have been safely inside under Saenar's pity look instead of out here in the cold, drunk and about to be eaten by a vampire. She would take the pity over dying any day.

"Don't be scared," the vampire said. "I'll try to make it as painless as possible. You might even begin to enjoy it."

"W-why are you doing this?"

"Why? I haven't had fresh blood from a living human in years. A whole century to be exact. When I saw you, you looked so delicious, so alive. It's always the ones like you who make the best meal."

Oh God, she was a meal.

"I'm terribly sorry," he said, and she could actually detect a hint of apology in his voice but the drive to eat her must be overpowering it. "You're just a drunken lady trying to escape your heartbreak and ..." at her face he clarified, "You made that clear when you were shouting inside the tavern. I'm sorry that I have to do this to you but ... you look so delicious."

That was it. If she was going to die, which she probably will, she was going to die fighting. He was a vampire, a darned vampire for God's sake! She wouldn't stand a chance against him. But she was going to try.

Mynera swallowed. In a flash, he was before her, his hand on her throat, his thumb stroking her flesh gently but his grip strong enough to keep her there. She tried to remember what her nanny had said about the kind of abilities these creatures of the night possessed.

Super speed? He had that.

Super strength? Judging by the casual way his hand was on her throat yet her immobility, he had that too.

And what did she have? The will to live.

His thumb traced a path all the way to her mouth. Mynera bit his finger as hard as she could.

He drew his hand back with a shout, which was what she had been hoping for. At least they weren't completely immune to pain.

While he was distracted for that split moment, she threw her leg up hard into that spot that no man, whether human or vampire, would be able to recover quickly from. Her foot hit him straight in his crotch and he folded over with a groan of pain.

If her fear wasn't pushing her, she would have stopped to make some witty remark, but that was the last thing on her mind right now. As soon as he fell, she made a mad dash out of the alleyway and made it.