"Shit, shit, shit" Arabella expressed as she drove down the road towards her home.
Hunger consumed Arabella's body, causing her stomach to swell painfully as her sharp fangs mercilessly pressed against her tender gums. Exhaustion weighed heavily upon her, the toll of her ravenous cravings depleting her energy and leaving her feeling utterly drained.
The sun's relentless rays had scorched her skin, leaving it blistered and angry red, the sensitive flesh bubbling. A violent cramp seized her abdomen, causing Arabella to double over the steering wheel with a grimace, gritting her teeth against the searing agony radiating through her core.
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the pain to subside when suddenly they flew open at the sight of a deer standing frozen in the middle of the road. Reacting on pure instinct, Arabella slammed her foot down on the brakes, the tires screeching as the car lurched to a halt just inches from the startled animal.
Arabella's heart pounded in her chest, the pounding echoing in her ears as she stared transfixed at the deer standing mere feet away. The animal's dark, liquid eyes locked onto hers, and Arabella felt a strange pull emanating from their depths. There was an almost hypnotic quality to the deer's gaze, a silent beckoning that made Arabella's mouth water with a pang of intense, animalistic hunger.
In a fleeting moment, a single-minded focus on satisfying that primal craving that is consuming her replaced Arabella's mind. Without fully realizing what she was doing, Arabella found herself sliding behind the wheel of her car, her foot pressing down on the gas pedal as she followed the deer's retreating form, drawn inexorably into the shadowy depths of the woods.
And then, with a sickening crunch, the vehicle slammed headlong into the trunk of a massive oak tree; the impact jolting Arabella violently against the steering wheel. For a moment, she lay dazed, but then her eyes snapped open. Arabella kicked open the crumpled car door and dragged herself out. A feral clarity took hold. Gone were the last vestiges of her humanity, replaced by a raw hunger that obliterated all else. Gripping the machete she kept in the vehicle, Arabella advanced.
….
Cain stood motionless, his boots crunching on the forest floor as he surveyed the gruesome scene before him. The air was thick with the stench of decay, a sickly metallic odor that made his stomach churn. Lifeless animal carcasses were strewn about, their once vibrant bodies now reduced to bloodied, mangled piles.
Cain instinctively covered his nose with a tattered cloth, desperate to block out the nauseating smell, but it did little to mask the horror that lay all around him. As he carefully picked his way through the grisly remains, his eyes scanned the area for any clues. There were no obvious signs of a struggle, no discarded weapons or personal effects - just the bloodied carcasses and an unsettling silence that hung heavy in the air.
But then his gaze fell upon a series of deep slashes carved into the surrounding trees and the ground, jagged gashes that seemed to form a trail leading deeper into the woods. Cain followed the macabre breadcrumbs, his heart pounding as he drew closer until he discovered a violently wrecked car, its crumpled frame wrapped around the trunk of a massive oak.
The faint scent of a vampire lingered in the air, a predatory aura that sent a chill down Cain's spine. Without hesitation, he took off running, chasing the trail back the way the car had come, until in the distance he spotted a figure lying motionless on the road.
Cain's heart raced as he drew closer, the familiar sight of Arabella's hair confirming his worst fears. He rushed to her side, every step filled with a desperate hope that he was mistaken, that the unmistakable scent of a vampire was somehow just his imagination.
But as he neared, the aroma only grew stronger, enveloping him in a sensory experience that was both alluring and deeply unsettling. The scent began to layer itself with hints of honey with a hint of tart lime, a yin-yang of sweetness and acidity that spoke to the duality of the vampire's nature.
Cain's eyes filled with sorrow as He gently pulled Arabella's limp form into his arms, her body covered in the drying blood that bore witness to the horrific massacre that had taken place back there. Crimson stains now covered her torn clothes. As Cain held her, he couldn't help but wonder, what now?
Cain swiftly lifted her, hurried to his car, delicately placed her in the passenger's seat, and securely fastened her seatbelt before leaping into his seat. He promptly dialed Abey's number and, upon answering, Cain demanded, "I need you…now"
…
Cain watched with growing concern as Arabella's lithe body slumped into the plush cushions of his maroon couch. Her breath came in shallow, labored gasps, and her heartbeat, though steady, was alarmingly weak. In a desperate attempt to revive her, Cain had carefully administered a few precious drops of blood to her parched lips, but she remained unresponsive, refusing to drink. A tightness gripped Cain's chest as he observed her worsening condition, his leg bouncing anxiously as his mind raced between thoughts of Noah and Arabella. And where was Abey? Even though mere minutes had passed since he found Arabella, the wait felt interminable to the distraught Cain.
Abey came rushing through the door. "You okay?" he looked at Cain, not noticing the passed-out Arabella on the couch. Cain gestured to her lying on the couch as Abey turned to look at her body, and rage filled his eyes. "what happened?" he went to kneel at her side but got a whiff of her scent.
Cain found himself forcefully pressed against the rugged stone element within the confines of his home. "It wasn't me," Cain grunted against Abey's hold.
"How do I know that?" Abey growled his wolf on the edge.
"I found her like that" Cain looked into Abey's eyes, seeing his wolf in them.
"You are the only vampire in town, Cain" Abey's dominance was already clashing with Cain's.
Cain knew he could shift dominance and the struggle between them, but he couldn't go down that road again. "She killed all those animals," he drawled.
"What?" Abey let Cain go, moving back before turning to Arabella. "That's impossible, someone hacked those animals to death," he shook his head. "whoever did that had to have been insane"
"Or extremely hungry" Cain looked at Arabella.
"What now?" Abey pulled his eyes away from Arabella.
"I need blood, good blood, blood group O, and between the ages of 21 to 25," Cain began to write it down. "I think she might have some sort of blood-transacted infection. She needs the blood or she will die" he handed over the paper to Abey, who took it with worried eyes. He tried to reassure Abey by saying, "I will keep her here until she is healed."
Abey nodded and headed for the door, but stopped. "What about Noah?" he asked. "Do you think he knows?"
"I doubt it." Cain's jawline clenched. "He would have said something"
"Then we keep it between us," Abey nodded. "She will tell him when she is ready," Cain nodded, agreeing with his friend. "Where is her bite?"
"I couldn't find it. It must be hidden somewhere." Cain crossed his arms, hoping Abey wouldn't realize that his hands were shaking.
"I'll take care of the crime scene." Abey noticed Cain's shaking hands. "Did you find the weapon?"
"No" Cain shook his head. "I left as soon as I found her"
"I'll look for it" Abey touched Arabella's head, his eyes scanning the dried blood and tattered clothes. "you should clean her up"
Cain shook his head. "I don't feel comfortable doing that," he said in a stiff voice. "she has no open wounds, she will be fine"
"I will be back, just…" Abey whimpered when he looked at Arabella. "Just take care, okay?" he walked towards Cain, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, but Cain could only nod.