Creatures of the night ~ T.L.B.

𝘼 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚

Brooke Pov
It had been weeks since the boys had me drink from that bottle decorated with gems and jewels; now, I couldn't sleep at night; my skin became pale and cold, and my nails grew longer. Finally, it was late at night, so I decided to walk through the woods near the boy's cave.

I was hoping Marko wouldn't smell me down. I heard screams nearby; my feet began to take me closer to the cries. It was surf nazis getting eaten by something; my senses went crazy from the smell of blood. I looked away for a moment, then I looked back up and realized it was the boys. The screams died, and their clinking chains echoed through the woods.

I tried to hide from them, frightened they would see me, until Marko's voice echoed, "Brooke?" I hid behind a tree, covering my mouth until blood appeared next to me. I looked next to where Marko stood, blood on his face and clothes. He wasn't the person I fell in love with; he killed people and was heartless, then it hit me. But it was true I was a vampire, just like him.

I backed away from him, but his leather hand touched my face. "Don't touch me," I shoved his hand away. His green eyes stayed the same, dark and heartless. Then I sprinted away from them as fast as I could. I ran until my feet began to throb, I couldn't breathe, and Marko's voice rang through my eardrums. I halted and looked around.

I backed up until I hit a hard surface; when I turned around, nobody was there. Then, cold hands grabbed my hips and pulled me back, I hit the hard surface again, and his voice whispered in my ear, "Let's play a game, you run and hide, and I'll count to 20. But you can run and hide all you want, but when I find you, the game is over." I attempted to fight him off, but I couldn't.

"Ok, I'll play your game." he grabbed my chin and made me look up at him. For some reason, I still admired him. He placed a kiss on my lips; then pulled away. "Start running," he let out and let me go.

The simple truth is that I was going to lose. This was one of those impossible scenarios where every odd was stacked against me. I was Weak. Defenseless. I didn't know how to do anything as a vampire. I didn't have any weapons to defend myself against him. I was utterly, hopelessly trapped, and I wouldn't want it. Marko was toying with me.

He wouldn't strike until I was hopelessly exhausted and sobbing. I ran through the densely packed trees, doing my best to dodge their sharp limbs. A few of them had knicked me; the cuts stung as my sweat ran.

I heard my name whispered in the wind. Brooke sang the trees. Brooke roared at the ocean. If I didn't know better, you think I'm going insane; but I know better. I knew that this was all a part of Marko's game. What would he do to me once he caught me? Would he have his way with me on the ground, or would he drag me kicking and screaming back to the cave?

"I can smell you," Marko whispered in my ear. I whirled around, but no one was there, only the trees. Marko's laugh filled the woods, deep and menacing. It came from all around.

He could've been anywhere, and that simultaneously terrified and aroused me. His breath fanned across my neck, "Don't stop." Again, I spin around, but Marko is nowhere to be found.

"You're looking paranoid."

You're alone.

"You should start running."

Around and around in circles, I spun. "Careful," he cooed,

"If you keep doing that, you'll get dizzy and--"

Before I could react, my foot got caught under a thick tree root. I tipped back, swinging my arms wildly to stay upright, but it was in vain. "fall." I landed with a pained grunt, leaving the air out of my lungs. Above me, the sky spun. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for the dizziness to pass.

Instead, the trees chattered with the wind. Distantly, I could hear waves breaking on the shore. But I couldn't hear Marko's voice. His taunts had grown silent, which could only mean one thing. Shakily, I pushed myself upright. Not ten feet away, crouching down to my level, was Marko. His face had shifted into the demonic one you knew well, his yellow eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Marko grinned, flashing his fangs. "Run."