"You can do this, girl."
Dani turned her head toward the old farmer. Apparently her expression had given her away, but he wasn't giving up even if she was.
"We'll help you," he added when she began to shake her head, and then he snapped with impatience, "At least try, dammit! You might as well walk back into the next room and use one of my tools to slit your wrists if you won't try."
She ground her teeth together at those blunt words. He was right, and she could do this, or at least she could give it a damned good try. Dani had never been a quitter, firmly believing that the only failure was not trying. That belief had seen her through medical school and the grueling hours she'd worked as an intern afterward. She'd made it through all that; she could make it through this stupid window too, Dani told herself firmly. And if she didn't, it wouldn't be for lack of trying.
Relaxing a little, John helped her forward to stand in front of the window. They paused then, and John reached out and undid the rusty old hook-and-eye fastening. He swung the old-fashioned window out and up to slip the hook through a second eye in the low ceiling, holding the window out of their way.
The lower ledge of the window was about level with Dani's chin. It was about two feet wide and two feet high and was three quarters underground. She found herself looking out at a metal window well with grass poking up over the top and the star-filled night sky visible above it from where they stood.
"We'll need a chair or something to get out," Hazel said, and turned to rush out of the room.
Dani eyed the window and said unhappily, "I'm going to slow you down."
"We have a little time," John said with a shrug. "We're a good ways out in the country. It's half an hour to the nearest fast-food restaurant."
Dani didn't bother explaining that wasn't what Leo had meant by fast food.
"Here."
John turned and then stepped back, taking Dani with him as Hazel rushed in carrying one of the chairs from the workshop. She set it down in front of the window and then turned to eye them both uncertainly.
"You climb out, Hazel," John said. "And then I'll help the girl up and you can pull on her from outside."
Hazel nodded and scrambled onto the chair. She was spry for her age and size, Dani noted, watching as the matronly woman managed to wiggle herself through the window and huffed and puffed her way out into the well.
When Hazel paused on her knees and turned to peer back at them, John said, "Get out on the lawn. If you lie on the grass and reach down you can pull from above while I help the girl from this end."
"My name's Dani," she murmured as they watched Hazel heft herself out of the window well.
"Nice to meet you," John responded absently as he watched his wife with concern, and then he urged Dani to the chair. With his help, she managed to climb to stand on it and brace herself against the ledge. Hazel's hands immediately appeared from the top of the well, and Dani reached to clasp them, holding on as John grasped her lower hips and put his shoulder to her behind, and she began to move up. There was a lot of grunting and panting, and Dani was sure at least two layers of skin were scraped from her stomach when her T-shirt rose up, but after what seemed like forever she found herself crumpled in the bottom of the well.
"You're gonna have to try to stand to help Hazel get you out, girl," John said breathlessly, and Dani turned to see him standing on the chair inside the window. They were all out of breath from the effort expended, but his face was alarmingly red. Her eyes slid to his forehead where blood was drying around the wound there, and she felt her stomach dance, and then Dani groaned as pain knifed through her again, a terrible agony. If she could just get a little blood, just a little, she knew it would ease. Just a taste. Maybe she could just lick his forehead as Leo had done his wife's face, just a lick.
"Dani?"
She shook her head and raised her face to peer at Hazel. It was dark out, but the light seeping around John's form from inside was enough for her to see the sudden alarm on the woman's face.
"You've gone terribly pale, child," she said, sounding shaky. "Are you all right? Can you try to stand?"
Shame rolled through Dani as she realized what she'd been thinking, and she briefly closed her eyes. She needed to get out of there and get as far away from these people as she could. From any people. She needed to get to help, but not just any help. Someone who knew what was happening and could stop her. She needed-"Decker,"
"What was that, dear?" Hazel asked.
"We have to move," John said, prodding her leg. "You have to stand."
Dani drew her knees up in front of her, placing her feet flat on the ground. She reached for the top of the window well and felt Hazel's hands close over hers. As Hazel began to pull, Dani stopped fighting the pain eating at her and instead used it to find the strength to push herself upward. She rose, at first vaguely aware that Hazel was pulling and John doing what he could to push her, but she was doing most of the work herself, forcing her muscles to move. The action made the pain in her stomach spread outward, shooting into her limbs like acid and hitting her brain like a hammer. The agony forced everything else from her thoughts as she crawled out of the well. The moment she felt the cold grass beneath her hands and knees, Dani flopped to the ground and rolled away from the window well, curling into a ball and clutching herself.
She was barely aware of the sounds from behind her as Hazel helped John climb out. He muttered, "I'll go see if the car will start. Try to get her up." And then Hazel was leaning over her, asking her if she was all right. Dani could hear the woman's heartbeat above her ear, could almost hear the rush of blood running through the woman's veins, and found herself rolling over.
Hazel slipped her arms around Dani, raising Dani's head and shoulders to rest in her lap. Hazel then lowered her face to peer at her.
"You're so pale." The words were anxious and carried the faintest hint of blood with them.
The still-functioning part of Dani's mind told her that it was from the bloody lip Leo had given Hazel, but she didn't care, the scent started her body screaming with want.
Moaning, she turned her head to the side, her eyes landing on the crook of the arm Hazel had slid beneath her head. The creping skin was thin with age, and in the soft light coming from the window well, Dani could see the spidery blue veins creeping up her arms. Veins that carried blood, her mind told her, warm sweet blood that would take her pain away. Just a little, enough to take the edge off...
Dani thrust herself away from the temptation, rolling up against the wall. Feeling the brick, cool and gritty against her face, she raised a hand and began to claw her way upright, digging the fingers of one hand into the small indents between bricks and pushing at the ground with the other.
"Let me help you." Hazel was at her side again, taunting her with her smell. Without thinking, Dani caught her by the front of her blouse and dragged her closer so that she could inhale the scent.
"Your eyes," Hazel breathed, voice shaking. "They've gone all silvery."
The words were like a slap in the face to Dani. She immediately got control of herself, released the woman's blouse, and pushed her away.
"Run." The word was a desperate plea. "I'll hide in the bushes. You can send help back for me."
Hazel peered at her uncertainly, obviously battling a real desire to flee, and then the sound of a low, rumbling engine sounded from the back of the house. Hazel glanced toward it, relief obvious in the set of her body, then grim determination settled in her face and she stepped back to Dani's side.
"We aren't leaving you behind," she announced, catching Dani under the armpits and dragging her upward with a surprising show of strength. "We are all three getting out of here, little girl. So you'd better set your mind to it and get your feet moving or I'm just going to drag you around the house to the car on your back."
Dani shook her head, not helping when Hazel shifted to her side to draw one arm over her shoulder and then tried to urge her forward.
"It's just around the house to the barn and then we're on our way," Hazel said almost pleadingly. "Five minutes and we'll be safe. Please, Dani, try."
Five minutes. Dani let the words tumble around inside her head. She only had to control herself for five minutes and then Decker would take over everything. He'd keep the Parkers safe from her, he'd put her out of her misery, and then he'd come take care of Leo. Five minutes. Surely she could manage to control herself that long?
Dani forced her legs to straighten and took a staggering step forward with Hazel's help. She heard, but ignored, the woman's gasped "Thank God" as they headed for the corner of the house.
"I heard that Leo fellow say we're right next door to where you were," Hazel grunted breathlessly as they crossed the lawn. "I'm thinking he must have meant the Sanderson place. It sold a couple weeks ago. Are the people there friends or relatives?"
Dani had no idea who had owned the house before, but doubted if the houses on both sides of this one had been put up for sale and sold, so nodded weakly.
"Do they have a phone yet? If so, we can use it to call the police."
"Yes," she rasped, knowing that wasn't likely to happen. Hazel and John would probably be put under someone's control the minute they reached the house, and then the men would come after Leo themselves. She hoped they tore him limb from limb, but suspected they'd merely stake him and decapitate him or something to make sure he was dead. Then they'd probably remove every trace of what had happened from this home and remove everything from John and Hazel's memories so that they continued on in what had most likely been a peaceful and content life. After that they'd no doubt turn their attention to her.
"Oh, John." Hazel sighed with relief as they stumbled around the corner.
Dani glanced up to see the man hurrying toward them.
"Here, let me help." John took Dani's other arm over his own shoulders and they began to move more quickly as he explained, "There were no keys for the car and I don't know how to hot-wire the damned thing so we'll have to take the tractor."
Dani let her head drop back down to rest her chin against her chest. She was afraid of what might happen if she saw or smelled the bloody wound on his forehead again, so it was Hazel who answered.
"That's fine," the old woman yelled to be heard over the engine as they drew near the farm vehicle. "We're going to the Sandersons' old place anyway. We can cross the field on the tractor and not risk running into him on the road."
"Good thinking, wife," John yelled back as they reached the side of the tractor. When he came to a halt then, and hesitated, Dani risked lifting her head to peer at the vehicle. The first thing she saw was a green metal two-step ladder used to climb onboard. Her gaze then slid to the open glass door and the cab. It was obviously pretty new, the interior looked as fancy as an airplane cockpit with a cushioned seat, gears, and buttons, and even a little screen that made her think of the GPS on her car. But she couldn't help but notice there also wasn't enough room for all three of them inside.
"Get in Hazel," John shouted. "You'll have to drive. I'll set the girl on the floor once you're in and stand on the step to be sure she doesn't fall off."
Hazel slid out from under Dani's arm to climb into the cab. Dani glanced to John then, to see him watching his wife. He wasn't a very tall man, and his face was just above hers, leaving her staring at the trail of blood that ran from his forehead and down his cheek to his throat. She swallowed and turned her head away, so was caught by surprise when he suddenly turned, grasped her by the waist, and lifted her to sit on the floor of the cab with her legs dangling out.
"Hang on," he yelled.
Dani sagged against the door frame, clutching at it as he reached up to grab the frame of the open door on each side and climbed up to stand on the steps in front of her. It blocked her in and left his face level with hers. John smiled at her almost kindly before glancing to Hazel.
"Go on, Hazel," he yelled. "Let's get out of here before he gets back."
Five minutes, Dani reminded herself. All she had to do was hold out for another five minutes. Or maybe less now, maybe only four, she thought, and then the tractor lurched forward and she fell against John, grabbing at his shirt to keep from falling over. She held on for a moment, and then became aware of a tantalizing smell coming from the cloth. Lifting her head a little, she peered at the bit of shirt caught in her left hand, spotting a dark stain on the tuft of material that stuck out of the circle made by her clenched thumb and first finger.
It was blood that had dripped down from his head wound and dried there, Dani realized, and found herself inhaling deeply, drawing the sweet scent with a metallic tang into her nose. She closed her eyes at the dizziness that overcame her as the blood in her body began to jump, bubbling as if on the boil, and then before Dani quite realized what she was doing, her mouth closed on the dark stain and she was suckling at it, drawing every bit of blood from the cloth that she could.
The tractor suddenly bumped and shuddered and then bumped again, making her lose hold of the shirt as she fell back, and John quickly looked down at his damp shirt as it fell to rest against his chest. He glanced to Dani then, frowning as he took in her face.
"Are you all right?" he yelled. "You're pale as death and sweating."
Dani groaned and peered past him to the field beyond to see that they'd moved behind the house and bumped their way into the field. Hazel was headed in what appeared to be a straight line for the neighboring property, picking up speed as she went. Judging by the direction they were moving, it seemed the Parkers owned the farm to the right of the enforcer house. As Dani recalled from what she'd seen that day on the way to the mall, this field was as long as at least one city block, possibly two... and then they'd meet the woods.
She wasn't going to last it out, Dani thought with despair. The field was so long and there was no way they could drive the tractor through the woods. They would have to cross those on foot. None of that would be a problem were she not losing control so quickly. She had already been reduced to sucking dried blood off a shirt. What was next?
Dani turned to try to see how far they had gotten and what lay ahead, but John's body was blocking the way. Then he too turned away to look ahead, leaving his neck stretched before her. Dani found herself forgetting about the crops and the worry of the woods and staring with hungry fascination at the vein pulsing in his neck.
Realizing what she was doing, she forced her eyes away, only to find herself staring at his inner wrist as he readjusted his hold on the door frame and grabbed it a little higher as he leaned out to get a better look ahead.
"Take us to the edge of the woods and I'll run to the house to get someone to come help us get the girl there," John yelled suddenly, startling her attention away from his wrist.
"All right," Hazel yelled back.
John turned to glance at Dani, frowning when he got a look at her. He let go of the frame with the hand closest to her and jarred his shoulder against it to keep from losing his position so that he could feel her forehead. He then glanced beyond her to Hazel, leaning in a little and placing his forehead closer as he yelled, "The girl's flushed and feels feverish. I think-"
He paused abruptly as Dani suddenly turned her head, leaned forward, and licked the hand he'd pressed to her cheek.
"Hey, now!" John jerked his hand away. "Nobody licks on me but Hazel, girl. Behave yourself."
"Sorry, there's blood on it from when you wiped your forehead," she mumbled.
"What was that?" He leaned closer, eyebrows rising in question, and Dani found her attention focusing on his forehead. His head wound had started bleeding again, and fresh, sweet-smelling blood was seeping out. She watched it slowly trail down, making a path through the dried blood from earlier, and felt saliva gathering in her mouth. Dani swallowed thickly and then licked her lips, finally leaning forward a little to better inhale his scent, amazed to realize he smelled as delicious as a nice juicy steak as Leo had said he would.
"What did you say?" John asked, leaning even closer, and Dani took the opportunity to lick his forehead. He immediately jerked back in shock, and then scowled at her and snapped, "Stop that!"
"What did she do?" Hazel asked.
"She keeps licking on me, Hazel. She's worse than that damned cat of yours," he growled, glaring warily at Dani now.
Dani wanted to apologize, but she was busy savoring the blood she'd managed to get in the quick lick, moving it around inside her mouth before swallowing it. She'd never thought so before, but blood was really quite delicious, and Dani was wondering how she could lure him in for another lick when Hazel asked with amazement, "She licked you?"
"Yeah, she keeps-" John broke off to lean back away from Dani as she tried to lick him again. The action made him lose his grip on the door frame with the hand by her head and he shouted, the free arm pin-wheeling as his upper body started swinging outward.
"John!" Hazel cried.
"I've got him," Dani yelled, and was slightly amazed to find she did. Her hands had reached out instinctively to catch him by the front of the shirt and had dragged him half into the cab so that his chest rammed into her knees and his face was directly in front of her. She didn't know where the strength had come from, it was just suddenly there, but so was the pain, ripping through her and urging her to drag him closer so that she could lick his forehead again.
"Hazel!" John roared, pushing at her, but unable to break her grip. "Help me!"
Dani was distracted by a smack on the head as Hazel yelled, "Stop that! Bad girl! Leave him alone! Stop licking my husband!"
Decker heard the door open and lifted his eyes sharply to see Lucian appear in the entrance, a dark form against the moonlit background.
"There you are." Lucian peered into the lightless barn. "Sam said she thought she saw you come out here."
"Any news?" he asked sharply.
Lucian shook his head.
Decker sighed. He then slid off the bale he'd been sitting on and crossed to the door. He'd been sitting out there ever since arriving at the house. It had made him feel closer to Dani to be where they'd last been together, but he'd sat torturing himself with memories of the brief interlude and the possibility that it might be all they had. It was better if he returned to the house, even if it was only to pace his room like a caged tiger and fret.
He reached the door and paused, expecting Lucian to step out of the way for him to leave. When he didn't, Decker noted the way his uncle stood, his head raised slightly in a listening attitude and a frown playing on his lips.
Decker arched an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"I think I hear a tractor," Lucian muttered, turning his head to glance around with displeasure. "Who the hell would be working the fields at this hour?"
Decker shrugged. "A farmer?"
Lucian turned a look of disgust his way. "Of course it's a farmer. But what idiot farmer would be working this late?"
Decker shrugged again with disinterest. Lucian didn't notice, however; he'd released the door and was moving away. Decker caught the door as it swung shut and stepped out to see him walking around the side of the building. His gaze slid to the house, moving over windows glowing with light, and then he turned to follow his uncle.
Lucian had disappeared when he reached the back of the barn, but Decker could hear the soft rustle of his passage through the woods and followed. The forest was only twenty feet deep here. Decker made his way through the trees almost soundlessly, and paused at his uncle's side on the edge of the field to peer out at the dark shape of the tractor stopped halfway across. There were no lights on the vehicle, or if there were, they weren't on, but the engine was running.
"What-?"
"Shh," Lucian hushed him. "Listen."
Decker turned back to the field and listened, picking up the faraway sounds of a man yelling and a woman shrieking in high, alarmed tones. "No!" and then, "No Dani!"
Decker's feet were moving even before the name had died. Aware that his uncle was on his heels, he flew across the field, moving so fast his feet hardly seemed to set down on the dirt as he tore through the plants.
The scene he arrived on was one Decker thought would stick in his mind for a very long time. Dani had an elderly man in jeans and a checkered top pinned to the ground, her knees resting on his shoulders as she held his head still and madly licked at his forehead. She appeared completely oblivious to the man's struggles, and even to the equally elderly woman in a cotton dress who was on Dani's back, trying to drag her off, screaming, "Stop that! Stop licking my husband. Have you lost your mind? Leave him alone!"
Decker lifted the woman off Dani, turned to hand her to Lucian, and then turned back to find Dani had given up on the forehead and was now following the dried blood trail down his cheek to his neck.
"Stop her!"
Decker didn't need that shout from Lucian; he was already catching Dani by the arms and yanking her away from the man she was assaulting.
"No," she moaned, struggling weakly to shake him off. "I want more."
"Dani," he said sharply, spinning her around.
She raised her head, her eyes settling on his face and widening. "Decker," she breathed with relief. "You found us. Thank God. Now you can kill me."
When Dani then sagged against his chest, Decker closed his arms around her. His eyes moved to the elderly man as he got shakily to his feet, and then to the older woman before he asked grimly, "What happened?"
The woman rushed to her husband's side as Lucian released her. Slipping a supportive arm around his waist, she peered at him briefly, and then glanced to Decker.
"I don't know," she admitted, her worried eyes shifting to Dani. "That man must have drugged her or something. She was sick when we broke out of the basement, but then as we were escaping on the tractor she started licking on John. When I tried to make her stop, she tossed him off the tractor like a rag doll and leaped out after him. By the time I got the tractor stopped and jumped out, she was on him like a dog on a bone." She shook her head and repeated, "He must have drugged her. There's something wrong with that girl."
"Leonius," Lucian said suddenly, and Decker turned to see his eyes concentrated on Dani. He'd obviously been reading what had happened from her mind. His uncle shifted his gaze to him and announced, "Leonius took her from the mall and brought her to their house." He gestured to the house visible across the field. "He forced her to drink his blood, and then left her in the basement to make a meal of them while he went in search of another victim for himself, but they escaped."
"Jesus," Decker breathed, peering down at Dani. She was leaning heavily against him, her knuckle in her mouth, rocking slightly and moaning with what sounded like pain.
"Get them to the house and get Dani strapped down. I'm going to their place to wait for Leo," Lucian ordered. He then turned and sprinted across the field toward the house next door.
Decker watched him go, and then tugged Dani's finger from her mouth, wincing as he saw the damage she'd done to it.
"No," she moaned, and tried to raise it to her mouth again, but Decker caught her hand in his and twisted it behind her back as he scooped her into his arms. He managed to trap her other hand between their bodies so that she wouldn't then start gnawing on that one. Dani immediately began to struggle, but he merely crushed her closer and turned to the couple.
John and Hazel Parker, Decker plucked the name from their thoughts as he glanced over the man. He appeared to have recovered from his run-in with Dani. Decker nodded toward the woods ahead and said, "That way."
Nodding, the man took his wife by the hand and began to lead her toward the woods.