How Dark Is the Night?

We drove for what was a good hour down a winding road that was on a cliff that led down to a beach and some houses that were far apart from each other. I noticed we had driven into a private community. It was pretty at night with just the streetlights and every so often the lights from the few beach houses we would pass.

Finally, Pete pulled into the driveway of the one we were going to be staying at. It was beautiful. Pete even opened up my car door to let me out.

“Surprise!” He said as I stepped out of the car.

“Pete, I love it! We are actually going to be staying here and on the beach at that?” I asked shivering a bit from the wind.

“Well…” He started to say before I took off towards the beach.

It may be cold right now but just being near the ocean made me feel at peace. There was just something in my blood that craved being by the ocean. I took my shoes off and threw them somewhere in the sand. I had the backlight from the porch of our house to help me see around me.

I ran towards the water and put one foot in. The water was frigid and with the wind, it made me feel colder but I did not mind. I had missed putting my feet down in the sand and feeling it between my toes. It reminded me of Clearwater.

“Hey, you are going to catch a cold.” Pete said wrapping his arms around me.
“I don’t care.” I said listening to the ocean waves crashing around me.
“Come on, I have something else for you.” Pete said leading me back towards the beach house.

I went and picked up my shoes off the sand from where I had thrown them. As I did, I noticed there were many footprints in the sand. Some were deep and there were many.

“Pete, look at this.” I said pointing to the footprints. “It looks like a struggle or something happened here.” I said.

“Maybe it is just the owner and some of his friends who came to make sure everything were ok with the house.” Pete said shrugging his shoulders but I thought differently. Something just did not feel right.

“Maybe.” I replied just to please Pete.

“Come here.” He said picking me up, and carrying me over his shoulder.

“Pete, stop! Put me down!” I said laughing as he carried me like this up to the house before he put me down.

“Are you ready to see what the inside looks like?” He asked.

“If I have to.” I playfully said rolling my eyes.

I watched Pete take the key out of a fake rock in the flowerbed and open the door. “Ladies first.” He said.

I stepped in and saw candles everywhere and a trail of rose petals that led into the kitchen and upstairs to the bedroom. There was a gorgeous fireplace, which Pete had already begun to light. I was cold from outside after all.

“You like it?” He asked smiling.

“Pete, I love it.” I said grinning.

“Good.” He said picking me up bridal style again and carrying me upstairs to the bedroom.

I saw it had a balcony and fell in love with this place instantly.

About an hour later, we came back downstairs and sat by the fire cozying up. Pete had made me a glass of wine that Patrick and Sam had brought over and lit several of the candles. They even had chocolate covered strawberries, which Pete fed me. His excuse was that I needed it for Alex because he knows I hate strawberries but I would eat them anyway when served by him and in a romantic setting.

I lied back onto the floor and grabbed Pete’s hoodie pulling him down in front of me. “Your lips should be here.” I said pulling him closer to me and crashing my lips into his.

“You do that and I may have to have a go at it again.” Pete whispered getting me even more hot and bothered.

I liked this little surprise for once. I felt like I was away from the world and had nothing to worry about. Pete was was my comfort zone.

“Surely, you didn’t think I wanted to come here just for sex.” He joked.

“I don’t know. With you, there is always an interior motive at things.” I said joking back but seeing Pete’s facial expression change.

“Pete, I’m sorry of what I said upset you. I was only kidding.” I said as he pulled away from me.

I sat up surprised and upset and what I had said. Pete went out and did something nice for me and I joke about it. Good job, idiot.

“Amanda, what if I had something to…” Pete began to say but I cut him off.

“Hey, shh.” I said pressing a finger to his lips. “I’m sorry for what I said, honestly. It was wrong of me to say what I said. This place is and the time is just so right you know?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving too. Waking up here and celebrating with you is going to be something to remember.” I said from the heart. Pete just sort of half smiled.

“Pete, let’s go take a walk along the beach.” I said hoping it would cheer him up.

“That sounds good.” He said putting out the fire in the fireplace and blowing out all of the candles.

We walked down to where the water touches the sand and stopped. “Amanda, I love you.” Pete said.

“I love you too. I know that this is a romantic thing, you are doing, but you do not have to tell me you love me, Pete. I know you do.” I said sighing as we walked a bit.

“Pete, you are shaking. Are you alright?” I asked.

“I did this because I want it to end. I want you to be stronger. It will be a lot easier when you hate me for what I am about to do.” Pete said acting strange.

“Pete, shh. I feel and hear vampires.” I said stopping Pete as we walked.

“That’s’s because they are here for you.” Pete said.

“What?” I said turning around to face Pete. “No!” I said almost falling over as I backed up away from Pete. His fangs were out and that evil look in his eyes was back.

Pete grabbed my arm. I fought him off me and knocked him hard onto the ground. I did not even look back to see if he got up. I just ran back towards the beach house.

Instead, two of Volkmar’s henchmen had stopped in front of me. With no weapons in hand, I ran in the opposite direction, and made it back to the beach house and made it inside. I was safe here except for Pete who could come in because he was invited into this place. That was something I had to take care of if this happened.

“Keys. Think, Amanda, where are the car keys?” I said aloud, frantically searching the place for where Pete stashed the keys.

I finally found them and quickly ran back outside to the car but to be startled, by a familiar presence and dropped the keys on the ground in front of the driver side door. Shit! This did not look good at all.

“Hello, Amanda.” The vampire said.

“Micah. Micah, what have they done to you?” I said seeing what bad shape he was in and stepping away from him. He was standing in front of the car door.

I looked him over quickly to notice he was not acting himself because he had not had any blood in awhile. It makes a vampire go crazy if they have been seriously hurt or depraived from blood for too long. His survival skills were kicking in meaning only one thing. Judging from the look in his eyes, focused on my neck, he wanted my blood.

“Micah, you don’t want to do this. Remember Kat? We have to save her. Let me help you by you helping me. I am going to die if you don’t get me away from the vampires around here.” I said continually backing up as he crept closer to me.

I bumped into a person and knew it was Pete. His fangs were out at Micah who was hissing and showing his. I took off running again, this time down the street to the nearest house I could find for any help. I was not waiting for one of them to kill me.

I ran aways down the street to a beach house and banged on the door out of breath. No one answered and so I beat on the window. There still was no answer.

I ran to the back of the house to break in a window but ended up grabbed from behind all in a flash by the neck. When one hand turned me as I had my hands on the hands on my neck to pry them away, I was looking into the eyes of Volkmar.

“No!” I tried to scream but choked.

“I finally have you and a chance to kill you now, meddlesome girl.” Volkmar sneered.

“No, that wasn’t part of the agreement!” I heard Pete say as he caught up to us.

“You did well bringing her here, Pete. My plans for tonight can carry on as we agreed.” Volkmar said.

“Pete, how could you?” I asked as Volkmar kept a grip on me but released my neck from his grasp.

A tear started to fall. My husband betrayed me. Beckett warned Pete and me that someone would betray me. I assumed it was Kat. I never thought my life would end this way.

“It was easy. Don’t you see, Amanda, that if I turn you, it will be less painful of a death than if Volkmar does? I want us to be together forever.” He said sounding like a Dandy.

“I trusted you. I loved you.” I said.

“Aww, that is so sweet, I think I shall gag now.” Volkmar said shoving me over to Pete. My body was numb. I felt powerless to move.

“What about Alexandra?” I said to Pete in my thoughts as I searched his mind for any answers. I came up with nothing.

“Contain her Pete so we can have her ready for tonight.” Volkmar said laughing as I tried but failed to break away from Pete’s grasp.

I watched as Pete’s fangs slid out. All I could do was to stand there and watch as he came closer to my neck. Pete gently kissed my lips and stared into my eyes for a good minute.
Then, I watched them change.

He moved over to my ear and whispered, “It’s better if you hate me.” Then, Pete bit me.

I saw before I blacked out Volkmar smiling as if he was pleased. Maybe I should not care anymore and give in. Yet, the more Pete was taking from me and the more I had the urge to fall unconscious, that strange feeling of fighting stirred in me. I felt not weak, but that I was once again on that high I had earlier. As Pete let go of my neck with his teeth, it was then that I fell unconscious unsure of my fate.