Chapter 4

I awoke in a dungeon. What was I doing here? I could see the blindfolds were off; they were placed right beside me. But I was tied up in ropes that had cut through my skin. If I could bleed, the ropes would be stained red.

What happened? Why was I here? Why would Pa do this?

"Pa!" I cried. My voice echoed in the hollow dungeon. "Pa!" I called again. No answer. No answer but my voice. I was speaking to myself.

I felt a sense of betrayal… Why would Pa do this? Why would he kidnap me? Why? I buried my face between my knees.

Quickly, I sat straight and strained my ears to focus; I could hear footsteps approaching. "Pa! What'd you do? Why'd you bring me here?"

I heard a quiet laugh that echoed repeatedly.

"What's so funny?" I was now furious. "I'm hurt! The ropes are cutting into my skin! Get me out of here, Pa!"

I could see a shadow advance from the opening to the dungeon. This was not my pa. This was not someone I knew.

This was not a vampire.

This was a demon. The demon.

"Little girl," He spoke. His voice was beautiful, a quiet melody in this frightening place. "Pa isn't here to help you now." His words seemed like a line from a horror movie… What's going on here?

How could a voice so beautiful speak words so harsh? I could see him, the darkness of the dungeon shadowing his perfect, pale face. His lips were curved in a cold, sneering smirk. His eyes were lowered to where I sat, curled up in an awkward ball on the floor.

To my shock, he came closer to me. Closer. Closer. What was he doing? He finally stood above me, right above me.

I looked up at him. The smile was gone from his face. I looked back down, and no sooner had I done this, than he was right there beside me, curled up in a ball as well.

I flinched away. He was too close. He was not supposed to do this! I took a glance to the right, where he was seated. His dark, glittering eyes were focused intently on me. I felt awkward. What is he doing? Without letting him notice, I inched very slightly more to the left, and then another slight shift, and then another—his hands suddenly came upon my arm. Remembering the last time he had touched me, I jerked upward with a scream.

"Get your hands OFF," I growled.

He quickly did, and then he stood up and left, ducking under the doorway and disappearing into the darkness.

I looked around and found a cockroach scamper under some rocks. Extending my leg, I squished it and smiled as it died.

I sat there, looking at my surroundings for a long while. Thankful that only my upper body was tied up, I scooted, very painfully, to the doorway. Once I got there, I hid at an angle where passersby wouldn't be able to see me. I peeked out. I could see tunnels that led to other places, other tunnels. Secret pathways. Dark trails. Low roofs. Where was I? A cave?

Upon hearing a sound of footsteps approach, I quickly retreated back to my spot, tripping and falling backward.

As soon as I got to the wall, I rested my head and closed my eyes. I didn't know what had brought me here, what I was doing, what will become of me…

Did Pa have anything to do with this? This thought was the most often one that crept into my mind. It was difficult to doubt it, to believe otherwise. After all, his voice was the last I heard before the… before the blow.

Spotting another cockroach, I killed that one too, and shortly, I found my eyes scanning the little dungeon for anymore.

I felt a feeling I'd never felt before… a feeling of weakness, tiredness, sloth, lack of power… I remembered the word from my Humans Education book: fatigue. But that was a human thing. Vampires don't, shouldn't, feel that.

What was going on?

My thoughts had made me forget about the footsteps outside. Now I could hear them, closer than ever before.

Two tall demons entered the dungeon. I backed even deeper into the wall… I wanted to disappear.

It was the demon and… and his beautiful lover. Her glittering blue eyes wandered across the room and then landed on me. A look of disgust quickly spread over her gentle face, and she then coughed and spat on me. It landed right on my toe. Was she upset I killed the cockroaches with this foot?

Nonetheless, I yelled, "What was that for?"

Her eyes widened but she didn't speak.

The demon put his hand behind her back, looking down at her.

She looked back up at him and murmured something very quietly. I strained to hear it, but her voice was so soft, so hushed.

He nodded and then looked back at me, his hand slipping from behind his lover's back. He walked to me, squatted on his heels, and asked, "So what's your deal?"

I was confused. Why were they doing all this? Why'd she spit on me? Why was she disgusted by me? Why was I imprisoned here?

As I was thinking these thoughts, his hand landed hard against my face. He slapped me! Quick, wet tears formed in my eyes. That hurt! What? They were stronger than us? Not much hurts vampires… but this… this was painful.

"Why'd you slap me?" I screamed, my voice breaking at the end. It was then that I began to cry. The few tears in my eyes multiplied into hundreds, thousands, all streaming down my face.

From the corner of my eyes I could see him, looking worried and confused. He looked back at his lover, and she shrugged. Her delicate face looked smug and pleased, but his looked afraid and guilty.

He took a deep breath in and gulped, and I cried even harder. I sniffled and hiccupped, and he was even more and more confused, more and more bewildered. His hand came up again. I winced, jerking my head away. He looked down at his hand and then touched my face. It didn't hurt. It felt… like he was reassuring me… trying to make me feel safe…

What? I quickly grabbed his hand and thrust it away, making sure it landed by his side. "STOP TOUCHING ME!" I barked, the tears still streaming down my face. I blinked quickly, trying to get the tears clinging to my eyelashes to fall off.

"Not until you answer my question," he said, but I could see his fists clench to his side, could hear the guilty kindness behind his tone.

"I don't even understand it!"

His lover began to laugh, and it was high-pitched and screeching. I shivered as I remembered the last time she had laughed, when I had heard it as a chime of bells. This laugh was different.

"Leah," he spoke, his head tilting to the side but not quite looking at her.

Her laugh came to a sudden halt, and she sat crouched on the floor.

"So," he looked back at me. "What don't you understand?"

"This whole situation! Why do you have me here? What are you asking? Why?"

"Well," he started, "They say you've got an idea of the whereabouts of… you know…"

"What?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but then looked down on the floor and chuckled, then looked back up at me and with a smile, he said, "You're a bad liar, darling. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't."

"The prophecy."

The room became intently quiet right after his words.

"So?" He asked questioningly.

"I don't."

He smirked. "Seems like it'll be harder than I thought, huh?"

"Why do you think I'd know about it?"

"Oh, it's not just me. It's our entire society, dear."

"STOP TALKING LIKE THAT!"

"Like what?"

I groaned impatiently. He was unbearable! His face tilted to the side and my heart skipped a beat. His hair fell against his beautifully shaped, angled face.

What's going on? Why was I thinking this way?

My head rested to the back of the wall and I closed my eyes. Fatigue. Again.

"So, you gonna tell me?"

With my eyes still closed I replied, "Sorry, bud. I have nothing to tell you."

"Right," he replied. Sarcasm. Vampires didn't use it much. It was too human, too… too much like lying.

I peeked. His head was lowered, his fingers rubbing against his temple. His straight, dark hair was gently spread over his hand. Suddenly, he looked up. I quickly closed my eyes, but… I didn't think I was fast enough.

I wasn't. His hand came upon mine. I swiftly jerked it away.

"You're hiding," he said. It sounded like an accusation.

I opened my eyes and said nothing, just looked at the rocks.

"You are, aren't you?"

Again, I said nothing.

The next time he spoke, his voice sounded irritated, annoyed. "Answer me, will you?"

I could feel his angry eyes burn through me.

Finally, I answered, "What would I be hiding from?"

"Me."

I laughed.

"Nothing's funny," he pointed out. A look of annoyance took over his face.

"So, you gonna get me out of here?"

"NO!" He bellowed, and then he stormed out of the dungeon, his lover close behind him.

"You gonna get me any food?" I called out to him.

He yelled back, "NO!"

I smiled. His voice still sounded beautiful, even when invaded by anger.

I closed my eyes, attempting to sleep. After all, fatigue comes from loss of energy and power. And by sleep, I am able to regain power—at least for my bat form.

Bat form.

My eyes quickly slid open. I could fly out of this place!

But… it'd be different. I'd have to exert much energy, time, and effort to turn into a bat from my spot, very unlike the way I always did it: through running, slipping…

I'd never tried this before. It was for the more advanced vampires. Like Rafael, Dean, and even Raymond. I was sure Sarah could do it as well.

I clenched my fist to the ground and curled up into a ball. The smaller I am, the easier the process.

I could feel my body shrivel, shrink. But I could also hear footsteps. I tried to uncurl myself, to release myself from the pressure. The footsteps were drawing closer. I was panicking. Panicking is not good! I tried to relax my mind, my thoughts, my muscles—

"HEY!"

I leaped and was free. But after what? It was too late now.

A demon I had never seen before rushed up to me. "What are you DOING?"

What was he holding in his hand? A mace! A mace?

As soon as I had looked at it, as soon as I had thought the word, it came right against my head.

The coldness… the darkness… the lack of awareness.

It was familiar. It was comforting.