Mermaids and Vampires

27: Nightfall

~~~~OLIVIA'S POV~~~~

At dusk the peaceful silence of the forest is broken by the hum of an engine growing closer.

"Olivia!" Adam calls into the trees.

"Over here!" I shout back.

Sitting up, I cast my eyes down to Auron. He's sleeping now beside me. I have left his shirt off so that Adam can see what he's done.

"We have everything we need." Adam speaks as he walks towards me. "How's Auron?"

I stand up as he comes around the tree.

"Have a look."

Adam kneels and touched Auron's shoulder.

"Auron?" He says softly, trying to wake him.

Auron doesn't stir.

"Have you been talking to him?" Adam asks.

"Only a bit when we first settled down. He's been sleeping ever since. I let him rest." I replied. "Is something wrong?"

"We'll see." Adam answers.

Charlotte walks over carrying a couple bodies. She puts them down next to Auron and stands with us looking down at him.

She makes eyes at Adam, realizing why her brother looks the way he does.

"Adam, get the blood in him, I can't look at him like this." She walks away, back to the car.

Adam lest out a long breath.

"Alright. You hold his head, get his teeth exposed." Adam says.

He crouches and brings over a body.

"How many did you get?" I ask.

"Roughly ten." Adam says. "The rest are waiting in the car."

Blood drips around my hands as I hold Aurons mouth to the neck. He starts sucking once he's tasted it.

"Ten's a lot. You've never eaten that much at once."

"Better to be safe." He says.

"Were you guys pretty stealthy? No one saw you?" I ask.

Adam nods. "We'll be okay."

"And the girl?"

"Got her home safely. She's got a real thirst." He smiles.

"Glad to see your plan's working out so well."

"Don't know why I didn't think of this before."

"You did. Remember? You were going to do it with me."

A silence falls.

"Body's dry." Adam says, unhooking the teeth.

"Should we give him another?"

"Wait a little while."

I lean back on my hands and look up at the darkening sky.

"Where will we go now?" I ask.

"We should stay near the city, in case he needs more blood."

I shake my head. "Thought the whole point was to get away from here."

"Yeah, well, plans change."

Auron groans. I reach down and stroke his hair.

"Adam... Look" I run my hand softly over his stomach. "They're getting redder."

Blood is pooling, brighter than ever, just below the skin.

"Fuck." Adam mutters.

"He isn't absorbing it is he? He may as well have a thousand open cuts."

"This isn't good."

"You think?"

"Olivia, drag the next one closer."

"Is feeding him again really going to help?"

"It's all we can do." Adam says.

I pull a corpse by the arms, dragging it over the leafy ground.

"Here." I say with a heavy breath.

He places the neck in Auron's teeth.

Soon he's sucking again. But he stops long before the body's drained. Blood begins to wet the ground beneath him.

"It's too much, Adam." I mutter.

"You full, Auron?" Adam asks.

Auron groans in agreeance, if that's possible. And Adam looks away.

After a moment he speaks. "I'll take him to the car." Adam says.

He picks him up and walks slowly through the forest.

I have a sinking feeling in my stomach, like maybe everything isn't going to be okay.

I've never seen a vampire so weak.

We drive up to the cliff where we'd been a few days ago. It's a secluded place not likely to be frequented by hunters. Adam says if we drive a little further than we'd come before we'll be able to hide around a corner. No one will find us out there.

When we arrive I get out and look around. The peaking stars are reflected in the glass smooth water below.

"You can sleep in the car, when you're ready." Adam says from behind me.

I glance back at him and shake my head.

"The smell of dead people isn't very relaxing."

"Alright, outside then? On the cold, hard ground?"

"There's some grass over there" I point. "I'll be fine there."

"Suit yourself." He begins walking back to the car.

I saunter over to the grass by the clif's edge. It's a beautiful place to spend the night. The smell of the sea, the warm summer air and the shining stars above. I lay on my back and watch the sky until I fall asleep.