RYKER

 

Bowling was never anything Ryker thought he’d try. No desire to throw a ball down an alley. No reason to knock down pins. The whole concept was a waste of time, but what he did enjoy was Aliza’s company.

It turned out that Ryker bowled for both her and himself, which made him happy due to her current health. At first, she seemed in a faraway place with pain on her face, but once Ryker began bowling, she sat in the captain chair with wide, twinkling eyes, laughing at his lack of skill. Even for a vampire with stellar speed, strength, and agility, aiming a ball at a few pins was harder than expected.

At first, he whipped the ball too hard and knocked a few pins into another lane.

Then he didn’t give it enough force.

She said to give it spin, and he spun it right into the gutter.

Perhaps he pretended to be worse than he was, enjoying the happiness Aliza shared. Her smile made him smile. Her laugh made him forget he was in Dubuque. When he spun around after throwing the ball down the alley and caught Aliza’s focused stare on him, his heart gave off a beat. And another.

It had been so long since he felt that sensation. It made him tingle.

Ignore it. It’s nothing more than hunger. It can’t be anything more.

He forced his eyes from her beautiful face and focused on the vein in her neck instead. He allowed his fangs to grow as he thought about the best place to withdraw her blood. When his fangs pushed into his bottom lip, he turned from Aliza. What was he going to do? Obviously, he couldn’t feed off her. He couldn’t have feelings for her, either. She was human, and he should leave.

But that would leave her vulnerable to a vampire attack if that vampire returned for her. And if that vampire came back, Ryker needed to feed. He was certain he’d lose control if he waited another day, and he may end up being the one attacking her. It was a vicious circle.

When he turned back, she yawned, setting down an empty plastic cup of soda between a few other empty glasses.

Ryker tilted his chin, and his eyes roamed from one glass to another, to another.

He sat in the chair beside Aliza, leaning toward her and speaking in almost a whisper, “Is it normal for you to drink so much?”

Aliza glanced at the empty cups. “I’m just so thirsty, and it seems nothing helps.”

Ryker reached out and touched her cheek. “You’re burning up.”

Had the vampire returned to feed her blood while he had slept? Ryker was old and didn’t need as much sleep, so that seemed impossible, but then, he recently met a vampire who could walk in the daylight.

“Let’s get you home. You should sleep.” Ryker helped her up, but her eyes rolled back. He caught her against his chest.

“Sorry,” she said. “I got lightheaded.”

“Bowling was foolish!”

“No, it’s okay. It was great. I had a nice time.” She pushed Ryker away as he tried to pick her up. “I gotta use the ladies’ room.”

Ryker draped an arm around her, walking her past the lanes and to the bathroom on the side of the building.

“Wait,” Aliza said, stopping long enough in front of a pile of plaques for a smile to spread on her lips. He followed her sight to a small brass plaque attached to a dark piece of wood. Upon it was a script engraving.

 

Aliza & Andrew Adams

League champions. Perfect game.

 

As quickly as she stopped, she began heading toward the bathroom again. “Andrew was my father,” she said, reaching for the bathroom door handle.

Ryker didn’t stop, fully intending on escorting her inside and helping her. Whatever she needed.

She placed a hand against his chest. “Whoa, boy. I got this. I’ll be quick.”

Ryker growled, but allowed Aliza to open the door herself.

“I’m okay. I just get lightheaded when I get up and down too fast. Relax.” She winked at him. “I’ll be right back.”

Ryker stepped away, allowing an older woman to enter the room. He sat down on a bench outside the door and waited.

Other women floated in and out, but Aliza was still inside.

One more minute.

Ryker took the minute to return the call to the Blood Board. When the Chair answered, Ryker’s words were swift. “Zahra, it’s Ryker. Sorry I missed your call.”

“I hadn’t heard from you. I was starting to get anxious.”

Ryker lowered his voice, knowing that Zahra’s excellent hearing would have no trouble discerning the words. “Things are fine. I’ve found one victim that survived. I’m watching her every move, thinking the rogue will return.”

“You said ‘she.’ The victim is female? That doesn’t fit the pattern.” Zahra had a habit of thinking out loud. “Do you think the rogue will come back to make a new vampire?”

“Perhaps.” Ryker stared at the bathroom door.

“Well, you can’t watch her and hunt the rogue at the same time. Kill her before she turns and destroy the body, it’s the quickest, then move on. It’s only time before there’s another victim.”

“She’s still human. You know my rules.”

“I’ll send Frank.” Her accent peeked into her words. Ryker knew it was agitation.

“No. Give me one more day. I got this.” Ryker cocked his head as the older woman from earlier exited the bathroom. “I gotta go.” He ended the call before Zahra could argue. Where was Aliza? Way too much time had passed. He tuned in his hearing, trying to listen for any sign she needed help inside, but he only heard silence.

Too much silence.

As another woman stepped toward the entrance, Ryker stopped her. “I need a minute.” He pushed his way beyond the door.

To an empty room.

A deep growl erupted from his chest as he searched the vacant stalls.

A single frosted window hung on the last stall’s wall. Ryker ran his fingers along the sill, noting it was unlocked. He flung it open and bounded through the opening.

Behind the bowling alley was an open field full of tall, brown cornstalks coated in an inch of snow. The moon cast long, eerie shadows against the dirt. Ryker stopped and closed his eyes. A gentle breeze blew his hair across his face. He centered himself and turned on the predator that slept deep inside.

Find Aliza.

He stilled, listening and watching.

A random heartbeat came from his own chest, then a faint heartbeat in the distance.

He dove into the cornfield and dashed in that direction, but when the hair rose on his arms from a static charge hanging in the air, he halted.

Vampire.

But it was different. The tingle was faint and warm.

Never mind that. Find Aliza first.

Pumping his arms, he raced across the acres of the field in a blur, following the sound of the human heart. Aliza lay in the distance, unconscious between some stalks on a blanket of snow. A woman’s figure squatted over her, wearing nothing but a green dress, despite the snow.

As fast and as silent as his legs would carry him, Ryker ran, leaping through the air and diving toward the woman. The woman turned, her face slightly familiar as he launched himself toward her. She twisted her body in a swift movement that averted his attack, causing Ryker to tumble onto the ground on the other side of Aliza.

He rolled to his feet, bared his teeth, and lunged towards the woman again. As his body collided with hers, a sharp pain pierced his shoulder, causing him to close his eyes. His body thudded against the dirt with nobody beneath him. Turning over, he pulled a knife from his shoulder. How hadn’t he noticed that in the woman’s hands? Beyond him and Aliza, the woman in dark green stood between a row of cornstalks. With a twirl that caused her dress to flare, she turned and took off running, seeming to vanish into the night.

When he arrived at Aliza’s side, blood covered her lips. The bright red contrasted with her dark hair and too-pale skin. He squatted down, listening to her heart, knowing she was still alive. He wiped the blood from her mouth and brought it to his nose.

It wasn’t human, but it wasn’t quite vampire either. It had an undertone of that odd metallic scent he had picked up on Aliza earlier. Had that woman fed Aliza her blood?

How could he have been so careless and lost sight of Aliza?

With a clenched jaw, Ryker draped her arm over his good shoulder and picked her up. She struggled, but he whispered, “Don’t worry about it. Put your head on my shoulder, and I’ll get you home.”

No sooner had he gently pushed her head against his chest, she was sleeping. Her warm breath against his neck. Her carotid artery near his lips.

You need to go out and feed while she sleeps. You’re hungry and now need to heal.

Despite leaving her vulnerable, he knew he had no choice.

He carried her to his SUV, carefully laying her across his backseat, and took her home once again.

 

ALIZA

 

When Aliza woke, she was tucked in her familiar bed, white cotton sheets damp with sweat. Like a statue, Ryker sat in the corner, seeming to watch her, but unmoving.

She smiled. “You came to my rescue again.” There was something about him that comforted her and made her feel safe. He was always near and never seemed like he was annoyed with her recent emotional instability. It actually seemed like he wanted to be wherever she was.

He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. “What do you remember?”

She rubbed her eyes, pulling the fog from her mind. “I had to pee. I must have… Did I pass out in the bathroom?” All of a sudden, her cheeks warmed, and she sank back into her bed, pulling the sheets over her face.

Her bed dipped slightly then Ryker pulled the covers away from her face. “No, I didn’t find you in the bathroom stall. Rest assured, I found you completely appropriate.”

“What happened?” She fought a yawn and struggled to keep her eyes half-open. An image from a few nights ago came back with a force she couldn’t suppress.  Memories of that woman. Of screaming. Of wanting the safety of her father’s arms...of her ex-fiancé’s arms…of anyone’s arms so she wasn’t alone. She held her breath and waited for the memories to go away.

Ryker stood up. “I’ll tell you all about it later. Please rest a little more first.” He began backing toward the door.

“No,” she whispered. “Don’t leave. I don’t want to be alone.” Scooting up in bed, she pried an eye open, trying to read his expression, but it didn’t tell her anything.

She reached up a shaky hand, hoping he’d take her offer.

When his cold fingers interlaced with hers she pulled him to her bed. “Hug me so I don’t remember. Anything for a distraction.”

His expression flashed something she couldn’t describe except for hunger, and for a moment, she was afraid. When he tightened his lips, a look of mourning filled his eyes that made her want to take away all his problems. He slowly crawled into her bed, wrapping a cool arm around her body and whispered. “Okay, but I need to be gone by dawn.”

Nuzzling back against his chest, she felt him warm with her body heat. “Please, don’t leave,” were the last words she could mumble before falling into a dreamless darkness.