Sunlight burned his eyes. 

The first thing little Everett noticed when he awakened was the throbbing. Cuts lacerated his arms and legs. Dried blood caked to his skin, and when he moved, chains rattled. Magically imbued metal attached to his ankle prevented him from moving freely throughout the room. His own gore and urine tainted the musty air.  It suffocated him.  He opened his mouth to scream, but it was desiccated from all his wailing last night. 

Faint magical energy pulsed around him like a second heartbeat.  The little boy barely had the strength to walk around the dimly lit room with a single window, taunting him with the beautiful sunlight that hurt his puffy, sore eyes.  Everett tried to remove the chain attached to his ankle, but it was no use.  He tried to conjure a spell or hex, but nothing happened. 

Everett no longer had his wand.  His kidnappers snapped it in half and tossed it away.

The young wizard had only just started learning how to wield his magic.  He stood no chance against the stronger vampire hunters who'd taken him.  Despite how much he'd cried the previous night, tears well in his eyes again as the floodgates unleashed.  He just wanted to go home. 

It wasn't long before one of his captor's came to check on him, tossing a platter of slop his way, calling it food.  Despite how he pleaded with the man to let him go, promising not to snitch, he didn't answer and just left him all alone in that room. Everett didn't eat a single bite.  He did take a few sips from the water they gave him.  A metallic tang lingered in his mouth, but he dismissed it because of how thirsty he was.

Weariness weighed him down. He'd stayed awake all night, screaming to the air around him for help. Despite how he fought to keep his eyes open, sleep lured him into its comfortable embrace.  Even on the cold, grimy floors he cuddled up in the corner near the single bolted window and slept. 

"Wake up."  A young, feminine voice drew him back to reality. 

Everett stirred on the floor, blinking to adjust to the dim light of the setting sun peeking in.  Around him, four other children gathered with curious eyes glaring at him.  Everett clambered to his feet, wiping bits of drool from his mouth. 

"Did he kidnap you all too?" Everett asked softly.

"They did." The little girl nodded.  Dried blood caked to her neck and face, but she didn't bother wiping it away.  Her tattered dress, checkered in flowers, was stained with gore.  "You need to be ready, Everett.  They're going to throw you out in the forest today."

"What does that mean?" Everett asked, titling his head.  "Is that where you have been?"

"We all had to do it," she explained.  "You will be bait for the vampires, but there will be a nice couple who will try to help.  They always do." Sadness creased her face.  "But that's what the hunters want.  For them to let their guard down.  One of them died, trying to take us away."

"I just want to go home." Little Everett sniffled.

"You have to be brave, Everett."

Around him, looks of uncertainty burned through him, but determination sparked in the fiery red-headed little girl. Her encouraging smile and hopeful words gave him a slither of courage. Yet, when he heard footsteps echoing down the hallway, he froze. 

Everett pleaded with the children to help him.  Maybe they could fight back. There were more of them against the hunters, right?  If at least one of them could escape, they could bring help!

The locks clicked. A strong man with an unkempt beard walloped the door open, glaring down at poor shivering Everett. The young wizard anxiously looked at the kids around him for help as the man went to unlatch the chain from his ankle, yanking on his arm to keep him from escaping.

"Help me," Everett's voice came out small and hoarse.

"Nobody is coming for ya, boy. Your mamma done sold you to us, and there ain't no exchanges."

Everett shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Not true."

Laughter rattled off his lungs. "They all say the same thing. Come on, don't make this difficult."

"Make it difficult." The fiery red-headed girl said, sending a murderous glare his way.

However, the man didn't acknowledge her. Perhaps he didn't hear. But Everett did and he wouldn't be told twice. He sunk his teeth into the man's beefy arm until he released him. Everett ducked his small body down when he cursed and reached for him.

"Into the hallway. Hurry." The little girl darted ahead of him, her companions following close behind.

The man only focused on him. Why wasn't he concerned about the other kids? Everett didn't have the time to consider it as he ran for his life. Heartbeat pounding in his head, he forced his little legs to carry him through the unfamiliar cabin, following the little girl's directions until he reached the front door. 

Her shrill scream pierced through his ears as another hunter rounded the corner, trapping poor Everett against a coffee table brimming with old newspaper and cigarettes.  Desperate cries went unnoticed and uncared for as the man forcefully yanked his arm, dragging him outside where he wailed until he swore his lungs would rupture from the pain.  His buddy joined him shortly after, conjoled for being doltish enough to let him escape. 

"Guess we should've done this sooner.  Didn't think you'd be quite the runner." The bearded man leered, breath rank of tobacco and molded cheese.  He tossed Everett on the ground like he was nothing but a ragdoll. 

Just when he started to clamber out of the fallen leaves, the man retrieved his wand and cast a spell to tangle tree roots and vines around his wrists and ankles, pinning him against the ground.  He writhed against the restraints to no avail.

Terror seized Everett as he gazed up at the vampire hunters looming over him.  The scrawnier fellow picked up a rock, cold glare locking with Everett's. 

"Please, don't." Everett whimpered.

The pain that coursed through his left leg was unbearable, like nothing he'd ever felt before.  A scream tore through him that he barely recognized as his own voice. Flocks of birds soared from the trees above, frightened by such a disturbed outcry.  Tears streaked the poor boy's reddened cheeks as they released the vines that shackled him. 

"Go on now, boy.  You wanted to run away.  Let's see how far you'll get before the vamps get ya."

Everett struggled to stand, stumbling over in pain before he pitifully limped through the rough patches of ground. He almost tripped over a tree root as he used some boughs for guidance.  Pain gnawed at his leg.  Gashes on his body reopened, and as he walked further through the woodlands, phantom pains tingled from the lacerations they inflicted to his marred skin. 

Pitiful whimpers escaped his lips as he begged for help.  Only acres of trees surrounded him, and he knew his kidnappers were right behind him.  There was a snowball's chance in hell he could make it out of there alive.  Blood trickled from his wounds, forming a path of rose petals behind him.  It wasn't long before it captured the attention of a vampire, much like how the little girl told him it would.

The man who emerged from the trees donned a black overcoat.  Wisps of snow white hair flowed in the breeze as he reached for Everett, scooping the child into his arms as a reign of bullets flew at them.  Everett couldn't hold back his sobs, wishing he could just return to his family instead. 

Just when Everett swore they were safe, the vampire froze.  His tight grip loosened on Everett and the young boy fell to the ground, peering up at the older man in confusion as he clutched at his chest.  A silver bullet had pierced through him.  Embers of crimson emanated from his body as the vampire lurched, then dropped to his knees.  Vicious black liquid spewed from his lips as he covered his mouth, choking on it. 

To Everett's horror, both vampire hunters came up behind him.  It should've been impossible for them to maintain his pacing.  However, as the young wizard looked closer at their faces, piercing crimson eyes caught his attention.  They were no ordinary hunters.

While the bearded man held him down, his partner retrieved a hunting knife to gut the poor vampire who only wanted to save him.  Everett pleaded for the stranger's life.  It wasn't his fault for falling for their deceptive tricks.  He just wanted someone to help him. 

Light colored blood flowed from the incision as the man carved out the heart of the immobile vampire.  A sinister smirk etched across his face as he opened his jaw as if no bones held it together, enough to slip the once beating heart into his mouth. The chewing echoed in the poor little wizard's ears as he watched blood trickling down the hunter's chin.

Everett vomited on the other vampire hunter's shoes.  What the hell were those gods-forsaken creatures?

🩸

Weeks passed by, unbeknownst to poor little Everett, who'd lost track of the days.  Exhaustion weighed heavily on his battered body.  Old wounds remain fresh on his pallid skin, unable to heal on their own.  His magic grew weaker with each passing day.  Everett succumbed nights ago to their foul food, and he learned from the other children how they'd poisoned him.

Everett wanted to die.

Each night they took him out to hunt for vampires.  Most nights, they caught some lone creatures daring enough to get close enough. Everett no longer had the strength to beg for help.  Instead, when he bumped into any vampires, he begged them to kill him.  End the nightmare.

Sometimes, he wondered if the vampire hunters told the truth about being sold to them. Wouldn't his folks have found him by now?  Wouldn't someone be looking for him? 

"You need to read this." The little girl, known as Lily,  pointed to a thick leather book on the cobweb covered shelf.  "It's old magic.  When they trapped me here, I learned all kinds of magic."

"Give up already, Lily. He's too weak to help himself." Her companion snorted.

Lily bristled, then jabbed a finger in his chest.  "When you first came here, you were so scared.  I helped you as best as I could.  I tried to help all of you..."  Her sorrowful eyes gazed around at her friends, settling on Everett.  "If he can escape alive, he can free us."

"None of us could do this when we were alive." Another boy shook his head.  "He's right to just beg for death.  Being killed quickly is better than suffering for years like you did."

"I didn't just suffer.  I fought for my life!" she wailed.

Reading became Everett's only escape.  He was grateful for the well-worn spines that held secrets of magic within them.  When her friends faded away again, she helped him read more on death curses and black magic.  Lily wanted Everett to muster up the courage to strike them dead. 

However, Everett found himself more interested in seeking help from a demon.  When he suggested it, she was uncertain.  Demons possessed those who summoned them and stole their souls.  Everett would probably die.

"I just need the stuff in the pictures." Everett pointed to the illustrations. 

She examined the pages with consideration.  "Surely it would be easy to find here with the crap they keep.  I think we can do this.  It will be our only chance of escaping.  Are you sure you want to do this?"

Little Everett nodded.  It was the only plan they had that might actually work.  Even if it killed him.

Night blanketed the sky, stealing what light once illuminated his dark room.  Locks clicked as Everett jumped to his feet.  Panic pulsed through him as he waited for the bearded hunter to step inside the room, undoing the chain.  Everett learned not to struggle.

The despicable man praised him for his obedience.  Behind him, Lily called him an assortment of curses.  Everett tried not to smile at her mockery.  Instead, he let the man lead him into the living room to eat his supper.  When his partner went away, that hunter dragged him out of the room to feed from him.  Dhampirs still favored blood, after all.

Everett's thoughts were filled with demons. As the hunter forced him down on a tattered sofa and drank from his neck, Everett imagined strangling the man with his own bare hands.  Instinct took over when a sharp pain lanced through his chest.  Trying to console his mind, Everett sunk his nails in his palm.  Mindlessly, he traced the summoning circle into his flesh. 

Droplets of his blood seeped down his collar.  As he peered up at the hungry vampire hunter, newfound bloodlust sparked in his eyes.  Everett was taken aback when the man lifted his shirt, exposing a patchwork of bruises and lacerations.  His bones almost protruded from his fragile skin. 

"Everett, I'm sorry. Please, be strong." Lily's voice carried over to him. 

Something else was going to happen.  When the vampire hunter retracted his fangs, pain seared through his throbbing neck.  However, a surge of magic pulsed through his trembling body as he scooted away from the malodorous dhampir.  Unimaginable power rippled through his body as he channeled his hatred at the man. 

Wind rustled around them as if they were in the midst of a storm.  The dhampir frowned down at him, reaching a futile hand that was sliced by the air itself.  A light stream trickled.  Shadows morphed across the walls.  Everett peered up at the ceiling, where green eyes glowed back at him and a jagged teeth smile stretched across the room.

The dhampir screamed and Everett laughed.  It reminded him of a creature in the stories he'd read.  The ghostly children appeared in the room, curious eyes witnessing the dhampir hunter as he backed up against the wall.  Everett watched as the creature shifted along the walls, following the bearded man's every movement. 

From the walls, a feminine form emerged.  The ghostly children gathered around him like his own little army, prepared to defend him. A black tail slithered out from underneath her white dress. Willowy raven's hair cascaded down her shoulders, and when she turned to face them, she revealed a forkpointed tongue.

"Greetings, little Everett.  You carved my symbol onto your flesh.  Is this the man you want dead?" she asked.  "They've done terrible things to you and your friends, haven't they?"

Everett nodded, excitement bubbling in his chest.  "Can you kill them for us?"

"I can.  Are you willing to pay my price?"

"We will pay your price, demoness." Lily stepped forward.  "Everett will leave here alive.  In return for your protection, you may take our souls."

The demoness smirked.  "We have a deal."

Blood splattered the walls that bone chilling night, and behind him, that gods forsaken shack was set ablaze.  Little Everett was left all alone out in the wilderness, with only the demoness and her pets.  She held his hand like a mother would, carefully guiding him through the thick evergreens.