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  Everything slowed. Lewis’ movements were like watching a video in slow motion. Scanning the area, I stood up. My body felt like it pushed against the tide as I walked over to a tree. On the ground, mostly covered by snow, lie branches. Grabbing a smaller fallen branch, it snapped in half.

  Turning towards Lewis, my legs fought the pressure against them. His back faced me as he half-knelt in his sick.

  Clenching my jaw with the effort, I kept moving forward. Raising the branch, I grunted. Lewis was so close now. Only a couple more steps. As my foot moved, time sped back up. Lewis turned to face me.

  Blackish gore covered his lips, chin, and shirt. His hand shot out, grabbing my ankle through the snow. Yanking on it and knocking me to the ground.

  My spine made a creaking noise as Lewis slammed on top of me. Holding onto the thick stick in my left hand as his hands grabbed at my wrists.

  Rage made his face scrunch up. Baring his fangs.

  I started to laugh.

  "What is so funny?"

  Tears fell from my eyes, at the memories of all the crappy movies I'd suffered through with Whisper. "You are not a vampire."

  Lewis snarled. "What the fuck are you ranting about?"

  "You don't sparkle. You don't have a kick-ass cape. And you definitely don't have style or looks."

  "Fuck you!" As he bit into my neck again, I screamed out.

  It wasn't sexy. It didn't inspire lustful thoughts. However, the pain from it started to fade.

  Max said, "Get up Dianna."

  "I can't. It hurts." Every part of me felt drained. Lewis slurped at my neck like a child with a snowcone.

  Everything started to fade away.

  "Get up!"

  "Can't." It hurt to speak.

  "So you have to be saved? Are you that weak?"

  Max's snarky words and chuckle made me grimace.

  Lewis murmured nonsensically at my throat. He moved his hands away from my limp arms.

  I would die if I didn't get up. If I didn't quickly kill Lewis, Roth and Casteele would die because of me. More souls screaming. Cursing me.

  Crimson crashed into my vision, staining it.

  Bringing the stake up in an arc, it slammed home into the side of Lewis' left ribcage. It hit, piercing the flesh and cracking the bones. Lewis leaped off me, stopping the blow from stabbing his heart.

  Standing in a crouch, I shadowed Lewis' movements.

  The distance between us closed as he tried to dislodge the thick branch.

  My kicks shot out at the stick, driving it in deeper as he backed away. Bring up a hand to block while the other tried to dislodge the make-do stake.

  "You're already dead."

  "No," he screamed at me. Lashing out, his hands clawed away at my garments and at my skin. Some met their mark, as I dodged and blocked. Those few hits dug deeply, past the skin and into tendons and ligaments.

  My arms felt heavy and sticky as I waited for him to move in closer.

  Again, he tried to push me to the ground. This time I let him but made sure to keep my hands at my sides.

  Looking down at me, he said, "I am not dead! I am a vampire!" His eyes glowed like a cat's as the flames from the hospital reflected in them.

  I moved my left hand, and he pinned it down my wrist with both of his hands.

  As Lewis grunted from the effort and tried to move his hand back quickly to my other arm, he missed his chance.

  My fist slammed with all my strength into the branch. I could feel it move into his organs and rupture his heart.

  His face filled with pain. Screaming, he jumped off me.

  I stood, watching as he tried to pull it out.

  Dark, jagged lines filled his face as he shouted at me. "No!"

  Blood poured out from the lines, staining the snow. Jason Lewis shrieked, "I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to."

  Coming towards him, I put my hands over his on the stake. Pushing it in until nothing remained outside of him, his body altered. The dark lines in his flesh cut true; rendering his body into parts. The pieces slid apart and landed on the stained snow. In my red smeared vision, Jason Lewis stood whole and transparent. As the scattered pieces turned to ash, his sorrowful eyes met mine as he vanished.

  The ash piles smoldered on the ground, making the snow melt. The branch that ended Lewis remained whole.

  Panting, my vision cleared as the red faded. Moving to the blazing building, I held my neck. Blood flowed between my fingers, splattering my neck and shoulders.

  “Roth.” My heart pounded. I had to be in time.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  I called out as I approached the blazing building, "Roth! Chance!"

  Coughing, I pulled up my shirt over my nose. Headed inside the same way I came out seemed the only viable option. Everything else the fire had already or had started to consume.

  The flames made me perspire heavily as I kept my left hand on the wall that had guided me outdoors. The smoke made it hard to see and harder to breathe. It became so thick, I couldn't see anything. I'd have to leave soon if I didn't want to die.

  Blue sparks lit next to me.

  Not dodging fast enough the thick chain wrapped around my thighs sending me face first into the tile.

  The blackened specter’s boots were next to my head.

  My chest tightened at the thought of Roth dying. I had to succeed. Lashing out, I wrapped my wrists around the ghost’s ankle and pulled. He fell backward.

  Hurrying, I shoved the chains off. My hands burned touching them. Fighting exhaustion, I stood up in sync with the ghost.

  I dodged his large fist. It caught some of my hair as it went by my head.

  Closing the distance, I kicked him in the hip twice and then his knee before he could move.

  Unlike on a normal monster or human, the blows had no effect.

  The small, squashed water bottle in my back pocket leaked onto my jeans.

  The ghost grabbed my hair, lifting me up to its face.

  Reaching for the water, I said a silent prayer. To save me, Roth, and Chance.

  The ghost laughed, “Pretty.”

  I unscrewed the cap one-handed and tossed the water on its face.

  Blue fire erupted on it everywhere it touched.

  Using every bit of my strength, I kicked the ghost in the chest. It stumbled backward. Those large hands at its head as it screamed and burned.

  Pushing it away, I ran. I tried to yell one more time as I moved slowly forward. "Roth!" It came out in a loud croak.

  About to turn around, someone bumped into me. I could feel his warmth and lean muscles. "Roth!" I started coughing.

  "We have to leave Dianna," Roth said.

  I turned around, his hand in mine.

  Using the last of my energy, I said, "Hang on."

  Gripping his wrist, I ran and dragged him out. He stumbled one step but then matched my pace. As we exited the building, my legs shivered and collapsed. We fell down the small hill.

  Sliding on the snow to nearby where Lewis had ended.

  Roth sat up and picked me up.

  I leaned against his chest coughing at the fresh air. He moved us away even farther from the burning ruin. He sat down, resting us against a tree. I thought how lucky we were to live.

  "Chance." I pushed at Roth, but he held me tightly.

  Roth's face was covered in soot and blood. He shook his head. "I don't know. Someone hit me in the head, and then I woke up. I called out to the bastard, but Chance never answered." He kissed my cheek, holding me in his lap. "He’s gone."

  "No," I said. Burying my face into his chest, I tried to breathe.

  "I couldn't save him," he said into my hair. Kissing it, he then rested against the top of my head. He took out his cell phone. "There's a signal." He dialed the police.

  Max's taunting chuckle made me grit my teeth. "Dianna, that poor deputy. It's all your fault."

  "No!" I pushed away from Roth and landed face first on the snow.

  He raised an eyeb
row at me as he kept talking to the dispatcher.

  Brad sat down next to me. "There were too many other ghosts. Sorry I had to bail on you." He pointed to the remains of the building and said, "As the fire grew worse, they all started to burn in this blue color and vanish."

  I nodded, looking at my useless hands. Blood poured from the wounds in my arms and neck from the fight with Lewis.

  Roth paused to have a coughing fit.

  He helped me lean against a tree.

  Putting his head in my lap, Roth held up a hand to my throat. His hand had been badly scraped and still bled from the wounds. He said into the phone, "Please hurry. We are alright but injured." His sharp gaze made me flinch, "Dianna?"

  "Roth, I-"

  He held my hand and met my gaze. "Tell me everything. Right now.”

  My throat tightened. It felt like bands of iron tightened around my chest. I couldn’t endanger Roth again. I shook my head.

  “After we drive back, we can hire movers. It should only take them a day to put everything from your apartment into my house. It will be nice to drive to work together. Or play hooky at home." He smiled, and I ached. "We have a lot to talk about. I'll keep you safe from now on."

  "Roth, I don't need a protector."

  He closed his eyes. "Just let me have this moment before you break my heart, Dianna."

  We stayed quiet the rest of the night until the sheriff, George Rodríguez, asked us about Chance. He arrived before the rest of the parade that eventually showed up.

  Roth said, "He saved our lives, but we didn't see him leave the building."

  Rodríguez asked us questions. We had some answers. I described the man who took us as Jason Lewis. The sheriff put us up at the motel I'd originally stayed in after we both got bandaged up by the paramedics.

  The paramedics checked Roth's bare feet for frostbite. Somehow, my wounds had healed partially by the time they arrived. They said we didn't need a hospital stay but had us both on oxygen while they put bandages on our head bumps and my arms. After checking our oxygen levels, they told us to make an appointment with our regular doctor when we got home.

  A police officer from a nearby county drove us to the motel. We were in adjoining rooms.

  After eating some jerky and showering, I heard a knock on the door that joined the rooms. Opening it, Roth had washed up too.

  "Can I hold you tonight?"

  I left the door open and went back to the bed.

  Roth got in and said, "Dianna, I know after all this you need a break. Just know I am here."

  He scooped me up and spooned me. His warmth helped chase away the chill that had filled me since I realized Chance Casteele was gone.

  Closing my eyes as sleep tugged at my worn bones, I wished I could be with Roth. Not fight monsters. Not worry about the monsters killing those I grew close to. If only for this one last night, it didn't hurt to pretend for one last night to be normal.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Unpacking my bags inside my apartment, I munched on some beef jerky. It tasted like cardboard. However, it and the burgers I'd eaten over the past couple days had repaired most of the damage from the wounds Lewis had inflicted. The bites he'd taken on my neck had remained open wounds before finally starting to mend. Whatever the name for it, vampire, undead, in the end, he'd been another monster feeding off the living.

  Putting away my shampoo and toothpaste in the medicine cabinet, I wondered if the wounds left open from the lost hope of a relationship with Roth would ever heal.

  Sheriff Rodríguez had brought Roth and me into the station the following morning. Once there, federal agents had questioned us for most of a day in separate rooms. Eventually, they let us go.

  The news report on the radio stated that Jason Lewis remained at large. He didn't. His ashes were in the snow by Spring Peaks. Jane Lewis, Lewis' sister, died. Her blood went septic. So Lewis had racked up three known kills before he died: Daniel Connors, Jane Lewis, and Chance Casteele.

  I didn't think that my killing him was justice, but it was the best I could do.

  Tom, the local tow truck and car repair guy in Solas, had fixed my broken door. He teared up as I paid the bill. Deputy Chance Casteele would be missed.

  I avoided going in to see George and getting food. I knew the pain of losing close friends. My presence wouldn't aid his aching heart.

  Roth had called while I drove back. I listened to the voicemail, shoving down the ache his words caused.

  "Dianna." Roth sighed. "I care about you. I'll give you the space you need, but once some time has passed, we need to talk." He paused. "I need to talk to you. About a lot of things. Come over or call any time."

  I pressed seven and hung up.

  Gretchen had been right. Dating the boss is the worst idea ever.

  About the Author

  H.L. Goodnight is obsessed with the Doctor, Starbuck, and Poe. Her favorite holiday is Dias de los Muertos. And at one point was banned from DMing Ravenloft adventures.

  She has lived in many states, but ended up in Texas after falling in love with Austin. Her two daredevil spawn and husband keep her on her toes.

  She graduated from college with a useless degree, but a few close friends.

  Her love of horror, romance, art, gaming, and storytelling have culminated in this series.

  Sweet dreams.

  Also by H L Goodnight

  Dianna is still reeling from the whirlwind relationship with her boss Roth. The Shadowed Man is in Fort Augustine and everyone is on the menu. Can Dianna overcome her deepest fears and steel her courage? An what about the mysterious Kian, who strongly resembles her first love Max?

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