Page 25 of No One’s Daughter

I looked at my boots with the intention of putting them on, only to find myself with them in my hand in the blink of an eye.

Hm, seems there were perks to being a vampire I hadn’t discovered quite yet. I tried it again, this time putting on and lacing my boots.

I chanced another glance out the window to see the bike parked and its owner nowhere to be seen.

Panic speared through me as I heard the undeniable sound of heavy footsteps creaking up the old staircase that led to my apartment door.

I darted for the kitchen window, throwing it open. It was just about big enough for me to squeeze through, but then what… could I make the jump onto next door's back extension roof?

I had no choice.

I jumped just as I heard the splintering of wood.

My front door.

Fuck.

I landed on the roof at an odd angle with a thud, almost falling backward. I got a hold of myself and ran over the slate tiles, descending down the other side. I’d have to jump from here, I didn’t have the time to try and climb down the drainpipe or whatever someone trained in this type of running might do. It was just one floor, and I was a vampire. That meant I should be okay, right?

Right?

Fuck it, I didn’t have time to overthink.

And for the second time tonight, I jumped.

Pain exploded through my ankle, as I righted myself and used my vampire gifts to run at speed through the back alleyway toward the city centre. I didn’t think it was broken, but sprained at the very least. But as soon as the pain flared, something else did alongside it. It felt as though blood rushed to the injury and began working to heal it.

I couldn’t stop to dwell on it.

I pushed on, scanning the streets to see if he had pursued me.

I couldn’t see or hear him, but I knew he had.

Nausea rose in the back of my throat and I had to swallow down bile.

This speed running was incredible, but fuck it made me feel worse than car sick. And it was draining me. But I couldn’t let exhaustion overtake me now. No, adrenaline shot through me and I pushed on. I didn’t need to turn around to know that he was hot on my heels.

Fuck.

I ran over my options. The streets were too quiet, too empty, I couldn’t hide from him. I needed to disappear somewhere swarming with warm bodies.

I patted down my still damp hair, righting my fringe and took a deep breath as I did my best to resemble my former self.

“Evening Ailsa,” Greg—the familiar bouncer at The King’s Ruin club—said with a smirk. Thank fuck, this was my lucky night. Greg liked me, he’d have no problem with me skipping the queue.

I smiled back, a little flirty. “Alright Greg? Looks busy tonight,” I said, hinting at the long admission line. He eyed my outfit, and for a second I worried he wouldn't let me in. It wasn’t exactly club attire but he nodded his head as if to say, ‘go ahead’.

I could sense the vampire approaching and my pulse sounded in my ears so loud it was a struggle to wait for Greg to lift the barrier and let me through. I’d hoped he wouldn’t have seen me enter the club but all hope of that was dashed when his gaze collided with mine. We were separated by a sea of people, but at that moment it was like none of them existed. It was only me and the demon hunting me. Unease prickled at the back of neck as an unsettling grin spread across his face.

Fuck, why did he have to be so damn good looking. All tall, dark and hot as fuck with his tattoos and piercings. I must have imagined it, but I could have sworn he looked me over with equal appreciation. But rather than giving him the satisfaction of another second of a look I darted through the big doors into the narrow entryway of the club and out onto the dancefloor. I knew Greg wouldn’t let him through and I doubted he was willing to make a scene in front of the humans, so I had maybe five minutes max to figure out where to go from here.

I was instantly overwhelmed by the attack on my senses.

My damn vampire senses I hadn’t got a full handle on yet.

Maybe coming in here was a mistake.

I winced and my hand flew to my temples as I fought the stabbing sensation forced on me from the music.