𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐀

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SPALT.

I take a deep breath, ignoring the intense splatter that floods the air. My attention settles on the derelict terrain until I catch sight of the little girl laying on the ground, her head contorted at an unnatural angle.

 “No.” I break out into a weak sprint, making my way to her the fastest my fatigued legs can push.

She was already in a shattered state, but now open and closed wounds mix on her body. Her limbs are twisted to the side, her neck bent to left. She’s even more lifeless and unmoved than before. Her light caramel skin is pale to the point of ghostly. The color in cheeks is drained and her skin is cold to the touch, while the rest of body seems frozen in time. Her eyes are locked, her lips, sealed, and her chest barely shifts.

“Hey?” I fall to my knees by her side. “Hey?” I gently tap her face. “Hey?” Quickly, I place my fingers against her neck, searching for a pulse. “Hey!” I lightly slap her again. “Stay with us!” I press my head against her chest, waiting.

Footsteps echo behind me. “A child?” I can hear Zayne grind his teeth. “That bastard.” He falls to his knees, settling to the girl’s side, opposite from me. “She breathing?”

I press my head harder against her chest.

Come on.

Don’t give me silence.

Let me hear something.

.

.

.

Thump.

.

.

Thump.

.

.

Thump.

Ever so faintly, I can hear the sound of drumming and rhythmic beats rattling from her chest.

She's here, but on the brink. 

And that's all I need. 

I raise my head, easing into a sigh. “She’s still with us.”

Zayne meets my eyes, a parallel sigh slipping from him. “That’s good.” He nods, rubbing his eyes. “That’s good.” A smile breaks on his bloodied face.

I stand, cradling her up against me. “The horses are about a mile from here and there’s a river about 5 miles east. You can rinse your clothes before we head into town.” I start walking ahead, the sunset dying behind me.

“Don’t forget yourself.” He follows close to me, pinning his eyes on my tattered clothing.

I pick up pace, rolling my eyes. “You think I’m going in to town looking like a tornado came and went?”  

“No, ma’am I don’t.” He reaches into his pocket, smiling. “But, you know I just like to get a kick out of you, no matter how cheap they are.” He plucks out a box of cigarettes.

I shake my head, walking even faster.

“No humoring me this time?” He places the cigarette between his lips with a little pout. “But, I came rushing to help you like I’ve got shining armor.”

Spotting my rifle, I step over to it and kick it upwards with the heel of my foot. Still cradling the girl, I manage to slip my rifle into its hip holster.

“You know I saved ya.” Zayne hums from behind me. “Could I at least get a thank you?”

I’m already weak enough I could collapse with every bend of my legs, and I for sure know I don’t need this man---or creature’s pestering.

“Could you shut up?” I grimace, putting every bit of pep to my step. As the sun falls, the brilliance of the auburn dusty flatlands that spread out for miles around, darkens into cool blues, the shadows painting the landscape.  

We’ve got about a good 5, maybe 10-minute walk before we get to the horses. That doesn’t include the time it’ll take to rinse off at the river. In total, it might take us a solid 30 minutes before we get to town. That means I’ve got a long way ahead of me.

“Yeah, I could shut it.” I hear him puff on his cigarette. “But?” He strides in line with me, turning to look at me with a broad smile. “I’ve got to hear what’s the get up.”

My sigh comes naturally. “What?” I turn my eyes away, my pupils gravitating to distance ahead. 

“You let that weakling vampire land a hit on you?” He puffs again, speaking with puzzlement.  

I keep walking, my eyes fastened to my progressive steps.

“Now, come on Nina. How does that happen?”

My glare is growing as I stomp onwards.

“I’ve seen you take 7 or 8 vampires in a row. That weakling vampire back there? That’s normally your cake.” The smell of his cigarettes seeps into the air. “He should’ve been dead the moment he laid his eyes on you. And yet, I was the one who had to kill him?”

“I did kill him,” I said, cutting my eyes his way.

“You did?” Smoke trails from his mouth. “Well, you can only kill a vampire once… unless they’re a fledgling, and in that case---.” He stops, his eyebrows inclining. “Sister Nina, did you kill a fledgling that already had blood in its system and complete his transformation?”

My feet press hard into the ground, a wave of dust kicking up from every stomp of my feet.

“What was he?” His tone borders joyful curiosity. “An A, B, C, or D rank?”

I say nothing as I press forward.

“I’m gonna go with C.” He lightly laughs. “So, to recap, you ditch me to get the target on your own. Then, based on the reports we received, I’m guessing you guessed, that our friend back there was a D rank. So, you hop on your horse, skip lunch and skip me, to make your way all the way out here, not expecting to be fighting a C rank with silver bullets.” He puffs, a cloud of smoke drifting into my scope. “Am I right?”

Not a single word slips from me, fact or fiction.

“Now, now.” He settles to his own conclusions---per usual. “Either you’re still bothered about what happened the other day, or something else is bothering you like a thorn to your side. Which is it, cause I---.”

I slice into his sentence, whipping my head to him. “Will you shut up?” My voice is spiked and pointed.

For a moment, he watches me tightly, cigarette lodged between his rising lips. In gradual motion, he picks the cigarette out from his grin, taps the ashes away, crooks his head to the side, and blows out a long stream of smoke. “You know if we’re speaking logistics, ‘technically’,” he says air quoting. “I’m not a man, so I don’t count.” He seats the thin cylinder back between his lips. “Just saying.”

“I don’t need you’re ‘just saying’.” I snap my head forward. “And, I don’t care about the other day, so you can stop spitting your mouth off about it, got it?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He matches my steps. “But?”

“No.” I jeer.

He rolls out another waft of smoke. “It was just the torso.” He pauses. “Including a little more.”

My feet move faster, and in exasperation, I huff out an extensive sigh. “That’s the last time I’m taking a bed and rest with one vacancy.” I murmur under my breath in a growl. “Next time?” I turn my head to him. “You sleep under the stars, understood?” I toss him an evil eye, hardening my voice.

“Now, wait a second, Nina---.”

“And for the last time!” My tongue whips. “It’s Sister Nina. You will call me by my proper name, or don’t use it at all.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nods. “But, I’m going to put it forward now, I can’t sleep outside, partner.” He bats the linen whites of his eyelashes. “You know as well as I, kicking ass takes a lot out of a person. If you need your beauty sleep to remain looking that lovely, then I need my sleep to keep looking this handsome. You get me?”

“No.”

“Well, who’s the person who gets us all our discounts at the saloons and bars?” His brows go up, his mouth eager to say the words.

I know just by that look that he’s waiting for my recognition. Just the slightest touch of my responsiveness.

But there’s not a chance he’s getting even a lick of that from me.

Instead, I throw him a tight-lipped scowl.

“You know who it is.” He scoffs. “There’s only one of us who does all talking and socializing.”

‘Socializing’.

I almost sneer at the sound of that. I find that word more loaded than he realizes. How can a thing like him, ‘socialize’? He can only pretend… because he’ll never be one of us.

“You’ll have to agree with me at some point, Nina.” He sucks on his cigarette. “You know you have to.”

“Sister Nina.” I correct through gritted teeth.

It irks me. It irks me so terribly how comfortable he’s gotten with my name: It’s not right.

“Yes, ma’am, yes ma’am.” He hums, tapping ashes on his cigarette.

My eyes lock onto him.

Some days I wonder if my lord is playing a prank on me.

I still can’t make sense of this arrangement I’m entangled in.

Why am I subjected to this senseless torture by this mirage of a human?

“Paint me a portrait if you’re gonna stare, Nina.” Clouds of translucent white smoke mix into the dusky sky.

I turn my head the other way, quietly groaning.

By my God, what good can come out of this? Nothing about this seems worth my time or the comprise of my duties. I more than dislike everything about him and this arrangement, I despise it.

They say hate is a strong word but in this context, I doubt it.  

“Mmm.” Shallow breathing tickles my skin, the sound of a squeaky voice suddenly arises from my arms.

My sight shoots down to the little girl now rustling around in my hold. She’s latched around me with her arms strewn over my shoulders and her head snuggled between my neck. In my arms, she moves her head around, her legs stirring as she comes to with muffled weak whimpers.

“She’s waking!” Zayne enthusiastically laughs.

“I know.” A small smile prickles my lips. I adjust my grip around her as she wearily twists around in my arms.

Zayne leans close to me, eager to be the first to greet this tough little survivor. In pieced increments, I can feel her finding the strength to rise her head. At my angle, I can’t view her face and nor do I get to see the life in her eyes yet, but I can feel her grow her energy. 

She winces, still slowly raising her head. “B…” Her voice comes out as a cracked mutter.

“Hey, hey, hey.” Zayne situates himself by my shoulder, hunching close to the girl’s face. “Don’t try to speak right now kid, just---.” He halts.  

Her voice cracks. “Bl… Blo.”

“Drop her!” Zayne shouts. “Let go of her right now, Nina!”

“What?” I crane my head towards him. “Dro---.”

“Bl… Bl... Blood.”

Sharp.

All I can feel are sharp knives piercing into my neck. 

𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖞𝖊𝖙 𝖚𝖕𝖔𝖓 𝖚𝖘.....

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