Read Under the Cover of Night :: Black Sweater

Rory ran his fingers along the fabric of his black sweater. He relished the fresh laundered scent and the feel of the clean fabric. In the dim light of his cell, he could still make out the tight collection of yarn that made up the material's entirety. His thoughts drifted to the intricate beauty of a spider's web and he realized he was sharing a moment with a sweater—minus the papery tag that crackled annoyingly against the back of his neck—he would remove that later.

Rory had woken up feeling incredible. After the bizarre and intimate encounter he'd had, he woke up feeling like he'd had the best sleep of his life.

He'd spotted the new clothing immediately and was up in an instant, holding and smelling it. The fabric was filled with traces of honey and summer nights. Rory reminisced on evening barbecues at his house with his roommates, the rich smell of smoke, and charcoal'd-meat... He felt the crisp bubble and barley of a beer; subtly sweet, and when his thoughts returned to sweetness and honey, he found himself purring and nuzzling into his new clothes.

Lilac eyes and blonde hair filled his thoughts as he dressed himself. He knew she'd given them to him, whoever she was. Rory couldn't explain what had happened last night and he didn't care. He knew today would be different, today; he was getting out of his cell.

Rory made his way to his viewing window and found Ninety-two staring back at him from across the hall. Rory smirked, seeing that Ninety-two was wearing the same black clothes he was. They quietly took one another in, like someone regarding their reflection, but their expressions simultaneously hardened when they heard the heavy foot steps of Lieutenant Stevenson and his unit.

"Positions," Lieutenant Stevenson shouted as he reached Rory's cell.

The four members of his unit, including the lovely female with dark hair, positioned themselves on either side of the two doors that lead to Rory and Ninety-two's cells. Lieutenant Stevenson and one of his soldiers stepped up to the panels at opposite walls. Rory moved back, concerned he'd be shocked again or possibly gassed.

"Wait," Rory heard Ninety-two say, but both soldiers opened the panels and placed their keys in.

A breeze swept its way across the back of Rory's neck and he his heart rate jumped. He knew it could only mean one thing and he was instantly back at his window. A quick glance across the hall and he could see Ninety-two pressed against the glass and craning his neck.

When she first appeared, Rory had been uncertain from which direction she came, but the blonde-haired woman stood like a statue in front of him. Her moonlit hair and fair skin were a stark contrast against the black uniform she wore. There were small symbols or badges on her uniform that indicated some kind of rank separate from the others.

At first Rory thought his heart was pounding. He inhaled and exhaled slowly, attempting to focus his hearing, and realized he was hearing the roar of other heartbeats. They beat separately and quickly, but Rory had a feeling that if they could reach out and touch each other, they'd beat in sync with one another—save for himself, Ninety-two, and the blonde female. Their hearts moved differently.

His blonde beauty turned and said flatly to the Lieutenant, "Treat them like animals, Lieutenant Stevenson, and they will be. Rory, Benjamin, let's go. We have a meeting in twenty minutes."

Rory tried to catch her eye, longing to look at her porcelain face, however she turned and started down the hallway without him. He heard a buzzer and then a click as his door opened.

He stepped out, strong and confident, and waited for Benjamin, who hesitated. Rory understood why he'd want to be cautious, so he nodded, encouraging Benjamin to join him.

They had guns aimed at them, and Stevenson kept his key on the panel as Rory and Benjamin followed their nameless mistress.

***

No one spoke as they made their way through the brightly lit hallway. They'd passed through a set of doors that were guarded by two more officers in black, guns ready. They were small firearms, but pointed directly at his and Ninety-two's heads.

Benjamin, she had called him Benjamin. They were people, not numbers.

As he walked, he glanced back. Lieutenant Stevenson and his unit kept their distance and their guns raised. He noticed too that while there were doors lining the hallway on this side of the double-doors, there were no windows.

The air in this wing was just as air-conditioned as the rest. Rory felt like he'd forgotten what fresh air smelled like and wondered if he'd ever know it again. He was sick of breathing recycled air and the smell of perfumes and body odor.

They stopped in front of a room labeled "Training Room" and entered with their entourage in tow.

It was enormous on the inside, large enough to fit a plane. Rory couldn't imagine they would have a need for a room this size to train in, but then, what did he know.

"Position yourselves on the mats," their mistress instructed them.

Rory and Benjamin both moved to the matted floor at the center of the room. Rory's eyes darted to the various weapons lining the walls, but he did not move to grab them.

He didn't need to turn his head to know that Stevenson and his unit positioned themselves at the two exits opposite each other. He could hear their boots against tile, their whispers, and their breath.

"Attack me," the blonde woman ordered.

Rory and Benjamin looked at one another and back at her. Before they could ask if she was serious, she'd crossed over to them and knocked them both to the ground. It had happened so fast that Rory hadn't seen her do it.

She looked down at them from where she stood. "I said: Attack me."

They both got up slowly. Benjamin stayed back, but Rory decided he wanted to see where this was going. He ran at her, angling his shoulder, and readying himself to tackle her to the ground like a football player, but she was gone before he got there. A force pummeled him to the ground and held him there, bending his arm behind his back.

"Ahh!" he growled.

"Ask me," she whispered.

He growled again and tried to push himself up.

"Ask me," she said firmly, though coolly. Her grip was steel and beyond human strength. Rory was helpless against it.

"Where are we?" he blurted out. A millions questions poured into his mind, but that was the only one he could get out.

"You are in a secret military compound underground, under the protection and guidance of a branch of government known as MIDNITE." She released his arm and stepped away.

Rory slowly sat up and he heard her say, "Your turn."

Benjamin charged her, just as Rory had, only this time she somehow appeared behind him and shoved him, causing him to fall flat on his face. He slid along the mats first though, before he skidded to a halt.

Rory hit the mat and was on his feet in an instant. He roared at her, furious at how ridiculous this was, at how they'd been treated. He charged her again, but this time he turned at the last second, trying to anticipate which way she'd move, but she'd been ready for him.

He saw a flash and then tripped as she did a sweep kick, sending him flying. She was on him again. She wrapped his arms around himself, holding him in a kind of hug... and then bit him. Piercing pain shot through his shoulder and he cried out, but for some sick reason, he was instantly aroused, especially when the scent of his own blood hit his nostrils.

"What... what on earth are you?" he heard Benjamin ask.

She released Rory and shoved him down before standing up. He sat up and examined his shoulder and ripped sweater before looking up to see her wipe his blood from her face.

"My name is Emer--and we are vampires. "

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Published by Raven's Hollow Art and Publishing

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.