Vampires Suck

Chapter 35: The Wolf's Den

DIANA

I slowly walked down the stairs, the steps creaking eerily with every step. I felt very much aware that this was exactly the type of scenario you'd picture in a horror movie. But this wasn't a horror movie-it was absolutely real. Unfortunately, instead of being smart and getting the fuck out of here ASAP, I was the stupid girl who basically sets herself up to be killed.

Finally, I reached the bottom of the staircase, and was met with absolute darkness, a chill encompassing the air around me. I couldn't tell if it was from the fact that it was late October or just my increasing fear imagining the coldness, but either way, the hairs on my arms stuck up.

Someone-Joel it seemed-moved around me, making me panic for a moment as I immediately wondered if he were going to knock me out, before he simply walked past me and deeper into the room. I breathed out a sigh of relief. It was short-lived, however, when there was a click, and the room was suddenly filled with a bright light.

I blinked for a second, my eyes adjusting to the glaring brightness, before I was able to finally see what exactly was in the room. My blood turned cold and I had to fight the urge to cover my mouth in shock. It was exactly as Aiden had said.

Oh my god, he was telling the absolute truth.

It was just as Aiden described; on the left, the wall was lined with weapons of all sorts. There were shelves stacked against the wall as well, containing vials of atrocious things and concoctions, some of which I could see were labeled vervaine. My stomach churned when I noticed human-or perhaps vampire-skulls at the far corner of the shelf. The right side of the room was no better, as a large bulletin board hung on the wall filled with newspaper clippings that were marked over; the work expected of a madman. Below that, though were more weapons, but they were different than the ones hanging on the wall. It only took me a second to realize that they were for torture, and I suddenly began to feel light-headed.

Quickly averting my gaze, I looked over at Joel, who was still standing at the center of the room, watching me. He looked absolutely cold as he stared at me with a look of pure satisfaction on his face, eyes calculating. I wanted more than anything to just wipe that look off his face, but I knew I was no match against him; I was in the wolf's den, completely at his mercy. Finally, I looked down from his face to the table he was standing in front of, and felt my legs give beneath me when I saw that it wasn't just a table, but a table made to hold people down on it. It was stained the unmistakable tint of red that was blood.

I felt myself falling, but before I actually hit the floor, I heard Luke call my name before strong arms grasped onto me. Luke was at my side, holding me to him.

"Diana? Diana are you okay?" he asked, completely worried.

It wasn't until that moment that I realized that I was shaking uncontrollably.

"T-This is fucking crazy. You're fucking crazy!" I said then, the last words aimed at Joel.

There wasn't much sympathy in his eyes as he merely shrugged. "I understand, I really do, how this must look. But know that we're not murderers, what we do-we do it for a cause."

I looked to Luke then, who had been watching me the whole time. His navy eyes were full of concern, but I could see the apprehension in them, too as he observed me.

"You're a part of this too?" I asked him, my voice barely above a whisper. The accusation was unmistakable, and so was the guilt and devastation in his face that followed suit. As if stung, Luke immediately dropped his arms from around me