I stopped to turn around. I looked at Wyckoff for what would probably be the last time. I didn’t want to leave, there was too many things that I’d miss rather than hate. Hands rested on my shoulders.

“It’s over. You can’t go back now.” he said to me.

“Will I ever see them again?” I asked.

“No.” I was expecting more of a maybe, or most likely, but not a no. I knocked the hands away.

“No, I don’t want to go anymore.” I said walking back from him. “I don’t wanna leave.”

“Of course you don’t, but it’s for your own good. Sure you might miss them, but you can’t go back.”

“Do you think they’ll be ok?” I asked him. He put his arm over my shoulders.

“Of course.”

“They have to be around here somewhere.” I said walking through the woods with Angelica.

“Hopefully...”

“Look, I’m sorry if I got you upset before it’s just...” I didn’t hear her walking anymore. I turned around and saw the Inferie boy holding a knife to her neck.

“Go ahead Neal.” the boy said. “What are you going to do now? Who’s in more trouble? Her, or Devon.” he asked me.

“Tell me where Devon is.” I demanded. He chuckled.

“Don’t worry, The Vampire is taking care of her right now.” he said.

“Well, what do you want me to do?” I asked him.

“Choose.” I wanted to run at him, or do something to stop him, but I was in no shape to do that. Then I remembered...the dream, I was in it, and so was the boy. She fell in love with him, and ditched me. Anger pumped through my veins, as I remembered that the dream was real.

“You can have her.” I spat at him. He gave me a dumbstruck look, and she did to. I turned around, and kept walking.

What are you doing?

Going to find Devon

Why?

Because.

All of a sudden, a piercing pain came to my head. I fell over. I looked up and saw The Vampire, towering over me. He bared his fangs.

“Your troubled days are over now.” He slid a golden dagger from his pocket, and gripped it tightly. I jumped up before he could do anything. I threw a punch at him, but he caught my fist. He started to bend it back; I could hear my bones snap, so I bit his hand. He let go, and swung his dagger at me. I ducked.

“What are you doing Neal.” he said. “Why don’t you just back away now.”

“Where is she?” I yelled at him.

“Why does it bother you?” I felt a few raindrops on my forehead, and some lightning.

“Why don’t you just leave her alone!?” I started to wildly throw punches at him, I missed all of them. He caught one, and punched me in the stomach. It started to rain hard.

“How many times do I have to say it? She belongs to me.” He hissed. I backed up trying to catch my breath. I clutched my stomach.

“She’s not a puppet.” I managed to say. He grabbed my hair and brought my head back. I yelled out in pain, as I felt the cold of the dagger come against my neck.

“Never said she was…” I knocked him in the jaw. He let go, and took a step back. He looked at me strangely, then smiled.

“I guess you could call her my pet then.” he said. I got angry. “That’s right Neal, she’s very obedient.” I could tell he was amused at how mad I was getting. “Tell me Neal, why didn’t you tell Devon you liked her before? Lying and saying you liked Angelica?” Great, he knows. He walked closer to me. “Were you jealous maybe?” he asked. I started to breathe heavier. “Oh, now I remember, it’s because she liked me...” he said harshly.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I was going to punch him, but instead, I scratched him over the face. He turned away for a moment. I looked at my fingers in horror. Blood. My hair was about all wet through; I looked up at the vampire. He swiftly turned around, and with the dagger, swiped my cheek, and stabbed my shoulder. I looked at his face, and saw there were four little scratches across his cheek. He twisted the dagger harshly. I cried out in pain. Blood from my face dripped into my mouth from the rain. He took the dagger out. I winced. My body was throbbing in pain. I grit my teeth.

You’re gonna get yourself killed.

I don’t care.

What are you going to do now?

Kill him.

Before I could stand all the way up, he punched me in the side of the head. I fell to the muddy wet ground. I felt him grab my hair, and push my face down into the mud. I heard him whisper something into my ear.

“Now, if you don’t mind, somebody is waiting for me.” he raised my head again, putting the knife to my throat. “I could easily just slit your throat right now...but I’ll just let you stay here to die. Who knows? Maybe someone will find you.” he dropped me. I saw him take something out of his pocket.

“Here, something to take to your grave.” he scowled. He dropped something silver next to me, and left. I stared at it for a while, not even moving, barely breathing. It was still raining, and I had nothing to do but to lie there...and die. I tried to lift myself up, but both of my arms were too weak. I managed to crawl over to a tree. I lay against it, the rain started to slow down. I coughed a little and looked at the silver chain that was in the mud. I grabbed it and looked at it. It was a cross, Devon’s cross. With the little energy I had...I put it around my neck. It stopped raining, and I sat next to the tree, waiting for a ride home...

Devon’s POV

“He...lied.” I said softly. I thought about what I had done. I had faked my death, caused my friend’s and family grief of me. I was lied to. I was a vampire! I was changed. I was forgotten. I was told to forget. I was hurt. I was helped. I was so much, and so little. I had lied too.

I grit my teeth.

“He lied.” I said harshly.

“He always has Devon, he tricked you.” I was tricked. I wanted to rip my heart in half, but at the same time, wanted to cry into his arms...again. No, I didn’t like him. I didn’t have a crush on him. I didn’t adore him. I loved him. I looked up to him. Now he betrayed me.

I hate him.

I clenched my fists. Anger was taking over. I couldn’t think straight.

“Come on Devon, Zuko’s gonna get us out of here.” I heard Angelica say. I loosened my hands and turned to her.

“Thanks.” I said. I walked over to her. “Let’s go.” We started walking towards the door, until I felt someone grab my wrist. I was jerked back, looking into the eyes of The Vampire

“Leaving so soon?” he asked. I struggled to get away from him. I looked over at Angelica and Zuko. They weren’t moving; it looked as if...they were frozen.

“Let go of me.”

“Why should I?” I tried to punch him with my free arm. He ducked, and pushed me to the floor.

“You chose this life, you can’t go back now, you don’t have any choice.” he said. I took deep breaths as I lay on the floor. He put his hand on my head and pushed my head into the floor. I grit my teeth.

“You’ll never survive without me, you’re a vampire now, there’s no turning back. You’ll die without me.”

“I rather die.” I knocked his hand away and jumped up. My forehead was bleeding from the pressure. He grabbed my jaw and held me up to the wall. I grabbed his hand.

“After all that I’ve done for you, this is what I get in return?” I kicked him on the side of his head. He dropped me. I tried to get some air into my lungs, he was crushing my neck. He grabbed my ponytail and put a dagger to my throat. He slowly started to cut it. I shrieked. I grabbed his wrist trying to pull it away from me. Instead, his hand got cut, and he swung the dagger in the air, it cut my jaw. I grabbed my jaw in pain. Blood was trickling down my neck. I fell to the ground. I saw the dagger in front of me. I extended my arm to get it, but then he grabbed my wrist, then the dagger and stabbed my arm.

I screamed.

I lay there not doing anything, but biting down on my teeth trying not to scream anymore. But the pain was too much.

He took it out. All of a sudden, it seemed Angelica had finally waked up and realized what was going on. She ran over to me.

“Devon what happened?” she asked. I turned to face The Vampire.

He was gone.