Blood Candy Read online

  Felicia frowned. She, along with everyone else, didn’t have an answer. Candy looked over her shoulder at Jimmy, who was watching them with mixed interest and skepticism. She turned back to Felicia and White Paul.

  “Get Jimmy out of here for a few minutes,” she said. “I don’t want him to see this. Don’t let him come back until the start of the next half.”

  They both nodded and went back to the other Misfits. They talked for a minute, and then they all stood up and went into the tunnel. Candy and the Mullins hurried down into the locker room.

  “This isn’t a good idea,” Blake said. “I could hurt you . . . and your blood. . . .”

  He let his words die off when he saw the Magister leaning against a locker with his arms crossed, watching them. Candy glanced at him as well. She tried to ignore him.

  “There’s no choice now,” she said. “It’s either this or I leave with Rupert. Which do you want?”

  Blake sighed, resignation in his gray eyes. “Pull me off after a few seconds. You can’t let the bond happen. I love her. I love her with all of my heart and I won’t be able to stop myself.”

  Candy barely had time to see Wendi’s eyes rolling before Blake snatched her into his embrace. His tongue was instantly in Candy’s mouth, his hands cradling her head, his fingers running through her hair. Candy closed her eyes, felt his breath on her neck. She took two handfuls of his hair and braced herself.

  Her eyes shot open and she gasped as pain lanced down her neck, surging down through her body. The rest of her body flared into hot passion, the two forces meeting at her heart in a battle of pain and lust the likes of which she had only felt one other time. She grinded her hips into Blake and held onto his hair, forcing his face down into her neck while she did her best to hold back the scream that built inside of her.

  Hands were on her, trying to pry her grip from Blake. Arms were around her torso, trying to pull her away. She wanted to scream at them. She was ready to explode and she didn’t want it to end. Her heart raced a thousand miles an hour, pumping her life away into Blake’s mouth, connecting their hearts into one. And then it ended.

  Candy reached out for him, but Wendi had her in a bear hug. Coop and Chester each had one of Blake’s arms while Chip pushed against his chest. Blake looked absolutely crazed, his eyes blood red.

  “Jesus,” Wendi said, as if she had never seen anything like that before.

  The Mullin brothers marched Blake out of the locker room. Candy watched, along with the Magister. When they were gone, Wendi turned Candy around to face her.

  “Are you all right?”

  Candy nodded dumbly. Her neck spiked with pain and her legs wobbled. She had been so close; so close to the rapture; so close to the climax; so close to Blake’s heart and everything she ever wanted. Wendi leaned in close, brushed the yellow hair away from Candy’s neck.

  “Let me lick it,” she said. “It will close the wound faster.”

  Wendi’s tongue lapped the fresh puncture marks, sending fire through Candy once again. Candy grabbed onto her hips with both hands and tried to pull her in, tried to find her mouth with her own. Wendi held her away.

  “Slow down. It’s over now.”

  Candy let go of her. Magister Fedora’s tantalizing Hispanic voice startled her, “The girl must be outside during the game. It resumes in one minute.”

  Wendi nodded. She smoothed out Candy’s hair, trying to make sure it covered the two fading punctures, and then she led her out for the second half.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The second half didn’t go anywhere near as planned.

  Candy cringed each time Meatrack smashed a face. Every time he knocked a Mullin to the floor, a little more of her hope slipped away. Blake had to get back into the game. She ran her fingers along the wound on her neck—he had better make good use of the blood.

  Wendi tried to return the favor, but the Brits were on to her. Gavin and Rupert double teamed her in the third quarter and she never had the chance to break free. Blake was supposed to be their ace in the hole but he spent most of his time watching Candy rather than playing the game. By the end of the third quarter, Blood Court had a five point lead. Hope was quickly slipping away.

  “You pussies!” Wendi screamed at the sideline before the last quarter. Coop was mopping blood off his face while Chester readjusted his jaw. Blake ignored everything and everyone other than Candy. He put his arm around her shoulder and buried his face in her hair.

  “God you smell so good,” he said next to her ear. “I want to take you right here.”

  Candy tried to push him away. His eyes were still red, though the whites were somewhat visible now. “Blake,” she said. “You have to concentrate. If you lose this game I’m screwed!”

  Blake shook his head and rubbed his temples. “God, I can’t think of anything other than you. Wow, you look so good.”

  Wendi forced him out of the seat and Felicia moved over to take it. Blake gazed over his shoulder at Candy while his sister went over a last ditch plan. When Nigel signaled the start of the fourth quarter, the Mullins reluctantly trotted out onto the court.

  Felicia took Candy’s hand and said, “They’ll win. I hope.”

  Meatrack went on a rampage, not bothering to play the game of basketball the way it was meant to be played. Instead, he chased whichever Mullin was closest. They did what they could to avoid him, but that meant they had a hard time trying to concentrate on scoring points.

  Blood Court was up by eight with less than three minutes remaining. Balls Deep took their last time out and huddled over on the sideline. Blake’s eyes lingered once again on Candy while Wendi tried to rally her brothers.

  “Listen up,” she said. “There’s no more time for bullshit. We’re going to have to hit threes and completely stop them from scoring. Any ideas?”

  Rupert taunted near mid court. “Be seeing you soon,” he said with a wink. “Me and my brothers have big plans for you after the game.”

  Candy squeezed Felicia’s hand.

  Anastasia stood up to speak to her progeny. The Mullin children looked up to her with respect, and with fear. That was more than odd given that Anastasia, still dressed in the pink mesh shirt and short black skirt, looked like a hooker who had stumbled into a techno-club where a gang of doped up metrosexuals gave her a makeover. Her eyes passed over each Mullin before she spoke.

  “You know what happens if you lose tonight? You’ll be the laughing stock of New England, losing an American game to a bunch of Englishmen. Is that what you want? We may as well pack up and leave everything to them.”

  She grabbed Blake by the neck of his jersey and pulled him close to her face. “If you lose this game, you lose the girl. If you lose, don’t return to my house. Do you understand? Some star you are. I’m disgusted. I won’t have a failure like you carrying around my family name.”

  Anastasia returned to her seat. Everyone turned to Blake, who looked miserable. Candy would have felt worse for him if she wasn’t preoccupied with the fate awaiting her in three minutes. Blake gazed at her for a moment with his serious face on, nodded solemnly, and then turned to his brothers and sister.

  “Okay, Mullins. This is our time. This is our chance to stick it to these British assholes. I for one am tired of being the butt of their jokes. I’m tired of having to look over my shoulder when I go to the city. It’s time to show them we don’t want them around, that we won’t tolerate their shit anymore. It starts right here, right now.”

  Blake put his hand into the middle of the circle they had formed. The other Mullins pilled their hands on top of his. “This isn’t only for Candy,” he said. “This is for our pride. This is for all the years we’ve had to deal with these douche bags in our country.”

  They threw their hands up and yelled, “Mullins!” Candy’s heart skipped; maybe they could do it. Maybe they could save her.

  “Get a turnover at any cost,” Blake said. “Then get the ball to Chester.”

  They all nodded. It
was a simple plan, but it was all they had. Nigel blew his whistle and the game resumed. Blake took the ball at half court for the throw in. Meatrack trudged over to guard him with a nasty grimace on his ugly face.

  “Your bones will be powder in my hands,” he said, scowling like a bulldog.

  Blake faked a pass to his right. The Russian bit, and then Blake threw the ball to Chester over the giant’s shoulder. The clock began to run again—2:47. Chester immediately put the ball up from near half-court. Red and blue jerseys jockeyed for position. The Mullins did everything they could to keep the Brits from jumping up as the ball arced down to the basket. Chester’s shot hit home. They were down five points.

  The next forty seconds were a near blur of movement. The ball shot back and forth between the crimson jerseys of the Blood Court players while blue jerseys tried to steal or block any shot that went up. Candy sat on the edge of her seat chewing her fingernails. She let out a little shriek when Meatrack elbowed Coop to the ground. Hayden tried to get the ball to the Russian. Blake came out of nowhere for the steal. He threw a strike to Chester as he ran down the sideline. Chester snagged the ball and from half-court put it into the basket for another three points.

  Candy jumped up and cheered. She heard the Misfits doing the same. Even Jimmy was on his feet, looking nervous if anything. They were down by two points with thirty seconds remaining. Candy remembered enough about the rules to know the Brits would have twenty-four seconds on the shot clock. If the Mullins could hold them off and get the ball back, Chester could hit another three to win the game.

  Candy could barely watch when the clock started again. Crimson and blue moved around Balls Deep’s half of the court, the basketball flying back and forth as precious time ticked away. Candy and Felicia squeezed each other’s hands, the tension hanging thick in the air. Chip said something nasty to Meatrack and the hulking giant chased the terrified Mullin around the other side of the court. Less than fifteen seconds remained.

  Hayden tried to pass the ball to Vivian. Blake reversed his motion and ran between them, blocking the pass. The ball bounced along the court near the sideline. Blake rushed towards it, sprinting faster than humanly possible to get the ball before it went out of bounds.

  Candy and the Misfits jumped out of their seats, screaming and cheering; less than ten seconds and the Mullins had the ball! Chester managed to get open for a moment, but Hayden sprinted to his side, blocking any chance for a pass his way. Chester couldn’t shake him. Blake dribbled past half court. Candy held her breath. Wendi ran in front of Blake, blocking Rupert who had been dashing towards him. Blake took a bounding step up to the three-point line—he was all alone. Three seconds on the clock. He lined up a shot as quickly as he could.

  Blake jumped. Two seconds.

  Meatrack appeared midair out of nowhere. One second. Candy tried to warn Blake, she shouted, but he didn’t hear.

  Blake threw the ball as the buzzer rang. Meatrack brought his hairy arm down like a sledgehammer, slamming both the ball and Blake into the ground. Then he kicked Blake across the court.

  Candy’s heart stopped. They lost.

  “Foul!” Chester screamed.

  Nigel wouldn’t hear any of it. The game was over. They lost.

  The vampire audience erupted, jumping to their feet and clapping with enthusiasm. Blake lay on the floor with his hands over his face. The rest of the Mullins looked miserable. Rupert and Hayden sauntered over to the sideline where Candy sat with Anastasia and the Magister.

  “Let’s go,” Hayden said.

  Candy and Felicia didn’t let go of each other. Hayden gave the Magister an expectant look.

  “We won the game,” Hayden said. “The girl belongs to Rupert.”

  “Yes,” Fernando said in his deep voice. “Those were the terms. The grievance is settled.”

  Candy couldn’t believe it. Anastasia stood up and looked past her to Medium Dave, giving him a slight nod. Candy didn’t know what she should do. Anastasia took a few steps down towards the Kingsley brothers.

  “Good game, boys,” she said. “May I make a proposition?”

  Hayden crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes, both interested and skeptical.

  “Two million dollars for the girl,” Anastasia said.

  Hayden whistled, though Rupert didn’t like the idea. Candy felt someone’s hand on her shoulder. Medium Dave whispered so softly next to her ear she could barely hear what he said, “Be ready to run. I’m getting you out of here.”

  “Two million for a girl? Blake must really love her to offer up that kind of cash,” Hayden said. “But, since we all know their love is a charade, there must be something else that makes you want her so much. We’ll take the girl.”

  Rupert held his hand out. “You belong to me now. Get your ass down here.”

  Jimmy hopped over the seat and came between Candy and the Brits. “She’s not going anywhere! She’s not a piece of meat to be sold and owned by you soulless pricks.”

  Hayden stepped up to his face, sharp fangs flashing only a few inches away. White Paul and Were-Jew sprung up from their seats.

  “What did you say, little wolf?” Hayden bumped a shoulder into Jimmy that sent him back a few steps. “I’m not taking the girl, is that what you said? I’d like to see you stop me.” He turned to Candy with the intention of retrieving her.

  Jimmy held his ground. “I’ll fucking kill you if you touch her.”

  “I’d like to see you try to kill me,” Hayden said with a grin that brandished his deadly fangs. “Go ahead and change. Do it you bag of shite!”

  Jimmy threw his shirt off over his head. His eyes turned golden brown and the pupils went jet black. Short, tan hair sprouted from his skin. The vampire spectators watched on with interest; Nigel most of all, rubbing his hands together with anticipation. Fernando’s voice boomed throughout the stadium.

  “There will be no shedding of blood! I proclaimed this ground neutral. The girl belongs to Rupert.”

  Anastasia took his hand and said something in Spanish, averting his attention. Medium Dave took Candy’s arm and led her to the edge of the aisle. She stumbled after him, turning away from the court. She didn’t know what she should do; she couldn’t let Jimmy and the Misfits get into a fight because of her, the vampires would tear them up. She hoped Anastasia had a plan.

  And then complete silence fell over the stadium. Candy turned and saw a donkey where Jimmy had been standing. She could only stare while the donkey, with intelligence in its dark eyes, glared death at Hayden. The animal snapped its teeth and bucked its hind legs.

  Every vampire in the stadium burst into uncontrollable laughter. The Mullins all stared on in disbelief, Chip and Coop laughing as well. Anastasia had to put a hand over her mouth to hide a grin.

  “Jimmy . . . ,” Candy said.

  Felicia looked away with tears welling in her eyes while the rest of the Misfits turned red in the face. Jimmy bucked again, his eyes fierce and angry. He let out a high pitched bray that made everyone laugh even more. Hayden and Rupert doubled over with laughter. Jimmy’s body tensed with thick muscle as he lowered himself close to the ground. In one motion, he spun around and snapped out a double kick.

  Hayden’s head, complete with stunned expression, flew through the air.

  The laughter immediately died out as every eye inside the stadium went wide. A chorus of gasps sounded as the head landed, bounced several times, and then rolled to a stop at Blake’s feet. The now headless body of Hayden Kingsley slumped to the ground. Blood poured violently from the neck, sending the decapitated vampire into a fit of flopping and spinning.

  Rupert yelled something unintelligible, his face twisted up with rage. Vivian managed to look even crazier than normal.

  Panic and angry outbursts filled the stadium. The head at Blake’s feet started spurting blood from the ears, eyes and mouth. Blake watched it for a moment in shocked horror then he violently vomited blood all over the court, his feet, and the severed head.

&n
bsp; Medium Dave pulled Candy up the aisle to the tunnel, but she kept her head turned to the court. Vivian and Gavin rushed Jimmy with their fangs exposed. They stopped dead in their tracks when White Paul jumped over the front row and shifted in midair. The floor shook with the force of a thousand pound polar bear crashing onto it. Standing nearly eight feet tall, White Paul let out a blood curdling roar. The spectator vampires, Nigel, and the Mullin children backed away.

  “Come on!” Medium Dave yelled.

  With fists clenched, Fernando Fedora stared the huge polar bear down as he moved forward. In the confusion, Medium Dave and Candy ran into the tunnel. Fernando yelled something in Spanish. She didn’t want to run. She didn’t want to leave the Misfits there among all those vampires, but Medium Dave wouldn’t let her go. He shifted into a moose. Candy, with tears in her eyes, reluctantly climbed onto his back.

  The last thing she heard before he took off was Rupert. “You’re dead, wanker!”

  Medium Dave rushed them through the tunnel. Candy screamed when a guard who may or may not have been a vampire came running around a corner towards the courts below. The moose lowered its head and the man went up into the air with a grunt and a snap of ribs on the end of broad antlers. Without slowing down, the massive animal tossed its head to the right, grinding the man into the wall, and the guard went screaming to the ground before the sound of more snapping bones preceded his silence.

  Candy heard shouts from behind and then they were out into the night.

  Chapter Twenty

  As had become a summer habit, Candy didn’t wake up until well after noon. She spent a brutal night and part of the morning with Medium Dave finding their way back to the Kennel, half of the time on his back in the wilderness getting torn up by mosquitoes and the other half walking along the sides of roads. To make matters even worse, Medium Dave was naked until he managed to snatch a granny dress off someone’s clothesline.