Marko felt hands dragging him along. He groaned, his vision blurry and body sagging. He felt his lips moving, attempting to speak. He tried to form words but all he managed were grunts and moans.

"Hang in there, bud," a voice whispered.

"You're not dying on us," another voice added.

Another pain shot through his chest and he cried out, head lolling back. Arms steadied him and the world titled. His feet touched the ground but his knees buckled. Hands gripped his sides and someone moved both his arms around two different figures. He muttered, managing only sounds and wheezed. His throat burnt so much.

"Here you go, pal." The hands that gripped his sides moved to his upper arms and he was turned around. He obeyed, swaying as he was moved and the hands pushed him back, downwards. His knees bent, hitting something and he flopped down on a soft cushion, falling sideways and his head met the same, dusty material.

He blinked, vision shifting from blurry to dark but a pale face appeared right in front of him. He made out wild, blonde hair and worried blue eyes. There was a familiar smell of beer and weed.

"Paul?" he managed to mumble.

Paul's wild smile appeared. "Yeah, bud. You're not dying on us."

Marko tried to move, determined to use his arms and hands to push himself up but the slightest shift in his body fired up that burning pain in his chest. It flared, searing through him and he gave a strangled cry, his body shaking as he collapsed back down onto the sofa.

"Easy there." This was a new voice. Marko's eyes fluttered open to see Dwayne.

"What happened?" Marko croaked.

Paul's eyes narrowed. "Bastard Frog brothers. You know, those comic book freaks?"

Marko slowly nodded. "I know them. Too well."

"They snuck in here this morning and staked you."

Marko frowned. He remembered falling asleep as the morning crept in. He had managed to grab someone for food before dawn began to set in, not enough to fully heal from the fight with Bonnie but it was enough to start the healing process. It had been a struggle to fly up to the bar but he managed and it had been no time before his eyes were closed and he finally succumbed to the coming daylight.

There were distorted memories. There had been agony at one point. Something had gone straight through him, just missing his heart. He remembered screaming. Maybe his? Voices shouted. Then he was falling…

His fingers brushed against his chest. The skin was lumpy and broken. Dried blood caked his skin.

"Marko," David said. Paul and Dwayne moved back so David could kneel down beside the young vampire. He used his fingernail to cut a deep, long slit in his wrist and blood welled up. He moved the cut towards Marko.

"Drink some of this. It should help with the healing. We need to get you food."

Marko gladly took David's wrist, latching his lips to the wound. The blood trickled down his throat, not satisfying the hunger that ached in his body but it did give him some strength. Hopefully enough to keep the healing process going and quickly too.

David tugged his wrist away, wiping blood on his trousers as the broken skin knitted back together.

"Those brats are going to pay," he said and a growl rumbled in his throat. He marched towards the corner where Star and Laddie used to sleep. His top lip curled up more. "They all will."

Dwayne shook his head. "I doubt Laddie's been plotting our demise all along. The kid doesn't properly understand what's happening to him."

"You're too soft for the boy."

"Or maybe I'd rather deal with the real threats."

David glanced down at Marko. He was sickly pale with dark circles around his eyes. His cheeks looked like they had sunken in, giving him a gaunt, hollow look. There was a blue tint to his dry, chapped lips.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to dispose of your little girlfriend."

"Be my guest," he muttered, gritting his teeth. "But make it slow."

"I call dibs on the Toad boys," Paul said with a manic grin. "I want to have words with them."

"Maybe don't mention to them I'm alive," Marko said. He managed his own wicked grin. "If I can feed and get my health back I'll join you and give them a surprise. See the look on their faces. I fancy having some fun."

"Only if you feel strong enough," David told him. "You're no good if you're weak."

Paul quirked an eyebrow up at Marko. "Caring older brother."

Marko managed a little snort of laughter, holding a hand against his chest.

"Go." He gestured to the entrance. "You need to go after them. I'll be fine here." He flashed a smile. "If anyone pays a visit I'll tear into their throats."

There was a chorus of chuckling, a gentle pat on the shoulder from Paul and a screech as the three vampires flew out of the cave, leaving Marko in painful silence. He grabbed the back of the sofa, his other hand digging into the seat as he tried to sit up. He slowly pushed himself up, yelling out at the spasms of pain but he kept moving until he was in a sitting up position. He rubbed at his neck which had healed from Bonnie's bite, moving his fingers to his face where the Holy water had touched. The skin was smooth, untouched like his neck. At least he didn't have to worry about those wounds anymore.

A snarl formed on his lips at the thought of his chest wound. So that was the work of those Frog brothers. Those two little brats who fancied themselves as vampire hunters. All of them had been idiots. Since the Frog brothers didn't have a staked vampire to their name, David always told them forget about the teeny-boppers. They couldn't catch a fly so why bother wasting a good kill?

Now look at what happened. He was wounded and weak, something was not supposed to happen. He was a vampire. Immortal and invincible. No-one could touch him.

His throat burnt and he licked his dry lips. Every breath he took was a short wheeze. His body sagged, completely void of energy.

And he was slipping back into darkness again…

Thank you for taking the time to read! Please feel free to leave a review. :) I'll updating next Saturday with the last two chapters.