Broken Soul

"Evan," Dannie whispered and nudged his shoulder, "wake up." He didn't budge. Amanda was still asleep at his side. "Come on, it's sunset, you have to wake up now."

His eyes opened and she told him there was something wrong with Leighton. He followed her to Leighton's room, leaving Amanda there undisturbed as they left. Evan stood at Leighton's bedside and examined his condition. "He's been resting all day," Dannie said. "Is there anything you can do for him?"

"I could try." Evan stepped closer and put his hand on Leighton's shoulder. The sick vampire was too weak to even lift his gaze up and look at any of them. Evan tried to heal him but it didn't seem to be working. After several minutes, he lifted his hand away then looked at Dannie and shook his head no. "I don't think that helped much."

"Maybe he needs blood," Dannie suggested. "I'll get Amanda."

* * * * *

Amanda's eyes opened. She gasped as she didn't recognize her surroundings. She almost screamed but had no idea of where she was and then it all started coming back to her. Vampires. Demons. Monsters hypnotizing her and stealing her blood. Leighton's spell had worn off after he was poisoned and she began to panic. She wanted to get out of there as quickly as she could. Amanda jolted out of the bed and dashed out of the room, and not even bothering you put any shoes on. Her heart was pounding as she ran down the stairs. Dannie saw her and chased after her. "Amanda! Where are you going? Leighton needs you!"

Amanda feared the thought of that monster taking more blood from her. She just wanted out. With trembling hands, she unlocked front door and ran outside to freedom. Her bare feet ran as fast as they could into the forest. Dannie called after her as she followed but it didn't help.

The forest was nearly pitch dark. Amanda zig-zagged through the trees and tripped over a lose branch and stayed on the ground while Dannie looked for her. She shivered from the cold and her own fear.

When she thought the coast was clear, she was about to get up onto her feet until she heard the sound of boots crushing leaves right behind her. Amanda looked up and saw Dusk grinning down at her. She saw his eyes and knew he was one of them. "Hello, Darling," he greeted and exposed his fangs to her. She tried to crawl away but he caught her by the hair, making her scream.

Dannie heard Amanda screaming and tried to find her. By the time she did, Dusk had drank the majority of her blood but left just enough for her to remain alive. Dannie wanted to help. She hid behind one of the trees and tried to think of a plan.

"I know you're there, human!" Dusk shouted to Dannie as he stood over Amanda. "Come out now or this one dies."

Dannie didn't want anything to happen to Amanda so she decided to reveal herself. Slowly, she stepped out from behind the tree and Dusk smiled maliciously when he saw her. "There you are, beautiful," he greeted. "You made the right choice."

"Leave Amanda alone," Dannie ordered. "She has nothing to do with this."

"On the contrary, she does," Dusk disagreed. "She's my enemy's donor. And, rumor has it, he's fallen ill. If he drinks any more of her blood, she'll die."

"Did you have something to do with that?" Dannie asked. "Did you tell October to poison him?"

"The demon girl did that on her own accord," he replied. "But I may have suggested it."

"You bastard!" Dannie screamed angrily and tore her cross off of her neck and charged at him with it. A hand grabbed her arm before she got too close and she realized it was Evan.

"Don't, Danielle," he said. "He's too strong."

"At least you're right about one thing," Dusk remarked.

"Let them both go," Evan demanded. "You and I can settle this."

"Sorry, I can't do that," Dusk replied. "They're valuable pawns in this game."

"What game?" Evan asked. "What do you want?"

"You are a vampire that never should have been," Dusk reminded him. "And these humans know of our existence. We simply cannot let you live."

Several other vampires emerged from the darkness. Evan and Dannie were surrounded. Two grabbed Dannie by the arms and dragged her over to a tree while four others restrained Evan as he watched them chain her wrists are around the trunk of the tree. He ordered them to free her and continuously threatened them. One of the vampires restraining Evan had a knife and sunk the blade into Evan's neck, causing blood to drain out of him. He tried to heal himself but it was taking too long. "Oh my god, stop!" Dannie cried as she watched her best friend bleed.

"Only weaken him," Dusk ordered. "Don't kill him. Yet."

They released Evan and he collapsed onto the ground. He finally healed his wound.

Dusk stood over him and said, "I'll make a deal with you." He walked over to Dannie and ran a cold finger over her neck. She cringed with disgust. "If you turn her, I'll let you live."

Evan glared up at him. "Never."

"But did you know that, because the two of you are connected like Ravyn and I are, the curse will reverse?" Dusk asked him. "If she becomes a vampire, then you'll become human again."

"How did you know this?" Ravyn asked him.

"I sensed they were connected like we were," he told her. "But she's still human so that means it will reverse." He smirked at Evan and touched Dannie's neck again. "Her blood smelled like poison to you, didn't it? Your vampire instincts told you to stay away from it."

"Just do it, Evan," Dannie told him. "It's my fault this happened to you. I deserve it."

"No, you don't," he replied weakly. "I don't blame you for this. I never did."

"I've lived longer than you, it's only fair," she said.

"I wont do that to you, Danielle," he opposed. "No one deserves to live like this."

"But... I don't want you to die..." A fearful tear escaped from her eye.

"I'm already dead." It was clear she couldn't change his mind.

"So, you've decided not to choose life?" Dusk asked and circled around Evan. "If death it is what you long for, I guess we have no choice but to offer it."

The other vampires were about to kill them but he lifted a hand and said, "No. I've got something better." He turned to Ravyn and demanded, "Summon your demon." Ravyn hesitated and Dusk noticed her delay. "Summon him!"

She didn't have much choice. Seconds later, Erick stepped up to them. Dannie was so glad to see him. She knew he would never hurt them.

"Now, tell him to kill them," Dusk ordered Ravyn.

Ravyn refused. "No."

Dusk appeared beside Amanda and grabbed her head. "Do it or I'll break her neck!"

Still refusing, Ravyn stood there silently defying him.

"Fine, overturn command of him to me!" Dusk ordered, still grasping Amanda's head tightly.

"Erick," Ravyn said as she glared at Dusk, "I renounce you as my demon." She thought this would free him but it actually made everything worse.

Dusk released Amanda and laughed sinisterly. "How foolish, my love. You realize what you've done?" He looked at Erick and said, "Demon, torture the girl."

Dannie's heart raced as Erick approached her. "No... Erick... Don't..." His black, emotionless eyes stared at her and then she felt a surge of pain jolt through her back as if she had been struck by lightning. She screamed and sunk to the ground, her arms still chained to the tree. Dannie couldn't believe he was doing this to her. Evan tried to get up and stop him but he was too weak to escape the clutches of the vampires that were restraining him. Dannie cried and begged him to quit but he wouldn't. "Erick, please!..." Tears poured from her eyes and she screamed even louder when he twisted her left ankle with his mind. "Erick, stop!"

"OK, enough!" Ravyn shouted and pushed Dusk's shoulder. "Make him quit!"

"You gave up command of him," he reminded her. "I told you he is partially mine but you didn't listen! He's my demon now!"

"I don't care, you'll lose him if you make him kill them!" she warned him.

"Then it will be worth it!" Dusk's faced Erick and said, "Kill her."

"No!" Evan objected. "Just let me wipe her memory and then you can kill me."

"Silence!" Dusk growled at him. He pointed toward Erick and said again, "Kill her!"

Erick froze and looked into Dannie's tear-filled eyes. He watched her cry as she silently pleaded to him to spare her.

"I said kill her, you ugly spawn from Hell!" Dusk yelled as Erick continued to gaze at Dannie. He thought about how much she cared for him, despite what he was and how she never flinched at the sight of him after his face was burned. He knew a soul like hers was a one in a million find.

One of the other vampires was sick of waiting and he approached them with his knife and said, "Fine, if you won't do it, I will-"

Erick raised his hand and stopped the vampire from coming any closer and he forced him telekinetically to lift up his knife and stab himself in the heart, then made him fall to the ground. With his mind, Erick broke every bone in the vampire's body and set him on fire. None of the other vampires dared to move an inch closer to them.

Erick knelt down in front of Dannie and she shivered in terror as she looked into his dead locked eyes. He was about to touch her when she spoke up. "Erick...wait..." He retracted his hand and listened. "I just wanted to tell you..." Even after all the warnings and lectures to prevent her from doing this, she wanted to say what was in her heart since it would be her only chance. "I...love you."

Erick just continued to stare at her. "Did you hear that, demon?" Dusk said with delight. "She is yours now. You can claim her soul. Now's your chance. Kill her and take it!"

As his eyes still locked on Dannie, he put a hand on her leg and she closed her eyes tight and expected to feel excruciating pain. In fact, she felt the opposite. The ankle he had twisted was healed and all the pain he made her feel had been soothed away. She opened her eyes and saw him gazing down at her. Gently, he brushed her hair away from her face and then he said softly, "I'm sorry, Danielle." He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers apologetically. She smiled up at him as he wiped away the tears he made her cry. She knew he didn't mean to hurt her.

"I'm only going to tell you one more time, demon," Dusk declared angrily. "Kill her! Now!"

Erick rose to his feet, turned his head to Dusk and said firmly, "No."

"You're refusing a command?" Dusk asked him.

"I am."

"Fool." Dusk watched as Erick fell onto the ground, screaming.

"Erick!" Dannie exclaimed and wanted to get up and help him but was still chained. "What's happening to him?"

"Never mind that," Dusk declared and decided he had waited long enough. "Alright. You can kill them."

The other vampires grabbed Evan, Dannie and Amanda and prepared to obey the order. Some had knives, others bared their teeth. Once again, Dannie closed her eyes and awaited a painful death.