Was it strange that she got a thrill out of these kind of pursuits? Either way, it was the ability to go fast which was what led her to this job in the first place. There was the desire to help people, sure. But the rush, the thrill of the chase... Now that was what got her blood pumping! Speeding down the highway, the two cars were close.
The bronze 1972 Fiat 124 Bs1 Spider Sport convertible speed along the two lane blacktop, with the black and white 1973 AMC Matador in pursuit. The cruiser kept pace with the car, the engines thundering as they sped through the countryside. The 330HP 401 V8 roared under the hood of the cruiser as it sped along the road, the siren only partly being heard over the sound of the engine.
Twelve minutes. She had been chasing this vehicle for twelve minutes now, watching as it tried to evade. The suspect had been reported stealing blood from a blood bank. Definitely one of the craziest thefts she'd handled. But they'd reach the next town in another nine minutes, so it was wrap it up now or call off the chase. However, she got her break. And not in the way she expected...
The Fiat suddenly decelerated, skidding and spinning around so it was half angled to her cruiser. She applied the brakes, skidding to a stop facing the car. She stayed put, watching as nothing happened. Then she saw the door open, and a man got out, holding his hands up. Putting the car in park, she unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out, drawing her gun as she stayed behind the door.
"Keep your hands up and turn your back to me!" she told him. She could see the guy smiling from where she was. Wasn't hard to miss.
"Miss... how about I make you an offer?"
"I said turn your back to me!"
After a few seconds hesitation, the rottweiler complied, turning his back to her.
"Now get on the ground, cross your legs and put your hands behind your head!" She kept a watchful eye on the driver, and to make sure she saw no other movement in the Fiat.
The rottweiler complied, laying on the ground.
Minnie cautiously stepped around the door and inched her way to the driver. "Don't make a move!"
"You didn't answer my question."
Minnie humphed. "As if I'd accept." She got to the driver and reached to holster her weapon as she placed her left knee on the driver's arms, then reached for her handcuffs.
"You could join us. Live a life like no other."
"Pass," she said, clicking one cuff.
"So be it." Suddenly, the man's strength increased ten fold and she saw the cuffs snap in two. That was all she had time to see before he whirled around quickly, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her in the air. Her hands instinctively went to his hand, trying to loosen the grip as she began grunting and gasping for breath. "One last chance, young lady." She saw the color in his eyes, and intense dark red, almost glowing, half like blood, half like the night. "You can join us. You're still so young, so full of life. It'd be a shame to waste that."
Even in her state, she had enough rationality, and her wit, to respond. She managed a smirk. "N... Never." In that moment, she had reached for her gun and slid it out of its holster without him knowing. She managed to aim slightly and pull the trigger, shooting him in the side.
This was enough to make him drop her and grab his side, stumbling back. She grabbed her throat, gasping for breath before trying to aim her gun again, but she noticed him look at her again, smiling... like a madman. He moved toward her, seemingly unfazed by the 9mm she just put into his torso.
"Such a persistent girl..."
Her eyes widened as she saw him walk like she hit him with a pebble. She aimed and fired a round into his lower leg, hoping to disable him. She had one last pair of handcuffs, but given how the last pair fared, she began to think it was pointless. But again, the dog only slumped with his injured limb momentarily before looking back at her again.
"...What...?" Her mind began to lose focus on reality. How the heck could someone move as freely as him and have a bullet in his side and leg?! Before she could attempt another shot, he closed the distance, faster than she'd seen any person move, and felt a kick to her stomach, knocking the wind out of her as she fell back. She didn't have time to recover before he closed in again. And in that moment she felt an extreme searing pain in her left shoulder. He moved back, and she didn't have to look to see the handle of the blade sticking out of her arm. She slowly turned to see it.
Red. Her blue shirt was turning crimson, and at a rapid pace. The blade was large, and she could see the expanding spot of red. Given her medical training and knowledge, he had done some damage. That was a friggin' big blade. She looked up at him. "You think... Uhg! ...this will stop me?"
"No. But this will."
Then she felt another pain. In a flash, the dog had moved closer to her and yanked out the blade, causing her to cry out in pain again. She looked down and realized the blade had partially plugged the hole, and its absence meant she was losing more blood, and fast. She looked up and saw the dog smile as he licked the blade in a maniacal spectacle.
"If you won't join us, then I'm afraid you have to die." He turned, giving a laugh as he walked calmly to the Fiat.
She watched as it turned around and drove off. Tossing aside everything she'd seen at this point, she reached up and took hold of the mic on her shoulder. "...C-28... to command... The vehicle got away..." She grunted, feeling the pain in her shoulder. "...Need 10-38... to mile marker 7... Please hurry..." She let go of the mic and grabbed her shoulder, yelping as she applied pressure to try to stop the bleeding as much as she could. "...Okay... Deep wound... Heavy bleeding... No big, right?" She tried to move and managed to pull herself to her feet. She moved slowly to her cruiser. By the time she made the small journey back to it, she felt fatigue. She got to the front of it and pressed her back to the front fender, slumping down onto the asphalt. "...Okay... I was wrong..."
Minnie felt herself starting to feel dizzy and tired. She knew she had to keep calm to keep her heart rate down, and keep from losing more blood. She tried to think about things that would give her fight. Her mind thought of her parents. Oh, sure, they wanted her to go into dress making, but no. She wanted to do something different. If she lived, she'd never hear the end of this if they found out. Next thing she thought of was her friend, and coincidentally, her boyfriend. She grunted as she felt another coarse of pain. Her thoughts began to race of the past month since she'd met him.
He was a transfer at the department she worked for, having a couple more years on the force than her, they met the day he transferred, and there seemed to be an instant click between them. Before long, they were taking lunch breaks together, talking about various topics and just enjoying each other's company. They were assigned their own units, so they didn't get to ride together, but they did sometimes patrol together. Didn't take her long to realize she really liked him. Nor for her to start fantasizing about a future with him. Didn't take long for them to start dating either. She thought of him during the last time they hung out together. Going to the arcade, tying on Groove to the Music, getting popcorn and watching the latest zombie movie. And their first kiss. A shy boy, he watched her as she moved up the steps to her house, but she wasn't about to let the night end just yet.
She went back, grabbed his shirt collar and kissed him. No amount of fireworks in the whole world could compare to those that went off at that moment. Pulling back, she giggled at his goofy expression. She tweaked his ears and told him goodnight. Once inside, she bit her lip and giggled and squealed with delight. She also caught a glimpse of him punching the air and doing a little dance, which made her laugh.
She smiled weakly, but she smiled. She couldn't give up and just leave him. Not now. No, not ever. Then she managed to look up and she saw a familiar three circled figure moving into her vision. She opened her eyes and saw him, the same boy she was thinking about. "...Mickey...?"
"Easy, easy, just relax," his warm, honey-like voice instructed as he checked over her injuries. Oh, sure, he had a distinctive high pitch to his voice, but that was one of the adorable quirks about him.
"...What're you doing here?"
"I heard ya over th' radio and rushed here," he replied. He saw the deep cut in her shoulder, and checked over her. "Is this it? Are ya hurt anywhere else?"
She shook her head a little. "...No... Just the... heh... giant gash in my shoulder..."
"Just take it easy," he said, lifting her upper body into his arms as he cradled her upper body and head.
Was he an angel? Because right now he sure looked like one to her. The soft sunlight casting a little glow around him. Wow, was he gorgeous.
Mickey looked at her wound, and knew the severity. Paramedics wouldn't make it to her in time. She'd bleed out long before they got there. And even with his speed he couldn't get her to a hospital in time. He knew of one other option. But there's no way she'd accept it.
"Listen..." he started softly. "This cut is deep. The paramedics won't make it here in time. But I can help. I can save ya."
She smiled as she looked at him. "...Just bein' the hero, huh? Heh... That is soo you..."
"Mins... I wanted t' tell ya... I'm not..." He inhaled and exhaled. "I'm not mortal. I'm a vampire."
Minnie couldn't help it as she chuckled. "...I'm the one stabbed and losing blood... and you're talking crazy... Either I'm delirious, or you're really telling the truth..."
"I wanted t' tell ya, but... I didn't know how ya'd react. I was afraid ya'd be afraid of me. I wanted t' tell ya tonight at dinner, but, heh... I can save ya. But... I'd have t' bite ya, and turn ya inta what I am."
She smiled softly with a breath. "...A vampire..." Right now, oddly enough, that idea didn't sound too darn bad. Heck, she remembered dressing up as a vampire a few times around Halloween.
"But... only if ya want me to. Ya have t' be okay with it before I do."
Sweet, little gentleman as ever. Even now he'd refuse to turn her unless she wanted him to. Her mind was still rational enough to know the situation. She'd die otherwise. And she'd leave him alone. There goes them dating, getting married, being intimate... Their life together. All that out the window. And darn it if she was going to let some punk stab her and keep her dreams from becoming a reality.
"...Do it..."
His ears perked.
She looked at him, her smile turning slightly into an expression more stern. "Bite me... Turn me... ...It's okay... ...Do it... please..." She smiled softly again. "...As if I'd leave you now..."
Mickey looked at her, actually stunned. Huh. Who knew? She was chock full of surprises.
He leaned down as he held her up closer to him. "Do ya trust me?"
She smiled as she looked into his eyes. "With my life."
He nodded and gently angled her so the side of her neck would be just enough exposed that he could reach. Minnie closed her eyes as she felt the pressure of something gently against her neck, and then she felt a tiny prick. But no pain. And she moaned as she felt his hot breath, followed by a warmth flowing around the area he'd bitten. Kissed? She didn't know, but my gosh, did it feel amazing. If one kiss to her neck felt like this, she was now crazy to find out how his kisses felt in various places... As he pulled away, she caught his eyes. She saw his face, and smile, one last time before she blacked out, both from the blood loss and from the vampire venom now beginning to coarse through her veins.
Picking her up in his arms, he carried her around and placed her in the passenger seat of his own cruiser. He buckled her in and let her rest. Mickey bit his lip as he scratched his head. "Manfred's gonna kill me for this..." He pulled out his cell phone and accessed the speed dial. "Heeey, Manfred? Hey, uhhh, I need a favor."
To be continued...
