CHAPTER 7

**AMY**

The vampire, a horrifying creature with sharp teeth and piercing red eyes, advances toward me with terrifying ferocity. I feel like a cornered prey before his menacing presence, unable to contain the panic surging in my chest. His powerful arms wrap around me with cruel strength, pushing me violently against the nearby wall. I struggle in his arms, desperately fighting against his hold while my hands tremble, searching for anything that might offer me a chance to escape.
"Let me go!" 
"No, you will come with me; your place is by his side!" 
"Aaron!"
Aaron's name escapes my lips in an anguished scream, my mind engulfed in a whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. I don't know if he is still alive, if he is fighting the vampires, or if he has succumbed to their relentless fury. Tears well up in my eyes, streaming freely down my face as terror consumes me from within.
With a guttural and repugnant voice, the vampire murmurs vile words in my ear, his icy breath sending a shiver of revulsion through me.
 "I will take you to him; you will show us where the artifacts are, but first, I very much want to play with you, human..." 
A sob escapes my throat, a mix of despair and hopelessness flooding my soul as I try in vain to push him away from me. 
My hands beat futilely against his chest, my fists clenched in a gesture of desperate defiance. But he is strong, too strong, and my attempts at resistance are in vain against his supernatural strength. I feel like prey about to be devoured by a ravenous beast, with no hope of salvation.
When he opens his mouth to bite me, a shiver of terror runs down my spine. But then a surge of courage rises within me, a burning flame that drives me to fight until my last breath. I lift my leg with all the strength I have left, delivering a solid knee strike between his legs. A scream of pain tears through the air as he recoils, doubled over in agonizing pain.
"Elara!", I call the girl, who runs to me, grabbing my hand.
Desperation consumes me as I hold Elara's trembling hand and try to run away from the vampire threatening us. Every muscle in my body is tense, and each heartbeat is echoing like a deafening drum in my ears. But before we can get far, the vampire grabs me again, his cold, cruel fingers closing around my wrist with a force that cuts into my skin, making me feel sharp pain. 
I scream in agony as he squeezes harder, the pain radiating through my arm, making me feel as if I am collapsing inside. But then, a ray of hope pierces the darkness as I see Aaron running toward us, his eyes burning with determined fury.
The vampire abruptly releases me when Aaron launches himself at him, pushing him with fierce violence to the ground. I feel a momentary relief as I wrap Elara in my arms, protecting her from the turmoil unfolding before us. My wrist throbs with pain, but I ignore the sensation, focusing all my attention on keeping Elara safe by my side. I turn my head, watching with a mix of horror and fascination as the two vampires clash, their bodies writhing in a deadly dance. 
The vampire is strong and relentless in his determination to destroy us, but Aaron seems like a force of nature, driven by a fury that burns as intensely as the sun.
I feel small and fragile before the scene, a mere spectator in a titanic confrontation. But then, Aaron draws a dagger, its blade gleaming in the dim light of the room. With a quick and precise movement, he pierces the vampire's heart with a sure strike, and a scream of agony echoes through the space as the vampire writhes in his last moments of life. 
A heavy silence settles in the room when the vampire collapses to the floor, his once-imposing form reduced to nothing more than a pile of dust and ashes. My heart still pounds uncontrollably in my chest, and my breath is rapid and irregular as I try to process what has just happened.
With a trembling sigh, I release Elara and let myself fall to my knees on the floor, the adrenaline beginning to dissipate and giving way to a wave of overwhelming exhaustion. My hands shake as I touch my injured wrist, a throbbing pain echoing through me. But despite the physical pain, I feel a deep sense of relief, realizing that we are safe, at least for now. I blink, still feeling my face wet with tears.
Aaron approaches, his eyes filled with concern as he kneels beside me. I feel a comforting warmth emanate from him as he wraps me in his strong arms, and I allow myself to sink against his chest, seeking solace in his reassuring presence. 
"You're hurt, Amy.", he whispers, touching my wrist, and I moan in pain. 
Elara hugs her father tightly, and I sigh at the beautiful scene before me. I look at my bruised skin, feeling pain as I open and close my hand. 
"It's all right now.", Aaron whispers, embracing us both. I close my eyes tightly, placing my hands around his neck. I'm hugging my vampire husband, but I don't care about that detail right now.
I sigh in relief and fear at the same time, feeling more tears in my eyes. I quickly realized that I now live in a completely dangerous world where I could easily die. I cry on Aaron's shoulder, and he kisses my forehead tenderly. There is no love or feelings between us; he is only protecting me. 
"Daddy, I was so scared something would happen to you..." 
"I'm here, my love.", he says, kissing Elara's face, and seconds later, his eyes fix on mine. 
"Are they all dead?", I ask in a low voice, and he nods. I sigh, pulling away, and seconds later, we all head to Elara's room, where Aaron tucks his daughter in before we head to the living room.
"You don't need to see this, Amy.", he says, touching my shoulder, and I quickly shake my head. 
"I want to see it. If I'm living in a world where vampires want to kill me, then I have to get used to this kind of situation." 
I should be looking at the living room destroyed by the vampires, but I blink, watching Aaron's mother coming toward us, realizing she also fought against the vampires. 
"Where is my granddaughter?", she asks worriedly.
 "Elara is safe and sound, Mother."
I widen my eyes as I look at her body, noticing blood staining her clothes. I feel my body tremble as I see Aaron running toward her. 
"Mom!"