Hey! It's me again! With another chapter! This is really short, but lucky for u I have the next one all written out! And I will post it as soon as I get 5 reviews :) teehee

CHAPTER 11

"Don't look down, don't look down," I mumbled to myself as I hooked my legs around the steel wire and began inching my way toward the other gondola. I wasn't scared of heights, but even the bravest adrenaline junkie would be trembling at this elevation.

Growing closer to the lift Marisa and Steve currently occupied, I could make out their silhouettes behind the tinted windows. Marisa was now standing, being supported by Steve whose back was to me. At least he hadn't seen me coming yet.*

I only had a few more feet to go, and with the hatch still open I could hear a voice, deep and cold.

"Darren's coming to save you, but you don't want him to remember?"

"Yes," responded a monotone voice.

I edged my way onto the roof of the gondola and peeked inside. Steve still hadn't noticed. Marisa was no longer bound or gagged, but she had several bruises and cuts along her arms and legs. I pulled the knife I had concealed in my belt out when I heard something strange, and heart-rending at the same time.

"Because you love me, right?"

"Yes."

This time when I looked down, I saw Steve with his arms wrapped around Marisa's waist, a hungry glint in his eyes. Unhurriedly, he moved her farther and farther back until she was pressed against the nearest window. The vampaneze stroked her neck softly, admiring the porcelain white skin. Grinning wolfishly, he pieced the skin with his inhumanly sharp fingernails. Marisa didn't even flinch as Steve put his lips over the wound and began sucking ravenously. I knew vampaneze drained their prey dry, and I had to get in there quick.

I jumped onto his back and wrenched him away from Marisa, slamming him against the opposite window. Marisa barely moved.

A smirk spread across Steve's face, and he punched me in the gut, producing a knife from his coat pocket. As we slashed at each other, I shouted at Marisa, "Marisa! Get out of here!"

Suddenly she collapsed to her knees, out of breath.

I dodged a particularly strong lunge from Steve and his knife snapped against the glass. As he generated yet another, I glanced at Marisa. She brought her head up and we locked eyes. "Darren?" she asked faintly. Steve halted and swiveled toward her, angry and shocked. "How did you—" but he was cut off as I attacked Steve again, shoving him violently into one of the seats. He slumped, dazed. I crouched beside Marisa, who was now fully awake and watching the fight with wide eyes. "Are you OK?" I asked. When she nodded, I instructed her to climb out the hatch as fast as she could. Unfortunately, this put her awfully close to Steve. Just as she grabbed the rim, Steve suddenly snapped up and seized her around the waist, drawing her back down toward him. We paused. Marisa was panting, terror obvious in her bright eyes; Steve clutched her firmly with one arm, and pressed his knife against her already-bloodstained neck, sneering victoriously; I clasped my blade securely in my sweaty palm, balancing on the balls of my feet like Mr. Crepsley had taught me.

"Ready to give up, Darren?" Steve snarled.

"Why, Steve?" I pleaded. "Why is your biggest goal in life to kill me?"

"Because you stole my dream! You and that Creepy Crepsley plotted against me."

"We didn't!" I shouted exasperatedly. "I gave up my life to save you, because I cared about you…" I trailed off to a whisper. "You were my friend, Steve. You still are."

Steve's grip on Marisa loosened, the knife lowered, and his previous sneer morphed into a small, sad frown.***

"Darren, I'm sorry," muttered Steve. Great relief washed over me. "Sorry to do this."

With a wicked grin, he handed Marisa the knife and whispered, "Kill him."

*Or has he? O.O go back and read that sentence haha

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