Part X

Beth stood by a small window, dimmed rays of sun flooded throught gaps in the curtains and illuminated small patches of the dark room. Beth felt sad, hopless, she felt as through she was dorwning in misery. Would this guy kill her? Torture her maybe or perhaps something far, far worse. She didn't want to think about it, she had to remain postitive, like she always had to as a reporter. She had been held hostage now for almost a week and had been fed only stale food and dirty water, she pitied herself. Her thoughts would occasionally drift over to Mick, had he even missed her? Had he even noticed she had gone, or maybe he preferred it this way, He always did say he shouldn't stay close to her, and it always managed to tear into Beth's heart like thin paper being torn in two.

She glanced at her surroundings, cold, musty and damp. An overpowering smell drifted about the heavy air, it was hard to pinpoint…but was that alcohol? Beth suddenly longed for a nice glass of red wine, she always loved to sit by the warm fire on a cold night, sipping a fine fruity blend. Glimpses of sunlight bathed various items scattered about the room in a golden glow. Beth walked over to a round-shaped object, her hands felt the surface, it was rounded, smooth yet bumpy. A loud sound echoed from somewhere in the darkness, and heavy footsteps bounced from wall to wall. A tall sihouette stood about a few metres from her, their breath fammed out in front of them in icy crystals, their face however, remained hidden in darkness.

"Who are you" managed Beth. Her tongue licking her lips in desperate attempt to regain feeling in them.

The figure stood ummoving, almost like a statue. Tall and thin.

"Answer me!" spat Beth, she knew exactly what she would do when she got her hands on her kidnapper, espeically after all the hell she had been through.

"B-Beth? Is that you?" asked a smooth voice, something clicked inside her head.

"M-M-Mick?" she barely answered so softly that the figure moved closer to hear her.

Beth ran forward and summoning all of her energy she threw her arms around the figure who remained shrowded in darkness. The figure wrapped their arms around her in response, Beth immediately relaxed in their arms.

"Oh Mick, thank god you're here, I didn't know what to think. I thought this psych was going to kill me, oh god Mick I owe you my life!" said Beth, all in one breath.

"I wouldn't speak too soon, now would I darling"

Beth looked up, her pupils reshaping in order for her to see the face of the person she was embracing.

"What are you talking about Mick? I-I don't understand"

"Now you mean to say that you don't remember me, your old boyfriend? I see that you've moved on since we last saw each other, I'd congratulate you, if I didn't know it wouldn't last for long"

Beth untangled her arms and pushed away the dark figure, realisation relfected in her emerald eyes. She looked up, and the figure stepped out of the darkness. Her heart almost stopped beating.

"J-J-Jo-s-sh"

"Ah, at last you remember me"

"D-D-Did you kidnap me?"

"What do you think Beth?"

"…But why, why would you do this?" Josh smiled, two larger pointy teeth became visible along in lower lip. His eyes, she realised, were no longer that handsome hazel colour, but a light blue colour, almost white.

"You see me and Mick both have something in common, we're both-" Josh was cut off.

"Vampires" finished a third voice, from somewhere in the dark room.

"Ah, how nice of you to finally join us, Mick"

Beth felt a sudden wave of relief, he was here at last, he really did care. Something glittered in the dull lighting, a sharp point clearly visible. Mick remained in the darkness, however his outline fell to the floor.

"Silver handled wooden stake, one of the finest in the world, had it impoted from Rome just for you actually"

Josh stepped forward, briefly disapperaing into the darknesso nce again before emerging dragging an almost unconcious Mick by the collar.

Beth's heart sank again for the second time that day. She fell onto her knees beside a very weak Mick. "Mick! Mick p-please talk to me, a-a-re you okay!"

"He's fine and you know it, just a little paralysed, but then again you know all about us don't you"

Beth shot a dirty look at her ex-boyfriend. "When did you become a vampire?" she spat, disgust dripping from her voice.

"Why just a few days ago, actually"

"You won't get away with this, either he'll kill you" she said motioning over to Mick, who was shaking slightly, "or I will" she finished.

"Oh I'm scared Beth, a human and a paralysed vampire, besides you know I'm stronger than he is, I'm still a newborn"

"Why are you doing this?" asked Beth, as curious as she was, she just couldn't resist asking, after all, it was in her nature to ask questions.

"Revenge" Josh answered simply, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Josh released Mick from his grip and vanished into the darkness, a sinister laugh echoing throughout the dark room.