I managed to sleep for nearly another day, occasionally waking up whenever they bought food or water around and eventually decided to emerge from my room. I desperately craved a shower, a change of clothes and a toothbrush. So if I was being kept here, I was going to start making my demands clear. The trio sat around in the meeting room in a game of UNO as they took turns throwing down cards.

"Good to see you're all being so productive." I take a seat at the other end of the table, yawning as I did so and instantly cringed as I caught a whiff of my breath.

"Ellie, are you feeling alright?" Chris stood up and I didn't miss the unimpressed glare Jodie sent my way. "You've been out for ages!"

"Well drugging someone kind of that does to them, any chance of a shower in this dump?"

"Yeah, Jodie will show you." Chris volunteered his girlfriend and diverted his gaze so he didn't have to look at her. To my annoyance, Zane followed.

"Pretty sure he said Jodie will show me?" I snapped back at him, and he only shrugged.

"I don't trust you not to run off. Again."

We went into a toilet block and in the back corner was a shower cell. To my surprise towels and bathing products were on the ledge behind it and going into a toilet cubicle Jodie pulled out a few shopping bags. "I grabbed you a few things in town yesterday."

"Ah, thanks?" I quickly looked through them, surprised to find she got my correct size. She left and Zane took a seat in front of the basins, pulling out his phone.

"There are a couple of things wrong with this. One, there is no shower curtain so piss off you perve and two - why do you get a phone?" Crossing my arms, I was tempted to go and smash his like he did mine.

"I get a phone because I'm not the one being kept on lock down!" He said nothing more and I didn't move for a few minutes. "You going to shower or what?"

"Not until you leave!"

"I'm not leaving."

"Then turn around and promise not to look!" I argued.

"I'm not turning my back on you Bunting. Deal with it!"

Looking over at his screen, the familiar logo of the Network filled the top and looking around was thrilled to find another shower behind the one they'd clearly been using. Grabbing a few things, I went around to it and as I turned the water on, looked around the corner to find him still on his phone. The water heated up quickly and the need to feel clean won out.

The water was heavenly, and after washing my hair almost wanted to cry at the toothbrush and paste in one of the bags and some other necessary items. By the time I was finished, the water had turned cold. Thinking of how furious Logan had been the night I used all his water made me laugh and the fact I even thought of Logan only annoyed me. Once I'd used all the products laying around from deodorant, perfume and a hair conditioner I got dressed. The jeans were perfect, fresh underwear was greatly appreciated and Jodie had been kind - getting my stuff like I already wore.

I felt better, a lot better.

After putting on my shoes, I explored this side of the toilet block while trying not to make Zane suspicious. Annoyingly there were no windows and the only way out was by the door he was guarding near the basins. He still sat on his phone and taking my chances, hid behind the toilet stalls for a second. Throwing the small tub of moisturizer, it hit the wall by the shower louder than I expected it to be and of course he looked up. Peeking back around he stood, putting the phone in his pocket.

"Elise, what are you up to?" He called out, his voice echoing against the tiles in the now silent room. One step, two step, three step and he moved quicker to where the shower I had been in was. Sprinting, I ran out of the door and into the corridor. I could hear Chris and Jodie talking and laughing up ahead, probably back in the meeting room and I quickly went into the first door I came across. This office still had a large oak desk by the window and the padded leather chair sat proudly behind it. It all looked expensive and for the first time I wondered what this place had actually been.

Outside the room, heavy footsteps ran up and down. Chris and Jodie kept calling my name and I moved the chair to sit behind the door before trying to move the blinds quietly to get the window open. It was nearly nightfall, with the sun only a faint glow in the sky now and if I took off into the dark, I could stand a chance at getting away. Instead, the chair went flying across the room as Zane broke down the door and the trio poured into the room.

"Oh hey guys! Just admiring the view from here, lovely isn't it?" I smiled innocently and as Zane stormed towards me I was ready this time. Anticipating each move, Chris yelled at us to stop.

Shame we weren't listening.

It didn't take long before I realized just how good Zane is. He was older and clearly had a lot of experience behind him. Shame he didn't see the tiny mistake he made and the second he pinned me down, I managed to keep my knee up and pushing against his lower abdomen -managed to get him up and over me, rolling with him so now I was the one pining him down.

"I heard you like to be on top, so this shouldn't surprise me!" he smirked. As his words sunk in I let his wrist go and slapped him. Hard.

"I don't know what you've been told about me, but you have no right-"

We all froze as the feeling of something supernatural sent alarm bells off in our minds. Jodie held her breath as she reached out for Chris's hand. I turned to look out the window as Zane quickly got up behind me. The row of vampires split up, moving to surround the building.

"CJ - kill the lights, Jodie get the bag, do exactly as I tell you!" Zane barked out his orders and sure enough the duo split, running to do as he instructed. He was the Slayer after all, making this his field of expertise. I followed, watching as Jodie pulled out a large duffel bag from the meeting room and with a zap, the few lights that were on turned off.

I nearly screamed as Zane grabbed my wrist, dragging me with him despite my protests. "Try anything and I don't give a fuck who you are - I'll let the blood suckers have you for dinner!"

I manage to pull my arm free and my anger is burning within my chest. They chose a perfect time to attack because I needed a release for it. So when I was given a couple of wooden stakes and everyone else got actual weapons, I didn't get a chance to protest when the vampires smashed the glass of the front door. Somewhere to our right, more glass was breaking - probably windows and the thumping sounds on the roof told us we really were surrounded.

"Give us the girl." Someone called out and all eyes turned to me accusingly.

"They could mean her!" I whispered harshly, pointing at Jodie as I got a good grip of the stakes.

"Let us deal with this!" Zane didn't lower his voice, storming towards the door Jodie followed while Chris only looked at me sadly.

"We're trying to keep you safe, please just try and trust us!" Chris begged, running after the others and he shut the door. In seconds I had opened it and turning left, ran back towards the room they had kept me in. Zane said to let them deal with it, and with this distraction I should be able to get away without being noticed.

Problem with that was, I had been noticed and from one of the rooms I hadn't yet looked in it was obvious where the smashing glass sound had come from. Two vampires spotted me the second I ran into the hall and rather than go back to the others, I took a defensive pose.

"There!" One of them pointed and their faces changed to that of the demons that were hidden inside the human skin. The shorter one nodded at his companion before sniffing the air and making some kind grunting sound. Both growled, opening their mouths to bare their fangs. The light in the street behind the room they came in from offered some help to see in the otherwise darkened corridor, even with my enhanced eyesight I wasn't like them and couldn't see in the pitch black.

"You the Bunting girl?" The grunter spoke up as they slowly stalked towards me.

"No, she's out there," I nodded behind me and they looked at each other doubtfully.

With them distracted I ran the few steps closer to them and slammed one of the stakes into the short guys chest. His short scream turned to a gasp of air as he disappeared into ash and not hesitating, slammed my fist into the other ones face. He stumbled backwards, before leaping towards me in an attack and just like I had done with Zane, I rolled with him controlling the fall. As the wood cracked into his ribs and made its way into chest he disappeared too.

Stupid vampires.

Able to run, I kept going towards the fire escape and the second I heard the shrill scream that could only be human - not monster sounded out, I froze. Jodie. The angel and devil fought in my mind, this was it, my chance to go - but I couldn't just leave them there. She screamed again, glass smashed and Chris was calling her name.

"Fuck!" I groaned, turning to run back to the others. I thought I had a choice, but I didn't. Just like when Zane said I do care when I try to act like I don't and thats how I ended up saving not only Jodie's life, but his too.

"Guess your Mums slayer genes come in handy?"

"Guess you care about your semi-sister too?" I snapped, taking the sharpened machete blade to the vampires neck his head never actually fell to the ground when he burst into ash like his comrades. "You're welcome, you know for saving your life!"

"You didn't save my life," He growled, finishing off his own vampire.

They kept coming. Chris stood by Jodie who despite her own brush with death and bloody neck still managed to keep on going. It's a good thing we were kind of isolated because the noise would be hard to explain, just like telling a human they just saw a vampire turn to dust.

Slowly I realised we were winning. The trio had it covered with the last few starting to retreat rather than keep fighting and not willing to miss my chance, I headed back towards the fire escape. Keeping against the wall, I put those years of sneaking out of the Academy to good use. That was until the door was flung open and the vampire who walked in wasn't like the others.

"Hello Elise, it's a pleasure to finally meet you!" He purred, melting into the darkness with more skill than I'd ever possess.

"Wish I could say the same." I muttered dryly, closing my eyes I focused more on listening than seeing. There it was, the slight creak of the flooring, the ruffle of his jacket and the crack of his elbow as his arm was extended in my direction. Fighting blind, the corridor suddenly seemed to small and just when I thought I was gaining ground, I was thrown further into the darkness. The side table cracked from the force of my landing against it and I couldn't stop the groan as pain tore up my back.

He didn't give me a second to recover. Grabbing my arm I was yanked towards him before his fist smashed into stomach and I hit the wall, landing on the bed. Instincts and adrenaline kicked, the new strength building up within me and my determination to kill the demon took over. Rolling off the bed I grabbed the metal frame, waiting for the give away of his steps. The second he moved I used all my energy to slide it in his direction and it paid off.

The vampire was slammed into the wall, the bed holding him in place before he went to push it away. Thanks to his growl I knew I had hurt him and as I went to run at him with the stake, the lights turned on. The sudden brightness dazed both of us, but I was the first to recover. I pushed the deadly piece of wood into his chest, yet it wasn't enough to finish him off and he knew it, stopping his struggle.

This one was older than the majority already taken care of out there, perhaps the leader and Zane came to stand beside me. He had turned on the light and now I could take a second to listen, the fighting had silenced. "Who are you?"

I glanced at Zane before staring up into the demonic red eyes of the vampire and with the trickle of blood running down the edge of his mouth, his pale skin looked even whiter. Twirling the stake, the wound made him gasp in pain and his hands reached up to move my hands. "I would answer him if I were you, before I accidently find myself pushing this in too deep."

Instead he hissed. Bloody saliva sprayed all over my face and I twirled it again, pushing it in just a little more wondering how far I could go before I obliterated him. Instead of showing signs of pain, his face relaxed back into the human he had once been and he laughed.

"Who I am doesn't matter Bunting girl. We will succeed and then it will be your kind at our mercy, living by our laws!" His accent was clearer now, german and smiling at me, only his fangs were on show. "Let me change you now, I've always wanted to taste a Hunter and it'll make what happens next so much easier for you!"

"What happens next?" I ask, ignoring the ache in my arms from the pressure I was keeping on him. His hands were like claws around mine, he could undoubtly sense my muscles weakening though even if he managed to get free of me - Zane was right there as backup.

"Revolution." He started to make tick tock noises, the rythem instantly grating on my nerves. Tick tock tick tock... "Not much time Hunter. Tick tock!"

Zane nudged me and reluctantly I let him take over. Standing at his side, the part of me that feared him reappeared as his gaze darkened on the vampire and even the cratures attitude left him. "What revolution?"

"She knows. She is part of the key of this wonderful event!" The vampire looked over at me, smiling. "You had your chance Hunter, you're going to wish you let me go, that you let me change you!"

"Go to hell!" I move closer, set on torturing him some more to get the answers I want only he doesn't give me a chance too.

"I plan on it!" He pushes himself forward off the wall and Zane staggers backwards as the ash surrounds him, taking over from the figure of the vampire.

"You just killed our only chance at finding out whats going on!" I scream at Zane, knowing full well he didn't do it.

"No, our chance at finding out whats going on isn't with some vamp. What the fuck do you know Elise, no more games. This is serious!" Zane turns on me, his anger matching my own only his is deadlier.

"I dont know anything! There is just that stuff with Selene and the Lord Alpha."

"We're missing something. Come on!" He grabs my arm and drags me back to the ruined cubicles. Chris has bandaged Jodie's neck and now the fight is over, she sits there sobbing quietly as he finishes up. "Lets go. Grab what you must, we leave in five minutes!"

He grabs something out the duffel bag that housed their weapons and before I could process it, my hands are handcuffed together. Holding up the chain, I glare at him. "What the actual fuck?"

"Not taking any chances with you, this is a safe place for us. We've been comprimised and that vamp seemed to think you had a good idea what was going on. You're going to tell us everything you do know, even if you don't think it's relevant and then, maybe I'll take those off."

"Who made you the boss? I dont need to be cuffed!"

"No? What were you doing back there, you ran off and came back before running off again! Stop acting like a spoilt child and grow up. This is real fucking life Elise, and so what if you're brother didn't stay to talk to you and your parents are famous and you don't want to be a Hunter because you're scared of dying young! We all are, and with that attitude, you will die. I am nearly twenty eight and I am the fucking boss around here and you will all listen if you want to make it to this age!"

A frustrated groan left him and spining around he slammed his fist throught the drywall and stood staring at the hole while we all froze. His fingers clenched and released while his breathing was out of control. Chris looked at me, begging me to do what Zane asked before he went around getting the stuff loaded into the car. I didn't know if I was allowed to move or if I had to wait for a direct order to move out to our ride.

"You were good tonight, better than those two morons." He finally spoke, yet his words were tight and slowly spoken.

"Admit it, I saved your life." '

Zane turned to face me, his face still pinched in anger. "No, but what ever I've been dragged into is serious and I think we need to alert the Council. Clearly they are plotting against the treaty and what ever the wolves are in on, can't be good or legal either." Slowly he was calming down, his expression turning to stone and he was back to being his usual asshole self. "Go get in the car."

Deciding to act like an adult, I walked out without another word. Chris was helping Jodie in the back and looking over at me, he seemed relieved to see me. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, where I broke the table is going to hurt like a bitch in the morning! How is Jodie?" She was laying down on the backseat now, her hand covering the bandage where she had been bitten.

"Shaken up, but she'll be fine. Not every day a vamp bites you," He laughs awkwardly before pulling me into a hug. "Thank you."

"Guess I'm starting to get that whole sympathy for your kidnappers thing," I shrug out of his hug and move to get in the back.

"Ah, you're up front." Chris steps back to block me from climbing in. "I really just want to be with her, please Elle?"

"Fine, but I want these off? What if there is another attack - i'd be useless." I held my hands up sadly, pouting as I did so. "And I'll tell my Mum who really broke my great-grandma's ugly antique vase!"

"That was you!" He shook his head, moving around the other side of the door.

"Did I CJ? If I tell her I was convering for you and my loyalty ended the second you kidnapped me, who do you think she'll believe now?"

He cringed, knowing full well my Mum would believe me even after all these years. Her suspicions of him doing it had stopped me from getting in as much trouble as I would have because I used to do anything my brother and his friends could convince or dare me to do. Including taking the blame for their pranks.

"I'll see what I can do about the cuffs." He headed back inside and relucantly I got in the front. A few minutes later they both emerged and to my delight, once the doors were locked and car started, Zane reached over and took them off.

"Try anything, I'll put a trank in you again."

"What ever." Shifting in the seat I got comfortable, determined not to talk to him at all. Only problem with that was, silence made me think and that led to this question, "What did Reece tell you about me?"

Even in the soft glow from the stereo as the only light around I saw him smirk. Behind us Chris was snoring softly and Jodie was passed out with her head resting in his lap. The way he had his arm over her shoulder was sweet, but not as nauseating as the way they held hands.

"Alot." His smirked turned to a smile and I tried not to reach over and slap him - again.

"Thats not the answer I wanted."

"It's the one you're getting."

"Stupid fucking Slayers, you're as bad as Trackers." I mumbled under my breath, hoping he heard. One thing was for sure, it was going to be a long drive.

--

It was the smell of greasy bacon and toast that woke me up. My neck was stiff was leaning against the window and apart from that, I actually didn't feel to bad considering. Looking around, Jodie held a white paper bag in between the gap in the seats and taking it from her, a bacon sandwhich awaited me. If I had started to like her before, now I actually did as a large cup of coffee followed.

"Thanks!"

"It's the least I can do, look - I told them it would be best just to talk to you rather than all of this, but what do I know?" She smiled, and I found myself returning it.

"Men." I agreed, rolling my eyes and we both laughed as Chris and Zane climbed back in. Some Hunter I was, not only had we been stopped long enough for them to get food, but also put fuel in the car... "Did you drug me again?"

"No, you body needed to heal so you passed out on your own." Zane sipped his coffee and pulled back out onto the freeway. That made sense.

"So where are we going?" I ask for the milionth time in ten minutes.

"You'll see."

Zanes phone sat between us on the dash and as the screen lit up with a call, we both lunged to grab it - the car swerving in the process.

"Yes?" Zane answered seriously, nodding a few times as if the other person could see him. "Done."

Hanging up it's put back in his pocket and looking behind at the other two, they only shrug. "Who..."

"Not answering."

"But..."

"No."

We drove nearly all day and as the landscape turned back to that of a city, my interest returned. It didn't take long to work out where we were and I wondered if they were going to take me home. Then again, maybe Zane wanted to see Reece at the hospital as that wasn't far from here either and they clearly knew each other. We all got out of the car and with Zane leading the way to the front of the closed corner store, Jodie and Chris followed behind me to make sure I kept walking and didn't try to run away. Stopping just behind him, we waited and knocking three times on the glass door, a hooded figure appeared to let us in and as the fabric fell back and we were waved in, I couldn't move to go forward or backward as his face was revealed.

Reece.

Then I did the most stupidest thing of all; I fainted.