A strong grip on my shoulder jolted me awake. "I'm sorry to do this but I have to take you to the basement." Brandon stood next to the bed holding a lit-up touch screen phone.

Judging by the sun outside of the open window, it was mid-day. I had slept at least eight hours which was more than I've slept in years. My limbs stretched, they felt stronger, more energized. Given last nights events, I had expected endless nightmares, but my sleep had been nice and dreamless. I stared at Brandon in a daze. What had happened last night in here? It had to have been him. What was he? One of my questions trumped the others, "what did I do wrong?" My voice sounded different today, healthier.

Brandon scratched the back of his messy, blonde hair. "I'm not sure, babe. It was Derek's decision not mine."

My heart sank and a wave of nausea hit me. I didn't want to see him. Hell, I didn't want to think of him. Jared was a bad person; a lying, manipulating, abusive, son of a bitch who deserved to go to hell. But Derek, Derek had surpassed Jared. Derek was a monster handcrafted by Satan himself. I scooted back in the bed until my back rested against the headboard and brought my knees to my chest. "Don't make me go down there. Please, I'm begging you. You seem like a decent person. That man is a monster and he..." I stopped short. I had no words to describe what he had done to me. I was conscious of what happened, but I couldn't formulate it into a sentence.

Brandon sat at the edge of the bed. "I know. I've seen many girls come and go through here. But just a few more hours, okay? Remember what I told you. By this time tonight we will be gone."

A knock came from the door and I jumped. "Shhh. Don't say a word," Brandon warned before speeding to the door and yanking it open.

"Did you get my text? As much as I would hate to pull you away from your playtime, she needs to pay for what she did last night." Derek's voice made my skin crawl.

Brandon leaned against the door, keeping it only slightly ajar so Derek couldn't see me. "Yeah I got it. Sorry I kept her for so long. I was just about to drink from her and then we were going to head down. Never mind though, I'll have her down in a second."

"You wanted to drink from a human? It must be a blue moon tonight," Derek mocked. "It's always a treat when your fangs grace us with their presence. You can drink from her in the basement. What I have planned won't take long."

"Got it. Be right there." Brandon shut the door and leaned against it. "Fuck," he whispered.

We locked eyes. He looked tired and drained. His eyes were pale, like the color had been sucked out of them. "Sorry. I'm usually much better at lying but last night took a lot out of me."

I hopped off the bed and walked towards him, careful not to get too close. "You've done so much for me. Don't be sorry. I'll do whatever you want," I took a deep breath. I can't believe I'm about to say these words. "I trust you."

Brandon flashed me a light-hearted smile. "That's so good to hear. Today will be rough, but I will keep my word, love."

I nodded. "Alright. I think I'm ready." I wasn't, but I never will be so now is as good of time as any.

Derek had gotten his staff to prop the mattress originally in the middle of the room off to the side. Now the only thing that remained in the center was a single chair that Derek accompanied. It was black leather with crimson red cuffs dangling from one of the chair legs. I was wrong before; as small as this basement was, it was just as scary as Finnigan and Tanner's torture chambers.

I shivered. My flight or fight response was screaming at me to dash back up the steps and never look back. Brandon must have noticed because he placed his hand on my shoulder as we reached the bottom of the steps.

My eyes focused on my bare feet. No way was I going to meet this bastard's eyes. I could feel his on me, boring into my head. "Take that shirt off. You don't deserve it."

"It's not a big deal Derek. I have tons of shirts." Brandon argued in my defense.

"That may be true, but I'd hate to turn it red with her blood." I could hear the smug smile in Derek's voice. It made me shudder.

I slipped Brandon's t-shirt off and handed it to him, leaving me in only a bra. Normally I would try to cover up, but I found myself standing straight with my arms at my sides. Sadly, it was nothing neither of them hadn't seen before. There wasn't any point in trying to hide.

"Come sit, Jess. How was the rest of your night?" Derek tapped a spot on the floor with his boot. I gulped. I didn't want to go near him but I thought back to Brandon's promise. This was the last day. I walked slowly over to the leather chair and sat cross legged where he had motioned without a word. I could feel his anger emanating from him. What did he have the right to be angry about? "You're missing your manners, girl. I asked you a question." Derek said through gritted teeth.

I looked up at Brandon who was still at the foot of the stairs. He was looking down at me with a worried expression. He wanted me to behave and I know I should but not this time. I couldn't give this fucker my respect.

"You don't deserve them anymore." I whispered. I thought the words would have felt liberating coming out of my mouth, but they were nothing but. Each one stung as it came out, like I was stabbing my own tongue by uttering them.

A low laugh came from Derek. A laugh so hearty that it shook the chair that I was leaning up against. "What did you just say?"

I froze. The regret from my word choice was getting stronger by the second. If I back out now, I'll look like an idiot and a coward. If I continue to push his buttons, I'll get myself into worse trouble and look like I've lost it. But what did it matter anyway? Tears came to my eyes. I was breaking down again. I need to get out of my own head. "Y-you heard me," I whispered even lower.

Derek grabbed me by the throat and slammed me into the back wall of the basement. My feet grasped at the air around them. I was eye level with Derek but the majority of his face was covered by his long hair. The light from the single bulb hardly reached this far into the room. If I didn't already know his features I wouldn't have been able to make them out. "Now we get to have fun." He threw me to the floor and disappeared. I scrambled into a ball. Why the fuck did I piss him off? I glanced around. That couldn't have been it. Where did he go? I stood shakily and leaned against the wall. The right side of my body burned from sliding against the cement. My eyes strained to see the stairs across the room. Brandon was gone too. I took a couple steps away from the wall towards the light. When he gets back I'm going to apologize. Maybe if I'm sincere enough he will let me off easy.

I took another step. As I set my foot down I heard the faint clang of metal connecting with the pavement. I froze. It came from the left of me. "D-derek?" I whispered. The clang sounded again but louder. It was coming closer. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have opened my mouth." I admitted. Two more clangs, both louder than the others. I flinched. This wasn't good. I took a deep breath. Think Jess. What do you do? You can't stay put, you're a sitting duck. I looked toward the light and the stairs, they were completely unguarded. It was my only option I had to run for it. But that was suicide wasn't it? That's the one thing you're never supposed to do when serving a vampire. It got me nowhere yesterday either. Another clang sounded directly behind me. This time I could hear it clearly and the realization hit me, that's the sound of a metal bat hitting the floor.

I took off toward the stairs. My feet were moving so quickly that they barely hit the floor. I didn't know what Derek had planned but I wasn't going to stick around to find out. A chuckle filled the room and my heart dropped. He wanted this, didn't he? My feet were about to bound up the stairs when a cold hard object connected with my left calf sending me tumbling backward. I let out an ear-piercing scream. I landed on my head hard and the room went completely black for a moment. My leg was broken I just knew it. Tears streamed down my eyes. "Fuck!" I screamed. I tried my best to move from my position without moving my leg but everything hurt. I sat up, glanced at my leg, and screamed again. My bone was sticking out of my leg. That wasn't supposed to happen!

"That's for trying to run out on me last night, bitch." Derek whispered in my ear. I slammed my eyes shut. My leg was throbbing, and I was beginning to hyperventilate. The last thing I wanted to see right now was Derek's face. "No, no, no. Open those eyes of yours Jessica. I want you to look at me."

I shook my head, "my leg hurts so much. No more, please. I'm so sorry."

"Open your God damn eyes or I break the other one."