Free Reign of Blood by Alexia Purdy Page A

low beeping noise of the warning light. I froze, staring at the monitors, waiting to see what had set off a motion sensor outside. My heart wasn’t cooperating anymore and continued to jump in my chest as I watched the screens.
    Quickly, I grabbed a pair of jeans instead and pulled them on, yanking back my soaked black hair into a messy, low ponytail. Slipping on one of my hoodies for warmth, I sat at the monitoring desk and waited, hoping it was a false alarm and that an animal had found its way across the property. As the camera flashed to the driveway, I realized what had tripped the sensor. Two figures stood at the van, seemingly searching its windows and circling it round and round. I gulped. They were so close–I prayed that the soundproofing of my sanctuary was working its magic at that moment.
    Staring at the figures, they reminded me of the lone vampire girl from the other day, the helpless one I had killed without hesitation. Pressing my lips together, I felt an urge to gear up and slaughter these two, just like the girl. That is, until I saw another two figures walk across the screen.
    My heart jumped again. Am I surrounded? I sucked in a breath as I realized I had been holding it for a bit too long. How many are out there? What if they find me?
    The questions poured through my head as I stared wide-eyed at the scene before me. I couldn’t believe that they had come up so far into the mountains. Why would they do that? Was the lack of food bringing them to me? I frowned as I realized that my mother’s blood was still smeared across the van’s door and the light sprinkle of rain that fell on and off in the fall here had probably wet it enough earlier to bring out the blood-tainted stink all around the van. I suddenly regretted not washing the damn thing when I could’ve. It would have saved me this headache for sure.
    I decided to get ready, just in case they barged through into my hideaway. I doubted they would, this place was fortified. Pulling on my socks and boots, I laced them tight and added some daggers to a bandoleer I strapped across my chest. My machetes sat cleaned and gleaming on the rack across from the desk. I pulled only one down, not feeling too hot on my left arm, and a hatchet to swing if need be. I was still tired but I was hoping I wouldn’t be doing any fighting tonight.
    The monitor’s glow burned my eyes as I spent the next couple hours staring at the figures shuffling around. They had my curiosity up. Some glanced around the property and searched about for whatever they were looking for. Others were up in the cabin, checking it out, but none headed into the cellar for some reason or another. My hide out was safe. But the confused look on some of their faces made me suspicious. They were not the crazy ferals from the city who pounced without remorse and tore at a person with fangs. Like the girl from the other night, these ones walked more smoothly and did not snarl or look around crazed. I almost could mistake them for humans except for the glimpse of a fang every now and then flashing in the screen from their partially opened mouths. No, these were not feral, and this scared me most of all.
    I thought I knew what was out there, but these mutants made me want to hide in my hole even more. I watched them for a good while until they disappeared from the cameras. I knew I couldn’t leave without risking discovery during the night. I didn’t think I could use the van anymore. I would have to find another car to use until they moved on but who knew how long that would be?
    I groaned at my grave mistake, taking it for granted when I parked my van outside every day. It had been my only connection to our old life. Now I would have to let it sit for a while to make sure they suspected nothing was out of place. More out of place than the blood on the door? I huffed out a breath, shaking my head. I hoped they would just move on. This was so not a good thing; my little universe was crashing