The Vampire Lover's Diary (Work In Progress)

Here is the next instalment of The Vampire Lover's Diary.  Hope you like it.  I am going to take a break over Christmas.  Check out my publisher's blog at http://hellfireherald.blogspot.com/ and readers group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hellfirereaderspub/ where I will be able to chat to you about the publication of my victorian vampire novel, Knight Of Swords.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.  Hope you have a great holiday!

Sara

Thursday 23rd December 2010


I found myself going stir crazy today. My daughter Darcy is away staying with her father and his new wife until Christmas Eve tomorrow and I have been cooped up for days in the house on my own. The heavy snowfall hadn't exactly made me want to go out either.

I saw that man in the garden again last night. I know I am not imagining it now. I should never have looked out. It reminded me of that movie, Salem's Lot. You know when the boy opens his curtains at night after hearing a scratching sound at the window and finds his dead friend turned vampire floating at the window scratching his nails down it! Ugh. I couldn't open the curtains for two months after watching that movie as a teenager. Still not happy doing it. Huh and me a dark fantasy/horror writer. What gives???

I couldn't see his face for the shadows but I just had that feeling that he was looking up at me. Then he seemed to vanish. I heard a scratching at the back door and what sounded like the whining of a dog. I froze as the scratching got louder and louder. My heart began to thud. Somebody or something was definitely trying to get in.

My small spaniel, Puzzle went bananas barking and took off down the stairs to investigate and defend me from the would be intruder. It spurred me into action. I searched for something heavy and found my bronze lovers statute a friend had bought me for my birthday years ago. What a thing to hit someone over the head with. Still, it was heavy as hell and would do the trick should I need to go that far to protect myself.

The scratching turned into unmistakable clawing as I descended the stairs with weapon in hand. Heart thumping until I thought it might escape from my chest and run down the road I opened the locked door to the kitchen that Puzzle stood barking outside and ran through it. That's when I remembered Roman's card with his telephone number on. No, I decided I would prove that I could look after myself. My pride was still wounded from the other morning and there was no way I was calling him.

I ran into the laundry room off the kitchen with the dog and stood in front of the frosted glass door paralysed. I could see a large dark shape of animal. I know this sounds ridiculous but it looked like a wolf from where I was standing. I put my weapon of choice down on the floor and moved to the door and it's lock ready to confront it, all the time shouting for it to go away I was armed with a deadly weapon.

The door began to rattle and shake just like my body. I suddenly decided that opening the door might not be such a good idea and I began to step back scooping the dog up into my arms. I was paralysed waiting for whatever it was to come through the door. I would have rang the police but my mobile was upstairs and I couldn't move with fright. I felt doomed!

The door suddenly partially opened making me jump. I took another two steps back feeling tears in my eyes. I glanced down at the statute and picked it up. The door banged again and I gave a cry as I saw the black eye of a large wolf stare at me through the door. Just then I saw the tall shape of a man against the frosted glass. He lunged for the animal who whined. Frosty air blew through the door still holding on to its hinges and locks for dear life and the two figures disappeared.

Shocked I ran forward letting the dog go and pushed the open part of the door closed. I found some boxes I still hadn't emptied from my move and pushed them up against the door to keep it closed. I raced back upstairs putting on every light and climbed into bed with Puzzle and my weapon. I sat listening to every creak the house made with fear for hours. I debated whether or not to ring the police but what could they do and besides I doubted whether or not they would believe me. It was a nightmare. As though one of my gruesome books was coming to life!

Eventually I must have fallen asleep after consoling myself that it was just a dog trying to get in. A bloody large dog but nonetheless just a persistent stray. There was no way it was a wolf. It was dark I got it wrong.

I just wanted to get out in the fresh air and find some company especially after I examined the door and saw the huge claw marks down the back of it. I got my friend Susan's husband to come around and fix it for now. He was amazed and asked if I wanted to come and stay the night with him and Susan to recover from my fright but I declined his kind offer. Anyway, I took the dog for a walk.

I was coming out of the house all booted up and covered in layers, stylishly though I may add when I see Roman come out of the house with Connor and a man who looked exactly like him. They were carrying shopping in from the car. I didn't know he was one of identical twins! Double the fun!! Huh, double the trouble!

He looked over to me and caught my eye despite my best efforts to pretend that I had not seen him. He smiled widely and I returned it with a awkward nervous one of my own. I put my head down and tried to carry on but he began speaking to me and I was forced to stop and acknowledge him as he crossed the road with his brother and Connor. You may wonder how I could tell them apart. I couldn't really I was just going on who spoke to me as being Roman. He introduced me to his twin Julian and to Connor. We chatted about the good and bad points of having a twin and then he startled me my changing the conversation to about last night.

'How are you? I haven't seen you for a few days and I wondered if you were all right last night. All of your lights were on when I came in from the club at 3am,' he enquired in that melting dark chocolate voice of his. 'I couldn't help feeling concerned. There have been some burglaries in the area recently and a couple of women have been abducted from the streets in the Peachum village and one from her home at night. Please call me if you feel unsafe.'

Julian seconded his words, 'We look out for each other here, especially the ladies who live alone.'

My eyes widened with surprise. There was more than concern in both of their voices, there was fear for me. I had never heard about the abductions or the burglaries and I now wondered if I would ever sleep again. Still my stubbornness to prove I did not need a man to exist safely on the planet forced me to smile and say that everything was fine. I had just felt a little unwell. Something I had eaten.

Roman's beautiful dark eyes stared at me hard and I am sure I saw disbelief in them. Feeling guilty I made an excuse about wanting to walk the dog before it got dark and left with the promise that I would indeed come to the party on Christmas Eve.

I carried on down the street seeing one of my neighbours come out of her house and get into her car. She looked cross and paid me no attention when I called out to say hello to her. A man came out of the house behind her as she drove out of the drive. He bellowed at her, 'Where are you going? If you are going where I think you are . . . Claire, it's not safe . . . he won't listen to you.' But she was away and passing me by in her car.

I made my way on to the field and let Puzzle off the lead and took in a large breath of icy air. I trailed after Puzzle admiring the wintry landscape and the red plump berries on the holly laden down with snow. I carried on down the path that led to the woods. It was good to get out.

I called for Puzzle as I rounded a corner between the trees and prepared to find my way out when I stumbled on something. I fell flat on my face and landed hard on the frozen ground. I banged my head and when I tried to lift myself up I felt woosey and dazed. I tried to focus on what it was that tripped me up and to my horror found it was a woman's arm. I looked sideways with fright and found myself looking at the full on dead body of a woman.

There was blood everywhere but it was dry and caked. The smell was awful. Part of the young woman's face had been ripped away and it looked as though she had been savaged by a wild animal. I scrambled to my feet watching my world spin and then I heard a noise. With a gasp I turned to the trees behind me and could of sworn I saw a figure. More rustling in the undergrowth and the person was getting close. Terrified I looked around for Puzzle but she was nowhere to be seen. I saw a figure run from behind the tree towards me in a blur and I decided to make a dash for it in the opposite direction.

I could feel the person behind me and I didn't think I was going to escape. But I was brought to a sudden halt when I ran straight into a tall dark man. I looked up to find Roman Price holding me in his arms. That wasn't exactly how I'd planned to get in his arms but here we were. I felt woosey again and had difficulty in focusing. I sank but he held me up asking me what was wrong? And how did I get the cut on my forehead?

I told him all I could as he cradled me warmly in his arms gentling me with words of reassurance that I was safe with him. His fingers swept around the side of my face to tilt it to one side and examine the cut.

'We must let Julian take a look at that. He's a doctor,' he turned to his son who was standing at his side looking at me with shock. 'Connor, I want you to stay with Amanda and don't let her leave. It is very dangerous for her to be alone. Do you understand?'

'Yes, father. I won't let you down.'

'Good.'

Roman made sure I could stand and then disappeared in the direction of the body. I suddenly remembered Puzzle. I called her name but she was nowhere to be found. Distressed I wanted to go and look for her but Connor caught my arm when I tried to leave.

'No, you must not go anywhere. You will be safe here with me,' he commanded with a bit too directness for a child his age.

'I appreciate your concern , Connor, but I am worried about my dog. I will be fine. Let go.'

'I can't. You are in danger . . .'

His grip tightened. I couldn't have moved if I wanted to.  I was about to remonstrate with him when Roman returned carrying Puzzle. He handed the dog to Connor and took firm hold of my arm from Connor. He nodded with approval to his son before a speaking to me.

'Let's get you home and call the police. I want Julian to have a look at your injuries and you need a drink,' he told me softly slipping his other arm around my waist. 'Then you are going to tell me exactly what terrified you so much last night and I am not going to listen to any of your excuses to avoid talking about it. There is a dangerous predator on the prowl who has his eyes on you and Julian and I are the only ones who can protect you from him.'


Evening

I am at home and the police have just been. Roman has taken command of the whole situation. Not sure I approve but then I feel too sore to object and its quite nice somebody wants to take care of me for a change. Julian is in the kitchen cooking my tea. I can't believe it. I can't remember the last time a man cooked for me. It feels kind of cosy and I do feel more safe knowing they are here but Roman has been looking at my back door and I think I am about to get the third degree about last night again.

He is like a dog with a bone between his teeth and I have begun to feel as though I am being interrogated. I don't think he believes my story about it being a dog. In fact he raised his eyebrows with impatience and shook his head. And he is still yet to explain why only he and Julian can protect me from this so called predator. Scary chat up line if I ever heard one. Oops, better go he wants my attention. He's giving me a rather sexy do as your told for your own good and don't push me look. Will write later.