Chapter Ten

VaMoS

I couldn't be sure how long I kept at it; climbing that impossible wall just to get closer and closer to the top but have the top so far away. The other starving vampires in the hole were at first vaguely interested by my conquest, but after hours of me attempting to climb to the top and escape, they became bored and lost all interest in my doings. But then the time came when I finally reached the top.

I looked up from where I was to see a solid silver top to the well. I stared at it for a bit and considered attacking it to see if I could just break through myself, but Jove told me not to. He was here. So instead, I started slamming my fist into the wall where I was to make my grip on the wall easier to keep ahold of. I really hoped Jove didn't get hurt… It would suck a lot if he ended up killed by these vampire hunters.

While I waited I began to realize that I was a bit hungry. Perhaps I should have snacked before I finished climbing this wall… I looked down into the hole, only slightly thinking about jumping down to grab someone to feed on before climbing back up, but Jove was already here and that would probably be inconvenient. It was strange how now I was a type of person who just considered feeding on vampires as a snack rather than the human I used to be who didn't want to hurt anybody really…

There was noise above and so I focused my attention on keeping my grip on the wall and focusing on the bond between Jove and I. Now that he was so close, the bond we had was even stronger. I watched the top of the well intently as though I could see through it. Jove was fighting through the hunters quickly, struggling to pass by them and reach me rather than kill them all. He amazed me at his fighting skill, but it shouldn't have been a surprise to me considering how old he was compared to me. Jove was closing in towards my position when I recognized the problem he had walked into. There were a slew of hunters all waiting for him at the well.

Jove! I called out through our bond. Automatically, he tried to block my voice out, which I wasn't used to at all. I almost slipped from my spot against the wall in my concentration, but quickly got my grip again. In the time that I lost my concentration of the situation above, something had happened.

There were more vampires with Jove. I was startled by the furiousness of the random group of vampires, all of which were unfamiliar and attacking the hunters viciously. Jove didn't know them as well, but he fought along if only to reach me. While the fight continued, he grabbed a crowbar and wedged it in the silver top of the well, prying it away until my eyes were no longer in his mind but looking into his face. He smiled at seeing me with relief.

And then he was shoved forward.

"Jove," I cried out as he stumbled over the edge and over me. I quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist before he fell completely below, but automatically he was swung against the silver wall and screamed. In our bare touch, I felt his pain as my own; the silver burning into his skin. At the same time, a hunter was aiming a gun at my head no doubt with silver bullets. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger five times, pumping the bullets into my skin and startling me. They didn't cut past my skin, but was lodged in my skin due to how small they were. Before he could continue, a vampire snapped his neck and tossed him down the well over me.

Dizzy from Jove's pain, I tightened my grip and with desperate strength I swung him away from the wall and over the top of the well, letting go so that he was tossed across the floor. The action had loosened my other grip on the wall and I felt myself beginning to fall into the depths of the hole again. Then my wrist was grabbed by a vampire, his mind bursting into mine. Out of all the things the vampire's mind called out to me, one defining word rang over everything else.

VaMoS.

I tightened my grip to wrap around his wrist, pulling myself up while at the same time pulling him down sharply. My strength startled him, but before he could do anything about it I had already climbed over the top of the well and had tossed him down it. I turned to face the other vampires with my fangs bared and furious, while simultaneously pulling out the silver bullets from my skin. The VaMoS had found Jove and me.

Automatically, I grabbed the first vampire, slamming my fist into his chest and leaving the remains of the silver bullets in his heart before tossing him down the hole behind me. I went to attack another vampire when I was interrupted by sharp pain in my chest. Only it wasn't my pain. Jove.

"Halt right there, Hailence Truit," A very deep voice ordered sharply. I turned to him carefully. It was a man that resembled a vampire I knew to be dead; Drewdon. He was tall, dominating, with dark black hair that fell down his back at the moment in a low ponytail. He even wore the signature suit Drewdon was always found in, though his eyes weren't yellow but a dark brown. There was a difference in facial structure as well as the difference my vampire eyes showed me that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise as a human. At the moment, this man had his hand in Jove's back, near his heart threateningly. Jove was half conscious at the moment, the side of his body burned horribly by the silver. It ached to see him this way.

"Remove your hand from his body," I ordered darkly, noting the amount of vampires surrounding me at the moment. They were steadily increasing as time moved by, obviously preparing for a massive attack from me. I wondered if I could kill this vampire before he could kill Jove and destroy everyone here before they could do anything about it. But I severely doubting I had the skill for it. I wouldn't risk Jove being killed.

"You will surrender yourself here, now, and listen to what I have to say or else I will kill Mr. Jove Silverstone right here," The man demanded darkly, his tone reminding me of Drewdon's own voice of authority. I wondered if this man was related or if all the inner VaMoS vampires resembled each other closely like this. I hesitated at the demand, though. To give myself up to VaMoS would mean the possible end of humankind. They'd want me to create a new race and aid in enslaving all the humans. But at the same time the vampire had tightened his grip in Jove's chest to suggest his complete sincerity.

I retracted my fangs, relaxing my hands, and lowered my guard. "Fine," I submitted. Surely I could find a way out of this over time, but at the moment it was Jove's life at stake. "But let him go or else I won't go anywhere with you or your pitiful friends."

"As you wish," The vampire stated pleasantly, releasing his grip of Jove quickly causing me to wince. He shoved Jove back towards the other vampires, who gripped his half-conscious form as if he were their life raft. "We'll be keeping close tabs on him in case you decide to otherwise… struggle." I narrowed my eyes, watching as the near-Drewdon vampire began to stroll easily towards me. He no doubt felt safer now that he had a solid leverage against me.

"You're VaMoS," I stated, somewhat asking for confirmation.

"I'm Tobias Draele, the current Head of Chair of the Vampire Movement Society," He was now in front of me, holding out his hand which was gloved carefully. I somehow knew he did it purposely to prevent me from knowing too much. Somehow he knew of my powers or at least a part of them. I didn't reach out to accept his handshake, but rather looked into his eyes determinedly. This vampire was powerful and old, sure, but there was still that telltale feeling of weakness under his skin; that his bones could break easily and his heart could be ripped out swiftly and that a piece of silver would cut through him hungrily. If he didn't currently have Jove's life in his hands, I would have nothing to fear.

"Draele…," I said slowly, "You're related to the Draele's? Drewdon?"

"My nephew and I do have some physical resemblances, I'm sure you've noticed," Tobias tilted his head, reaching his hand towards my face. I didn't move, not really concerned that he'd be able to hurt me, but at the same time I didn't like for someone I didn't know who was related to someone who actively tried to kill me and humankind to touch me. He twisted a bit of my hair between his gloved fingers, moving it to the side before touching the side of my face. I'm sure he was noting my perfectly humanlike skin, the warmth that he could no doubt feel through his gloves, and the flawless skin that had silver bullets in it not ten minutes ago.

"You wish to make more like me; to enslave humans," I said darkly.

"I don't see why you would care much about humans at this point. You have barely any connection to them and in fact feed off of them now," Tobias responded, "We wish to come out from the shadows; to take our place out in the sun in this world and put humans where they belong. We're the superior race…"

"You'll never go out into the sun," I interrupted, "What makes you think you and your vampire kind won't just be killed off?"

"Our kind and yours are related," Tobias said to me determinedly, "It will be because of us that your kind will be born. You will give us our freedom on this Earth; the ability to feed freely and to become what we're meant to be. You will owe us."

"Just like humans made and make vampires," I answered skeptically, "We all were humans once. We're all more related to humans that I am to your kind. You think because you feed off humans, are stronger than them, and faster that you are superior. Well, I feed off your kind; I'm stronger than you, faster, without your silly weaknesses, and indestructible. I see you as nothing but food. Pitiful, self-righteous food. Sound familiar?"

"Well then, if vampires are just food to you, you won't mind if we just kill of Mr. Silverstone?" He looked back to the vampires who were holding Jove captive. I quickly jerked forward, causing everyone to shuffle quickly, frightened by my intentions. But I halted just as quickly as I moved.

"Wait!" I called out, caught. "Wait. I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt him."

"Ah, love," Tobias responded triumphantly, looking back at me. "So fickle, isn't it, Miss Truit?"

"It's Draele; Hail Draele," I said bitterly.

"As you wish, Miss Draele," He turned to indicate to the group of vampires, "Come with us, cooperate, and Silverstone won't be harmed. You have my word. And I never break my word." I glanced at Jove, who was now completely unconscious and left on the ground around multiple VaMoS vampires. His wounds were healing painfully slowly, though quicker than an average human. It would hurt once he was awake to find me gone; captured again by someone far more dangerous. But it would be better than him dying because of me. I didn't want to run around this world without him; alone forever.

"Okay," I decided, making Tobias smile pleasantly. The vampires began to shepherd me towards the exit, leading me away from Jove. I was slightly relieved to see that they all were following, leaving Jove alone on the ground. At least I wouldn't have to wonder if they would do something once I was out of sight. Then again, I would feel it through the bond if he got hurt or died…

"We'll be leaving people nearby in case you try anything," Tobias said to me threateningly, "Any attempt of escape or struggle will lead to Silverstone's death, so make sure you know what you want before you try anything." I glared at him angrily.

"You have what you want, you can shut up anytime now, asshole," I growled, pushing a vampire to my left who was too close to me away before moving into a car they had opened for me. I felt a feeling of dread within as I lowered myself into my new cage.