We continue on the way we were heading before we were so rudely interrupted by the vampire. Caleb stops by the exit, pointing to a few drops of crimson that lead outwards. It doesn't help us much. We had always known that we would be going through the other side of the tunnel, but at least we now have proof that we are heading in the right direction.

The tunnel opens up into an empty street and the trail of blood leads us towards a dark and dense forest. It looms over us, dark and foreboding, unbelievably eerie in the moonlight. Zach is somewhere in there, but so are the seven vampires who are holding him captive.

"Jennings," Caleb says as we look at the mass of trees in front of us. He lowers his gun until its pointing at the floor, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "What are we doing? This is beyond dangerous. We don't even have a plan."

I gulp, knowing his right. Seven vampires sounds like a small number, but when I actually consider what they are, it seems impossible. I've been blinded by my determination to save Zach, too focussed on the rescue mission to properly consider the ramifications of this. The truth is, that the chances of us walking out of this are slim to none.

Zach and Caleb are far more experienced than I am and they couldn't do this, what makes me think that I can?

I try to keep my voice from trembling as I answer, but it betrays me, shaking slightly with each word. "We do have a plan. Get in. Save Zach. Get out."

"That's not a plan." Caleb shakes his head quickly. "That's a death wish."

His words sting, mostly because they are the truth, laid bare between us. I'm asking too much of him, and I know it. "Caleb, I told you before, you can still back out."

Is Zach's life worth Caleb's as well as your own?

"And let you face this alone?" He looks at me incredulously, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Are you insane?"

It's not too late to turn around. Caleb and I can go back to headquarters and forget about this. We will mourn Zach and miss him terribly, but we will live. For a moment, I allow myself to think about the possibility of giving up. I know that if I suggested it, Caleb would follow me and we could pretend this whole night ever happened, maybe continue taking the vampires down one by one, minus a teammate.

But then, we would never know what happened to Zach, if he was turned or simply killed. We would never get to see his rare smiles, or watch his ocean eyes fill with mirth. I would never get to call him Zacharias again or tease him about his jokes. Caleb would lose his best friend and Lideri his successor who he has come to view as his own child. And I would lose the person that brings out the best in me, the man whose touch somehow makes my fear melt away.

We can't give up on him. My heart won't allow it.

Mind made up, I turn to Caleb, raising my bow in the air, ready for another sneak attack. "Let's go then."

We traipse into the forest, taking care to step over fallen branches, following a winding pathway. Every so often, Caleb points out a drop of blood that lets us know we are going the right way. The only sounds are of crickets chirping somewhere in the distance, twigs crackling beneath our feet and the occasional rustling of leaves.

The pathway narrows and Caleb and I have to walk single file, with him in front and me bringing up the rear. I try to keep my breathing even, my ears peeled for any signs of life apart from those of the forest. The walk seems endless, punctuated with the occasional stop to search for tell-tale crimson spots.

Finally, the path opens up to a clearing. The canopy of leaves only letting in small slivers of moonlight. My heart lurches and my breath catches in my throat as I take in the sight in front of me. Zach, tied to a tree, bleeding profusely. He's not moving, his head lolling against his chest.

It's impossible to tell where all the blood is coming from. His jacket has been removed, revealing the once-white shirt underneath. Crimson seems to cover every inch of his skin. It trails out of a large cut on his forehead, dripping down to his shirt, but I know that's not the only wound on him, there's too much of it to only come from there.

I take a tentative step into the clearing, glancing around for any of the vampires. When I don't see anything, I move faster towards where Zach is tied, desperate to cut him loose, to see if he's still breathing.

But I only make it about halfway when I'm interrupted by a voice that comes out of the darkness. "Not another step, Henry's girl."

Chills dance up my spine as vampires begin to walk out of the thick trees surrounding the clearing. They circle around me and Caleb, closing in on us. One of them goes straight over to Zach, tangling his fingers in his hair and lifting up his head to expose his neck.

"Put your weapons down now." The vampire's eyes flash red. Judging by his voice, it's the same one that spoke before. When Caleb and I both hesitate, he speaks again. "Put them down or its game over for your friend here."

In another life, he might have been the kind of person on the street you would greet as you pass. With cropped brown hair that is peppered with grey, a short stature and broad shoulders, he looks to be roughly in his late forties. Beneath the crimson eyes and elongated teeth, he appears to have had friendly features and a wide smile.

But now, that smile is menacing and what once would have been called friendly is now threatening.

Caleb slowly lowers his gun to the ground and then lifts his hands in surrender. With one last glance at Zach, I follow suit with my bow and quiver, my hands trembling as I raise them in the air.

"We were hoping you would come here, Henry's girl," the vampire says.

Caleb was right all along, this was a trap. "W-why?" I ask.

"Henry instructed that we should take care of you if anything ever happened to him. Which we would have gladly done. However, it has recently come to my attention that you played a part in his murder," he sneers. "You've made that clear by coming here with him, loaded to the hilt with weapons." He nods in Caleb's direction, disgust laced through his voice.

"What do you want?" I manage to keep the stutter from my voice, tilting my chin up in defiance.

"Justice, Peyton Jennings," he snaps. "You are the reason that Henry turned us. The reason we can't go home to our families. It's because of you that we have become blood-thirsty killers."

His words catch me completely off guard, as I realise how truthful they are. Tears fill my eyes and I would give anything for him to take them back, wishing I could snatch them from the air and shove them back into his mouth. I've ruined all their lives, simply because I have crap taste in men.

"I-I'm sorry," I choke. Regret swirls through my stomach, threatening to engulf me. I used to believe that I had met Henry for a reason; that I was meant to be a Hunter. But right now, I wish I'd never even seen him. I want to rewind time to night of that party and stay at home instead.

The vampire eyes me for a long moment, watching as I wipe the tears from my cheeks. "Your apology means nothing. I have half a mind to kill both of your boyfriends and make you watch-,"

"No!" I shout, my panic overtaking my regret for a moment. "No, please. I'll do anything."

"I suppose I can be convinced to do a trade," he smirks.

His words hang, heavy in the air and it takes a moment for the implications to set in. As always, Caleb clicks faster than I do. "No way. You're not taking Peyton."

"It's her choice, Hunter." The vampire crosses his arms against his chest, his red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "She can stay, or all three of you can die."

But there's no choice here really. This started with me, and now it has to end with me. I've ruined enough lives with my poor choices and I won't let Zach and Caleb die because of me. The vampire was right. This is all my fault, Henry turned them because of me and if they want justice, then I should be the one to pay the price.

Caleb seems to realise my decision at the exact same time that I make it. He shakes his head furiously, his hand reaching out to grab mine. "No, Jennings. Don't even think about it. We can take them."

We might be able to, but at what cost?

Is Caleb's life worth Zach's as well as your own?

No it's not.

Zach and Caleb both have to survive this and this is the only way. If it means that they leave me behind, then so be it. I have no idea what the vampires actually want with me, but if my death means that my team makes it out alive, then I'm okay with that.

"I want your assurance," I address the vampire, ignoring Caleb. "That if I stay, Zach and Caleb will be allowed to leave."

He nods once, his eyes shifting to a dark brown. "You have my word." I'm not sure if I believe him, but I don't have much of a choice.

"Jennings-," Caleb starts.

"Caleb, get Zach." I cut him off. When I see his hesitation I add, "Now."

He still doesn't move an inch, staring at me wide eyed. I cast a glance towards the vampires who are all staring at us and step closer to him. "Please, do this for me. Get yourself and Zach out of here."

He shakes his head furiously, tears welling in his eyes. "Jennings-,"

"I'll be fine." I lean forward and place my lips on his cheek in a soft kiss. "Please," I add in a whisper.

He glances at the vampire still standing near Zach. "I can't-,"

"You can," I mutter as my heart shatters into a thousand tiny pieces. I'm never going to get the chance to resolve things with him. Nor will I ever be able to tell Zach how I really feel. I'm going to die without either of them knowing how much they mean to me. "I'm sorry."

There's so much I want to say, so many things that I want to tell him, to ask of him. But we have an audience, and the words won't come. Instead, I squeeze his hand softly, hoping to convey just how important he is to me with that final touch, before letting him go completely.

Caleb squeezes his eyes shut for a moment, nodding slowly before approaching the tree that Zach is tied to. The vampire steps aside to allow Caleb to cut Zach loose, using one of the daggers from his boots. Zach falls limply forward into Caleb's arms and Caleb staggers slightly under the weight but manages to stay upright.

I watch with blurry vision, as Caleb slings Zach's arm over his shoulder and slowly walks out of the clearing.

I breathe a sigh of relief that they made it out okay, attempting to wipe the tears from my cheeks. It's useless; they fall in a relentless rhythm as silence descends over the clearing again. I choke back a sob and turn to the vampire who seems to do all the speaking. "So what now? You're going to kill me? Turn me?" I try sound braver than I feel, but my voice shakes and the tears continue to stream down. "Eat me?"

The red gleam is back in his eyes as he opens his mouth to answer. But, before he can, there's a whistling sound and a flash of silver. The next thing I know, his head has been severed from his neck, Caleb stands behind him, panting heavily, his sword raised.

The head falls to the ground, closely followed by the body, both of them burst into flames that reflect in Caleb's eyes.

"Six to go," Caleb mutters, turning towards me with a triumphant grin.

It takes a moment for the other vampires to realise what's happened, and then, all hell breaks loose.