The skin underneath, p.24
The Skin Underneath, page 24
part #1 of The Skin Underneath Series
Luna turned towards the door and caught a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She whipped her head to the left and saw nothing. She froze. Heard nothing. Was it possible to die of fright? She took a deep breath and looked around. No one in the room. Maybe a mouse or something. She wanted to call someone to pick her up, but she knew there was no one to call, and no way she'd wait anywhere nearby. She took a few more steps, and it happened again, except the movement past her peripheral was to the right. Was it man size? Why didn't she see anyone? Was he behind the stack of cabinets, or the wire rack? Jesus, who was this guy? No one could move that fast. There was evil in the room, she should have known better. She should have seen a priest, brought a rosary, holy water, any other religious artifact that she had no idea where its location was in her room. She backed up the rest of the way until she felt the door. There was no one there. There was no reason to suspect otherwise because she'd always had good hearing, and one could always trust their eyes. She took a deep breath to try to keep the heart palpitations at bay until she was at least outside, and knew she had to move quick if she wanted to avoid losing consciousness. She hadn't even reached the lock when she felt a hand around her neck. What she heard was her own startled gasp.
Reconnection. A Face in the Window.
Vincent was starving again. But he'd found a toy he'd forgotten about in his pocket, and he'd since perfected the cool ass open and close flip top lighter move the actions stars did in movies. Flick of the wrist down to open, light the smoke, ring finger thumb combination flip closed. It was the noise that satisfied him. It made him think of the times he'd been cool, and it made him crave cigarettes. He knew it was the cool factor that drew him in, and he never would've admitted it. He thought about lighting a fire to draw Lilith back, but he had no way to put it out just in case Lilith was unconcerned. Maybe she'd casually exit the building and leave him to burn. Vincent flipped the lighter closed with a thunk that for some reason reminded him of what freebasing felt like. He'd never thought of his human life primarily in terms of prior drug use, but sometimes he surprised himself with a recollection that he recognized as truth that made him question what he really did know about his former existence.
Nothing burned as bad as his hunger now. He knew that the next time he saw Lilith that he'd rip her apart and drink deeply of her blood. He craved her. He also craved Luna, skin warm enough to send his body shivering. The sensation of her blood running down his chin was a delectable fantasy. Contemplating his own death from starvation, Vincent regretted never having the opportunity to spend time with her during her waking hours. He tried to remember what talking to her was like, but he couldn't focus the idea for too long. It always drifted back to what she tasted like.
It was hard for him to stay awake. He didn't know if it was boredom or madness caused by weakness, the blood from the young woman's body having long been spent. There was a dull ache in his stomach. He wondered if maybe the woman had been sick. He wouldn't have been surprised if they'd thrown it in to make him sick. Could human disease effect even their kind?
It was after a long nap that he was jolted awake by a movement on the bed. His eyes snapped open and he wondered why he hadn't sensed her enter the room. He sat up as quickly as he could, but she managed to knock him onto the floor before he could even begin to carry out his plan of ripping her heart out and eating it.
He tried to get up, but she pushed him down with her foot. Her stiletto heel was pressing dangerously close to where he thought his heart should be. As nice a view as he had, his brain would not cease to keep reminding him that impalement wasn't on his list of ways he'd like to die. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Lilith asked.
"I was trying to kill you," he said, feeling confident. Fear, he'd learned to handle.
"What?" There was a moment of amusement before it was replaced with anger. He'd achieved even less than he'd thought. She pulled him by his hair into a sitting position. It didn't hurt much but as the strands tightened in her fist he winced at the thought of an afterlife without hair. She pulled his face close to hers. "I meant, what the hell do you think you're doing getting involved with those conservationists? Do you have any idea of the mess we have outside right now? They're lined up down the street." She threw his head back onto the floor. "They've made you into a fucking martyr. They got a hold of Dianna Morgan, you know that? They tied her to a stake and burned her like a witch, right in front of the building." Vincent had always figured, without Lucas saying it, that if he was caught, he was on his own. Now the pressure in his chest loosened with the hope that he was being saved. Unless of course, the resistance was planning on making an example out of Vincent, too. "Dianna Morgan, she was a nice girl. You should know. You seemed to think she was nice when you decided you wanted to go home with her." If she put any more weight on the stiletto, she'd break the skin. "You killed her." Lilith lifted her foot, and the pressure was gone. She was the last bitch that needed to tell somebody when they were supposed to feel remorseful. She looked at him lying there helpless, and she seemed satisfied that he was still as pathetic as ever. "Get up," she said.
Vincent got up. The best thing to do was to play along. The truth was that he didn't feel a bit guilty about the pretty red head that he'd met. He also wasn't angry about her betrayal. He was getting used to it. "What now?"
"You're leaving," She said, and he suppressed a smile. "I'm done with you, Vincent." She headed to the elevator, and he followed closely, behind staring at her neck and not fully believing her. She stared straight ahead as the doors closed around them.
Vincent clutched his stomach. "I'm starving, Lilith," he said. She didn't acknowledge him. "Please, Lilith, for old time's sake." He wasn't used to begging, not for that. Lilith turned her head and looked for a second like she'd changed her mind.
He felt the sting on his cheek before the sound. Pinning him, she pressed against his. He felt a cold, rough tongue against his cheek. She was licking the blood from the broken skin inflicted by her rings. Vincent wanted to wipe off but was too weak to push her away. "For old time's sake," she whispered. He knew that she was smiling.
As soon as the doors opened, hands clasped his upper arms and pulled him through the doors. He didn't know why, but he was terrified, convinced that his time was up, Lilith had signed his death warrant, and he was headed straight for the slaughter machines. He called her name, tried to pull back, but they wouldn't let him go. They pushed him right through the front door, and he stumbled blindly into waiting arms that pulled him further out into the street. There was a bonfire subsiding and the smell of burnt meat. He could only see shapes, hear screaming voices, but the fire was too bright and left a glare in his eyes. Lilith hadn't lied, but he was too crazed by the smell of blood around him to focus on anything. He ran out into the night away from all of the cold bodies. He was looking for a warm one.
***
Luna woke up coughing, as if a moment before she regained consciousness, her body had forgotten to breathe. She was no longer in the bright lit warm studio. She was in someone's cold, dark apartment. She could feel wrappers around her hands, and the air was dusty and stale. It was dark, but she was rested enough to know that hours had passed. She stood up and felt along the wall for a light switch, kicking glass bottles and scraps of paper out of the way. Before she could take more than a few steps, she heard a snap and the apartment filled with light. She froze, and her heart almost stopped. There was a handsome man with playful brown eyes standing at the light switch, grinning.
"Who are you?" She asked, but inside she was sure. This was the painter. Whether he went by Garcia Copeland or Michael Masaitis, this was the man she was looking for. She didn't know how he managed to do it, but this man had tricked a lot of people.
"Who am I?" He repeated. He looked so comfortable, just leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "You should know. You went through a lot of trouble to find me. I should be asking you, who you are."
"My name is," she started, but he put up a hand to stop her.
"I already know who you are," He said.
Luna swallowed and tried to calm her shaking so she could talk. "How did I get here?" She asked, putting a hand to her head, hoping to stop the pounding. Lord, please offer protection from the crazy man. Had he drugged her? Oh God, now she had to worry about potentially failing a drug test. No one would ever believe that she wasn't crazy.
"You don't remember? You fell asleep in the car, and I had to carry you up." He was insane. The guy had lost it. Luna had been blacked out since the studio, and the chances were slim of her being convinced to get in that guy's car. He gestured towards the couch which looked like it might collapse any minute. It was purple velour and hideous. "Please, sit. The main attraction will be here shortly."
She decided he was too close to the door for her to sprint, so she walked over and sat, the layers of collected dust making it hard for her to breathe. She tensed up when he sat next to her. "I came about a painting," she said, trying to talk fast and maybe work her way out.
He smiled at her. His grin was comforting. "I know what you came for." He didn't continue, just looked at his watch, stood up, and walked out of the room as if he were looking for something. Luna knew that he was just trying to kill time, but she was anxious about what was coming next. Who was on their way?
"Mr. Copeland, please. I don't have much time. I have to be going soon," she said, wanting to make sure that he knew she would be missed if she didn't make it home. But would she?
"Call me Michael," he said, as he came back into the room. He handed her something, and she had taken it before she realized it was her purse. "And I know you'll be leaving soon."
Luna nodded, confused. She held onto her purse tightly, tempted to go through it but didn't, just ran her hand across the soft black leather. The man wasn't old enough to be the famous painter she was looking for. Masaitis would be ancient. Someone had made a mistake. The guy was running a scam. "Michael, I came looking for Garcia Copeland."
Michael walked over and sat back next to her on the couch. He smelled odd, not good, not bad, just plain. "You don't give a damn about Garcia Copeland. You came looking for Vin. But don't worry. He'll be here soon. He's got nowhere else to go." His eyes weren't focused on her breasts, but they weren't on her face either and she had thought for a split second that he was able to hear her heart beating. She wasn't sure why she thought that. It was all madness and Michael was definitely unbalanced. But how did he know what he did? God, she'd been crazy even to start the search. She should have just forgotten about Vin. "Just don't be alarmed by his appearance," Michael added.
Luna was about to ask why, when the door slammed open and she almost jumped through the ceiling. Vin was standing in the doorway, blood dripping from his mouth, and yes, his skin was glowing, his hair was black, and Luna was screaming at the top of her lungs, and pushing her body deep into the couch.
Vincent just stood there, not knowing whether the person sitting on the couch was real, or if deprivation had done something to his mind.
Michael was the first one to break the silence. "She's cute but she doesn't follow direction very well."
Vincent wiped his mouth, felt disgusted by the blood there, and felt like an animal. "What are you doing here?" He asked her, but Luna had her hand clamped over her mouth and showed no sign of speaking, period. "What's she doing here?" He asked Michael, who was looking very pleased with himself.
"She came looking for you." He said. "I just kept her busy until you got here."
Luna thought he'd kept her drugged, and she was hallucinating, but she couldn't take the hand from her mouth to begin to figure anything out. She thought she might start hyperventilating, but as long as she didn't faint, she was doing pretty well.
Vincent ran his hand through his hair and wiped the remaining blood from his face with the back of his hand. "Do you have a towel or something?"
"It's a bad time," Luna said blurted out, practically jumping up out of her seat. Jesus was that the best thing she could of think to say? She'd been wrong, all wrong. She needed to leave as soon as possible. Vin was a bad man. It was as simple as that.
"No," Vincent said too rapidly, too loudly. "Please, just wait a minute. I know this looks bad but just let me get cleaned up." What the hell was he going to say to her? How the hell could she have found him? He looked like a monster, but all he wanted to do was impress her. He didn't know why, she was just a human.
Luna was shaking her head, wriggling her hands together, tapping her foot. She wanted to leave, wanted to run for it, but they'd chase her, wouldn't they? Why are the crazy ones always so cute?
Michael spoke to her in a soothing voice, and with his talking like they were alone, it was easier for her to meet his brown eyes. "It's all right," He said. "You'll get your answers soon enough. Just give him a minute to settle in. He's been gone for a good while. He didn't know you were looking for him, or else probably would've found a way to get here sooner."
Luna nodded, relaxed a bit despite her better judgment and looked at Vin, who nodded in agreement. How could she leave now? "Okay," she said, "but I have to be going soon. Someone's expecting me."
Vincent nodded again. She was something special, and he couldn't let her get away. "I'll be quick." He ducked into Michael's room and then emerged with a clean shirt on a few moments later. All traces of blood were gone from his skin. Michael gave up his seat on the couch, and Vincent sat next to her, both of them suddenly aware of how close they were to each other. There was electricity there. "Luna, there are a lot of things that need clarification."
"Yeah, like everything about you," she said.
Before Vincent could say anything else, there was a knock at the door. His eyes widened, and he turned. Michael came back into the room looking guilty that he hadn't told them there'd be an interruption.
"Wait," Vincent said, and Michael paused with his hand on the doorknob. Without saying anything else, Vincent grabbed Luna's arm and led her towards Michael's bedroom. He walked straight to the window and looked outside. Yes, he was in luck. "Luna," He said softly, "You may not be too comfortable with this." He opened the window and climbed out onto the fire escape making sure it was safe. It seemed sound, didn't shake when he stepped out on it. He put his hand out to help her but before she could give him her hand, there came a loud noise coming from the living room followed by a cry out in pain. It sounded like Michael.
Vincent considered running for a moment, but remembered all that Michael had accomplished for him before they hadn't even officially met. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out onto the fire escape. "Run home. I'll come to you as soon as I can."
He left a very confused Luna. She didn't know what happened, only that she was left to climb down a fire escape and who knew what time of night it was?
Vincent could feel the heat as soon as he stepped back inside. There was a fire. He grabbed the blanket off the bed in some kind of unconscious instinct and went back through the open doorway. He saw Michael lying by the open front door, screaming, his arm on fire. Vincent thought for a split second that maybe they hadn't heard of STOP DROP AND ROLL back when Michael was growing up. Vincent threw himself on top Michael with the blanket stretched between his hands, pressing it into the heat, trying to forget that vampires were highly flammable.
He looked up at Lucas, who was standing there with the other two men who looked like undertakers in their grey suits, and Vincent wished he'd never met the old man. "Why the hell would you do that?"
"He refused to tell me where you'd gone," Lucas said. Vincent hated how he looked like such a pretentious snob, who the hell did he think he was? He wasn't more powerful than Lilith. The bitch was still walking.
"I was just in the other room." Vincent sat up from Michael, who was flinching while he pulled back the blanket. The skin underneath was scarred black. "And you know Michael. You know what side he's on."
"The situation had changed, Vincent. Why did you run from us?" Lucas still spoke with no emotion in his voice, and it just made Vincent angrier.
Michael sat up and for the first time since Vincent had met him, he wasn't smiling. He was drenched in sweat and holding his arm. He didn't speak.
"I thought that Lilith was supposed to be dead."
Lucas pursed his lips. "The situation had changed."
In other words, they'd failed. Vincent tried to stare him down but couldn't. "They were starving me there, Lucas. I needed to eat." Lucas nodded. "I appreciate you guys getting me out of there," he added.
"We try to protect our own."
But there was more to it, Vincent suspected. But he needed to wrap up the conversation because his mind was on the human girl running through the dark. "What's the plan?"
Lucas hesitated. "You've got to be careful Vincent. We'll give it a week and then I'll get in touch with you. You need to lay low during that time. I'm warning you Vincent, that if things get out of hand, we may ask you to leave the country."
"I understand."
Lucas looked down at Michael. "Get this man some food." They left without saying another word. It was as much of an apology as they'd ever get.
***
When Luna had descended one flight closer to the bottom, the entire structure began to rattle and heard the ladder slide down. She stopped, her heart almost jumping out of her mouth, and looked down to see a blonde haired man who looked vaguely familiar. She descended further, and he seemed to notice her for the first time. They seemed to recognize each other at the same time, Luna because of his clear blue eyes.
