JAEGER

I wasn't going to tell her that she would be helpful with killing the vampires, that would make her feel good about herself. So I decided to tell her I was using her as bait instead—which was true too—because it would make her feel inferior. 

I left the cabin to go look for something to eat. Kidnapping was much more demanding than I thought. I only left when she woke up though, in case vampires came while she was still unconscious. At least now that she was awake she could scream if a vampire came while I was gone, and if she screamed loud enough, I would hear. But if she didn't then, well...

We were in the cabin on the outskirts of the village Herre which had been attacked a couple of months ago. There were cabins on the outskirts of all the villages, but no one ever stayed in them because of how secluded they were. 

I got to the village and entered the different houses, rummaging through cupboards and grabbing all the non-perishables I could find. I figured Izzy was just as hungry as I was so I made sure to grab enough food for the both of us and...

I paused, playing back my thoughts. Was I being considerate?

No. No, that couldn't be, I had never been considerate in my life. I had never thought of anyone but myself, but then again I've been alone for most of my life. I decided to stinge Izzy just so that she didn't think I was being considerate—because I wasn't—and because I didn't want her to replenish all of her energy just yet.

With my sack stuffed with food, I made my way back to the cabin, wondering whether I would find Izzy alive or not. There was always the possibility of a vampire catching her by surprise and killing her before she had a chance to scream.

I entered the cabin and choked on a laugh. Izzy was still in the cabin and on the chair, but the chair had tipped again and she was on the ground. 

"Did you miss me that much that you tried to get out of the chair again to come and see me?"

"I was eager to get out of the chair to come and kill you," she told me.

"How long have you been like that?" I asked as I entered the cabin, walking past her to place the sack on the counter.

"Long enough," she said, raising her eyes to look at me. "Lift me up, would you?"

I leaned against the counter and cocked my head to the side, "so you want my help?"

Her lips curled into a sneer but she managed a, "yes."

"After admitting that you wanted to kill me?"

"So?"

"I just, well that really hurt my feelings," I couldn't help the way my lips curved into a wicked grin. "Apologise, and I might just help you."

"What?!"

"What?" I asked innocently. "It's your fault you're on the ground, after all."

"That's because you tied to a freaking chair!" She shouted. "Was I just supposed to sit all well-behaved and wait for you?"

"Yes," I said then turned my back to her as I faced the counter, emptying its contents. Most of it was tinned foods. "You hungry?"

"What do you think?" She snapped.

"I don't know, that's kind of why I asked."

She let out a long, deep groan, and I could tell she was struggling to control her temper, but eventually, she ground out, "I'm sorry, now help me up."

"My pleasure," I said, but first I dished the food, emptying the tin of beans into a bowl.

When I was done, I raised her chair and grabbed one of my own, placing it right in front of her before I began eating. On my own. And she was looking at me expectantly, waiting. Craving. Starving. But I just kept eating in front of her, moaning with each spoonful.

"Stop watching me eat," I said. "I'm not giving you anything."

"So what, you're going to starve me to death?"

"You're bait, and you're dangerous. The weaker you are, the easier you are to handle," I told her. "Also, if I gave you food, I'd have to untie your hands to allow you to eat."

"So?"

"So, I'm really not in the mood to fight and I know you'll leap at me the first chance you get."

She didn't argue, knowing herself. A long silence followed but Izzy suddenly broke it when she said, "Screw it, you feed me then."

I almost choked on a bean. "Feed you?" I blinked, replaying what she said to make sure I heard it correctly, "you want me to feed you?" 

She nodded, opening her mouth for emphasis. Never in my life would I have imagined Izzy, the girl whose one goal is to kill me, would ask me to feed her. Sure, I was refusing to untie her and she was starving but... feeding her?

"Where's your pride?" I closed her mouth with the back of my spoon.

"I'm too succumb to hunger to think of pride," she said.

"Well, you're going to lose a whole lot of your pride then," I said. "Did you forget the part where I said the weaker you are, the easier you are to handle? You're not getting any food."

"I swear Slayer you—"

"Slayer? Why did you shorten it?"

"Because you're not Masked anymore," she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," I took another spoonful of my food. "You like what you see?"

"The food?"

"No, me. How's it feel to find your enemy attractive?"

"I don't find you attractive," she sneered.

"Oh please, I saw the way you looked at me back at your village," I grinned knowingly. "Don't deny it, Izzy, I saw the way your eyes darted from one part of my face to the other in awe and admiration."

She hesitated but then scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You're so full of yourself," she paused, clearly thinking of an insulting remark. "I was only looking at you that way because I was surprised—"

"To find me so good-looking without my mask?" I cut her off.

"To find that someone could be as ugly as you were," she finished, a smirk pulling at her lips, satisfied at the insult. 

I snickered—wondering if she was aware of just how bad a liar she was—but decided to play along and said, "have you never looked in a mirror?"

Her smirk disappeared and her lips curled, "I'm not in the mood, quit trying to irritate me."

"Is it my fault you're so easily irritated, Izzy? Plus," I said, "you started it."

Her jaw ticked, "I hate you." 

I smirked, "I know you do." 

I took another bite of my food, and Izzy's answering growl was nothing short of amusing.

"Kidnap me, fine," she began. "Tie me up, fine. Starve me? Know your damn limits."

A smirk pulled at my lips, "you're funny, you know that?"

"And you're straight-up evil, you know that?."

I exhaled, placing the bowl on the table before staring into her brown eyes, "I'm actually on your side this time Izzy. I wouldn't kidnap you without reason. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already."

"Well, I'd rather die than be alive in your presence."

"Really?" I said, my eyes narrowing, an unidentifiable feeling stirring in my chest. "Then great, I don't need to give you any food. You can starve to death."

She groaned, "You know you—!"

"Shh," I held out my palm and inclined my ear to the door. 

Vampires were approaching, and they were approaching fast. Some had finally smelt her blood and were following her scent to the cabin. I shot up from my seat and pulled my hood up only to pull it down again when I remembered they needed to see my face. 

"Where are you going?" Izzy asked as I made my way to the door.

"We've got company," I said, then looked at her over my shoulder and added. "Just sit right there, bait." 

Then I left the room with no further explanation, leaving Izzy tied up and alone in the cabin, her blood leading the vampires right to us, right to where I wanted them to be.