Читать книгу Risen (Book #6 of the Vampire Legends) - Emma Knight - Страница 9

CHAPTER FOUR

Mark drove through the streets feeling energized as he knew he’d get his fix soon. It had been a few days since his last smoke, and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on more. He’d become addicted, and it was all he could think about. He knew it was illegal, but he didn’t care. Something inside him had shifted and he’d become a guy he hardly knew anymore. He was suddenly doing things that were completely out of the ordinary and hanging with types that he’d never liked before. Although, he was happy about it because it made him feel cool and like a rebel. He’d always wanted to revolt against society, but for some reason or another, felt contained in his skin and he couldn’t break free. Now, things had changed for him, and he suddenly felt free of his inner chains and able to express his real true self.

As he pulled down the back alley way of this sketchy town he’d never been to before, a cat ran in front of him, and then smoke from a pipe in the street started billowing in the air in front of him making it hard to see. He was along, and was suddenly feeling a bit creeped out by the situation. He knew he had to stay the course though, or else he wouldn’t get his pot.

He turned the corner, and then outside on an old concrete porch stood two unkempt men, standing there as if they’d been waiting all day. Mark drove by and looked at the number on the house and saw this was where his dealer lived. He slowly approached the men, looking around the perimeter to make sure this wasn’t a sting operation and making sure there were no police following him. He then rolled down his window and said, “Are you Romano?”

“What’s the code?”

“427,” Mark said, still watching his back for trouble.

“Bro, that’s not the code!” Romano said and reached into his pocket and pulled out a police badge.

Mark’s hear began to race as he watching this unfold before his eyes. He knew he should have never come here and now he was going to be arrested.

“I think I have the wrong house,” Mark said.

“I’m just messin’ with you kid!” Romano said, laughing and looking back at his friends on the porch, who were also hysterical about the whole thing.

“Listen, this was a bad idea,” Mark said. “I should have never come.”

“What do you mean, kid? You ain’t gonna buy?” Romano asked, beginning to look angry.

“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Mark said.

“What do you mean?” Romano said. “Hey guys, he’s not going to buy anymore. He faked us out!”

“WHAT?” the guys said on the porch as some stood up, with their muscles showing and started swaggering over to Mark’s car.

“Come out here,” Romano said. “I’ll show you what I have. I don’t think you will be disappointed.”

Mark thought for a second and then decided he still wanted to get high, so he got out of the car to look at what they had.

“Come up here,” one of the guys on the porch said. “It’s up here.”

Mark got out of his car and headed up towards the broken down front porch with iron railings. He knew in his heart this wasn’t the best idea, but at this point he’d do anything for his weed, even if it meant entering into the lion’s den.

As he got to the top of the steps he saw more guys in the house, staring at him. He got a weird and creepy feeling about this as they all came out onto the porch to see what was going on. It was as if he’d entered the wrong side of the tracks and these guys knew it.

“Well, well, look what the cat drug in,” one of the guys said, as he came out of the front screen door.

Mark stood there, waiting for Romano to show him the weed. He didn’t want to engage with these guys, because he knew it could end badly and he didn’t want to get hurt. After all, he was a little bit out of his element. He’d never done a drug deal before.

Mark stood there waiting and silently praying that he would leave here in one piece. These guys looked like they were bad news and he was suddenly regretting his decision to get out of his car.

“Where you from, bro?” one guy asked.

“You must be from the good side of the tracks?” another guy said.

“Well? What cat got your tongue? Don’t be scared of us,” another guy asked, as he approached Mark and pushed him on the shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” Mark said, jumping backwards and almost falling down the steps.

“What’d you say to me?” the guy retorted. “Nobody speaks to me like that.”

“I said, DON’T TOUCH ME!” Mark said, getting angry.

“You talking back to us?” another guy said, starting to approach Mark.

“Listen guys, I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to see Romano and get my stuff, then I’m going to leave and you will never see me again.”

“I think you should leave now,” the guy said.

“Maybe I should,” Mark said.

“Mark, bro, here’s the goods. Come check it out,” Romano said as he came through the front door.

“Nah, man, I’m gonna go,” Mark said, as he turned to walk back to his car.

“What do you mean?” Romano said. “I got this for you. You have to pay me.”

“This is a little too much for me,” Mark said. “I never should have come.”

“Well you came, so you have to pay up.”

Mark turned back to leave when he saw that his car was swarmed by even more guys than the ones on the porch.

“Don’t even try and leave,” Romano said.

Mark looked around and for the first time in a long time began to panic. He didn’t know what to do and he was definitely outnumbered. He felt like the guys could smell the fear oozing off of his body.

“Where’s our dough?” one of the guys said. “Don’t make us stand around and wait all day long.”

“Hand it over kid!” another guy yelled.

“I’m not giving you anything,” Mark yelled back with authority. “I don’t owe you a penny. I’m outta here!”

He turned to walk away, leaving Romano and some other guys looking dumbfounded on the porch. He could tell by the looks on their faces that they’d never been spoken to like that ever. Mark didn’t care though all he cared about was getting back to his car and leaving that sketch hood.

He started walking down the steps, feeling an intense serge of energy come over him. It was as if his adrenaline was kicking in, except its intensity was insurmountable. It was a feeling he wasn’t quite sure he knew what do to with. He could feel his body begin to shake and tremble inside as the thought of these guys ganging up on his grew into a reality.

“Let’s get him!” the guys shouted.

“Romano, who is this punk! Let’s beat him down!” the other guys said.

“Beat him to a pulp!” Romano said, looking directly into Mark’s eyes unsympathetically.

Mark could feel their range entering into his blood stream. He didn’t know how that was possible, but it was definitely entering his body. He was seething with anger and now wanted to fight them back, but he was only one guy and they were at least twenty.

Again, he began to panic and fear that he would for sure lose this battle, then he looked down at his hands and saw his finger nails turn into talons and his skin began to get little raised bumps on it. They were prickly and felt like little razor blades to the touch. Inside his mouth he began to feel his fangs protrude from his gums and as he looked around all he could focus on was the scent of the guys that were about to pounce on him. He wanted to taste them and kill them right there.

“Yo Dudes, What’s happening?” Romano said. “Look at this kid!”

“I think he’s going mad!” another guy said.

“He’s shaking in his skin? Is he scared or is he convulsing?” another guy chimed in.

“Are you fools talking about me?” Mark asked.

“Who you callin’ a fool?” Romano said as he started walking towards him with a hood like swagger.

“Yeah, who do you think you are?” another guy said.

“Fool? You think we’re fools? You wait to see who the fool is now!” another guy yelled from the porch.

Mark couldn’t control himself as he ran up the steps of the porch charging at Romano with all his might. As he got to the top of the steps all the guys in the house spilled out onto the porch with their fists up ready to fight. Feeling a little intimidated he slowed down and waited before he threw the first punch.

“What you got scared?” Romano asked.

“I’m never scared,” Mark said.

“Looks like you chickened out!” Romano added.

“You better watch it!” Mark answered.

“I better what?” Romano asked. “White boy is telling me to watch it!”

“You’re a pretty boy you know that!” the guys started saying in unison.

“PRETTY BOY, PRETTY BOY, PRETTY BOY!” they chanted, making Mark’s blood boil inside.

“That’s it!” Mark said.

With that he couldn’t stand it anymore. He knew he was completely outnumbered but he had no choice but to fight them. He charged towards their head man, Romano with his fists up.

“He’s lost it!” Romano said. “Do you see his eyes, they’re blood red!”

“HELP!” Romano screamed.

Mark was surprised that his appearance scared him so much, but was thankful that it did. He charged full speed at Romano and swung at his face missing him by an inch.

“MISSED!” the guys started yelling.

“Back me up guys!” Romano yelled.

Mark felt a guy pulling on his jacket and he swung around and with all his might punched him clear off the porch sending him landing on his back in a pile of leaves.

Another guy came up behind him with two guys not so far behind, he did the same thing, punching them off the porch and leaving them crying like babies on the ground.

“What’s going on here?” Romano yelled, hiding behind a porch chair. “Stop acting like wusses and kill him!”

The screen door flew open and out ran about ten heavy set football player type guys all screaming and charging right for Mark. He knew he had to think quickly or else he was doomed. His wings sprouted on his back as he rose up into the air avoiding them completely, but hanging low enough to kick them all in their faces causing them to fall down like dominos on top of each other.

“This is ridiculous!” Romano said. “You’re not going to get me!”

“Not only am I going to get you,” Mark said angrily. “I’m going to kill you.”

Romano let out a scared laugh as he hid behind the chair. I’ve got so many guys here, you’ll be fighting us all day long!”

“Listen, I’ve put out about twenty already and it’s only been a few minutes. I wouldn’t under estimate me!”

Within seconds of Romano saying that about fifty guys showed up in front of the house.

“Where is the little punk?” the guys started shouting.

“There he is!” the guys pointed.

“That kid? You’re joking! What kind of pussies are you?” the guys yelled.

“Wait and see!” they yelled bloody from the ground.

Mark didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t believe they called for backup and that he was about to take on fifty tough guys. This was so out of character for him and he knew he was going to get in trouble for this. And if he didn’t get in trouble, he would surely get recognized. It’s not every day there is a brutal beating of one hundred grown men.

He couldn’t stop and dwell on it for another moment. He didn’t have any time to waste as they started running towards him with their Swiss Army knives drawn and nunchucks swinging.

Mark knew that this could be the end of him. He didn’t know how to fight off guys with weapons let alone this many guys with weapons. He was surely going to die. As the approached him, he heard a rumble in the sky and looked up. They all stopped and looked up in terror.

“I’m here to help you!” Benji yelled flying quickly to his aid.

“Benji?” Mark asked. “How did you know I was here?”

“No time for questions, Mark! Let’s get these guys!”

Within seconds Benji started shooting fire balls out of the palms of his hands setting the streets into a fiery blaze as they men were running through it. Some of them instantly burned to death while others were left screaming and shrieking with their limbs on fire.

Another group of guys came running out of the house shooting guns towards Benji and Mark, missing them each time they shot.

“Be careful!” Benji yelled.

“This is nuts!” Mark yelled back.

The shots kept firing as Mark watched Benji swoop down and karate chop each of the guns out of their hands and then throw them all onto the ground with a bang. He then walked over to the last man standing which was Romano and grabbed him with one swoop and started flying into the air with him in his talons. Romano was screaming and gasping for air as he rose higher and higher into the sky.

“Follow me!” Benji said to Mark.

“I’m coming!” Mark replied as he flew at a quick speed to catch up to Benji.

“We have to get out of there!” Benji said. “Do you hear the sirens?”

“Do you think they’re going to find us?” Mark asked.

“Not a chance!” Benji said. “These guys won’t know what to say to the police and the police are definitely not going to believe that a bunch of flying people beat them up. It’s all too crazy a story.”

“Let me go!” Romano yelled. “Please! I’ll do anything!”

“You’ve done enough already!” Benji said. “You should have never messed with my boy Mark here.”

“I didn’t do anything. I swear!” Romano pleaded.

“I don’t want to hear it!” Benji said. “Enjoy your remaining moments of life!” he said with a laugh.

Romano screamed for help but nobody could hear him up in the clouds. It was hopeless for him.

“Benji, what are you doing to do?” Mark asked.

“What are we going to do is the better question!” Benji replied.

“Huh?” Mark said.

“We are going to feed on him!” Benji said. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Really? Just like this?” Mark asked.

“Ok, you are clearly new to this whole vampire thing, so I will teach you!”

“Vampire thing?” Mark asked.

“Yes!” Benji exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” Mark asked.

“How do you think you took on all those guys on your own? How do you think you flew into the sky? And your strength? Did these things not occur to you?” Benji asked.

“I knew something was different. I’ve been feeling weird for a while. I’ve had some strange encounters and episodes over the past few weeks, but nobody was there to tell me what was going on. I couldn’t figure it out on my own. I’ve felt alone with this and now finally someone is telling me what is happening to my body!” Mark confessed.

“I could tell when I came to rescue you that you were a bit of a deer in headlights. I knew that the sudden influx of powers and strength didn’t quite make sense to you and I could tell that you still doubted your abilities. I could tell you felt unsure in your movements and that you needed a bit of guidance about the new you. There’s no turning back now. You are a vampire now, Mark and will always be a vampire!” Benji said.

“LET ME DOWN!” Romano continued yelled as they started their descent onto a deserted island. “Where are we going?”

The two landed with a thud and then threw Romano down on the ground pinning him down and holding his arms and legs as he tried to squirm out of their firm hold. Benji squeezed his arms so tightly that his arms were bright red and beginning to pulsate as the blood stood stagnant in his veins.

“HELP!” he screeched as he took gasping breaths of air.

“Watch and learn, Mark!” Benji says as he leans down towards Romano’s neck. His long white fangs protruding out of his mouth and his eyes, which have turned a shade of blood red focused in on his prey. He took one big inhale and then quickly dug his fangs into Romano’s neck, killing him instantly.