Fire seared her neck, inside and out. Screaming, her voice scraped her throat raw. Teeth bit into her, tearing her skin below the ear. Reflexively, Sophia punched the woman in breast. Her mouth opened in response and Sophia used the moment to get a knee between them and push her away.
“I don’t know who you are, but Leo came to me, not I him. If you are jealous, your quarrel is with him.”
From behind her, Leo called, “She won’t quit, Sophia. You have to stop her.”
True to his words, the crazed woman with fiery brown eyes, eyes like Leo’s, lunged for her again. Sophia jumped toward her as well, spinning to knock them both to the cobbled street. The noise should have brought someone, but so late at night, anyone listening would assume it was something they didn’t want to get involved in.
Wrestling herself atop the woman, Sophia pinned her arms to her sides and punched her face. She threw Sophia off her and sent her tumbling. She managed to get to her back and her hands up to block the attacker. Once more, she set her sights on Sophia throat. This time, Sophia reacted with the same, getting her teeth in first. She ripped at the woman’s throat, tearing into the flesh.“Yes, Sophia. Just like that.” Leo continued to call, but she ignored him, latching on and allowing her mouth to fill with the woman’s strange blood. It tasted wrong, almost sweet. As it reached the back of her tongue she swallowed, not willing to break the hold she’d gotten.
The woman was strong, far stronger than Sophia, but she grew weaker as the blood left her. Not willing to risk another attack, Sophia drank until the other woman went limp.
Swaying, she stood slowly, hand to her head. Everything swam in her vision and she stumbled.
Leo came and scooped her up. “That’s my girl.”
The darkness filled with sparks of light. She couldn’t breathe. Her lungs were full, but it didn’t stop the urge to inhale or the frustration of not being able. Thrashing in Leo’s arms, she gasped, trying to get some sip of air.
Leo, always so strong, held her through her struggle. “Yes, I know, it hurts. It will end soon. I love you, Sophia.”
That was the last she heard before death claimed her.
