Bliss and Bloodlust

A pair of hands, that were not Daniel's, pulled and dragged me roughly from the bed. It happened so suddenly that I let out a surprised shriek. The lights were off and the curtains closed making the room pitch black. I kicked and punched but it did no good. I fell to the floor and tried to get away but whomever it was that had pulled me by my hair and began dragging me across the carpeted floor.

I grunted in pain and tried to find something to grab onto. I managed to grab the persons ankle, making them trip and stumble back but not not fall. They yanked my hair and grabbed on of my arms. He, I determined it was a he, grunted and briefly let my hair go, but not before pulling a handful out of my scalp. I still couldn't see but tried to stand, that's when something heavy came down on my head. I swayed, fell then I was out like a light.



It was dark, my head was pounding and if felt as if I was moving. It took me a few moments to get my bearings and figure out where I was. I was lying on my side, my wrist were tied behind my back with thin scratchy rope, my ankles as well. There was some kind of scarf tied around my mouth, and eyes, a makeshift gag and blindfold, both soft cotton. The space was small, I had only a foot or two of room to move. I was inside the trunk of a car. And it was on the move.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Stay calm, breath, I told myself, no good in losing control right now, or hyperventilating. I wiggled my hands, willing the binds to loosen up. How long was I out? I couldn't tell, it could have been minutes, or hours. The car wasn't moving too fast, that was good, maybe.

Who had kidnapped me? Could it be Jayson, he could have broken in, but I surely would have heard him, right? Could it be another vampire? They did move soundlessly, but a vamp wouldn't have had to tie me up and toss me in a trunk. They could have compelled me to come along and he wouldn't have needed to struggle with me, they were super strong. But why would another vampire want to take me in the first place? And I don't think Jayson even knew I was with Daniel, let alone where he lived. Unless Aaron mentioned Dan to him. It was possible. And who else would have a reason to mess with me. Unless someone had beef with Dan and this was their revenge. None of this made sense.

Think, Tourie, think. I knew there was a way out of this, if only my mind would cooperate with my body's instinctual need for self preservation. I wanted to live and I had a feeling if things went 'his' way I wouldn't.

My back was facing where the trunk opened. Good, I thought and used my fingers to feel around. I found the handle to open the trunk but I had to somehow get my arms to my front so I could try to remove the rope. The only way was to twist them over my head. I didn't know how I could manage that without dislocating my shoulders. Maybe I could try it with my legs. So I did.

I was moving around so much in the tight space I was surprised that bastard, whomever he was, hadn't stopped to check on me. I manged to get my arms underneath my butt to the back of my thighs and that's where the problem began. I had never wanted to be double jointed so badly in my life.

We drove over a pothole or something and the side of my head hit the roof of the trunk. I brought my thighs as close to my stomach and chest as they could get and got my wrist to the back of my knees. Then I had to wiggle and twist, which was difficult in the limited space I had but after a good five minutes or so I managed to get my arms in front of me.

And they hurt, like nearly every other part of my body, like a mother but at least I could began getting them free. I used my teeth, and the ropes thank goodness weren't tied too tightly and after getting a few fingers loose one of my hands slipped through. Victory, I thought, a little too prematurely. I had more work to do. I yanked the scarfs from my eyes and mouth and got my ankles free finally and just then the car stopped.

We had stopped a few times already, at traffic lights I assumed. Maybe we were at a gas station I thought with a tiny amount of hope. My heart pounded a mile a minute. Please don't let them come back and check on me, please. Luck was with me because after a long two minutes we were on the move again.

I waited a another minute and after repositioning myself I found the corner where the break light was. I put all my effort behind it and began prying the panel apart then pulling the wiring out of them. This might hurt. I pushed and pushed until the light fell free to the road beneath us. Yes!

I sucked in a blessed breath from the new hole where the taillight used to be. I moved a few inches up so I could get a better idea as to where we were. I couldn't see much but a few lights I saw it might indicate we were still in the city. Maybe I still had time. If they were going to kill me maybe the would be taking me some place secluded. Maybe.

Now for the next part I then found the handle and managed to pop the trunk open, but held it down so it wouldn't fly open and alert them to what I was doing. That wouldn't help me at all. It was heavy but I managed. I was silently thanking my dad for the tricks he had shown me years ago. Who could have predicted that I would actually need to use them.

We weren't driving too fast but it would be too risky to jump out. I know how many bones I would break and they would most likely see me. I thought about finding out if the backseat was accessible but that would be a very bad idea, my captor or captors were up front, with who knows how many weapons and I was defenseless. I wished I had my pepper spray, and pocketknife, heck even that damn stake would do.

I was still trying to figure out my location when the car came to an abrupt stop. Not again. I held on tightly to the trunks handle and tried to control my shaking. “No,” I breathed out, “Please, God no.”

I heard a door slam shut, vibrating the car, followed by another. So there was at least two people and they were out of the car. Had they heard my efforts? We're they coming to inspect the now missing taillight? Had it all been in vain? Was my time up? I made sure to be very very still.

“...What did you think we would do?” a male voice yelled.

“I don't know? Not this.” a woman said said, in a weepy voice.

I could barely hear them through the crack in the trunk and the hole so I strained my ears to hear and it clicked.

“Ugh, you're such a baby.” It was Jayson. The way he said it would have been laughable if I didn't get the feeling I was going to be dead before sunrise.

“I can't believe you roped me into this shit.” Stephanie's scared high pitched voice filled the nighttime air.

So it was idiot number one and idiot number two. I should have known, who else would be dumb enough to do this? They luckily hadn't come to the rear of the car. Not yet.

“You didn't have to come.” Jayson half yelled at his lover. “You can still leave.”

“No Jay. I'm just scared.” She half pleaded. “What if someone finds out if was us?”

“They won't. She wasn't even at her own house.” This sounded like and old argument.

“What if that guy finds out?”

“He wont. Stephanie, shut the fuck up.” he exclaimed. “We'll deal with him if we need to.”

“We left her car behind.” Stephanie said almost to herself but I heard it. So she must be close to me than I had thought.

“We'll deal with it when the time comes. We've been over this before. Maybe people will think it's that motherfucker she's been fucking.” He laughed darkly. “Yeah, that sounds good, we'll make this work.”

“She's woke you know.” Stephanie said. Oh, no.

“Don't worry about her.” Jayson said dismissively, “Are we good now?”

She must have nodded or something 'cause the next thing I knew we were driving off. That had been close. Jayson, that stupid crazy idiot. I was going to kill him. I tried not to panic, but it's hard not to when you're up in the trunk of a car that your psychopathic ex-boyfriend is driving with his idiot girlfriend and they were planning to kill you.

Yup, I was going to freak out.

Stay calm, I told myself over and over again. We drove on and on and the road we now were on was deserted and eventually I saw no more lights, save for the moon, and it became nearly too dark for me to see a thing. Where were we headed? And once we get there what would they do to me? Even if I managed to get from the car I had no clue where I was. There were only trees around so it could be anywhere.

I thought of Daniel. What would he think once he saw my truck at his house but not me? There were signs of a struggle in the bedroom and who knows what they did to get in. Could he find away to follow my trail? I doubted it.

For some reason we had picked up speed, the car jerked around several sharp turns. Did he want us to crash? I was praying some cop would pull him over for speeding, that would be my only chance of rescue. No wait if some cop tried to stop him he might take them on a high speed chase and kill me before the night was over. I fought to keep the tears from my eyes and the thoughts of dying from my mind.

Suddenly the car swerved out of control. The tires squealed as the car tried to get back in control. My hand released the handle of the trunk and I rolled and bumped every inch of my body. Glass shattered, the tires skidded, the sound of metal crushing followed the cars jerky unexpected stop.

I could hear the horn honking endlessly. My left shoulder was on fire with pain, it had collide with something hard, but I've felt worse. I wasted no time climbing out of the trunk, the soles of my feet met asphalt, dirt and glass. I backed up and looked at the car. It had went off the road and crashed into a nearby tree, the engine was smoking badly.

“Jay!” I heard Stephanie yell over the sound of the horn. “Jayson, baby? Oh, god. Oh, god.” She sounded panicked. “Oh, god.” she repeated.

I moved around to the passenger side of the car cautiously. Stephanie, whose face still bore fading bruises from the beating she took recently and now blood, was shaking Jayson who laid slumped over the steering wheel, begging him to wake up. The bastard was knocked out. I found satisfaction in that. The car was on smoking heavily now, it might catch fire. Fuck it, I thought.

“Don't move.” Stephanie's crazed voice made me stop. She had spotted me.

I put my hands up. She didn't have a weapon in her hands, it probably was somewhere nearby though. Her face was scratched up from the broken glass from the windshield.

“You have better things to worry about right now.” I jerked my head towards Jayson. “The car is going to blow.” I lied. “You better get out.” She looked from me to Jayson several times. “Tick, tock.” I said to her.

“Fine.” she said. I made my way over to the drivers side door. Jayson's head was bloody. “I can't get out.” Stephanie's eyes were wide with fear as she tried to get her jammed door to open.

“Calm down, goddamn it!” I shouted to her. “Crawl over him and out of the window.” The drivers side window was partially broken. I knocked the remaining glass inwards onto Jayson and pulled Stephanie through.

Looking back on things it would have been better to leave them there in the smoking vehicle. But I knew I couldn't leave them there to die. Stupid kindness, or whatever you want to call it.

“What about Jay?” Stephanie said, teary eyed.

My eyes were burning because of the smoke. “Quite frankly I don't care. Pull his ass out too.”

“I can't do it by myself.” She whined.

I gritted my teeth, my shoulder begging me to stop, and together we pulled the bastard through the window. Stephanie dragged him further away from the wreckage. I stood by the car and ran to the other side, and grabbed what I had saw when we were pulling Jayson out. A small handgun. I placed it on the side of the underwear I had on, my tee shirt, which was came down to my thighs, covering it. Then I walked back to Stephanie who was still trying to shake her lover awake.

I acted before I thought. I had saw the gun in the waistband of Jayson's jeans. I punched her in her face, she fell back which gave me the chance to grab Jayson's gun. I pointed it at her as I began backing away.

“Don't move.” I said to her.

“I never meant to hurt you.” She said as if that would help. She had a hand over her left eye.

“Yeah yeah. Save it for someone who cares.” I muttered as the car continued to burn.

It was pitch black save for the moonlight. I had no clue where I could go, all I saw surrounding us were trees. Stephanie had her hand on Jayson's chest. I watched her closely to make sure she didn't pull out another weapon. Then I heard Jayson groan. I didn't wait around as I continued backing away quickly from them. I knew Stephanie would want to make sure Jayson was alright before she pursued me, if she pursued me at all, which bought me some time. And time was what I needed so desperately.

And distance.

And I got the feeling it was going to be a long night.