Death Race
On a dark road leading through the western woods on the way to Ravens Fair, a city on the rise. Hidden in northern Oregon. The hour is late and Saturn Bourne a young dark hair beauty drives barely awake. Driving a dark red sports car. She speeds down the dark lonely road. Suddenly a tire pops and the car starts swerving out of control. Getting hold of the wheel she regains control coming to a screeching halt on the side of the road.
“What the hell.” Gripping the wheel tight she some how gains control narrowing avoiding a tree.
The shock of the ordeal fades.
“What did it?” She looks over the steering wheel trying to spot something in front of the car.
Pulling herself together she opens the door and gets out. she sees the left rear tire flat as a pancake.
“Well that’s just perfect, I got a flat.” She leaned down to take a closer look.
She goes back into the car getting her purse and in a moment she pulls out her phone.
“Great no service.” She lifts the phone up high, but still no service. The trees were doing their job.
Looking down the dark road surrounded by tall trees that seem to go on forever she takes a deep breath.
“All right feet.” She looks down at the road. “Let us get going I’m bound to get a signal eventually.”
The night is the darkest it has ever been, but it didn’t bother her. Still, she gets only a few feet down the road before hearing strange noises in the distance. Sensing she’s not alone she stops to look around. The unknown that lied ahead made her blood boil. Her mind races trying to figure out what it could be. Was there really something out there or was her mind playing a trick on her?
“Hello?” Standing her ground. “Is there anyone out there? I warn you. I’m not what you think I am! Forget this!”
An ill wind; falls on the air and it’s a smell she recognizes all too well. Stilling herself, she closes her eyes and when she opens them she knows what lies just head in the darkness. Intent that’s what they call it. Her ability to see danger before it arrives has always been a great asset to her. The future reveals an inescapable event that she is not ready for. The unholy howl from the darkness ahead confirms her fears. She closes her eyes once more trying to control her fear.
“Wolves, and here I am. Just me on a dark road alone and without a single thing to defend me with.” She walks slowly back to the car.
“Being haunted in the dead of night.” She said “What a great start to a new life.”
She steadies her mind and her heart rate. Trying hard not to draw any more attention, buying time.
“Alright Saturn, all you have to do is get back to the car.” Continuing to walk slow. “It hasn’t found you yet. Just don’t panic and get back to the car.”
Backing up slowly, she feels the darkness behind her. She turns seeing red eyes deep within the darkness.
It’s found her. “Oh, bloody hell!” she screams.
Running as fast as she can hear the wolf closes in. She can feel the beasts’ heavy breath. It runs on all fours and her only on two. She tries, but it catches up jumping on her from behind, sinking its teeth deep down in her flesh. Her screams fill the air. Trying to get away the beast drags her back scratching her legs. Blood flows from the wounds, soiling the black tar pavement.
She hears deep foil breathing, and she knows she is not alone. She lies face down in a pool of her own blood. She can see the reflection of the moon shining off the black paved road. She has deep slashes and bite marks on her stomach, thighs, and legs. The wolfs foul breath stains the air. It circles her waiting to finish the deed.
The pain is great, but she fights through it locking eyes with the beast.
“What are you waiting for?” she shouts with a fierce voice. “Finish it. Finish it!”
Going for the kill it lunges at her, but from behind a shadow comes up fast throwing the beast back. She tries to move but her body goes limp. All she hears is the sound of a fight. Snarling and then finally a huge thump the shadow approaches and with it a slight hint of death. A smell to faint for any mere human to detect. Finally stepping into the light of the moon a handsome 5′6 Dark haired man dressed in a white loose shirt, black jeans, and a black trench coat. He leaned down pulling her up.
“Uncle, uncle... I scream uncle!”
Shivering and bleeding badly she looks up at the man who saved her.
“have you come to finish me off?”
Her voice shaking and pain rushing. Her savior looks deep into her Violet eyes.
“No. I’ve come to help you.”
Bringing his fangs to the surface he bites his arm.
“God a vampire saved me. What could be worse than this?”
“better than being killed by a rare werewolf.” He grins. “I doubt the Order would take too kindly to that.”
He offers his arm, but she turns her head.
“If you don’t take my blood you will die.” With a more serious tone.
She turns her eyes, but not her head catching his gaze.
“Will it heal me?”
“No, but it will slow this mean bastard down.” His arm still bleeding. “So please, drink so I can get you to someone who can help.”
His voice was calm and sweet, but his scent was old. She knew the sent. She had smelled it all her life. He had the scent of a very old vampire.
Still hesitating. “Who might that be?”
“Annabelle Corvin.”
The name stops her, and he knows she knows the name. The name belonged to a woman who ruled the city.
She turned her head looking directly into his eyes again. “Who are you?”
“My name is William, William Corvin.” He smiled sweetly. “Will you let me help you now?”
With a nod of her head, he gives his blood to her and she drinks. Then he picks her up caring her to his car putting her in the front seat he races towards help.
The pain of the bite becomes burning as she struggles to stay alert.
“So, Lady Annabelle is your sister. Same maker?”
“Same parents, but we both ran into vampires.”
“By choice?”
“Me, no. Her--yes.”
“Why would anyone choose it?”
The pain gains speed infecting every bone. William’s past and the connection between his sister and him is almost enough to distract Saturn from the pain of the poison rushing through her veins. A wave of pain hits her, and she grits her teeth clinging on to the leather seat. Like a pregnant woman having contractions. The pain finally subsides, and she takes in all the air she can.
“You probably think I’m a nosy bitch, but it hurts.” The pain lingers on her skin. “I need to do something to get my mind off the pain, but my skin is on fire. It burns. My mind is mush. I can’t think.”
He puts his hand on her leg rubbing it. His touch is cold but calming, and somehow the pain seems to go.
“You know I came down here in search of the truth.”
“What truth?” he puts his hand back on the wheel.
“The truth of why I became an Orderly. I don’t know why anymore.” Her voice soft almost whisper. It is as if she is speaking so the demons will not hear her.
“I can’t remember. I can’t get past that damn door. I won’t be used again.” A desperate voice fills the air. “Do you hear me vampire. I won’t hurt any more innocent people. I don’t care what she says. I can’t be what she wants anymore.”
She drifts off to the side. Her eyes close, and her mind starts to slip away. William shakes her leg, but she doesn’t respond.
“Hey beautiful, what is your name?”
His voice brings her back.
“What?” barely awake.
“Your name. What is it?”
“Saturn Bourne.” In a pain filled voice.
Her name is not unknown to William, but could she be...he had to know.
“Your Nathaniel Bourne’s daughter uh?”
“Yes, the same and what of it?”
He smiles, but for an altogether different reason.
“Well Princess Saturn, it is a gift and a pleasure to meet you. We’re heading towards help, but I need you to do something for me. I need you to stay awake.”
“What the hell do you think I’m trying to do.” With pain comes anger and she has a truckload. “It burns!”
“No need to lose it.”
“Oh, go to hell vampire!”
The pain comes rushing back.
“There you go.” Trying to keep her awake. “If you need to get angry, get angry. Do whatever you have to do to stay awake.”
Wiggling around, she can’t keep still. The pain is rising, and her blood is still flowing.
“Ok, tell me.”
“What would you like for me to tell you?” he asked still in a sweet voice.
“Why is the sky blue? What do you think? Tell me how you became a vampire and why in all that’s good and holy would your sister choose to become one.”
William quickly looks at her seeing her in a cold sweat. Her body racked with pain. He had to tell her something. He takes a deep breath still staring at the road ahead. Moving ever closer to town and to help.
“I will tell you this, we were always close, and when I was taken she never believed I was dead. She never lost hope, and when she crossed paths with a vampire she knew what had happened to me. She figured it was her best shot of finding me. It took some time, but we found each other. Then we found a way back to each other and things are good now, and those are the highlights. If you want anything more; you’re going to have to take me out first.”
He laughs a bit trying to get Saturn to do the same.
“Great a vampire with a sense of humor.” Saturn turned her head to the window. “I’m rotting here in pain and your cracking jokes. Now isn’t that a kick in the head.”
She takes a deep breath, smiling a bit for the first time.
“So, you have a sister. That is the most wonderful thing I have heard in a long time.”
The pain subsides once more but not enough to get relief of any kind.
“I have a sister too,” she said in almost whisper. “She’s a hybrid. Witch and vampire. She goes to Lake View academy.”
“I have a daughter that goes to that school.” He adds.
The passing woods bring Saturn to a new low and thought of the attack ending her becomes more real with every passing minute.
“William.” She touches his hand. “If I do not make it, please tell my sister Chloe that I tried to get out and that I love her.”
His fits tighten, and he hits the steering wheel.
“You hear this now.” He takes her hand squeezing it tightly. “You are not going to die here. Not here and not tonight. You fight, do you hear me Saturn? You fight.”
Her head is heavy and she’s struggling to stay awake.
“I don’t know if I can.”
“The last Orderly I met tried to kill me three times.” He shakes her hand. “So, I know you don’t have any quit in you.”
She forces herself to stay awake.
“You mind telling me why you were on that road all by yourself?”
“I’m not a child and besides I had a flat. No phone service; what’s a girl to do but walk.”
Her body begins to convulse uncontrollably.
“Saturn! Stay with me now. We are almost there.”
Finally making it to Ravens Fair he speeds through the streets deep into the rural surroundings near the beach and the cliffs. A huge house in the distance lit by lights pulls the cover of the darkness away.
