Bloodsong Pt. 03

Escape was all that mattered.

She sprinted her way past the bookshelves, to the heavy front door and tried to yank it open, but it didn't budge.

The key.

Paige withdrew the heavy metal key Natalie had tossed her, and fumbled as she fitted it into the lock, nearly dropping it. It turned with a satisfying thud, and this time the door swung open easily as she pulled. Paige half expected a pale, sharp nailed hand to reach past her and slam it closed.

What happened instead was much worse.

"Stop."

Natalie's voice was raspy and wet, but that didn't stop it from crawling its way into Paige's mind like a parasite. She felt it. Her fingers went slack and her legs locked, refusing to move.

Outside, raindrops pattered serenely against the foliage. A cold breeze washed over her, tousling her hair and carrying the scent of rain. Trees rustled in the wind, calling to her.

"Shut the door." Natalie's voice was firm this time.

The outside world slowly disappeared as Paige's traitorous hand began to push. She threw herself against the command, struggling for control of her own body. The door stopped, a sliver of freedom still visible.

Somewhere behind her, Natalie sighed. "I suppose it wasn't much, after all."

Boots clicked against the floor as Natalie approached. Her gait was uneven, and every other step fell with a thump. Paige willed herself to move, to swing the door open and run, to fucking do something.

Fighting Natalie's order was like pushing the dead weight of a stalled car. She heaved and heaved, but each time, just as it felt like she was gaining momentum, the command rolled back into place.

Natalie laid her hand over Paige's and shut the door. The skin was cold. Dead.

Paige swallowed her rising terror and forced herself to turn and face the woman. If she was going to die, she was at least going to go down swinging.

Natalie had removed the pencil, and the wound was already partially healed. Blood trickled slowly from her neck and the corners of her mouth like dark rivers, converging as it flowed into the valley of her cleavage. A growing red stain covered most of her shirt, now torn at the seam and untucked. One of her boots was missing a heel.

Paige tried to shove her away, but only succeeded in pushing herself backward against the door. Natalie closed the distance. The woman —The vampire, Paige corrected herself— was only taller than her by half a foot, but in that moment Natalie towered over her.

Natalie ran her index and middle finger, the two with short nails, through the blood on her chest and brought them to Paige's lips.

"Drink."

Paige spit in her face.

Natalie blinked, and wiped the saliva away with the back of her hand. Her arm lingered, and Paige watched in horror and fascination as Natalie opened her mouth, revealing wickedly sharp fangs, and sank them into her own wrist.

Natalie's eyes flicked up to meet Paige's own as she drank. They were the eyes of a predator. A killer. Paige hated that they were so beautiful.

Natalie lowered her arm, and quicker than lightning, Natalie's lips were on hers. Paige struggled, but Natalie took hold of her wrists and slammed them back against the door. She tried using her legs, but it was like kicking a brick wall.

Natalie began forcing the blood into her mouth. It tingled. Then it burned.

Her tension melted, and soon Natalie's hands on her wrists were the only thing keeping her upright. The blood tasted sweet with a bitter edge. Like dark wine. It was poison, Paige realized, and though she refused to swallow, it seeped into her all the same.

Her head swam and the edges of her vision blurred. Natalie's eyes were two crimson moons. Paige stared, unable to look away. Without the adrenaline her resistance crumbled and she surrendered to fear.

She swallowed, and the blood burned its way down her throat where it settled within her. Like a smoldering ember radiating heat deep in her core.

Natalie broke their kiss and brushed a thumb across Paige's lips, wiping away a lingering drop of blood that tingled against her skin. Paige realized she was standing on her own, though her legs were shaking.

"Good girl."

The ember burned brighter at the words, and Paige desperately fought back a smile. The fear had been replaced by a hazy complacence. She was both aware, and unaware. Able to recognize the danger she was in, but unable to muster the will to do anything about it. A twisted reflection of the numb detachment that had so often protected her.

So this is how she would die. A prisoner in her own body, at the hands of someone she thought she was using. Not so different than she would have guessed, Paige thought bitterly, give or take a supernatural element or two.

"Give me the key."

Paige handed it over.

"Your phone and wallet too, if you have them."

Paige swung her head and pointed at her hoodie, crumpled on the stairs.

"I see. Thank you." Again, the praise elicited a pleasant warmth. Inside, Paige raged. "Go to the basement. There's a bed, and anything else you might need. I'll unlock the door at dusk tomorrow. Try to get some sleep."

So Natalie intended to keep her around. The thought of being a kept thing —like some kind of animal— infuriated her, but at least it would provide another opportunity to escape. That was something.

Paige obediently made her way back to the basement, and carefully avoided stepping in the trail of blood that now stained the stairs as she descended into the darkness. Natalie filled the doorway behind her, casting a shadow along the steps. Paige turned.

Natalie looked down at her, expression unreadable. A silhouette and a pair of red eyes. "I'm sorry," she said as she closed the door, locking Paige in the basement.

It almost sounded like she meant it.