Just when I believed things couldn't get any worse, they did. With the knowledge that my obedience affected the life of my parents made it impossible to go against what the Vampires wanted from me.

From that moment in the fire of defiance extinguished and I was left with no other choice but to do as I was told. If they wanted me to fight I would. It didn't matter who, what or why. It was inconsequential.

Even if I knew it would stain my morals and kill off the humanity I had clung to. I shoved away the guilt and the remorse, shutting off my feelings. My sole purpose was to protect my innocent parents.

Having already born the brunt of the Vampires’ cruelty, I knew they would show no mercy to my parents. I wouldn't allow my nightmare to become theirs. It was the only thing that kept me from giving up.

Silas had ensured I would cooperate and I hated him for it. He was always there in the background, watching.

I still suspected there was more going on than met the eye. There had also been no further sign of Thane which I had to admit was a relief.

We spent the first week getting to grips with hand to hand combat and the pain that accompanied it. My threshold for pain was growing with each blow.

They were toughening us up, stripping us of our human weaknesses to prepare us for their brutal world. Eve was in charge of each training session with Silas watching from the sidelines rarely taking an active part.

I also wondered why they had taken blood but I knew better than to ask about it.

In the week I had been in training I hadn't really spoken to the other Sires. It was difficult to form any relationship with someone I was expected to fight against everyday. And my healthy fear of Silas and the Vampires kept me from isolated from most of the people I was surrounded by.

Each Sire had their own room. The doors were never locked. It took some getting used not being locked up like a prisoner. The threat to our loved ones kept us all from doing anything stupid which including trying to escape. I had accepted, like the other Sires, that this was my new life and the sooner I adapted the better.

I hadn’t learnt much more about being a Sire other than we could still eat food like we had when we were human. Silas had led me to a cafeteria. The smell of food hadn’t made me hungry like it would have done before. The only thing that did that was the smell of blood which was always sent to our rooms.

“Being able to eat allows us to adapt in the human world,” Silas had told me. “It would be beneficial if you continue to eat food so your body gets used to it.”

I nodded absentmindedly still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that my body could still digest food that I didn’t crave. Not even the sight of a slice of chocolate cake didn’t tempt me.

“Does it taste the same as before?” I had asked without thinking.

“I don’t know.” His reply was unexpected but puzzling.

I frowned as he studied me.

“I’m a Vampire not a Sire.”

His glittering gold eyes should have reminded me of what he was. If it did taste different he wouldn’t be able to tell.

“Why don’t they serve blood here?” I had also asked when I noticed no one seated within the cafeteria was sipping on the crimson liquid.

“It’s to ensure all Sires gets an equal amount,” he explained. “Overindulging on blood can make Sires sick.”

I had lifted my eyebrows in surprise at his serious look and explanation.

Another thing that puzzled me was Silas was the only noticeable handler that was always around. I was tempted to ask him why but I thought it would be best to keep my questions to myself.

Silas was the enemy. I had born the brunt of his cruelness to know there was no empathy in him. He was a cold Vampire intent on following the orders he was given, even when some of his actions confused me I couldn’t let my guard down around him.

But no one frightened me more than Thane. There was something in him that went beyond what I had suffered at the hands of Silas. Just thinking about him and the way he had looked at me still made me shiver.

We had spent the last week fighting one on one. Luckily up to this point my injuries had been superficial. I was getting used to taking a hit and trying to fight back although I had yet to actually hit an opponent. It didn’t help that I was physically weaker than the male opponents I had been made to fight.

I hadn’t had much time to explore the compound we stayed in. I had only been able to see out the window a few times but not enough to be able to conclude where in the world I was. There was a lot of tall leafy trees which seemed to go as far as the eye could see, a forest.

The compound was divided into different sections. One for Vampires which no Sires had access to. A hand scanner only gave access to Vampires. The new Sires had their own section which included the cafeteria, gyms and sparring room. There was also a medical bay which had a few beds with a doctor and two nurses. All Vampires.

There was another section for the experienced Sires. So far I hadn’t seen any of them. My reasoning they were too busy killing Scavs.

I had been a loner for most of my life unable to form lasting friendships but I had never been so alone. There was no one to confide in, to talk to and no one could I trust. The Sires competed against each other and the Vampires treated us with barely contained disdain.

The only use they had for us was to fight Scavs. We were expendable, unlike the Vampires.

I was with the other Sires facing Eve who was explaining our training for the day.

“Today we train with weapons,” Eve explained.

Weapons. That sent a chill up my spine. This wasn’t good. I couldn’t land a blow how on earth was I going to be able to handle a weapon. I felt sick to my stomach and I swallowed the bile that rose up in the back of my throat.

“You’ve learned to handle the pain of a hit but it is important to be able to cope with the pain of withstanding a weapon.”

The more she spoke the more I dreaded the outcome.

Then I noticed the small knife Eve held loosely in her right hand. Pain of withstanding a weapon, echoed in my mind as I stared at the sharp edge of the knife. It was one thing experiencing a punch but the pain from a stab of a knife would be a lot worse. It was unthinkable.

“Taking on a Scav isn’t easy and you will need every advantage to ensure you can do your job. This is why we condition you to handle any kind of physical pain you might have to endure.”

These people were stir crazy. I didn’t want that knife anywhere near me. Just when I thought I had experienced the worst in this hellhole they came up with a new torture to inflict. Instinct called for me to run as far away as I could but the memory of my parents played in my mind. It was the only thing that kept me from bolting from the room.

As if sensing my agitation I felt Silas’ gaze but I refused to meet it. It was difficult enough keeping it together without having to worry about him.

I fisted my hands, digging my nails into the flesh of my palms to keep the panic from taking hold. There was so much at stake and I couldn’t do anything that would put the welfare of my parents at risk.

“Who wants to go first?” Eve asked.

I swallowed, avoiding her gaze. I didn’t want to go at all. Feeling the nervous tension in the air, I glanced to my side to see the same unwillingness in the other Sires and I didn’t feel so alone. Even buzz cut guy, I didn’t know his name, was looking anywhere but at Eve.

“It is human to fear pain,” Eve said as she walked the line of Sires. “As a Sire you will embrace it.”

She was crazy. It was the only way to explain how she could calmly talk the way she was while still gripping the sharp knife in her hand with the intention of using it on us.

Self preservation pushed for me to run as far away as possible but fear kept me fixed to the same spot hoping she wouldn't single me out. I was coward enough to hope she would choose someone else.

I held my breath when her boots came into view and she stopped.

“Avery.” I closed my eyes briefly before I lifted my gaze to meet hers.