Rock n Roll Promises (YAE) (Rock n Roll Paraphantasy Series) (14 page)

She jumped from the floor and kicked the wolf
in the head, knocking it of its feet. Her clawed
hands slashed across its throat and blood splashed
on her leather and along the walls. Her heart
pounded against her chest and her breath was heavy.
She stood and stared at the wolf's limp body
sprawled on the hallway floor, dead.

How fitting. “
Let the Bodies Hit the Floor
” by
Drowning Pool.
Catching her breath, she turned from the
grotesque, disfigured lump and headed into the
living room. Jaxson, in tiger mode, flung his wolf
back outside through the shattered window and
dove through the opening after it. She crossed to the
gaping hole and checked to see if Jaxson needed her
help.
Trading blows in a tit for tat fashion, he slowly
made ground. He rolled to the side and ducked the
next set of swings and came up under the wolf's
right arm. Using his weight, he knocked the wolf
off balance and balled up on top of him. The next
song played; “Badass” by Saliva.
They rolled down the steps and into the yard.
Claws, fur, and blood sprayed the grass and the
sounds of growls and crude remarks echoed through
the air.
It looks as if he has that under control.
A yell from behind caught her attention and she
spun. Her eyes on the scene, she could only stare
and watch. Ozzie burst through the shattered
kitchen window and dove on the wolf about to hit
Paige from behind. It happened in slow motion, and
a scream erupted from her throat. The wolf rolled
on top of Ozzie and slashed his chest open. His yell
thawed her bones and she sprang at the beast.
Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy,” was the one sound
that penetrated her ears.
She clawed, scraped, and jerked the wolf until
the only thing left was a muddled mass of blood and
bones at her feet. She spun to help her friend. Paige
was crazed and angry, her eyes seemed to glow an
eerie color and her growls were low and deep. The
wolf tried to duck the blow, but Paige was faster.
Her massive, white paw swung from way back,
lopped the wolf's head right off his body, and it
rolled across the kitchen floor. Paige’s blurred form
zoomed past her.
Tripping over the gore on the floor, she ran and
knelt down next to Ozzie, opposite of Paige. “In the
End” by Linkin Park sounded through the now
somber house. She looked down at her friend on the
floor. There was a smile on his face, his breath was
ragged, and his chest was open and bleeding. He
looked at Paige and choked out a few words.
“Paige… I love you…don’t ever… forget that.”

She sprung to her feet when she heard Jaxson
rush through the door. “Jaxson, get rid of these
bodies, we need to call an ambulance. Ozzie has
been hurt.”
Chapter 12

Her eyes, burned and irritated, stung with tears.
Her heart seemed as shattered as the glass upon her
floor. Watching her friend falling apart in her
kitchen and there being nothing she could do about
it made her despise helplessness.

I can’t stand this.
Body aching with emotional pain, she pushed
herself out of the chair and walked over to the
crying heap on the floor that was her friend. The
wallpaper felt cool against her back as she slid her
body to the floor next to Paige. Pulling the woman
into her arms, she trailed her fingers through her
hair and did her best to comfort her.
There is nothing to be done until Ozzie gets out
of surgery. Here goes, she will either hate me or
forgive me.

“Paige…”

 

“What am I going to do? I can’t live without
him, I love him too much.”

 

“You have to try. Does he mean that much to
you?”

“He is the one, Anna, the one I’m supposed to be
with for the rest of my life. I can’t believe he’s
going to die. I wish there was something I could
do.”

Straightening her frame, she pushed Paige’s
shoulders back and looked into her eyes.
I can’t believe I’m even considering this.

“Paige, look at me. What would you do to save
him?”

 

“Anything, I would do anything, you know that.

If I could…”
“Stop talking and listen to me. Would he forgive
you for doing whatever it took to save his life?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know. It wouldn’t stop me from
trying.”

 

“Then please forgive me and God help us both
when he wakes up.”

She got up from the floor and headed for the
door. Paige’s voice stopped her before she could
make her exit.

“What do you mean forgive you? Wakes up?
Anna, are you saying you can save him?”

“In a way, yes. Well, sort of.” She eyeballed her
friend and watched as her proposal sank in.
There is the light bulb. God help me.

“Anna, please you have to.”
“Paige, are you certain this is right? I can’t stand
to see you in this much pain, but you know what he
is.”

“He is a good man—that’s what he is. I beg you,
please.”

Lord forgive me. I see the hope in her eyes, and I
can’t take this from her. I know Ozzie will hate me
forever, but if there is a chance I can save him and
spare her this pain…

“He is more than just a good man. He is a hunter
and not just any hunter.”

 

“I know. He is an ‘anything not human’hunter.”
“If I do this, he is liable to kill us both.”

 

“He knows what you are, Anna, and he has never
tried to kill you. He likes you.”

 

“I’m a rare breed, Paige, a glitch, so to speak.
There is no telling how he will turn out.”

 

”Does that mean you will do it?”

“God help me, but yes. I will try, anyway. I have
never done this before.”
Air supply cut off, neck in a tight grip, she
hugged her best friend. Tears of joy soaked her hair
and noises between a sob and a laugh filled her ears.
Prying away clutching arms, she put some distance
between them.

“I want you to go. I don’t want to see this.”

 

“But-”

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she
steadied herself into her vamp persona. Opening her
eyes, she glared into Paige’s and hoped her friend
would forgive her.

“Meet me by the lake at dawn. I will tell you
how it goes.”

She stared into the glossed over eyes of her
friend and watched her amble out the door and head
for the lake.

Lord, I hope she forgives me for compelling her,
but I don’t have a choice. She would fight me tooth
and nail so she could be there. I don’t blame her, I
would do the same. I can’t have her in the room, in
my way…watching.

Chapter 13

 

He looks so frail, which is odd considering how
big of a man he is.

 

His soft hair pulled through her fingers as she
ran her hand down his head.

“Ozzie, I know you can’t hear me, but I’m
hoping you can. You really are one of the good
guys. Paige loves you so much, and well, you have
grown on me, too. I fear what I’m going to do will
ruin all of that. Please forgive me for this. I can’t
stand to see her in so much anguish. Please
understand this isn’t just me being selfish. OK,
maybe a little. I fear if you die, she won’t live
through it. People can die from broken hearts. You
know how she is, when she loves something or gets
passionate about something, she will fight with
every fiber of her being to keep it, and she has
fought for you. Every doctor in the tri-state area is
now afraid of her. This is liable to be painful, so
hopefully you’re so full of drugs it’ll be dulled. It’s
not likely. Before I begin, assuming you can hear
me, focus on all the happiest times in your life.
Perhaps your favorite food, animals you love, and
all the wonderful time you have spent with Paige.”

Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, she
leaned down and pressed her lips to his throat.
“Think of Paige, and please forgive me.”

One hand still in his hair, she slid the other under
his gown and rested it above his heart. As she sank
her teeth into his skin blood gushed into her mouth
like water through a broken damn. His heart pulsed
in rhythm against her lips, and she counted the beats
silently in her head. Slowly, they faded away.

Two beats a minute, he’s almost…gone.
Pulling away, she ran her fingernail across her
wrist and opened the skin. His lips felt dead against
her skin. Pressing harder onto his mouth, she turned
her wrist sideways and pried his mouth open, letting

her blood flow past his lips.

Saltwater tears dripped from her cheeks as cold
blood fell from her arm, both giving and taking
from her. Life…strength…an unbroken connection.

“I’m so sorry, my friend.”

Retracting her arm, she stepped away from him
and the bloody scene. Body in motion, she darted
across the room and wet two small towels. Warm
water sloshed across her cold skin as she rung the
excess water from the fabric.

“What have you done?”

Her body stiffened at the voice. Her eyes bulged
out of their sockets and every hair on her body
stood tall and unwavering. Sweat beaded on her
brow and ran down her face. Her heart and breath
stuck in her throat as the warm, soft cloth fell from
her hands.

No, no, no. Not him…I’m staked for sure now.

 

“I asked you a question, Anna, now answer it!”

 

His body pressed into hers and his nails dug into
her skin.

 

Breath dislodged, she replied, “Why are you
here? You know what I have just done.”

 

“Is he the first or are there others?”

 

She spun out of his hold and faced him. Ocean
blue eyes, hard with fury, stared back at her. “He is
the only one, Sebastian.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I assume you know
what you’re doing?”
“I was unsure you would show if I had been able
to get a hold of you, and I’m playing it by ear.”

“Playing it by…What were you thinking?”

 

“Please let go of me, Sebastian, I have to finish.
It’s too late for you to stop it.”

She jerked out of his hold once more and went
back to the sink to retrieve the warm towels. Wet,
warm fabric in hand, she walked back toward
Ozzie. His superior tone filled the air.

“It’s never too late to stop it. A stake through the
heart would stop it.”

 

“What do you want, Sebastian? Have you come
to help me or stop me?”

 

“Maybe both, I haven’t decided yet.”

Wiping the blood from Ozzie’s skin she said, “I
see you haven’t changed much, although, your style
of clothing has changed.”

He’s still as handsome as ever…focus.

Her
eyes moved up and down his figure. She
sighed as she took in his dark hair, white T-shirt,
black denim jeans and a smirk the devil himself
would be proud of.

“I see you traded in the trousers for denim and
silk for cotton. Looks like same old boots, though.”

 

“Don’t forget the jacket.”

 

“Oh yes, black leather in place of blue velvet…
nice touch.”

 

“Thanks.”

Rolling her eyes, she worked to keep her
patience under control. “Which is it? Help me or
kill me?”

“First, one question. How far into the process are
you?”

“The taking and giving of blood has been done.”
She yanked the dirty sheets from the body and the
bed in order to change them.

“Have you spelled him?”

“No, why would I do that? Better yet, how could
I do that? He was barely clinging to life when I
started.”

“So this is a saving mission, so to speak?”

 

She crossed the room and gathered fresh linen
from the closet. “Yes.”

 

“You realize he’s a hunter?”

Yanking the sheets into place and covering Ozzie
as if nothing happened she replied, “Yes, and I’m
sure he’ll hate me for this. Now back to the
spelling.”

“Hold his eyes open and bespell him as you
would any human.”

 

“Why would I do that?”
“I have found if you spell them during transition,
you can keep them from feeding on humans.”

 

She faced him fully. “You mean…is that why I
feed off music?”

“Yes. You were my first experiment. I have
tested on several since you and it worked the same.
They all feed off something else. As I didn’t intend
to turn you, I chanced an idea in hopes it could help
you.”

“So, why rock music? Why not love or tree bark
or something?”

“As a human you loved music, you manifested
the genres. Rock feeds you, gospel heals you, and
all others just keep you healthy.”

“So, you didn’t choose what my craving would
be?”

“No, I just spelled you so that human blood
wouldn’t be what you fed on. The rest is up to the
human.”

She turned her frame and looked down at Ozzie.
With two fingers she pried open his eyes and
spelled him. She repeated the words Sebastian
spoke, just as he instructed. When she finished, she
removed her hands from his face and moved to
whisper in his ear.

“What did you whisper to him?”

She leaned up and kissed Ozzie on the cheek.
“It’s the best I could do for you.” She turned and
smiled at Sebastian. “To answer your question…
hopefully my saving grace. Help me get him out of
here and back to my house. Paige will be waiting.
Oh, her I did spell.”

“Why?”

 

“I’ll explain on the way, just help me get him out
of here.”

“Fine. You push the bed and I’ll spell the folks in
our path. I will even tell the doctor to put in his
report that he made a full recovery and sent him
home.”

“Great! Now get moving.”
Chapter 14

Her footsteps were light as air as she quietly
crept along the waterfront searching for Paige.
I hope for all our sakes this works. If this doesn’t
work the way we planned, I’m not sure we would
survive the domino effect of bad events that will
follow if he turns out to be an uncontrollable
monster.
She spotted her friend, in human form, sitting on
the bank and staring off into the sunset. Her hair
was still a mess and salty sparkles were upon her
cheeks from tears. Her athletic jumpsuit looked just
as troubled, ripped, shredded, and covered in dirt.