Be Careful When You Bite Me
Chapter 1

Chapter One

The night's cold glare gazed over my body as I fought through constant harsh winds. Upper north, there stood my car, glinting as if gazing passionately towards the moon.

Hell of a lot of winds for an October, I thought, finally reaching my car.

I unlocked the door and got in, feeling relief from the cold as it washed over me. I took a few minutes to think but there was no other thought other than the fact that I was lost and my phone had died. I had to be at least a couple of hours away from home and the thought to take a road trip all alone was quickly turning into the worst idea I had ever had. I let my muscles relax, seeming as if they don't have to fight anymore, then I began to drive.

That night, the winds never settled. In fact, they got stronger and harsher. I pushed on the gas harder and harder hoping my car would make it up the hill, but the winds were too strong.I was persistent but I knew no matter how hard I tried that I'd never make it up so I gave up and got out of the car.I headed down the hill and back into the small town.I looked for somebody, anybody but the town was completely empty. The time had to be around 7 or 8 pm but it was almost pitch blackout. Another wave of wind hit me hard, I fell back some steps then I kept going. Every shop was closed and every window was nailed shut. I couldn't help but notice the garlic that hung from the roof of each doorway along with the religious crosses and pictures of people who were down on their knees and worshipping something.

I sighed, realizing the cosmic joke that was my life to get stuck in no other place than this creepy town. Suddenly, something hard and wet hit my head.I picked it up from the ground and saw that it was garlic.

I threw it to the ground and looked from left to right.Fear slowly began to engulf me and I tried to go back towards my car but the winds were too strong. I tried to hold on to sticks or branches but they only broke.A wave of wind sent me falling and rolling back down the hill.

Ouch.

I felt my knee scrape against a rock. My blood spilled over the ground and I found myself dizzy from all the rolling. I felt someone approach and suddenly, the wind started to slow down. They grew calmer as I felt the footsteps get nearer and nearer until the winds completely stopped.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," said a voice.

"You took it too far, again!" snapped another.

I kept my head down and my eyes closed in fear that they might be dangerous.

"It's only my third try!" snapped the first voice," you're always such a jerk Damon!"

"Most Cold Ones get it the first try!" replied the other whom I assumed was Damon.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

"We have to put her somewhere where she can't be found, then we'll leave her there," he said.

Her? Were they talking about me? Do they even see that I'm here?

I tried to peek up above the rock but the only thing I could make out was two male figures.

"We can't do that! Look at the cut on her knee and her arm, she will bleed to death!"

I had a cut on my arm? I looked down at my hands and sure enough, they were drenched with the blood that was dripping down my elbow.

"She's not our responsibility, nobody has to know it's you."

"You mean us."

"I am not going to be responsible for something that you caused Seth! Get that!" snapped Damon.

Why would they think that they were responsible for my injuries? I was beginning to wonder if I should say something but part of me was too scared to make out words.

"But we have to do something, we can't let her bleed to death, she isn't a villager, she's not from here!"

I heard a tired sigh,"We can't take her to the castle, the guards will see and inform father."

"Or maybe we can, we have the old tunnel that leads through the back garden."

I felt my stomach start to twist and the sudden urge to vomit. I grew more lightheaded watching my blood flow down the gravel. My face began to hurt as I kept it pressed against the pavement and my knees burned.

Who were these guys and what the hell did they want with me?

"We could go through the back stairsand go down the tunnel. It will lead us to the main garden and from then we can take her to my room."

"The castle is guarded, how are we going to get to the stairs?"

"Not the stairs, not now, that's how I used to sneak out."

Castles and guards?

Part of me prayed that this was some stupid game meant to scare off lost and wandering tourists but the other part of me knew from the second I stepped into this town that something wasn't right. My surroundings suddenly began to shift and spin around me as I struggled to grasp a hold of reality. I could feel the dark figures approaching closer but I didn't have the strength to escape. I felt a pair of arms reach down and lift me from behind the rock and I tried to open my mouth to scream but nothing came out. The fight against my lids was fruitless and the urge to pass out was like an endless battle. Soon enough the coma completely took over my consciousness and I felt myself slip into slumber.

I blinked my eyes a couple of times until they opened and were greeted with darkness. My senses took a couple of seconds to register that I was being carried by one of the strange men from the hill.

"Can't you carry her Damon?" asked a filmier voice.

"No, this will help with your resistance."

I quickly shut my eyes before they realized that I was awake.

These people are insane.

I had to get out of here and make a run for it towards my car now that the winds have stopped but how would I do that. I had no idea how long I was passed out for or how far away is my car. I thought about attacking them both but I knew I stood no chance. I sensed a powerful and dangerous aura off of them. Fear and curiosity began to flood my brain and I felt a migraine arise.

Where are they taking me? Are they going to hurt me?

I opened my eyes the slightest bit but I saw nothing. After a couple of minutes, the hands that were carrying me handed me through a window. New hands grabbed me and I could only assume they switched. Seconds later I was engulfed by light despite my closed eyes.

"This way," hissed a voice.

"I know, I live here!"

"Come on, we gotta go," said Damon and began walking again.

I was terrified. I felt the goosebumps spread across my body and the hairs at the back of my neck lift.

Should I say something? Why does it feel impossible to speak!

A couple of minutes later, I felt myself being lifted down onto a bed. I urged to open my eyes but I did not want them to know that I was conscious in hopes that they would leave me alone and I could escape.

"Seth, go get the first aid kit, I'll wait here," said Damon.

Dammit.

"This is my room, why can't I stay with her while you get the first aid kit?" asked Seth.

"I won't touch the photos of Isabelle."

"But-"

As if speaking through gritted teeth, Damon responded with, "Seth, Go."

I gave it a few seconds and decided to finally open my eyes. I was inside a large bedroom. The largest bedroom I have ever seen in my life and no doubt, the strangest. The walls were a deep maroon color and the entire aesthetics of the furniture was like something out of an old horror movie. I wanted to lift myself and look around but I caught sight of a figure standing beside the closet.

So that must be Damon.

From what I could see, he was tall, very tall, standing well over six feet. I could tell that he clearly worked out from the bulging muscles of his back trying not to break out of his black t-shirt. I watched him reach over and touch a picture frame, trailing his index finger along the jawline of a picture of a girl's face. I quickly shut my eyes when he began walking towards me not having time to catch a glimpse of his face. I felt his presence get closer and I loosened my eyes so I could peek. I couldn't keep them closed anymore. I let the adrenaline take over and opened them all the way.

I almost gasped out loud at how beautiful he was. He was standing just a few feet away from me, just a little more than half his face within my view. In his hands was the same picture frame.

I couldn't take in all his beauty in one glance, it was too much. I blinked a couple of times to ensure that it was really what I was seeing. Suddenly it was hard to catch my breath, it was out of my reach. Every time I thought I'd gotten it, it would slip away. I hesitated to glance at him, not knowing what feature of his I want to admire first. He had stormy golden eyes that resembled the sun. His luscious brown hair was swept back from the many times he had run his fingers through it. His thick red lips slightly parted in a way that was almost seductive. I wondered who the girl in the photo was and why he was staring at her like she was both the best and the worst thing to have happened to him.

He suddenly turned his face and bore his eyes into mine and I gasped out loud.

"You're awake," he stated, putting the picture frame down.

"W-who are you," I meant to snap but instead I hardly whispered it. I tried to sit up and felt immediately dizzy.

My knees buckled in and Damon's arms quickly caught me and laid me back down on the bed. It felt odd to be close to him and I couldn't help but flinch away from his cold touch.

"Who are you," I asked again, this time with more strength.

"I'm Damon. My little brother Seth and I were walking and found you on the ground, there were some bad winds so I'm guessing you tripped and hurt yourself pretty badly," something about his soothing and calm voice made me want to trust him," We brought you back here because you were bleeding, Seth is just getting a first aid kit."

"I-I remember the winds and something about it being Seth's fault or something and how you're taking me to a guarded castle and-" I began to stammer but Damon quickly cut me off.

"Okay listen human, we are going to heal your cut so you don't bleed to death then we will take you back and act as if this never happened, okay?" there was a flash of something dangerous in his eyes that told me to just agree.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked instead," You don't even know me, why not just call the police?"

"Because it was our fault you fell down," he responded.

"How?" I asked, scrunching up my face.

"You ask too many questions," he sighed.

"What is this place?" I swallowed before asking,"do you kill people?"

"Something like that," he replied nonchalantly.

I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. At the shocked expression on my face, he rolled his eyes.

Seth walked in and smirked, tossing the first aid kit to his brother," You woke her up."

Seth was tall like his brother but much thinner. His brown hair and eyes were identical to Damons and you could tell he was much younger.

"No, she woke up," Damon responded.

"I don't get it, why don't we just drink her?" he asked.

I let out a breathless gasp and stared at the two brothers wide-eyed.

"Because, someone else like her might know she's here," said Damon.

This has to be a sick joke. My eyes watered and my heart came pounding against my chest.

I have to get out of here!

Damon examined the first ad kid in his hands and forcefully threw it back into the hands of Seth.

"This is empty you idiot!"

"I checked every shelf, that was the only one we have."

Damon's eyes flared with anger as he stared down at me and spoke," Stay here."

He stormed out of the room with Seth trailing behind him. I hardly gave it three seconds before I stood up carefully and quietly, making my way out the door and into the biggest hallway I've seen in my life. It went on forever into dark shadows that gave me the chills. This was no doubt, a castle. Crimson curtains lined the corridors and matching carpets hid the floors. I brought my hand up to undo the curtains in hopes of revealing a window but instead was met with brick walls instead that hung multiple paintings. I examined one of a man carrying a girl in his arms while kissing her neck. It took me a second glance to realize that the blood pouring from her neck meant that he was in fact, biting. I gasped and took a few steps back and kept walking. I tried to separate more curtains but was met with more brick walls and paintings.

This one was of Damon. In the painting, he had fangs and an expression that could put me six feet under. He looked almost hungry, animalistic but it was luring in a way. Suddenly I heard voices behind me shout out "Damn human!"

Without looking back, I began to run despite the fact that my vision started to blur again. I didn't get very far before I realized that Damon had already appeared in front of me.

"What," I muttered, looking back at where he was standing"How did you do that?"

"Do what?" he asked, clearly annoyed, and picked up and threw me over his shoulders like I was nothing but a leaf.

"How did you do that!" I repeated," how did you get to me so fast-"

"Shut up."

He flung me back down on the bed and ordered me to sit. I was more afraid than before and did exactly as I was told. He took out the first aid kit and began working on my knee. I watched as he took out a piece of gauze and began to clean up my wound. I couldn't help but be aware of his skin on mine. It almost felt impossible to bear, like I had to push him away but I knew he wouldn't let me. Instead, I tried to focus on his facial features

"Where's Seth?" I asked after a couple of minutes of silence.

His head lifted up immediately then he went back to working on my leg," he was hungry."

Something about the way he said it told me he wasn't talking about regular food. I took in three long breaths and waited for him to finish working on my leg. Finally, I gathered the courage to ask another question.

"What did Seth mean when he said why don't we just drink her?" I asked.

He looked up at me and smiled in a way that was almost wicked,"You ask so many questions but you know what? You can't handle the truth so shut up and let me finish cleaning these damn cuts."

Suddenly Seth walks in, his white shirt now stained with something red. I felt nauseous at the thought of what that might be.

He smirked and glanced right at me," that was a messy one!"

My eyes bulged out and I stared at him in shock.

Damon stood up and barked at his brother," What the hell do you think you're doing, go change."

"I thought you'd be done!" he said.

"Do you have any idea what would happen if father found out just how careless and stupid you've been-"

"What the hell is going on!" I yelled out, not being able to take any of it anymore. How could one wrong turn end up leading me here? I was sick and tired and I needed answers.

Damon turned around. His eyes had gone from their original golden color to a dark and angry charcoal.

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut." he hissed out through his teeth.

Without warning, a girl storms through the doors and into the bedroom. I immediately recognized her as the girl in the photos. Isabelle.

She was breathtaking in real life with jet black hair and skin that was almost porcelain.

"What is going on here" she greeted, her black eyes looking me up and down suspiciously, "why did you bring a villager here?"

"Isabelle," said Seth, leading her out," I thought you already ate." Isabelle turned back around and her eyes landed upon me and she smirked," you saved some for me."

"no, not exact-" but it was too late.

Within a millisecond she stood less them a centimeter away from me, her eyes now hungry and her fangs extended.

I opened my mouth to scream but the force of her palms against my lips sealed them shut. Instead, I stared at her with wide and terrified eyes.

I felt her drag her nose against the side of my neck, sniffing me. She used her extended fangs to trail down my skin. I felt my heart thud abruptly against my chest and the pinch of her sharp fangs on my skin.I screamed out as she dug them deeper into my skin. The pain was electrifying. My body went limp beneath me and I felt her quick arms wrap around my waist. She dug her teeth deeper into my wound and the burning feeling began to fade until all I felt was a tug.

In the distance, I saw Seth's eyes turn dark and his fangs extend. He walked towards me, his vision fixated on every droplet of blood that rolled down my neck. I felt my vision begin to fade and the same coma that held me captive before returning to reclaim me.

This was it. I was going to die, at the hands of something I had no idea existed.

Suddenly, something...shifted. The movement was too sudden for my enfeebled brain to comprehend. I felt Isabelle's arms let go of my weakened body. Unable to support me, my legs gave out from under me and I felt myself plummet down, my view now being nothing but the floors. I tried to look up to register the scene but my eyesight was blurring worse by the second. In the background I saw Damon's arms extending over an angry Isabelle and Seth, holding them back. They were both staring at me with hatred and hunger, wide-eyed and snarling through their teeth.

Hot tears streamed down my face and I heard myself sob as opposed to feeling it. I watched but barely as the three wrestled against each other but Damon persisted until the two stopped fighting back. Slowly, their eyes turned into their normal color and their fangs drew back.

"What the hell did you stop me for!" Isabelle yelled, angrily brushing Damon off of her.

"You were going to kill her!" he yelled back in response.

"So what! She's just a human!" This time it was Seth.

"She's a gift, for Father," I saw Damon's eyes meet with Seths as he gritted," She was meant to remain untouched!"

"She was the King's villager!" Isabelle began to freak out,"Why didn't you warn me, you idiots!"

"It's not like you gave us much time," said Seth.

"Why the hell would she be here and not in the quarter!" She continued, now glaring at me.

"It doesn't matter," said Damon.

"Don't tell him I drank from her," her voice was frim and strict," Please!"

Damon nodded," just go."

"I mean it-" she began.

"Go."

She glared at the two brothers for another second and left.

When it was just Seth and Damon, Seth opened his mouth as if to break the silence but Damon beat him to it.

"I know, you couldn't hold back."

"I-I tried but when Isabelle bit her, I couldn't hold back."

"It's alright, you lost control."

"It's tough, I don't know how you do it," responded an embarrassed-looking Seth," I'm not sure I'll ever be able to control myself."

Damon patted his brother's shoulders," Go check on Isabelle."

Seth nodded and left the room.

Damon turned around and rested his soft and sorry gaze upon mine. I wanted so badly to close my eyes and let myself pass out but something inside of me wouldn't let me. I felt the bite on my neck both burn and sizzle at the same time. My vision came back into focus when Damon's shoes halted right before my face. I felt myself being lifted and once again being placed back on the bed, this time a lot more gently as if I was fragile and as if he was guilty.

"Th-thank you," I managed to utter out when he placed a pillow underneath my face.

"I wasn't helping you, I-," he replied moments later," I was helping them."

"Still, I think you saved my life." I swallowed and felt my dry throat ache.

When he remained silent, I asked, "What...are you people?"

Unexpectedly, he chuckled. He didn't answer my question. Instead, he picked up the first aid kid from the ground and started cleaning the fresh wound on my neck.

Bite. Not wound. Bite.

His cold fingers sent shivers down my spine and I couldn't help but notice how close he was. I waited to feel his breathing against my skin but I never did.

I examined his beautiful features from the outline of his strong and muscular jaw to the bed of dark eyelashes that almost made me envious. He was breathtaking. He was the man of my dreams, yet I'm not sure my dreams could have predicted someone would be so perfect. He brought his gaze up to meet mines and whispered," Vampire."

I blinked and blinked again, my eyes never leaving him. I nodded. I had no other words.

"We are vampires," he continued," We drink human blood."

I debated nodding again but this time I replied with," Okay."

"Why aren't you freaking out?" he smirked almost humorlessly.

"I'm passed freaking out."

I want to go home.

The stinging on my neck increased and a sudden shock slithered through my body. I yelled out loud and reached up to clench my skin. Damon's fingers moved mine and trailed over it, the sudden movement making me forget about the pain just a little bit. When he backed away, I was surprised to replace myself disappointed.

"Isabelle has left her venom in your skin, therefore, I must suck it out," he stated, his eyes now stern.

I began to panic and my eyes widened," Wait what!"

"I have to get it all out now, or else the shifting will begin-"

"Shifting?"

"I have to suck the venom out now or else you'll start to shift and wake up like one of us." He started to walk back towards me and I felt my body flinch back against the bed, away from his touch.

"What happens if you lose control," My voice was calmer than I felt," What if-"

He sat down and placed his hand on my arm as if reassuring me but the action only made me more alert," I won't."

My eyes began to burn and I felt a fresh stream of tears start to pour out.

"You're Monsters," I breathed out.

"Well in my world little human," He hissed and brought his face closer to mines," you're the monster."

I forced myself to swallow the fear that arose in the back of my throat.

"Just get it out of me," I spat out," Get it out of me now!"

My heart sank down to my knees at the sight of his face darkening and his fangs extending. I was too shocked to say anything. Instead, I waited for this strange man who kidnapped me to bite my neck and suck the venom out. Just a few hours ago, I was lost in my car, searching for a highway to head back south to my hometown.

How did I get here?

Without another word, Damon brought his face closer to mine and placed his mouth on my neck. If I didn't know what would come next, I would explain the action as gentle, sweet, and almost dispelling. Seconds passed before I finally began to feel the pain. I couldn't help but let out a small whimper. The pain was almost electrifying. It felt as if the venom he was sucking out was on fire itself inside of me. I wrapped my fingers around his forearm and squeezed to keep from pulling away from his mouth. I felt the pain decreasing as I felt him move away from me. He didn't give me a chance to process what had just happened. Instead, his fangs disappeared and he distanced himself a few meters from me.

" Your leg, arm, and neck should be okay, you can go now, I'll take you to your car."

I only nodded. The rush of relief I was expecting to feel never came. For some reason, I felt emptiness as he reached down and picked me up again. I felt as if I was leaving something behind.

Vampires, I thought, they're really, actually vampires.

I remembered the garlic that hung from the windows in the small creepy town.I glanced sideways at him, suddenly feeling nervous. We stepped out of the bedroom and made our way down the medieval-looking hallway. A sudden figure rounded the corner and stopped into a halt when he saw us.I gasped when I saw his face.

Although he wasn't as handsome as Damon, he was still breathtaking with light almost grey hair and piercing blue eyes.

He was dressed in a black leather jacket and a tight white shirt underneath and blue-washed jeans that hugged his muscular legs.

"Well well well, what do we have here," he hissed, looking hungry.

Damon pulled me closer to his chest," What are you doing here?"

"Visiting poor father who has no idea what you've done," he said.

"Who told you?" Damon asked.

"Seth," he smiled and sent a wink my way.

"Why the hell would he do that?" Damon exclaimed, talking to himself now.

"And naturally, father now knows as well."

"You didn't," snapped Damon.

Suddenly, I felt small and scared like a tiny mouth stuck in a trap. Both men stared at one another as if looking for a fight that I would be caught in the middle of.

"I can't be the only disappointment, father wants to see you, now," he walked past us, but not before giving me a smirk that caused all the hairs on my arm to stand.

"Who was that?" I asked Damon, my voice coming out shaky.

"That is my older brother," said Damon and strutted down the hall.

"W-what's gonna happen now." But he never replied.

After what seemed like forever, Damon finally stopped at the entrance of something. He placed my feet down on the floor.

"Can you walk?"

I took a few shaky steps,"Y-yes, where are we going."

He ignored me and pushed the metal doors open.

Inside was a large room that was about the size of a church. Much like the rest of the place, this room was decorated with crimson walls and gold curtains that hung like chandeliers from the ceiling. There was a long corridor that went on for about fifteen feet before stopping at a pair of huge golden chairs where a man and a woman sat.

Guards' dressed in traditional metal attire stood at either side of the room.

"Damon." barked a voice.

I slightly jumped up, startled. My eyes traveled to the end of the carpet where an older couple were seated on the thrones,

The King, dressed in typical king attire, was wearing a velvet-colored robe and a crown, similar to the Queen. As we walked closer, I could see that the King looked like a much older Damon and the queen resembled Seth more. She had long golden hair with thick curls and her eyes pierced mines from meters away.

"Father, mother." greeted Damon bowing his head slightly.

"I have been told you have an injured human, one that isn't a villager, and brought her here without my permission," he snapped.

"You are told correct father," he admitted.

I glanced at Damon. It was almost strange to see him so distressed.

"Who hurt her?" asked the king.

"I did."

That wasn't true. Seth was the one who injured me and Seth was the one who insisted they bring me back. Damon would never have agreed to sneak me in if Seth hadn't bugged him so much.

So why was Damon taking the blame?

The King sigh," Damon, why do you continue to disobey me?"

"My apologies father, but I had injured the girl very harshly, I was afraid if I had left her there she would be trouble," he spoke nervously.

"I see you have taken care of her," said the King," but she now knows."

Panic began to rise within me again,"I-I promise not to tell a soul!" I yelled, suddenly.

Damon's head snapped sharply towards me and I quickly shut my mouth.

The King glanced at me, almost sadly"Of course you wouldn't dear, but we cannot let you leave, it is against our law," he said.

"What law?" I snapped despite Damon's glare.

"He's speaking of the Cold One's law," spoke the Queen.

"The Cold Ones?" I asked.

"Yes, our people here are the Cold Ones."

"What are you going to do to me?" I asked," you can't keep me here forever."

"No," said the King," we will arrange it so that you have no memory of this."

"What, how," I asked, not sure that I even wanted to know.

"We can try to have it done by a Cold Ones here at the castle," spoke the Queen's smooth voice," But it is not always successful as it is not what we are best at."

"And if it doesn't work,I-if I still remember?"

"Then I'm afraid dear, you will be stuck here until we replace a witch that can," she said.

"How long does that take," my hopeless gaze turned towards Damon," I can't just stay here, I have a life!"

"It will take as much time as it needs," replied the King.