CHAPTER TWENTY

˚GREETINGS˚

"Some people lie but they're looking for magic. Others are quietly going insane."

INSTINCT WAS A man's closest friend during the apocalypse. The relationship deeply defies one's survival during the darkest of days. It just so happens in a time where Reign needed her instinct the most, it had vanished, abandoned her and no where to be found.

She didn't have any time to react before the vampire pounced on her, forcing her small body back into the hard pavement. She couldn't find any trace of instinct left inside her as she struggled with the weight of a blood sucking vampire who had jumped on her the first chance he got. It was if he had been starving for days, as he probably had been and just couldn't help himself as the first human he'd seen in days, even weeks, showed up unannounced.

Reign was powerless against his strength, and found herself laying helplessly underneath him as she let out a growl of anger right before he dug his razor sharp fangs into her neck. It was like getting stabbed in the neck twice by thick needles sending an immense amount of pain flowing through her body. Her growl of anger turned to a small yelp of pain as she began to feel dizzy. It was if time had froze and she was left to be this vampire's meal. As his teeth stayed plunged deep into her neck and his head tucked in the crook of her neck, Reign felt like giving up.

And then he happened.

For the split second that felt like a lifetime that the vampire was on Reign was he suddenly ripped off of her so quickly, it was like he was never there. He was torn off of her with such force his teeth got caught in the skin of her neck, sending more pain through her body as she was finally able to breathe again. Her breathing quickened and her hand instinctively went to her neck where warm blood was pouring out freely.

Reign laid there on the ground with her eyes closed to block out the sunlight that shined directly into her field of vision. A single gun shot sounded but Reign was too weak to jump or have any sort of reaction. Instead she laid there gripping her wounded neck with her shaking hand, gritting her teeth together to keep in her cries of pain. It hurt like a bitch, but she'd felt worse.

Suddenly the light shining in her face was cut off as someone hovered above her, blocking the blinding sunlight. Reign squinted one eye open to see who it was only to scowl once a familiar face came into view. "You're blocking my sunlight," Reign remarked bitterly, groaning slightly in pain.

"Oh my bad. It's just if you don't stay pale I have nothing to tease you about," Damon fired back just as bitterly, at his knees on the pavement beside her.

"I am not pale!" Reign snapped in aggravation, scowling at Damon.

"Actually, you are considering the amount of blood you just lost," Damon pointed out, smirking slightly as he proved his point.

"Mind telling me who the fuck that guy was?" Reign questioned.

"And why would I do that?" Damon asked playfully, knowing all too well how to get on her nerves. She was a very bitter and sarcastic person, yet she possessed a very short temper.

"Because I almost died," Reign sassed, opening both her eyes now that she could see clearly.

"Did you really think I would let you die?" Damon asked her, his voice hinting slightly with hope.

"Oh right, we haven't found Bonnie yet," Reign said in annoyance. "Which means your deal to her is still in play," she said.

Her words hit Damon right in the chest, his whole expression growing colder. Although he would never admit it, he had saved Reign without even thinking of Bonnie. As soon as he saw that vampire attack Reign, his whole body instinctively wanted to protect her, to kill that vampire.

"Get up," Damon said sternly, holding out a hand.

Reign growled but took it, allowing Damon to hoist her up. The two turned to the group in all the chaos, reuniting for the first time in several weeks. "It's good to see you Rey," Caroline said first, embracing Reign in a friendly hug.

Stefan sent Reign a quick and sad smile, something clearly dampening the mood. "What is it? Who died?" Reign questioned right off the bat.

"It was Jeremy and Alaric," Caroline spoke up, sniffling lightly. "They didn't make it."

"I'm so sorry," Reign said, offering her condolences. She hadn't really known Jeremy or Alaric, but she knew Bonnie had some sort of relationship with Jeremy, and that was what stung. As for Alaric, he seemed like a good man, a man Reign had wished she'd gotten to know more.

"What about Bonnie? What happened to her, where is she?" Reign asked all at once. The last time she'd seen the brunette she had been shot after preforming a protection spell around the bus all the kids were boarding. After Bonnie fell down, Reign hadn't seen her get back up.

"We don't know. She just disappeared," Stefan spoke up, stuffing his shaking hands in his pockets. Although Reign was in shock from the news and even more discouraged about finding her friend she couldn't help but notice the three vampires in front of her deathly pale and weak. Their cheeks had sunken in slightly, and their skin paler than usual.

"Here," Reign said suddenly, rolling up her sleeve to reveal her wrist. "Take some," she said, offering her blood.

Damon let out a deep belly laugh from beside them, shaking his head in disbelief. "Are you that stupid? Do you know how much blood you just lost, and are still loosing? I can smell it still spilling out of you," he said. "Here, take some of mine." He held up his wrist to his mouth but Reign shook it away before he count bite into it.

"Ew no," Reign said, scrunching up her nose in disgust.

"Rey, you should take it. We've got quite the distance from here to the cabin where everyone will be," Carol said from where she was watching guard.

"I'm not taking your blood," Reign stated clearly, turning away from Damon and rolling down her own sleeve.

"You're the must stubbornest person I've ever met," Damon sighed.

Reign shrugged. "That's not the meanest thing you've said to me," she laughed lightly. "Carol, where should we go? Where will everyone else be?" Reign asked.

Carol turned away from her stance overlooking the walkers in the distance that walked around aimlessly, overtaking the compound. "I saw a bunch of them hop the fence in that direction, towards the forest. There's a cabin up that way too," she said, hoisting her large gun over her shoulder.

"Great. Let's go," Reign agreed, picking up her backpack and sword all with one hand while her other hand stayed glued on her wound that was dripping with blood. Her neck just wound't stop bleeding, but she was trying her best to hide it.

As they exited the compound Reign slashed the random vampire's head off that had attacked her with her sword, sending his head rolling off the the side. He was just another victim, held up in captivity in this hell of a place, but he had made the wrong move of attacking Reign.

She didn't feel guilty, nor should she seeing as she was the one left suffering. However, it wasn't something she couldn't deal with. She just wished Damon would stop giving her concerned looks and flashing his worried little puppy eyes at her. She didn't know if it was annoying her or distracting her.

"Did you come here by yourself, Carol?" Reign asked her as they walked out of the compound, taking precaution with every step they took. She wanted to distract herself from the looks Damon was giving her, and by speaking to Carol she believed it would take her mind off of his wandering eyes.

"You'll see," Carol smirked, sending Reign a tight grin like she was keeping a secret.

Reign only sighed, both excited and annoyed Carol wound't tell her anything. All she wanted to do was find her father again, and get back on the road where they could figure things out. After they got settled, Reign planned to search for her brother, and possibly any hints of where Bonnie went. At least for her brother they had a clue, but as for Bonnie she had disappeared without a trace.

Gripping her sword a little tighter from the anger that boiled up inside of her, Reign took the lead with Carol as they hopped the fence from the Terminus compound, not feeling any remorse or guilt from what it had become unlike the last time they left a place burning up in flames. Last time they were leaving behind a place that had truly been their home, and watching it burn down and become overrun with the dead was one of the most painful things Reign Boyd has ever had to experience, and that in itself was saying a lot. Reign didn't get attached easily, but something about that prison had made her feel like she had a home, as she never really felt at home in her old one.

They kept a fast pace the whole way up to the forest, following Carol who knew the way to go. Along the way she had ditched her walker poncho, smeared with guts and washed her face clean allowing the group to finally see her petite face. Carol kept a smile on her face and her head held high as she finally came to a stop as another group up ahead caught their attention. It wasn't just any group however, but their group.

Slowly and quietly they all approached the bunch, grinning like wild freaks as their presence was finally announced. Daryl was the first to notice them approaching, and the first to break off from the group to engulf his daughter in a hug. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Reign," he whispered in a shaky breath, his arms still wrapped around her.

Reign only nodded and smiled before releasing her father and allowing him to hug Carol who welcomed him with ease. Watching the two of them hug made Reign's heart a little warmer, and her stomach settle easier knowing the friendship Carol and her father shared was deep.

"Did you do that?" Rick asked, walking over to Carol. He had disbelief written in his eyes.

Carol only nodded, and not a second after did Rick have her within his embrace. Carol had saved them, had freed them from being slaughtered like wild animals. They had been seconds from death quite literally, yet Carol had saved them without a second to spare. Reign felt a great amount of gratitude towards Carol, and she knew she owed her a great debt.

"Are you guys okay?" Rick asked, turning towards the vampires. All three of them stood up straighter but nodded their heads, giving Rick a small smile.

"We're fine, thank you," Stefan said, giving Rick a small nod in which he returned. Back at the Prison they had started with seven members from Mystic Falls, but now before them only stood four. It was an unsettling number, and the pain of the ones they've lost was clearly written in their faces which seemed to be drained of hope, drained of any life they had left in them. It hurt Reign to see them this way, but at the same time fascinated her. She was still fascinated with their kind, wanting to know more and more about them every day despite the fact she had almost been killed by a vampire.

"I have something to show you," Carol spoke up, smiling widely before turning and leading the group away.

They all exchanged nervous and confused glances as to what Carol could possible do more for them, but followed her deeper into the forest never the less. They walked for a good five minutes along a trail until they were met with a small wooden cabin in a large opening up ahead. However, it wasn't just the cabin that caught their attention, but rather the people standing in front of it.

Rick and Carl took off in a mad dash, running to Tyreese who stood at the front with baby Judith in his large arms, clutching her to his chest. It was cute, Reign could admit that, and watching their small family reunite made Reign feel a small pain of envy in her chest.

Taking in a deep breath, Reign forced a smile at the sight in front of her before slowly turning away. However, as she turned she found herself face to face with Damon.

"Boo," he said in a monotone voice, not putting any attempt at scaring her.

"You're not funny," she said, rubbing her hand caked with blood from the wound on her neck on her pants. The wound in her neck had finally stopped bleeding, allowing her some ease.

Damon crossed his arms across his chest, glancing around the forest they stood in. His daylight ring sparkled in the sunlight, his leather jacket not showing any flaws. The longer Reign stared at Damon did she realize she couldn't find any flaws, and that annoyed her more than anything as she knew she looked like shit.

"What do we do now?" Damon asked anonymously, staring off into the distance. They had gotten out, survived, and they had found the group. Bonnie's absence still haunted them silently, evident in everything they did but in a way that only pushed them to go forwards.

"We keep going," Reign said.

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[EDITED: 07/21/18]