Green Eyes

I felt a presence beside me as I ran towards the car. Someone grabbed my arm and I reluctantly stopped to look at them. It was Zacky, his eyes full of concern. ‘Where are you going?’

By now I was hyperventilating and I could barely open my mouth. I forced myself to speak. ‘Maddy. It was Maddy screaming. They’ve got her. We have to save her.’

Zacky’s eyes widened and he nodded. ‘I’ll let the others know.’

As soon as he said this the others were by my side, their eyes full of anxiety. ‘Who’s Maddy?’ Jimmy asked.

I felt tears come to my eyes as I said this. ‘My best friend. Please, we have to hurry!’

The others nodded and gave each other a look. Zacky turned to face Sammi. ‘Sammi, go back to the castle now. You’ve done what you can. This is for us to do.’

She nodded briefly before turning her gaze on Brian. It lingered there for a while before she turned away and sped off.

As soon as she was gone I went into the car, my parents right behind me. Zacky was telling the others what to do, and once he was done he joined me in the drivers seat.

As he drove, I stared out the window. We weren’t going fast enough. What if we didn’t make it in time? It would be my fault! She was my best friend – my other half, I couldn’t stand it if she died!

Tears began to pour down my face and I couldn’t help the shakes that rocked my body. I felt someone grab my arm and I turned around to see my mum staring at me sorrowfully. ‘Sweetie, she’ll be ok. We’ll get there in time.’

I shook my head, sobbing loudly. Zacky turned to look at me and his eyes were full of pain. He let go of the steering wheel with one hand and took my hand in his, stroking it gently with his thumb. I began to relax a bit, but I was still incredibly anxious. Zacky smiled weakly at me. ‘Shhh, baby, it’s going to be ok. We’ll make sure they don’t hurt her.’

I shook my head again, and I let my tears drop onto our hands. ‘Wh-what if we don’t g-get there in time?’

Zacky continued to stroke my hand comfortingly, and turned to smile at me. He let go of my hand to wipe my tears away before grabbing back on. ‘We will. We’ll get her before that happens.’

I nodded. I heard another cry for help and my heart rate sped up again, and I began to sob louder. I looked out of the window, praying that we were getting closer and that we would reach her in time.

Zacky turned to look at me again. ‘Kayla, when we get there, you have to stay with me ok? Don’t leave my sight. Whatever happens. Got that?’

I nodded my head slowly. Zacky turned around to face my mum and dad. ‘You stay with me too. We can’t let them get any of you.’

My parents agreed and Zacky turned to smile at me quickly before looking back at the road. His hand was still in mine, and it was giving me a little more comfort.

We continued to drive in silence, except for my occasional sobs. Zacky kept my hand in his, and occasionally turned to smile at me weakly.

After what seemed like forever, the car stopped outside what I recognised to be my street. I could hear yelling and cries for help and I went to get out of the car but Zacky grabbed my arm. ‘Behind me, ok?’

I nodded. I waited until he came around and I got out of the car, my parents following behind me. The others joined us and we all stood together, the guys silently debating what to do. When another cry for help came I looked pleadingly at Zacky and he nodded, glancing at the others before heading forwards.

I followed behind him, Zacky holding onto my hand to make sure I was there.

The closer we walked, the more danger I felt. I could tell whatever was happening was really bad, if the screams hadn’t confirmed that for me already. I could hear Layton’s voice and my chest burned with hatred.

We walked into the alley and my eyes immediately went to Layton, who was standing over a body on the floor. I looked at the body, and my heart stopped in my chest. It was Maddy.

She was covered in blood and she was shaking, and it took all I had not to run over to her right then.

Layton seemed to hear us and looked up, as well as the others around him. He smirked. ‘Well well well, you finally decided to show up. I hope you don’t mind – we found something to entertain ourselves with while you were gone.’

I growled and Layton’s eyes met mine, amusement filling his eyes. He smiled. ‘How about we have a little deal. We let all of you and this girl go, and you give us Kayla.’

The others all growled no at once while I muttered a yes. Zacky turned to glare at me.

Kayla – we’re going to get everyone out of this. We’re a lot stronger than they are.

I nodded, tears falling down my face. At once, the guys glanced at each other, before diving forward. Kaylee ran over to me and my parents, protecting us from any of the other vampires that tried to attack.

Zacky lunged straight at Layton, who laughed and dived on him, collecting him in a huge fight. Matt ripped up the cement and set it on fire, throwing it at vampires that came close to him. Johnny glanced over at me quickly and smiled, before running over to one of the other vampires and catching him in a fight. Brian ran forward and got caught in a fight with two other vampires, and he was desperately trying to attack them.

I gasped as a guy went to punch Johnny, but surprisingly his fist was moved away before it touched Johnny’s face. Johnny smirked, and I remembered his power.

Jimmy disappeared and appeared behind one of the vampires that was attacking Brian, and grasped him in a headlock. He kicked him in the stomach repeatedly, making him fall to the ground in pain.

Matt continued to pick up cement and set it on fire, and I watched as he threw one of these at a vampire, causing him to shriek as he caught fire before turning into ashes.

I was overcome by fear when I looked at Zacky, who was in a violent fight with Layton. Was he strong enough to defeat him? Layton was Vercro’s right hand man, so he had to be decently strong.

The vampire that was attacking Johnny stopped and smirked before heading towards my parents and I slowly, growling at Kaylee. Kaylee growled back and took a step forward, daring him to come closer. He took another step forward and Kaylee growled at him before lunging on him, catching him in a fight.

Seeing this, the vampire fighting Brian headed towards us, and I gulped in fear. There was no one protecting us now – Kaylee was busy.

Just as he was about to reach us a flaming piece of cement hit him, and he fell to the ground, shrieking in pain. I smiled gratefully at Matt but he was already running over to where Kaylee was, and threw of the vampire that was attacking her. I watched as he ripped the vampire to pieces, before turning to look lovingly at Kaylee.

This reminded me of Zacky, and I turned to see he was still in a fight with Layton, who seemed to be winning. Just as I was about to run over and help him both Matt and Johnny ran over, causing Layton to look up in surprise.

Layton pulled away and glanced at the remaining two vampires quickly before jumping onto the roof. The others joined him, and Layton smirked at me quickly before disappearing.

As soon as they were gone I ran over to Maddy’s crumpled figure, and I leant over her body, allowing the tears to fall. She looked dead, and this to me was so unbearingly horrible that I began to shake again. ‘Maddy?’ I whispered.

I sighed in relief as Maddy jerked slightly, and I could tell she was trying to open her eyes. ‘Kayla,’ she muttered, her voice hoarse. ‘They’re vampires! You have to get away before they come back for you. They’re real!’

I let my tears drop as I nodded. ‘I know Maddy. You have to stay strong. We’re going to help you.’

Maddy gasped in pain and tried to speak again but winced instead. I noticed the others were beside me, and I felt Zacky’s hand on my shoulder. Zacky cupped my face and made me look at him. ‘Kayla, I’m sorry. It might be too late. We can’t fix her now.’

I sobbed and shook my head. ‘No. We have to! There has to be a way!’

Zacky wiped away my tears and shook his head. I collapsed in sobs in his chest, and he rubbed his hand through my hair.

‘There is one way.’

I looked up at Matt, who was staring thoughtfully at Maddy. ‘We can make her one of us.’

My eyes widened and I began to nod frantically. ‘We have to! Please!’

Jimmy sighed. ‘We can’t do that without her wanting it. What if she doesn’t want to be a vampire?’

I shook my head. ‘She has to stay alive. She won’t care what she is.’

Zacky sighed, looking down at Maddy. ‘We’re going to have to.’

He looked up at Johnny. ‘You’re the most experienced. Can you do it?’

Johnny’s eyes widened and he shook his head. ‘I can’t. I haven’t done it for ages. What if I can’t stop?’

I looked up at him with pleading eyes. ‘Please, Johnny. She’s going to die anyway if you don’t.’

Johnny’s eyes softened as he looked at me, and he slowly nodded. He walked over to the body, and sniffed it carefully, before leaning over her chest. Taking a deep breath, he paused before stabbing his fangs into her chest. I gasped as I watched her writhe in pain and I began to cry harder, but Zacky pulled me close to him and patted my head soothingly. Johnny continued to drink before he slowly pulled away, licking the blood off his lips. Zacky looked at him. ‘Did you get it?’

Johnny nodded. ‘Straight into her heart. The venom should start working soon.’

I sobbed and ran over to Johnny, wrapping him in a hug. He relaxed and hugged me back, running his fingers through my hair. I pulled away and smiled at him, before walking back over to Zacky. Zacky took my hand in his and I looked up at him, worried by how concerned he looked. ‘You might not want to watch this. Changing over hurts a lot. And sometimes the human dies in the process.’

I shook my head. ‘No. I’m going to be here for her.’

Zacky nodded and pulled my so that I was leaning into his chest. I looked down at Maddy, and noticed she was writhing around, occasionally shrieking. It pained me to see this, but I knew it was ultimately going to help.

All I could do now was wait. Maddy would either wake up as a vampire, or she wouldn’t wake up at all.