Author's Note: I truly hope you enjoy this chapter. It was fun to write...
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That night was spent catching up on our respective lives, the latest gossip around school, and reminiscing about times in our past. We laughed regularly until it was time for sleep, and I gratefully thought that it was a welcome change from all the screaming and crying I had been doing this past month. Bedtime came upon us quite early, since I was so exhausted, and to my relief Jennifer decided on skipping school tomorrow so I wouldn't have to be alone.
The next day was filled with movies, trashy reality TV shows, junk food, and a lot more of our immature antics. It made the time pass quicker than we wanted, though, and soon it was nightfall. Our moods turned somber, as Jennifer's parents were returning tomorrow, and it was time for me to finalize a plan of action.
Up until now, we had been splayed out lazily on Jennifer's couch, eating candy and watching some dumb romantic comedy when I finally decided I needed to get up. We had been on that couch for hours.
"Well Jennifer, I think I should go take a shower. I feel kind of gross."
She nodded and popped a gummy bear into her mouth, eyes still glued to the screen.
"Okay. Towels are in the linen closet."
She didn't need to tell me, since this was practically my second home, but my friend was nothing if not accommodating and hospitable.
I scooted in between her legs and a glass coffee table on my way to the stairs, and squeaked loudly as I felt a giant slap on my butt. I glanced back at her snickering form, my mouth open in faux shock, but all I got in return was Jennifer sticking her tongue out at me like a petulant child.
"It was in my face, I couldn't help it!" She cried, doing her best not to laugh.
"Wow, is it really that irresistible?" I winked, slapping one hand on my butt. The sound of our laughter followed me as I sprinted upstairs.
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My head was upside-down, flaming red curls hanging towards the floor, as I blow dried the thick locks. Over the sound of the dryer, I heard Jennifer's doorbell ring, so my thumb hit the "off" switch for a moment as her voice came from downstairs.
"I GOT IT!" She boomed, and I resumed my drying with a chuckle.
Since Jennifer insisted on keeping her house the temperature of a jungle, I had donned a skimpy tank top and short pajama set after my shower. Once again, not something I would normally wear around my own house, but they would do. The shorts were pale pink and stopped above my mid-thigh, and the tank top was extremely low cut and flimsy.
Once my hair was mostly dry, I turned out the lights and left Jennifer's room. I didn't hear anything but the TV downstairs, so assumed Jennifer was either watching it or in the bathroom.
"Jennifer, I need your help brainstorming about tomorrow. I was thinking-"
As I rounded the corner into the living room, I stopped dead in my tracks and all breath left my lungs instantly. My friend was standing on the other side of the living room, looking at me with terrified, pleading eyes, as Jensen held her tightly from behind. One hand was securely over her mouth, and his other hand had a solid grip on her upper arm. I barely had time to think as I let out an ear-shattering shriek.
"JENNIFER!"
My feet hadn't even left the ground in an attempted leap before two strong arms encircled my waist from behind and pulled me back. Crane appeared to my right, directly before the TV, and shut it off while Avery's unmistakable chuckle sounded right next to my ear. Struggling with all my might, I pushed on his massive forearms in an attempt to try and free myself.
"No! Let her go! Please, don't hurt her!" My cry was shrill as I continued anything to escape my captor and run to Jennifer.
"Now why would I want to hurt a pretty little thing like her?" Jensen's mischievous eyes roamed over Jennifer's trembling body in a way that made me want to rip his head off.
"Even though she did lie to us. But that's okay, I didn't take offense. It's nearly impossible to keep something from our kind." Jensen lifted his gleaming eyes to me and flashed one of the most evil grins I'd seen to date, his long fangs causing my heart to skip a beat.
"She told us you weren't here. But your scent is all over this house, and her pulse sped up when she said she was alone. Even if we couldn't tell by either of those things, it wouldn't matter. The link I have with you told me exactly where you were."
I became acutely aware of how closely my back was pressed up against Avery's rock hard chest as he spoke, his breath tickling the side of my neck, and the discomfort I felt at being so scantily clad tripled upon feeling his skin come into contact with mine.
"I'm just annoyed we weren't able to get here sooner." Crane's soft, bored voice spoke up from the side of the room. I shot her a venomous glance, hardly noticing that she looked halfway decent in her tight jeans, black boots, long-sleeved babydoll top and make-up. Well, she would have, if she wasn't a vicious monster.
Checking out her long, sharp fingernails as if she couldn't wait to leave, Crane continued.
"Your smitten friend here wouldn't stop bugging Alex and I to accompany him on this little retrieval mission. We unfortunately had to put up with his persistent requests to come get you for an entire night before we were all able to go out."
A threatening hiss sounded from behind me, and Crane actually dropped her hand and looked at the floor, apprehensive.
"You can't take me back there! You have no way of explaining how you found me!" I tried to turn my face enough to get a good look at the monster who was still squeezing my waist, but I wished I hadn't. His face was not hiding the fact that he wasn't human at the moment. His eyes were stormy and dark, while his expression was hard and cruel, despite how his lips were twisted into a sneer.
"Oh, we're not planning on taking you back to Brooks County, darling."
My focus once again returned to the horrendous thing holding my terrified friend captive.
"We were talking, and decided it would be so convenient for Jamieson and I to have a couple of... Donors on hand at our place, just for the hell of it."
Jennifer whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut as Jensen ran the back of his fingers down her exposed neck.
"Don't you touch her!" I screamed furiously, the volume of my voice hurting even my ears. I kicked and clawed at Avery, still trying to twist out of his grip. It nearly tore my heart in two, seeing how terrified Jennifer was, and I couldn't stop the rushed thought that I was to blame for her current situation.
"Hmm... I don't think so, Abigail." Jensen tilted his head and put his hand on his chin, as if thinking hard. "I am really liking the idea of never letting her pretty face see the light of day again."
My stomach plummeted.
"You wouldn't... She didn't do anything! Just let her go, Jensen! I'll do whatever you want!"
With one last amused glance at me, Jensen quickly spun Jennifer around and stared into her eyes while grabbing her shoulders. She froze in that position, her whole self emitting stunned fear.
"Jennifer! No, don't look at them, don't listen to them! They can-"
But it was too late. She was caught in his gaze like an animal about to be run over by a car. I let out a scream of rage and tried harder than ever to escape Avery's unrelenting hold. Jensen threw his arm over my immobilized friend's shoulder and turned to me. There didn't seem to be anyone home at all behind Jennifer's eyes, which neither moved nor blinked. She might as well have been in a coma.
"It was stupid of you to run away, Abigail." Jensen's calm, even voice was offset by the conniving grin on his long face. "But thanks to your actions and my friend's handy mental link with you, it looks like I've found myself a new girlfriend!" He laughed slightly, and I was almost positive my blood pressure was going to make my veins explode.
"Like she would ever agree to that!" I snarled, squeezing my nails into my palms.
"She won't have to! With a little mental persuasion on my part, I could make Jennifer forget her entire life." He ran his long fingers under her chin while gazing at her affectionately, then let out a low chuckle.
"Let's see, what's it been? A few years since I've been in a relationship? And I just love that name..."
Jennifer was still as gone as ever, but I had to do something to stop the madman next to her.
"Let her go, you bastard! You can't make us your personal chew toys!"
Jensen stuck his tongue out and played with a lock of Jennifer's hair absently.
"Of course we can! And it doesn't matter if she didn't do anything. I just really don't like you. I mean, there was the cupcake incident, kicking me in the balls, scratching me, pulling my hair, puking on my feet..." He ticked off each offense on his pale, claw-like fingers while glancing upwards in mock thought. "Shall I go on?"
I gritted my teeth, knowing full well that I had good reasons for doing all that, but decided to keep it short.
"Then take it out on me! She doesn't deserve to be involved in any of this! Also, you know damn well that that last one was not my fault!" I was seeing red, and there was nothing I wanted more than to leap onto Jensen and take my rage out on him.
"Sorry, Abigail. I think this way of tormenting you is much more fun." He grinned wide, ivory fangs seeming to glisten, and full panic mode set in.
"Get away from her!" I screeched, violently beating at Avery to release me. "Don't you dare even think about it! I'll kill you!"
"Abigail!" Avery spun me around to face him, laughing hard. "He's already dead!"
I ignored his sick sense of humor and forced my eyelids shut, pushing against his chest as hard as I could. I would not let this happen again.
"Get off me! Let me go, you freak!"
The idea of being held captive by the three creatures that had tortured me for the past month finally caught up with me, and a huge surge of terror welled up within in my chest. The realization dawned on me that now I'd be with them alone- Outside the hospital, and they could do whatever they wanted with Jennifer and I.
Twisting around to try and wiggle away from Avery once more, I finally took notice that my cheeks were wet. I was sobbing, but my ears didn't register my cries anymore. Avery continually adjusted his arms for every movement I made, and during my struggles I had somehow come to be pressed chest to chest with the giant vampire. I dared to open my tear-laden eyes, and over his tall shoulder, I could see Jensen tipping Jennifer's head to the side as her arms just dangled limply. Time seemed to move at the speed of molasses as I screamed out to Jennifer once more, but I was still as helpless as ever while Avery pinned both my wrists behind my back in one of his giant hands.
Crane glanced at a sleek, black cell phone while crossing her arms, impatience obvious on her angular face.
"Hurry it up."
Avery scoffed, but grabbed my chin and tipped my head back before brushing my hair away from my shoulder. As Jensen's fangs neared Jennifer's throat, I heard my voice break when I started begging and pleading for Jensen to get away from my friend. Avery's fangs descending on my own throat went unacknowledged while I still tried to escape him and reach out to help Jennifer.
"No! Let her go! Get off her, damn it! Jensen! Please, just don't do it!" My screeches could have peeled paint off the walls, and even though I was sure my throat was raw and bloody, I continued. But through all my sobs, screams, and curses, sudden strange noises reached our ears from somewhere close outside, and the two vampires' heads snapped up in unison. It was a good thing too, because I could actually feel the sharp points of Avery's fangs just barely pressing down upon my skin, and I was sure Jensen's were equally as close to Jennifer's neck.
All four of us conscious beings glanced around frantically as the now-recognizable growls, yips, and barks died down, but were replaced with loud thumps that sounded like they were coming from right beside the house. I became painfully aware of Avery's large hands on my bare shoulders, and his cold touch sent shivers down my spine. Well, it also could have been the eerie silence that had fallen, but you get the idea. An extra loud bumping noise from the front of the house had the vampires tensed and scowling hatefully, and then a loud 'bang' resounded throughout the downstairs, and I knew the front door had been forced open.
My heart raced double time as I glanced at the vampires and subconsciously leaned in to Avery, who was staring at the front hallway with a brutal expression. Suddenly, a handful of men rushed into the living room and leapt towards Crane and Jensen, growling, snapping, and snarling with a fervor I had never heard before. I barely even had time to comprehend that the two vampires were shouting in the blurred frenzy of figures before another person entered the living room. He was tall, had a commanding presence, long, sharp claws, and yellow eyes a few shades lighter than honey. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at Andrew, who was breathing hard, had his clawed fingers curled slightly at his sides, and even more disturbing, many long, sharp teeth filling his snarling mouth. His terrifying, distorted face looked more like a demon than the twin from my dreams.
"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!" His deep roar shook the house, and Avery let go of me in surprise and shifted to the side a bit so I had a better view. Once Andrew saw me, his eyes dimmed to the light cocoa color I was used to, and he allowed a brief smile to light up his once again nice guy features.
"See? I told you I wasn't dead, Abby!" His razor-sharp grin was the last thing I saw before my wits left me and my head swam. Oh, my god. My brother was one of them.