Thankfully, the boys were too distracted by something to notice my mistake. They were all walking rapidly across the empty parking lot. Where were they going?
Looking past them gave me the answer.
A lovely petite woman was leaning over, trying to lock a stubborn shop door. Her long black hair hung loosely around her shoulders, hiding her face. All she was wearing was a tight pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt despite the damp, chilly, San Diego night.
I was caught for a moment by the graceful sweep of her back and the generous round globes perfectly outlined by her worn jeans. My hands itched to reform and touch her.
No! I was a wraith. We fed on humans. I specialized in feeding off tyrants, tormentors, and bullies. My place in this world wasn’t to admire a beautiful woman.
“Hey pretty!” one of the boys yelled.
She turned with a gasp. The boys crossed the last bit of distance in a rush, and I followed. Soon they had her surrounded, similar to what they’d done to me earlier.
“Go away!” she said, standing tall and gripping the strap of her oversized purse as if she was getting ready to use it as a weapon.She was trying to sound strong and confident, but I could taste her overwhelming fear.
Normally, things either tasted good or bland. Pain tasted good. Fear could taste good, but not as good as pain. Happiness, contentment, satisfaction, love, and all the other emotions tasted bland to me. One of my brothers described it as water. The taste of nothing.
For the first time, I tasted sour.
Confused, I floated closer. The sourness was coming from her. It was horrible in my mouth. Then one of the boys took a step closer, and she started to panic. That tasted like rot.
If I’d been in my corporeal form, I would’ve gagged from the taste.
No, this wouldn’t do. I couldn’t let this continue. I had to make it stop.
Sliding between her and the threat, I faced the boys and became solid.
Everyone screamed.
I was used to screams. Waves of sweet, sweet fear came off the boys. It would’ve been lovely except for the growing smell of panic coming from her. Could I make that stop?
I turned to face the woman. She looked up at me, her hair falling back to give me a good look at her round, soft face. Big, expressive brown eyes stared up at me with abject terror.
She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. She was so scared she couldn’t make a sound. My mouth flooded with a rotten taste so bad I might have gagged a little.
“Please stop being afraid,” I begged. Of course that didn’t work. I’d forgotten to pitch my voice. The moment she heard my deep, inhuman voice, her back collided with the door behind her, violently shaking the glass. That gave me an idea. “You should go back inside.”
That was about the time one of the boys had gathered up the courage to stab something into my back. I jerked and hissed. It didn’t hurt much, but I was annoyed. This was my favorite hoodie, and he’d just put a hole in it!
Reaching past her, I turned the key and pulled the door open. Using a firm grip on her upper arm, I guided her into the colorful store.
“Stay,” I ordered, before closing the door behind her. Then I turned to face the young men.
“Finally,” I said, letting go of my magic. “I’m starving!”
Willow
My legs buckled under me. I fell to my knees, my eyes focused through the glass door on the figure in the dark hoodie. When he’d appeared in front of me, I thought I was imagining things. That my fear was causing me to hallucinate. Then he’d spoken and touched me, and I realized it was all real.
Real and monstrous!
Not only had he materialized out of nothing, but his eyes glowed! Then he’d grabbed my arm, and I’d felt a strange warmth radiate through me. Before I could process anything, he’d pushed me into the store and closed the door. It wasn’t locked so the gangbangers could’ve walked right in. Except he stood there, a barrier between me and them.
When he turned, I could see a knife handle sticking out of my savior’s back. Someone had stabbed him when he’d been looking after me!
“Finally,” he said in that inhuman voice. “I’m starving.”
That voice helped shake me out of my stupor. It was six men against one. Even if he had glowing eyes, that wasn’t fair odds.
