Fight

I had to calm my mind.

Panic wouldn't help me now, and I knew it. The fear crawling up my spine, the anger simmering just beneath the surface they were distractions.

Sydney's parents were clever, calculating. They'd planned this, made sure I was weak, and now they were probably waiting for me to break.

But I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

I breathed in slowly, forcing the air deep into my lungs. The burn in my ribs made me grit my teeth, but I ignored it. Pain was something I could use.

Something I could focus on. I needed to think. There had to be a way out of here, something they overlooked. Vampires or not, everyone had a blind spot.

The guards, I noticed, weren't looking at me anymore. They assumed I was too weak to pose a threat. Good. Let them underestimate me. I just needed to bide my time, wait for the right moment. That's when they'd regret leaving me alive.

But first, I needed a plan.