Chapter 5

Panic and anxiety tear through me at the same time as i scramble out of the bed, searching for my shoes, i quickly find them under one of the chairs and pull them on, ignoring the sharp pain in my back. The vampires had found the hospital, and they were coming to finish what they had started. They were coming to kill everyone.

I had to warn them, even if it slows me down, I couldn't just leave everyone here to die.

Maybe it was stupid, but I had to take the risk.

I quickly stumble towards the door, my hand inches from the handle when I hear several screams from just outside, I was already too late. I couldn’t save them, not now, not without dying myself.

I had none of my weapons on me, not even the dagger I normally keep in my sock, they take everything from you the minute you arrive. No weapons are allowed in the hospital.

That rule just killed everyone here, maybe even me.

I quietly walk backwards away from the door, my eyes wide as i make my way towards the window, making as little noise as possible as I pull back the curtains. I peak out into the darkness, sighing with relief when i notice that i am only on the second floor. I can jump from this height. Even with my injuries.

I look back at the door as I pull open the window, wincing as the frame creaks loudly, so much for staying silent. I climb onto the ledge and jump seconds before I hear the door to the hospital room open, shouts of angry vampires following me as i plummet to the ground.

I land with my knees bent, the jolt of hitting the ground making the pain in my back several times worse, but I couldn’t stop, not now. If I stop for even a moment, I am dead.

I look back up at the window out of curiosity, but I see no one there, and I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing. I take off running, my heart aching as I hear the screams of other hunters as they are murdered in their hospital beds. It's one thing to kill someone in a fight, but it is another to attack someone who is unarmed and hurt. Maybe they truly are monsters.

But aren’t we monsters to them also? We come into their homes and destroy anyone that we find, no matter their age, once a vampire always a vampire, even a Nati child.

I shake my head, pushing those thoughts away, I can't afford to feel any sympathy for them, not when I am running for my life.

I look around not recognising anything of my surroundings, I haven’t been to this part of town before. I have no idea where I am. I search my pockets for my phone, swearing in my head when I realise that I have left it behind. Fuck. Fuck.

How stupid can I be?

I decide to pick a random direction and run that way, deciding that it would be better to get off the streets and run through the woods. I know that they eventually lead to the back of my street, but I don’t know how far away that is. I don’t even know if I am going in the right direction.

I am so screwed. What the fuck was I thinking letting that Nati feed from me? It has left me weak and vulnerable at the worst time.

I look up at the moon as I run, hoping that it will lead me home, though knowing that it probably won’t. I could be lucky; the vampires may be too distracted by those that they have attacked in the hospital. They may not even notice that I am gone.

I hope that they don’t notice that I am gone.

I push my legs harder, trying to ignore the pain in my back, and the loud chatter of my mind that is telling me to kiss my ass goodbye.

It's hard to see anything, let alone the small path that i have been following, there are no lights from the town out here. None at all.

I have to rely on the light from the moon, and that isn't much.

I run into something hard and get knocked onto my arse, a stream of curses leaving my lips as I try to get back to my feet, struggling to anything in the blackness.

“There you are.” comes a familiar voice, a loud chuckle echoing through the trees.

It wasn't a tree I had run into after all, it was the Nati i had let feed on me the night before. He had found me, and by the look in his eyes, he wasn’t going to leave me alive this time.

Fuck, I am definitely screwed.

I stumble to my feet, trying to appear strong even as my body protests against me, every muscle in my leg screaming to be left to rest. But I cannot rest, not whilst the Nati is here.

“What do you want?” I ask coldly, my voice stronger than my body, “I was kind enough to let you go yesterday and now you come after me? Kinda rude.”

The Nati laughs, “It is cute that you think that you are the one who spared me.” He takes a step closer, his red eyes glowing in the darkness. “I could have drained you dry in seconds.”

I cross my arms, trying to mask my fear with anger, “Then why didn’t you?”

He smiles, his fangs pressing into his bottom lip, “It isn’t every day that you meet the heiress of the Williams family.”

My blood runs cold, if he knows who I am then I am in more danger than I originally realised. 

He backs me into a tree, placing his arms at either side of my head, I didn’t realise how tall he was, or how muscular. I am going to die, that much was crystal clear. But I won’t go down without a fight.

“Don’t worry, Mae Williams, I am not going to kill you, not yet.” he says, stroking a hand down the side of my face. “I am going to make you mine.”

I shove his hand away, though I know I only managed it because he allowed me to do it, this vampire isn’t as weak as he made himself out to be. He has clearly been around for a long time.

I look up at him, knowing that fear is in my eyes, but trying not to care, “I am not going anywhere with you, so you might as well kill me.”

“You don’t have to hide your fear from me, Little hunter, I can smell it in your blood.” He sniffs the air dramatically, making me roll my eyes, “and it smells delicious.”

He leans closer, his nose in my hair as I tremble a little, I need to do something, and I have to do it NOW, I can’t just let him take me. I’m not some prize that he can own.

I shove my knee into his groin, hoping that it’ll make him move just enough for me to slip away, but he doesn’t, instead, he growls and wraps his hand around my throat, slamming my head back against the tree.

My vision blurs as pain shoots through the back of my head, “leave me alone!” I try to shout, though my words barely even make sense to my own ears.

“Shush now.” He says softly, his hand tightening around my throat, “I won’t take too much this time, just enough to make you sleep for a while.”

My eyes widen as he dips his head into the space between my shoulder and my neck, his fangs sinking into my flesh, though it didn’t hurt as much this time. It was like he was trying to be gentle with me. But that isn’t possible. He’s just a heartless monster, right?

Darkness swims across my vision as he hungrily drinks from me, my body collapsing against his chest, maybe it won’t be so bad to sleep, I just need to close my eyes for a second. I’ll feel better once I do.

Whatever god or creator there is out there, please protect me, I think I am going to need it.