In a wooden bungalow deep in the woods, Lavana was unconscious in one of the rooms. This room had a timber casement window.
Her hair covered her face and her skin was pale. Her hands and feet were chained to the wall.
The three vampires were settled on a long couch, discussing how to use her for their benefit. 
They heard a cough and turned in her direction. She was awake!

"Oho! The key's finally awakened. Say, did you think you'd get away or someone would rescue you?" the one she'd caused to faint earlier was the first to speak.
She parted her hair so she could see clearly. The vampires had changed outfits, but their natural body smell was...
A lone vampire smells bad and the three of them were combined. The odour alone could kill her. How long can she hold her breath for?
"Why are you retaining your breath? Do you think we're underwater?" another one asked unhappily, with folded arms and crossed legs."Speak!"
Lavana refused to say a word and looked away from the trio.
If they were underwater, she wouldn't have to hold her breath. A mermaid keeping her breath? How ridiculous!

"Look!" the third vampire got up and walked to her with hands in the pockets of his baggy yellow pants. "We don't wanna harm you, girl. You are a hybrid and an abomination. By law, we should kill you, but we don't want to. We aren't that wicked."

"Kind? Kind people would all gang up on a person and try to kill her?" she jeered in her heart.
"You don't believe me?" the third vampire asked again, but she didn't reply.
"How about this? My name is Duke." he pointed to the one with red hair. "That's Brian and then..." he pointed to the one who had black hair. "He's Martelio. Now you know our names. What's yours, pretty?" he asked with a smile.

She scoffed and looked at him. "I'm nobody."
"I don't believe you. How about you tell your name and I set you free?"
"You think I'm a moron?" she hissed.
"Well, you leave me no choice." he brought out a neck shackle with silver chains. 
"Do you want to know the feeling?"
Lavana tried to spit out lightning balls but failed. She tried to also use her ice chain and fireball, but none could come to life. She now realized how much of a peril she was in. They must have done something to make her unable to use her powers.
"Bastards!" she cursed with gritted teeth.

"You're sure you wanna say that again?" Martelio asked with darkened eyes. He was holding a rod now. Heaven knew how much he wanted to beat her to death, but he just couldn't. She had some use and would take them to heights they never dreamed of.
"I'm sorry," she said in a whisper, looking defeated.
"Now tell us your name," Brian demanded, still sitting on the couch, looking pissed.
"I'm Lia Sanderson." she lied. She dared not look at any of them now.
"You swear by your wolf spirit's life that Lia is your name?"
"I don't think it's necessary. Besides, can you swear with your life that your names are as you said?"
"Girl, we are vampires. Indestructible and unfathomable. We are creatures who feed on blood and flesh to survive. We don't lie regarding our names."
"You don't have to tell me. I already know you're lone vampires. I hold my breath coz you smell bad no matter how much cologne you wear. Ew!" she spat at a corner.
The smell was getting worse. She shouldn't have awakened; she was better unconscious!

"Girl, whether or not you are Lia, we've got a deal for you. You have three elements within your control which is unheard of and amazing. We want you to help us invade some wolf dens and then you will be set free with so much money than you ever dreamed of. What do you think?" asked Duke with a sly smile.
"I'll agree on one condition," she said.

"State it," said Brian.
"Help me ruin Ralton pack, then I'll agree in a heartbeat." 
"You are nuts. You have another chance..."
"I don't agree to hurt innocent people. You guys had better set me free..." she was interrupted when Martelio hit her right cheek hard, leaving five sold palm prints.
She felt her jawbones shift and rearrange, trying to heal the damage caused by this pissed vampire.
"No need to bargain with you. You are coming with us tomorrow." Duke kicked her gut and left with the others.
Lavana spat out blood and clutched her gut.
Her vision became hazy. She felt like a truck hit her. Her skin began to redden. She grit her teeth to endure the pain, with tears rolling down her cheeks. 
She started sweating bullets when she felt something in her belly. Whatever it was, she didn't know. All she knew was that it was very hot and its every move brought great pain to her. Her three spirits were still in slumber and she couldn't afford to wake them. She had to endure. She must bear it!
"Lavana, you are no longer that girl who's a shadow of herself. You are strong. This is something you can do. You can do this!" she repeated in her heart. Her mouth opened when she felt the hot stuff in her stomach become bigger. Her eyes widened and she gritted her teeth even harder this time. 
She must be experiencing the second phase of dragon transformation. Thora had said it would happen when she found her mate. But her mate had rejected her. But it doesn't alter the reality that she indeed found him! This was bound to come anyway. Maybe it's the actual reason she can't use any of her powers.
***********
15 minutes later.

Her hair had become wet coz the sweat was now like torrents. Her eyes changed colour and some dragon scale patches appeared on her face, neck, hands, and feet. There was none on her belly. She felt her backbone crack and snap. She also felt it rearrange itself as the hot stuff moved closer to the backbone.
She immediately pulled on the chains in her hands. She wanted to be free of these annoying things, but she soon discovered they were actually silver chains that were painted. Her hands hurt from touching them just now.
"Ahhhhh!" she couldn't take it anymore and let out a scream of anguish.
The vampires who were now in the sitting room chuckled.
"She must have touched those chains. Hahaha. She can't escape!" said Martelio.
"She's really dumb too." commented Brian.
"Ahh!" they heard another scream and shook their head.
This captive was too anxious and will hurt herself more before tomorrow. How stupid was she?
Anyway, it's been three hours now. They needed to drink some blood first. They couldn't drink her blood yet, so they must make do with animal blood tonight. But tomorrow, they'd be drinking wolf blood. Hehe!

Back in the locked room, Lavana was struggling with her legs and hands. She badly wanted to get free as she held the silver chains.
Her fangs had come out and there were three red lines around her neck.
Her eyes were purple and emitted rays.
Now her body was covered in draconic scales. The hot stuff in her belly was no longer hurting her. It had stopped moving too. She could feel it residing with her spinal cord still emitting heat.
She looked like she'd just come out of a water body. Her body glistened with sweat. She also found that the silver chains no longer hurt her. It was just like touching a normal iron chain that wouldn't harm her. She became a bit relieved at this thought and reclined her back against the wall. She had no strength to move anymore. She breathed quite slowly and closed her eyes. Now, she just wished for sleep to come. Tomorrow, she'll find a way to escape after recovering. 

*********
Meanwhile, Mel and Rolandro had just shifted back to human after arriving at the place Pedro had last seen his savior. There was no soul in sight. Instead, the smell of lone vampire was three times stronger.
Mel's eyes widened.
"There's more than one who took her away." he said in defeat.
"Sigh. We were too slow. It's our fault that she died. Let's pay our respects before leaving. She saved our boy." Rolandro said with a sigh.
Lone vampires certainly are unrestrained; they do whatever they wish. Being captured by more than one vampire, it would be difficult even for them to escape from their clutches, say less of that Omega female.
"Dad, uncle Mel... are you saying that we can't meet her anymore?" the little one asked as a tear cascaded down his left cheek. "She's no longer alive? All because of me... to save me?" Pedro sat on the ground, feeling discouraged.
"Miss, I'm sorry... I came late! Wahhh!" he started wailing bitterly, pack some mud with his small hands and rubbing it on his face and head. "It's all my fault. It's all my fault!"
The two men sighed and his dad went on one knee.
"My son, it is really unfortunate that we couldn't save her. Daddy and uncle Mel feel shame and pain too like you. I'm sure she's happy that you lived... that her effort didn't go to waste. We will thank her now and build her a monument when we get back home. So we can always remember her good deed." he whispered and hugged his trembling son. He took a glance at Mel, who was staring ahead, not sure what he was thinking of.
"She's really unfortunate. I can't imagine how much pain and humiliation she went through before dying. Make sure to build a very splendid statue of her. A tomb won't be enough." Mel telepathed to Rolandro who agreed.
"Yes, we must try to compensate her as much as we can." Rolandro mind linked his friend.
Pedro was still weeping and his father let him do so for a short while.
>>>>>>>>>>>
"Son, let's pay our respects in the direction you last saw her." 
Pedro by now, was sniffing, with his dad patting his back gently.
"Okay dad." the little one replied.
All three went on their knees and kowtowed 7 times.
"Lady, we might not know who you are, but you have done us a great deed. We'll never forget your sacrifice. We'll engrave your kindness in our hearts. Forgive me for my carelessness in not handling my pup well. Forgive us for the pain we caused you. Because of us, your true mate might never see you. It's our fault!"
Rolandro kowtowed 3 times.
"Miss... I wish you were still here. I swear I ran really fast. I ran as fast as I could to get help. But..." Pedro started weeping again and his dad drew him close to console him.
"It's okay. It's okay son." he whispered and kissed his son's forehead. Then he wiped his tears gently.
"Miss, thank you for saving Pedro even if you need not be involved in the first place. You could have just run to safety, but you didn't. Thank you. I'll remember your generosity." Mel kowtowed 3 times and rose.
"We need to go. If your mate awakens, she'll turn everywhere upside down." he reminded Pedro's dad who sighed.
"Hun, we need to go find mum and aunt Regina. They are worried." he whispered.
However, Pedro kept staring ahead.
"I promise we'll come back sometime." his dad persuaded. He finally nodded.
"Good boy. I'm proud of you." Rolandro whispered and hugged his son. After a short while, he broke the hug and transformed into his wolf form, so did Mel.
Rolandro crouched and Pedro got on his back, then placed his hands around his neck to hug it tightly.
Rolandro rose and nodded at Mel before howling twice.
They then started sprinting back the way they'd come- back to civilization and back to their mates!
**********
What Regina feared had come to pass. Carmelia was awake and had come out of the car.
"Gina, how long was I asleep for? And where are my husband, Pedro and your mate?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.
Regina stared at her with a pale expression. Her mouth opened, but she could not utter a word. She couldn't lie about their whereabouts to her.
"Gina, what's with that face?" she started to sniff but none of her family was nearby. Instead, she could perceive the almost fading smell of a lone vampire. At that moment, her face became pale and her shoulders trembled.
"Regina, tell me the truth. Where are the others? Why's it only you here?" Carmelia asked, almost growling.
Regina did not reply.
"Regina, speak up. Tell me the truth now. I have the right to know!"
"Bestie, I can't say..."
"Why? Why can't you say? You want me to fight with you before I can get the truth out of you?" Carmelia asked in agitation.
"I'll talk." Regina relented.
"Good. Now let me hear it."

"They... sigh... Pedro was taken captive by a lone vampire. We only noticed after the fight with those bastard rogues. Mel and your mate have gone into the woods in search of Pedro." Regina confessed, with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"What? My pedro? My son? Missing?" Carmelia asked in disbelief.
Regina nodded while covering her mouth with trembling left hand.
"No, this must be a hoax, right bestie? Hehe, guys, you can come out now. Showtime's over." Carmelia looked around anxiously, but she got no reply other than the rustling of leaves as the wind blew.
"Carmelia..." Regina mind linked, but her friend suddenly cried, holding onto her chest.
"Why me? Why?" Carmelia sank to her knees and let out a howl of anguish.
Regina walked close to her to comfort her, but she pushed her away. 
"Why didn't you wake me up all this time? I can't even feel my mate? Why didn't you follow them?" she sank to her knees and punched the tarred road hard, causing injuries to her knuckles.
"Mimi, please calm down. Have faith in our mates. They'll surely find Pedro. I'm sure of it!" Regina squatted and patted her bestie's shoulder gently.
"It's gonna be fine. Don't be too hard on yourself. Rolandro wouldn't be impressed that you hurt yourself like this. Calm down, okay?" she whispered soothingly.
Carmelia gritted her teeth, staring at the woods before them.
"They went that way, right?" she asked.
"Yes!" Regina nodded. "We have to wait for them. I'm sure they'll be back soon." she comforted.
"But... the one who kidnapped my son's a freaking lone vampire. An unrestrained being. What are the odds that my son will be okay in his hands? They are faster than our kind naturally. What if our mates don't get to him on time? What if he's stronger than both of them combined? What if he ..."
Pa!
Carmelia was shocked that her friend hit her face.
"Bestie, don't keep imagining worse things about them. Have faith, Mimi. They will come back safe and sound, alright!" Regina barked with her hands on her bestie's shoulders.
"Regina, let's face the reality. My son..."
Pa!
Carmelia got hit again. This time, it was harder than before.
"Bestie, you're hurting yourself..."
Pa!
Regina got hit. Five clear fingerprints could be found on the left side of her cheek.
"Regina... you don't know how much my heart is in turmoil..."
"I know. My heart's about to leap out of my chest, but I'm still here. I have faith that they will come back. Stop imagining the worse. You'll die before they even get back. How will our mates feel then? Mimi, you gotta get a hold of yourself. Stay strong for your son and your mate, okay?"
Carmelia nodded and Regina helped her stand up. Then she brought the crying lady into her embrace and patted her back.
"Mimi, don't cry. It's gonna be fine. Have faith okay?" she whispered.
"Regina, I'm just so scared. I can't live without..."
She couldn't finish what she was saying as she heard a howl. It was very familiar to her.
Was that her... 
She quickly broke the hug and ran into the woods. She met up with three figures.
Rolandro crouched and Pedro got off.
"Pedro!" Carmelia hollered in joyfulness and went on one knee.
"Mummy!" Pedro called and ran to hug her tight.
 "Mummy..." he started sobbing.
"Oh hun. It's okay. You're safe now. Don't cry, okay?" she whispered and rubbed her boy's head. "Mummy is here okay?"
"Mummy, we couldn't save her. She died!" Pedro's cry increased. His shoulders trembled.
"Huh? Who died?" Regina who just arrived, asked with a creased forehead.
"The female Omega who saved me. She got killed by that vampire." replied Pedro.