Annie led the entranced stranger deeper into the forest, the party's distant music fading. She stopped at a secluded clearing, shrouded in darkness.
"I'll make this quick and painless," Annie whispered, her eyes gleaming.
The gentleman nodded, still under her compulsion.
Annie's body began to shift. Her fangs lengthened, veins pulsed on her pale skin, and her eyes turned cold.
With a swift motion, she struck, sinking her fangs into the gentleman's neck. His body went limp as she drained his life force. Finally sated, Annie withdrew, transforming back into her human form. She licked the last droplets of blood from her lips.
A satisfied smile spread across her face as she walked out of the forest, blending back into the party.
No one suspected a thing.
Annie grabbed a tequila shot and downed it, the liquor burning her throat. For a moment, she closed her eyes, savoring the dual rush of blood and alcohol.
Liv, already intoxicated, giggled as Jackson's charming smile drew her in. The star football player's dark eyes sparkled with seduction.
As they laughed and kissed, Liv whispered, "Let's go deeper into the woods. I don't want anyone to see us."
Jackson's agreement was sealed with another passionate kiss. Hand in hand, they ventured further, the trees shielding them from prying eyes.
Their kissing grew more intense, bodies pressing together. Jackson's fingers traced Liv's skin as he slowly removed his trousers.
Liv's bra slipped off, revealing her delicate shoulders. Their lips never parted the heat between them building.
Elijah and Georgina strolled out of the forest, the night air crisp.
"Thanks for keeping me company," Georgina said. "I didn't intend to come, but Bonnie dragged me here."
Elijah smiled. "I enjoyed talking to you."
Georgina glanced at her watch. "It's getting late. I should find Bonnie before we head home. Hopefully, she's not too drunk already." She chuckled.
"Hopefully," Elijah echoed. "I need to find Annie too."
As they emerged from the woods, Elijah's vampire senses stirred. The scent of blood lingered, stale and ominous.
His heart sank. Annie.
Furious, he hoped his sister hadn't done something reckless. They parted ways, exchanging goodbyes and a wave.
Elijah's search for Annie became urgent. Elijah navigated through the revelers, his eyes locking onto Annie. She danced, lost in the music and intoxication.
Elijah's grip on her arm was firm as he pulled her from the crowd. "What have you done?" he demanded.
Annie's smile faltered for an instant before she resumed dancing. "Nothing."
Elijah's whisper was low and menacing. "I smell blood."
Annie's laughter echoed. "I didn't do anything."
Elijah's warning was crisp. "If you did something wrong, you'll pay for it."
Annie's sarcasm dripped like venom. "You don't trust me."
Elijah's silence was chilling, "Go to the car," he ordered.
Annie's protest was feeble. "Is it time already? It's not late yet."
Elijah's gaze brooked no argument. "Wait in the car. I need to check the forest."
Annie's attempt to downplay was unconvincing. "Maybe someone just got injured."
Elijah's look silenced her. She understood. Without another word, Annie walked towards Elijah's car.
Liv's voice pierced the air. "Someone's dead! We saw a dead person in the forest!"
Elijah sprinted back into the forest, his vampire speed a blur. He vanished from view, unseen by the partygoers. Meanwhile, Liv and Jackson stumbled back into the party, their faces etched with terror.
The party froze, the music screeching to a halt. Lucas stepped forward, his face showed concern. "What happened?" Lucas asked, his voice firm.
Liv's words tumbled out. "We saw Kol...he's dead. In the forest."
The crowd gasped, shockwaves rippling through the party.
Jackson spoke up, his voice grim. "It looks like…an animal attacked him. There's a bite on his neck."
Fear gripped the partygoers, whispers spreading like wildfire. People scrambled to gather their belongings, eager to flee.
Lucas's voice rose above the chaos. "Who's with me to check the body?"
A few brave souls raised their hands, volunteering to follow Lucas into the forest.
Elijah stood beside Kol's lifeless body, his eyes scanning the scene. He bent down, his gaze locking onto the bite on Kol's neck. Elijah's heart sank; he recognized the mark – a vampire's bite, Annie's bite.
Fury and anger coursed through Elijah's veins. Flashes of light illuminated the forest, signaling the approach of the partygoers. Elijah vanished into the darkness, reappearing at his car.
Annie sat inside, her eyes wide with fear. Elijah's voice was low and menacing. "What have you done?"
Annie's whisper trembled. "I'm sorry… I was hungry… I didn't think they'd find him."
Elijah's rage simmered, threatening to boil over. But the surrounding partygoers, still gathering their belongings, restrained him. With a Herculean effort, Elijah contained his fury.
Silently, he entered the car and started the engine. As they drove away, the darkness seemed to swallow them whole.
Benjamin Wilder stood tall, his vampire form radiating fury, as flames engulfed the mansion. The inferno danced around him, casting eerie shadows on the walls. His eyes blazed with an inner fire, fueled by three decades of torment. The air reeked of smoke, blood, and charred flesh.
At his feet lay the shattered remnants of his captors, their lifeless bodies strewn across the floor like discarded puppets. Benjamin's gaze fell upon the opened cage, its twisted metal bars a grim reminder of his 30-year ordeal. The scientists had prodded, poked, and experimented on him, seeking to unravel the secrets of his immortal existence. Now, they lay dead, victims of Benjamin's unbridled wrath.
But the building's rapid collapse threatened to entomb him. Flames licked the walls, their crackling crescendo deafening. Benjamin knew he had to escape, yet he hesitated, savoring his hard-won freedom. As the inferno raged around him, Benjamin's thoughts turned to the one person who had kept him anchored to his humanity. Amidst the chaos, he envisioned her gentle smile and compassionate eyes. She was the sole reason he hadn't succumbed to the darkness.
With vampire speed, Benjamin navigated the burning labyrinth, dodging flames that licked at his skin. His heart pounded with urgency as he searched for her. Finally, he reached her quarters, the door slightly ajar. The room remained untouched by the fire, a serene oasis amidst the devastation. Benjamin's gaze swept the space, drinking in the familiar scent of her presence. His eyes lingered on delicate trinkets, soft cushions, and books lining her shelves. Every item whispered stories of her kindness.
But she was nowhere to be found. A pang of desperation struck Benjamin. Had he lost her? No, he refused to believe it. His gaze dropped to the floor, and that's when he saw it – a letter addressed to him in her elegant handwriting.
Benjamin picked up the letter, his heart racing with anticipation. The paper felt fragile, a tangible connection to the woman who kept his humanity intact.
"My dearest Benjamin,
I'm writing this with a heavy heart, knowing that if you're reading this, I'm no longer with you. I've tried to escape, to find peace, but it's too late. They've taken everything from me, just as they have from you.
I remember the first time I saw you, locked in that cage, your eyes burning with defiance. I knew then that you were different, that you had a spark within you that couldn't be extinguished. Over the years, I've watched you grow stronger, your spirit unbroken.
But I've suffered too, Benjamin. The scientists have used me and exploited my compassion and kindness. They've taken my dignity, my hope. I've tried to hold on, for you, for us, but it's too much.
I want you to know that I love you, Benjamin. You've been my reason for living, my beacon in the darkness. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you, that I was unable to protect you from the monsters that haunt us.
Find peace, Benjamin. Find freedom. Don't let them define you. You are more than your immortal existence. You are strong, kind, and beautiful.
Farewell, my love.
Agnes"
Benjamin's eyes scanned the letter, his mind echoing her gentle voice. Words seared his soul, revealing a truth he couldn't bear. She, too, suffered at the hands of scientists, compassion, and kindness masking her torment. As he read on, Benjamin's heart shattered. She sought peace, but not in life. Her escape was death, a final refuge from cruelty.
The letter trembled in his hands, words blurring through unshed tears. He stood frozen, gaze locked on the page, denying truth. No, she couldn't be gone.
Memories assaulted him – whispers, gentle touch, and unwavering empathy. In thirty years of loneliness, she'd been his sole beacon. Benjamin's grief ignited rage. Eyes burned with fury; fangs lengthened. Scientists took everything – freedom, dignity, and now her. His mind screamed vengeance. With a snarl, Benjamin crumpled the letter, fist clenched. Crackling flames filled the air. Vision narrowed, focused on destruction.
Benjamin's vampire senses twitched, detecting faint whimpering. His eyes flashed red, transforming with inhuman speed. He honed in on sound. A cowering figure trembled. Benjamin pinned him. "Where's Agnes?"
The young man stammered, tears streaming down his face. "S-she tried to escape…last night… Blake Lincoln found her…k-killed her…".
Benjamin's face contorted in anguish. Agnes, his sole solace, was murdered in cold blood. The young man's words ignited a maelstrom of rage. Without hesitation, Benjamin's fangs sank into the young man's neck, his life force extinguished instantly.
A primal scream tore from Benjamin's throat, echoing through the burning mansion. His vision blurred, his mind consumed by hatred. As the scream faded, Benjamin's transformation reversed, his features returning to their human form.
He stood, frozen, amidst the carnage, his chest heaving. The fire raged on, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Benjamin's eyes, once burning with fury, now smoldered with emptiness. He had avenged Agnes' death, but the hollow victory brought no solace. Thirty years of captivity and his freedom came at the cost of his heart.
As he walked away from the inferno, Benjamin shed his humanity like a discarded skin. He systematically erased memories of Agnes, suppressing the anguish and sadness. His emotions, once a raging storm, dwindled to nothingness.
With each step, Benjamin's features hardened, his gaze turning cold and calculating. He became a being driven solely by primal instincts. Love, hate, joy, and sorrow – all extinguished.
Under the dark sky, Benjamin's transformation was complete. His eyes gleamed like stars at night, devoid of warmth or compassion. The mansion, once a prison, now a pyre for his past, burned behind him.
With an unquenchable thirst for blood, Benjamin vanished into the darkness, leaving behind the ashes of his humanity. The wind whispered his name, a haunting melody, as the night swallowed him whole.