Chapter 39: Changes, Part 3

"He's mine!" the rogue vamp yelled through gritted teeth, his glowing green eyes boring into mine. Then, he hit me in the chest with his fist, sending me flying into the parking lot, as I slid across the hard pavement, trying to regain consciousness. He was definitely one of The Others, rogue vamps who didn't care about human life. Having completely lost their humanity, they cared for nothing more than self gratification and the kill. "Hey, you're pretty!" he said with a half smile as he started toward me, arms outstretched, grinning seductively.

"I don't think so," I replied as I picked myself up off the asphalt. I was still feeling a bit dazed, but was healing quickly. "Who sent you?"

"Like I'm really going to tell you!" He laughed, rushing toward me again. I expertly dodged his attack and punched him on the side of his head, then turned quickly, giving him a flying side kick into his chest, crushing his rib cage. He'd be on the ground for a bit until he healed and could breathe again. Lucky for me.

I placed a knee on his crushed chest and drew back my fist, ready to crush his heart for good. "Now, tell me who sent you!"

The rogue vamp was wheezing, trying to catch his breath, waiting for his chest to heal. "Go to hell!" he spat between breaths.

"Not on your life!" I replied, then ground my knee into his crushed chest, feeling ribs crack. "What's the guy's name? Who's after the kid? Tell me now or you die!" I knew I had to act quickly. Bud would be back around with Mr. Chicken in minutes. I reared back my fist again, and let it fly toward his chest ...

"Okay, okay!" the guy wheezed, holding up a hand as I stopped my fist in mid-air an inch from his chest. "His name is Michaels!" The guy wheezed as I reared back my fist again. "But I don't know who he works for!"

"What does Michaels look like?" I dug my knee deeper into his chest. Tell me now or you die!"

"Alright, alright!" the guy wheezed, weakly holding up a hand again. "He has brown curly hair, a power suit, an ear ring, a vamp ..."

Great. The guy who went into The Mirage has a boss. I figured as much. Suddenly, the guy threw me off his chest, sending me flying backward into the wall of the building. The building rattled a bit, as dust shot out of the walls around me. I groaned, and within a second, he was gone.

Shit! Where in the world did he go? My head throbbed from hitting the concrete so hard, but would be completely healed in a second. Man, where was Zac? I had to get to him before the rogue vamp found him. Quickly, I darted around the corner following his scent to the cafeteria. My God! Zac was having lunch in the cafeteria! There were a lot of humans in there, too. Surely the vamp wouldn't do anything in front of them, but I wasn't counting on it. I'm sure that idiot wouldn't mind taking out a cafeteria filled with high school students to get his hands on a million dollars. I knew I had to get Zac out of there before he did.

Quickly, I hotwired Zac's car and pulled it around to the side of the cafeteria in front of the plate glass windows that covered two walls and gunned the engine. Soon, students were lining the cafeteria windows, looking to see what was happening. My head still hurt, but was healing quickly. If I had to, I'd bust through the plate glass windows to get Zac out safely. Let's hope it didn't come down to that.

"Hey, Zac!" I heard a student yell on the other side of the glass. Good thing vamps have super hearing. "Some chick has your car!"

Zac suddenly appeared in the window, looking on in disbelief as I opened the passenger car door and motioned for him to come on. Then I gunned the engine again in anticipation.

"What the hell, Lisa?" he said, as he opened the cafeteria doors, walking casually toward the open door with his backpack slung over his shoulder. And behind him, the rogue vamp was walking purposefully toward him. Zac didn't notice.

"Come on, Zac!" I yelled as loudly as I could, gunning the engine again. "Run! Let's go!"

"Not until you tell me what's going on!" Zac yelled as the rogue vamp drew closer.

"Run! I'll tell you in the car!" I was begging now, my breath quickening, ready to throw the car into park and take on a rogue vamp in front of many teenage witnesses if I had to. The rogue vamp grew close behind Zac as I gunned the engine. "Run, Zac! Now!"

Just then, a few of Zac's burly football buddies stepped from the cafeteria onto the steps with worried faces, wondering what was going on, ready to intervene if necessary. One side of the rogue vamp's lips curled into a sneer as he drew near Zac, too close for comfort.

"Let's go!" I yelled at the top of my lungs just as a guttural growl erupted from the vamp's completely healed chest.

A moment later, Zac reached the open passenger door, got in casually, and shut the door just as the rogue vamp slammed his fists down hard onto the roof of Zac's Shelby Mustang. I quickly gunned the engine, peeling out, leaving the rogue vamp sneering angrily in the parking lot with his fists balled. In the rearview mirror, I saw Annie round the corner, eyeing what was going on.

"What the hell?" Zac said, looking behind us, finally seeing why it was so urgent.

I let out a breath as relief swept over me. Annie would take care of the rogue vamp and save the students. I feared that he would retaliate for not getting Zac by killing all the students in the whole school. An angry rogue vamp would do it and not think twice.

I sped through town, not caring about getting a speeding ticket. Luckily, I hadn't gotten one yet.

"You will tell me what is going on! Now!" Zac yelled, as I sped out of town driving his car.

Ignoring him for the moment, I expertly pulled out my cell phone and dialed. "Rick? You need to get to the school. Now! Annie needs help with a rogue vamp," I said quickly.

"Where's Zac, Star?" Rick asked, already running.

"He's safe," I replied, and heard Rick let out a sigh. "He's with me, but the other students are in danger. Annie needs your help ... now!"

"I'm on my way," Rick answered, then quickly hung up.

"Lisa or Abigail, whatever your name is!" Zac yelled, bracing himself in the passenger seat as I expertly turned corners. This car handled beautifully. "Stop the car! Now! We need to talk!"

"Not until you're safe," I said, not slowing down.

"Then find some place safe and pull over!" Zac yelled, on the verge of freaking out. I might have to knock him out just to save his life. But while I was contemplating it, he lowered his voice. "Abigail, pull over. We need to talk." Then I looked into his pleading azure eyes. "Please."

I let out a sigh and, against my better wishes, I pulled off onto a dirt road hidden within the forest. After driving a ways off road, I pulled under an old maple tree and threw it into park. I took a breath, and then turned to face Zac, knowing what he was going to say. Well, it was nice while it lasted.

Zac got out of the car and sat on the hood without saying a word as I followed. It really was beautiful in the woods with Zac. Any other time, it would have been nice ... any other time. But a lump rose within my throat, because I knew it was over.

"Abigail," Zac said gently, turning the full force of his azure eyes onto mine, causing my heart to flutter. "What's going on? Tell me everything."

"Are you sure you really want to know?" I softly asked, fearing the worst.

"Do I have a choice now?" he countered as his deep blue eyes flared. "Please, enlighten me." I forced my eyes away from his, but when he placed his fingertip under my chin, forcing me to look at him, tears were already staining my cheeks. "Oh, Abbey," Zac said, taking me into his arms, letting me cry onto his shoulder.