August 2024 WipWordSearch Excerpts Week 4

His paranoia grew with each step until he was running. Let Sean #tease him for being a coward until the day he died. As long as that day was somewhere far in the future instead of tonight.

He flew forward, #this time crashing into a full dumpster, a bag toppling from the open top and landing next to him.

It overwhelmed his other sense of feelings, and he struggled to focus as he cradled it against his chest. He needed to #treat it, bandage it, but he could only whimper.

What else could he do? He could continue to feel like he was dying, or he could #trust Lawrence. The cravings inside him made his decisions for him, and he put his lips to the straw, unable to stop himself.

Clenching his eyes shut #tight, Thomas raised his glass with shaking hands and parted his lips, self-loathing etched into every movement.

Maybe you’re right. It’s just a legend, and folks #tell it differently. Who can be certain? All we know is the curse of the vampire forces us to thirst for human blood and gives us the strength and power to take blood by force.

He didn’t want to return to his apartment and resume his self-pity and frustrated #train of thoughts.

The soft whisper #teased the back of her neck and caused an involuntary shiver. Clara smiled, leaning back against Sean’s chest.

“Sorry, I can’t help #that I have such good ears. Besides, Clara’s heart is pounding so hard it’s making me hungry.”

Even in the gloom, the Crone’s crooked yellow teeth gleamed wetly as her wrinkled face stretched out wide.

“. . . have you developed a taste and want a chewier #treat?”

This was wrong. All Clara had wanted to do was confide in her only living family, to turn to her brother for help because he was the only one she could #trust with everything. And now, there was a possibility that in turning to Benjamin for help, she’d released the wolf inside him.

Clara patted his arm. It was a little surprising he was expressing this at all. Usually his jaded nature made him #tight-lipped when it came to any emotion that wasn’t related to boredom or anger.

There was only one thing to do, and it was what she’d been planning to do in the first place. Sean loved her. He’d #told her only hours before. If that was true, they could figure out a plan together. That was logical. That was fair.

He wouldn’t meet her eyes, but she didn’t care. As she stepped into the apartment, Artemis began furiously whispering a lecture, Clara catching the phrases “social #train wreck” and “insensitive idiot” as she focused on searching for Sean.