Free Tyran's Thirst (Blood Lust) by Erika Lindsen

The monsters will
keep coming and spread over the country and eventually the world.
Why hide? I’ve proven to myself that I can take a fury.”
“They are not the only problem.”
     
I ran a hand through my chewed on locks. “No, but stiffs
are simple as long as you’re quiet and vampires…I can handle it.”
     
Hisface dropped. “Can I at least escort you back?”
“Sure.”
    He forced me to take his hand. In twenty minutes we found
a bike trail that was concealed and led to the south end of Norwalk,
near to where my tree house was. I tried not to look at him. Each
glance was like a knife through me. He wanted to get as far away
from Hell’s Gate as he could. I may be stupid, but I wanted to stay
and fight anything that came my way. I couldn’t leave him, but I
had to.
**
     
“I guess this is good-bye,” Tyran said as we climbed the
ladder to my house.
     
I forced a smile. “Yep.”
     
He turned away. “Maybe I’ll see you on the west coast?”
     
I nodded. “Maybe.”
     
He sighed and jumped to the grass. Peering over, he was
gone.
    I sat back on my heels and stared forward. The sun was
down and the clouds were as thick as ever. Darkness. It was like
being hollowed out. Or that might have been the loneliness.
Shivering, I found my blanket and wrapped it around my body. It
didn’t help. Nothing would but Tyran’s cold hands.
    I clicked on my radio. Static. It had been years since I heard
a transmission. Some came in from survivors begging for help.
They lasted days before silence again. I decided to curl up with my
blood stained ax and rest, if it was possible.
CHAPTER 9
SIX MONTHS LATER
    Footprints. Smeared imprints left behind by someone
dragging their feet. The stiffs. I followed the trail to the bar by the
railroad tracks. Strange. Zombies usually didn’t scuffle like these
were. Ax in hand, I threw open the door.
    Inside were candles flickering, lighting the darkness. In an
aisle fashion, they led to the counter where a zombie hung from the
T.V. mounted on the wall. The room smelled of melon spray. I
inhaled, completely puzzled and mesmerized by my surroundings.
    My hair was being swept off my shoulder. Fingers undid
the buttons of my coat and unraveled my scarf. I didn’t dare turn. It
had to be a dream.
“You know what I find sexy?” a man whispered.
    His voice was barely audible, but I knew who it was. Or,
more importantly, who it wasn’t. I turned around and found a man
with long blonde hair tied in a ponytail. He was wearing a red
trench coat. As he smiled I saw fangs.
    Trying to pull my pistol from its holster, the vampire
grabbed me and threw me on the bar counter. The force of the
blow caused air to escape me. My head throbbed. He rubbed his
nose against my cheek, smooth yet rough, caressing me. I slammed
my head into his, causing him to fall backwards. As I ran for the
door, he took hold of my hair and snapped me back.
    I collided with a table and tumbled over, cutting my bare
arm. He laughed then jumped in my lap. His tongue lapped at the
blood trickling from the wound. I kicked him in the chest but he
merely smiled at me.
Shaking his finger in a “No-no” fashion, he whispered, “Do
you know how long it has been since I’ve tasted a human?”
     
“Fuck you!”
    “Oh, we will get to that. I haven’t seen a hum
an in months.
I’ve had to live on the blood of zombies. Do you know what that
does to a man?”
“Fuck you!” I repeated.
    His smiled scared the shit out of me. “Okay, if you want.”
He turned me on my back, pinning me to the floor. I started
to scream. Even if the stiffs heard me they would at least interrupt
him. Lifting up the back of my tank, he tongue trailed the line on
my spine.
    His weight was lifted from me and I heard a grunt and the
sound of metal on bone. He took care of the zombie. Crawling to
my knees I felt a thick wool drape over my shoulder. Gazing up, I
saw Tyran offering me my jacket.
I flung myself into his