Destiny has left its mark (Vampire Romance) (Completed)

9 ~ Bleeding out

I wake up suddenly, jolted from a dreamless sleep, only to realize I'm hanging upside down. At first, I think I'm still trapped in a dream, but the discomfort of my position makes it painfully clear that I'm very much awake. My body is draped over someone's shoulder, and he carries me with an effortless ease that sends a shiver of fear down my spine.

"You're awake," he says, his voice unnervingly familiar. We're still moving—it's the same vampire who attacked me last time, the one who had left me shaken and terrified. I can feel my heart racing, and I struggle to make sense of the situation.

"Can you put me down? Please," I plead, my voice shaky. I can feel a headache creeping in, the kind that threatens to turn into a full-blown migraine. If he doesn't comply soon, I'll be forced to fight to be let go; I can't handle the combination of a pounding head and the nausea that's starting to settle in my stomach.

He suddenly pauses and sets me on my feet, but the abruptness of it catches me off guard. I lose my balance and nearly fall backward, but he grabs my arm roughly to steady me. "Are you always this clumsy?" he asks, a hint of mockery in his tone.

"What do you want? Why am I here?" I demand, my voice firmer than I feel. The darkness surrounding us makes him appear as an unrecognizable figure, a shadow of menace, but I know he's the attacker. How did he get into the castle? How did he manage to bypass the guards? Does he have an accomplice lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce?

"Enough with the questions," he scolds, irritation clear in his voice. He grabs my hand once more and pulls me to follow him as he starts moving again, dragging me along without a hint of concern for my comfort.

I tug at my arm, desperate to escape his grip. Being dragged through the dark by a vampire intent on hurting me is a nightmare come to life, and all I can think about is how much I want to get away from him. The fear grips me tightly, making it hard to breathe.

Suddenly, he turns sharply, and I stumble right into him, barely managing to keep my footing. "Behave," he hisses, venom lacing his words like poison. "Or I'll kill you now and blame it on the vampire hunters." The threat hangs heavy in the air, and I feel my stomach drop.

"I'm human, a reject. Why would vampire hunters want to kill me?" I ask, trying to sound braver than I feel, but the tremor in my voice betrays my fear.

He shoves me away, and I swallow hard, trying to push down the rising tide of panic. Once I'm free, I instinctively hug myself, seeking comfort in the small gesture. "You're crazy," I whisper, mostly to myself, but he hears me.

He grabs my hand again, his nails digging into my skin, making me whimper involuntarily. I look away, knowing he can see the pain etched on my face, the fear in my eyes. Then he laughs, a chilling sound that sends another shiver through me. "I guess I am. Now follow," he commands, his tone leaving no room for argument. I hesitate for a moment, my heart racing as I weigh my options, but I know I have no choice. I have to follow him into the unknown, hoping that somehow, I can find a way to escape this nightmare.

He must be taking me deeper into the dark forest, where the stillness is deafening and oppressive. The trees loom around us, hidden in the shadows, and I can't hear the leaves crunching under my bare feet, which are now soaked with puddles of mud from the rain that fell earlier. Goosebumps rise on my arms, and I can't tell if it's from the biting cold or the vampire's sinister intentions. A reject like me should avoid this place at all costs; anything could be lurking just beyond the trees, waiting for the right moment to strike. I shudder involuntarily, realizing that my thin long-sleeved shirt and pants offer little protection against the chill that seeps into my bones. That's what I hastily changed into after my brief and terrifying encounter with Elijah, but it feels utterly inadequate now.