Scent of a Vampire

CHAPTER 30



I tried to pry my hand from Juans but he squeezed it tighter.

"Owww, let me go!" I cried.

"Hmmm, let me think about it. Umm, how about no?" Juan opened the car door and dragged me outside.

"Why are you doing this Juan? I thought you were Alexs friend?"

"I am Alexs friend. I made sure to become friends with as many other vampires as I could. Then I feed information to my real friends."

I couldnt believe what I was hearing. "You are crazy! You know what these Guardians are capable of. Why would you help them to destroy your own kind?"

"Why? Why, you ask? I will tell you Chica. Its because we are abominations. You, me, and everyone who walks this planet that is not human; not made in the image of our Creator. We are natures mistakes. And what do you do when you make a mistake? You make it right. Thats what we are doing. We are making the world right again. Back to the way it was meant to be, pure." He had a glazed look on his face, close to rapture.

Knowing I couldnt reason with madness, I tried again to tug my hand free.

Juan twisted my arm behind my back and whispered in my ear, "You are the biggest mistake of all. You are the prophecy we have been waiting for. But since you will not work with us, you will have to be destroyed. It is a pity. They were going to let me f*ck you too. You would have liked that Olivia. Women have told me how good I am at it."

"Roberto will kill you for this. He will not let you walk away." I spat at him.

"Oh, but he will not know I killed you. I will be hurt



250 and bleeding. I will tell him how we were ambushed and how I bravely fought off ten men before they got me down and then killed you. He will praise me for my heroics in trying to save you." He smiled to himself.

"You are nuts. No, you are insane." I said, really worried now because you cant negotiate with someone who was insane. But I tried anyway, "Maybe we can make a deal Juan. What if I agree to go inside with you? Maybe I can take another look at what you guys stand for. I may have made my decision in haste."

"DO YOU THINK IM STUPID?" Juan screamed at me.

"No...nnno I dont Juan. I think you had a tough time of it as a kid and..."

Juan laughed, "You know nothing Chica." He twisted my arm and I screamed from the pain. I wasnt sure if he broke it or if it was just because of my Sensay crap.

I tried to reach into the pocket of my jacket to get the gun Roberto had given me, when Juan jerked my hand back and grabbed the gun. "Ahhh, you werent going to shoot me were you Chica?" He twisted my arm until I heard a snap and I screamed and almost passed out from the excruciating pain.

Juan pulled me off to the side of the road and flung me down on the ground.

"I wish I had more time to play with you, but I need to get everything in order before your boyfriend comes back."

As I lay there waiting for him to kill me, my life flashed before my eyes. They always say that in the movies and in books; but it really did happen to me. I pictured my parents laughing with me at the playground, the dog we had when I was in grade school, me getting second place at a track meet in high school, the day I met Janel in a crowded lecture room, my wedding day to jerk off Brian, me bumping into Alex in the lobby of the Platza del la Viva,



251 Robertos face as he moved inside me and told me he loved me.

My whole life, filled with people I loved and who loved me back. It was a good life. I closed my eyes as Juan bent over me and placed his hands around my neck. One last image came to mind. The silver wolf. Bullet. My wolf. His teeth were bared. His hair standing up.

I could feel the tension as he coiled his body to attack. The rage built up inside him. I could feel it building in my own body. It transferred from Bullet to me somehow and I felt it surge through my body.

No longer feeling weak and hurt, I brought my knee up as hard as I could and made direct contact with Juans crotch. He yelped in pain but lunged forward to grab me by the hair. Remembering my training from Mark and Andy, I went for Juans eyes and managed to scratch and gouge enough to have him let go of my hair. As soon as he did, I used the palm of my hand to smash into his nose, which I heard make a crunching sound. He bent over in pain and thats when I ran. I didnt run far when he jumped on me and took me down. The air was knocked from me and I thrashed around on the ground in a panic. He slapped me across the face and I tasted blood in the back of my throat.

"You f*cking bitch. I wish I had time to make you suffer." He spat.

As I tried to buck him off of me, my hand closed around a palm sized jagged rock. With all of the force I could muster I smashed it against his skull. Once again I heard a cracking sound. He tilted his head back in a painful roar and when he did I could see the side of his head caved in. Still he didnt fall. Damn vampire.

"F*ck you, you bloodsucking a*shole." I screamed at him.

Juan bared his fangs to bite me and I brought up the rock and smashed it against his head again and again, until he at last fell to the ground his head a mangled bloody



252 mess.

I was covered in blood. Juans blood and mine. I turned quickly with the rock raised in my hand when I heard the sound of someone running towards me.

"Olivia!? Dio Mio!" Roberto said as he gathered me in his arms while glancing down at Juan.

For some reason I was afraid he would be angry with me for what Id done so I tried to explain. "I didnt want to hurt him, but he was trying to kill me. He was working with the Guardians."

"Shhh, its okay Piccolina, tell me what happened."

"He had such an awful life Roberto. Terrible things were done to him as a child. The Guardians found him and helped him. He was brainwashed into believing he was unnatural and he should help the Guardians scourge the earth of the evolved. He has been helping them for centuries."

"Bastardo, I had a feeling they had someone on the inside. I wouldnt have guessed that it was Juan though. Thank God Alexander knew something was wrong."

"Oh my God, where is Alex? Is he okay?"

"Im okay baby."

I turned and saw Cristoforo helping Alex walk towards us. I ran to him and threw my arms around him crying. We both said, "Owww." and laughed. Alex looked remarkably good for all he had been through.

He held me at arms length and looked at me. "Your hair has silver in it. I like it. And your arm is broken. I dont like that. What happened baby?"

I explained to him about Juan working for the Guardians. Alex looked pained and put his arm around me, "Im sorry baby, and thank God it was just your arm. Juan is a vicious fighter."

Roberto came over and stood between us. "Why didnt you tell me you were hurt Olivia?"

"Its just a broken arm. I will go to the hospital



253 tomorrow. Right now we should probably get going before the bad guys get here."

"Mark is coming now. What should we do with the piece of trash over there?" Cristoforo asked.

We all turned as Mark walked up. "Everything is set. We have five minutes."

Wow, that was the most I heard Mark speak.

Roberto took charge, "Okay, everyone get into the cars. And Ill take care of Juan."

Alex looked over at Juan lying on the ground. "Rot in hell traitor."

Cristoforo put Alex in the second car and went back to help Roberto.

I didnt want to leave Alex yet so I got in the backseat beside him, "Alex, Im so sorry for leaving you." I began to cry. "I was worried about my parents and wasnt thinking about what could happen to you."

Alex pulled my head onto his broad chest. "I know Olivia. Its okay. I, more than anyone, understand how you feel. You did what you had to do. Cristoforo told me about your parents. Baby, I am so sorry. How are you? Are you okay?"

I cried harder because he was worried about me. With everything he had been through, he was still putting me first.

Roberto opened the door with a scowl on his face, "Piccolina, what are you doing in here?"

"I want to ride with Alex. I need to make sure hes okay."

"Hes okay. He is a vampire and will heal fast."

Alex made a show of moaning as he moved on the seat. I had to smile, which made Robertos scowl deepen.

"Why dont you drive this car? That way we can all be together."

"All together. How nice." Roberto said, "Okay, but you will sit up front with me Olivia. Its only a couple of



254 hours back to the safe house. We should be able to manage until then."

I winked at Alex but moved up front to sit beside Roberto. Alex slumped back in the seat, still weak from his ordeal.

Roberto turned the car around and headed back the way we had come. I held onto the seat as Roberto was driving fast, scary fast.

"Are we being chased?"

"No, but its imperative we get out of here as soon as possible." Roberto replied, looking in the rearview mirror.

"Why?" I asked and it was quite obvious when there was a huge explosion flowed by a bright orange fireball in the sky behind us.

"You blew it up?" I asked unbelievably.

Roberto smiled for the first time tonight, "Yes."

I looked at him and noted his boyish grin. "You really enjoyed that didnt you?"

"Yes." He said still grinning from ear to ear. This was a side of Roberto I hadnt seen before. It was kind of cute.

He put his hand on my thigh and turned to look at me with dark blue eyes blazing. Holy smokes, he was excited. The thought of Roberto sexually excited was more than enough to get my juices flowing. I put my hand over his and moved it higher, until I heard a moan from the back seat. How had I forgotten Alex was back there? Roberto sighed as I let go of his hand, "Alex? Are you okay?" I asked, turning to look at Alex in the back seat. He was slumped over. I went to lean over the seat to shake him when I felt a weakness spreading through my body. I slumped back down in the seat.

"Piccolina? Are you all right?" Roberto asked.

"I dont know. Im feeling weak again."

"Merde. Alex must need blood. We let him drain one of the Guardians but he was almost totally drained by



255 the time we got to him. He needs blood to replace it. We cant stop here. Were too close to the explosion."

Alex and I groaned at the same time.

"Damn!" Roberto exploded as he hit the steering wheel. "You are going to have to let him bite you Olivia."

"No!" Whatever our bond was, I didnt want to make it stronger.

"Olivia, as much as I hate the idea, you will have to. If you dont it may kill you. I just hope it doesnt kill me." He said in a gruff tone.

I knew he was right. The thing that scared me though was that there was a part of me that was jumping up and down and yelling yippee! Resigned to the fact I had to do this, I tried hoisting myself over the seat to get in back with Alex. I was too weak to manage, so Roberto grabbed the back of my jacket and helped me over. I landed with a soft thud against Alex, who didnt stir. I took his head between my hands. "Alex, Alex, listen to me. You need blood. You have to bite me." He was barely responsive. I didnt know what to do. I tried to remember how it was when he bit me the last time. It was erotic.

"Roberto, I cant do this." I cried.

"Piccolina, you have to. It wont mean anything. It is survival and nothing more. Do you understand me?" he asked in a sharp tone.

"Yes, will you promise me something?" I asked him.

"What?" He asked as he looked at me in the rearview mirror.

"Dont look back here okay?"

A tic started in his jaw and he nodded yes. He put his eyes back on the road. I lay myself up against Alex. My mind was in chaos. I was afraid, I didnt want to want this so bad, but I did. I brushed the hair from Alexs eyes. He was so beautiful. I loved the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. His smile would take over his entire face. I leaned



256 forward and kissed his strong jaw. He sighed and his eyes fluttered open. "Baby, I thought I was dreaming. Maybe I am. Whatever, nothing wrong with a wet dream," he murmured as his mouth found mine. His lips were soft and seductive. He ran his tongue across my parted lips and then slipped it inside. The electrical currents raced through my body. I moaned as the heat collected between my legs. I arched my back to press my body closer to his. I felt his erection pressing against my hip; I needed so badly for him to be inside me. He moved a hand to cup my breast. His fingers began pulling on my puckered nipples.

I reached down and ran my hand over the hard length of him through his jeans. I began to moan just as Roberto said loudly, "For the love of God Olivia, please get him to bite you."

Alex whispered in my ear, "I know how this hurts you Olivia and Im sorry." He lifted his head and looked at me with his heart showing in his eyes and silently mouthed the words, "I love you," and swiftly lowered his head and bit me.


Jude Stephens's books