Will and Roy hid behind a stack of wooden crates, catching their breath. "How many more men do you think he has?" Roy asked. They had each killed a few vampires and Roy even had a close call, but Will shot the vamp before he could eat Roy.

"No idea, but he'll come for us soon..." Will sighed, glancing around the crates.

"Arg."

Will turned back around to see Evan with his hand around Roy's throat.

"I already have one boy and I'll have you soon enough, so I don't think this one is needed. What do you think?" Evan asked, his grip tightening on Roy's neck.

Roy grabbed one of his daggers and stabbed Evan's arm.

"Dammit," Evan dropped him and ripped the dagger out of his arm, steaming.

Bang, bang, bang. Will shot Evan three times, each shot hit him, but not in the heart.

Evan let out a roar, growling at them with the power of magic behind it. Both Roy and Will were sent flying back into the nearby metal wall.

Roy laid on the ground, groaning and coughed up blood.

Will quickly made it back to his feet, but Evan had vanished. "Hurry, drink a little bit of Samantha's blood," Will knelt down beside him.

"Yeah, in a sec," Roy groaned, pain surging through his back as he tried to move.

"Tch, which pocket are you keeping it in."

"Front-left pants pocket," Roy tried to reach for it and yelled out in pain.

"How about you wear looser pants?" Will shoved his hand out of the way and picked the vial out of his pocket while grumbling. He opened it and held it up to Roy's mouth. "Never tell anyone I did this for you and never make me do it again."

Roy swallowed some of her blood and cringed at the taste. "Thanks; I hope you never have to do that again either. If someone other than myself is going into my pants pocket, I'd prefer it was a girl."

Will kept an eye out for any more vampires while Roy recuperated.

"You know, you're a pretty good fighter," Roy sighed as he sat up, feeling better.

"I could say the same about you, for a human."

"Had to throw that in there, didn't you?"

"Why not? A human fighting vampires? You must be crazy. It's like you're looking for a way to shorten your lifespan."

"It's the family business, that's all. Besides, my dad's still alive, so I guess I learned from someone who knows what he's doing."

"I suppose so. Are you ready yet or has my sister's blood gone stale?"

"It worked... Does vampire blood go stale and stop working?"

Will shrugged. "Her blood's rare; who knows how it works?"

"Alright, let's go."

The door to the basement creaked as it opened. Jason and Samantha tensed, still holding onto each other, as they listened to the footsteps slowly clopping down the stairs.

The guard stood as Evan approached. "Sir? Are you okay?" he asked, staring at the blood trickling out of the bullet wounds and knife wound, taking their time to heal.

"It sucks that being a witch doesn't stop the vampire weakness; they had silver weapons... I've never run into someone with silver bullets before..."

"I see... but you seem to do better with them, they are quite lethal... when it comes to us regular vampires," he swallowed, worried he'd be next. He only came with Evan because he was forced to and being in danger wasn't something he was comfortable with. When it came down to it, he'd prefer to stay at home playing video games and generally enjoying himself.

"Of course I do."

"So," the guard swallowed. "Are you back because you've taken care of the others and it's time to go?"

"No," Evan growled, a vein popping out of his forehead.

"Then why—"

"Shut up, Steve."

He sat back down, hunched over and curling in on himself.

"I'm here to heal." Evan stared at Samantha in the cell.

Good job, Will. She narrowed her eyes as their gazes locked.

"I know I was giving you some time to snuggle up with the boy-toy, but I need you, so you're time's up. I hope you said your goodbyes."

"I'm not going to see him again?" Samantha asked, gripping Jason's hand.

"You will, but you'll probably be asleep once I'm done with you right now, and when you see him later you won't be allowed to touch him. I don't like my woman being familiar with others."

"Aren't you planning on passing me around your closest friends back home just so they can become stronger too?"

Evan cocked an eyebrow. "What makes you think that? Don't you remember last time?"

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Not really. "You kept me so out of it most of the time, I barely remember it."

"What did you do when you had her last time, drug her?" Jason asked, his grip on Samantha tightening.

"So what if I did? It made it easier to take her blood. She always fought me tooth-and-nail, so I had to find a way to make it easier."

"You're a despicable pig," Jason spat.

"What was that?" Evan cupped his ear, leaning towards them. "Did the hostage just say he wants a finger cut off?"

Jason tensed, cursing his big mouth.

"Evan, don't... please," Samantha removed Jason's arms from around her and stood, careful not to appear shaky. "He's a rowdy teenage boy; you don't need to go that far."

Jason's heart wrenched at the word 'boy'. Was that really how she saw him or was it lip service?

"Fine, whatever; I don't have time to deal with him right now anyway." Evan opened the cell and reached out to Samantha, urging her forward. "Come on." He glanced at Jason and smirked as she walked towards him. As soon as she was close enough, Evan wrapped an arm around her waist as he tilted her head up and breathed in her scent.

Samantha cringed, a feeling of disgust running through her body. She had to force herself to stay still; every fibre of her being was telling her to fight him off.

Evan frowned. "You smell different."

Samantha gasped and glanced at Jason. Crap...

"Are you saying it's just because you were hanging onto him a moment ago? Well, whatever; the smell won't be on you after today. Enjoy the show," he smiled at Jason and bit down on Samantha's neck.

"Ugh..." She shuddered as his fangs sunk into her. After a few gulps, her legs gave out and she was only standing because he was holding her up. He kept going and her whole body went limp.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jason shook the cell bars. "You're taking too much!"

Evan kept drinking.

"Stop!" Jason yelled.

Evan pulled away, blood trailing down his chin. "Ah, it tastes even better than I remember," he licked his lips. He glanced down at the sealed holes in his chest. "And works like a charm."

"What the hell?!"

"She'll be fine," he tossed Samantha at Jason like a ragdoll, who caught her and fell back onto the bed.

"Sam?" Jason pushed her hair out of her pale face and caressed her cheek as he held her in his arms. "Please wake up," his voice shook as he put pressure on her wound. "You can use me to help you heal..."

Evan smiled and wiped the blood off his face.

The metal door at the top of the stairs opened and Will carefully descended with Roy not far behind. Roy hid behind some crates and kept going deeper into the room.

"So, you've finally made it here," Evan turned towards Will. He smirked and lifted his hand. Nothing happened. Evan tried to send a wave of magic at Will again, but it didn't work. "What the hell is going on?"

"Oh, good, I guess she did get you with the serum," Will laughed and held his gun up.

"What are you talking about? I destroyed it."

"What?"

"Whatever you were trying to hit me with, it's splattered around upstairs."

"Tch," Will gritted his teeth, his eyes trailing to the healed wounds in Evan's chest and then to the cell behind him with Jason and Samantha. His grip on the gun tightened, his breathing ragged as his blood boiled. "How much did you take from her?!" Will yelled.

"As much as I needed to heal the wounds you and your little friend gave me with your silver weapons." Evan laughed and started towards Will. "I don't need my witch-powers to deal with the likes of you." Evan tried to run at him with vampire speed, but it didn't work. "What the hell's going on?"

"She got you..." Jason whispered, his eyes never leaving Samantha's face.

"Guard, get him!" Evan turned to see his guard on the ground with Roy sitting on him, a big smile on his face and his crossbow pointed at Evan.

"Tch, useless bunch—"

"Always blaming others," Will glared at him, his gun still pointed at Evan, aimed at his heart.

Evan's eyes widened as he stared down the barrel. For the first time in centuries, he was afraid. He was afraid to die. His body suddenly felt weak. "You... you can't kill me..." Evan shook his head and backed away.

"Really? I'm pretty sure I can."

"I'm your clan leader—"

"Why should that matter to me? You never gave a damn about anyone other than yourself; you're no leader."

"I'm the leader that kept our clan alive while we were being hunted by the wolves!"

"Funny, I talked to the wolves and they seem to tell a different story."

Evan's cheek twitched. "You trust the word of some mangy wolves over mine?"

"To be perfectly blunt, yes; you've done nothing whatsoever to make me trust you as you hunted my sister and me for centuries so you could use her for power and control."

"She's special and should be using her special powers for the clan."

"The clan? What a load of malarkey! You wanted her for yourself and your lackeys."

"Quit talking and kill him before I do," Roy continued to sit on the guard who had surrendered willingly before Roy even took a shot. He kept his crossbow pointed at Evan, his trigger finger feeling itchy. "I know you want the honour."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Evan held his hands up.

"Why should I?" Will scoffed. "Killing you will be a mercy compared to if I were to pay you back for everything you did to us."

"Tch..."

"Goodbye, Evan."

Bang. Will shot Evan straight through the heart with one bullet.

"Ugh," Evan fell back, unmoving and bleeding out of his chest. "Screw... you..." he mustered enough strength to say a few words. His skin turned grey, cracked into tiny pieces and then he crumbled, turning into dust.

"He's finally gone..." Will sighed, his body relaxing. "Ah!" Will jerked forward, an arrowhead sticking out of the front of his chest and blood pouring out. He dropped to his knees as he stared at the sizzling, silver arrow. He fell back, hitting the ground.

They stared at him in shock for a second. Another vampire was behind Will holding a crossbow. "Payback— Ah!" he screamed as an arrow hit him in the heart. Roy had acted quickly and shot him, killing him instantly.

"Will!" Samantha's eyes flew open as if she felt his pain, and she staggered to his side as fast as she could. Roy and Jason followed her over.

"Sorry... sis... Even though—"

"Don't talk," Samantha ripped the arrow out and tossed it aside. "It didn't hit your heart; you can live through this."

"It... was... still silver..."

"Shut up! You can live through this." Tears streamed down her cheek and dripped onto his face. "We're finally free from him; you're not allowed to leave me now!" She gripped his shirt.

"Wait," Jason pulled the half-full vial of Samantha's blood from his pocket. "I didn't use it all." Samantha rested Will's head in her lap, lifting it slightly as Jason held the vial up to his lips.

"Drink," she commanded as Jason tilted the vial, pouring all of the contents into Will's mouth.

Will managed to swallow the blood. He could feel his sister's blood healing him, but the burning pain didn't stop; it wasn't enough.

"Sorry..." Will mumbled, his vision blurring.

"I have some more," Roy fed him the rest of his vial.

"Human blood can help you heal faster, right?" Jason asked.

Samantha glanced at him. "Yes, but the amount it would take for a wound like this..."

Jason took a dagger off of Will's belt.

Samantha snatched the dagger from him. "Mine's still stronger," she cut into her arm and let it pour into his mouth.

"But won't that weaken him like it did you?"

"Evan healed before he was weakened; Will can too." The burst of energy she got when she felt something wrong with Will was fading fast. She leaned against him, still letting blood trickle into his mouth. "Drink what you need... Will... Please don't... leave me..."

Will could feel his wound closing as what little strength he had to move left him. "Enough..." He swallowed and tried to turn his head away.

Will... Samantha's vision went dark and her body slumped.

"Sam?" Jason pulled her back to lean against him. "Samantha?" He looked up at Roy, panicked, his brows furrowed and at a loss for words. "Are they..."

"They're old vampires; if they were dead, they would've turned to dust like Evan," Roy answered his unfinished question.

"So they're okay?"

"Okay is yet to be seen, but they are alive – well, as alive as vampires are..."

"We should get them out of here... but where?"

"Leave it to me," Roy said, patting his chest.