The winding road up Chestnut Hill was dark and deserted. Sam gripped the steering wheel tightly as he squinted through the rain pounding on his windshield. Flashbacks from the war always got worse at night, and tonight was no exception.
Up ahead, a streak of lightning illuminated an old Victorian mansion perched on the crest of the hill. Sam shuddered as the thunder cracked loudly, the sound reminding him of mortar fire. After all, the ad had promised a room for the night at an unbelievable price.
Sam walked up the creaking steps to the front porch and banged the heavy door knocker. After several minutes, he tried the door and found it unlocked.
"Hello?" Sam's voice quavered as it broke the heavy silence within.
Clicking it on, he swept the beam over the dust coated furniture and cobwebs clinging to the high ceilings. Her eyes seemed to follow Sam as he explored the downstairs rooms.
Finding nothing of interest, Sam headed for the grand staircase. It protested loudly beneath his weight as he climbed to the second floor. Sam tried each one, but found only empty rooms with peeling wallpaper and leaf strewn floors.
At the end of the hall stood a final door. Strange music seemed to seep from beneath it, the notes crystal clear despite the dust muffling everything else in the house.
Inside, the room was furnished like a lavish lounge from decades past. Heavy velvet curtains blocked the moonlight and a harp stood silent in one corner. Across the room, a record player sat on an antique sideboard, the source of the ghostly music.
But most startling of all was the beautiful woman reclining on a velvet chaise. As she turned to look at Sam, he gasped in recognition. She was the woman from the portrait downstairs.
She stood gracefully and crossed the room to stand before Sam. Up close, he could see her skin was unnaturally pale and her eyes were clouded as if by cataracts.
Sam meant to turn and run back downstairs, but found himself unable to move. It was as if his feet were rooted to the warped floorboards.
"Don't be afraid, Sam" the woman purred as she trailed one long-nailed finger down his cheek. "I don't get many visitors here. We're going to have such fun."
Sam's breaths came faster and he broke out in a cold sweat. Suddenly, the woman grabbed his wrist in an iron grip. She pulled him towards the chaise, her mouth opening impossibly wide to reveal fangs glistening in the candlelight.
Just as she moved to sink her teeth into Sam's neck, a loud crash came from downstairs. Sam stumbled backwards as she glided swiftly from the room.
His paralysis broken, Sam turned and fled down the hall. Taking the stairs two at a time, he jumped over the last five steps entirely, driven by terror and self-preservation. Just as he grabbed the front doorknob, ready to escape into the stormy night, he heard a woman's scream from upstairs.
Sam paused, chest heaving. He couldn't leave whoever else was in the house to the vampire's clutches. Gripping his flashlight like a weapon, he ran upstairs again.
Sam kicked the door open and his flashlight beam landed on a figure huddled against the far wall. Brandishing the flashlight, Sam yelled "Get away from her!"
The vampire turned with an unnatural quickness. Before Sam could react, she struck the flashlight from his hands and grabbed him by the shoulders.
But suddenly she cried out in pain, releasing her grip on Sam. Whirling around, he saw the young woman had stabbed the vampire in the back with a broken chair leg.
Seizing his chance, Sam scooped up his flashlight and grabbed the young woman's hand. Together they fled from the room and down the stairs. Sam leading the way with the flashlight, and the young woman brandishing her makeshift stake.
Sam slammed the heavy door behind them, and together he and the young woman stumbled and slid down the muddy hill to his car.
Tires spinning in the mud, Sam floored the gas pedal and fishtailed his way back down the winding road, putting as much distance between them and the vampire's lair as possible.
As they reached the bottom of Chestnut Hill, the young woman introduced herself as Emily. She had responded to the same lodging ad as Sam, but arrived shortly before him.
Sam and Emily knew no one would believe their tale, but they would forever share the chilling secret of the true danger hidden within the house on Chestnut Hill.
