I could see Rose sprinting ahead of me, her silver stake gleaming in her hand, like a Goddess of revenge, lithe and strong.

Fury radiated from every nerve of her body as she confronted each Strigoi with a deadly grace.

In the dim light from Ms Carmack's fire, I could barely keep a watch around me. We were retreating after saving six hostages.

We had lost a lot of Gaurdian and Moroi alike in the deadly attack on St Vladimir's. The rescue mission was a failure too. We had lost so many of our kind. Gripping my stake firmly I kept moving towards the exit which was lit by the faint light of dusk.

There were Strigoi chasing us. Escape was tough. Suddenly I heard a scream and saw a Strigoi pounce on Celeste.

Oh my God! There was blood all around. Blood  and Death! They had been waiting to ambush us.

They had let Rose's group pass. I was thankful to God for that. I couldn't bear for her to get hurt in any way.

One more Strigoi followed the first. He went straight for Ms Carmack. Janine effortlessly shielded the Moroi deflecting  the Strigoi's attack. He stumbled forward.

I gripped my stake firmly as I saw them grapple with each other. Janine was getting a strong hold on that guy.

Suddenly something hit me from behind. It was as if a boulder had fallen on me.I was caught by surprise and winced in pain as the thing pinned me to the floor.

I tried to wriggle out of the iron grip. My stake had fallen out of my hand.

The Strigoi with his pallor, chin length blond  hair and ruthless red rimmed eyes just held  me like a broken twig.

For the first time in my life I realised that I was going to die. It was one of those times when you realise death coming. You can hear his footsteps in the dark.

You can't fight, you can't scream. You can just passively wait for him to come. To take you into a world from where no one returns.

Suddenly the events of yesterday flashed before my mind. I was going to break my promise to Roza to protect her.

I was going to leave her now...forever. I tried  with all my strength to heave him away but to no avail.

I could see the fangs nearing my artery threatening to spill my life blood, snatching me from The the face of the earth.

I tried to look at Roza who had frozen. I could imagine her trying  to get through to me. She was definitely too brave and caring to leave me. I tried to scream to her that I have loved her ever since I saw her. I wanted to apologise for breaking my promised.

But the lump in my throat prevented me from uttering a single word. Even Janine was dithering.

The world spun around me as the vile creature sank his teeth into my neck. The initial sting of the bite was lost in the drugging effect of powerful endorphins. As the numbing poison took control of my body, making me weak and vulnerable.

I was losing myself. It was like hanging at the edge of a cliff with my powers ebbing out of me.

The  world grew fainter. I couldn't hang on to life any longer. I let go the edge of life.I heard Rose scream.

The darkness engulfed me and I found myself falling into the bottomless abyss of death.