I slowly removed my arms from my face and stared at the pinky flesh that covered my hands. I couldn't breathe—I didn't need to, but they say old habits die hard. I suddenly gasped with relief, but then it settled upon me that I was no normal vampire. I felt the thirst, but did not burn in the sun. I still had my human emotions as well, which is not normal for a newly made vampire.

I slowly moved my eyes from my hands to Drake's face. He had a simple smile on his face, enjoying my surprise. Of course he knew I wouldn't burn. He made me this way.

"What if you could remain young, forever?"

The first words Drake spoke to me when I was first captured by him so many years ago. My simple reply was a threat.

"My friends are coming to kill you."

Yeah, like that even happened . . .

They ditched me, I got stuck with a pervy vampire—who, oh yeah, happens to be the king—and now said vampire turned me into a vampire. Did I miss anything?

I dropped my arms and stared up at the beaming sun over the horizon. My gaze then turned toward the man who held me. A whole of three seconds went by before I went ape-shit.

"You fucking lying bastard! I fucking hate you! Let me the fuck down!"

King's speech techniques come in handy once in a while, I've noticed. I continued to kick and scream as Drake walked back to the manor, not even flinching when I landed blows that were harder than my normal punches. I wanted to rip him to shreds. How dare he turn me without consent! All I wanted was a normal fucking life. But nooo. I just had to end up being kidnapped by a vampire and everything that comes with it! Jeez. I'm so over my life.

I was pulled out of my crazy mentality when a fast-flying object shattered the slider window Drake was about to open. In the jagged pieces, I swore I saw a flash of brown hair tied into a pony tail dash behind a tree. I craned my neck to look around Drake. Another arrow came dangerously close to Drake's bare neck, but he easily dodged it without looking behind him to see his attacker. He calmly stepped into the manor and continued walking until we were upstairs, in my bedroom where too many memories were made. This was the last place I wanted to be, thank you.

Drake threw me on the bed—literally—and left me there to return to the door. Before he exited, Drake turned to me and said, "Try to be good and stay out of this."

And with that he closed and locked the door from the outside before I could reach it. I have to admit, it was faster than my normal human speed, but I still didn't make it in time. I tugged at the door, trying to use my super-human strength to yank the door open, but it didn't budge. Really? I have all this stupid power now, apparently, and I can't even open a door? How did Drake accomplish this?

I tried several more times before giving up and trying my windows. I first tried to open it like a normal person; then I tried to punch it—which fucking hurt—and then I tried to throw my chair at it. Which worked? None of the above.

How does this happen? I mean, it can't be bulletproof . . . on second thought, never mind.

I let out a frustrated groan and angrily slammed my fist into the window with so much might, I made a small crack. I whopped to ignore the throbbing pain climbing up my arm. I threw a punch again and again with the same anger I felt earlier. The window cracked open after several hits and several cuts up and down my arm. That shit hurt.

I flew out the window and landed with grace I had as a human and recently gathered as a vamp—ugh, that word. I jumped up and started sprinting for the back door to the manor, in search of the woman with brown hair that nearly killed Drake. I heard before I saw the battlefield that was laid out in front of me in the living room. I saw Danica and a brown-haired kid fighting closest to me. I saw another boy fighting off Asher. Then there was a person I never thought I'd see again . . .

"ABBEY!" I screamed.

I knew I shouldn't have, but I did and I suck for doing so because I could see it made her lose her focus for all of one second, but it was enough for Drake to drive a solid punch to her gut, which caused her to double over. I gasped in shock at what I had just done. I didn't realize I was running toward them until I was practically next to Abbey. I had passed several boys my age fighting off vampires. Who are they, anyway?

I reached Abbey and Drake. I threw a kick in Drakes direction but he met it with a kick of his own that landed me on my ass.

"Fuck," I cursed under my breath. Ow.

"I thought I told you to stay out of this, Zoey."

"You know I never listen, Drake."

I stood and turned to look at Abbey. Now wasn't the time, but I wanted to hug her so badly—but I also wanted to scream at her for not saving me when I was younger. Her eyes communicated with mine, mirroring my own. We'll talk later, they said.

I nodded before turning my attention back to Drake just as he began to throw a punch aimed for my right cheek. I ducked with my super-human speed and threw a fist toward his gut.

"I've got him," I shouted to Abbey.

I didn't take the moment to see if she heard or listened to what I just said. I didn't care. Right now, it's between me and Drake. We circled each other, like predators. I scowled at him. "Why did you do this to me?"

"I wanted to be together forever, princess."

I spat in the ground. "You're disgusting."

"I thought you liked it." He grinned evilly.

Before I could control my actions, I charged at him, a battle cry pouring from my lips. That's it! I've had it with your sick jokes and asshole remarks. I knew that tonight, one of us would die. I had too much anger, too much hatred, too much stress, and too much pain for it to be me. I needed a punching bag to beat all my anger, hatred and hurt out of my system. And Drake was perfect for the job. I threw punches and landed kicks, fighting my hardest. I dodged every other strike he made at me.

But I didn't have time to dodge the fist that landed on my temple, nor the leg that took my feet out from under me. I black out for all of two seconds, but that gave Drake the chance to grab my wrists and pull me into him, my back against his chest. The black dots began to disappear, my vision returning. I already had a killer headache, and my stomach was becoming nauseous.

Drake's voice boomed over the others who continued to fight. "Stop!"

I winced at the volume. I was dizzy and everything seemed to be moving even though we were stationary. I rolled my head back to rest on Drake's chest. I didn't like this feeling.

I noticed people looking around and landing gazes on me and Drake, stepping away, but keeping their tensed bodies aware of their opponents.

"This fight is over. If you drop your weapons and apologize," Drake smiled, "I'll allow you to live.

"But if you don't," his grin disappeared, "Zoey dies before your eyes and then you follow her to the afterlife."

People looked at each other, eyeing their enemies. I looked around at the ones who were apparently on Abbey's side. I saw three boys who were complete strangers and then I saw him, Caden. His violet eyes matched mine with fierceness. I frowned. What was he doing here?

Then I heard something—something I heard from the distant past; the sound of a sword being unsheathed. I knew who it was before he spoke or before Drake identified him.

"Release the girl," a deep voice rumbled.

I could practically feel Drake's sneer. He hissed, "Blade."

Before I knew it, I was thrown on the ground. I turned quickly and saw Blade and Drake suddenly in a nasty fight. From thin air, it seemed, Drake pulled out a sword almost identical to Blades. I scooted back on my butt and then stood. I was looking for an opening to attack Drake, but a hand on my upper arm made me stop and look to my right. Caden was holding me back; the look in his eyes was intimidating.

I looked back at the fight happening before my eyes. It seemed even on both sides, either one could win, but I silently prayed Blade would come out the victor. I don't know what would happen if Drake won and Blade was the one to die.

After a minute, the humans began to attack the vampires once again, the battle resuming. I dashed past everyone and head directly for the gym, in search of a weapon to kill a certain bitch with. I threw open the doors and ran to the wall that was decorated with a variety of blades and swords. I settled for the arm blades and took off, back to the living room. When I entered, I saw a sight that crushed my heart. Cat the Cook laid dead among many other humans that I assumed tried to fight or defend the vampires, either way, dying in the struggle. My eyes began to burn with tears, but I swallowed them back to find a vampire to kill for killing my only friend in this hell hole.

It only took a moment to locate Danica. She saw me approach her and the boy she was fighting. She hissed in my direction and I cut into the fight, yelling to the boy, "Go."

Danica threw punches and easily avoided areas where the sunlight hit. I lunged at her, an idea slowly formulating in my head. I smiled evilly and lunged at her again, and again, edging her toward the wall that was full of sunlight.

With one last lunge, I threw one of the blades toward her gut, which she blocked, but the other blade came directly to her chest. I put all my weight on top of her and pushed her into the sunlight. We landed on the ground, toasty warm from the sun. Danica gave a blood curdling scream and tried to push me off of her. I held down her wrists with one hand and twisted the blade with the other, trying to dig in as deeply as possible without killing her. She deserved to be in pain, to be tortured. After making my life a living hell, she deserved to die. I stood once the sun got the better of her. I took the other blade into my better hand.

"Die, bitch."

And with that, I sliced off her head. I looked up to find people—humans—staring at me. There were four total, including Caden, who had just taken down Asher. So the twins die together. How sweet.

Everyone's attention shifted as Abbey brought down another vampire and turned to watch Drake and Blade continue to battle it out. I slowed my breathing, trying to recollect everything that King had taught me.

Breathe slowly. Focus on your target. Attack!

I closed my eyes, taking in another deep breathe before opening them once again. My anger had peaked and there was no turning back. I sprinted toward the fighting pair and leaped between them, slicing my blades in the air, making contact with Drake's torso and Blade's thigh. Neither reacted with pain, but I saw Drake's eyes burn with passion. Blade was about to attack once again, but I threw my blade against his, never breaking eye contact with Drake.

"This is my fight," I said through gritted teeth.

Blade slowly backed off and I took my fighting stance.

"You wish to die, Zoey?"

"I wish you dead. You took everything from me. My friends, my family, my life. And now, I'm taking it all back. I will not be the one dead. Today, you die." I kept my monolog short in order to get to the job at hand.

We attacked each other; I threw my weight behind my thrusts and jabs. I cut him severely only twice, whereas, he cut me lightly multiple times.

"You . . . are . . . amazing," he grunted in between attacks. "You . . . are . . . mine."

I growled. I've had enough of this.

I feigned left and thrust right. My blade hit home, right into Drake's ribs. Something bothered me about the injury, but I didn't think about it until later.

"I will never be yours, you sick fuck." I stabbed my other blade into his heart, meeting little resistance, the blade sliding easily into his chest like butter.

I took the blade out and repeated stabbing him three more times. On the last time, I gave it a sickening twist and looked Drake dead in the eyes. "When I told you years ago about my friends coming to kill you, I never thought I would be the one to look into your eyes as your death came upon you. I'm glad it was me in the end. You will never have me."

His hand lifted to cup my cheek, but I swatted it away. He lied to me for nearly my entire life, he betrayed me and took what I cherished most in the world—my humanity.

"I've already had you, my dear. And I will have you again," he gasped.

My eyes burned as tears of hate ran down my cheeks; my body screamed for his death. I took my blade once again and continued stabbing him and stabbing him. All my hate, all my anger, all my fear, my pain, my desire, my past drained out of me and into my strength as I continued to murder the man I thought cared for me most in the world, the man who made me believe I was alone except for him. The man who caressed my body not a few days ago. The man that now lay dead beneath me, but I didn't cease my actions.

Not until a hand barely touched my shoulders. I jerked at made a move to swing at my attacker. A hand grabbed my wrist and stopped my attack. I blinked and looked up to Abbey.

"It's over, Zoey. He's dead," she whispered.

My eyes cried even more heavily and my heart ached to be comforted. But the one who used to comfort me was dead on the floor of the living room. I grabbed Abbey and pulled my body onto hers, trying to revive any comfort I once got from her, when Mom was still alive. I hugged her and she hugged me back even more tightly than I held her.

"It's okay, Zoey. It's over now," she soothed as I sobbed.

I held onto her for what seemed like hours, but had to be only a few minutes before Caden came up and said something quietly to Abbey. I felt Abbey nod. Slowly, Abbey stood me up and led me out of the house—the one I had lived in for so long, almost calling home. Where I learned everything I know now, where my life was controlled for years upon years. And now, I was leaving. I couldn't say goodbye to Cat or Cynthia—shit, Cynthia. She could still be alive!

"Wait," I said to Abbey. "There was a girl in there, Cynthia. She might be alive. I have to find her."

Abbey held me from running back into the house. "She's all right. We've got her."

I frowned at her, but didn't question it. She continued to lead me to the getaway car outside—a fifteen-seat van. Everyone climbed in. Abbey sat on my right while Caden sat on my left. I hugged Abbey, but I enjoyed the feel of Caden's body against mine. I felt protected, safe. As a blonde boy began to drive away, I couldn't help but look back. People who sat in the back scooted out of the way so I could watch the manor become smaller and smaller. My tears had stopped a few minutes ago, but a single tear escaped my eye. I wiped it away and continued to stare at the manor. I said a final, mental goodbye and turned back around.

I looked up at Abbey. "I missed you."

She smiled down at me, "I missed you, too."

After a few moments of looking at each other, I said to break the silence, "You look so . . . old."

Abbey laughed and a few of the boys chuckled.

"It's been a long time. We have a lot to catch up on."

"And we have a long time to do it," I replied.

Abbey kissed the top of my head, like she used to when I was a child.

"Yes, yes we do."

. . .

A | N: Not to fear! It's not the last chapter.

ONE MORE CHAPTER TO COME!

BUT—this is very important—YOU NEED TO VISIT MY PROFILE AND SAY YES OR NO TO A SEQUEL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FANS ARE STILL READING AND WANT MORE. THE LAST CHAPTER DEPENDS ON THIS POLL!

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Love,

Willow