Part 10

"Kristen, Kristen, wake up!" William's voice was gentle and soothing as he called to me.I jolted awake, my eyes snapping open. The first thing I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling with rough wooden beams and a dim light flickering from a candle. Panic surged through me as I realised I was no longer in my own home but in an unknown location deep in the woods.Tears streamed down my face as I cried out in terror, "Where am I? What's happening?"William appeared at my side, his face filled with concern. "Shh, it's okay," he said, taking my hand and gently stroking my hair. "You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you."I shook my head, my body trembling with fear. "How did I get here?" I sobbed. The terror I felt was overwhelming.William took a deep breath, his eyes filled with empathy. "I'm sorry for all this. When John brought you here, you were unconscious. I've been waiting for you to wake up."I sniffled, glancing warily around the room. "So, you asked him to abduct me? Why?" I asked, trying to move away from him. He felt different now, not like the guy I knew from college. His presence made my heart race in a way that unsettled me.William sighed deeply. "I'll explain everything, I promise. But first, let's calm down. Can I get you anything?"I nodded, still feeling overwhelmed. As William left to fetch me a drink, I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to regain my composure. I knew I had to stay strong and understand what was happening. I heard footsteps approaching and opened my eyes to see William returning with a glass of water. His expression was one of intense anger as he glanced sharply at John.William's white shirt was stained with what appeared to be blood. His skin was pale, and his warm green eyes had turned an unsettling black. My heart pounded with terror, and I followed his gaze, my scream escaping as I saw what he was looking at."I think I missed the show, brother," John said, striding towards me. Confusion and anger surged within me."Did you... did you kidnap me?" I demanded through gritted teeth, gripping the bedside lamp, ready to defend myself."Don't flatter yourself. I didn't kidnap you. I asked you to come with me nicely, but you tried to flee. I just did what I was asked to do!" John replied with a sinister grin. My body shook with a mix of anger and fear.William's face contorted with rage. He lunged at John, delivering a powerful punch to his jaw that sent him crashing into the hallway."I asked you to convince her and bring her to me, not to bewitch and harm her!" William roared, following his friend into the hall.I was left alone, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of the chaos around me."Cool down, William! I didn't want to create a scene in the forest and attract any unwanted creatures. Plus, she wouldn't have come with me if I'd just asked nicely. I had to use compulsion," John said, his face twisted with anger, making him look even more sinister."Why did you use magic on her?" William snarled."We used compulsion to keep her away from her aunt, but she broke Nina's spell and tried to escape," John explained, raising his hands in surrender.I was utterly bewildered by their conversation. Fear gripped me again as I realized they seemed to know the woman who had compelled me, and it felt like everything was orchestrated and that William might be a part of it.John snorted, and a cruel smile touched his lips."William, please tell me what's going on," I whispered, my voice trembling.William sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose, and approached me with a sorrowful expression."I didn't want this to happen, love. I'm sorry they brought you here by force," he said, trying to soothe me."I'll explain everything, but you have to listen with an open mind, okay?" he pleaded desperately.I shook my head, signalling for him to continue. My body tensed when he touched my arms, and I instinctively stepped back from his touch, overwhelmed by fear of everyone around me."We are vampires," John said coldly, provoking a low growl from William."Come on, don't give me that look," John sneered, pointing at me with a look of disgust.I stared at him in disbelief. "Is this some kind of joke?" I asked, glancing back and forth between the two of them."You guys can't be vampires," I added, half-laughing and shaking my head in confusion."It's true, Kristen," William said softly, his voice filled with sadness. His conviction took me aback, and for a moment, I believed him. But then I scoffed, unable to accept the truth.Both of them stared at me with unreadable expressions. The seriousness in their eyes made it clear they were not joking."You don't believe us?" John asked, his tone daring me to challenge them further."Of course, I don't. Is this some kind of sick joke?" I snapped."It will be very easy to prove it to you," John said, a wicked smile spreading across his face. He reached for a wooden stake on the nearby table and drove it into William's abdomen.I stood frozen with terror as the scene unfolded before me. William's eyes turned a fiery red, and the veins around his eyes darkened. I screamed in horror, tears streaming down my face, as I watched William's reaction."No!" I screamed in horror as I rushed to William's side, desperately trying to lift him from the table. "What have you done, you monster?" I yelled at John, my voice breaking with anguish. I swung my fist at him with all my strength. The sharp crack of my knuckles against his face echoed in the room, but the pain was nothing compared to my desperation to save William.John's jaw dislocated with the force of my punch, but he just laughed, an unsettling glint in his eyes. "Ha! It takes a lot of guts to punch a vampire," he sneered, advancing towards me. He grasped my neck and lifted me off the floor, my feet dangling helplessly. I gasped for air, struggling against his grip.Then William roared in an animalistic voice, "Leave her alone!" In an instant, John was thrown backwards, crashing to the floor with a force that splintered the wooden boards beneath him.I sprinted to the bathroom, tears streaming down my face, and grabbed the first-aid kit. Ignoring the throbbing pain in my broken hand, I knew I had to help William.When I returned, I saw William standing tall, clutching his abdomen. Despite the blood I'd seen moments earlier, there was no wound. I cleaned the blood away, only to find his skin flawless. I gasped, stumbling back, as my mind struggled to understand the impossibility."How is this possible?" I stuttered, my voice trembling. "You were just stabbed, and there's no wound." The realisation dawned on me with chilling clarity, and the colour drained from my face.For a long moment, the room was filled with silence. Fear was etched on my face, my body trembling from the shock of what had just happened. The pain in my hand had faded, but my heart raced uncontrollably. The truth was sinking in, and the terror of it all left me paralysed.My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, struggling to grasp the reality of the situation. All my dreams and fears seemed to come true. William was a vampire.I turned to William, who stood there with his eyes flickering between black and green, the veins around them slowly fading. His gaze was a haunting blend of something out of a nightmare or a fairy tale.As he tried to approach me, I instinctively staggered backwards towards the wall, desperate to maintain a safe distance. His hesitant steps only heightened my fear, and I clung to the wall, my heart racing.The look in his eyes was filled with pain, and despite the fear gripping me, an undeniable urge to reach out to him pulled at my chest. The word "vampire" echoed relentlessly in my mind. I could barely breathe as I recalled how his eyes used to be, and my heart pounded furiously against my ribcage as he drew nearer.William stopped, keeping a cautious distance. His expression was a mix of sorrow and regret. "I'm sorry, Kristen. I wanted to reveal this to you in a different way," he said, glancing at John, who was watching us with a detached, almost bored expression."Are you joking?" I asked incredulously, struggling to process his words. William's slight smile only deepened my confusion."It's the truth," he said with a sigh.John, arms crossed, observed our exchange with indifference. The anger I felt towards him was intense—nothing I had ever experienced before.I looked at William with terror. Despite the urge to flee into the woods, a part of me knew he wouldn't harm me."I'm sorry," William said softly, his voice tinged with regret. "We didn't mean to frighten you. But there was no other way to make you believe."His words hung in the air, and despite the fear and confusion, a part of me still trusted him.When I didn't respond, he looked down at his feet briefly and didn't dare step closer as he spoke.The past few days, strange things have been happening to me. I used to see people with bite marks and dead bodies completely drained of blood in my dreams. All of the pieces are now coming together. This vampire thing is all real."Please let me go!" I stammered. A feeling of pure terror took hold of me as I realized the truth that was staring me in the face. Everything I had ever suspected or dreamed of was true. William was a vampire.My eyes darted over to William, taking in the sight of him. His eyes were flickering between black and green, and the veins around his eyes were starting to ease out. He looked like something straight out of a nightmare or a fairytale.When he tried to come closer, I staggered back against the wall, keeping a safe distance between us. I could feel my heart racing with fear, but at the same time, an undeniable urge to go to him was forcing me to take a step forward."I'm sorry, Kristen. "I thought there was a better way to reveal it to you," William said, his voice full of regret."Please, let me go," I begged, my voice trembling with fear. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, threatening to spill.William didn't immediately respond. Instead, he reached out for my injured hand with a gentle touch."We should take care of your hand first," he said softly, his voice a calming contrast to the chaos I felt inside.I looked up at him, and I noticed his eyes had returned to their normal faint green hue. There was a sincerity in his gaze that made me hesitate."Don't be afraid of me, Kristen." He murmured softly, his eyes warm, as his hand reached up and brushed an escaped tear from my cheek."I would never hurt you." I bit my tongue so my temper wouldn't flare.Why reveal yourself as a vampire now? You left without a word, and now you've come back to abduct me. What did I do wrong, besides having feelings for you? Why is this happening?" My voice quivered, each word heavy with fear and bewilderment.William's face showed sincere regret. "Kristen, no matter what happens, I will always protect you. Please, trust me.""Please, let me go," I begged again, my voice cracking as I fought against the tide of my emotions. "I don't want to be a part of any of this.""No," William said with a resigned sigh. His green eyes were dark, which I would have sworn was a concern, but they flashed, and his face fell into that emotionless mask once again."You're not going anywhere," William said, his voice cold and. The fear was palpable, and I felt my knees weakening beneath me."You don't belong with humans, Kristen," he continued."You're not safe among them. They're a threat to you. Some have even tried to kill you." He paused, his gaze steady. "You almost died in that accident if I hadn't saved you in time. I brought you here to protect you from them." My eyes widened at his words."Who do you mean by them?" I asked, tears streaming down my face. "I can't tell you now." "I don't believe you. My life was good until you appeared, and if there is any danger around me, then it's you." I forced my voice to be strong and not show any fear or weakness."What will happen to my family when they find out I'm missing? I don't want any part of this," I said, my voice trembling with desperation. "I just want to go home."Without another word, I turned and rushed towards the door. Slamming it shut behind me.