How Dark Is the Night?

“Who is going first?” Sam asked.

“I will go last to make sure that you guys get out ok. If you have trouble, yell back behind you in the vent. I want to make sure that no vampires come back in here to this room as you guys are trying to escape.” I said pointing for them to hurry up.

“But won’t that leave you outnumbered if Pete and more vampires show up?” Chrissy asked.

“I will be fine. I can handle it and I think I can take care of Pete too. Besides, I have been outnumbered, before. I think I am beginning to like those odds.” I said grinning at the thought of kicking some ass.

“Amanda, maybe I should be last. We do need to protect you especially from Pete.” Patrick said with worry.

“Go on. I will be fine. I just wonder what room the vent will lead. This feels like those movies where the kids try to sneak out of class in school through the air vents or where spies listen in to the enemies’ conversations without them knowing it.” I said thinking.

“Only you.” Patrick said hugging me and rolling his eyes.

“Now, go!” I said motioning for everyone to move it.

I watched everyone head through the vent and made sure I heard no sound or felt any vampires around before I headed through the vent. I knew it would be a matter of time before one vampire came to check on us and saw that we had escaped so we had to move fast.

“You made it!” Andy said helping me up out of the vent.

“What is this place?” I said as I stood up.

“It looks like a library or study. It is huge.” Sam said.

“Look at all these books.” Patrick said.

“Yeah, dusty ones.” Chrissy said picking one up off a table and coughing from the dust that flew off it.

“Andy and Patrick, guard the vent. Here, catch!” I said tossing them a vase, I saw on a table.

“What are you going to do?” Chrissy asked.

“This!” I said knocking over the table and breaking it with just one kick.

“Wow! How cool is that? You got like mad super strength all of a sudden.” Sam said stunned.

“Amanda?” Patrick asked giving me a concerned look.

“Not now.” I mouthed back to Patrick.

“Here, since we need something to protect ourselves with.” I said tossing everyone a few stakes I conviently made.

“Wait, I hear something.” Andy said.

“Get ready.” Patrick said looking at Andy.

I turned around to face them. “No!” I cried. It was Pete coming through the vent and he was alone.

The boys saw that it was Pete and smashed the vase down on his head, knocking him out. My jaw dropped at what they did. Pete came alone.

“Hey, we have a hostage.” Andy said high fiving Patrick.

“You guys did something stupid.” I snapped.

“Hey, you said…” Chrissy started to say.

“Pete could have gotten us out of here faster if he was conscious.” I said pissed.

“But Pete is bad, remember?” Sam said.

“He wouldn’t hurt me.” I said.

“He kidnapped us, bit you, and wants to turn you. Did I miss something here?” Andy said looking at Chrissy.

“Look, drag him over to that couch over there. I am not making excuses for what he did to us but somehow, just trust me on this, I don’t know what his motives are but Pete does not want to harm me.” I said.

“How do you know? He had us kidnapped. What if we were hurt by Volkmar’s men?” Andy asked.

“You weren’t though were you? There was no biting going on.” I said. “I don’t know what is up with him, but we need him right now.” I replied.

“I think you have gone bonkers.” Chrissy said sitting in an old chair.

“Amanda, we need to talk.” Patrick said pulling me aside, away from where everyone else could hear. Sam took his guard duty spot.

“Amanda, you need to tell me everything that you know. I know you know something.” Patrick said mad.

“You want to know, then I will tell you.” I said.

I told Patrick everything I learned from my episode earlier and about how Pete was acting earlier. He looked impressed and concerned still at the same time. For a minute, he looked lost in thought.

“So that is how you have your superstrength.” Patrick replied.

“Yeah, but don’t tell anyone what I told you. I don’t want to get their hopes up if Pete is bad. He is somehow messing my slayer senses up.” I replied.

“Uh, guys, I hear company.” Sam said.

“We have to leave Pete.” Patrick said looking at me.

“But…” Chrissy said knowing that hecould get us out of here.

“He’s right.” I said nodding in agreement with Patrick.

We ran towards the door in the room and it was unlocked. We opened the door and bolted out into a hallway that had many doors that lead to other rooms. Everyone ran to the end of the hall and turned right, out of this huge place, and into the ballroom.

“Look, there is an exit!” Sam yelled and pointed to the pretty glass doors that led outside.

“Not so fast!” Pete yelled as I turned to see him standing with fifteen vampires with more that will pop up any time now.