I look up from Sasha’s body and see a man dressed in black lift a gun and suddenly it feels like time has stopped. Blood rushes through my ears, muting the sound of James screaming next to me. I can see his mouth open, see him lunging in front of me, but I’m frozen in fear.
It feels like minutes that I’m stuck like this before I regain my senses but it was only a few seconds. I grab James, rotating us so I’m in front of him, my back to the gunman. I shove him to the ground with strength that surprises me.
James falls to the ground, his expression surprised. I don’t have time to worry about his ego. Instead, I turn back to the gunman and I run straight for the weapon.
All I know is that I have to stop him. I have to save my friends. The intruder smirks at me right before my shoulder slams into his chest. And he doesn’t budge an inch. Anger seethes through me and I reach for his gun, trying to pry it out of his hand.
He pushes me away as if I’m a child. “Calm down, little one.”
I try to lunge for him again, but I’m frozen again. Only this time, it’s not in my head. This isn’t shock holding me in place. It’s as if my feet are glued to the ground.
I grunt as I try to make myself move. I’m stuck. “Run, James!”
The man in black steps over Sasha as if she’s nothing more than a shoe left in the middle of the floor. Tears stream down my cheeks.
“James, get your ass out of here!”
I can’t turn my head to see if he’s moved and with each calm, even footstep the murderer takes makes my pulse races faster.
A second man moves into the doorway and stands there. His long dark hair hangs loose around his handsome face and lifts his chin as he stares into the room.
“Help us!” I scream.
He looks over at me and our eyes meet. He’s got the most stunning eyes. They’re deep violet and I feel like I’m being pulled into the depths of the ocean just from looking at him. I gasp as something strange passes through me. Like tiny bursts of electricity running through my body. It’s exhilarating and terrifying.
“Help,” I say, desperation sinking in.
He breaks his gaze and walks into the room, ignoring my plea. I know they’re together then. The murder and this other man. A man who refuses to help. But why? What do they want from me?
“Leave us alone, take whatever you want, just don’t hurt him,” I say. It’s already too late for Sasha and I feel like I’m dying inside with each passing second. I can’t lose James too. “Or kill me. Just don’t hurt him.”
The footsteps stop.
I tense and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. This is it. This is how I’m going to die. Right here on the floor of my first apartment. I’m never going to finish college, I’m never going to fall in love or have a family. This is the end for me.
A gunshot shatters the silence and I gasp, waiting for the pain to spread through me.
Only there is no pain.
And I’m not dead.
“No,” I whisper. Then the tears come harder and I’m gasping for breath between sobs. My whole body shakes as I cry.
It isn’t until the wet, red liquid of Sasha’s blood reaches my fingers that I realize I’m no longer frozen in place. Somehow, I’ve fallen to my knees, my hands on the floor.
I stretch my fingers out, feeling the warm shiny blood and it sends a surge of rage through me.
Fueled by something I can’t control, I rise to my feet and turn to face the man in black. I yell a battle cry and charge him.
He lifts his hand and I’m frozen again. As if I hit an invisible wall. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to kill him with my bare hands.
“You fucking asshole, you coward!” I scream.
He grins and I see fangs where usual canines should be. But I’m too pissed to care that he’s a freak who puts on vampire teeth before he kills college kids. I just want him dead. I want his blood on my hands.
“You’re feisty,” he says with an accent I can’t place. Eastern European, maybe?
“Fuck you,” I say. “Let me go.” Somehow, I know that he’s keeping me trapped here. It should be freaking me out, but all I can think about is how I want to rip his throat out.