CHAPTER (II)

Nate closed his eyes, pinning the driver to the back of the seat and dug his teeth into his neck. The warm taste of human blood giving him a deep sense of refreshment. The more he had, the more he wanted, and so he sucked on. 

Amanda wanted to talk, maybe scream but she couldn't. The man lost control of his car and swerved up and about but Nate didn't pull out. The car came to a sudden stop when it hit a street light pole. Amanda was far beyond terrified of whatever her boyfriend had turned to. she managed to find the door handle and pulled it, he was so caught up in his feeding he didn't notice her getting out of the car.

She ran, and ran and ran, she got exhausted but continued to run, wanting to get as far away as possible from the monster Nate had turned into. She didn't notice her shirt was unbuttoned or that it was still drizzling. She just ran until when she looked back, she couldn't see the car but she continued to run until she saw the bright neon lights of a building up ahead.

'PUB OPEN 24/7'

She slowed down to catch her breath as she neared the building. At the entrance, she turned back to check if anyone was following, once she confirmed she was alone, she walked in. 

The pub was noisy and filled with stocky men seated around the tables, chatting, laughing, busy with whatever they had ordered. The noise slowly died down and almost all present turned to take a look at the strange creature who had just walked in. Strange because the pub wasn't a place for young teenage high school going girls who walked around with unbuttoned shirts in the middle of the night.

It was weird, all those eyes on her, but she felt like these strangers could give her protection from whatever was outside. Some stood and started walking to her, looking with lust filled eyes at her exposed cleavage.

"She's with me." A firm voice said next to Amanda and the men stopped their advance. Her knees almost gave way on seeing him. It was the man from earlier that night. 

"You…" Amanda cried in a whisper and felt like running.

The men noticed something. "Everything ok?" one of them asked.

The guy looked inside Amanda's eyes and she couldn't look away from his, "she is with me." He repeated.

"I'm with him." She found herself saying. As if hypnotized.

The man standing in front of her was well built, with perfectly set hair, a commanding jaw line with eyes that seem to pierce through her. His presence had an aura that commanded intimidating confidence and authority that was hard to ignore despite looking only 20. 

He started to button her shirt from bottom to top, she didn't resist. "Everything is ok," he told her.

"Everything is ok." She repeated looking into his eyes as if under a spell.

"You came for a drink," he continued doing the last button.

"I came for a drink."

He looked away and she suddenly became aware of herself. She looked at his face and wanted to flee, but she couldn't bring herself to. He led her to where he had sat and ordered her a drink. She didn't touch it.

He touched her shoulder and she turned to him, their eyes met and once again, she couldn't look away. "What happened tonight?" He asked letting go of her shoulder.

She didn't understand why every time that he looked into her eyes and spoke, she had the urge to do as he said. "Nicolle Sorrenti had a party at her house, she invited most of us." She began. "I didn't want to go because it's a school night but Nate said he would have me home before eleven but we lost track of time. At around eleven thirty I told him to take me home and we got into his truck. He said we would make one stop before he could take me home. We stopped and he started caressing me," she paused as if shy. "Inside the pickup, I saw… I saw you and another person, he shot you but you didn't die, you-"

"I think we've had enough drinks for one night." He said interrupting her. He placed cash under his glass and the two walked out of the pub. "What's your name?" He asked.

"Amanda," she answered. "Amanda Hall." She wanted to ask him his name, and how he could make her get the urge to do things she didn't previously intend.

"You killed that guy, and…" her voice was shaking as she spoke.

In a split second, she felt her back pressing against the pubs wall, his hand on her throat. She tapped repeatedly and she coughed, she tried to pull his hands from her throat but failed. 

"I don't wanna kill you Amanda, I really don't, so don't give a reason to. Just be a good girl, okay?" He told her and she quickly nodded as she continued to tap his hand.

He let go and she coughed massaging her neck. The speed he had moved with from where they were to the back of the pub perplexed her. They were in the small parking lot behind the pub, a man walked by them, headed for his car.

He stepped in front of him and looked into his eyes, the man couldn't look away. "You will take directions from her and drive her home." He instructed and the man nodded unconsciously. "You will thereafter forget this conversation." He compelled and the man nodded again then walked to his car.

This strange man turned to Amanda and held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, "You will get into the car and go home, forget this conversation and everything that happened tonight. You just had dinner at your house and went to bed." He let go of her shoulder and the spell gluing her eyes to his broke.