Courtney's POV: Very much later that night, I lay awake, snuggling a glass picture frame of my parents. Tears dribbled down my cheeks and stained the dark colored 베개 my head was cushioned by. Duncan was already asleep in his bed, where I was also but nothing happened, and it was about two in the morning. I still haven't gotten any sleep, and I was dying to tell Duncan I 사랑 him without being too abrupt.

I missed my parents dearly. I never knew them, and I wish I had. I've heard so many interesting things about them from Tiannah and her Aunt Claire who were neighbors of my parents. My dad was a cop and my mom was a social worker. My stepdad... well he can fuck off, I mean it. I liked it better when I lived with Tiannah.

Uknowingly, my eyes fluttered shut and I drifted off.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The 다음 morning, Duncan's side of the 침대 was unmade, and I knew he was up already. I stretched my arms above my head and yawned, slipping out of the 침대 and moving downstairs.

No sign of him downstairs.

Weird.

Well, he could be outside in a tree. That's his 가장 좋아하는 이모 spot, after all.

SHUT UP, CONSCIENCE!!!

I went ahead and poured 우유 and Cheerios into a bowl for myself and a bowl for Duncan, going outside to look for him.

He wasn't in any of the trees LOL, and he wasn't anywhere in the house. His motorcycle was still parked in the driveway, so he must not have gone anywhere.

I went back inside and placed the bowls on the table, searching the 부엌, 주방 for anything that might tell me where he was.

It was probably about an 시간 long 검색 throughout the entire house, when I fell back onto the 침상, 소파 and sobbed.

Was he OK? was all that popped into my mind at that point.

Suddenly, I looked up toward the 부엌, 주방 again, and my breath caught in my throat.

I saw a note, taped to the hallway 벽 near the kitchen.

Getting up uneasily, I walked over and tore the note off the wall, 읽기 it nervously.

"Courtney, as I wish to apply only the best for 당신 in life, I have here your little 이모 friend held hostage. If 당신 wish to free him, 당신 must return the 목걸이 당신 스톨, 훔친 from your mom's old room."

THE NECKLACE!!!

I forgot I even had it!

I don't even remember getting 또는 finding it.

How strange...

"If 당신 wish for your friend to stay alive, I will need to make a sacrifice for his bad blood. I'm sorry, Courtney, but this is the only way I can ensure 당신 will have a 안전한, 안전 life."

Tears poured down my cheeks at the thought of Duncan's "sacrifice". Was he going to die? Was he gonna turn human? Was I going to die?! I don't know.

I held my breath as I read the last of the note.

"Sincerely... Dad."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Duncan's POV: I awoke, drowsy, and handcuffed to a metal pipe. I was in a basement, but I had no idea where the fuck I was besides that.

All I remember doing is playing video games with Courtney, getting tired and going to bed. Then I remember some guy hitting me on the back of the head wih a pan 또는 something and blacking out.

And here I am!

Wow, it's amazing even in the darkest times I still have a sense of humor.

A door opened and the man came downstairs.

"What do 당신 want!?" I hissed, my fangs dangerously close to being exposed.

"Shhh!" He said in a hushed whisper. "I'm Courtney's father."

My eyes widened. "I thought 당신 were dead..."

"So did I. But really only her mother died in the fire. I was badly injured, judging on how I got 집 from a night shift after the 불, 화재 started."

His voice was sympathetic and deep, like he was an old man. Well, he was burned so his vocal chords could have been damaged.

"What do 당신 want from me !?"

"I only want to make sure that if you're going to 날짜 my daughter, nothing bad happens."

He leaned in closer. "I know you're a vampire."

My breah shallowed in my chest and I turned pale. "How do 당신 know?"

He held up the picture Courtney found in the old house between two fingers.

"I know this is you."

I nodded. "What do 당신 want? I'll do anything 당신 say."

"I don't want 당신 around my daughter." He looked into my eyes, his brown hair hanging over his face a bit. "You need to be bled and left for a period of time before being filled with human blood."

"What the fuck !!!"

"I'm sorry, but this is the best for 당신 and my daughter."

"So 당신 want to kill me ?!"

He chewed his lip thoughtfully, as though not certain how to object. "Not kill, per say, just a rather mundane act. All that happens is you'll be put under an anesthesiatic, your blood will be replaced, and you'll wake up."

I eyed him suspiciously, trying to hide my silver eyes under my hair. "What's in it for me?"

"I'll let 당신 날짜 my daughter." He folded his hands.

I still didn't trust him. I didn't want to take my chances on him, so out of complete adrenaline, I swung back and slapped him hard across the face, a cracking sound erupting from his cheek.

He turned his head back and rubbed his cheek, faint black and blue spreading across it in the dark. He looked at me angrily, vehemence in his stare.

In one 빠른, 스위프트 motion, he had a gleaming dagger in his hand and me backed against the 벽 - and I let out a strangled scream when the 칼, 나이프 forced into my side.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY OF THIS ARTICLE, I HAD A LOT TO DEAL WITH, BUT HERE IT IS !!! !!! !!!