Beautiful Monsters Vol. II
SIRE
By Jex Lane
EXCERPT
Matthew crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He could have stopped her from going into her apartment, but he didn’t want to frighten her even more. And, she had sought him out; there must be something she wanted from him. He decided to wait.
He listened as she moved around her small apartment. It sounded as if she was packing.
When she opened the door again, she wore pants along with a heavy coat, scarf, beanie, and gloves. This is what she should have been wearing before, not that dress. She also carried a stuffed duffle bag in her still trembling hand.
“Going out?” Matthew asked.
“Yes. You’re taking me with you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You are going to save me and I’m going to save you.”
Matthew laughed at the plain looking girl. “What is your name?”
“Samantha, but you call me Sam.”
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Sam, but I’m not taking you with me.”
“Yes, you are.” She was determined.
“Do you know what I am, human?” Matthew asked her, amused.
“Yes, Matthew.”
“How do you know my name?”
“Agree to save me and I’ll tell you.”
“I don’t make agreements before I know all the details. It gets me in trouble. Why don’t you invite me in and we’ll talk about it?”
Samantha stretched her neck and looked down the hall towards the elevator as much as she could without actually crossing the threshold of her door. The elevator was coming up to this floor. “We don’t have time. If he gets a hold of me, I’ll be used like the others.”
It struck Matthew that he wasn’t the reason fear was pumping through her. “Who?”
“They’ll be here soon to take me to him. I’m sorry I’m weak and I’m changing things. Please save me.” Panic rose in her voice.
“Who is coming?”
“Darkness and dust.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
She glanced down the hall at the elevator again. “He’s here.”
The doors to the elevator dinged and slid open. The smell of night and earth hit Matthew a fraction of a second before he saw who stood there. He blinked with disbelief and, when he was sure what he was seeing was real, he stopped breathing as fear rose in him.
It was Tarrick.