When a Vampire Slayer gets Desperate

Chapter 6: How Many Ways To Poison You?

Heather stared unbelievably at the tray for a minute. Food. Not a loaf of stale bread and a pitcher of murky water like what you would think a prisoner would get, but actual good, warm food. A bowl of fruit and a freshly cooked steak, complete with mashed potatoes and bread rolls, sat perfectly on their own little plates. Her stomach growled and her mouth watered, but something was wrong.

Kyle had said something about the food. And why would they starve them for days only to give them a perfectly good meal? Yet Tyler seemed to have no hesitation at all as he dived for a bread roll.

"Wait!" Heather suddenly commanded, pushing her arm out in front of him.

"What? It's just food. And I'm starving!" Tyler eyed his prey hungrily.

"I know. I am too. But something's... Not right."

Slowly, she picked up the roll and sniffed it. She tore off a small piece and placed it gently on her tongue. Immediately, she spat it out and wiped her tongue on her sleeve.

"What?" Tyler asked warily. "What's wrong?"

"Hydrogen peroxide. Burns skin, but it's odorless. It could've blinded us or even killed us if we'd eaten all of that stuff."

He glanced at the food as if it were a monster. When would they stop trying to kill them?

"What now?"

"Well, I guess we should just... leave it. Maybe they'll take it away."

"And you're right, of course." A voice boomed overhead.

Both of the teenagers jumped, but Heather was the first to recover.

"Kyle, where are you?!" She yelled at the invisible speakers while standing up. "I've had enough of this bullshit and you better let me out!"

The voice chuckled. "Why, I've been here the entire time, sweetie."

One of the walls came alight from the outside. 'One way glass.' She thought. From inside the small room on the other side of the glass, she could see Kyle, standing over a small microphone, and a couple of his clip board buds. She envied how rested and well-fed he looked, but then remembered that's how he always looked.

"Don't call me that." She said defiantly.

"What are you going to do about it?" Kyle asked, smirking. He eyed her as if she wer the steak on the plate and Heather again felt uncomfortable under his gaze. But she couldn't, wouldn't let that show.

"Whoop your immortal little ass the second I get out." She thought she saw a flash of fear pass through his eyes, but she could've been imagining it.

"Oh, I wouldn't speak to someone like that when that someone could kill you at any moment." Smiling cruelly, he continued on. "And yes, you were right earlier about our multiple powers and us liking the dark. I mean, after all, I would expect you to know that since your brave, little daddy probably told you all about that kind of stuff before bed."

The blood drained from her face as she listened to what he said. "Don't talk about my Dad." She said, and even though her voice was no more than a whisper, it's tone threatened death.

He turned to Tyler. "And she was also right about why you were taken along with her. You are nothing to us. We are simply keeping you since one slave more couldn't hurt."

Despite the insult, Tyler held a strong face. Kyle kept talking. "By the way, you forgot something, girlie."

"Oh?" Heather raised and eyebrow. "And what was that, bitch-y?"

"How we turn to into what we are." He relished the looks on their faces, though Heather's only lasted less than a second. She was so pretty, except for the scar. He wondered how that had happened.

"You see, Tyler, it's not like in the movies where someone decides someone is going to be a vampire and just bites them. No, it's much more complicated. The victim has to agree. They have to want to become one of us, and trust me, it's hard not to. We're stronger, smarter, better than what you are now."

"Yes, but you're also huge pains in the asses." Heather interrupted. "Do you guys even care about the people you kill, the children you orphan?" By now, he could tell she was holding back a burst of emotions.

Kyle almost was surprised for a moment. This girl had gone through impossible hoops to get rid of his kind, to survive on her own, maybe even to get revenge by the looks of it. And her she was, on the verge of tears. Hurt and alone. But he didn't let any of his thoughts show.

"Yes, but we get used to it. Really, with all the power you receive in the trade for killing others, it's not that big of a deal."

"Yes, it is." Tyler looked directly at Kyle. This guy needed some sense slapped into him. Heather was obviously disturbed by what he said, yet he kept being a jerk. He could see why she wanted to kill him."I would never want to have to live on forever with the guilt of killing someone's family member."

Kyle had to admit it. For a guy who had no idea what the fuck was going on, Tyler seemed to manage to keep a grip on sanity and speak up. He had some guts. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"Trust me, when you're on the edge of death, and you see your life slipping away, you'll want to turn." He encouraged.

"No." Tyler replied strongly. "I won't."

"Suit yourself." Kyle shrugged and turned to the clipboard dudes. "Lets see here. 8.5 for identity of toxin, 4 for conversation under personal pressure, and 6 for stability. Overall, she gets a 6.8, I believe. Test over."

The food tray disappeared and the light from inside the small room switched off.

"Hey!" Heather yelled, completely recovered from her emotional breaking point. "You come back here, you cowardly bitch!"

"Alright." The speakers said.

Suddenly, the door flipped open, revealing Kyle flanked by four other body guards. He had the same smirk from the alley way perched on his face and he stared eagerly at Heather, who shifted her weight and wished she hadn't said anything.

He sneered and said, "I believe it's time for you both to get prepared for the auction."