Sydney

Her kip-up was a thing of effortless beauty. I blanched when I saw the hunk of wood in her hand. She intended to stake me. Can't say as I blame her as I wasn't ideal spawn, but damn.

Her hunger and my training made us almost equals. However, not drinking the blood kept my mind my own and my rage brought me to her level.

I ignored the twitchiness of my muscles and the way my stomach cramped from wanting the blood smeared at my feet.

Her first swiped tore through my shirt and chest with ease. I leaped back with a hiss from the pain and glanced down quickly. Perk of being a newly turned vamp: No blood loss.

When she moved in for another attack, I spun my body forward and into her swinging right arm. Her arm wrapped around my side and the improvised stake raked my back.

I ignored the pain to slam my fist into the side of her skull. When she stumbled, I threw her across the room to slam into the brick bearing wall.

I kicked the side of a chair leg, snapping it off and then picking it up.

I launched myself across the room as Sydney slowly pushed herself upright, using the wall behind her to do so.

Sharp, tearing pain erupted in me, burning like fire. I gasped and staggered back. I looked down to see what had happened.

Her chunk of table wood stuck out of my belly at an upward angle. Despite the agony running through me, I had to admire her plan to use my own momentum to stake me in the heart.

Luckily, I moved faster than she'd expected so she couldn't get the full motion of her arm going. I pulled the wood free, releasing the foul stench of my bowels.

Vampiric strength? A win. Vampiric senses? At the moment, they sucked.

A crunch of sheetrock reminded me she was on the move.

I barely managed to catch her wrist as she swung the chair leg I'd dropped at my chest.

She strained forward as I struggled to hold her back.

I caught a glimpse of a revolver on the floor near where the table had been and had an epiphany.

I stopped holding her back and pulled her forward.

The sudden switch cost her her balance and I dropped to her floor, placing my right foot at her left hip. I rolled back and shot my leg straight.

She flew through the air and crashed on the floor. I scrambled over to the gun, lifted it and spun, cocking the hammer.

I caught her post kip-up and shot her twice in the chest.

Despite the impacts driving her back, she maintained her grip on the chair leg cum stake.

I rose and shot her twice more, moving closer as I did. When I raised the gun and shot her between the eyes, she clapped her left hand to the wound as if I'd said something incredibly stupid.

I tossed the gun to the side and gripped her wrist once more. The distraction of the bullet holes allowed me to briefly bring her arm across her body.

I then smacked the inside of her elbow with my fist, causing it to involuntarily bend towards her.

I then pushed her arm further in, until the splintered end of the wooden leg touched her chest. She brought her left arm up to brace against my pressure.

My weight, though, was greater than her weakened vampire strength and the stake slowly penetrated her skin.

Her lips peeled back in pain before she screamed.

I pulled my right arm back and thrust my palm against the back of my left hand, driving the wooden leg through her chest and between her ribs. I hammered my hand again and the improvised stake burst through her heart.

When it did, she released an unearthly wail as she burst into flames.

###

I flicked the butt of my cigarette away towards the still smoldering ruins of the bar. The eastern sky had gotten a bit brighter as I reminisced. Would it hurt when the sun hi—