Left. Right. One block. Left. Three blocks. Was this even the right way? Their sudden stop and the others explaining they had no idea where they were going had clarified that none of them had a damn clue where they were going. All the streets around here looked pretty familiar and to be honest, she didn't remember much from leaving the resort to finally finding the tunnels. Her sole focus had been to hunt. It was a foreign feeling for her, but none the less it felt as though it had been the only right way to feel given her situation.

Finally the others had chosen a direction they wanted to go and Mia set out in that direction, ending up near the front of the pack. Looking around, she spotted a building that looked familiar across the road they had approached and assuming that was the right way to go she crossed the road to lead the others there.

The next set of events were near ablur of movement and being unable to breathe. One second she had been walking on the road, the best Rose and the others had her pressed up against a brick wall 0 even Christian had done so, but given the situation he was still behind the Dhampirs. She froze, knowing exactly why they would have done something like that.

There was a threat nearby.

They may be novice's but from the moment any Dhampir steps into the Academy, the same three words are drummed into their heads. Only they matter.

Mia heard a car approaching at a fast speed and she was about to scoff and make a smart-ass remark about the big bag vehicle they were going to protect her from when it suddenly stopped in front of them.

Once again everything moved so fast, Mia couldn't do anything but stand there in shock. Three men jumped out and the Dhampir's within their group instantly went into action. Fists flying here and there, a silver stake being pulled out by Mason – which was completely useless against a human. Well it could still kill them but wasn't the objective in this fight, she hoped. Mia was down for Strigoi being hunted and killed, but she wasn't interested in being part of a human murder. Even if it was done in self-defence.

The guy facing off with Mason backed off and Mia saw what happened next as if it happened in slow motion yet there was still nothing she was able to do about it. The guy grabbed at her and within seconds there was a cold hard item pressed against her neck and the scream that wanted to come out ws stuck in her throat in the place the gun was pressed. There was nothing else it could have been and by the reaction from the others, she was right.

God, she didn't want to die.

Everything froze in that moment. Not a single person moved as the situation was evaluated and god she hoped that Rose didn't hate her enough to just let her die.

Finally the negotiations were going to start and a small piece of hope filled her as it seemed like the others were going to do all they could to try and save her.

The gun pressed closer to her neck and the scream that was stuck inside came out as a whimper. Her body was paralysed at this point and even if she had the chance to get free and run, Mia wasn't sure if she could trust her legs to be able to do that.

How the fuck was she meant to fight a Strigoi with the guys if this was how she reacted when a human attacked her.

God, how stupid had she been.

The male behind her stunk of sweat and his hold on her would likely leave bruises. He spoke firmly though, as if he had done this regularly and his demands were simple. None fo them were getting back to the resort. They had no other choice than to get into the van unless they were willing to sacrifice her life so the rest of the might be able to get free.

Only they matter

Mia knew in that moment when she saw the look of defeat on Rose's expression that she wasn't willing to let go of those vows she was raised on. Mia wasn't too sure if she should be happy or terrified.

Quickly the males two accomplices came over and took away the weapons from her friends and produced flex-cuffs and one by one they had been restrained with their hands behind their back and piled into the back of the van. Not a single passer-by in sight to take notice of what was happening and possibly help them. Typical that the one ally they walk down just so happened to be in the deserted part of town.

During the entire ride, Mia stay silent. She couldn't trust her own emotions to stay in control. Had she of spoken it was likely that they would take over and she would be left in nothing but a blubbering mess. That wasn't going to help the situation at all. She had no idea at all how she could help the situation, but it was evident that they were being driven somewhere so they could be killed off.

Looking across the van, Mia took in the sight of the others around her. Christian was brooding and looked as though he was trying not to explode. The others looked deflated. Mason, god she hoped that she didn't have to see him hurt. Over the years, she had always crushed on him but the redhead had never paid her any attention what so ever. He was always puppy eyes over Rose. Though it wasn't as if Mia herself had gone up to Mason and told him how she felt. Perhaps if they made it out of this, she would admit it finally.

Dreary street after dreary street, they finally stopped and the panic set back in. The time had come. How would they do it? Would they kill her first or last? God, she hated this.

Being dragged from the van, into the house and down a set of stairs, Mia's heart race but up through the roof, she was surprised her heart hadn't just pounded its way out of her chest.

Passing many rooms, they finally came across the one that they were obviously meant to die in and their captors dragged them inside and took the time to bind them to tacky wooden chairs that were definitely not for comfort. Moroi one side, Dhampir another.

Everything went silent after the main man had left the room and Mia was the first to speak up.

"What are you going to –" she was cut off abruptly by one of the men growling at her to shut up and lunged towards her. Mia leaned back into her seat as far as she could with a cringe, her face paling. She was about to speak again when Rose caught her attention and shook her head, demanding she stay quiet. For once she actually listened without needing any more of a warning.

More silence. This time, Mia wasn't at all eager to break it, nor were the others. She tried hard to zone out and calm down and try to pretend she wasn't here. Perhaps she could delude herself into thinking none of this was happening and even when her death came, she would just pretend she was elsewhere. Internally she sighed, because she knew that would never happen.

After what seemed like forever, the door finally opened again and she heard the voice of the man that had held the gun at her throat earlier. The others were alert and staring at the door too, their minds all thinking the same thing.

It was time.

When more people followed through behind the asshole that had the gun. She paled even more so, unable to even breathe in that moment.

Strigoi.

The fucking humans had captured them for Strigoi. That didn't happen in their world. They all stayed away from the humans unless they were living amongst them, but even them unless they were a feeder, they stayed oblivious to their world no matter what.

Now the humans were doing the dirty work of the Strigoi during the daytime. This must have been what happened at the attack on her mother. She wondered in that moment if these were the assholes that had killed her. If they were the ones responsible. If so, they were going to kill her too.

I'm sorry papa.

Those were the three words going over and over in her mind. She couldn't bear to think any further as to how it will affect him to lose his only daughter the same way he had lost his wife.

Her eyes couldn't break away from the Strigoi though. More so the male of the group, but when he approached her, it only took a second of looking into his eyes and he had to look away. The red ring around the pupils terrified her and it was clear that he was a very old, and very powerful Strigoi. He'd likely get satisfaction in her fear, but she didn't have the energy to play tough like Christian, who was now staring down the one that the other Strigoi called Isaiah.

Isaiah was taunting Christian on his parents and god only knew how the fire user had kept his cool, he was not known for keeping his mouth shut, but given the situation I think he knew better. Fear definitely made even the worst tempers mellow out.