"ARE YOU LISTENING?!" A hideous roar boomed through the limo shaking me to the bones and effectively shutting down all my thoughts.
I raised terror-stricken eyes and stared at Keith. Just who was this man?!
The soft, velvety, voice that I had gotten used to hearing over the last 2 days had transformed into a domineering, respect-demanding, bark.
"Good! Now that I have your attention, I'll ask you again: why are you running from your parents?"
Too afraid to open my mouth, I could only gaze at Keith. The redheaded female across from me chimed in. "I think you may have shorted out her brain, your Grace."Keith's brow wrinkled and he sighed heavily. "Damn! That wasn't what I meant to do and what did I tell you about addressing me like that?!"
I watched this exchange in part shock and part fear as my eyes centered in on her face. More specifically, her mouth. There hung two pointy fangs. Hysteria bubbled up in me. My mouth fell open and I was ready to scream when Keith turned to look at me.
The scream caught in my throat when my eyes met his and they were no longer human.
His irises had gone from the warm honey color to deep, empty, balls of black abyss with red slits and he sported a pair of fangs similar to the red-head'.
"Oh God! Oh God! I'm going to die!"
Circled around and around my mind. I was becoming even more hysterical as tears continued to flow down face. I was struggling to breathe even as I tried gulping air through my mouth.
Keith watched my reaction with the curiosity of a child who had encountered an ant
for the first time. "Well, this is disappointing.
I thought for sure you would have at least seen a vampire before. Words failed me as stared at the face that I had only read about in fantasy books and myths.
"So you aren't a vampire, huh? A werewolf, then? Keith mused almost to himself. No. Even though you have a faint smell if you were one, you would have recognized my scent immediately."
He turned to the man across from him. "Julian! Make sure to get her blood, wipe this part of her memory, and present her with new IDs."
The scream that had been building in my throat ripped loose as soon as Julian reached for me. In an instant, three things happened: the smell of urine flooded my senses, I felt the sensation of being wet, and I blacked out.
"Here is everything you need to start a new life. A birth certificate, driver's license, passport, and other papers that will back up the story that you are Nikki Hall. A 20-year-old graduate from Amherst with an English degree."
"Huh?" was my unintelligible response as Keith handed me a large envelope. Concerned furrowed his brows, "You okay, little one? This is what you wanted, right? To get away from your parents?" Indecision and then acceptance flowed through me. I nodded in agreement.
Julian here will take you to the airport. There is a ticket to Phoenix, Arizona waiting for you. I murmured a 'thank you' to Julian. While Keith was talking, something was nagging at the back of my mind. When did I tell him about my parents?
My head throbbed as my I tried to sort through my thoughts but my mind felt like it was in a fog. It was struggling to remember something important but it was just out of reach. I opened the envelope and peeked at the documents. "I...ahm…thank you! How much do I owe you?"
A gentle smile graced Keith's lips.
"Nothing, little one. I just want to make sure you escape the clutches of your parents, just like we discussed."
"I-I…Yes, just like we discussed."
My mind rebelled. I would never talk about my parents with him. I was too scared…wasn't I?
Nothing was making sense but I was grateful for Keith's help. With these papers, I could go anywhere in the country; actually the world.
"Do I have to go to Phoenix?"
"Of course not little one. You can go wherever you want. Just drop me a text from time to time. Just so I know that you are okay. "I-I…Of course."
My instincts told me that it was a terrible idea to stay in touch with him but my mind disagreed.
For a split second, red soulless eyes flashed through my mind but the memory was gone just as quickly. When I looked up, I was met by Keith's smiling honey mint eyes.