I don’t know how long I’d been down here, strapped to the table, chained to the ceiling like a carcass or passed out as they moved me- all I knew was that it felt like an eternity. I didn’t know whether it was night or day, where I was or what they were going to do with me; all I knew is that sooner or later I would die and no one would ever find me.

I was sick of these four concrete walls, that blinding single bulb suspended from the ceiling, the leaky pipes above, the cobwebs, the cold metal table complete with restraints, and who could forget, that single steel door. It seemed to be mocking me from where I hung, covered in blood, cold, sore, tired, hungry and dying for a drink; it was the only way out, and I wanted to believe that Drew would come but I knew that I couldn’t put my hopes in him. I could be anywhere in the world, he could think I was already dead, that he was already dead?

My head rolled back and I blinked sluggishly as the door creaked open and Liam walked in. I heaved a sigh, and tried turning my head away; I couldn’t, I was too weak. I was to watch as Liam whistled an annoyingly chirpy tune while cleaning the blood off multiple instruments they’d sampled on me.

“Good news Riley.” He said turning to face me, a fake smile plastered onto his face- probably at the thought of more ‘research’, psychopathic vampire/ mad scientist that he was. I think he was just bullshitting himself; telling himself that he wasn’t just torturing a helpless teenage girl, that it was for ‘science’, ‘for furthering the vampire race’.  As far as I’m concerned, the entire race can go burn in hell- back to the place they crawled out of. “You get a break today.”

I wanted to spit at him, tell him to go back to hell but I knew that he’d just hit me and leave me hanging here like a piece of meat until he decided it was time to hurt me again.

He walked over to me and fiddled with the chains above my head and before I could register falling, I was flat on my back, cold creeping into my bones from the filthy floor. I knew that should’ve hurt but it didn’t; I was numb.

He picked me up and began walking towards the door. My heart surged in hope, and then sank at the realisation that on the other side of the door, anything could be lying in wait. My head lolled over Liam’s arm and I felt my stomach roll as he bounced up a flight of cement stairs to the door.

I don’t know what happened; I must have blacked out because the next thing I knew, I was lying on a much softer surface. Hope bubbled inside me and I opened my eyes to see a cracking cement wall. Had I been rescued? I tried sitting up but my body was too sore and I flopped back. As feeling slowly returned to my body, I felt cold steel wrapped around my ankle.

I squeezed my eyes shut as tears slid down the side of my battered face; I knew it was too good to be true. If anyone was going to get me out of this situation; it was me, and I would, or die trying.

I felt someone beside me and opened my eyes to see a blurry figure. They pressed something against my mouth and a cool liquid dripped down my chin. I gulped the water greedily, choking when it went down the wrong way. I felt a bit better by the time they pulled the canteen back and wiped my eyes to see a tall read head with bright crystal blue eyes, pale skin and high cheek bones.

I glared at her as she turned to reach for a platter filled with meat and fruit. My mouth watered at the sight and stomach rumbled; I hadn’t eaten since I’d gotten here.

She helped me sit up and rested the plate on my lap. I dug in, avoiding the meat as it didn’t seem to be cooked; I liked it rare but not dripping blood!

The girl sat down on a chair a few feet away, watching what I ate with eyes like an eagle. Suddenly my stomach rolled and I only had enough time to tilt my upper body off the floor before everything I ate came back up. I heard her gasp before she held my hair back, standing off to the side. Guess that’s what I get for eating too quickly after no food for so long.

The woman left and I thought I’d be alone once again, with a pile of sick next to the bed but she soon returned with a bucket and mop.

I sat silently as she cleaned it up, keeping my eyes on the wall opposite, my eyes running over the deep cracks and old, dusty spider webs that covered the wall.

 “Thank you.” I whispered as she left with the bucket. Sometimes I felt I was too soft- like now. She hadn’t done anything to me, but she hadn’t done anything to help me escape either. 

I saw her nod before she left and I was alone again; for good this time.

-

I know for a fact that I’d been in this room for three days. I had lost any faith in Drew or the boys. Who knows? They could be dead? I pushed that thought from my mind and concentrated on the manacle wrapped around my ankle.

I hadn’t seen Paul or Liam, just Jessica- the red headed girl. I felt so much better, my wounds had healed and I wasn’t as sore but I didn’t let her know that; she could tell Paul or Liam that I was better and they’d hurt me again. I figure that if I can try to turn her against Paul and Liam I could persuade her to help me escape; I had never been very good at convincing people though.

My time was running out; I needed out, I had to know if Drew and the boys were alright, and if they were, what they were doing. Surely that hadn’t just forgotten about me? Decided that it wasn’t worth the bother?

No if they were alive then they were looking for me- I had to find a way to get out here.

I was in a small room, the rest hidden by a half wall, with a small metal bed where I was chained, a rusty, metal toilet and a basin in the same condition; worse than most prisons. 

A door creaked open and multiple footsteps echoed through the room. I lay on the bed, eyes closed, listening. I swallowed back a scream as I was slapped in the face and hauled off the bed. “You’re fine, let’s go.”

My eyes flew open to glare at Paul as Liam unshackled my leg. I wanted to hit him, scratch, kick, punch, bite; anything to hurt him like he’d hurt me.

I was filled with rage; like a volcano, finally spilling over. The moment I heard the lock click on my shackle, I attacked Paul. I ripped into his face with my nails, aiming for his eyes. He hissed and pushed me away but I grabbed his arm and snapped, the bone sticking out of his skin. Not satisfied I drew back my fist and punched him in the face, the force of the blow knocking him to the floor- guess I was stronger than I thought. I was bleeding from the scratches and cuts I’d gotten but turned towards Liam who seemed amazed.

I heard Paul stand and turned around, kicking him hard in the stomach before he could hurt me; it was fight or flight and I was fighting to survive right now. Months of pain and hurt had finally bubbled over and I was vengeful. “How does it feel? Being so powerless? Being hurt?” I asked angrily, kicking him again.

This wasn’t like me; this wasn’t something I’d do. I was becoming a monster; just like Paul.

I stopped kicking him and looked at what I’d done. Paul’s face was covered in scratches, cuts, his nose was bleeding and bruised, he cradled his midsection and his right arm was totally ruined, the bone scraping the ground as he moved.

What had I done?

I was a monster!

“Oh my god.” I whispered. Never had I hurt another person; evil or otherwise. It looked like someone had taken a sledge hammer to him.

I felt someone grab me but I was in shock- I was a monster, just like him.

“How dare you!” I saw Paul stand up, cradling his arm in pain as he moved over towards me with deadly intent. He raised his hand and hit me hard, so hard that I got whiplash and saw stars.

When he bared his teeth at me and went to land a punch to my midsection, Liam stood in front of him. “You should’ve known better than to get so close to her when she was feeling better.” He said scolding Paul. “Go get that fixed while I start more tests.” He said pointing to Paul’s arm.

Paul sneered but left. I felt tears fall down my cheeks as Liam stood in front of me; that was my chance at escape and instead I let it slip through my fingers.

I was mad at myself, horrified at what I’d done and so scared at what was to happen and what had happened to the ones I love.

Liam looked past me to the girl who held me back. “Get her next door to the treadmill first.”

-

Sweat trickled down my face, my limbs felt heavy, my lungs screamed for oxygen and my heart was pounding out of my chest; I was exhausted. “Please,” I gasped for more air. “Stop!”

My legs pounded the treadmill as Liam watched with a smirking Paul. “Move bitch; we know you can run faster than that!” He yelled.

I shook my head, heart bruising my chest as the treadmill sped up.  Both my arms were chained to the hand rests and if I fell, I could dislocate my shoulders since the treadmill was like an industrial treadmill; it was the tank of treadmills. I couldn’t jump off; I would face plant and be in a world of pain.

“I c-can’t!” I screamed, panting. Suddenly the track disappeared from underneath my feet and I fell forwards, my feet scraping the treadmill, shoulders straining and the console almost touching my face.

My chest heaved as the treadmill shut down and I could hear whispering; something about intensified feelings?

I looked up just in time to see Liam eyeing me while talking to Jessica. “Bring in the mutt.”

I watched as she left and Liam righted me on the treadmill. I stood shaking, dripping sweat and panting. The treadmill started up and I was forced to walk again.

Minutes later I could hear someone growling.

The door burst open with two vamps dragging a very angry man.

“Matt.”