I remember being struck in the back of the head and then everything went black. I awoke after some time had passed as I was being taken back to the tunnels but through a different entrance in the middle of some trees. If these tunnels ran under the entirety of Santa Carla, how long had these vampires really been here? How had I not noticed?

David threw me down into the hole and due to my weariness, I didn't have time to catch myself and landed face-first into the dirt. I pushed myself up slightly as if I was doing a pushup and spit the dry dirt from my mouth. I tried to stand but David and Tatiana landed behind me, both grabbing an arm as they half-carried half-dragged me down the tunnel, my legs hitting every rock in our path.

We traveled for quite some time before they stopped at the entrance to a room, the door covered in beads. They threw me through the makeshift doorway onto the ground.

David peeked his head through the beads. "You can stay here until we're ready. If you try to escape, we will find you."

He laughed to himself as he slid back between the beads and disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel. I listened to their footsteps until nothing but silence remained. I got onto wobbly feet and looked around at my surroundings.

It was a dirt room with a bed and a small nightstand with a candle melted almost entirely onto the wood itself. How anyone could live down in this utter darkness was beyond me. Vampires enjoyed the dark but even for me, this was too much.

I felt patted myself down and to no surprise, found all my weapons missing. I decided it was time to do some exploring of my own. They said if I escaped they'd find me but I wasn't planning to escape.

I walked over to the nightstand and rummaged through the contents of the drawer to find another candle that still had some life left in it. I lit the wick with the other candle and headed toward the beaded door. I slid the beads back to peek my head out. I looked down both ends of the tunnel, even though I could barely see five feet in front of me.

Vampires had excellent eyesight but complete blackness made things difficult. I could probably make my way around but having the candle made me feel safer or more human at least. I stepped into the tunnel, looked both ways, and then headed in the direction we'd been going before they left me in the room.

The tunnel continued winding back and forth for what felt like forever. Every once in a while there would be an opening to the left or right leading to bedrooms or storage rooms or one even had a wall of bookcases.

"This place is damn creepy, but you can't deny it's cool," I muttered to myself.

I continued walking as I came upon a stream of light coming from one of these rooms. I tiptoed up to the door of beads and moved a few over to see what was on the other side. There was a bed and Edgar was laying on top of it, his arms and legs tied to the posts. He had blood caked on his throat and from what I could tell, other places as well.

I snuck through the opening and set the candle on the nightstand, illuminating his pale skin. I went to move the hair from his face, but within an inch of his face, his eyes flew open. At first, he was scared but then he realized who was sitting next to him and his muscles relaxed, only slightly.

"How did you find me?" he whispered.

"It doesn't matter, I'm going to get you out of here," I said, reaching for the binding around his wrist. "Where are the others?"

"I don't know." Edgar shook his head. "After we left you in that cave, they covered our eyes and separated us. They've been feeding on me and I'm guessing the others as well. They are weakening us and it's working."

I tore the binding from his wrist and went for his ankle. "We won't let them win. Don't give up on me, Edgar."

"I don't surrender easily," Edgar said, trying to smile through the pain. "But how are we going to defeat them?"

"We just need to find our weapons and we have a fighting chance," I said, tearing through another binding. "I will look for the others, you search for the weapons. Hopefully, we can meet back up after."

"And if we can't?" Edgar asked.

"Then get out as fast as you can."

I broke the last of his bindings and handed the candle to Edgar, he needed it more than I did. We reluctantly parted ways and headed in opposite directions. This was our only chance and it had to work. It just had to.

I stumbled down the tunnel, using only my sight to transverse the dark corridor. I found a few empty rooms and then another with dim light spilling through the beads. I peeked my head through and found Sam laying on the bed, no restraints in sight.

I came closer and realized why he wasn't tied down; he didn't need them. He was as white as a ghost, the blood on his throat, arms, and legs contrasting against his stark white frame. His eyes were sunken caverns and his lips were almost the same color as his skin, he looked like he was already dead.

I sat beside him and placed my fingers on his throat, his pulse was slow but it was still there. He had a chance but he needed a doctor and he needed one now.

I placed my hand on his cheek, trying not to cry as I shook him slightly. I wanted him to open his eyes. His heartbeat told me he was alive but I wanted to see proof. I wanted to see Sam.

I felt his heartbeat quicken slightly as his eyes slowly opened. His gaze was unfocused and tired but when he saw me, his lips formed into a weak smile.

"Dawn…" he whispered.

"I'm going to get you out of here, okay?" I said, moving a strand of hair from his face. "I'm going to take you home."

"I should've listened to you," he whispered, his own eyes tearing up. "I'm sorry."

"Shhh, it's okay. It's okay," I reassured him as a tear rolled down my cheek. "I can tell you an I told you so once you're safe."

He smiled. "I can't wait."

I rose to my feet and helped Sam to his, pulling one of his arms over my shoulders. We tried to take a step but his wobbly legs gave out on him. So instead of trying again, I picked him up in my arms, one arm underneath his legs while the other lay beneath his back. In any other situation, Sam would've tried to stop me from carrying him like a bride but right now he had no room for complaint.

I stepped out into the hall and turned toward the way I came. I used my speed as best I could in the dark as Sam's fragile body clung to me. We passed Edgar's room and then a short while later the one I was in. This felt too easy. And that feeling was squashed the second we made it to the entrance.

I looked up and saw the sun beginning to rise, the landscape covered in pale light. I couldn't make it out but Sam could. I heard movement from behind me and knew they had discovered what I'd done. I wouldn't let them take him back, not in his condition.

I lifted Sam over my head and slid him onto the ground just outside the hole. I pushed him far enough away that he couldn't be reached from the bottom, my own hand getting caught in a ray of sunlight, burning the flesh instantly as I cowered back into the darkness.

Sam weakly turned his head so he could see me. "Dawn, what are you doing?"

"I'm saving you."

Before I could say anything else, I felt a hand grab my arm and fling me into the darkness of the tunnel. The figure grabbed me by the back of my shirt and began dragging me further into the darkness. I struggled against them and tried to grab at their wrist with my hands but I couldn't reach them.

They did this until we found ourselves in a giant room, similar to the one I had found them in originally. This figure threw me across the room as I tumbled into the dirt, my back landing against a large rock.

I pulled myself to my feet as the candles around the room lit aflame. I found that the figure standing across me was Celeste herself and she was pissed. I could almost feel the anger seeping off of her as she stood mere feet from me, her glare searing holes into my flesh.

"You're a pain in my ass," Celeste spat.

"I wouldn't have to be if you left my friends alone," I sneered in return.

Celeste laughed, the sound echoing around us. "You're friends deserve what is coming to them. You may have saved Sam … for now. But we will find him and he will pay for what he's done."

"Over my dead body," I said.

"That can be arranged."

"David wants me alive, remember?" I said.

"He wants you alive," Celeste said, looking down before looking back up with her face transformed. "But he never said in one piece."

She rushed forward as I jumped out of the way, her claws going into the dirt wall behind me. I tumbled to the left and shot to my feet, my own face transforming. I bared my fangs at her as she did the same to me.

We ran at one another, grabbing at each other's arms as we became locked in a deadly dance. This went on until I bent to the right, wrenching her arms from mine. I slid between and punched her straight in the nose, knocking her back onto the ground. She sat up as blood dripped from her nose. She licked it up as fire lit behind her eyes.

She came at me again and I blocked her incoming attacks, but her insistent blows weakened my defense and she left a deep gash in my arm. I lost focus to look at the fresh wound when she took her opportunity for the final blow.

Her clawed hand flew toward me, embedding all five fingers in my stomach. I grabbed at her hand but she just dug deeper, the pain overwhelming. Instead of yanking her hand free, she dragged them to the right, leaving five deep gashes across my abdomen.

When she had pulled her hand free, blood was spilling from the wound at a rapid pace as I collapsed to the ground. I placed one of my hands over the wound to make myself feel better, even though I knew it was a placebo.

Celeste crouched in front of me, licking my blood from her hand. "I don't understand what he sees in you."

"Maybe it's my charm," I gasped, pulling myself up against the wall.

"Maybe," she muttered, rising to her feet. "Tonight your friends will die and when we find Sam, and we will, he'll join them. Get some rest, you're the guest of honor after all."

I looked up at her as she smiled, laughing once again as she licked the blood from her fingers. She headed down another tunnel, the candles in the room going dim with her. I was left to bleed out in complete darkness. But at least Sam was safe.

Sam was safe…