Mermaids and Vampires

35: The Bait

~~~~OLIVIA~~~~~

We end up leaving Cedric's home soon after we'd arrived. I take a deep breath of fresh air as I step out into the forest again. We walk a few feet away from the tree and I hear it's door close.

"That was awful." I state.

"He's agreed to put us up for a while." Adam says.

"Gross. I'm not staying there."

"Good luck finding an alternative." Charlotte says.

I shiver at the thought of staying the night in Cedric's place.

"What about you guys? You don't need to sleep. Why do you even need to be put up?"

"We're here for safety. This place is a stronghold from hunters." Adam says.

"I thought you weren't worried about hunters."

"Things have changed. There's more of them out there than I thought." Adam states.

I hear a cracking sound from behind and turn quickly to see where it came from.

In another tree a young female vampire pokes her head out of an opening. She sniffs the air, staring at me.

"She's with us." Adam calls to her.

The female rolls her eyes and disappears back into the tree.

"She wanted to eat me?" I ask.

Adam nods.

"Safety, hm?"

"You'll be fine. You're used to dealing with vampires."

 "Sure hope you're right."

"Adam, lets get the bodies out of that car." Charlotte says.

"Good idea. We'll make a peace offering." Adam says with a wicked smile.

He walks off towards the car carrying himself confidently.

When the door opens a waft of warm, rotting flesh rolls out into the immediate surrounding. It's enough to make me gag.

Adam hauls a limp body over each shoulder and takes them into the forest. Charlotte picks up another.

There's still some left in the car, but I'm sure as hell not touching them.

I follow Adam and Charlotte back into the thick of mossy forest. They toss the bodies down onto the ground and step back, waiting.

Seconds tick by. Then a sound. I can hear the creak of a tree hide opening. Soon there's another.

Pale and deathly vampires emerge from all around us.

They walk towards the messy pile on the ground, hunger in their eyes.

How this smell could be appetizing I have no idea.

But it's worked. Soon Adam is chatting, the vampires are eating, and everybody's smiling. Well, everybody except for one girl, off by herself, who looks like she'd rather be anywhere else. She's got black hair and big eyes. I like her. She reminds me of a friend I once had. I meander over to her and strike up a conversation. Hey, like Adam said, I'm good with vampires. And with him only a few feet away, what danger am I really in?