“What are you doing, Ed?”
“I’m taking a piss. That okay with you?” The bearded man turned away from his companion, and a moment later there was the sound of falling water hitting the dirt.
Staring at them, I felt myself sag in relief. They weren’t the same men. This human had a shaggy brown beard, not yellow, and he was a little broader in the shoulders. But then I saw something else: a tattoo on his left shoulder—a grinning canine, sharp-toothed and pointy.
The same as the ones before.
The other man muttered something and swung himself off the vehicle, digging into his jacket pocket. Pulling out a small white box, he dragged a cigarette out with his lips, lit the end and settled back against his machine, smoking lazily. Ed finished zipping up, turned and caught the box as his friend tossed it to him.
“Any beer left?” he asked, shaking out a cigarette.
“One can.”
“Well, let’s have it.”
“Screw you.”
I watched them, my mind racing. From personal experience, I knew these men were bad news: violent, armed and ruthless. If they caught up with the rest of the group…I shivered.
I had to stop them. Or at least get back to warn the others. But, as I crouched there, watching the men pass a silver can back and forth, I knew that—even running my fastest—I wouldn’t have enough time. I’d seen how quick those vehicles were. They would reach the group before I was even close. There had to be another way.
Another way. Of course, there was the most obvious choice. The option I couldn’t help but think of, no matter how much I tried ignoring it.
Should I…kill them? The thought was tempting, and I felt my fangs lengthen in response. I could kill them, feed on them, hide their bodies and their vehicles, and no one would know. Who would miss them, way out here in the dark? But, as I inched closer to the unsuspecting humans, I remembered the last two I’d met on a lonely road like this one. I remembered their screams, their terror, the panic on their faces. I remembered the glassy eyes and limp bodies, and clenched my fists. I couldn’t do it. I was trying not to be that monster. Every death, every life taken by the Hunger, pushed me closer to my demon. If I started killing indiscriminately, it would completely take over, and then what would stop me from stalking Caleb or Zeke into the darkness and ripping out their throats?
Maybe I could creep close enough to damage their vehicles in some way; slash their tires or drain their fuel. But I’d have to get awfully close, and even with my vampire powers, there was the risk of being seen. Even if I did manage to pull it off, they’d probably know someone was here and would be on the lookout for people in the area. That wouldn’t be good for the group. I growled in frustration.
Dammit, there had to be something I could do. Something to slow them down, just long enough for me to get back to the others and warn them. I looked up and down the road, searching for ideas, and noticed, in the distance, a large tree on the edge of the pavement.
Breaking away from the humans, I hurried toward the tree and found a thick, gnarled old trunk that looked as if it had been struck by lightning several times. Its branches were twisted and bent, empty of leaves, and it looked more dead than alive.
The roar of engines pierced the silence again. The men had started their vehicles, and were coming, their headlights gliding down the road. I put my shoulder to the trunk and pushed, digging my feet into the slippery grass and dirt, shoving with all my might. The stubborn tree resisted a moment, then with a brittle crack, its trunk split and it toppled slowly to the ground, landing half on and half off the road.
The growl of the vehicles drew closer. If they got past this block, they would reach the group first, and I’d have no time to warn everyone. Cursing, I grabbed the branches and dragged the old tree farther onto the road, expecting the men to come racing over the rise at any second. Bright lights lit up the darkness, illuminating the tree, and I dived into the grass.
“Aw, shit!”
The vehicles skidded to a stop. The men swung off, and one walked to the tree, giving it an angry kick that made the branches rattle. The other scratched his beard and gave it a disgusted look.
“Dammit,” he muttered, peering into the darkness. “Think we can go around?”
“I ain’t pushing my bike through that,” the other snarled, stabbing a finger at the heavy weeds and brambles at the edge of the road, very close to where I was hiding. “Last time I got a flat, and it was a pain in the ass to get it fixed. Besides, the others will be coming through soon.”
“Well, then shut up and help me move the thing.”