I woke up the following morning, showered and dressed. I remembered the events of the previous day and a wave of guilt hit me again, I tried to push it out of my mind. Doreen came in with breakfast and left, she didn't lock the door behind her. I took the opportunity to escape to the library, leaving my breakfast behind. I picked a random book out and hid myself in a corner and started to read, leaving reality behind.
I must have been reading for a while before the sun appeared shining through the huge window that was in the library. I decided to go outside and read, it looked nice and warm. I avoided the fountain and went down the gravel path to where I had seen a bench the day before. I carried on reading. I was too engrossed in the book I didn't even hear someone approach.
"There you are Darcy." I looked up to see Doreen. "I've been looking for you most of the day. Do you want lunch?"
I shook my head. I couldn't speak, I didn't want to.
She curtsied and then left. It was starting to get dark now, but light enough for me to carry on reading. It wasn't too cold yet, I could last at least one more chapter. I head a shuffle of gravel.
"No, I don't want dinner either Doreen." I assumed it was Doreen, I didn't even look up.
"Do I look like a little human maid to you?" I heard a callous voice say.
I looked up. It wasn't Doreen, and it wasn't Zane or Alec either. He said "human" which meant he wasn't one himself. This was a vampire and not a friendly one by the looks of it. He stood not far from me. He had yellow teeth and a pair of matching eyes. His skin, a deathly pale contrasted with his dark black hair. He smiled a sickly smile. I immediately sensed I was in a danger. I stood up, too fast for his liking apparently. He ran up to me. Making sure there was no way I could escape.
"So this is Valik's link." I dropped my book on the floor. This wasn't any vampire, I realised as adrenaline started pumping through my body, this was Lex. "A bit of a poor choice if you ask me. Sure you look cute but you don't look like you have much of a personality." I would have been offended if I wasn't so scared.
"Oh you poor little dear, you're incredibly weak, even for a human, no challenge for me at all I'm afraid. Let's see here." He started to circle me, studying me closely. I was too scared to move, too scared to even breathe. He gradually got closer to me like a lion would when teasing its prey. I didn't like this, my life was in danger, and I couldn't do anything but stand still. He stopped behind me; I could feel his breath blowing my hair as he breathed. He wrapped his hands around me and touched my wrists lightly which made me shiver.
"The wrists," he whispered to me, "one of the most lethal places for humans to be hurt."
He drew himself closer to me, "Or maybe the neck," he curved his head around my neck, his lips almost touching my skin.
I didn't know what he was doing or what he was talking about, but it didn't sound good. I was petrified, not able to move; it was as if I was paralysed. He suddenly stopped talking and pulled himself away. Sniffing the air.
"Hmm, is that fresh blood I smell? Well not fresh, I'd say one, maybe two months old. Let me see..."
He went to touch my stomach; I immediately stepped forward away from him, my body suddenly responding to my head telling it to move. I turned to run but I found I couldn't go anywhere. I looked back to see Lex had a hold of my wrist. He pulled me back and then pushed me against a nearby hedge, pinning me there. My wrist throbbed, that would bruise, if I lived long enough for it to.
"Why are you in a hurry to go?" He asked too close to me for my liking.
He pulled up my top so he had a clear view of my wound, or what was left from it because it had healed pretty well. I shivered from the exposure.
"Ahh, there it is." He said glancing at the wound. "The handiwork of one of my men, no wonder he couldn't resist your blood, so sweet. Hmm healed wounds always do have a way of making the blood around it taste sweeter ..."
"It's a bite?" The words came out before I had a chance to stop myself, I had cut across him, he looked angry, but this then disappeared.
"You know who I am, I see it in your eyes, and you still dare to talk to me. Maybe you do have personality after all." He trailed off as if in thought, I remained quiet. He then started talking again. "Of course it's a bite, what else would it be?" He paused and then realised something. "Your vampire didn't tell you did he?" Craftiness grew in his eyes.
"That my dear is a bite attack. Hmm..." He paused as if having a flashback. "You can't trust the Valik, gem, you're much better off coming with me."
Horror drew up within me, I was too scared to answer incase he attacked me.
"But that wouldn't be very courteous of me would it, stealing a fellow vampire's link?" A malicious smile played about his lips.
"How about I drink some of your blood now, it will be our little secret."
I tried to walk back but I couldn't, the hedge was in the way. I struggled a bit without realising what I was doing.
'Now now Darcy, I only want to have a little fun."
"Get off me!" I screamed.
He slapped me around the face, his long nails scraping my skin. I gave a slight scream of pain and collapsed on the floor, no longer being held by Lex. Alec was right I was losing strength from not eating, why did he have to be right?
Lex dragged me back on to my feet. "It's more fun when they put up a fight. I've changed my mind. I do like you after all."
I looked up as if the sky would offer me a way out, or maybe it's just because I couldn't stand to look at his face.
"I see you've chosen the neck then." He said.
What? I was confused. Lex lent his head in, getting slowly closer to my neck. I understood now, he was talking about places to bite me. I struggled harder, but I was getting weaker by the second. I tried pushing him away but it was useless.
I suddenly heard a low growl coming from somewhere but I couldn't see anything. I felt something scrape my neck lightly before Lex was thrown off me. I instinctively pulled my hand to my neck, I looked at my hand, there wasn't any blood thankfully. I looked up from my hand, my cheek still aching from the slap. Alec was standing protectively in front of me in a defensive stance. Lex was growling at him, menacingly. I didn't like it.
"Get out of here Lex!" Alec shouted.
"Come on, fight me you coward." Lex retorted.
I closed my eyes, I couldn't watch. I couldn't hear anything happening though. I opened my eyes, neither of them had moved. They were growling at each other, low rumbling growls, like dogs. Eventually Lex stopped growling and ran off. I instantly relaxed. I regretted it because all the energy that I had left me, and I passed out.