Full Moon

Chapter 10

The scent hadn't reached my nose until after I left the nondescript bookshop, hidden behind a popular eatery. At first I was filled with a wild elation, vampire scent was family. This scent was not. Caution won out at the unfamiliar smell. I ducked into the crowded restaurant, claiming a seat at the bar.

He came in. There was no denying what he was, for those with the eyes to see. He was beautiful in the way only Vampires are. He had allowed the cloak to fall back from his head, those burning red eyes were fixed on me. A slow smile curled his lips, fangs winking at me. I shuddered violently. Those eyes promised a long suffering death.

My heart was in overdrive, fluttering inside my chest. He only smiled wider. I realized with a start of dismay that not even a roomful of humans would stop him from taking me. I fled.

Dashing through the kitchen, I slammed open the back door and took off down the street. I could hear the yell of Spanish following me, coupled with the crash of broken plates. I didn't have much hope of outrunning him. Or of outfighting him. My chances were nil. But, I pressed harder. Ran faster.

As I twined my way through the maze of streets and alleyways I could hear him, laughing. He flitted in and out of the shadows, easily keeping pace, aiming me in the direction he wanted us to go. It was only as I finally found myself in an empty courtyard that I realized what he had been doing. There was no one around. I had been safer with humans.

With all my heart I wished Jacob were there, protecting me, watching over me. I screamed as a hand, cold as marble, sent me sprawling forward. I caught myself on the lip of the fountain and vaulted in, breathing hard. Whirling around I looked for him frantically. Felix, his name came back to me. I remembered my mother mentioning him. I shoved the thought of her aside, it was too hard, even in the given circumstance.

Felix flitted in and out of the shadows, I caught a flash of white flesh, the burning gaze of his red eyes, sharp fangs bared in a smile. He wanted to kill me, but he wanted to take his time. Time for me it seemed was out.

As I mentally prepared myself for death a most beloved and direly needed smell tickled my nostrils. Jacob. My eyes sought him in desperation. He was there, my savior. Always when I needed him the most. I nearly cried out my relief. Instead I mouthed our adversaries name. Despite the fact that it probably meant nothing to Jacob, he was simply another vampire to slay.

His massive wolf form bounded across the empty courtyard, skidding to a stop in front of the fountain. Running forward I pressed my face against his warm fur, breathing in the familiar musky smell. I found myself crying and apologizing in an incoherent flood of images. Jacob shook his large head and growled, no time for that, his eyes were locked onto the shadows. Danger was out there.

"The big bad wolf is protecting little red riding hood, how quaint." Laughter, soft, cold, and threaded with contempt, whispered from the darkness before us. I shivered, wishing I could be of more help.

Jacob growled.

"I don't think your pet likes me very much little girl. I think we need to put him out!" The last few words were fierce as he sprung for us. Jacob met him in midair. The metallic grating sound of teeth against a vampires near indestructible skin and growling filled my ears. Jacob sprang away blood matting the fur of his side, Felix came away no more clean. A pale scratch marred his perfect face. Evidence of how close Jake had been to beheading him. The fingers of one hand were pressed to my lips, holding back the screams building inside. I was past tears right now, fear heightened my senses and I could see every bite, scratch, every near death for my dear Jacob. Finally he managed to grab hold of his arm. The scream was terrible to hear, almost as terrible as the sound it made when the arm came off.

Felix fled, he would live to fight another day. His mission was far from over. The arm still clamped in his mouth Jacob hurried over and I sprang on. It wasn't an option anymore. We could not stay here. There was no telling how many vampires had come with him. We ran, Jacobs muscles moving smoothly under my body. The world flashed past us in a blur. Tears fell freely down my cheeks. We reached the outskirts of the city, stopping only long enough to burn the piece of Felix Jacob had managed to tear off. He couldn't reclaim that again. As the choking scent filled the air I knew that this had become personal. Felix would not stop until we were dead at his feet. No matter what he had to do.

We disappeared into the jungle. We would survive, Jacob would see to that. He just wanted to put as much distance as he possibly could between us and the vampire following us. We would have some time. No doubt once he healed, he would go searching for the missing limb. When he found it he would find our scent. Although Jake had then backtracked through the city and left at the opposite end.

I regret the loss of the knowledge I may have gained if we could have stayed in the city. All I had now was the book I had, by now, shoved into the pack. Along with a notebook where I started jotting down theories, and the book of lore on vampire. We didn't stop running for two days. Forging deeper and deeper into the jungle. So focused on getting away I couldn't appreciate the life around us. The beautiful flora and fauna, and the animals. What small glimpses we got.

We didn't stop until we reached the outskirts of a village. Here we could get food and maybe an inkling of where we were.

I trail behind a now human Jacob. A small form was hunched over a quilt outside one of the homes. Her dark eyes flashed warily at him. Then her eyes found me and the screaming began.