Page 11 of Wanted 3

What the hell had been in that troll's blood? Didn't matter. This was my chance to escape, now or never. With the raucous those two were making, I didn't worry about stealth. Speed mattered more at this point. I tore out of the closet faster than any hound of hell could ever dream of running.

I flew into the hall, but instantly skidded to a halt.

My dad stood at the end of the hall, his gun pointed at the bog troll as the creature made a dash for the front door.

Shit. He’d cut off my escape. I’d have to return to my dad's bedroom and hope the window wasn't still stuck. And while it was in the opposite direction, it was a long hallway that would leave me exposed for far too long.

Before I could make up my mind, the gun went off, the shot so loud, my ears rang.

Shocked, I turned back towards my dad to see the troll lying on the floor in a crumpled heap—like a bag of trash left on a curb.

My dad leapt forward with animalistic dexterity to crouch beside the creature’s limp body, and then with a growl that sounded like a feral wolf, he bit the troll’s neck.

I stared, unable to move. Had my father somehow turned into a vampire? That made no sense.

He attacked the creature’s flesh, guzzling the blackened blood with a great smacking of the lips, the stench of it filling the house and causing my stomach to clench. Bile filled the back of my throat and I knew I would lose the contents of my stomach if I didn't get out. Now.

No matter if he saw me or not. I took off down the hall at full speed, but halfway to the door, I heard him.

“Kass, I’m coming for you,” my father called after me. His voice had changed and had a layered dual tone that sent a new kind of fear creeping down my spine.

What the hell kind of voice wasthat?He sounded downright demonic.

I knew I should just keep running, but I didn’t. I stopped and turned. Maybe it was curiosity at the change in his voice. Maybe, just like the bog troll had promised, he could control me now.

Whatever it was, I turned around. I had to see.

My father hadn’t moved. He still crouched on the floor, the troll's limp body in his arms. Blood dripped down his chin and onto his clothes as he smiled at me.

But then, I saw them.

His eyes.

They were glowing.

4

Iflew out of the house and down the block. My hands shook so bad it took me five tries to jam my keys into the ignition. I kept looking all around, expecting at any moment to see my father running towards me like the devil himself.

At last, the car started, and I peeled out of there, speeding through the neighborhood streets until I was out of town and zooming down the highway.

I had to tell Vlad. He’d know what to do.

My father was enough of a nightmare before this extra dose of evil infected him.

The day was nearly spent, the sun sinking beneath the line of trees as I drove.

Technically, it wasn’t night yet. Would Vlad be awake, or was he the kind of vampire that only woke as that last splash of sunlight faded in the sky?

There was still so much I didn't know, didn't understand, about this new world I'd stumbled into. When this shit with my dad was over, I would be peppering Vlad with a shit ton of questions.

I was nearly at the mansion when my car sputtered, and I realized it was on empty. Shit, shit, double shit.

I willed my car on, as if my thoughts could power it in lieu of gas.

The car gods smiled upon me, and I made it to the driveway before my car ground to a halt with no more fumes left to power it.

I nearly tripped running into the house, my breath coming in spurts, my lungs burning as I flew up the stairs and crashed through Vlad's bedroom door.