Back inside the walls, everyone had gathered inside the main hall. Dr. Patel sat at the front while the crowd waited anxiously for Marcus to arrive. Emma immediately noticed that Ivory was nowhere to be seen.
She kept staring at Dr. Patel, and all she could see in the doctor's eyes was fear. It wasn't ordinary fear—it was the look of someone trapped. Emma realized that something was terribly wrong.
Suddenly, the doors swung open.
Marcus walked inside, followed by Ayanna, Ben, and Zara. Ayanna struggled furiously against his grip.
"Get your hands off me, you bastard!" she shouted.
Marcus released her, but the moment she tried to move away, six guards surrounded her and pointed their rifles at her.
The crowd gasped. Dr. Patel hurried forward and stood protectively in front of Ayanna.
"Please… don't do this," she begged Marcus.
Marcus looked at her calmly.
"Make sure she stays in line and behaves."
The guards lowered their weapons slightly and stepped back, though they remained alert. Marcus turned to face everyone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the earlier interruption. We have an urgent emergency. Our medical supplies are running low, and we've run out of blood samples. We need your help. Please donate your blood so we can continue creating medicine that will save lives."
"Liar!" Ayanna shouted. "He's lying to every single one of you!" Everyone turned toward her. Marcus smiled.
"Go ahead, Ayanna. Tell them. What exactly do you think I'm lying about?" He gave her the chance to speak.
"You're not using people's blood to make medicine!" Ayanna yelled. "You're using it to create more monsters! These people deserve to know the truth!"
Marcus burst into laughter.
"You're right," he said. "People do deserve the truth."
He slowly turned toward Dr. Patel.
"Doctor, perhaps you can answer this. Tell everyone… how close are we to creating a cure for vampirism?"
The hall fell silent as everyone waited.
Dr. Patel slowly stood up and faced the crowd.
"We're very close to creating the cure," she said quietly. "Marcus is telling the truth. We only need a few more blood samples before we can complete the final stage. Please… help us. We truly need your blood."
Ayanna stared at her in complete disbelief.
"What about what Ayanna just said?" one man called out from the crowd. "Who should we believe?"
Dr. Patel closed her eyes for a brief second before answering.
"Ayanna is sick," she replied. "I've been treating her ever since everything happened. She's confused, frightened, and mentally unstable. She needs proper medical care."
Ayanna's face filled with rage.
"You bitch!" she screamed. "How could you let him control you? You're a complete disgrace!"
She lunged forward, causing chaos among the crowd.
Marcus didn't even flinch.
"Tie her up," he ordered coldly. "Get her out of here."
Five guards immediately grabbed Ayanna. She kicked, struggled, and fought with everything she had, but they tied her wrists and dragged her away.
"You'll pay for this, Dr. Patel!" she screamed. Then she looked directly at Marcus.
"And you… I'll never let this slide! Mark my words!"
Her voice echoed through the hall as she was dragged away. Ben and Zara burst into tears. Emma noticed something unusual. Dr. Patel was crying.
Inside her heart, she whispered words no one else could hear.
"I'm so sorry, Ayanna… I'm only doing this to protect you. If Marcus discovers the truth about your blood… it'll all be over. I hope one day you'll understand why I had to do this."
Marcus stepped forward once again.
"So please, everyone, donate your blood. Once you've finished, you're free to return to your daily lives." he announced One by one, the people formed a line.
Dr. Patel collected each blood sample while Marcus stood beside her, watching every single tube carefully, waiting for one of them to react.
Later, deep within the woods…Layla slowly opened her eyes. Standing around her were Raven, Zero, Nadia, Scarlet, Nutaila, and Milan.They were fully prepared to leave.
"What happened?" Layla asked weakly.
"You happened," Milan answered as he walked toward her.
"Stop!" Layla shouted. "Don't come any closer, you monster!"Milan sighed.
"What kind of monster heals people?"He folded his arms.
"Look… there's a lot happening that you don't understand, and we don't have time to explain everything. If you'd be kind enough to lead us back to your camp, you'll save a lot of lives. Zero can explain everything on the way."
Layla hesitated before slowly nodding.Milan reached out his hand to help her up.She ignored it.
"Don't touch me."She stood on her own. Milan shrugged.
"Fine. Let's see how long that attitude lasts."
Layla began leading the way.
The others followed behind her, while Milan remained at the very back. Suddenly, he stopped walking.
He slowly turned and stared into the forest. Scarlet noticed and walked over.
"What is it?" she asked. Milan narrowed his eyes.
"I feel like something's watching us."
He looked around for another moment before shaking his head.
"Let's keep moving." The group continued through the trees.
Back inside the camp, everyone had finished donating blood. Dozens of blood-filled tubes covered the table.
The hall was now empty except for Marcus and Dr. Patel. Marcus carefully inspected every single sample. Nothing. Every tube looked exactly the same.
He frowned.
"Something isn't right. All of these blood samples are identical."He picked up another tube Dr. Patel remained calm.
"I told you before. The blood you found was mixed with several different samples. That's why it reacted differently."
Marcus remained silent for a moment.Then his eyes widened.
"Wait…" He smiled.
"We forgot to test one person." He looked directly at Dr. Patel.
"Let's go see Ayanna."
Dr. Patel's heart nearly stopped.She reluctantly followed as they left the hall.
Outside, Emma watched them from a distance. Dr. Patel briefly looked at her. Emma immediately noticed something.
Ben and Zara stood nearby, frightened and confused.
Emma quickly walked toward them.
"Come with me." She hurried them into one of the nearby houses and shut the door. She knelt in front of them.
"Listen to me carefully." Both children nodded.
"I need you to lock every door and every window. Don't open them for anyone." She looked at them seriously.
"I don't care if you hear people screaming… gunshots… or someone calling your names."She took a deep breath.
"Do not open that door."Ben's eyes filled with fear.
"Hide somewhere no one can find you… and wait for me. Can you both do that?"
"Yes," Zara answered bravely.Emma smiled gently.
"Good."She looked at Zara.
"Take care of Ben."
The two children disappeared into the house.Emma quietly picked up a handgun.She stepped outside.
Locked the door from the outside. Then she began walking toward the main gate. Two guards spotted her immediately.
"Stay where you are, Emma!" They raised their rifles. Emma didn't hesitate.
"Aren't you tired of helping people get killed?"
Bang!
Bang!
She fired twice. Both guards collapsed instantly Emma picked up their rifles. The gunshots echoed across the settlement. People screamed in panic.
Emma swung the gates wide open.
Outside, dozens of vampires immediately noticed the opening and rushed toward it. Emma deliberately fired several more shots into the air, She wasn't defending the walls, She was inviting the vampires inside.
Back in the woods, the group suddenly heard the distant gunfire, Everyone stopped.
"What are they shooting at?" Zero asked, Layla listened carefully.
"They usually fire at vampires trying to get inside."
As they hurried closer, they reached a clearing overlooking the settlement. There they saw Emma.
"That's Emma!,What is she doing?"Zero exclaimed.
Moments later, a massive swarm of vampires charged toward her.Emma sprinted back through the open gate, leaving it wide open behind her.
"What the hell is she doing?" Milan shouted.
Instead of fighting the vampires, Emma turned her guns on the guards defending the walls.
"Run!,Everyone, run!"Emma screamed. Chaos exploded throughout the camp, Some people fled in terror, Others hid inside buildings.
A few desperately fought both guards and vampires in a hopeless struggle for survival. Milan and the others rushed toward the entrance. Layla quickly stopped them.
"No!" she shouted.
"Not that way." She pointed toward another path.
"Come with me. There's an easier way inside."
Without wasting another second, they followed Layla as the screams of the camp echoed through the walls, and the settlement descended into complete chaos. Marcus and Dr. Patel froze as a series of gunshots echoed across the compound. A guard came sprinting toward them, breathing heavily.
"What is going on out there?" Marcus demanded angrily.
"It's Emma, sir! She started killing the guards and opened the main gate. The vampires are getting inside!"the guard replied.
Both Marcus and Dr. Patel were stunned.
"That bitch," Marcus growled. He immediately turned toward the guard.
"Get the vans ready, and don't let anyone leave this place." The guard hesitated.
"What about the people, sir?" Marcus's expression turned ice cold.
"Kill them all."
"No!" Dr. Patel shouted. Marcus instantly drew his pistol and pointed it directly at her forehead.
"Please, Doc… don't make me shoot you too, because I won't hesitate." He slowly lowered the gun.
"Now kindly… let's go see Ayanna."
Dr. Patel's hands trembled. Terrified, she silently obeyed.
They unlocked the room where Ayanna was being held. She was tightly bound to the bed, her wrists and ankles secured with thick ropes. Marcus walked inside with a smug smile.
"Well, look who it is," he said.
"The loud little bitch." He leaned closer.
"Can you hear that?" The distant screams and gunfire echoed through the walls.
"The vampires are inside the compound… just like you wanted." He smiled cruelly.
"It's complete chaos out there." Ayanna looked him directly in the eyes.
"Good, Then let us all die together. I don't care anymore."She didn't flinch.
Marcus chuckled before turning to Dr. Patel.
"Doctor… she's all yours." Dr. Patel slowly prepared a syringe and walked toward Ayanna. Ayanna glared at her with burning hatred.
"Wow…He must be fucking you so hard that you've completely forgotten who you really are."She laughed bitterly.
Tears formed in Dr. Patel's eyes, but she said nothing.
With trembling hands, she inserted the needle into Ayanna's arm. The moment the needle pierced her skin, Ayanna violently jerked her hand away.
Crack! The syringe snapped in half.
The broken needle scraped across her wrist, leaving a deep cut.
Fresh blood immediately began dripping onto the floor.
Drop…
Drop…
Drop…
Elsewhere inside the compound…Milan, Nutaila, Scarlet, Raven, Zero, Layla, and Nadia had just entered through the plantation behind the walls.
Suddenly… All three of them froze. Milan slowly lifted his head. Nutaila's eyes widened. Scarlet inhaled sharply.
"The Pure Blood…It's here."Nutaila whispered.
Before anyone could react, dozens of vampires suddenly changed direction and began rushing toward the scent.
"They smell it!" Layla shouted.
The group immediately formed a protective circle around Layla and Nadia as the vampires attacked from every direction. Steel clashed. Blood splattered. Bodies fell.
"Take us inside!" Milan shouted furiously.
Layla quickly led the way while the others fought through the endless wave of vampires.
Nadia and Layla stayed safely in the middle while Raven, Scarlet, Nutaila, Zero, and Milan cut down every vampire that came near them.
As they pushed deeper into the compound, horrifying scenes unfolded around them. People were running for their lives. Some were being dragged to the ground. Others were bitten before they could escape.
The entire settlement had descended into complete panic. Then they saw Emma.
"Emma!" Layla called. Emma ran toward them, exhausted and covered in blood.
"What happened?" Layla asked. Emma quickly explained everything. The moment Milan heard that Marcus had captured Ayanna and was taking her blood…His entire expression changed. His eyes slowly turned completely black.Emma instinctively stepped backward.
"What the hell…?" More vampires charged toward them from every direction.
"Take them to Ayanna," Layla told Emma. Emma shook her head.
"I can't." She looked terrified.
"I left Zara and Ben alone inside one of the houses. The vampires will reach them soon." Nadia's face turned pale.
"My daughter…" She looked desperately at Milan.
"Please… save my daughter." Milan immediately made a decision.
"Here's what we're going to do." He turned toward Zero.
"Can you handle Marcus?" Zero slowly drew both of his swords. A grin spread across his face.
"With pleasure."
"You'll go with Emma," Milan continued.
"Find Ayanna and get my sister out safely."
He then looked at Raven, Scarlet, and Nutaila.
"The three of you protect the survivors and eliminate as many vampires as possible." All three nodded without hesitation. Finally, Milan turned to Layla and Nadia.
"You two are coming with me. We'll get the children."
He looked around at everyone.
"We regroup here at the plantation in twenty minutes."
Everyone agreed and immediately split up. As Zero prepared to leave with Emma, Milan called out to him one last time.
"Zero…" Zero looked back.
"Please…Bring my sister home safely."Milan's voice softened for the first time.
Zero gave him a confident nod before sprinting away beside Emma toward the holding cells.
Without wasting another second, Scarlet, Raven, and Nutaila charged into the swarm of vampires, cutting through them to protect the fleeing survivors.
Milan tightened his grip on his weapon and looked at Layla.
"Let's go." Layla nodded and immediately led Milan and Nadia toward the house where Ben and Zara were hiding, while the sounds of screams, gunfire, and ravenous vampires echoed throughout the collapsing settlement