I ran out the backdoor, dodging the hands of the two vampires who chased me.
I curved around the side of the house, only to slam into another one and falling to the ground.
He hissed at me and I kicked, hitting in the face as he leaned down.
I rolled, swinging the sword towards him as I did, managing to slice him in half.
I got up and ran, rounding the house to the front, seeing the driveway completely empty.
I stayed still too long, getting tackled to the ground. My hair was grabbed painfully and my head forced back to see a tall man in a simple black suit.
I thought for a moment he was a Slayer until he smiled, fangs showing.
His black hair was slicked back from his thin, pale face, he'd had been handsome if he wasn't a monster.
"So, you're the little Slayer-born?" He asked, crouching down to stroke my cheek.
I didn't understand what he meant.
Slayers were created, orphans from birth, they were adopted by other Slayers, trained and injected with angel blood until a Slayer was created or they die. After that, Slayers couldn't have children, all of them were infertile.
Grayson had never told me, but I had read it.
I jerked away from him hand, going to scream wen he tutted me.
"I've got your Slayer guards on a little run around, they're not going to save you now." He smiled and stood.
The crack of dads rifle filled the area and the ground between me and the man kicked up in dirt from a bullet.
We both looked to the attic window, Cindy leaning out and reloading.
"She doesn't need a man, when she's got a cousin with a gun." She smiled. "Move and the next one goes in your head."
The man smirked at her and he turned, holding his arms out to her.
"Shoot me, I'm still going to take her." He purred.
"Have it your way, mister." Cindy shrugged, aiming.
"Cindy, don't!" I screamed, struggling against the two men who pinned me, twisting my arm behind my back painfully.
She hesitated, it appeared to long enough because when I managed to breath, I was in a tunnel.
I looked around, my hands bound with a ziptie and the two who held me handed me to the suited man.
He grabbed my bicep tightly, shoving me through the maze of tunnels.
I covered checking for my watch as scratching, feeling the leather band and suppressing a sigh of relief.
Grayson had given it to me last week, and I could almost guarantee, it was to keep track of me since the increase in vamp activity.
The man led me through a maze of tunnels before coming out into an open area that seemed to be a shutdown section.
Old piping and stale air filled the room, scattered with almost a hundred vampires.
I was terrified the way they all watched me, the man pushed me through to a set of overlaid concrete slabs, making a make-shift stage.
He pulled me up it with him, turning me to face his hoard.
"I've caught the Slayer-born!" He shouted, receiving a cheer of hisses.
"I'm not a Slayer. My parents were human!" I tried, getting struck in the face in response.
I gasped at the pain, tasting blood from biting my tongue.
"Your mother was a Slayer." He hissed. "Dear ol daddy was a fallen angel."
I glared at his lies, trying to fight against him.
"Liar! You have wrong chick! A car accident couldn't kill a Slayer!" I shouted, trying to poke holes in his lies.
He smiled wickedly at me.
"Is that what they told you?" He cooed, giving me fake pity. "Your father murdered your Slayer mother and her human sister and that pathetic brother-in-law, by beheading them and burning their bodies. The best way to rid of a Slayer and its disgusting line." The crowd before us yelling and cheered, tears stung my eyes.
"Liar!" I screamed again. "Then why am I alive? Huh?" I wanted to smile, but he just glared at me.
He kicked the back of my legs, dropping me to my knees, smashing them into the stone below. He gripped my hair, making me cry out and struggle against the bonds.
He leaned close to my face and whispered.
"Because, he realised the same thing we did." He inhaled my skin before licking my cheek, making me wince in disgust.
"You're special. You can make pure Dark Ones. A breedable Slayer, do you know how much you're worth to your father? He could seek you to the highest bidder every 10 months." His words widened my eyes, fear making me tremble.
They wanted to breed with me.
The Dark Ones lines were so muddled and crossed, they'd be extinct if it weren't for summoning. To be able to start a new line of Dark Ones, capable of reproducing like a human.
It was clean the line, bringing back stronger and worse than what currently roamed.
I looked at the man, hoping I'd wake up on the couch on Grayson's lap.
Instead, I was punched and knocked unconscious.
I woke up sometime later, my only light was a small bulb that flickered in the corner of the damp room.
I tried to stand and walk to the door, finding my ankle bound in a chain bolted to the floor.
My clothes had been changed to a tattered square dress, like a medical gown.
My watch was gone, making me curse.
I could hear shouting from outside, but couldn't get close enough to hear what was being said.
I tried looking for another way out. There was no window, just a line of pipes, a bucket and a stained thin mattress.
I was trying to pull on the chain when the door burst open, making me jolt back into the corner.
It was vampire guy again, he closed the door behind him and stepped into the room.
"If you'd played nice, I might have considered putting you in my own quarters." He said, sounding regal and refined.
I sneered at him.
"I don't think I'd suit the decor." I spat, gesturing to my lovely attire.
He covered his mouth, hiding a smile before he straightened and set me with a serious expression.
"This can go one of two ways," he started.
"I already choose the third way." I snapped, glaring at him.
He stepped forward and raised his hand, making me flinch.
He smirked at that, straightening again.
"You can clearly be trained." He gave me a look, testing me. I bit my tongue and remained silent. "Good girl," his purr unnerved me as he crouched in front of me, his hand brushing my leg and the chain.
"Way one, you be a good girl and I let you have some freedom while you serve me."
"As your personal incubator?" I raised a brow, his eyes flashed with anger, I pulled back, pressing into the wall.
He leaned forward, bringing his arms up to cage either side of my head, forcing me to look at him.
"Way two, I treat you like a piece of meat and you stay here until you're with child, I don't care to which vampire that comes in here." He looked over his shoulder, seeing men run off before he saw them.
I sat quietly, staring at him. My breathing had hitched into a panicked pace and I felt dizzy.
"So, do you want to be a good girl?" He raised an eyebrow at me.
I didn't know how to react.
"What will I have to do?" I asked, blurting it out.
He smiled and stroked my cheek.
"I will have you, whenever I choose, until you're with child. Then you'll be moved to another hoard until you give birth. I'll even stay with you." He sounded like it was something I'd even consider.
My reaction was to smile, which seemed to relax him and he leaned in, slowly going to kiss me.
I couldn't stop myself from leaning back until I smacked into the wall, wincing and gasping as his lips fell on mine.
They were cold and soft, trying to get a response from me.
I closed my eyes tightly when his hand slid up my thigh, pushing the rags up.
I stayed frozen, just letting him touch and kiss me.
He smiled everytime a tear fell. Pulling me to lay on the ground under him.
He leaned down and I turned my head away, not wanting him to kiss me anymore. He kissed my neck, making my hands go up to stop him but he was solidly pinned on top of me, holding my waist with his hands under the dress.
I heard banging outside the door, his breath and attempt at sweet words interrupting my ability to hear what it was.
He seemed to ignore it, trying to pull the dress off me. When I struggled against him, he leaned back, grabbing the collar and tore it in half.
I screamed at the action, trying to move back.
He pinned me by my throat, slamming my head against the concrete below.
Another vampire opened the door, making the man turn around to yell at him.
I heard the sound of two gunshots, the vampire at the door stopping for a moment before he fell to the side.
When I blinked, the vampire was in a smoking puddle on the floor and Grayson stood at the door.
"Gray!" I shouted in delight, trying to run to him. The vampire grabbed me, twisting my arm painfully, snapping the bone and bringing me to my knees.
I screamed in pain and Grayson moved, his boot suddenly impacting with the vampires ribcage, hurling him so hard into the stone wall, it cracked and a large hole was left when he fell to the floor.
Grayson pointed a gun at the chain, grabbing my face and shielding me with his body while he shot me free.
He grabbed my good hand and pushed me towards the doorway, I fell out enough to see Cindy with dad rifle, firing and reloading quickly down one of the tunnels, Ben stood at her back, shooting down the other tunnel.
I looked into the room to see Grayson producing the Slayer blade, it glowed as he swing it, slicing it across the vampires throat as he tried to stand.
He dropped dead and Grayson turned, putting the weapons away, he scooped me up and held me to his chest.
He ran to Ben and Cindy who covered his retreat through the maze.
I sobbed into his neck, shivering and praying we got out soon.
I smelt the fresh air and looked around the far side of the Jenson property, a large run off tunnel hidden in the natural curve of the land.
Two cars and one of our horses, Buttercup, sat waiting in the snow, near the house.
"We're going to take you to the hospital." Grayson said softly, I shook my head.
"They'll ask too many questions." I squeaked at him. "Take me to the clinic, it's just Dr. Wan, she won't ask." He nodded after a moment, loading me into the passenger seat and turning on the car to warm for a minute.
By the time Ben got into his car and Cindy mounted Buttercup, Grayson was back, handing me a pair of jeans a simple shirt he helped me pull on. He took off his jacket and put it over my shoulders, seeming satisfied he started the car and blazed through the snow almost too fast for my liking, but my pain and fear gripped me enough to care.
We got to the clinic in record time, Grayson pulling me out of the car and jogging to the door, he yanked it open and ran in.
Dr. Wan was at the front desk, showing one of the other receptionists something. She looked up and gasped.
"Back room, follow me." She ordered, opening the door to the back and leading Grayson to the surgery room.
He put me gently on the bed, stepping back but staying in eyesight as Dr. Wan leaned over me.
She began a general exam, only asking me what pain was where.
She x-rayed my arm with the portable machine, kicking Grayson out of the room.
"I know what you're going to ask, the answer is no." I muttered to her while she took shots.
"Lay still," she snapped. "So, what happened then?" She finished and helped me sit up while we waited for the film to print.
"Some jerk attacked me," I said, it wasn't a lie at least.
"Where were you?" She asked, her voice filled with worry.
I hesitated for a moment. "At home, they tried to break in and I stupidly tried to stop them." I tried to give a usual giggle but it came out strained, I was thankful Dr. Wan didn't seem to notice.
"Oh, well, I can call the cops for you?" She offered, going to open the door for Grayson.
He nodded at her, slipping into room and stepping beside me.
"No, I think Grayson already called them. Cindy's probably at home, waiting for them." I tried to wave her off but used the wrong hand, yelling in pain.
Dr. Wan found a decent break in my forearm, putting a cast on it and telling me I'd need it off in two months.
I sighed at the sight of the bulky new buddy.
I had some cuts and bruises but nothing too bad, she couldn't rule out a concussion, so I had to stay awake for a bit longer to make sure since I refused the hosptial.
I went to pay for the after hours appointment, knowing it'd be pricey but she told me to not worry about it, she gave me the next two weekend off to rest. I thanked her again, waving to her as Grayson led me back to the car.
We drove in a bit of silence before I finally spoke.
"I'm sorry." I said.
"For what?" Grayson asked, reaching over to squeeze my good hand.
I looked at him, tears brimming. "I couldn't stop Cindy before she said come in, it's my fault they got in the house."
He hushed me, rubbing my hand with his thumb.
"It's not your fault, they've been interested in you for a while. It wasn't surprising they attacked." He tried to soothe, but it made me feel like I should have done better.
"They want to breed me." I sobbed, breaking.
Grayson stopped the car, unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled me into his lap, holding me close and rocking me slightly.
"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice thick with anger.
"My mum was apparently a Slayer, my father fallen angel." I cried into his shoulder, feeling him freeze. "I didn't believe it, Slayers and Dark Ones can't have children!"
"What else did he say, Penelope?" Grayson whispered, making me pull back to look at him. His brows were pulled together and his lips were set in a frown.
"Why?" I asked
"Just...tell me what else he told you." He said slowly, boring his eyes into mine.
"He said my dad killed my mum and Cindy's parents, beheading them and burning them. He kept me alive because he wanted to sell me to the highest bidder to carry spawns of Dark Ones." My tone was flat and emotionless, I knew well enough I was in shock and shutting down emotionally to protect myself.
Grayson stroked my cheek, I had to stop my self from flinching away from the sparking touch.
He noticed the hesitation, his eyes saddening.
"He and the hoard are gone." He promised.
I nodded. "Kill the leader, kill the hoard." I said, reciting the vampire book.
Grayson smiled at me, breaking my shock and I found myself smiling back.
We drove back home, Ben and Cindy were waiting for us in the lounge.
Cindy hugged me tightly, ignoring my whines of pain.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" She breathed, squeezing me.
"I'm fine. I just want a shower and to go to bed." I said. She nodded at me, stepping back.
"I promise not to let vampires in the house, ever again." She held her hand out, her first balled but her pinky out.
I giggled and pinky swore with her.
Grayson had mentioned they'd had to spill the beans to her after the vamps took me.
It took them two hours to find me, Cindy deciding she wasn't letting them go alone, followed them on Buttercup until she found them in the tunnels.
We sat in the sun room for a few hours, Cindy fighting sleep on Ben's shoulder. I wasn't sure how I felt. I was between feeling and nothing, but I did feel tired, having to pace to keep awake.
Grayson told me it was safe to sleep when I'd finally sat down, pulling me to stand and head for the stairs.
I stepped over the broken banister, sighing at how much it'd cost to fix.
I went for a shower, Grayson wrapped my arm in plastic to keep it dry and waited in the bathroom, him and Molly having a silly conversation about her floppy face.
I smiled, stepping out of the steam and let him dry me, removing the plastic and helping me dress.
I went for my bedroom, my eyes skimming to my parents bedroom and I stopped, my heart tugging at the new information that broke it.
Grayson touched my arm, bringing me back and I walked straight to my bed, crawling under the covers and pulling them high.
I felt Grayson hesitate, making me pull the covers back to look at him.
For the first time, he looked unsure what to do.
I moved the blankets and held out my hand for him. He smiled softly and climbed in beside me, grabbing my hand and wrapping it around my waist as we laid down.
He hugged me tightly, covering my skin in kisses in a claiming way.
I hummed at the touch, welcoming the sensation compared to what had touched my flesh before.
I flushed at the thought, Grayson noticed and stopped kissing, pulling me against him.
"Tell me again," I whispered in the darkness, knowing Grayson could hear me.
"He's dead, the whole hoard is dead. You're safe, baby." He whispered to me, kissing my cheek softly. I nodded against his chest, squeezing his hand and echoing his words in my head.
He continued to whisper them to me, his warmth and safety lulling me finally into a dreamless sleep.
It would be the last time, before the nightmares started again.