Bound to You

“Turn me into a vampire and make me the sixth leader. And think carefully before you make your decision: if you screw me over, I won’t just make sure you die, I’ll make sure Sean gets what he wants.”

Johnny sat there for several minutes, weighing his options—of which there weren’t many. He could give in to his desperation and tell Amara that he would turn her, but he knew that if he was anything less than one hundred percent honest with her in his reply, she’d probably see through it. She’d obviously been around vampires long enough to know them well enough to know their traits, and read their expressions.

On the other hand, he could tell her no. And what would that get him? No where but some shallow grave in the middle of nowhere. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and right now, he couldn’t really tell which was the worse decision.

“So? Have you decided?” Amara asked after a few minutes. “Time is ticking, Johnny. You don’t have very much left, if you make the wrong choice.”

Johnny sighed, and knew what he had to say. “No,” He told her, holding his head high as he said it. “I’m not going to betray Bat Country or its other leaders like that. I’d rather die however Sean is planning to kill me.”

“What a pity.” Amara said, straddling his lap again, putting her hands on his shoulders as she looked at his face. “You’re kinda cute, even when you’re a little scruffy.”

Johnny didn’t meet her gaze, but instead found a focus point on the wall behind her. She moved one of her hands to his face, stopping gingerly on his cheek.

“Amara! Get your hands off him. He is to remain untouched until midnight.” Sean’s voice said angrily from the door. Johnny took the opportunity to look at the man who’d taken him hostage.

Sean stood taller than himself, at at least 6 foot. Shoulder length, straight black hair and intense dark eyes set the appearance of a Hollywood vampire, and a frown on his face showed his displeasure at Amara’s movements.

Amara glared at him angrily before looking at Johnny again, moving off of his legs and walking over to Sean. “Well if you’re not going to give me attention, where else am I going to get it?”

Johnny had to hand it to the girl, she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. Sean grabbed her wrist angrily and shoved her out of the room, slamming the door shut before walking over to Johnny, grabbing his jaw firmly with his hand.

“It’s now 10:03, Johnny.” He said, a sadistic smirk on his face. “Two hours and fifty-three minutes.”

“Fuck you.” Johnny spat at him. He didn’t have anything left to lose, especially if Amara was right and Sean was going to kill him anyway.

Sean said nothing as he walked across the room, pondering something before he turned to look at Johnny again. He smiled, and then shook his head.

“I find it hard to believe that you don’t remember me, Johnny. Especially after how close we used to be.”

“Memory Lane was closed the minute you attempted to take over Bat Country, Sean.”

“Ah, yes. There was that, wasn’t there? If you’d have made the right decision, none of this would be happening now. All you had to do was give me what I wanted.”

“There was no way you ever would have made it as one of the rulers, Sean.” Johnny told him, his voice dangerously low. “If you’d cut me lose, I’d show you why. You’re not strong enough, are you, Sean? And you know you’re not. That’s why you’re using petty humans to do your dirty work.”

Sean’s fists tightened into fists at his side, and Johnny knew his plan was working.

“Obviously I’m stronger than any of you assumed, or you wouldn’t be here, sitting in your death chair.” Sean smirked at him. “And as for the humans…Well, let’s just say they have their uses to me.”

“You’ve always been the twisted one of us all, Sean.” Johnny said. “You’re pathetic, you know that? Pathetic.”

Sean was in Johnny’s face in a minute, grabbing the top of the chair angrily, his face inches away from Johnny. “Say it again, Christ. I dare you, say it again.”

“I said, “you’re pathetic.”” Johnny repeated, keeping his gaze on Sean’s as he taunted him. Sean furled the chair back against the wall, breaking it instantly. Johnny didn’t have time to react to the pain that shot through his back at the impact, nor did he have time to take in the cuts and scrapes the splinters of wood had left on his skin from the force of the throw. He was freed from the chair though, and that was all that mattered.

Now, it was time to get out of here.

Sean hurled himself at Johnny, missing by only a few centimeters as Johnny ducked out of the way, turning around to nail him on his shoulder blade. Sean let out an angry cry as he whipped around, grabbing Johnny’s wrist and throwing him onto the ground, causing Johnny to wince. They wrestled on the ground for a few minutes before Sean overpowered Johnny, hovering above him with a piece of the broken chair above his neck.

“It’s a shame it had to come to this, Johnny. We were once great friends.” He said before starting to move the wood into Johnny’s tattooed neck. It only made a scratch before Johnny grabbed the wrist Sean was using to hold the wood, fighting him to keep it off of his neck. He knew that, if Sean managed to cut him, it would be the end. He’d drain him, and then he’d be dead. There would be no escape, and the others—who were no doubt planning an escape for him as he and Sean fought—would walk straight into a trap. He had to get out of this alive. Not for himself, but for the others.

He threw the piece of wood to the ground before kicking Sean off of him, standing up shakily. His muscles were weak from being restrained for so long, and he knew he only had so much adrenaline and strength left with which he could fight the dark haired man.

Sean pulled out a knife from his pocket, and Johnny grabbed a piece of the broken wood, holding it in front of him, using it as a stake. He and Sean stood there, not moving, as each one waited for the other to make the first move.

Sean moved first, so quickly that Johnny barely had time to ready himself for the attack. He flew back, landing against the wall and leaving an indent in the drywall before heaving Sean off of him, feeling the sting of the steel blade as Sean’s knife cut into his arm, leaving a deep gash across the forearm. He followed Sean, pinning him against the furthest wall, readying the stake at his neck. He needed to kill him now, once and for all, like he should have done so long ago.

Sean kicked him between the legs, dropping Johnny to the ground involuntary, and then covered him immediately with his own body.

He was holding the knife above Johnny’s throat, ready to thrust it through his neck, before a gunshot surprised both of them.

Johnny felt Sean’s body fall on top of his, and threw the man off of him before he stood up, looking towards the door where he saw Amara standing there, shaking, holding a .22 Calibur in her hand. The look on her face told Johnny that she’d never fired a weapon before. He walked over to her quickly, grabbing the gun from her before turning it on her.

“J-just go.” She told him, meeting his gaze. She was no longer the confident, power-hungry woman Johnny had seen only an hour before. No, she was a scared human girl who didn’t know what she’d gotten herself into. Johnny had no sympathy for her, though. He knew the shot that had been fired had not been fatal, and that he had only minutes to escape. He knew that Amara was facing certain death by staying, but he couldn’t take her with him.

He needed to get out of here.

He nodded once, putting the gun in his back pocket after he’d checked the safety. No one stood in his way as he made his way out of the house, running out into the street.

He didn’t know where he was, but he knew it didn’t matter. The only thing he needed to concentrate on was getting away from this place as soon as possible.