Flash Fiction

Some months ago, I decided to take a crack at doing flash fiction. What is flash fiction? Flash fiction is a story written in 1000 words or less. Some go to the extreme and create a piece in less than 500 words. I went for the 1000 word mark and managed to come out a tad lower than 1000. This is a fun challenge for you fellow writers out there. Flash fiction means less characters, keep it condensed and to the point. But, don’t forget to make it interesting. Here’s my best piece called, Bite Me.

Bite Me

By: Aneva Walker

Dave wrapped his arms around Lyla’s waist and ran his tongue down her neck. She shivered and laughed.

“I thought you fed already love.”

She felt Dave shrug. “That does not make the taste of you any less alluring.”

Lyla turned around in his arms and studied her mate of five years. His face was a mix of planes and sharp edges. He had eyes that were the purest form of gold, flecked with grey. His mouth held promises and intoxicating temptations. She found herself leaning into him, her pixie shaped face turned up. Her full mouth parted. A cocky smile touched his lips and he leaned into kiss her.

“Help! Help!”

The inhuman scream startled them apart. They looked at each other and then scanned their surroundings. It was dark, their cottage home in the midst of the forest, but they both knew they were only on the outskirts of the city. The cry came again, closer now.”

“Pleasure kill, probably one of Ballic’s clan.” Dave said, sniffing the air.

Lyla frowned. “They’re in our territory; something doesn’t smell right about this.”

Dave agreed. The only reason vamps of the Ballic clan would ever step foot into another’s territory is if they were challenging them to a battle.

“I think it’s a trap, Dave. That scream didn’t sound human.”

Dave nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. He already felt his teeth elongating and his blood rushing through his veins. No one was going to take away everything he fought for. He looked over at his mate’s face, only to find her watching him.

“Go inside and don’t come out until I get back.”

Lyla huffed and slapped his chest. “You fool, I am you’re mate, not your child. I am going with you. Do not forget that this is my home as well.”

Dave’s handsome face creased into a frown but he nodded.

“Take my back,” he said as they advanced into the woods.

“With pleasure,” Lyla said as her teeth elongated and she prepared herself to fight.

*****

As they neared the area of forest where the screams emanated from, the ground beneath them became soft and squishy. Each step they took further into the woods the worse the ground became. The moss looked black and sickly in the darkness. The trees appeared bent and grotesque. His vision was not hampered by the night, if anything it got better. And what Dave was seeing, alarmed him.

“Be on guard,” he whispered.

There was no answer. He turned to find his mate gone. Every curse imaginable spilled from his lips as he frantically searched for Lyla. That was his first mistake. The blow came from above. He crashed to the ground and shook off the fog that swarmed his head.

The vamp in front of him was young, newly turned and hungry. He snapped his teeth like a threatening alligator as he pressed toward Dave. Dave leaped to the tree tops and came down hard onto the vamps back. He sunk his teeth into the boy’s neck and held on. Bones crunched under the force of the bite. The boy yelped and then went limp. He moved off of the dead body and headed further into the woods. Something still was bothering him, but he couldn’t pin point what that something was.

The figure leapt from the trees, mouth ajar, aiming for Dave’s jugular. Dave’s hand moved quickly and he swatted the vamp away like a fly. Bones crunched against the tree trunk. More slithered from behind trees and he fought viciously. Dave was aware of the tiredness creeping into his veins. He needed to feed, but he couldn’t. Lyla was still missing.

Dave wiped the blood from his eyes. He was standing in a clearing. His mate was lying in the midst of it.

*****

Dave ran to her side and checked her pulse. It was weak. She had loss too much blood. He cradled her head in his arms and rocked her.

“Lyla, Lyla, can you hear me love?”

Lyla’s eyes opened slowly and a sad smile tinged her lips.

“You have to leave, it was a trap. Ballic,” she gasped. “Ballic took the pendant of Valspar, all is lost.”

Dave shook his head frantically. “No, with that he has the power to change good into evil.”

Lyla nodded jerkily.

“You need blood, my love. Feed.”

Dave slit his wrist with his teeth and pressed it against his mate’s mouth. She turned her head away.

“No, it’s a trick.” Lyla gasped.

“You’re speaking foolishness. Feed!” He ordered.

She did and Dave felt his strength draining from him. His vision went black around the edges. He tried to take his hand back but Lyla wouldn’t let go.

The sound of loud clapping had him looking behind him. Ballic stood there, smiling like a predator who had just cornered his prey.

“How sweet,” he purred. “Such love.”

The pendant of Valspar glowed at his neck and Dave understood all too late what his mate was trying to warn him of. His hand fell to the ground followed by his weak body. His mate got up and walked toward Ballic’s side. Her eyes had gone completely red. The warmth in her was gone.

“You bastard,” Dave breathed.

“You played your part well, my friend. I did not only win your mate but the pendant of Valspar. Plus,” he said, joyfully. “I got your death.”

Dave’s eyes clouded with sorrow and defeat as the last of his strength left him and he fell into darkness.