Chapter 21

I slept peacefully until I felt like I was getting attacked. I woke up with a start. People's hands were around me, I thrash and tried to yell but I felt a gauntlet cover my mouth, the hands were strong and I saw metal on the arms around me. I struggled more but I couldn't get away from them and they had pinned me, cuffing my hands and legs together. I struggled against them but it was in vain and I couldn't get though. I was laying on my bed, surrounded by 3 Fists.

"What the hell is this?" I asked outraged.

"You will see soon enough," One of the said. I felt two of them pick me up by my shoulders and I felt my feet drag lightly against the floor as they took me to the main chamber, the one with the throne in it.

I saw a couple people. Arial, Rebeca, her mom and dad, Jene, Nena, Jene's mom and a few others from the reunion as well as a couple people here and there around the main space before the throne. I was set in the middle and the people were gathered around me. The Fists took my chains and chained me to the floor.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked. I couldn't see Rebeca, she must have been behind me. She had looked sad for the few seconds I had been able to see her. No one spoke, just observed me.

"What's going on?" I asked again looking around. I saw Salina on her throne, she got up and walked towards me.

"You have been brought here to us in chains and chained to the floor for our protection," She told me.

"Your protection? From me?" I asked. She nodded.

"That's ridiculous. I wouldn't hurt any of you.... Well... Without provocation," I said.

"Why do you think I would hurt you all?" I asked.

"Because you are an enemy," She said.

"Wait. Since when? How have I showed myself an enemy?" I asked a little agitated.

"A long while ago. Back during the dark ages and through out history. Their have been those who have shown characteristics like yours. We never thought to look at them because they were far and few in history that and we thought they died off," She said. She walked a little closer.

"Do you know what would happen if our secret got out?" She asked me.

"Ah... Humans as a whole would probably try to kill you for what you are," I told her.

"Exactly, that is why we chain you," She said.

"What does what I am and exposing our secret have to do with me?" I asked. Salina sighed.

"Because your kind and my kind fight," She said.

"What do you mean. I wouldn't do that. You know I wouldn't," I said.''

"We call your kind. Hostillis lamia. Meaning enemy vampire in latin," She said.

"I don't care. I wouldn't hurt you or anyone without reason," I said.

"It is not your choice. It will happen," Salina told me.

"Why?" I asked.

"We've had horrible run ins with your kind," She said.

"So you would just stereotype me?" I asked outraged more.

"The last time we didn't do anything a quarter of our population was killed, I will not allow that to happen again," She said.

"You've got to be kidding. I'm not that person. I wouldn't do it," She said.

"You won't have a choice," She told me.

"Bullshit!" I exclaimed.

"What would you do to him?" I heard Rebeca ask. I tried to turn around to face her but I was strapped too tightly down in the chains.

"We have no choice. He must be killed," She said. I heard Rebeca gasp.

"No. NO!" I heard her scream but I couldn't see her, I heard muffled sounds like she had a hand over her mouth.

"REBECA!" I shouted and fought furiously against my binds and was able to get one free, and before the fists could get to me. I got the other free. I turned quickly and ran. I pushed the two people around Rebeca and picked her up and ran with her. I saw the doors of the main chamber close. And all the other doors close too leading away from the chamber. I thought quickly and jumped up to a empty balcony and found a door. I let Rebeca down and we ran with our hands together.

"She didn't make any sense to me," I told Rebeca. She just nodded.

"I remember my parents telling me the last time someone matching your description arrived. Salina was the one that urged patients and to see if this one would hurt us like the last one did. He killed about 100 before he was finally stopped.

"A quarter of the population?" I asked.

"She exaggerated, but... it was her lover who was the last," Rebeca told me frowning. We kept running. We didn't know where we were running to. Just going on instinct. We finally found a big door and went through it. We were outside somewhere. It was the middle of a huge Forrest. It was also twilight outside. The pink sky shining through the tree trunks. Me and Rebeca ran fast. I was faster than her even while carrying her. I jumped into a random tree a few miles away from where we had exited from. I set Rebeca down and sat down next to her on the huge, thick branch. Breathing heavily. After a few minutes I had settled down. She was looking at me sad.

"I'm sorry," She told me. Wrapping her arms around me.

"I won't let them convince me again," She said. I returned her hug. Drink.... I heard a voice and I pulled away startled.

"Mich, what's wrong?" She asked me. Drink.... I heard the voice again.

"Did you hear that?" I asked her.

"Hear what?" She asked. Drink.... Let the blood flow from her like a river....

"That voice?" I asked getting scared.

"What voice?" She asked. She couldn't hear it. Oh god what's going on, I said to myself. I had an urge, the slightest slightest urge to do as the voice commanded.

"What's wrong Mich?" She asked.

"I hear a voice. It wants me to drink, but not in the normal way. It wants me to drain you dry," I told her. She gasped.

"I won't do it. It's hold is not strong at all and I can resist," I said. She started to cry and lean against me. The tears just make the taste sweeter... the voice trailed and I shoved it in the back of my head, I couldn't put it from my mind completely.

"Please don't cry," I said holding her.

"I would never hurt you," I told her.

"I know," She said holding me tighter. I sighed.

"We can't stay here forever, they'll find us if we don' move," I told her. She nodded. I picked her up again and jumped down from the tree. I landed with a grunt and we were off again. We kept going and going. The pillar of trees didn't seem like they would end, I had Rebeca in my arms and she was looking up at me with a sad smile. She stroke my face while I ran with her. I finally found a cave at least 20 miles away from the door we had exited. I set Rebeca down to catch my breath. Her arms wrapped around my neck and she pulled me into a kiss.

"I love you Mich," She told me. I smiled at her.

"I know, I love you too Rebeca," I replied. I wrapped my arms around her as well. She pulled me down to her and kissed me passionately. I returned her passionate kiss with one of my own. Drink... It trailed to me again. But I wouldn't I wouldn't drink like it wanted me to. I could never do that to Rebeca. I could never hurt her like that. I wondered what was going to happen. Me and Rebeca were runaways now. I didn't think I could ever return to the others without them seizing me and trying to kill me and they might hurt Rebeca for running away from them with me. Dispite her not hurt in my company. But I knew that the longer we were together the more punishment that Rebeca would receive. I didn't want her to be hurt and I knew that we couldn't hide from them forever. As I came back to the present I saw Rebeca staring at me.

"You want to turn yourself in don't you?" She asked me, as if she had read my mind. I nodded. She closed her eyes and I saw a tear stream from her face. I lifted my hands and wiped the tear away.

"They won't ever stop looking for me and the longer your with me the more they'll punish you," I told her.

"And I don't want you hurt, I know that we can't hide forever and I know you know that too," I said.

"But..." She trailed. She threw herself at me and cried more and more.

"I love you!" She said loudly.

"I don't ever want you to go!" She shouted.

"Please. Don't. Leave. Me," She cried and hugged me tighter. I heard a ruseling in the bushes behind us. Rebeca's shouting must have attracted attention and I turned around to find a white arm and hand grasp my throat and throw me hard, I sailed through the air before making contact hard on the tree.

"NO MICH!" I heard Rebeca yell but I felt hands on my throat pushing me hard against the tree. I looked up to see who had me but I saw a fist before I saw a face and was promptly knocked out Rebeca's scream of pain as I got knocked out ringing in my ears.