Chapter 176
I had made the mistake of drinking some orange juice with breakfast and a Dr. Pepper with lunch. At the time, I felt like it was no big deal, like I could easily make it another few hours, but by the time we were nearing the station, I knew I’d made a huge mistake. Nevertheless, I really didn’t want to use the restroom on the train again. Even if it was stupid to feel that way. I decided to ignore the call of nature and tried to get Brandon to tell me a story to take my mind off of things. He obliged, telling me all about a trip he’d taken to the Tulsa Zoo with his grandparents when he was little.
By the time the train pulled into the station, I was in a huge hurry. I pushed past people who were leisurely going about gathering their bags and rushed through the doors. Brandon was right behind me, and he looked around him, inhaling deeply, as if we were outside at the beach instead of in a smelly, cramped train station.
I didn’t have much of a chance to look around me, though I did notice there was a huge amount of glass in this place. I couldn’t even think about calling my sister right now. “I have to pee,” I announced, looking around as I shifted my weight from foot to foot.
“I’m shocked to hear that,” Brandon said almost laughing at me. I spotted a bathroom down the walkway a little bit and was getting ready to head that direction when he gently grabbed my arm. “All right. Go pee. But please give me my phone back while you go.”
I dug it out of my pocket and then thought of a win-win situation for me. “Will you go ahead and call my sister for me?” I smiled as sweetly as I could and batted my eyelashes at him.
“You really should have to make that call yourself,” he scolded me. He was right, but I was hopeful he’d change his mind until he said, “Besides, I don’t have her number.”
I didn’t have time to argue. “Well, wait for me here, and I’ll be right back. I seriously have to go.” I made sure he had his phone and headed for the bathroom, dropping my bag at his feet as I went, hoping he knew that meant he should pick it up. I assumed he had Aaron’s number and thought maybe he would be a dear and call him.
Normally, when I go into a public bathroom, I do a quick check to make sure everything is as it should be. No weirdos. No lurkers. No kids who are gonna stick their heads under my stall. But this time, I didn’t have time for that. I took my jacket off and pushed the sleeves of my sweater up as I closed the door to the nearest empty stall. I was so happy to be relieved of my burden, I actually said a little prayer of thankfulness as I flushed and zipped up my jeans.
I certainly wasn’t expecting what happened next.
The door to my stall was ripped open. I stood there, staring in disbelief as the familiar face of someone I’d only seen on a grainy computer screen hovered in front of me. There was no time to scream, not time to get away. Zabrina’s pretty face morphed into a hideous jack-o-lantern grin as she reached into the stall and grabbed ahold of me.
“No!” I shouted, looking around for help. The few other women nearby ducked out of the way, clearly terrified.
“My daughter isn’t listening very well today,” Zabrina said as she wrapped an arm around my waist. I dug my heels into the concrete but there was nothing I could do.
“She’s not my mom! Help!” I shrieked but everyone was either terrified or she had some sort of magical capabilities herself because they continued to stare at us as she pulled me toward the bathroom door.
I fought. I tried to punch her, tried to kick, bucked, threw elbows, refused to let her take me. I knew what this beast was capable of; I had seen the footage of the bodies in Cabo. Her beautiful face and luxurious honey blonde hair may have made her look like a supermodel, but I knew she was really a bloodsucker of the most dangerous kind.
Just as Zabrina backed through the bathroom door, I felt her claws rip into the bare skin of my right arm above my elbow where I’d shoved my sweater sleeves up. My whole world froze at that moment. I thought of Drew, her zest for life, her spunky attitude. I thought of Jack. The way he cared about everyone else more than he did himself. I thought of my sister and how heartbroken she would be when she realized what had happened, what I’d done. I never should’ve come here. Now, it was too late. Zabrina’s claw had cut into me, and if everything I’d learned about Vampires thus far was correct—my life as I’d known it was over.
Zabrina whipped me out of the bathroom door, and I saw Brandon hurling toward us, screaming my name. Somehow, he knew. Either he’d heard, figured it out on his own, or someone from LIGHTS had left him a message. The look on his face matched my soul. He was terrified. I could hardly see Zabrina because of the way she had her arms wrapped around me, but as I glanced up at her, I saw her fangs and knew she was not trying to hide what she was. Brandon was a Guardian. She couldn’t hurt him, but he had no idea there was no saving me. I’d need to let him know so that no one else had to get hurt on account of me, but Zabrina had her arm against my throat and I couldn’t speak. I could hardly breathe.
“Let her go,” Brandon demanded.
I continued to fight to get free, at least enough to tell him, but Zabrina growled a response. “That won’t be happening. And you better be careful, or you’ll be next.”
I wondered if she didn’t know what she was talking to, but before my mind got too far down that path, I saw that creepy guy from the train lunging toward Brandon. I tried to scream but couldn’t get it out. Brandon must’ve sensed him. He sidestepped and threw out his elbow, catching the man and sending him to the ground. I watched the best I could as Zabrina began to drag me away again. Brandon was fighting off a Vampire in an attempt to save me, and he was killing it. But it didn’t matter. I was already gone.
