A vampire's Choice
Chapter 7

Sam unlocked the front door, entering while keeping her head low. The last two days had been nerve-wracking with no end in sight. Lisa had not shown up for work days ago, and Sam had tried to call her, but it had gone straight to voicemail. As she had set up the shop for customers, Lisa's phone had popped up. She had indeed worried, but this small revelation pushed her over the edge.

The lights illuminated the small shop when she turned them on. As the door closed with a soft thud behind her, a small tear appeared when the memories crashed into her. After the phone's discovery, Sam had called the cops, hoping to get answers, but it was met with more questions. A few hours after the call, she received a reply, which made her stomach drop. Lisa's bag had been found deserted two miles from the shop: right next to dried blood.

Shaking her head, Sam made her way past the counter into the kitchen, instead focusing on what was in front of her than some wild conspiracy theories. Yes, Lisa is like a sister to her, and yes, the cops will find her. But until then, Sam will keep her little shop open and business as usual. SWEET TEMPTATIONS was nothing short of being a child to Lisa, and Sam was the Godparent.

Standing still for a few seconds admiring the tiny workplace, Sam couldn't help again that her mind flashed images of a lifeless Lisa, her unique eyes staring blankly ahead, pooled in her red blood.

"For fuck's sake, woman. Get a grip.” Cursing herself, Sam hoped it would stop her imagination, but it only seemed to get worse until her thoughts were disrupted.

"Sam..."

A soft voice whispered behind her. Twirling around, she came face to face with the same unique eyes her mind had shown dead mere moments before.

"Lisa?" What was meant as a statement came out as a question. Seeing her alive and well standing before Sam seemed wrong, but it was happening.

"I missed you." Lisa lurched forward, grabbing a frozen Sam by the arms and pulling her in for a hug. A flowery scent invaded Lisa's senses as she pressed her face into Sam's neck, inhaling the feeling of comfort. The last few days had been hell but having her family with her made it all better.

"But...you...how?" The words escaped Sam's racing mind as Lisa tightened the hold on her, pressing her warm body into hers. On instinct, Sam's arms curled around Lisa, hugging her fiercely. Blond hair tickled her cheek, but she ignored it. Just having her alive and safe was all that mattered. Cold wetness clung to Sam's shirt, the sound of crying piercing her ears. Gripping her shoulders, Sam gently nudged Lisa away from her body, forcing her to step back. Lisa kept her head slumped forward, ashamed to let her best friend see her tears, but Sam wouldn't allow it.

Soft fingers pushed Lisa's chin up, so she reluctantly let her gaze meet her friend's loving stare. Sam moved to wipe the remaining tears from Lisa's face before resting on her shoulders. "Please tell me you are okay?" Sam whispered, afraid that sudden loud noise will trigger whatever had happened to Lisa.

Glancing up at her friend, Lisa felt a big lump in her throat. She desperately wanted to tell her what had happened, but how do you explain the monsters she had seen. The faces of the said monsters flashed in her vision the more she gazed at her friend, and fresh tears spilled again.

"No, don't cry. You are safe now." Sam pulled Lisa along, placing her on the office chair while grabbing the one behind and pulling it closer. As Sam sat down, her hand took Lisa's, pulling it to her lap, holding it tightly in her grasp.

Lisa locked her sight on her hand is Sam's, revelling in touch. She was an only child; her parents died when she was small. Being in foster care had eluded her to the feeling of familiarity, often being physically assaulted by her current foster family. So having someone care about you was strange, but she loved it. One of Sam's fingers lazily drew patterns on her wrist, calming the nerves in Lisa. Seconds passed in silence as Lisa told her friend what had happened but keeping the supernatural aspect a secret.

Looking back up at Sam's face, Lisa took a deep breath before telling her story. "I am fine now," Lisa answered Sam's previous question before continuing. "But I wasn't before. Two days ago, I lost track of time while working and ended up locking the shop in the early hours of the morning. Usually, walking home that late at night is safe, but this time it wasn't. I was attacked by... a... a…” A sob erupted from Lisa as fresh tears returned at the telling of her story, the wounds of trauma opening the flood gates.

"Shh, it is alright. You don't need to tell me. All that matters is that you are safe now." Sam squeezed Lisa's hand, reassuring her. Her heart broke as she watched her friend reliving the nightmare of what had happened. Seeing her in pain made her angry at the person responsible.

"No, I...uh... I want to tell you." Lisa closed her eyes and counted to three in her head before continuing. "I was attached on my way home by a crazed man." Her eyes opened after she told the slight lie Sam would have know when she lied, and the strength to explain to her that the boogeyman does exist was not present. "He...uh... tried to rape me."

"No...” Shock rippled through Sam's body as Lisa spoke, her eyes quickly scanning her body. The clothes she wore seemed too big for her, the style clearly a man's. If she had been assaulted, she was hiding the evidence.

Lisa noticed her friend's eyes, putting two and two together. "He didn't, but almost."

"You can tell me if he did. I will not think less of you." Sam's other hand brushed a strand of blond hair from Lisa's forehead before dropping to her shoulder. She meant what she said. Too often, women feel like it was their fault for what happened, which angered her. Society nowadays usually made the female the bad guy in situations like this, but not anymore. Gears turned in her head as she imagined the revenge she will bestow on the man who dared touch her friend and sister.

"Sam, are you with me?"

The sound of her name pulled Sam back from her revenge ideas to look back at Lisa. "Sorry, what were you saying."

"I said, the man came very close but was stopped before he could," Lisa explained.

"How did you stop him?"

As Sam shifted her fingers on Lisa's wrist, the feeling of her heartbeat jumped at Sam's question. Something was wrong, so she urged Lisa on. "Was it someone else?"

Lisa's eyes flickered away from her friend's face, landing on the table. Her gaze swept over the paperwork she had left behind that night, a time when everything had been simpler, when the stories of monsters and demons were only that, stories. "Yes. Someone else showed up." She turned her head back to her friend's. "He saved from that monster, only to turn into one himself. The trauma of being attacked had made me pass out, and when I finally woke up, I was in a strange room."

Sam's hand shot to her mouth, covering the big 'o' that escaped. "He kidnapped you?"

"Yes."

"And did he... force himself on you?" Sam didn't want to use the R-word, the word itself vulgar, just like the act.

"No, no, he didn't. But he wasn't normal, so I hit him with a pan and ran. It took me a full day to get here, but I made it."

"I am so sorry that all of this happened to you but know I will not be leaving you alone again." Sam stood up, lifting Lisa's hand with her, making her also rise. "We are going to my place so that you can freshen up, and then we are going to the police station to report the two bastards who dared hurt my best friend."

Lisa abruptly pulled her hand from Sam's grasp, stopping them both from walking. Sam turned to look at her quizzically. “What..."

"I can't go to the cops." Lisa interrupted her.

"Why?"

"Because they were..."

The bell from the front door alerted them both to an uninvited guest. They both froze in place as the person's footsteps echoed in the empty shop before stopping.

"Did you really think you could run from me?" A familiar voice asked.

Time froze as the familiar voice drifted through the shop. Lisa's breath hitched as her mind put a face to the voice. A voice deep and animalistic, a voice that sent shivers down her spine and let her heartbeat thundered in her chest.

Sam noticed her reaction to the uninvited guest, her curiosity piquing. "Do you know him?"

Lisa forced her gaze away from the open door that led to him and instead focused on her friend. "He...he..." was all she could whisper. Sam's eyes grew big with recognition, first looking confused, then understanding, and finally anger. The man had not only attacked her, but he had also tried to rape her. The audacity to actually show up to where Lisa worked was ludicrous, but deep down, Sam was pleased. She could exact revenge for her friend.

"Stay here."

Before Lisa could stop her, Sam had turned around to face the door. Not missing a beat, she grabbed a knife that lay on the table and stalked forward. "Wait..." Lisa whispered, but she was too far. All she could do was watch as the knife was hidden behind her back, carefully placed in her pants and shirt tucked over it.

Sam marched into the shop, head held high, and with a mission. The light she had switched on earlier was off now, casting the space in an eerie shadow. Her eyes scanned the room, coming up empty. A voice in the back of her mind screamed to run but ignoring it, and she kept going. The counter stood before her, the empty glass shelf guiding her as she placed her hand on the cold surface, letting it trail behind her while she made her way around it. A crashing noise infiltrated her senses, a sharp pain shooting up her leg as she bumped into the end of the counter.

"Motherfu..." Sam's hand clamped over her mouth as her other moved to cover the throbbing pain. If the intruder did not know she was there before, he sure as hell knew she was now.

Taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart, Sam straightened herself, stepping slightly left to avoid the same edge. Again, the shop seemed empty as she rescanned the area. Maybe with all the stress of the last couple of days, both she and Lisa had imagined the man. With a final glance at the shop, and a deep breath to calm her nerves, Sam turned to head back to Lisa, but a solid wall stood before her. She was too slow to react and bumped into it, the shock sending her body back a few inches. Within the same time, her eyes had traveled up the solid mass, landing on pure black orbs.

Lisa had nearly sprinted after Sam when she heard her curse but had stopped herself when the sound of crack had accompanied it. She was certain Sam had bumped into the table and not the man. Keeping back felt wrong which she instantly regrets, but she knew Sam was able to handle herself. Hell, she had a blackbelt in karate, but how well would it keep up with a literal monster. Images of his features washed over her vision, and fear for her friend crept up. Sam did not know what she was up against while she was hiding like a coward.

Holding her head up and pushing her shoulders back, Lisa marched forward, her hands balled by her side, ready to face the unknown. The two swinging doors obstructed her view from the shop and her friend's fate, and as she placed her fingers on the familiar spot, she slowly pushed open the door. Lisa did not expect the darkened state of her home, knowing Sam had turned on the light when she had entered earlier. Lisa's gaze swept around, letting her eyes adjust before she ventured on. Silence surrounded her, exaggerating her heartbeat triple-fold while her breathing became shallower. Sweat trickled down her back as she stepped further into the room, her senses on high alert. Knowing the layout like the back of her hand, Lisa knew how to move around the edges, barely missing the spot she assumed Sam had collided with earlier. She was standing where her customers would usually be when she cleared the area, but when she glanced around, it was empty, only vacant tables and chairs scattered around.

Run

A voice in the back of Lisa's mind screamed danger as the air thickened with dread. Something wasn't right, and she knew it, but she would not allow her best friend to face the danger alone.

"Lisa..."

Sam's voice sounded forced out, the noise barely piercing Lisa's ears. A flutter of wind lightly brushed her neck as goosebumps littered her body. Someone choking on their breathing made Lisa swerve around, stopping in her tracks as her frightened gaze landed on the source. Before her stood a darkened figure, hovering more than a foot higher than her, a more petite figure next to it. Anger clutched her before it dissolved to worry as she realized it was Sam, her feet dangling from the ground. The monster had his fingers wrapped around her throat; her brown eyes stretched in globes as hands clawed at his.

"You humans are pathetic." The coarse voice spoke, drawing her gaze to his.

Lisa took an involuntary step back as she met his black orbs where his eyes should be. The memories from their first encounter rushed to her mind, confirming it was what she had seen that night.

"Sending another girl to protect you. Really?" Lips pulled back into a smirk as he spoke, revealing sharp teeth.

The sight of him made Lisa speechless and unable to move. Her mind sprang every direction, thinking of a way out, with both her and Sam alive, but nothing. "I...I..." came out.

Stepping towards the girl, Luke felt a kick in his side, the girl in his grip struggling again. Seeing her friend must be kicking her fight gear up a notch. He couldn't help but smile at that thought. No one can stop him, especially not two girls. He will love killing them, especially the blond one. Since he saw her that night, he could not stop thinking about her, soft skin, fear in her eyes, and the taste of her blood in his mouth. The entity that visits him now and then was persistent in ended her, and for once, he was glad to accommodate.

"Lisa, run,” the girl in his grip wheezed out, so he squeezed harder on her pipes. No need to scare the blond away before he has had his fun. Moving closer to his target, Luke watched as her eyes jumped between her friend's, his, and the door. It was a subtle change, but he knew what she was thinking. Safe her friend and die or run and kill her friend. Humans always pick themselves, and he knew she was not different.

"Please..." Lisa begged, not knowing what to do. All she could do was watch as he advanced on her, Sam still in his grip, struggling to be free, but it was no use. This monster was more potent than any man; his body almost doubles the size. He was a different species, but what?

"Begging won't help, so forget about even trying. What's going to happen is you will willingly come with me, and your friend might live. If not, I will kill you both right here." The longer he spoke, the more broken his voice became. Breaks between his sentence were littered with small growls, but none the less his message was clear.

Lisa made up her mind. She would willingly go to her death if only to spare her friend. No one needs to die for her, especially not Sam. With a slight nod of her head, Lisa's hands unclenched in defeat as her shoulders relaxed. The will to live fled her body.

Luke noticed the subtle changes in her body movement as his smile grew. He wished she would have at least given a fight, the need to hunt coursing through his veins, but the thought of tasting her sweet flesh sooner rather than later made up for the fact.

Limited oxygen reached her lungs. The only strength she had left was to claw at the animal currently choking her. Sam had not believed Lisa when she told the story of her attack, all the details, but being held up by one hand now shone a light on it. Taking deep, long breaths burned her throat, the lack making her eyes water and bulge. No amount of training could save her now, except...

Sam dropped her hands, pretending to be too tired to fight anymore, except she had one more card up her sleeve. As the man spoke, she kept her eyes fixed on Lisa, not taking in the details. Sam would instead use her limited energy on the knife she still had in her back pants. Sam's hand slowly crept behind; her hand pressed against her leg tightly, not making any sudden movements. Relief flooded her as the solid handle bumped into her hand. Lifting the shirt, she grabbed the cold metal, her fingers wrapping around the hilt. Taking extra precaution, the knife left the compound of her pants, tangling in her fingers as she lifted it away. A sudden movement caught her eye. Lisa's whole body relaxed, her eyes filling with tears. Sam had seen that look countless times before and instantly knew what it meant. With the knife in hand and a surge of power, Sam did whatever she could, and that being to stab the man.

Fighting hand-to-hand combat was unique, satisfying, but feeling a knife plunge into soft skin was sickening. The room was dead quiet as she moved, the only sound coming from the blade as it plopped into the man's stomach. Bile rose in Sam's throat as the iron stench hit her nose. Blood spurted from the wound onto the floor. Her plan has succeeded as she felt his grip lesson, letting air back into her body. But suddenly, it shifted.

"Sam, NO..." Lisa tried to stop her friend, but it had been too late. The flash of silver had given her a split-second warning before she watched it sink into the monster. Deep down, she knew it was useless, her belief confirmed as his body stayed standing, not even a flinch from him.

"Impossible..." Lisa whispered. He indeed was a freak.

A deep growl burst in their ears as the man's anger was released. Sam's eyes bulged from their sockets when his grip tightened on her soft neck, regular nails turning into claws. A scream escaped her lips as they pierced her skin but disappeared just as quickly when he pressed down.

"NO..." Lisa screamed again, hoping to distract him, but the man was no longer. In its place was a beast with only death in his eyes.

The pain became unbearable as her blood dripped down her arms. With the last of her willpower, Sam looked over to Lisa, mouthing "sorry," right before Luke pulled back his arm, tearing off her neck.

Lisa gasped as she watched her friend's throat torn clean from her body, blood gushing from the open hole in her body. With his hold on her gone, Sam dropped lifeless to the ground, dead before she made contact. Without stopping herself, Lise slumbered to her knees, unable to look away. Grimson liquid pooled around her body as her skin turned white, eyes still open, staring at the nothingness. Grieve was not on the menu as Luke growled again. Her eyes shot up to him, just in time to watch as he lifted Sam's bloody flesh to his mouth and drag his tongue over it.

Blood coated him as he savored the girl, but she did not hit the spot he needed. A gasp pulled him from his mind; his eyes shot to the blond on her knees. Now it was the time for his main prize, and he would enjoy it.

"Don't you dare move, or I will have your head." A deep male voice spoke.

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