Resiliency and loyalty are the only words to describe the events leading to Freya's transition from human to vampire. Humans were always a tad demented in their way, but the hunters after Ambrose were insane, as Freya came to understand. Insane with reason which was an incredibly bad combination.

Tied by her wrists above her head, Freya hung above the ground. Thankfully, her captors had the decency to treat her as a human by allowing a female in their group to feed her bits of their leftovers and water.

I can't believe enduring this just to keep that old oaf safe. Without him, I'd be dead in the street somewhere after Danny mutilates me. Or I probably followed my mum and granddad to the grave through unconventional methods. Freya sighed. It wasn't the time to wallow in self-pity; she had some lying to do.

"Look, just tell us where the fiend is, and all this will be over. He's a monster. He sure doesn't need a human like you protecting him." Freya rolled her eyes at the remark. Right, cause the thousand-year-old baby can navigate the New World without my guidance. He still jumps at the sound of a dishwasher fuck's sake.

"What exactly do you want from me? You took me from my job, hung me by the wrist, and, might I add, whipped me!"

"You're being melodramatic. You endure the fear of death every day just by being in the vampire's vicinity. What we're doing is nothing compared to that." Freya fought back a groan at the sheer stupidity of that statement. Justifying torture to get an immortal being and then calling him the monster?

"What do you need with him? He's done nothing wrong," Freya defended, feeling her arms go limp for the fifth timr today. The hunter sauntered towards her, playing with a karambit knife. "For starters, he killed our parents. And secondly, there's huge money in hunting ancient ones. Capture alone costs billions, but his blood. His blood is worth trillions to the right buyer."

Freya's eyes darkened as her assailant neared her and pointed the tip of the arched knife at her belly button. "So you see, resistance is futile. We're stopping at nothing to get our revenge and get paid while doing it. Just tell us his name and location," Freya bit down on her lip to prevent her from screaming. The knife was pushed into her flesh, enough to make an incision. "This knife won't go any higher. Just tell us his name and location."

Freya shuddered in horror as the knife went higher. Her abdomen's skin gradually parted. "Henry, stop! We need that girl alive to bargain. We can't have his most precious human die. You'll get us killed!"

Another man in his late twenties or early thirties entered the room, stopping Henry's hand. The former tsked as he dislodged the knife from Freya's body and wiped the blood on his sleeve. "I was coercing information, brother. She won't fucking talk, and it's been weeks."

The older man sullenly narrowed his eyes at his younger sibling. "That doesn't mean we should mutilate her. She's already incredibly pale as it is. If you continue to bleed her out, she's dead before the day ends."

Freya felt her wrists released from the ropes and being lifted on a shoulder. "Right. Then how are we supposed to get any closer to that vampire's identity? He hasn't even responded to her being the bait. Isn't that why we've been making incisions? So that monster can smell her, and we could trap him with her scent."

Dense hunter, Ambrose isn't that daft. Why do you think he hasn't shown up? We've talked about this situation as one of thousands of dangerous scenarios. We even planned countermeasures accordingly. It is alarming that he has shown no signs of finding or rescuing me though. Rude.

Freya hissed as the hunter laid her on the operating table. The female, Lilac, started disinfecting the new gash on her abdomen. "Henry isn't always as twisted as he seems to be. He has bad memories about vampires and hasn't processed it well, so he's taking it out on you," Lilac mumbled as she tried her best to dress the wound.

"You don't have to explain his actions. I'm used to mistreatment," Freya moaned, shifting her position on the uncomfortable table. Lilac offered a sad smile and sympathetic gaze before leaving the room. Freya was exhausted. She hasn't slept or eaten in almost a month. Her eyes felt heavy as sleep engulfed her.

~~~~

Screaming and gunfire woke Freya from her slumber. "Get back, you foul beast, or I'm driving this knife through her." The reflection of light blinded her as she groaned, sitting up but having a rough hand push her onto the table. "Watch it." Freya hissed at the hunter.

A low, feral growl permeated the room, causing a chill to run down Freya's spine. Her immortal friend was enraged and out for blood. "Growl all you want, you filthy animal. I have your precious human, and I'll drive this through her like a skewer if you don't surrender right now."

Ambrose's appearance had Freya transfixed. His usual slick back hair was standing up as if static hit him. Bloodshot eyes and talon-like hands accompanied the menacing form of her dear friend. Freya imagined how impressive she'd look in such a form. She could conquer the world if she became a vampire.

The ancient being gradually transitioned back to his human form. He scowled at the hunter as he entered the room. Henry's knife broke some skin, making Freya hiss and plead with her eyes to calm the vampire. "Set her free and never touch her again. Then I might just surrender."

The hunter lifted the knife slightly, contemplating the proposition. However, being the impulsive woman she was, Freya didn't overthink her actions. The best way she thought she could create an opening was by getting the knife away.

Dread spread through Ambrose's nerves as he watched Freya grab the hand holding the knife. Then drove it through her chest. The smell of sweet, intoxicating blood filled his nose. He felt himself transform into his vampiric form. The hunter seemed to be astonished by the action and froze in place.

Freya coughed out blood as she collapsed on the operating table. Ambrose bared his fangs, pounced on the hunter, and pinned him to the concrete wall. "You stay away from us, you hear me? You, Hearne, and your strong desire for revenge and dementedness. It consumes you." Ambrose tightened his grip on the hunter's neck. "I never touched your family. Whoever killed your parents wasn't I, so leave us be." Ambrose slammed the hunter one last time and released the human.

He turned his attention towards Freya. "To-took you long enough," Freya gave Ambrose a pained smile as she coughed up more blood. "You and your impulsiveness. I had it."

"No, you were stalling, thinking of logical ways to get the knife without damaging me."

"To avoid situations like this!" Ambrose was exasperated and relieved despite the situation at hand. "Well, now-" Another blood-filled coughing fit ensued. Ambrose chose this time to scoop Freya in his arms and bolted out of the abandoned hospital. He stopped at a deserted alleyway and gently laid Freya on the cobbled path.

"Now, you have no excuse not to turn me." Freya wheezed, positioning herself more comfortably. Ambrose grimaced at the thought. She may be impulsive, but this also seemed like a tactical method to force his hand. "I can see-" Freya gritted her teeth. "Can see the cogs turning in your head again. Just do-"

"It's not as easy of a decision since it'll affect you for eternity. What if something bad happens during the transition. I ca-" Freya covered Ambrose's mouth with her bloodied hand.

"You and your moral dilemmas. Do you want me to die without even trying to save me?" Ambrose glared at the wall behind Freya and gently removed her hand from his mouth. The scent of sweet and calm eerily go together for someone about to die.

"Bite me already."