Hello everyone! Yes I know I haven't posted anything up for this story in a long while. Unfortunately this chapter is relatively short but next chapter should be longer. Please let me know what you think! I really appreciate any and all feedback. Enjoy!

~Chapter 11~

Victoria could hear the crickets chirping their individual pitches but kept her eyes tightly shut. She could hear a lot of things when she listened carefully; the hooting owls, the whistling wind, and even those footsteps that almost silently glided through the cabin...Victoria cracked open her eyes slowly. The roof of the cabin looked in better shape than the rest of the walls had…from what she could remember. She sat up and immediately wished she hadn't. A wave of dull pain and soreness pulled at every muscle and joint in her body. Groaning, Victoria managed to pull herself out of the shredded bed that she had previously awoken in. The room was pitch black apart from the dim moonlight that managed to filter through the dirty windows. She looked down to examine her bare body but didn't find a single reason why she felt this sore. She grimaced in pain as she adjusted her jaw which popped in several places. Her chest in particular was very sensitive to her every inhalation and was lined with small yellowing bruises all the way down to her stomach. Brows furrowed in confusion, she tenderly reached for the sheet to wrap herself in and slowly made her way out of the bedroom, looking cautiously around each corner before entering the hallway. The floor creaked under her feet as she walked down the narrow path towards what seemed to be the kitchen. Turning the corner, she immediately found what she was looking for. He was staring, arms crossed, out the window. Victoria's eyes widened as she gazed at the stranger's bare back. It was covered in healing slashes from neck to navel.

"Do you plan on attacking me again or shall I tie you up to avoid the confrontation altogether?" he suddenly asked, catching Victoria off guard.

Her brows furrowed in annoyance. Why did this stranger's comments never make sense?

"What are you talking about?...How did I get back into the bed?"

"You really should learn to control yourself. You may be just a fledgling but your temper is rather short for a lady…and fighting is hardly your strongpoint," he added darkly.

Victoria frowned. She knew she wasn't the most patient of people but having this flaw pointed out to her by the likes of him didn't help her temper much either.

"Did we fight each other?" she asked curiously.

The stranger chuckled softly and turned to face her.

"You tried your best to harm me," he smiled, eyes taking in her tender posture, "but I can't help but point out that you were the one that came out more injured."

Victoria's body tightened ever so slightly. The mere thought that she would ever be strong enough to fight this creature or even begin to consider doing so gave her goose bumps. How could she have fought him and only come out with a few bumps and bruises. She knew that she was stronger now but exactly how much was still very much a mystery to her.

"—You did manage to claw me quite a few times but other than that…you hardly stood a chance," he said pointedly, "I do believe I broke a few of your ribs though. This cabin won't last much longer if we continue getting along like this."

Victoria opened her mouth to argue but stopped mid-breath and shut it again. There was no point in trying to fight his smugness although that didn't keep her from wanting to smack that smile right off his chiseled face.

"I've become quite accustomed to your habit of clawing though. You did it quite often when we spent our nights together. I think you actually bit me at one point or another. I can't exactly remember which specific time that happened but you understand my point."

Victoria's expression stiffened at the less than subtle reminder of her long loss of innocence. Something she'd rather not linger on. Instead she decided to steer her curiosity in another direction.

"…Who are you?" she nearly whispered.

The stranger took a step towards her, smile widening.

"You've been dying to ask me that since the day I found you."

Victoria stood still as she searched this man's face. A face she had never seen in her life, a face that was somehow different from anything she had ever looked upon, a face that shared half a mind with something more primal and dangerous. He took another step towards her, eyes glinting in the dark room.

"Alec…my name is Alec."

Victoria remained silent. This monster had a name. It almost made him seem human…almost. Alec's silhouette lingered motionlessly as his calculating eyes remained ever focused.

"Usually when someone introduces themselves, it's only proper to give him your name as well. Don't tell me I'm going to have to teach you manners too?"

Victoria's eyes narrowed. She wasn't particularly enthusiastic about divulging that kind of personal information.

Alec's brows lifted expectantly. When she did not answer he smiled to himself.

"It's amusing how much we've shared with each other and yet you still refuse to tell me your name," he pointed out.

"I don't have to tell you anything," Victoria retorted, "I am not in debt to you or any other."

The corners of Alec's mouth tugged upwards and his eyes darkened.

"Come now. I highly advise you to tell me who you are and do so without that sass that accompanies so many of your comments. Or I may simply have to force it out of you…and we both know how much you enjoy a little bit of brutality," he growled.

Victoria clenched her jaw. She couldn't get into another fight with Alec. She had no idea how much worse her condition might be when she woke up…if she woke up again. There was no sense in getting beaten to a pulp over something so insignificant as a name.

"…Victoria," she finally admitted.

"Beautiful name," Alec smiled, "Now that wasn't so difficult was it?"

Victoria turned to leave. She needed a break from his vast arsenal of haughtiness. She had barely entered the kitchen and nearly vomited. She would have screamed if she could have but nothing came out of her gaping mouth.

Lying there on the ground was the brutally mangled corpse of a middle aged man. His entire body seemed to be made up solely of skin and bones. There wasn't a single drop of blood left in him. A look of terror was still frozen on his decomposing face. Victoria clapped her hand over her mouth. The victim's eyes were deeply sunken into his skull and his skeleton was nearly visible through the waxy folds of his pale, degenerating skin.

Alec did not move behind her.

"Do not forget who you are now, Victoria," he said darkly, "They are our prey…nothing more. Their blood is our energy, our medicine, and our life source…you had better get used to it quickly."

Victoria squeezed her eyes painfully shut and turned away from the horrid corpse to face Alec. His eyes showed neither remorse nor sympathy but glistened with the truth of her new life.

"Now go and put some clothes on. We're leaving."