STARTLING SILVER

Chapter Three - The Encounter 2

The strike never came. One second, I was watching the vampire, and his creepy face, about to slice me open with his claws, the next second, he was thrown against a tree so hard, it actually cracked. I gasped in shock, looking everywhere and trying to figure out how that just happened. The vampire seem to think I did that though because now, his expression was even more murderous and feral.

"I'm going to fucking kill you." He growled and leaped at me but before he could even touch me, something collided with him so hard that the impact flunged them both deep into the forest and out of my sight.

Then there was complete silence. It's like they disappeared. I couldn't even hear sounds of them fighting or whatever to indicate that the vampire was indeed attacked by someone. What was that other thing?

Okay, Crystal. You need to get out of here. For all you know, it's probably another vampire and they are fighting for food. Which is you. So get off your butt and leave. Now!

And with that inner pep talk, I managed to get up and drag myself the rest of the distance between where I was almost killed, to the club. I went through the side entrance that is for employees only and went to the locker rooms where we store our things while we are on shift. There also happened to be a first aid kit there as well. I got to it and tried to clean up the bite as much as I could. I poured the disinfectant on it and I had to bite down on my shirt to muffle my screams. Fudging hell, that hurts. I was just bandaging up when the doors open and Michael walked in. His eyes landed on me and the state I was in and he immediately went on high alert and ran up to me.

"What the fuck happened? Are you badly hurt? Were you attacked? Did you see their faces? Have you called the police?"

"Whoa, calm down, Mike. I was...." I trailed off. What was I going to tell him? That I was attacked by a vampire that bit me and then was saved by something I didn't see but might as well have been another vampire just fighting for food? Yeah, I don't think so. I'd be dumped in a psych ward faster than I can blink. So I said, "I- I took a shortcut through the woods cause I was going to be late. I was running so fast and didn't watch my steps so I ,uh, fell pretty hard and hurt my arm. I'm fine."

"Jesus Christ, Crystal. Didn't you watch the news? A body was found in those woods yesterday. And then you go running through it the night after?"

"I was running late." I protested weakly even though I knew he was right. Mels already warned me yet I still chose to take that route because I wanted to kill two birds with one stone.

"Well, you still ended up being late seeing as they called me to help cover your shift because they thought you weren't going to show up."

I just stared at my bruised hands on my lap and didn't say anything. I wouldn't have even shown up at all if that other thing hadn't attacked the vampire. Then my body would have been found the next day, just like the last victim.

Michael sighed. "Just how bad did you fall? Here, let me look at that arm for you."

"No!" I jerked the arm away so fast, it startled Michael. "I mean, it hurts but it's fine. I already cleaned it up. I just need help securing the bandage."

He gave me a weird look but he helped me with it. "Well, you can't work like this. You should call a cab and go home. I'll cover your shift for you."

"Thank you, Mike. I owe you." I went to get my phone from my pocket when I realized it wasn't there. "Oh shoot. I must have dropped my phone during the fall. Can I borrow yours, please?"

He handed me his phone and I typed Mel's number on it. I have to make sure she's no longer at my house in case the vampire decides to go wait for me there.

"You have Mel's number saved on your phone? How? I didn't even see you two talk for longer than thirty seconds yesterday and I was there."

"Oh that? Uh, yeah. That would be when you were on the dance floor and she came the bar to pick up drink number five. Or was it six?"

"So while she was getting drunk then?" I shook my head and smiled. "She's going to chew you up and spit you out for that."

"Not if I can help it." He grinned and winked at me. "Bring the phone to the bar when you're done, alright? I gotta go." I nodded and he left.

I dialed Mel's number and she picked up on the third ring.

"Melanie Palmer speaking." She didn't even sound chirpy as she normally did.

"Hey Mel, it's me."

"Holy shit, Crystal! Are you trying to send me into an untimely grave? I fucking told you not to go into those fucking woods and you still did! Whose phone is this? I have been calling your number for hours and you didn't pick up. I was just about to call the police. I thought you had been murdered." She burst into tears.

Not a lot of things can make Melanie cry. So now I feel extra horrible. "Hey hey hey. I'm sorry. I lost my phone. Are you still at my place?"

"No, I'm at mine. Why? Do you want me to go back?"

"No! Stay where you are. I'll be there shortly."

"Why? Don't you have to work?"

"No. I- I got hurt so Mike is covering my shift for me."

"You got hurt?! How the hell did you get hurt? Was that when you lost your phone too? Were you attacked?!" And she's back to crying again. God, I feel so bad.

"Just- I'm fine, Mels. Stop crying, okay? I'll be at your place soon."

"Okay." she sniffled. "Do you need me to pick you up?"

God, I love her. "No need. I'll call a cab. I have to go now. Mike probably needs his phone."

"Oh, you are using his phone?"

"Yeah. And you can save his number. He already has yours saved anyways. See ya!" I hung up before she can start asking questions about Mike. I love that girl, but she sometimes has the attention span of a fudging mosquito.

I returned Mike's phone to him and thanked him. He made me promise him to be careful and also say hi to Melanie for him.

Then I took a cab to Mel's condo apartment, close to the park. I took the elevator to her floor and knocked on her apartment door. The door opened to reveal Mel's extremely worried look when she saw the state I was in. She pulled me into the apartment and into her arms.

"I was so worried. What happened?" She asked and I finally burst into tears in her arms.

It's funny though. Because even after everything I've been through tonight, I didn't let myself cry not while I was being attacked and not even while I was at the club cleaning my wound. But here, alone, with the one other person I trust most in the world, I finally let go.