Dark Realms(12)
She didn’t answer.
Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the ladder. “Don’t worry, I’m coming to help you.”
“Emily,” she moaned. “Help me.”
I started climbing the ladder, wondering exactly what I was going to find above. Fairly certain that it was still a dream and that nothing could really hurt me, I willed myself up each step. When I reached the top and looked over the edge, I saw her.
“Tara?”
She was lying down on her back, her head facing the wall.
“Hey,” I whispered, crawling over the edge and onto the wooden platform. “Are you okay?”
She didn’t answer.
Wondering if she’d fallen asleep, I crawled over to her. “Tara,” I whispered, touching her shoulder.
She turned her face to me and I gasped in horror.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you,” she said, smiling broadly.
I stared down at her glowing red eyes and sharp teeth that were definitely inhuman. “Ohmygod! Tara, what did they do to you?”
Her hand snaked out and grabbed my throat. “I’m so hungry, Emily,” she said, her eyes glowing even brighter. “Please understand that this isn’t anything… personal.”
I tried prying her fingers away from my neck, but I couldn’t.
She smiled. “I know, right? I’m so freaking strong now. It’s amazing.”
Frightened and hysterical, I tried scratching at her eyes, but she was fast, blocking all of my attempts. We started rolling around and soon she was on top, staring down at me with triumph. “Well, it’s been… real.”
I tried flipping her off of me, but she held me in place with thighs that were incredibly powerful. “Please,” I gasped.
“You shouldn’t have tried escaping without me,” she said, baring her fangs. “Although, I’m not really complaining much. I had an awesome time with Brandon. That guy knows his way around a girl; you know what I’m saying?”
I didn’t have a clue.
Unable to move, I closed my eyes and prayed that this was still just part of a nightmare. Mercifully, before her teeth ripped into my neck, my prayers were answered.
Well, almost.
Her hands released me and I opened my eyes to find Marie holding Tara by the throat over the edge of the loft. Tara’s eyes were bulging as she tried unwrapping Marie’s fingers from her throat as she hung helplessly.
“Nobody steals from me,” growled Marie.
I scooted away on the ground, but something grabbed me from behind.
“No!” I screamed, flailing my arms and legs.
“This one’s a fighter to the bitter end,” said the man holding me, his voice raspy. He tightened his grip and pulled my hair away from my neck. “Oh, but the scent of her fear is… delicious.”
Marie dropped Tara, who’d passed out, over the edge and turned towards us. “Daddy, you’re awake.”
“Lucky for me. Tara fed from me while I slept,” he growled angrily. “Good thing I woke up before she got too far. I almost killed her, but this one walked into the barn before I could finish the job.”
She scowled. “How did Tara change?”
He sighed. “Apparently, Brandon had his way with her.”
“Brandon?” she fumed. “Are you sure it wasn’t Martin?”
“Oh, it was Brandon. I heard her tell this one,” he said, sniffing my neck.
I shuddered.
“Don’t worry – I’ll take care of him once I feed. Nobody cheats on my daughter.”
“Please, let me go,” I begged.
“You’re still not fully healed,” she replied, ignoring me. Her eyes softened. “Why don’t you have this one?
“Oh, I plan on it,” he said. “But don’t worry, Celeste. We’ll get you fed before we reach Shore Lake.”
My eyes filled with tears. “Please, let me go.”
Celeste, or whatever her name was, walked over and kneeled next to me. “You should be honored,” she said, wiping a tear from my cheek. “Your blood will help daddy regain the rest of his strength.”
I glared at her. “You people are all crazy.”
She tilted her head and smiled. “Poor thing… you still don’t get it, do you?”
My eyes narrowed. “No. Why don’t you enlighten me?”
Her eyes left mine and moved to her father. “Daddy? Why don’t you show her?”
He released me and I scooted away. When I turned around and finally had my first glimpse of the creature holding me, I gasped in revulsion.
He smiled coldly. “How’s this for enlightenment?”
Although he had dark hair and bright blue eyes, it was the only thing humanly recognizable. With his lack of skin and organs exposed, he reminded me of something I’d seen in a science book – a body without skin.