I’ll admit that I’m not proud of the scream that came out of my mouth in that moment. It was something out of a classic film, the damsel’s shriek of terror before she collapses into the villain’s arms. There would be no collapsing here though. Not from me. Not right now. Not when there was a man chained up in the room behind me, and Sebastian standing before me, and all I could think of was reaching Emily and getting her out of here. 

I took two quick steps to the side, and Sebastian matched me in one smooth motion. 

“Just relax,” he insisted, placing his hands up before him in some sort of attempt to pacify me. I watched with horror, my heart thundering as Joel stepped up beside Sebastian, a frown on his face. 

“How did she get down here?” Joel asked. 

“I imagine we’re a bit more discombobulated than we thought,” said Sebastian, “One of us must have forgotten to close the door to the stairs.”

“Don’t kill me!” I blurted, chancing a glance behind me at the chained man, who was staring at the ceiling in a daze. 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Sebastian said, taking a tentative step toward me. I backed up until I found myself pressed into the doorframe. I felt lightheaded. Who was this man in the room? Were there others? Could I save them, or would Sebastian and Joel kill me and expertly dispose of my body?

“Who is he?!” I demanded, feeling like I had nothing to lose. 

“That’s not your concern-” Joel started. 

“Joel, it’s okay,” Sebastian said. “The truth needed to come out sooner or later.” 

Sebastian looked at me with those eyes of his, those eyes that had a tendency to hypnotize me and make me feel all aflutter, but which now looked dark and terrifying. 

“This man is keeping me alive,” said Sebastian. 

“The fuck…” I muttered. 

“He’s-” Sebastian sighed, “I have to feed on humans. Trust me, it’s not my choice or preference. It just comes with the territory of being a vampire. But I can assure you that I do not choose my meals lightly, and I never let them go to waste.”

Vampire? 

Did he just say vampire?

“You sound utterly insane,” I pointed out. “There’s no such thing as vampires. I don’t know if it’s some weird cult, or a sex thing, or you’re a serial killer, but…but…”

But what?

I couldn’t exactly force him to let me go if he chose not to. I was at a serious disadvantage here. 

“Let me show you what he’s really like,” Sebastian suggested, “and then I will explain myself.”

“What do you-” 

I froze as he stepped toward me, placing his fingers to my temples, and suddenly I saw horrible images fluttering through my mind. Images of the man behind me stalking women down the street, taking them into back alleys against their will, leaving them broken and humiliated. Some he went too far with, leaving their dead bodies behind. All of them, he was never caught, never brought to justice, until a moment. Until Sebastian saw him down the alley, and moved at superhuman speed to catch him before he could hurt the next woman. 

Sebastian brought him home and fed on him bit by bit daily. The man’s strength was drained, his body barely able to function with how little blood he had now. But Sebastian only took a little bit. 

Just a little at a time.