• “Wake up, human.” A cold voice demanded, “Never trust a pit master.”
    I tried to feel my eyes, but they were heavier than lead. My fingertip twitched. “She’s awake.” A female snickered, “They probably overdosed on the drugs. “
    I managed a soft moan as I tried to move. My body felt dead as I managed to get my lips to move. “I can’t move…” I mumbled.
    The first voice laughed. “Overdosed.” The girl laughed.
    Suddenly I could feel my body again. It tingled with sleep as I jerked upright, my eyes flying open. My eyes wheeled in their sockets, landing on every face but one. There were two girls and boys in the little room. The girls were holding me down while one boy tossed a needle aside. I leapt to my feet, instantly defensive. They laughed. “Trust me human, if we wanted to hurt you, we would have done it already.” The second girl laughed.
    The second boy rose from the wooden crate he was sitting on. “What’s the age?” he asked a girl.
    “Zill, she has a brain.” The first boy laughed.
    “Shut it Zeek.” Zill snapped.
    He laughed anyways. “What’s your age human?” A girl asked.
    “Fifteen.” I stated flatly, “My pit name is Aki.”
    I shivered as Zill walked in a loose circle around me. “She’s too thin, Sylar.” He murmured.
    Sylar flicked her auburn hair. “We can fix that easily, brother.”
    Zill arched an eyebrow as Sylar smirked. “As long as your happy brother, we won’t let harm come to this human.” She promised.
    “How loving…” I murmured.
    “What did you say?” Zeek demanded.
    “Nothing.” I stated.
    “Didn’t think so.” Zeek growled, “It’d be a shame for my brother to lose such fine blood.”
    I felt my skin crawl as Zeek’s finger touched the back of my neck. “She’s nervous!” He laughed mercilessly.
    I grit my teeth as Zill grabbed both of my hands in one of his long, cold ones. I fought the urge to shiver as Zill’s hands tightened slightly around mine. A soft growl came from one of them as I sighed. “Something wrong?” Zill asked softly.
    “It’s too bright here.” I murmured.
    They laughed again. I sighed again, suddenly tired. Vampires don’t need sleep, but Humans can’t go without it. I fought my eyelids as Zill released my hands. “Do we have food suitable for humans?” Zill asked softly.
    Sylar nodded once. “Get it please?” Zill turned to look at his sister.
    Sylar smirked before disappearing. A slow shudder made my flesh crawl as Zill’s cold hands rested on my shoulders. “Are you scared?” He whispered.
    I didn’t answer. He laughed. “What are you afraid of?” He chuckled.
    “How about four vamps in one room with a pit fighter?” I snapped, “We are forced to kill and live on the edge of death and betrayal.”
    This time they didn’t laugh. Zill’s fingers tightened painfully around my shoulders. Zeek’s eyes flickered over to us. “Be careful brother,” Zeek’s eyes narrowed, “She’s not as durable as us.”
    The second girl laughed as Zill practically threw me. I grunted as I stumbled into Zeek. He shoved me, much too hard for a human, into Sylar. Sylar shrieked as I crashed into her. I screamed as Sylar kicked me away, my bones screaming for mercy. I could smell the food now. It made my stomach curl with hunger and revulsion. I couldn’t remember my last decent meal as Sylar practically dropped the plate in my lap. I gasped at the burn as the hot food chased the cold away. I took one bite and jumped as it burned my tongue. They laughed once again. My eyes watered as I picked the food apart with my cold fingers. I shuddered as warmth flooded my freezing hands. “Thank you.” I whispered.
    I heard them gasp as I looked up. I arched an eyebrow. “What?”
    “You know manners!” The silent girl gasped.
    “Yeah.” I stated softly, “Most of us know manners, but choose not to use them. I learned it’s easier to be a kiss-a** than a bad-a**.”
    They laughed. “Told you she had brains, Shay.” Sylar laughed.
    Shay shook her head, a slight sneer on her lips, “Humans just think they’ll get their way if they piss us off.”
    I stared. “We just don’t like you.” I sighed, instantly regretting it.
    Her hand flew faster than I could track and I flew backwards, blood welling in my mouth. I fought the urge to spit as Zeek’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. “You may need another blood bag, brother.” Zeek breathed, his voice flat and choked.
    “NO!” Shay shrieked, throwing herself into Zeek, “She will kill us all if you kill this one!”
    I cowered; the hot plate of food ignored. Zill stood in front of me, his body coiled to fight and growls shredding his chest. I kept my lips clamed tight together as Zill turned and looked at me, his eyes blacker than night. “Just don’t open your mouth.” His words were marred by his clenched teeth.
    I nodded once as he darted away to help restrain his unreasonable brother. I clenched my eyes at the sound of ripping vampire flesh. Images from the pit filled my head at the sound. I shuddered as I remembered my last cellmate. I spilled blood on that fight. It was a draw due to massive interference. I felt something ice cold touch my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see Zill, sporting a ravaged arm. “What happened?” I breathed.
    “He bit me.” Zill grunted, “Thankfully he’s not all werewolf, or I’d have lost this arm.”
    I shuddered. “Hopefully they’ll add some human to him.” Zill muttered, “That boy needs some stability.”
    A slight smile touched my lips. “We need to get you cleaned up.” Zill murmured, touching my shoulder before scooping me into his arms.
    My eyes widened at his control. My head swam as Zill shot like a bullet through the long hallway. Lights flashed by us in a blur as he streaked through the dark. I hated how vampires could see in the darkest cave as he stopped in front of a glowing sign. It was the only light in the area, flickering on and off like a dying candle. It was hard to read due to its age. I sighed as Zill placed me on my feet. His hand gripped my wrist tightly. I winced as he underestimated his strength. He towed me towards the shabby nurse’s station. “She’s bleeding.” He stated tensely.
    I could hear the nurse flitting around the small cubicle, looking for something to collect my blood. I rolled my eyes as the nurse appeared with a test tube. I pointed to my mouth and nodded. I spat into the little tube most of what was in my mouth as Zill’s hand tightened painfully. Clenched my eyes. I opened them when the nurse came back with a glass bowl. I spat the last of the blood into it. Her eyes flickered to Zill and widened. I ignored her as I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand. I could hear Zill’s teeth clamp together as the scent of my blood registered with him. I tensed, the instinct to run screaming in my mind. I shuddered as the nurse retreated to the back of the cave, expecting the worst. I could hear Zill’s breath speed then stop. I turned to look at his face. I froze when I saw his eyes, blacker than night. The nurse broke the eerie silence with a trembling voice. “M-m-master Zill,” She stuttered, “It m-may b-b-be e-easier i-i-f you go to t-t-the p-purified a-a-air.”
    He nodded once and retreated to the enclosed corner of the room. He gulped the untainted air like a human after a heart-attack. The nurse pulled a small patch from a cabinet close to me. “Open.” She murmured.
    I opened my mouth obediently. The nurse nodded, patting my cheek. She flexed a finger at Zill, nodding again. He slipped silently out of the clear box and to my side. The nurse chewed her lip lightly for a second than shrieked, “AKI DAE LAMINA TIKEESH!!!”
    My eyes widened as Zill turned our bodies to stare at the nurse. “Translate.” He growled.
    “Deliver us from shadows.” I breathed.
    Zill’s eyes narrowed as he turned our bodies to race up the tunnel. “What does your name mean, Aki?” He asked.
    “Aki means shadow and danya means death.” I sighed, “My name means death by shadows.”
    Zill arched an eyebrow as he towed me to ground level. “Shouldn’t it be Shadow Death?” He pulled me to face him.
    “No.” I sighed again, typical vamp, “People think that I’m the bearer of the prophecy.”
    Zill stiffened, his hand tightening uncomfortably around mine. “Humans are just trying to find a reason to live.” He growled, “You are just so fragile.”
    His free hand moved to stroke my face. I shuddered with mixed emotions. His touch seemed to linger as his fingertips froze on my cheek. I pulled away and Zill closed his eyes lightly as we started running, dragging me behind him. We stopped at a small, metal door with a lock on the outside. “I’ll see you in a few hours.” He sighed, pushing me gently into the concrete box.