Or does like it—’cause let’s be honest, I did eat raw hamburger for breakfast. It lunges at me, knocking me backward with the force of a speeding train. I crumble to the ground, trying to wrestle it off my body as it snaps at my neck. In addition to mangy fur, the creature seems to have a row of sharp quills on its back and I accidentally stab my hand on one of them, cool blood flowing down my arm. Damn it!
The creature freezes, sniffing the air. I use my momentary advantage to flip it over—accidentally dropping my stake in the process. After diving on top of the creature and pinning it down with my thighs, I try to keep it prostrate with one hand as Isearch the ground for my only weapon. My eyes are now adjusted enough to see the beast’s mouth seeking and finding my bleeding hand, its fangs sinking into my flesh.
Well, what do you know? It’s a blood drinker…
I suck in a breath as the pain shoots through me—hard and unyielding—and it’s all I can do not to rip my arm away. Instead, I force myself to stay still—to let the creature drink, as I search for the stake with my free hand.
Finally, my fingers close around the wood and I make my move. Bringing my arm up in the air, ready to stab the beast through the heart and end this fight—
“Enough!”
I stop, milliseconds before driving the stake through. Who said that? I try to search the darkness for the source of the voice.
“Fluffy! Release her. Come!”
To my shock and extreme awe, the bloodsucking beast—Fluffy?!—immediately unlocks its grip on my hand and scurries off into the darkness.
I scramble to my feet, holding my hand to my side, trying to put pressure on the wound. “Who’s there?” I cry. “Show yourself.”
A light flickers and a moment later the glow of a lamp shines through the darkness. I gasp as a tall, dark figure, dressed in a long, black cape steps into view. His skin is as white as snow. His hair as dark as night. His lips are as red as blood. Meaning he’s either some kind of cross-dressing Snow White…
… or a vampire.
“Oh my God,” I cry, relief flooding over me like a tidal wave. “Thank you so much!” I attempt a step forward toward the elderly vampire, but Fluffy—now standing by her master’s side—snarls, bearing her fangs—which, I might add, are still dripping with my blood. I stop, holding up my hands in surrender. “What is that thing?” I ask.
The vampire smiles, revealing a set of gleaming white fangs under the flickering lamplight. “Chupacabra,” he says, reaching down to scratch the creature’s mangy head. Fluffy looks up at him and pants happily.
Chupacabra
. I draw in a breath, remembering my studies at Riverdale Academy. Chupacabra are legendary bloodsucking creatures, hailing from Mexico and the southwestern United States. Their name literally means “goat sucker”—with goats and other livestock being their favorite menu items.
So what was this one doing up here in New York City—which, let’s face it, is not exactly the biggest farm community around… And… I glance around nervously… are there more of her kind lurking the darkness?
“Who are you?” the vampire asks, his deep voice echoing through the dark chamber. “And what brings you to the tunnels?”
“Oh! Sorry—my bad! My name is Rayne McDonald,” I say, deciding to keep my distance from Fluffy this time, hoping the guy will ignore my rudeness in not shaking his hand. “I’m a member of the Blood Coven and my boyfriend, Jareth, and I are searching for my sister and her boyfriend, Magnus. They’re supposedly hiding out down here with a group of anti-Consortiumvampires.” I pause, then add hopefully, “You don’t happen to know where they are, do you?”
The elder vampire is silent for a moment, considering my words without addressing my question. At last he speaks. “Most vampires I know don’t go around wielding wooden stakes.”
I look down at the weapon I’m still clutching in my hands
The creature freezes, sniffing the air. I use my momentary advantage to flip it over—accidentally dropping my stake in the process. After diving on top of the creature and pinning it down with my thighs, I try to keep it prostrate with one hand as Isearch the ground for my only weapon. My eyes are now adjusted enough to see the beast’s mouth seeking and finding my bleeding hand, its fangs sinking into my flesh.
Well, what do you know? It’s a blood drinker…
I suck in a breath as the pain shoots through me—hard and unyielding—and it’s all I can do not to rip my arm away. Instead, I force myself to stay still—to let the creature drink, as I search for the stake with my free hand.
Finally, my fingers close around the wood and I make my move. Bringing my arm up in the air, ready to stab the beast through the heart and end this fight—
“Enough!”
I stop, milliseconds before driving the stake through. Who said that? I try to search the darkness for the source of the voice.
“Fluffy! Release her. Come!”
To my shock and extreme awe, the bloodsucking beast—Fluffy?!—immediately unlocks its grip on my hand and scurries off into the darkness.
I scramble to my feet, holding my hand to my side, trying to put pressure on the wound. “Who’s there?” I cry. “Show yourself.”
A light flickers and a moment later the glow of a lamp shines through the darkness. I gasp as a tall, dark figure, dressed in a long, black cape steps into view. His skin is as white as snow. His hair as dark as night. His lips are as red as blood. Meaning he’s either some kind of cross-dressing Snow White…
… or a vampire.
“Oh my God,” I cry, relief flooding over me like a tidal wave. “Thank you so much!” I attempt a step forward toward the elderly vampire, but Fluffy—now standing by her master’s side—snarls, bearing her fangs—which, I might add, are still dripping with my blood. I stop, holding up my hands in surrender. “What is that thing?” I ask.
The vampire smiles, revealing a set of gleaming white fangs under the flickering lamplight. “Chupacabra,” he says, reaching down to scratch the creature’s mangy head. Fluffy looks up at him and pants happily.
Chupacabra
. I draw in a breath, remembering my studies at Riverdale Academy. Chupacabra are legendary bloodsucking creatures, hailing from Mexico and the southwestern United States. Their name literally means “goat sucker”—with goats and other livestock being their favorite menu items.
So what was this one doing up here in New York City—which, let’s face it, is not exactly the biggest farm community around… And… I glance around nervously… are there more of her kind lurking the darkness?
“Who are you?” the vampire asks, his deep voice echoing through the dark chamber. “And what brings you to the tunnels?”
“Oh! Sorry—my bad! My name is Rayne McDonald,” I say, deciding to keep my distance from Fluffy this time, hoping the guy will ignore my rudeness in not shaking his hand. “I’m a member of the Blood Coven and my boyfriend, Jareth, and I are searching for my sister and her boyfriend, Magnus. They’re supposedly hiding out down here with a group of anti-Consortiumvampires.” I pause, then add hopefully, “You don’t happen to know where they are, do you?”
The elder vampire is silent for a moment, considering my words without addressing my question. At last he speaks. “Most vampires I know don’t go around wielding wooden stakes.”
I look down at the weapon I’m still clutching in my hands
Similar Books
