Someone grabbed me by the feet and dragged me away, I tried to see who my attacker was but my vision was blurry and the darkness didn't help.
I only realized there were two of them.
I was stuck, with my face on the ground. They folded my arms on my back, tying my wrists with a rope, then proceeding also with the ankles.
I tried to prevent the practice, but an elbow struck me in the back of my shoulders, causing me excruciating pain and, before I could react, my eyes were covered with a rough and a too tight bandage.
«Let me go!» I tried to scream, but I couldn't, I was out of strength.
I tried to fidget, but I was lifted off the ground and carried on someone's shoulder.
Who the hell were those two people?
I was terrified and angry at the same time.
I was upside down; I felt my temples throbbing and weakness was slowly enveloping me.
«Leave me ...» I moaned again.
«Shut up!»
A tense female voice broke the silence.
«Who are you?»
«You speak too much. Silence!».
A second voice, similar to the first, but darker and more shadowy.
It was a woman supporting me, she managed to keep me still with an unnatural ease despite my slender build.
What was happening?
I heard the creaking of a gate, the sound reached me from the distance, muffled. The breeze was caressing my skin, but not for much longer.
We walked through a door, heavy with the noise it made while closing. A scent of sandalwood incense reached my nostrils as my two kidnappers resumed their march.
Their footsteps echoed between the walls of that place. I hoped we arrived at our destination soon, I couldn't stand the pain in my head anymore. They climbed a ladder, a few more strides, and stopped.
«Brother!» called the one who was carrying me.
They untied my ankles, dropping me to the ground, where I found myself kneeling on a carpet or rug.
«What do you want?»
That voice made me hold my breath, I knew it, I couldn't forget it.
«Your sisters have brought you a birthday present.»
They untied the bandage that covered most of my face and removed it.
«Rebecca?»
I opened my eyes shyly, there was not much light in that room and when I focused on the image in front of me, I shook.
I wasn't wrong. Sebastian was there in front, scrutinizing me with an expression of fury mixed with concern.
Panic hit me, he was handsome, he was wearing a black satin robe and a pair of comfortable pants of the same color.
I was breathing heavily, nothing I was experiencing made any sense.
«What the hell is happening? You made me crush with the car!»
I whimpered in shock but was completely ignored by everyone present.
«I have already told you how much I hate your presents. I don't want them», Sebastian roared at his sisters.
I didn't know, I did not know anything about him or his family, not even how many members it was formed of, I had never cared.
I listened without moving a muscle, my bones were sore as well as my head. What I was hearing had no rational explanation, I didn't understand what they were talking about.
«Then we'll take your dinner.»
A breath behind my back and with a yank a sister pulled me up from the ground, squeezing me around my hips.
«Put her down, Victoria», Sebastian ordered coldly.
His face was a mask of nerves, a sculpted face, but reflecting a sacrilegious, wrong and evil light.
I was afraid of him: was this his hidden side?
«You always treat us badly. You never pay attention to us, instead you should show us respect», the other said, standing next to her partner.
«Shut your mouth, Virginia, and let Rebecca go. You have no idea what you just did.»
Sebastian's heterochromatic eyes became pitch black, two deep wells, shrouded in darkness. He wrinkled his nose and blew his teeth out. A guttural sound came out from his throat as his canines reached out sharp and threatening.
He was a monster, his beautiful face had changed and now I only saw those white, shiny fangs.
With a lightning movement he reached Victoria, who was still holding me. He took her arm, that was keeping me, and bent it backwards. He broke her a bone, she screamed echoing in the surrounding stillness.
«But what is wrong with you?»
Virginia was indignant as she helped her sister.
Sebastian had grabbed me by the waist and now he was holding me tight. My back clung to his chest and his bicep protected me from two identical creatures, but incredibly similar to Sebastian too.
Tall, thin and with long, tapered legs. They wore an all-black suit and had wavered, neat, raven-black hair.
Victoria wore them gathered in a ponytail while Virginia kept them loose, reaching up to her hips. Their eyes were the same shade of purple as their brother's left iris and I saw them changing in turn.
«Go away from here!» Sebastian thundered in a distorted, unhuman voice.
Virginia took her sister by the shoulder and led her to the door.
«The ancients won't appreciate what you've done to me», Victoria grumbled, clutching her broken arm.
The two left the room and I was left alone with Sebastian.
I couldn't believe what had just happened.
The Thirsty.
Did supernatural beings exist for real?
And did those old legends they passed down in Hazycreek have a grain of truth?
Maybe I had dreamed of everything, none of this was possible.
Were the Winterbournes really monsters?
I must have had hallucinations, I was dizzy, stressed and under the influence of drugs. But I was pretty sure of what I had seen.
Victoria and Virginia caused the accident for kidnapping me and taking me to Sebastian.
Why on earth would they have done that?
I had witnessed the transformation of their faces: black onyx for eyes and razor-sharp teeth.
Vampires. Thirsty. Devil worshipers. Certainly, a distorted view produced by the shock I had suffered.
I was terrified, completely shattered.
Either I was going crazy, or something had really happened.
Sebastian was still holding me in his arms. That contact agitated and embarrassed me. I felt like I had a whirlwind in my head, I could not focus my sight and felt weak.
«I feel sick...» I mumbled as my legs went limp.
Sebastian picked me up and took me in his arms, said nothing and started walking.
I closed my eyes and hugged his chest, I was traumatized. I didn't believe in anything supernatural; it was inconceivable. Precisely for this I was afraid.
How could I defend myself from something I didn't know was existing?
However, as the world swirled in my head, there, in