The End

Chapter 7: Escape

Clair's body and mind seemed to be in a different world. Her eyes were heavy and ached but she forced them awake. Once again, it was in the same room. She weakly tilted her head to the corner where Daren had been sitting. He wasn't there. She forced herself to touch her broken arm. It wasn't wrapped, but it had been cleaned, and gently placed on the bed. Then Clair forced her fingers to her neck. This was patched up. However, the slightest touch of her fingers caused her to cringe at the pain.

"I wouldn't do that, it's very tender." Clair jumped from Daren's sudden voice.

She slowly turned her head to the door, where he stood. He was now dressed in white, and his hair was neatly pulled back and combed. He held a tray in his hands, which had a cup of some sort of red liquid inside. He walked over to the bed. Clair slowly adjusted herself away from him.

"Ooo, someone's jumpy." Daren smirked as he picked up the cup.

He moved toward Clair as he brought the cup toward her mouth. She nodded her head no, but he continued.

"Calm down, it's just cranberry juice, it's supposed to be good for your blood." He smiled as he spoke.

"Well, I don't like cranberry juice." She replied, but it was barely a whisper.

"Too bad." He harshly grabbed her head and forced the liquid down her throat.

This sudden movement caused her head to spin. When Daren let go of her he picked up the trey and headed toward the door.

"Daren." Clair's voice was returning. "What do you want with me?' She demanded an answer.

Daren turned to face her. His eyes slowly looked her over then he replied. " I just want to break you, I want to hear you scream. The way you pulled that stunt with the holy water was incredible. It made me realize just how much fun I'm going to have." His eyes were going crazy and he begun to look insane. "You were out for a couple of days, so I took care of you, just so I can break you. This is going to be so much fun, my little pet." At those words he turned and left the room.

Clair was frozen in thought. She knew what she had to do. She couldn't just wait and heal, she had to escape. However, he was a vampire, and she was already pretty beaten up. Then she remembered the holy water. She reached her good hand to her neck, but as she thought it wasn't there. Daren would not make the same mistake twice.

She looked around for a piece of wood. Her father was handy with tools, and some of this had rubbed off on her. She just needed some wood, and a knife, or a nail and hammer, and she could make a cross. Clair was weak but she forced herself out of the bed. She headed for the table, being careful to be quiet, not wanting to bring any extra attention to herself.

She dug her nail into a loose corner of the wood. It splintered through her finger, but it didn't matter. She managed to get two splintered pieces of wood. She got a piece of thread from the bed sheets and wrapped the string around the pieces of wood. Last time, this caused him so much pain it gave her a couple of minutes.

If she could get it inside him, or in his eyes or something, it might give her even more time. Clair went to the bathroom and got a glass of water and let the cross sit in it for a while. Then she sat on the bed. She didn't know what Daren was up to, he was probably expecting something. He probably wanted her to try something. Clair said a quick prayer, then she retrieved the holy water from the bathroom.

She waited his return. Clair had hidden the water in a pouch she had made with a piece of the sheets. Finally, Daren walked in the room. Clair was sitting calmly on the bed.

"Well look who's awake." Daren said as he sat himself on the bed.

Clair didn't say a word, she had to time this just right. She noticed Daren had something in his hand.

"swallow this." Daren demanded as he handed Clair a white pill.

"No, not unless you tell me why." She answered with a strong voice.

Daren's lips turned upward in a smile. He placed the pill on the nightstand.

"I was trying to be nice." He said with a wicked laugh.

He plunged onto her, grabbing her neck, and digging her teeth into her flesh. Once again Clair's head was getting cloudy. However, Clair remained calm, she had to wait for the right moment. Daren was getting into his frenzied state again. He clung to her, she could tell he was losing it. She allowed him to suck a little bit more blood before she acted.

Clair quickly spun around and poured the water into his eyes. Then, without hesitating she jumped off the bed and ran out of the room. She knew Daren could probably smell the blood, and with his super speed, he would gain her in no time.

Clair ran through the house not knowing where she was going. The house was dirty and messy. The aroma was foul and it was all dark and gloomy. Then as she ran a voice inside her head spoke to her.

Turn here.

She didn't know why but she listened to the voice. It gave her other direction and by some miracle she found the exit. As she slammed the door open she discovered she was surrounded by woods. Without hesitation she ran through the forest. Her feet were teared to shreds from the sticks and leaves, and the amount of blood still leaving her body, made it difficult to stay conscious. Plus, her arm was still in complete damage.

She heard Daren's laugh from behind her. Then she bumped into a tall dark figure. The two exchanged words, but Clair was desperately trying to hang on to her consciousness. Her intense running had knocked the breath out of her, and her blood loss was making her vision go. Suddenly a blinding glorious white light blinded the two captors.

A pale hand grabbed Clair and picked her up in its arms. Clair tried to open her eyes, but the light was still shining bright. She could only make out a male shaped figure. Clair couldn't hold on anymore. As he ran through the forest, she fell into a dark abyss.

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