“What the hell? Who are you?” Landon demanded. I sat up and opened my mouth. A coughing fit came as water left my chest. He hurried over to me and shoved his hands under my arms.
“Don’t you dare touch her,” Desi growled. We turned as he stood and clenched his fists.
I pushed Landon away and scrambled up. My clothes were heavy with water and were pulling me down.
“Aren’t you the creep that’s been harassing her every night? Oh, I’m done. You’re dead,” Landon snarled.
Paulo and Kyle came forward, standing beside their friend.
Desi looked at them and laughed.
“Woah, what’s with his eyes?” Kyle asked.
“That’s—not right. Something’s wrong with him,” Paulo said, shaking his head and taking a step back.
“That’s right. There is something wrong with me,” Desi said, moving closer. His damp boots made a wet, squishing sound on the wood.
“He’s psychotic,” Landon smirked, but the uneasiness was clear on his face.
“And? Is that a problem?” Desi’s eyes flicked to me as he asked. That was a good question. It had so many layers to it the three men I was supposed to take to bed tonight wouldn’t understand.
There was a long pause as I tried to decide what I wanted to do. Did I dare follow my heart that needed Desi more than life or listen to my brain that shouted that he was a walking red flag?
Taking a deep breath, I steppedtowardDesi. He grinned and then launched at Landon.
28
Blood was splattered across my face before I could react. I stiffened and stared at the scene in front of me. Desi, with his face, shoved into Landon’s dismembered throat. Pieces of skin and tissue flew into the air as Desi lifted his head and spit them out.
Screams rang out from Kyle and Paulo as they fled. Their frantic yelling caused me to snap out of it and hurry to tear Desi off Landon’s limp body. I dropped down to my knees and looked at him. His ice-blue eyes were blank, and he was convulsing, coughing up more blood. I reached for his cheek, and Desi snatched me by the wrist.
“You wouldn’t be doing that if you knew what he had planned for you tonight.”
I looked up at him and glared. “Get over yourself. If the biggest issue you have is who I’m fucking then you’re one sad little man.”
“He,” Desi let go of me and stood up. He kicked the barely-alive vampire. “Was going to sacrifice you to a fertility demon.”
“What?” I sat back as if Landon were poison. “Do those even exist?”
“Who even fucking knows. Seems pretty contradicting to me, but who knows with these brainless fucks. Ginata is doing weird shit here. We need to go.” He extended his hand to me, and I stared at it for a long moment before taking it.
“You can’t just leave him like this.” I glanced down. Landon was still choking, but the vampire blood was healing his wound already. “He’ll be fine in five minutes. He’ll come after us.”
Desi raised an eyebrow. “Your teeth are just as sharp as mine are. Finish the job.”
“You started it!” I protested, letting go of his hand and crossing my arms under my chest.
Desi put his hands up in protest. “Look, if you want him and his friends to run a train on you and then sacrifice you to Satan, by all means, let him live. But I’m not touching that again.” He grimaced and stuck out his tongue. “His blood tastes horrendous.”
I sighed and looked from Desi to Landon. He had a point, but Landon? Goofy, sweet Landon couldn’t possibly have planned something so… insane.
“Scout, Nerd, baby, I’m going to get one of the others. They’ll show you. Hold him down just in case,” he warned me as he left, following the path the others had taken when they ran.
I stared down at Landon. The rate at which the tendons, muscles, and skin were growing back was alarming. Was I setting myself up to be murdered in two minutes?
“Was he telling the truth?” I demanded, lifting my boot and stomping it onto his chest.
Landon’s eyes moved. They blinked and then found me. His eyes went wide as I repeated my question. He tried to turn his head, but his neck wasn’t fully healed, and he stopped short. I pushed my weight into my foot, crushing him further.
