Darren:

My body aches and I'm tired. But it isn't just tired, it's a full body fatigue, running through every part of me, down to my bones. I open my eyes, and take in my surroundings. I've seen it all before. I think I've been opening my eyes and drifting off again. Maybe for awhile, I'm not sure how long I've been here. Where exactly is here?

I remember being surrounded in the forest. Our darts wouldn't work. Why wouldn't they work? I've never seen that happen before. Never heard of it happening. Judging by the reactions of the others, they haven't either. I realise now how vulnerable we actually are. One single weapon gives us our strength. One single object put us in control. And when we lost it? Nothing. All the combat training in the world wouldn't prepare us for the strength of these creatures. For their speed and force.

I remember being lifted and choked. Then my memory is hazy and unclear. Snippets of sounds and images flash through my mind. I seem to remember the car leaving. I don't know how or who was driving. Maybe Billy got away? I hope he did. Billy seemed like a sincere guy.

I have vague images of the fighting. If I'm remembering right we were overpowered quickly, so easily beaten. And the girl. She told me to go, to run. But I didn't. I stayed there, refused to leave. I couldn't desert the others.

My head hurts, though my body is starting to feel more alive. I wonder how long it's been. I look around. I'm in a small room, the walls are old grey stone, dusty and uneven. Metal bars block the way out, reaching from floor to ceiling. It's dark, gloomy and cold. I shudder as a cool breeze passes over me. The only source of light is a dim glow coming from beyond the bars, a single light floats freely in the corridor beyond, an orb. It reminds me of the lights in the Director's office. I don't know how it can be. Supported by nothing, powered from within.

I start to feel dizzy. I close my eyes and lay my head back on the ground. It's hard, but a little spongy, like compressed earth. Where the hell am I? And where are the others?

I don't know how long I lie with my eyes closed. Maybe I sleep. Images of the forest have been flashing through my mind. And images of glowing red and yellow eyes. And of her. The vampire I let escape. Her flowing black hair, the look on her face. There was authority on it, a power, a strength. It wasn't there the first time I saw her. When I let her run. Another image flashes into my mind, a pale face, red glowing eyes. He was with her when they ran from me.

I wonder if I would have let them go if I'd known what would happen. How it would ripple out and affect so much. If I'd seen what was to be as a result of my actions. I think I would have. I remember the look on her face when I let them run. I would do it again.

I open my eyes again and everything is sharper now. Nothing has changed in my environment but my hearing seems to have switched on. There are sounds where there was silence before. That must be a good sign. I must be getting better.

I lift myself up slowly, gradually. My arms are shaky but, using the wall, I pull myself into a sitting position. I look out into the corridor beyond the bars, but see nothing except more wall. The same cold grey stone, built in uneven blocks rising to the ceiling. I inch towards the bars, half crawling, half dragging myself. I feel my body awakening, numbness dissipating, aches and pains burn and my throat feels bruised. I touch it carefully and it stings like a bite. I think I'm lucky to be alive.

I reach the bars and strain my ears, listening for sounds. I hear someone to the right. It sounds like they are muttering and pacing with quick, light steps.

"Damn it." The whispered words drift towards me.

"Jack?" I say. My voice is croaky and dry.

"Damn it Darren. I thought you were dead." Jack says. He's not muttering anymore. His voice echos against the wall.

"Where are we?" I say. My voice is stronger now, though every word burns my bruised throat. And I'm parched, talking causes me to cough.

"No damn clue." Says Jack. "All I know is our damn guns were useless, then we were carried here like ragdolls. No chance of fighting these monsters. Thrown into these cells and haven't seen no one since."

"Did they say what they wanted?" I ask.

Another voice answers. It's Frank. "Obvious I'd say. We're here as food." He lets out a laugh, but there's no humour in it.

"If we were just a damn meal they would've eaten us already. Why bother with all this?" Jack replies.

It doesn't make sense that we're just food. Why bother to keep us in cells? Why not just feed? Something more is going on here.

"Who's here?" I ask.

"Me." Another voice, sounds like Andrew.

"And me." I recognise Percy's voice.

"Where's Mike? Billy?" I ask.

"Billy took the damn car back, like they told him to. Can't say I blame him. As for Mike, no one knows. He was there and then he wasn't. Turned into a damn tree for all I know." Jack says.

"The vamps themselves noticed he was missing and sent out a couple to look for him, they move fast, much faster than we do. But they found no trace of him apparently."

"That girl that seems to be in charge wasn't pleased. None of them was by the looks of it. Seems there's a bit more to Mike than we know about. And these lot apparently don't know anything more about him either."

By 'these lot', I'm assuming he means the other 3, Andrew, Percy and Frank. They all worked for Mike so they wouldn't necessarily tell us if they did know something. But how did he escape? How the hell did he get out of that situation?

I wonder what the Director will do when he finds out what's happened? Will he send a group to bring us in? Or will he write us off? I should be executed anyway for treason. I failed in the task he set me, to bring in the girl.

There's a bang from somewhere nearby. I strain my neck to see if Ican see anything, wincing in pain as I do. But I see nothing. I hear nothing else either.

"What was that?" Andrew asks.

"No damn idea." Says Jack.

A vampire appear in front of my cell. He is moving silently, despite his size. My heart beat quickens as I recognise him. It's the same one who was strangling me. Who held me so easily by my throat. My hand moves to my throat automatically, a smile crosses his lips but he says nothing.

He is carrying several small, carved wooden cups. Water splashes from one of the cups as he lays it in front of my bars, close enough for me to reach.

"Where are we?" I ask. "What do you want with us?"

He doesn't answer, but continues walking past. The others call questions of their own at the vampire, but he says nothing. Now he's passing me again, moving back the way he came. Silent feet carrying him away.

"Damn useless fool!" Jack shouts at him.

There is no response and no return. I reach for the water and sniff it. It smells like water. It looks like water. I sip a tiny amount. It's cool and refreshing. The cold fluid soothes my raw, aching throat. If they were going to kill us, they would have done it by now. I drink the water slowly and steadily until my cup is empty. I don't remember anything feeling quite as good as this water. I only wish there was more.

I hear a clatter and see a wooden cup collide with the wall across from my cell. It doesn't break, but lands with an echoing bang.

"We'll need some damn food soon." Jack says. No one answers him. Silence descends like a thick fog, broken only by breathing, and my own thudering heartbeat.

"Will they come for us?" Frank asks, through the bars of his cell, breaking the oppressive silence.

"Not a chance." Says Percy. He's saying what I think. Why would they come for us? If the darts don't work anymore then there' no chance they could get us out anyway.

"They'd just lose more men if they sent anyone in here." He says. "You saw all them vampires out there, glaring with their hungry eyes. I'm surprised we're still alive."

"Well what the hell are we gonna do?" Frank says, his voice raised. "I'm not dying in a box like this. And I sure as hell ain't gonna be food for no monsters."

"What you gonna do about it? Huh?" Says Andrew. "There's no gettin' out unless someone lets you out."

Frank doesn't answer. He lets out a groan, like he's straining against something. I imagine him trying to pull apart the bars.

"Such anger...Frank."  There's a new voice, it feels like it's in my mind. Did the others hear it too?

"Who the hell's that?" Frank says.

"Your saviour. Your hope. Your master."  It says. The voice is like a quiet hiss in my mind. It's hard to place the sound. I listen for anything, walking feet, breathing, anything, but I hear nothing.

"No vampire is my master!" Says Frank, clearly still angry, feeding his reckless courage. I wonder if he's ever been beaten before today. A man of his size is probably not used to defeat.

"Thank you all, for joining me here. For accepting my invite." It says.

A figure glides into view, pausing at my bars. If my heart was beating quickly before it's pounding now, like an animal trying to escape. I recoil from the bars. The creature in front of me is cloaked in black, entirely hidden from view. Where the face should be is nothing but night, the deepest blackness I have ever seen.

It raises two arms, as though in greeting. Its skin is deep ebony, almost as black as the night.

"Such fear Darren. You disappoint me."  I shudder and step back even further, coming into the contact with the back wall of my cell. Although there is no face I somehow sense its smile. A cruel smile. I'm reminded of a cat playing with its prey. Is that what we are? Prey?

"What are you?" I say, the words tumble from my mouth. I hear the tremor in my voice.

"I? I am everything." It says. It moves its hand, balling it into a fist. I feel a pressure on my back, pushing me forward. I look over my shoulder but there is nothing there. I struggle against this invisible force, trying to push back. My feet drag along the ground, but I can't fight it. I'm propelled forward towards the creature at the gate.

I raise my hands as I hit the bars hard. Pain shoots up my arms. The pressure releases suddenly and I fall to the ground.

"I am your master." It says again. "I can bring you salvation."

I stare up at this creature. What is this magic that can propel me against my will without physical contact? This creature that stands before us like the night incarnate. I say nothing.

"Very good Darren... Insolence will not do." It says. I'm lying on the ground, breathing heavily, a cold sweat on my brow. The creature moves its hand again, opening and then closing it. My throat explodes in pain as pressure builds around it like a vice, cutting off my airway. I claw at the nothingness but I can't get a hold. There's nothing there yet I can't breath.

"Remember Darren. You cannot fight what you cannot see."

The pressure eases and I gulp at the air desparately. It's both pain and pleasure, stinging my throat and filling my lungs.

The creature moves away, towards the others. I see the cloak billowing slightly as it stops at Jack's cell. I hear nothing and the cloak vanishes from view.

Silence descends until Frank breaks it with his rough, angry voice."Don't try any of your hocus pocus on me!" He shouts.

There's a bang, like a body hitting a surface and a grunt of pain. "You presume to order me, Frank?"

Another bang, another grunt of pain. "You cannot fight me. Bow to me now and I shall let you live."

Laboured breathing fills the air. A dragging, scraping noise follows.

"Die!" Frank shouts. His voice is hoarse.

"If that is your wish, perhaps I will grant it. Or perhaps I can do something else for you."

There's a clinking of metal and a squeaking noise like a rusting gate being opened. "Let me go! I'll kill you, you damn animal. I'll..." His voice goes quiet.

"Enough."

I hear the dragging sound again and the black cloak comes into view. Frank is being dragged by an invisible arm, pulled in front of my cell. His mouth is shut, eyes closed. There is blood on his face and hands.

I open my mouth, but close it again, remembering the pain, the choking, the force. Hopelessness sets upon me like a heavy cloud. What can I do against this creature?

They are passed my cell and Frank's feet disappear from view.

"You will see now." The hissing voice says. A cacophony of screeching metal erupts around me, piercing my ears. I recoil as the bars to my cell rise into the stone ceiling, slowly lifting away.

I hear the others' exclaims and mutterings of surprise and shock. I move towards the opening now in place. Cautiously, carefully. I peak out, left and right in quick succession. The others are doing the same on the right. Jack and Percy and Andrew have emerged from their cells.

On the left stands the cloaked figure, Frank hanging limply in front of him.

"Now you will see what awaits you." It says. We say nothing, watching speechless as the scene unfolds. The creature moves a hand and Frank crumples to the ground. He stirs, eyes opening slowly. Opening and closing as though waking from a deep sleep.

He becomes more alert and his eyes flicker around, fast, looking for an escape. The feeling of uselessness has consumed me. There is no way to fight it. Andrew moves forward towards them, perhaps to intervene, to try something. He doesn't make it far before he flies backwards as though hit, landing on his back.

"You can do nothing. Stop your foolishness"

Frank is edging backwards, still on the ground, moving as though trying to escape notice.

"You cannot run from me."

Frank stops and looks up. I see, even from this distance, terror in his eyes. His body is shaking. All the anger and reckless courage is gone.

"I'm...I'm sorry." He says.

"Too late." It says.

The creature walks over to Frank who is frozen in place, with nowhere to go. It reaches out a dark arm and grabs him by the throat, raising him into the air. It holds him there, gazing from the depths of its darkness. An age seems to pass by.

"Now you will see." It says, raising its other hand and reaching for the hood of its cloak.

"Now you will see." It says again as it pulls down its hood.

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