"Son of a bitch!"Caden cursed himself quietly for being so careless. Abbey is going to be furious.

"Dude, what happened in there?" Nick came out of the club. "She was dancing with you and then just ditched. What'd you say to her?"

"I didn't say anything, dipshit. King Vamp showed up and she ran." Caden kicked the wall and cursed silently at his now throbbing big toe. "Get in the car. Tell Joel and Cody she headed east."

Ten minutes later, the pair of boys found the block party and the three black Escalades, a human familiar or two standing beside them, alert to their surroundings. Caden shivered and instinctively touched his chest, directly over his heart.

Nick noticed the movement. "Hey, dude. Don't worry; you're not one of them anymore. You never will be again. Just chill out and let's find the dame."

Caden glanced at Nick with a grin. His best friend returned it with a smirk and a wink. "All right," he said. "Let's do this."

But before either of them could get out of the car, the familiars all looked in unison toward the crowd of bodies. Caden looked over just in time to see Zoey and Drake coming out of the mob of people. Caden's eyes went wide. They were too late. She was going back home with the enemy and they could do nothing about it without Abbey or Blade. Shit! This was his chance to prove worthy of being on the Night Stalkers.

They boys watched helplessly as Drake closed the door on Zoey, supposedly not allowing her to drive the Benz back to the manor. Zoey and Drake argued for a bit then she reluctantly got into the Escalade, he tumbled in after her. The SUVs drove away.

"Dammit," Nick whispered. "Time to get back to headquarters."

"Yeah," Caden said back. "We'll get her next time."

He put the car in drive, turned around and headed back to the place he has called home for the last four years.

. . .

"You did what?" Abbey screamed.

"We lost her. Drake got to her before we could. She was in our grasps but ditched as soon as King V entered the room." Nick hung his head. Caden remained silent.

Abbey shook her head. Her hands went up in the air, the sign of defeat. "This was our only chance. This was the one way we could get her back."

Blade sat in the corner, sharpening his samurai sword, as usual. He spoke up, "We'll find another way."

"How the hell do you know?" Abbey snapped. She just wanted her niece back. That's all she wanted; her family to be back together again, even if it was broken. That girl was all she had left in the world.

"I—" Blade started.

"He doesn't. But I do," came a voice from above.

The group looked up, Caden pulled out his gun, same as Nick. Abbey instinctively reached for an arrow and Blade just looked up casually.

"King!" Abbey shouted; her voice rose into a relief-slash-irritated crescendo.

"Say my name, baby."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Nick and Caden sheathed their weapons and straightened their posture. Nick plucked a bouncy ball from the weapon's table and began to play with it. Caden sat in a large sofa chair and stared at the ground, uninterested in their vampire ally.

"To inform you that the Events have been moved up to a sooner date."

Abbey frowned. "How soon?"

"Two days too soon for you?" King asked sarcastically.

Caden jumped from his seat. "Zoey is going to be fighting for her life in two damn days? Is she even ready?"

King shrugged as he came down the stairs. "I believe she could last a day."

Caden cursed. No one could possibly be ready for the Events. It's deadly and dangerous; fearful and short lived. No one deserved to die in the Events. At least, no human deserves to die.

"What are we going to do?" Caden whispered. He couldn't lose Zoey to the torture of the Events. He just couldn't.

"We," King's eyes burned into Caden's, his voice rough, "are going to do a little party crashing."

They all grinned, except Caden and Abbey and Blade. The first two knew the danger of it and what could result from it. Blade never smiled, so that wasn't unusual. Caden gave Abbey a worried glance, which the woman returned. Then, everyone's eyes were on Blade, who didn't cease sharpening his sword since the arrival of King. It was a unknown rule that they did nothing without Blade's say so. He knew better than anyone what to expect from vampires. When he was out, Abbey was second in command.

Blade finished after a moment of silence and sheathed his sword. He stood slowly and looked each individual in the eye, ending with Abbey, who nodded silently.

"Prepare your weapons. We attack at dawn."

. . . .

I sat on my bed, my hands twisting together nervously. The Events are starting? Tomorrow night? Oh, this was too much for me. They say no human has ever survived the Events. Who's to say I'll beat the odds. But I have to. I am not ready to die, but since I'm in these games I will not die without a hard fight.

Drake called on me several minutes ago, but I remained in my room. My knees to my chin and my hands wringing about my legs, I must look pathetic to any outsider. But in my mind, I was completely focused on what the hell I was going to do. I was thinking of running away, but they would just postpone the Events and go in search for me, eventually finding me and throwing me into the games immediately. But, it was worth a shot.

I began to plan in my head what I would need for such a trip. What I would do once out of the front gates. I was planning on leaving during the day, when security was loose. I escaped once, I could do it again.

I was told vampire lords were already arriving to the manor, seeking out the human their king favors, and yet is willing to throw her into the lion's den. I began to tremble.

No! I squeezed my eyes shut. I will not fall to being a pitiless sight to behold. I had to fight, but I didn't want to. I feared what happens in the Events. It's no video game that once you die today you can just start over tomorrow, refreshed and alive again.

It was cold and everyone who competed eventually died one way or another. And to think vampires actually signed up for this! I saw the humans that were picked out from the streets lined up on the driveway a couple hours after Drake returned me to the manor. They were filthy and small, all in ragged clothes and mismatching socks.

I felt sorry for them. They had no training whereas I do. I could help them.

But as soon as I came up with that thought, I erased it from my mind. What use is it to help a helpless cause? I began to tear up at the thought of so many innocent lives about to be broken down and torn into shreds, literally.

No one knows what the Events hold; the games change from the Events held before. It's unexpected and highly dangerous, so I was told.

My body shook violently. I had to get a grip on my mind. I was running away in the morning and that was that. End of story. I nodded fiercely to myself and stood. I wiped away my tears and nodded again. I was sure of what I was going to do. Now, I had to go meet Drake and pretend to train for these scary Events.

I opened the door and made my way downstairs. I was dressed in a training uniform for the Events that Drake so kindly had made for me. It was more like a stripper's costume, though, instead of a uniform. It was black and red, the majority of it being black with red outlining. It was two pieces, the top practically a bra and the bottom was spandex shorts that barely covered my ass and a rag draping over the front and back, covering me, but leaving little to the imagination. I allowed the people standing in the front hall to look at me and study me. I heard whispers and ignored them. I thought I'd have to fight the crowd to get to the gym, but they all parted like that colored sea and let me through.

When I reached the gym, I glanced behind me and was met with a couple dozen pair of eyes. I entered the gym and closed the door behind me.

I frowned at the scene before me. Drake was nowhere in sight. Instead, in the middle of the room was a small table with two chairs, a couple plates of finger food and a crystal goblet filled with wine of some sort. I crossed the room and reached the table, careful to glance around me, ready for an ambush.

On the table was a note:

I'm dearly sorry, my love, but I was called away for a moment. Don't hesitate to have some food and drink. I'll be back shortly.

-D

I tossed the note and sat at the table. I examined the food. My stomach gave a loud cry of hunger. I patted in and hesitated before tenderly picking up a piece of ham and biting off a piece. It was delicious. Before a second thought came to my mind, I devour most the meat and cheese. I had a couple grapes and apple wedges. Everything was sweet and amazing. I hesitated a moment before reaching for the goblet. I didn't think Drake would poison me—then again, he tricked me into giving him a blow job.

I shrugged. What's the point of drugging me if I'm to be used tomorrow night, which technically I won't even be here?

I swallowed the whole goblet and set it down with a satisfied sigh. It was sweet, too sweet to be wine. I tasted it on my tongue and decided it must be kool-aid or something, and continued eating.

Suddenly, my body cold—or rather, but blood did. I felt convulsions arising and my body gave several involuntary twitches. I cried out and somehow landed on my floor. My body felt like it was burning from the inside out, yet my blood was nearly as cold as ice.

I screamed again when my body did more violent spasms. What the hell is happening to me?

My body did a violent quiver and my face was toward the door, where a dark figure stood. "Ah, you drank it. Good girl."

"What—have you—done—to—me—assho—hole?" I screamed between intervals of my spasms.

Drake knelt down and caught my face in his hands. "I gave you my blood, little one."

. . . .

AN: Hey guys! So, I have updated! Yay me! And now, I have a facebook and twitter page in order to keep you updated on why I haven't updated yet.

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P.S! I was thinking of doing a sequel. Yes or no? Poll will be up on my page. Or say it in a review. Thanks guys!

With love,

Willow Jane