Would like to thank Dark_Kadra for her help and editing to make this story possible. Thank you.
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Thunder rumbled in the darkening clouds above him as Dustin walked along the sidewalk heading towards the store. The cold wind blew through him making him shiver as he tugged his blue denim jacket tighter around his body, his exposed fingers closing firmly along the front lapel in an attempt to keep the cold at bay. His blue jeans weren't offering much protection either as cold rain suddenly began pouring down on him the minute he turned the corner. Thank god the store was already in sight.
"Damn it," cursed Dustin as he complained to himself, "Just had to get hungry during a thunderstorm." His black sneakers skidded along the asphalt of the store parking lot as he weaved around cars. Lightning flashed suddenly followed by the roll of more thunder. The sound louder than before, the storm was getting closer to town it seemed. He was in such a hurry he didn't notice the figure watching him intently from behind one of the empty parked cars as he walked into the store.
The muffled rumble of thunder could still be heard above him as he pulled an empty cart from the line in front of the check out counters. Pulling out his crumpled list from the inside pocket of his jacket he began to read the three items he had written down. Deciding on the frozen food aisle first he pushed the metal cart along listening to the wheels rattle against the tile floor.
"Hmm let's see," he said out loud as another shopper with a cart full of groceries walked by. Quickly pushing his cart over to where the meat displays were, he bent down and picked up two packs of ground meat then headed to find noodles and spaghetti sauce. It didn't take him long to procured the rest on his list before making his way to the ten items or less aisle.
The female cashier was young and really hot, she had graduated three years after his class. He never knew exactly what to say around pretty girls so he gave her a small smile and she nodded back in acknowledgement as he placed his items on the conveyor belt.
"Hi, how are you today," she asked as she scanned and placed his items inside one of the plastic shopping bags.
"I'm okay, I guess," he said as he gave her a weak smile.
"You guess," she inquired.
Dustin blushed, "I... um," trying not to sound perplexed he continued, "What I mean is I'm alright," he finished giving her another weak smile.
She quickly smirked at another female cashier across from her then totaled up his items. "That'll be eight twenty-five."
Dustin fished his wallet out of his right pants pocket and pulled out an old wrinkled ten from it and handed it to her. She gave him the correct change and a receipt. Lowering his eyes to not make eye contact he took them and the plastic bag holding his food and walked out the exit door.
The rain had started to come down harder, almost in torrents. Dustin stood waiting a moment under the canopy of the store's welcome sign as he pondered running through the rain. "Jeez why did it have to be today?" he complained. He didn't notice the shadowy figure watching him from behind a vending machine as he stood there weighing his options. He quickly decided to make a run for it, bolting through the parking lot against the pounding rain. The spaghetti sauce jar jiggling in the bag as he ran as he vainly tried to avoid being soaked.
Stopping once under a building's awning to catch his breath, he didn't notice the figure that pursued him. The rain continued to fall in a deluge as he decided on a shortcut towards his home. He felt a tingle run down his wet neck half way through the alley he turned on. Something felt wrong. He looked around frantically. A weird feeling filled his stomach. He shook his head not seeing anything but the brown bricks of the buildings around and the black asphalt beneath his feet.
Turning around he kept going when something suddenly rammed into his back and forced him to the ground. "What the," was all he got out as he hit the ground hard. Pain shot up through his right shoulder and he rolled onto his back trying to see what had knocked him over.
A pair of pale grey hands groped and grabbed at his throat from a mound of tattered cloth and fabric knitted together to form a make shift cloak. Dustin scrambled back, using his hands to push away from the grabbing hands. "Get off me," he screamed at the mound. A tuft of black hair popped out form under the fabric. The hair was attached to a pallid face of snarling, hungry fangs and mad red eyes. Hands raked down and across Dustin's arms forcing him to yelp out in pain as dirty yellowing nails cut through his jacket sleeve as if it were wet toilet paper and dug into his arm. He could feel the sting of open wounds running up his forearm.
He began to kick frantically in an attempt to strike at his assailant's head but to no avail. The soles of his shoes connected with the thing's body but it didn't seem to phase it at all. "Get off me dammit!" Dustin growled defiantly as the thing's right hand grabbed his chin and forced his head to the side roughly. Dustin tried to resist but the thing was too powerful. His head felt like it was in a vise. The creature hissed and its blood red eyes widened in anticipation as its decayed and curved fangs inched toward Dustin's throat.
Dustin's eyes widened with terror and despair as he continued to squirm futilely under the thing that held him. He could smell its breath over his flesh. It smelled like rotten eggs and spoiled meat and something else he couldn't identify. Dustin winced as the fangs got closer to his flesh. It would only be a matter of time now he knew. His hands beating at the things sides, tearing at the patchwork of cloth that covered it; though it did nothing to deflect the thing, the creature held on tight and prepared to rip out his jugular. The rain poured over them, but neither did he or his attacker seemed to care.
Dustin's eyes opened as he shook with fear in the thing's grasp. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a shadow dart towards him. He thought it was someone but who would want to come near this thing that had him pinned down. The creature licked its cracked and withered lips before it bent its neck down to bite into Dustin's neck. Dustin winced again and his body tensed steeling himself for the pain and inevitable death.
He heard a snarl and felt the thing lift off of him. All the weight and pressure of the thing's body was gone. Dustin lay there for a second thinking himself dead before slowly opening his eyes. He was lying on the ground, soaking wet. His groceries had spilled out and were ruined along the pavement. His eyes widened as a slender female hand reached out before him. Blinking back the rain from his eyes he looked up confused. His hand went instinctively to his throat, shock to feel his smooth flesh, no wound or blood. Nothing! What had happed to the creature?
"What happened," he said slowly. His eyes looked to the hand before him. He took it and was promptly lifted back to his feet. The dark tan skin of the woman's hand felt soft; softer than any glove. Smooth and gentle and surprisingly cool. Letting go gently he looked to the woman who had helped him. "Um... thanks... Did you," he started to say, his head turning in either direction expecting to see where the creature went.
"Don't worry. He's gone," the woman said. Her eyes seeming to glint even in the dimness of the alley. "I took care of him. Are you alright," she asked looking Dustin over.
"Yeah I think so," Dustin replied, albeit still confused. Slowly checking him self to see that he wasn't hurt anywhere else besides his throbbing shoulder and arms. He looked to her soft tender face. His eyes went immediately to hers and he found himself staring for more than a few seconds.
He shook his head coming back to reality. "Did you... how did... what was that," he stammered stumbling over the questions in his mind as they left his lips.
Her lips were covered in a caramel colored lipstick, curled into a kind smile before she said, "don't worry about that. It's all over." Her face then turned into a disappointed and concerned frown. "You're all soaked and cold. You need to come with me. I'll get you dry and somewhere safe." Her voice came out in a soft velvet purr as her eyes met his again.
Dustin stared into her eyes feeling something drawing him to them, into them. He shuddered as a thought came to him. "I... I don't even know your name, " he stammered. His head turned to look at his ruined groceries.
Her gaze followed his then her right hand took his in hers."Aksana," she said almost in a whisper, sliding her body close to him, her arm slipping around and over his shoulder. It was then he felt the soft texture of her robe over his back as she held him in a half hug standing against his side. A sharp tingle ran up his spine as she spoke her name.
Dustin began to introduce himself but then her soft caramel finger covered his lips forcing him quiet. "Hush sweetie. Come with me. I'll be sure to feed you." she coaxed. Her eyes suddenly coming into his field of vision and he felt something flow over him. Her eyes weren't red like he thought at first more like reddish orange, like a flame. He tried to think of a better way to describe it but his mind felt slow like he was falling in a pool of jello. He could hear her voice as she spoke to him though it was distant. He was moving but he wasn't sure why or where. He could feel her arm around him, holding him close as they walked together.
Her hand held his head as her fingers brushed through his hair. His lips parted letting out a soft moan. Her touch felt so good. His eyes stared into hers and he felt very dizzy all of a sudden. He watched her lips move though he couldn't make out what she was saying. His body felt weak, tired and extremely heavy as he felt her arm slide under his legs. She picked him up and cradled his head to her shoulder.
