I counted the seconds as a way to keep my panic from consuming me, and to make sure we had time left until the guard came back. We had ninety more seconds until we were discovered. Both of us were breathing hard as Amber worked to release me. My body was slick with sweat, and my stomach tied in knots at the thought of what I was going to have to do.  

I swallowed hard and accepted my fate. I urged her, "Amber, go. It's not unlocking. Leave me here. You still have a chance to have a head start." 

"Shit. I can't leave you. I could just make it look like my shackle is still on," she proposed with desperation lacing her voice. 

"No. This is your chance. I would never be able to live with myself if you waited behind for me and got caught," I argued as I succumbed to the familiar darkness within me once more. I had always drawn the short end of the stick when it came to my fate, and tonight would be no exception.  

"I'm not leaving you Maya," Amber grounded out while she continued to struggle with the lock. We now had sixty seconds.

I firmly stated, "I'm not giving you a choice. If you don't start running... I will alert the guards." She looked at me surprised at the resolve in my voice. Her hands stopped moving. There was no fear from my words in her eyes, only sadness.

Amber placed the pin from her hair into my palm and then with tears leaving trails as they rolled down her dirty face she kissed my cheek. With one last look of despair she disappeared quietly into the forest.  It didn't take long for her to fade into the shadows, and for my eyes to lose track of her. I shoved the pin in my hair and prayed to the moon goddess that she would escape. I laid on the hard dry ground, and pretended to sleep. Maybe I could play ignorant when they discovered that Amber escaped. 

Footsteps sounded nearby, and my body tensed up as I listened to the person draw nearer. The footsteps stopped abruptly, and then got louder as the person stomped over to me. Before I could react I was being pulled into an upward position by a fistful of my now loose braids.  My eyes stung with tears and I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. 

The guards hidden face was inches from my own. "Where the fuck did the other one of you go?" He spit at me. I whimpered, but said nothing. I knew with sudden clarity that nothing I said would save me from whatever lied ahead. 

"Answer me!" He screamed. I looked at him where I believed his eyes would be and bit my tongue. The small act of defiance cost me as I was thrown to the ground. The guard stood and kicked at me with his steel toed boots while he berated me with insults. Pain shot through my stomach, arms, back, and legs. I covered my head and tried to ride it out. 

"Enough," a voice boomed from somewhere nearby. The man immediately stopped and turned to look at whoever just commanded him. 

I tried to move, but it resulted in more pain. I sobbed as I pulled at the ground to get away from the guard. I dragged my body inch by excruciating inch away from him and towards the tree that I was still chained to. 

"Why are you punishing my pet for your mistake?" The mystery person asked. The anger, and authority in that voice could only belong to the vampire King. I could barely make out his large, blurry silhouette as he stalked towards the guard. 

The guard bowed deeply and said, "Your majesty, one of the slaves escaped. This one did nothing, and refused to answer my questions. The bitch deserves a lot worse than a beating."

King Leon stopped in front of the guard and calmly stated, "I tire of you Cain. Your antics are no longer amusing to me. And, don't think I'm unaware of you attempting to steal from me a couple days ago." 

"I-I didn't-" Cain scrambled frantically for words, but it was too late. Now, even if he had the words he wouldn't be able to use them. The king had violently ripped out his throat with his bare hands. 

I watched as a gurgled scream escaped him and he collapsed to the ground in a heap of blood and exposed tissue. The last image I saw before everything went black was King Leon looking distastefully at the mangled clump of flesh in his hand and then tossing it to the side. 

~~~

I was jostled awake so suddenly that a yelp escaped my lips as I tried to gather my bearings. My head throbbed, and it felt like I had been dragged behind the carriage yesterday rather than in it. I groaned as I struggled to sit up, but then immediately froze. 

Across from where I was now sitting was the King. He sat on a plush bench that could have fit three more of him. He was wearing nice black riding pants, a loose charcoal grey shirt, boots, and a crown made out of human finger bones on his head. His cherry red eyes bore into my own, and I quickly glanced away.  Judging by the nice leather interior, and movement of our little confined space, I would make the educated guess that we were in his carriage. I scooted into the corner of my bench and pulled my legs into me. I waited for my punishment for meeting his eyes but nothing happened. 

"Curious. I thought that upon awaking you would be more entertaining, and yet here you are afraid to even blink," King Leon said with a sigh. 

Anger coursed through me and I snapped back without thinking, "Of course I'm afraid. I'm fucking terrified. You hit me the last time I looked at you, and then locked me up for days. You also just ripped out someone's throat in front of me. And that's all just this last week. I have every right to be too afraid to even blink right now." 

Shock registered on King Leon's face, and I slapped my hands over my mouth. I watched the King with wide eyes. I obviously had a death sentence speaking to him like that. I waited for the blow, for anything to happen. 

But the King did the most unexpected thing; he laughed.