The sky began to darken into night as I climbed out of the window. The wooden structure was not meant for climbing but it was my only option. There was no other way to get to Silas.

My bedroom door was locked and I was sure Jude had someone guarding it. He would not even consider for a second that I would do something this drastic to get to Silas.

It was an oversight I would capitalize on. Holding on as best I could I slowly began to move across the wall, taking my time with each movement, hoping I would not be spotted from the ground.

As I held on and shifted my weight the wood broke and lost my footing. Hanging on by the one hand I grabbed the next closest wood piece and pulled myself up to secure my feet.

My heart was beating rapidly and I took a moment to catch my breath. If I fell I would injure myself and I would not see Silas again. I couldn’t let that happen, no matter what.

The moments when I felt too overwhelmed by emotion I paused and breathed through it before moving my concentration but to the task of getting to Silas.

My arms ached but I pushed through the pain. I was determined.

And then I looked up and I was within reach of his window. It was well lit and I pulled myself up to peer slowly into the room.

I could see Silas in the bed. My heart warmed at the sight of him.

He was alone. He was within reach.

I anchored my feet well so I could try and ease the window up, hoping it was unlocked. I feared if I broke the glass someone would hear it and come to investigate.

Relief flooded through me when the window began to move. I stopped myself from rushing for fear I would make a mistake. Slow and steady I reminded myself. Trying to keep my head when my emotions were swirling.

When the window was wide enough for me to fit through I pulled myself up and began to ease my body through the gap. I could already hear Silas moaning.

As soon as I was in his room I quietly eased the window closed and turned to survey the room before I approached Silas.

My heart cried out from him but I had to ensure it was safe to proceed. I was so close, I could not screw things up now. The weight of the paper weight reminded me of the object and I took it out and set it down on a nearby table as I walked slowly to Silas.

He was tossing and turning in the bed. His chest naked, a sheet cover him from the waist down. His eyes were closed, his breathing heavy and labored.

I felt so much love in that moment, it was hard to breath. But somehow I pulled myself together and moved to his bed side.

He was sweating profusely, as he groaned. His hair damp from the excessive moisture. He looked so pale, almost a grey color. I put my hand slowly against his forehead. Heat radiated from him like a furnace.

“I’m here,” I whispered to him, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

His eyes opened suddenly. They were red, like the Scavs.

“I’m so thirsty,” he moaned.

It was that same desperate tone I heard in the voice of the Scavs.

I swallowed the emotion it stirred. I didn’t know what to say or how to handle him.

“It’s okay,” I assured him as confidently as I could.

“Please,” he begged. He reached out a hand and caught my wrist.

His grip tight.

He was sick but he was still strong. Stronger than I was.

It was in that moment I realized the danger I was in but it was too late. He pulled me onto him and rolled over to used his body to keep mine immobile.

I tried to push him off but he was too strong.

“Silas stop,” I urged him, trying to reach the vampire that was still inside him. The one fighting to survive.

“So thirsty,” he murmured, pressing his body down onto mine to keep me in place as his mouth descended to my neck.

It was painful as his teeth ripped the skin and I gasped trying to fight him off but it was hopeless.

There was nothing I could do. He was the predator and I was the prey. I was no match.

“Silas please stop,” I urged more loudly.

He drank as the blood gushed from the wound to cover the bedding. I was feeling weaker by the second. I had lost control of the situation.

His hand went to hold my face so he could drink easier. The loss of blood made me weaker and I knew that if I didn’t try and escape I wouldn’t last.

I began to cry out for help.

“Help,” I tried to scream but it didn’t work.

“You’re hurting me Silas,” I tried to talk Silas around but there was no stopping him. He didn’t even waver, not for a second.

This wasn’t my Silas, this was vampire infected by a Scav and his only goal was to drink every last drop of my blood.

I had never for a second when I had contemplated this believed that Silas would harm me but I made a very grave mistake.

He wasn’t Silas anymore.

I pushed at his shoulders but he continued to drink more hungrily. My nails digging into his skin it was like he didn’t feel it.

“Silas you have to stop,” I demanded in a whisper, seeing black dots in my vision.

That wasn’t good. I was running out of time.

I tried to think of anything that would weaken him for long enough to try and get free. Struggling against him wasn’t working, it was only using energy I had little of.

There was only one other way that I suddenly thought of that might work. No matter that he was a vampire or Scav he was still a man.

I used all the strength I had to lift my knee.

His body jerked in reaction, his mouth lifted from my neck. At that very moment as he groaned in pain I shoved him to the side and managed to slip out from under him.

Blood poured from my neck, as I put my hand to the wound to stop the flow.

Silas rose to his knees to glare at me from the bed. Blood crossed his mouth and chin. It dripped down his throat. Red shimmering eyes held mine.

There was no recognition there. He didn’t see me.

My only escape was the door and I had to hope I could get away.

I moved the door, feeling weak so weak it felt like I was using all my energy to place one foot in front of the other. The room tilted but I blinked keeping myself upright.

I heard Silas move with a grunt off the bed. I made it to the door and tried the handle as Silas pulled me back with an arm around my waist.

I was still no match. He lifted me effortlessly and dragged me back to the bed. He threw me down and I bounced as I tried to roll to the other side to escape.

But he was in front of me before I managed to stand.

His eyes gleamed.

“Silas,” I tried again, hoping I would reach the part of him that would stop the relentless feeding.

Blood gushed down my neck and soaked into my shirt.

“Thirsty,” he whispered, moving slowly to reach out to touch my face.

It was in that moment I felt him, I could see a second of recognition before it vanished.

His hand moved to my neck and he pulled me to him. He held me securely to him as his mouth latched onto the wound on my neck and he began to drink again.

I slumped against him, having no energy to fight him. I had tried to help him but I had only put myself in the situation I found myself in.

Now I understood why Jude had been so against letting me see Silas. He had known that once the infection had began to seep into Silas’ blood stream he was no longer the Silas we knew.

He had turned into the Scav he had taught us to kill.

Pain throbbed as he drank and I closed my eyes as the darkness descended.