[[author's note: Comments appreciated! 33 I promise Fall Out Boy and dear Patrick will be in the next chapter]]



The only way Lauren was able to have an estimate of how many days had gone by is from each time a bottle of blood was taken down to her. She always had two before she drifted off to sleep, until the next night. Every person that came down to give it to her was clean cut and civilized, yet each had a different personality. It was odd... You'd think that a gang of vampire look-a-likes would also be the same personality wise. Dronies of the night, or something. When she got to study each person who brought down her food, she was always in for a surprise.

Her favorite thus far was a man named Ryan. He was the best company a person could ask for in these types of situations, she assumed. It had been days since she last tried to get out of her prison, so trying to live with it the best she could was her only option. This Ryan seemed to show some form of compassion to her each time he visited, which made her feel almost relieved. Vampires definitely could be emotional beings, correct? Blood wouldn't always be the number one thing in their books, right?

...Right.

It was even almost hard for her to believe it, and she was the one that thought it. Every time she woke up, the first thing she'd look for is someone carrying the bottle of blood she craved. If it wasn't there, she'd go ballistic and start scratching at the cold walls until they came. Lauren just wasn't in her right state of mind anymore. Yet if you were in her shoes, would you blame her? If you were thirsty and without water for the rest of your days, you'd go pretty crazy yourself. Of course, being held captive for an unknown reason also placed the cherry on the cake... Each time someone came into her quarters, they'd mention 'he'. Never had she heard a name, nor seen this man. Who the hell was he?! Brendon biting her and bringing her here simply couldn't of been a coincidence.

She was unaware that the time was now that she found out who this man was.

//////////////

Lauren awoke in a much comfortable environment, to her surprise. No longer was she held down by chains, even though the shackles still remained grudgingly on her wrists. The room was rather big, and would be pitch dark had she still had her old sight. There really wasn't much in the room, except for the large velvet bed that she was curled up on at that very moment. In a second flat she hopped to her feet and stood balanced in place, her sharp eyes looking around for an escape. Her first thought was the only wooden door in front of her, but the idea made her shake her head... too easy. If she was in the same place she were in before, she didn't doubt that there was a few dozen of vampires ready to stop her. Second option? The balcony doors...

Why wasn't that her first choice in the first place?

She took in a deep breath, and edged closer to the see through barrier. The night sky wasn't new to the girl, but since she hadn't been outside in so long, Lauren couldn't help but gasp. It was so beautiful. Now if only she could finally get a breath of that fresh air... It took a mere jiggle of the golden door knob for her to realize that it was locked. It also didn't take long until the door handle was actually broken off from her continuous attempts. Of course now, her only way out would also be the most noisy. Grumbling, she stepped back and with one swift kick, made the glass shatter.

The clock was ticking. Already a chorus of footsteps were rushing at abnormal speed to get to the source. "I knew it, I just fucking knew..." she mumbled with clenched fists, and darted out of the gaping hole. With one step, she appeared on the balcony. Another, she hoisted herself over the balcony's edge and jumped...

Only to never reach the ground.

Instead, Lauren was greeted with a pair of hands grasping her by her arm and a silky voice saying, "Oh come on, sweetheart. What's the hurry?" Lauren didn't even have time to react as she was lugged back onto the balcony, and into the room. The breath in her was almost knocked out when she was flung onto the same bed as before. No, breathing wasn't necessary now that her body no longer needed oxygen... but it was a habit she was yet to get rid of. It was almost comforting.

She heard the figure snap, a wordless command that as she started to realize, the other shadows in the room knew what it meant automatically. Two men, she recognized as Brendon and Spencer, went over onto the balcony and shut the doors behind them, yet remained on guard on the other side. Ryan and Jon went to the front door and copied the previous two's actions.

"Welcome to my humble abode, madame," the figure still remaining in the room said in a proper, quiet voice, and stepped closer into view. As he bent over to kiss her hand, the frame of brown hair fell into his handsome face, over his crimson eyes. Lauren noted how he'd never allow himself to bow, and realized just how regal he seemed to be. Was this the 'he' that everyone was talking about? All she could do was remain quiet, tense, and stare intently at him.

"My name is William Beckett," the man continued, standing back to his full stature. "I apologize for not meeting with you sooner... It's been a pretty stressful few days."

"Oh, I can only imagine," Lauren snapped back, venom lacing each word. "While you're up here being the leader of whatever the hell this is, having your little minions following your every demand, I was down there against my will while being held down by god damn chains!" At that, she raised her wrist and jingled her remaining cuffs towards him. "But pardon me, I should've taken in your feelings first."

He smirked. "You act just like him," William said quietly, which caused Lauren to raise her eyebrow in confusion, and in turn made him raise his voice just a little more, "Those were precautions that every vampire should go through... and from what my men have reported about those walls, it ended up being the right thing."

"Plus you didn't want me to escape," she interrupted, glaring back at him.

"Perhaps," he agreed truthfully with another smirk. Gracefully his feet led him to the bed, where he sat down right next to her, and grasped her chin with his thumb and finger, "But can you blame me? You, my dear, are one of a kind. You should be grateful that you're a vampire now... it really is extraordinary..."

Lauren's head quickly turned to the side, relieving her chin from his grasps, and stared at him with malice. "What the hell are you talking about? This is the ultimate low that I could ever reach! It's worse than death..."

William let out a low chuckle, and shook his head. What did he know that she didn't? "Have you seen yourself since you've been here?" he asked out of the blue, staring back at her intently.

"Impossible when you're in a dreary dungeon, isn't it?"

The man smirked once more, "Then trust me when I say that I couldn't have a better mistress."

Slowly, her eyes widened, and Lauren jumped to her feet in panic. "That's why I'm here?!"

"Why else would you be?"

"I dunno, not to be chosen for an arranged marriage!?"

He got up, as well, and looked down at her with amused eyes. "Don't you understand what you are being handed? I am the leader of the Dandies..."

"Whatever the hell that is..." she mumbled.

"The Dandies," William quickly replied, "are one of the many groups of vampires in this region. Our group happens to be the top, the best. The groups are what you may think of as people in cliques. There's gangsters, punks, and everything in between. We happen to be more high class, and more powerful. As a vampire, you're in the most secure position you could ever be in. What more is there to question?"

"I dunno, my sanity?" Lauren quietly exclaimed, backing away slowly. "I can't... I can't do this."

The man stepped forward, his presence seeming no longer a friendly gentleman, but more menacing. "You don't have a choice," he replied simply, grasping her arm. "Forced or not, you will be mine. Your only choice is whether you'd like life to be rather easy, or like hell. Sooner or later, you'll come around..."

Maybe life was technically over for her now, but she was not going to let a man take control of whatever she had left. A soul still swam inside her, and a brain still functioned above, even though her heart would remain quiet forevermore. It was a risk, but she had to get out.

"No," Lauren said with dead eyes.

"Pardon?"

"No!" she screeched, before spitting straight into his face. Right away, she darted toward the balcony door once again, hoping to somehow dart straight past the two guarding and run into the night. She'd escape somewhere unknown, after going back to her place... Not having a plan wasn't the best way to go, but it was the only thing she could do.

Of course, William was stronger, faster, and obviously couldn't go down with just a shot of venom straight in his face. A low growl escaped from his throat, and grabbed her arm so hard, he nearly tore it off. With one swipe, he slapped her, claws and all. Lauren gasped, the force behind it so strong, she fell to the ground a couple feet away. As he stormed over to have another go at her, she sighed. Maybe his temper would get so bad off, he'd end up killing her. She braced for the blow, and yet, it never came. Her eyes opened in surprise to see Brendon standing in front of William, a gentle grasp holding his master's arm back.

"You'll only loose your strength, and it's like you said, sir... She'll come around." Brendon reasoned, "I'll bring her back to the basement until she's willing to cooperate."

The taller man growled slightly. "You dare listen to my private matters?"

"It couldn't be helped, sir."

William seemed to be in deep thought as his hand slowly dropped from his servant's hold and to his side, looking past Brendon's head and straight into Lauren's eyes. Those eyes seemed to burn holes into the back of her head... Finally, he looked back to the other man, and nodded. "She's not to receive another drop of blood until her ways change. Now go, and tell Ryan to bring me my tea. I need rest."

Brendon's face became stone as he went straight over to Lauren and picked her up. As he darted to the door, William called out, "Brendon, one more thing..."

"Yes, sir?"

"Don't think that this action will go... unpunished."