Isabelle bent her head as she shuddered. It was time to concede defeat. There was no use fighting against the inevitable. She wanted him, and God help her, she was beginning to need him. She felt empty and alone whenever he wasn't near. Why fight something if it was meant to be? Why keep putting herself, and him, through this torture?
She straightened away from the wall. All she wanted to do now was go home. She was grabbing for the handle when a thick, large hand snatched her arm and spun her around. Isabelle cried out when her back hit the wall.
"Look at this!" a man cried.
Isabelle blinked in surprise at the four men in front of her; one was tall and blond, another short with red hair, and the other two of average height with brown hair. Their eyes leeringly scanned her body. She stiffened angrily and stepped away from the wall. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.
Then, the smell of them hit her. She instantly recognized what they were as their eyes came back to hers. "Well, I'll be," the redhead said as his eyes surveyed her again.
Isabelle's hands clenched, but she didn't make a move. They were her kind, but unlike the feeling she experienced on first meeting Stefan, dread coiled within her belly. She forced herself not to show it, forced her face to remain impassive as they surveyed her. They smelled awful; they smelled wrong.
They smelled like death. She knew these were the ones of her kind who took pleasure in killing humans and thrived off the power it gave them. She had never encountered anything like them before, but she’d heard about them. She'd just never thought she would meet them.
"Excuse me," Isabelle said coldly.
"No need to get so haughty," the blond said. "We've never run across a female of our kind so lovely before. We're a little curious."
"Your curiosity has been satisfied; I need to get back inside."
She moved to go around them, but the blond grabbed her arm and shoved her back. Isabelle released a small hiss. "Oh, she's a feisty one," he leered.
"I like it," one of the brunettes said.
"Let me by," she spat.
"Just calm down, gorgeous," the redhead said. "We just want to talk to you."
"Let me by!"
"I don't like her attitude."
"Neither do I," the blond agreed.
"And I don't like yours!" she shouted.
"I think she needs a lesson in manners."
"So do I," the other brunette said.
She tilted her chin defiantly. "Trust me, you won't be the one to give it to me," she snarled.
They all exchanged quick, smug looks. "I always wondered what our kind tastes like. She smells sweet."
Fear caused the demon inside of her to burst free. She lashed out, tearing across the blond's chest and spilling his tainted blood. He jumped back in surprise as his face twisted into a grimace. She rushed to the side, determined to get back inside while he was off guard. A hand seized hold of her hair, ripping her back, and slamming her into a massive, solid chest. The blond quickly recovered, his eyes blazing red as he came at her again. The other two came forward; their teeth gleaming in the dim lights of the alley, their eyes a vivid, malevolent red.
Full-fledged panic tore through her as she clawed at the hands holding her hair. Satisfaction spurted through her as she tore into his skin. A ferocious snarl echoed in her ear, but the grip didn't lessen as her head was jerked back with a sharp crack that sent pain blazing down her neck. The redhead and one of the brunettes grabbed her arms and pinned them to her sides as the blond stopped before her. She kicked out at him, but he deftly avoided her as he came to her side.
Panting heavily, Isabelle's terror was starting to consume her. For some reason, a picture of Stefan formed in her mind. She silently screamed his name as the blond’s teeth sank into her neck. She lost all thought as agonizing pain tore through her body, blurred her vision, and knocked all the fight out of her.
Her entire body felt as if flames engulfed it and fire licked over every inch of her skin. It seared the marrow from her bones. She wanted to break free, but she found herself unable to move through the agony tearing her body to shreds.
A loud roar echoed in her ears moments before the teeth were ripped from her neck tearing across her skin. She stumbled back, slamming into the wall, as her hand touched the jagged tears in her neck.
"Isabelle!" She blinked dazedly at Stefan as he grabbed hold of her shoulders. "Isabelle, are you all right?"
She focused on him as his eyes blazed blood red. She opened her mouth to tell him she was fine, but a wave of blackness pulled her under.
Stefan swept her up into his arms, cradling her head against his chest as his hands wrapped into her silken hair. A wave of protection washed over him, pushing out some of his fury. Then, he thought about what could have happened to her, and the anger blazed forth again. He anxiously scanned the alley, searching for any sign they might still be around. He hoped they were so he could rip them to shreds. But they were all gone, including Jack and Ian.
Stefan pulled back her hair; the rage in him nearly exploded as he saw the jagged lacerations on her delicate skin. His hands were shaking as he lightly touched the marks. She whimpered but didn't awaken. He instantly dropped his hand; a snarl curled his lips as he cradled her. The constricting pain in his chest was almost unbearable as he realized he could have lost her.
He bit back a roar as he quickly scanned the alley again. He should have gone after them himself, but he couldn’t leave her side until he knew she was okay and they hadn't destroyed her.
Jack
