Chapter 19

Logan couldn't drive back home, because there was no home without Ashley. He thought about how boring and empty his penthouse would be without her. Jessica had joined them at the front of the tall Johnson News, daily building as they all sat down on the pavement waiting. for their next move. It was already night, and everyone was tired and exhausted from waiting for Eric's call. Finally, Logan's phone began to vibrate.



"Hello."



"How was your day?" The husky voice chuckled from the other end of the phone.



"It was fine." Logan tried to ignore the sarcasm in Eric's tone.



"I will send you an address. You will go there and drop 10 million dollars alongside four humans strapped to a chair."



"Are you and your boys already running hungry?" Logan smiled.



"You run a club it shouldn't be hard for you." Eric cut the line.



Curious, Tyler couldn't wait to know how the conversation went. "How much does he want?"



"10 million dollars and four humans alive."

"Humans!" Jessica shouted.



"They are vampires, what do you expect?" Logan said sarcastically.



"Will I ever see my best friend again?" Jessica panicked.



"Yes, I will see my lover again." Logan tried to calm her down. Even when he knew he was far from being calm in this situation.



"Why shouldn't we just involve the cops?" Jessica asked. Tyler scoffed and said "Because it is more than them, they can't handle Eric and his goons. It will just be us giving them more meat on their plates."



"Let's get going," Logan commanded.



"To where?" Jessica asked.



"Jessica, Tyler will take you home and stay with you to make sure you are safe. I can't put two amazing humans at risk on the same day."



"Promise me she will be okay," she looked at Logan, too weak to argue.



"I promise," he answered. She knew they had the plan to save her best friend but her dilemma was; what happened if their well-detailed plan failed?



Logan gave Tyler his car keys. "Be safe, buddy."



"And you too," they shook hands as they separated.




____









Ashley was terrified of her situation, she overheard some parts of the conversations among the men which made her more terrified. She had pretended to pass out after the so-called giant had slapped her. She loathed every bit of the conversation and wondered how cruel could this world be, and how could people have a bad heart like this. And think about violence with no feeling of remorse. She wished there was a way she could signal her lover not to bother about her, at least let there would be a survivor between the two of them.





Ashley realized that Eric the giant and his crew wanted to kill both of them. She was just a piece of meat in this den of lions as they salivate whenever they throw their gaze toward her. Her only reason for being alive was unlike regular meat, she was the bait they set for her lover; how vulnerable do the people we love make us look? Ashley wished they could drain her blood and get it over with; she was exhausted, hungry, thirsty, and tired, and she wanted something to eat or drink. Her pretense came to a halt when she heard her lover's name on the lips of who she had come to believe was their leader.



"Logan, I want you to drop the money at the exact spot where you broke my hand, and remember; I do not want anybody there," he commanded then switched off the call and looked at his boys. "Don't get sloppy." Eric the giant uttered to his men.



"Yes, boss." They bowed, then cracked their guns and walked out without driving their car. They had a perfectly laid plan, trying to use their speed as vampires to their advantage. It was easy to get in and get out a plan for them.



According to Eric, Logan was to drop the money in the backdoor of his club and leave. His boys would hijack three vehicles on their way to the Tropicana nightclub. Parking is at individual locations and when they finally get to the club. They would evaluate the place and make sure there was no trap waiting for them. Pick the money and the humans and walk out. Changing their vehicles with their speed and going back to the train station and spending the night there before coming back to their hideout.



Ashley opened her eyes and couldn't see anything any longer. They had returned her blindfold. She found herself doing something, it was at this moment she feared for her life the most. How was everything going to end up for her? She prayed silently as she wept. She hadn't been to church since the 5th grade. But if truly there was a God, then he should intervene because people like Eric were not supposed to be victorious in anything that they did.



Ashley lost the little fate that she had just gained. She could hear bottles clinging to each other, humans screaming in pain and Agony as their scream fades little by little until she could not hear them anymore, they had stripped them of their zeal to live again. Ashley was angry at Logan for giving them what they wanted, if only they could communicate, she would tell him not to bother about her anymore. How many needed to die because of her? How much will he sacrifice for her sake? How much more of his money would he spend? When should he ever stop? How much was she worth in Logan's place?



Ashley had wished for this to be a dream, one of those terrible nightmares that seized coming whenever she lay with Logan. Maybe he had traveled and she couldn't sleep only with these nightmares. The sight that welcomed Ashley as her blindfold was being removed made her scream. Four bodies, laying lifeless in their pool of blood.



"Just kill me!" she begged. Everyone could hear the agony in her voice.



"I will baby girl. Just be patient." Eric answered with a smirk.



"Why not now?"



"Because your boyfriend still loves you. This means only one thing. Care to know why baby girl?" Ashley hated this man with every fiber in her, she wished she could just pull his heart out and kill him once and for all but that was never going to happen.



It was okay to dream of wishes where horses and beggars will ride. Ashley refused to ask him, he came closer and slapped Ashley. "This is the point you ask me, why." Ashley's spacing out blood triggered the vampires in the building but their fear for Eric did not make them pounce on her.



"Why?" She reluctantly asked.



"Because you are his weak spot and I have bigger plans for you." Eric chuckled.