CHAPTER 3

AMY

I fall to the ground with force, hitting my head again, and I feel dizzier this time. I roll my eyes, feeling my body weak as I attempt to get up.

But before I can do so, I see the vampire's red eyes staring at me. Aided by the moonlight in the sky, I can see his sharp teeth gleaming and ready to attack.

"Why is a human girl like you alone in the forest? Are you lost, darling?", I hear his voice as I crawl backward, trying to get as far away from him as possible.

"Stay away from me!", I scream in fear, watching him smile sadistically.

"Oh no! I still want to have a lot of fun with you, darling...", he says, approaching me.

I struggle desperately to get up, but the vampire pushes me back to the ground, my body falling heavily onto the dry leaves and cold forest floor.

Furthermore, I begin to thrash around, feeling his hands holding me firmly, preventing any attempt to escape. Tears stream down my face as I cry out in agony, my voice echoing through the empty forest, begging for help that I know won't come.

"You don't need to be afraid of me; I'll make you relax quickly..."

A sadistic smile forms on the vampire's lips as he observes the blood staining my pale skin. His eyes gleam with predatory intensity, a lust for my life that fills me with even more terror. He leans in to bite me, and my heart pounds in my chest, fear and desperation mixing inside me.

With one last act of desperation, my hand finds a nearby rock, and without hesitation, I strike the vampire's head with all the force I can muster. A groan of pain escapes his lips as he recoils, temporarily stunned by the unexpected blow. I seize the opportunity to get up, my breath ragged as I resume running, the hope of escape renewed in my heart.

But my freedom is short-lived, as the vampire reappears before me with alarming speed. In a fluid motion, he throws me into the air, and I feel the impact of my back against a nearby tree. Pain radiates throughout my body, every beat of my heart echoing in the throbbing of suffering.

I lift my head, my vision blurred by pain and fear, and see the vampire approaching again. His eyes overflow with rage, a promise of imminent violence that fills me with terror. He pushes me against the tree, his hands firm around my neck, turning my head to expose my vulnerable neck.

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I close my eyes and invoke Aaron's name in one last act of desperation. I call him as if my voice could pierce the shadows and bring me salvation. But deep in my heart, I know I'm alone, at the mercy of the creature about to take my life.

"Aaron! Aaron!", I call his name repeatedly with my eyes closed.

"Do you think he'll save you? I'm sorry, darling...", he says ironically, and I can hear him preparing to bite me at that moment.

I've never been so close to death, and I feel like it's going to happen right now. Furthermore, I can feel my heart pounding hard in my chest.

"Aaron...", I whisper his name as I still feel his hands around my neck.

I brace myself to feel the vampire's sharp teeth against my neck, but before that happens, still with my eyes closed, I think of the vampire in front of me being forcefully pushed and thrown into the air.

I open my eyes and see Aaron before me, his gaze angry and determined simultaneously. Not only that, but I widen my eyes, unable to believe he's here in the forest to save me.

A heavy sigh escapes my lips; my breathing is still challenging due to the wounds that afflict me. Aaron's red eyes fix on my wounds, on the marked forehead and the arm, still bleeding copiously. I blink, staring at him fixedly while tears wet my face, betraying the fear and vulnerability I feel.

I turn my head upon hearing the other vampire screaming in anger and running toward Aaron. Fear still grips my chest, but a glimmer of hope rises within me at seeing Aaron here with me. As the vampire prepares to attack Aaron, he glances at me, urging me to return to the mansion.

"Run, Amy! Get back to the mansion now!"

I hesitate for a moment, still looking at him, but seconds later, I start running as fast as possible, hearing the vampire's screams as he begins to fight Aaron.

My heart races as I unthinkingly run through the dark forest. I can't remember the way back, and every shadow becomes an imminent threat as I struggle to find my way back to Aaron's mansion, which is relatively safe.

My feet pound against the uneven ground, my lungs burning with effort, but I keep running, fueled by the hope of escaping the darkness threatening to engulf me.

Time seems to warp around me, each minute stretching into eternity as I struggle to find my way back. Anxiety consumes me, my heart tightening in my chest as I desperately try to orient myself in the darkness. I strive to ignore the throbbing pain of my wounds, focusing only on the urgent need to escape the sinister forest.

I run desperately through the dark forest, my feet pounding frantically against the uneven ground as I try to escape the danger surrounding me. My heart races in my chest, and a wild beat accompanies every erratic movement.

Suddenly, however, my progress is halted when I come face-to-face with another sinister vampire blocking my path.

Terror envelops me as I realize yet another bloodthirsty predator traps me. Without hesitation, I turn and run in the opposite direction, but before I can distance myself, the vampire's arms reach me, holding me with relentless strength. His grip is like sharp claws, keeping me captive in his trap.

"Aaron!"

I spot Aaron running toward me in the forest's darkness, a flame of hope igniting.

"If you come any closer or try anything, I'll break your pretty fiancée's neck.", the vampire says, holding my neck firmly.

I look at Aaron with tears in my eyes, anguish and despair reflected in my gaze.

Aaron stops at a safe distance, his eyes fixed on the vampire holding me under his dominion.

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you!", I see Aaron saying, his red eyes shining with anger.

"Then give me what I want, and she'll be free.", the vampire replies, and I furrow my brow, unable to understand what he's referring to now.

"What do you want?"

"You know, Aaron. I want power; I need more power, and you have that. You have what I want. I want the precious stone and the sacred blood."

I look at Aaron, seeing that he seems more irritated, while I still feel the vampire's cold hands ready to kill me with a single move.

"They're not with me, Dimitri."

"Of course, they're with you; do you think I'm an idiot, Aaron? Don't try to deceive me because your human girl's life could end tonight."

"Aaron, please...", I whisper, feeling tears wetting my face at this moment.

The vampire reveals he desires something Aaron possesses, leaving me even more perplexed. I cry silently, feeling the vampire's hand tightening around my neck cruelly.

Fear paralyzes me; my legs tremble under the weight of the consuming terror. I silently pleaded for a solution, a glimmer of hope amidst the surrounding darkness. But as the vampire maintains his grip on me, I feel utterly powerless, at the mercy of my captor's dark will.

As time agonizingly passes, I cling to the fragile hope that Aaron will find a way to save me. I close my eyes for a moment, praying for a miracle to free me from this nightmare. But when I open them again, the grim reality of the situation stares back at me relentlessly, and I know my struggle is far from over.

"For centuries, your family has protected these powerful artifacts, Aaron. I want them for myself; I want the power you possess."

"You'll never get them; you threaten our entire species, Dimitri. Do you think I would allow you to destroy this world?", Aaron says, his eyes gleaming fiercely, and I see him beginning to approach with anger.

"I'll kill her!", the vampire says louder, and I widen my eyes, crying and struggling against my body as I see Aaron won't stop.

"I'll kill you before that happens!"

I blink my eyes, watching Aaron hold a gleaming dagger in his hands—a type of dagger I've never seen before—and realize it's for killing vampires.

I turn my head in despair and realize the vampire, and I are dangerously close to the edge, overlooking the precipice.

The roar of the water below echoes in my ears, a constant reminder of the imminent threat we face.

I sigh heavily, feeling the vampire's tongue sliding over the blood on my face as Aaron approaches.

In a tense instant, a gunshot echoes through the forest, and the vampire holding me abruptly releases me, emitting a cry of pain.

I fall to the ground, lifting my head in time to witness Aaron's mother shooting the vampire. My eyes widen at the surprising scene as Aaron runs toward the vampire.

The fight erupts into a whirlwind of swift and brutal movements, and I watch with fascination and terror as the vampires clash.

I had never witnessed a battle between these supernatural creatures before, and the sight was frightening and intriguing.

Aaron is from a more powerful lineage; his movements are fluid and precise as he fights his opponent.

With each strike and parry, my heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I am caught in the middle of the battle.

I watch, fascinated, as Aaron attempts to drive the dagger into the vampire's heart, each move a dangerous dance between life and death.

A moment of tension culminates when Aaron delivers a powerful kick, sending the vampire flying into the abyss of the precipice.

I hold my breath as I watch the vampire disappear into the darkness below, a shiver running down my spine as I realize the brutality of the confrontation.

Still trembling with fear and adrenaline, I slowly rise, my eyes fixed on the spot where the vampire disappeared.

I feel the weight of the experience settling on my shoulders, and the shock of the violence I just witnessed is echoing in my mind.

As I look around, I realize that, despite all the dangers I faced, I am still alive.

I wish to be back home with my father and evil stepmother.

Despite all the problems I faced there, it now seems like a refuge compared to the darkness and danger surrounding me in the forest.

I see Aaron's eyes fix on me as I stand up and look at him, but my peace doesn't last long because I scream when I see the vampire returning from the precipice and holding me tightly.

I scream as he pulls me down, and I raise my hand, and seconds later, I feel Aaron's hand gripping mine tightly. Furthermore, I scream, feeling the vampire trying to pull me lower and lower as I struggle to hold onto Aaron's hand.

"Don't let go of my hand, Amy!", he shouts, and I cry in panic, swinging my legs forcefully. I see the vampire fall into the precipice again, and I scream louder when I feel my body falling through the air and downwards.

I widen my eyes, screaming Aaron's name, and see myself falling lower and lower. Without hesitation, he also jumps, and seconds later, I feel his arms around my body as we fall together into the abyss.

He hugs me tightly as if he's trying to protect me, and I close my eyes, hiding my head on his shoulder as I scream in fear.

Our bodies sink into the cold water of the night, and that's the last thing I see before everything goes completely dark.

I slowly open my eyes, still stunned by my distressing experience. I realize I'm no longer falling from the precipice but rather lying in the softness of the bed in Aaron's mansion.

Furthermore, I blink a few times, trying to orient myself in reality, still feeling the wet clothes and body from the precipice water.

However, this time, there's no dizzying abyss in front of me, just the relative safety of the room. I lift my head, my heart beating faster, as I spot Aaron standing near the room's window with his back to me.

A wave of conflicting emotions envelops me as I recall the events that led me there. It all started because I ran away from him, a rash choice that put me in mortal danger.

With a sigh, I get out of bed and watch him closely as he finally turns to look at me.

Our gazes meet in a tense silence, laden with unspoken questions and suppressed emotions.

"You saved me...", I whisper, touching my forehead and noticing there's no more blood, and a bandage covers the wound on my arm.

"Why did you run away from me in the middle of the night, Amy?"

A lump forms in my throat as I struggle to articulate my words, my serious expression reflecting the seriousness of my decision.

"I didn't choose this life; I didn't choose to marry; I don't want to do this with someone I don't know and don't love."

Becoming a wife by convenience, without love or passion, is intolerable.

Aaron listens to my words in silence, his penetrating gaze seeking to understand the motivations behind my hasty escape.

He seems to ponder my words for a moment before responding, his severe features revealing the complexity of his own emotions.

"Why do you want to do this with me, Aaron? Why do you want to marry me? I'm a fragile human girl, not a vampire like you, so why?", I ask softly, seeing his red pupils fixed on my face.

"I'm doing this to protect you, but you wouldn't understand, Amy...", he says, turning back to look out the room's window.

I push the blanket covering my body aside before looking at him more closely, furrowing my brow at this moment.

"Then tell me, explain it to me...", I request, seeing him turn his head before approaching the bed.

I don't feel afraid of him; after seeing him protect me and save me from those vampires, I no longer fear him, even knowing he's a vampire and drinks human blood.

He looks at me for a few seconds as if thinking about how to start telling me something I still don't know.

"I didn't choose to marry you because you're a random girl; I chose to marry you tomorrow because that's one way to protect you."

"Protect me?", I ask, and he nods. I shake my head, remembering the words of that vampire who was ready to break my neck.

"What was that vampire talking about, Aaron? What kinds of powerful artifacts were those vampires looking for?"

"Amy..."

"No! Don't you dare deny me the truth; I'm going to marry you tomorrow, and I almost died today, so I need you to tell me the truth."

"Are you ready for this, Amy?"

I nod, starting to listen to every word he says right now as if this is the most essential thing in my life.

"The vampires want to dominate the world of humans, and I, as a vampire protector of humans, cannot let that happen. To do this, they need two more powerful things: an ancient stone and a type of special blood that can change everything.", he says, and I furrow my brow, still looking at him.

"And these two things are with you, right?", I ask, surprised to see him shake his head.

"That's why I need you close to me; you're the only one who can find these two things, Amy. If the other vampires discover this, you'll be in danger."