Something Sweet, Something Sinister; The War Begins (A Vampire Novel)

Chapter 5

Blake shook his head slowly, almost in disbelief of my words as much as I was.

"She's right you know," the vampire grinned. "We only came for her. You can get out of here with your life if you choose to walk away now."

I stilled, holding my breath. A small part of me had hoped that I was wrong but knew that I wasn't. Still, hearing a vampire confirm my suspicions was terrifying.

The other vampires had formed a tight group arround us, watching as if it was some kind of show for their entertainment.

"Emma, please," Blake begged.

Reaching forward, I pushed him backwards slightly. The group loosened, giving us only slight room to manuever. 

He stumbled momentarily before regaining his footing.

The vampire behind me must have gotten tired of waiting. I huffed out as he had me pinned to the ground with my arms behind my back, tying my wrists together. He didn't care to leave any extra space for bloodflow, and a small ache already started where the binds had just been placed.

"The name's Risk," he said. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Not... a pleasure," I spat out.

I could barely see Blake backing away in horror. My head was being held down with the rest of my body.

"Why...Why do you even want her?" he cried out. "What would she have that could possibly be more interesting than the rest of us?" 

His voice sounded desperate, like he was trying to find a way out of this for everyone. He sounded as if he really didn't want to have to let me go.

"Don't you know what you're traveling with boy?" Risk mused. "It's not what she has but what she is."

He grabbed a fist full of my hair and forced my head up to look at Blake. My eyes watered from the strain of moving and the knowledge of what he was about to say next. Blake stared right into me. 

"This here is a limited edition halfling. Very rare. You should hate her for it, considering she is one of the very things you are sent to kill."

I swallowed the guilt that surfaced and tried to frame the last few minutes in my mind. He had cared about me, but it wasn't going to be like that anymore.

Blake's eyes widened in shock before his eyebrows crossed in confusion.

There were probably so many things going through his head right now. I'm sure the loudest thought in his mind was of my betrayal; how I somehow kept such a huge secret from him.

His body shook furiously and I was waiting for him to renounce ever meeting me. It was painfully obvious that once he had found out, he was going to kill me. Regretting that we had ever met was unavoidable.

Risk let go of my hair, effectively sending my head slamming into the ground. I didn't dare try to look up again. With a facefull of dirt and gravel, it wasn't worth another attempt at moving.

"I don't care," Blake stated. His voice trembled, as if it took great lengths to say that.

He... he didn't care?

My heart surged with pride and relief. Even the vampire who was above me shifted enough that I knew he was suprised too.

I had forgotten about the others surrounding us until some of them gasped, reminding me that regardless of if Blake truly didn't care that I was supposed to be his mortal enemy, there was still nothing he could do to save me.