Blood and Nights Out - Part 6

I try to imagine I’m somewhere else as Diablo kisses my neck, my lips, my stomach. I’m so helpless I could cry, but I don’t. I lie, limp and silent, beneath this killer, letting him continue with his devilish work. If this had happened a week ago, I would have struggled and got myself murdered, but now I realize co-operating is the only way of getting out of here alive. Diablo works his way down my body effortlessly, as if he knows exactly what he’s doing. Actually, I don’t want to think about that. It’s too sickening. Imagining him doing this to another girl is just too much for me to handle. I have to focus on the here and now to stop myself retching in disgust.

Diablo is surprisingly gentle, if a little forceful, and I don’t feel too bad. There’s no pain at all. His touch on my skin is pleasant, although admitting it is awful. Something presses against me, causing my eyes to widen and my breath to come out in pants of confusion. He laughs quietly, his mouth twisted into a wicked grin of pleasure.
"You’re so innocent it’s unbelievable," he smirks. His face is lowered so close to mine I can taste the sweetness of his breath on my tongue.
"What do you expect?" I say swiftly. "I’m thirteen years old."
If this were a story, people would be choking on their coffees at this shocking fact. The thought makes me giggle inwardly, hysterically.
"Well you’re lucky, Raven. Most girls your age don’t get to experience sleeping with a vampire," he says, almost smugly. With that said, Diablo moves between my legs and holds me still. I shut my eyes tight, ready to feel pain.

"Raven? Are you ok in there?"
Lisa is calling me from outside my door. When I open my eyes again Diablo curses and hits the wall in frustration, his fangs bared. Taking this chance I recoil gratefully. Diablo yanks me down beneath the duvet and presses himself against my back.
"When she comes in, give no sign I’m here," he hisses ominously, his infamous talons digging their points into my waist. His mouth presses close to my ear. "If you do, I’ll make you beg for death."
"Wow, nice," I snarl sarcastically under my breath. "You’re such a kind-hearted person, aren’t you? God, I love a charmer."
Before Diablo can snap a retort Lisa stumbles into my room, wrapped in a fluffy pink dressing gown. Her hair is a wild nest of natural curls, masking her eyes.
"I heard you scream before, I thought you might be having a nightmare," she explains, coming to sit on my bed. I hope she doesn’t realize I have nothing on.
"No, I…" I begin, before Diablo bites my neck softly at the back without piercing the skin. Hurriedly I change my story. "I mean, yes. I had a nightmare."

"Aw you poor kid," Lisa croons, leaning down to brush a lock of my hair from my forehead. Diablo shifts a little, hiding his own shock of black hair from sight.
"Was your bad dream about that horrible Diablo guy?" she muses. At this I feel Diablo stiffen against me, straining to listen. "I mean, you’re obviously scarred by him. I would be too- he’s practically wrecked your life."

"Yeah," I agree, elbowing Diablo spitefully. "I’m terrified he’ll come back and do it again while I’m still awake. That’ll be worse, because I’ll see him while he’s doing it and they’ll be this feeling of self-hate, you know?"
Lisa closes her eyes, and I see a tear trickle down her right cheek.
"There’s nobody to blame but him," she sighs. She rocks gently. "Hush, Raven, try and get some sleep. I won’t let him hurt you any more. Don’t hate yourself, you’re strong and nothing can stop you getting somewhere in life. Not even a vampire rapist killer thing."

"Not even if he massacres my whole family?" I croak, feeling a lump form in my throat. I reach out to touch my sister’s arm, then jerk back in disbelief. Her body is giving off a faint glow, which I recognize from Snow. Diablo called her a witch. So is Lisa one too?
"He won’t touch our family," Lisa assures me. "And if he dares touch you again, remember how Ricky died with a note in his hand. Diablo meant you to find Ricky. He meant you to be afraid. But you’re strong enough not to be. You’re special. Now don’t worry any more, and try to get some sleep."
Lisa traces a shape on my forehead with her fingertips before abruptly exiting the room. I am so confused by this weird speech I lie pondering in silence. Diablo clambers nimbly onto the top of my bed to study me.
"Raven- is that true?" he asks in a hollow voice.
"Which bit?" I say, equally hollow.
"The bit where your strange sister said I ruined your life, and scarred you."
"Oh that… probably. It’s very obvious."
I don’t look at him as I speak. I can’t bring myself to meet his eyes.

"How about the part where you admitted terror, and self hate? Was that how you truly feel?"
His voice was riddled with irritation and sad surprise.
"Yes. There’s something wrong with me, otherwise I’d try harder to fight you. I wouldn’t act so stupidly all the time, letting you try to rape me without lifting a bloody finger. Damn, I hate that."
Diablo does something I would never have expected. He lifts me into his arms and holds me against his warm chest. Is this a hug? It feels like a hug. Or I suppose I should call it an embrace, but whatever it is, it feels good, and I wrap my arms around his neck wearily, giving up the struggle at last.

"Don’t hate yourself for wanting someone to make love to you," Diablo murmurs, making my heart flip over. "It’s human nature."
"But you’re not human," I argue, blushing in embarrassment. Then I add, lying through my teeth, "I don’t want that anyway."
"Don’t shy away from the truth."
"I am not. I’m shying away from this subject."

I make a move, as if to remove myself from his embrace, so Diablo drops me to the bed lightly and kisses me full on the mouth, almost hungrily. I don’t stop him. As far as I can see, it’s pointless to try. The next few minutes pass with shocking speed. Diablo teases me, licking me and whispering unspeakable things in my ear. When he finally climbs on top of me I’ve given up completely.

It’s happening at last. He moves slowly and deliberately, almost there, when the second intruder appears in my doorway. Alice is standing, her face transfixed with a terrible rage, staring at us both. In her hand is a long wooden stake with a dangerous point at the end.
"Shit," Diablo hisses, trying to scramble away, but it’s too late. Alice plunges the weapon through his heart with inhuman strength, so hard it comes out dripping with his blood on the other side. He lets loose a gut-wrenching scream, and I join in, a howl of despair if nothing else.

Rather than anything else, this night-in is proving to be even more horrible than my night-out!