NEWBORN: Book One of the Newborn Trilogy (24 page)

Where is he? I’m breathing hard, my steps
unfaltering, intrepid. Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?
Hiding, perhaps? Playing hide and go seek with my heart? Show me
where you are, Gabriel! Where your love is…

A thwack to my left!

Blood freezing in my veins, my eyes shoot in
the direction of the noise. A lone branch bobbing up and down. I’m
silent as I stare at the place of disturbance. The branch rights
itself and becomes still. Strange. Something is running from me,
hiding from me, or – worst of all – hunting me. Here I am in
vampire country.

I look over my shoulder. Nothing. I’m being
paranoid. I continue forward, brushing the loam with my legs. My
heartbeat has quickened and nerves are shooting all over my body
again. I asked for this by leaving the safety of the charmed
clearing. I will deserve anything that happens to me.

A sound!

Off to my right this time. Whipping my head
around, I see shrubs dancing before becoming still. Silence again.
Hell!
I shouldn’t have left the clearing. I know that now.
It’s too late.

My heart racing, I take a deep breath. Close
my eyes. “Whatever you are,” I say aloud to the whole forest, “I
don’t fear you. I’m traveling through and mean you no harm. You
don’t need to hide from me.”

I open my eyes. Nothing reveals itself. The
echo of my words ring in my head, sounding silly and hollow and –
most of all – false. I
am
afraid. I’d much prefer whatever
is hunting me stay hidden.

What if Gabriel’s having a laugh? I twist
around in all directions, my body following my head. Should I
address him? I’m already speaking as though it’s him. I want to
believe it’s him. I also don’t.

“That better not be you, Gabriel! This isn’t
funny!”

Not a sound issues from the surrounding
greenery, no snigger of admittance or laugh at my expense. Phew, I
must have imagined it all! No sooner is that demon vanquished then
a new one rears its head. Staring around in every possible
direction, I realize something almost as frightening.

I’m lost!

Every inch of the forest looks the same. No
single direction supplies a landmark. No single angle is
unique.

You fucktard!
my alter ego roars at
me.
Now look what you’ve done!

Sorry!
I tell her hurriedly.
I
didn’t mean to! It was an accident!

I’m fucked. I’m in danger even if I’m not in
danger. There could be no vampires for a thousand miles in every
direction and still I’m lost. Geez, I’m such an idiot.

There’s only one path forward. Through the
forest. Maybe I will come across a landmark that can lead me home.
I may walk right on campus. Better yet find Gabriel or Merri.
Somebody. So long as they are friendly. I’m feeling extremely
weaponless right now. Even with my brain.

A noise behind me!

I whisk around. The leaves of a bush are
shaking uncontrollably. Oh no… this isn’t a false alarm or vagabond
wind. The shaking is beneath me. Looking down, I see my limbs
trembling. My heart rate is spinning through the roof.

Run!
screams my alter ego.

I don’t need telling twice.

I’m off, dashing around trees and over
undergrowth. Do I chance a backward glance? I do. Someone is
chasing me! A person? A vampire? I can’t tell. They’re moving too
fast!
I’m
moving too fast. No longer looking. I can’t look
back – I
must
gain some ground. Adrenaline pumping me with
newfound speed, I throw myself forward. No! No! No! I’m not ready
to die! Not yet!

In my innermost I know I won’t make it. I’m
losing ground. Losing speed. Whatever is chasing me is faster. How
can I survive? The answer is Gabriel – I must find him. He can
protect me from whatever is chasing. I must find him! Throwing an
extra burst of speed into my legs, I rocket forward.

But I always was a clumsy girl.

Hitting a root with my foot, I go sprawling
over the base of a tree. My head hits the tree with a thud and the
world becomes dark and murky.

* * *

Gabriel is in front of me. His breathing is
ragged. His outline blurred to my eyes like an old Polaroid. Geez,
he was here all along! I feel stupid. But something is wrong.
Bright red eyes envelope my consciousness. Where is my turquoise
massage? I – I don’t understand what’s happening…

“I’m so glad it’s you!” I splutter. “I
thought… I was so worried! I thought you were someone else!”

Eyes narrow. “It’s just me. There’s no one
else here.”

I sigh my relief. “I’m so glad to hear that,”
I begin. “Wait! What do you mean it’s just you? Who else is
there?”

“You’re so,
so
delicious looking!” A
tongue licks lips.

Rolling my eyes, I comb back my hair. “Thank
you,” I say to him, “but this is hardly the time to –”

“Tasty!” The word spills from his lips. Then
I notice the drool running down his jaw. “You look
so
tasty!”

“Gabriel!” I shout. “Stop it! This isn’t
funny!”

My eyes refocus.

“Gabriel?” The man before me is perplexed.
“Who’s Gabriel?”

I stare at him.

Holy bejesus fuck!

What’s happening? Have I gone mad? I don’t
understand…

The man – the boy, for he’s young – standing
in front of me looks like Gabriel. He has the same straight blond
hair, the same bone structure to his face, the same expression
Gabriel wears when curious. Only his eyes are different. They are
bright red. So red it hurts to look into them. I look away.

He shakes me with strong hands. “Who’s
Gabriel?”

I must have lost consciousness! One moment
I’m flying at the tree and the next I’m pushed up against it,
grasped by my captor. Somehow
I
ended up in captivity – not
Gabriel. Geez, this is embarrassing.

“Who’s Gabriel!” he yells, shaking me. “Tell
me!”

“No one! He’s no one!”

Spit is flying over me. This specimen is far
less appealing than my wizard friend, even if they are nearly
identical. This boy’s face and hands are dirty and he’s dressed in
plain, Immag clothes – not wizard’s robes. I’m forced to give up my
explanation – that Gabriel went mad and became a forest person.

Red eyes flare. “I don’t believe you! How can
somebody be nobody?”

“He is nobody! Leave it alone!”

“You’re lying!” Roaring, he throws me to the
ground.

My back spasms as I hit the earth. I’m
stabbed with pain. Curling up against the forest floor, I close my
eyes. I can’t believe this is happening! I’m going to pay for my
idiocy. With blood and guts. I’m going to get eaten!

Rough hands seize my arms and haul me
upright. I’m staring into mad eyes. The vampire licks his lips.
“You’re too pretty to eat,” he tells me hoarsely, suspending me in
midair. “I’ll look at you a while first!”

Yes, please! Procrastinate eating me!

He opens his hands and I fall to the ground.
I gasp with pain as I hit the earth. Geez, can’t he be more gentle?
Whisking back blond hair with dirty hands, the vampire sits down
and leans backward on his hands. The glint in his red eyes is too
playful.

Geez, I can’t catch a break.

Wiping the drool from his mouth, he says,
“Tell me your name.”

I’m about to refuse him rudely when I realize
how stupid that would be. I’m trying to buy time here. The best
possible ploy is to engage him in conversation. I need to get
friendly with him.

“Nora,” I say. “My name’s Nora. What’s
yours?”

Red eyes burn. “Jack,” he grunts.

Jack? Where have I heard that before?

“That’s – that’s a nice name.”

He swipes his sleeve across his face to
arrest some drool. “If you say so.”

Looking Jack up and down, I realize
something. He’s the Newborn! He’s a raggedy, insane mess who
desperately wants to eat me. Sounds like Gabriel’s description.
Jack appears far less put together than Amoretta, if that’s
possible.

Fuck!
I’m supposed to be distracting
him.

“Where’s Amoretta?” I ask him.

Red eyes widen. “Know her, do you?”

I nod silently, but without failing to swipe
my hair over my ear. I must keep him entertained. Hunger follows
boredom.

“She’s around,” he says. “Why? Want me to
fetch her?”

Panic explodes in my head. I can already feel
her long finger nails grasping my face. “That’s okay,” I reply
quickly. “Caught up with her recently, actually. We had an
extremely relaxing visit.”

Jack is staring at me in amazement. “Are you
stupid?”

“Are you the Newborn?”

He swipes his blond hair back. “What if I
am?”

I’m trying to appear unconcerned while my
insides are panicking. “It doesn’t matter. I’m just curious. So are
you?”

“Are you stupid?” he asks again.

I narrow my eyes. “Is that your way of saying
yes?”

“No,” he answers, “
I’m
just
curious.”

I’m incensed by his words. “Why do you think
I’m stupid?”

“Because,” he begins, “You said you were
hanging out with a
vampire
and having a merry time of it.
Sounds like you’re pretty fucking stupid to me! Begging your
pardon.”

I must keep stalling. “Well –
no
– I’m
not stupid. For your information I had no idea Amoretta is a
vampire!”

Jack laughs. It’s a booming laugh that seems
to rip from his chest. “No idea she’s a vampire? I suppose you
didn’t realize… Let me ask you a delicate question. What do you
suppose I am?”

Oh fuck!
This sounds like a segue to a
meal.

I screw my face up. “Something that needs a
shower?”

His smile vanishes. “Ah. You play with fire
for a living?”

“No,” I answer. “I fraternize with wizards
for a living. Many of them! Even some Releasers,” I add, making
sure to drop the key word. “They’re the vengeful ones. If they got
wind of anything happening to me, they’d make sure to find the
bastard who did it. Make sure to end him!”

Geez, I hope this works.

Of course it won’t
, remarks my alter
ego.
You’re doing it
.

Jack’s face cracks in a smile. Fresh drool
oozes from the corner of his mouth. “You’re irresistible when
you’re scared. I can tell you’re scared. I smell it from here,” he
adds, taking a hearty sniff of the surrounding air. “I bet I can
taste it in your skin…” He leans forward to grasp my arm.

“No!” I gasp. Jumping to my feet, I make a
break for it.

Jack leaps after me. “Come back! I don’t want
meals on wheels!”

Bounding through the forest I chance a
backward look. He’s hot on my trail! I throw a spare burst of speed
into my legs and run for my life. Panting my exhaustion, I dart
this way and that around obstacles.

This is it. I know it. If he catches me again
I’m done for. There can be no charming or distracting him. There’s
no mistaking the hunger in those bright, red eyes. He wants my
flesh in his mouth.

Gabriel never came. He won’t come now. The
only way to survive is to outrun Jack. This terrible realization
upon me, I throw everything I’ve got into my legs. They are all I
have. My only hope.

I trip over a root.

It’s as though I’m in slow motion. One second
I’m hurtling through the air and the next I’m flat on the ground
face up. The world becomes fuzzy and sways slightly. I recover
faster this time, for the world soon refocuses. No sooner does it
then Jack appears over me, bearing bloody teeth.

Shitballs! Fucking shitballs!
It was
nice living for a time, I guess.

Jack’s grin is lopsided and bloodshot. “Took
a tumble, did we?”

Seizing me roughly, he slams me against a
tree. Hitting my head hard, I nearly lose consciousness again. I
don’t have the wherewithal to defend myself. I’m too out of it. Too
easy a target. He knows it.

“Hell,” he grunts, “you’re spoiling my
fun!”

Everything is hazy. I hardly register what
I’m saying. “Finish me, coward,” I hear myself murmur. “Finish your
meal.”

Through the haze I see a shocked face. It
hardens, turning to red hot fury. “Who are you calling a coward?”
Jack’s voice is a roar. “Who do you
dare
call a coward? You
will pay for that!”

Stretching his mouth wide – revealing so many
blood-stained teeth – Jack leans in close for the bite.

A bark sounds on my periphery.

Closed eyes slam open.

An enormous black dog is only yards away,
baring sharp, glistening teeth. It’s too big to be a dog. It’s a
wolf! I know it is. It has to be. Not only that but I think I know
who
it is. Slinking closer, the wolf barks still louder, its
narrowed eyes staring into the bright red pupils of Jack’s.

Jack takes a step backward, then runs for
it.

The wolf pounces. It’s a short chase. Biting
the cuff of Jack’s dirty gray jeans, the wolf drags him backward.
Falling to the ground with a thud, Jack gargles, his hands grabbing
helplessly at tufts of grass. Aiming at the wolf’s face, he kicks
out. His shoe connects with the wolf’s snout.

Yowling in pain, the wolf releases him.
Jumping to his feet, Jack takes off again. Barking madly, the wolf
chases after him. I run after them, too. I know I should be hiding
right now, but the temptation to try and help the wolf is
overwhelming. Especially after Jack kicked the poor thing.

My expertise isn’t needed.

The wolf has hold of Jack, this time by his
coat jacket. It’s a much better hold. Struggling like a beast the
vampire tries to throw the animal off. He aims another kick at the
wolf but misses. Instead, he falls in a heap and lays still, the
back of his coat caught in the wolf’s teeth.

The vampire is facedown. Not moving.

Treading carefully, I approach the pair of
them – Jack prone on the ground and the wolf panting hard through
clasped teeth, its narrowed black eyes never leaving its prey. I
shouldn’t be anywhere near them. But I have to know. Have to find
out. I need to know if it’s who I think it is.