Gabrielle found her way back to the mansion, carrying the dying woman in her arms. The mansion was unguarded, and Gabrielle assumed it could only be because they had been slain by the Mephis. She was surprised to find that there were no signs of a struggle in the mansion. She remembered leaving, and seeing the place in disarray.
  “Gabrielle?” Kristian’s voice said, as she entered through the open front door. He and several others were putting the rooms back together.
  “Where is an elder?”
  “Tzion is in his room.” He told her and looked at the dying woman. “Who is that?”
  “I don’t know. I don’t have time to explain, Kristian. Just take me to Tzion.”
  Kristian stumbled over his words for a moment, “But…”
  “Just do it, god damn it! You don’t have to make this more difficult then it already is.”
  He gave no other arguments, and lead her down the halls to Tzion’s room.
  Opening the door, Tzion stood up from his bed and looked at the woman in Gabrielle’s arms.
  “What happened?” He asked, Gabrielle noticed a red blood stain on his white pillow. He must have been injured during the battle.
  “The Mephis sacrificed her.” She told him as she laid the woman down where he had been laying.
  He gave her a questioning look.
  “Kailin has been ripped apart at this warehouse, she followed the large Mephis inside. I had to leave her to help this woman.”
  They sat in silence for a moment, “Why didn‘t you take her to a hospital?”
  “And become a witness in another murder, no. You can do something, can’t you?”
  Tzion shook his head in disbelief, “Kailin… is she alright?”
  “The Mephis ate her, well parts of her and then they threw it all up.” She gave a loud gulp, holding tears back in eyes, and the memory in her mind. “There was nothing I could do, but we have to go back and help her. They crushed her skull and she isn’t responding to me.”
  “You were there, you saw it?” His voice didn’t hold any emotion.
  She nodded, he noticed her watery eyes.
  “And they lived? The Mephis who ate her?”
  “Yes, they just vomited her up. I should of came and got you and the others like she told me too.” Gabrielle sobbed, “But when I saw her go in, I just went to make sure she would be ok. Had I went and got you, then this would of never happened.”
  Tzion ignored her, and concentrated only on the Mephis. “Then they weren’t trying to kill her.” Tzion sat down on his bed, barely missing the human woman’s feet. “Go home. I’ll have the others take care of the blood there, and make sure Kailin is properly cared for.”
  She shook her head, “I can’t I want to make sure that she’ll be ok.”
  “Mephis can’t kill her, it will take some time to repair herself. I have a holy shrine on my property, she will heal quicker there.”
  Gabrielle looked into Tzion’s eyes, she didn’t trust him. If she had known where to find Mathias, she would of went to him. “What about this girl?” She looked down as the girl coughed.
  “You needn’t worry yourself about the human. Now, go home. Give Kristian directions to the warehouse, and I will send him with an update to your home when the time comes.”
  Gabrielle nodded her head, and turned around to leave. Her chest and hands were covered in blood from the human and Kailin. When she stepped outside, Kristian stood curiously waiting to find out what had occurred.
  “What has happened?” He asked holding a piece of paper and a pen. He had been eavesdropping. Gabrielle grabbed the pen and paper from him and wrote down directions, then handed them back to him and headed towards the main hallway.
  “What has happened?” Kristian repeated himself, following her.
  “Nothing that concerns you. And if you don’t mind, just slip a note under my door when Tzion sends you with news. I rather not speak to you.”
  “Come on, Gabby.” He grabbed her upper arm, “It’s obvious you are in distress, why won’t you let me help you?”
  She pulled her arm from his grasp, “Do not speak to me, anymore.” She snapped, and ran down the hallway.
  Kristian returned to Tzion’s room. The elder was over looking the woman. “Master?”
  “Good, Kristian, you are here. Send for Mathias, I will need his help this morning.”
  He nodded, “Yes, milord, but may I ask what this is about.”
  “The prophecies.”
  Kristian didn’t understand, but he knew Tzion wouldn’t further explain it to him. And so he headed down the hallway to find the perfect pigeon to deliver his message to Mathias. He liked to send Akela, but she had been injured that evening and was still resting.

  Mathias followed Kristian down the hallway, and through the door when the young Hallowed opened it for him. Tzion stood in his velvet draped room, overlooking a bleeding human on his bed.
  “What have you done?” Mathias snapped, assuming the girl was one of Tzion’s kills.
  “What have I done?” Tzion snorted and turned to face Mathias, “You always think the worst of me. I have done nothing, this was done by the Mephis.”
  “Why?” he asked, stepping closer to the bed to get a better look. Mephis would never leave someone alive, let alone intact.
  “She is a sacrifice to keep Kailin dead, I believe.”
  “Kailin? Dead?”
  He nodded, “She followed that large Mephis to a warehouse, where apparently more Mephis were and they all tore her apart.”
  “Who told you this? And where is Kailin?”
  Tzion looked up at Mathias and grinned, “The Pyrrhonian pet that Kailin keeps brought the human to me. The fool left her own friend in a warehouse to become victim to more Mephis attack, to bring this human to me for repairs.”
  “Gabrielle must have had her reasons. Beside, Kailin can survive in her state, however this human can not. We should get her to a hospital if you do not plan to help her.” He looked down at the girl who was bleeding to death.
  “Mephis religion holds no power, besides we can’t allow this human to live knowing what she knows. I sense that she won’t be as understanding as some.”
  “We could turn her.” Mathias hand reached for her, but Tzion grabbed it.
  “No, she isn’t right for it. Not everyone is eligible to become a vampire, Mathias. I would think with your experience you would understand this by now.” Tzion paused, then looked down at the woman, “You have always been sympathetic to the dying, Mathias.” He said as he walked away from the body. “If you turn this one, I will kill you. Prophecy or not.” His back was turned to Mathias and the dying woman.
  Mathias turned around and looked at his master, “Yes, you seem to have a way of not caring about what the prophecies say, especially for a man who tells them.”
  He gave a quick chuckle, and kept his back facing him, “Mathias, be careful of what you say, or I will tell your secret.”
  Mathias said nothing, only stood over looking to dying woman.
  “We have to go to the warehouse now. Gather the fresh vampires and meet me there.” Tzion ordered.
  Mathias watched him leave the room, he kicked the bedpost, causing the woman to cough. Looking down at her, he touched her hand. She was dying a painful death. Though he did not know the woman, her pain could be felt just by looking upon her. Her eyes were closed tightly as if she didn’t want to look upon the world any longer. He reached down and wiped a small drizzle of blood that ran from the corner of her lip. As his cold finger pulled her heated blood away she opened her eyes for a moment and looked at him giving him a smile. He could see her good aura staring back at him through her dark brown eyes, and though he would never be sure he thought maybe she had seen his own.
  “He doesn’t understand.” she said, and with that her heart stopped.

  Stepping out of the elevator, her head looked towards her feet as she walked down the hall to her door. Gabrielle had taken her heels off, as they had been ruined by the blood she had walked in. Her thoughts remained on what had happened that evening, she didn’t know why she had been so upset. She knew that Kailin wasn’t dead, but an injury like that could take a Hallowed years to recover from. Her safe guard from those that hunted her was down, and worst of all, her friend was hurt.
  “Gabrielle?” A soft voice said.
  She looked up in a fright, she hadn’t sensed anyone near by. Lucas stared back at her, he looked different. It took a moment of looking into his eyes to understand why. He was a vampire hunter, and just more then in blood. A hunter could mask their aura from vampires, as well as other hunters.
  “Lucas, what… where…”
  He grinned, “I need to speak with Kailin.”
  “She’s not here. What do you need?”
  “You aren’t safe here, Gabby. Damon knows where she is living now and even where she works. I can’t stay here long, he thinks I am out hunting.”
  Gabrielle lifted her eyebrow, “Damon?”
  He nodded, “I was told to get training by him. This is the first time I have been without him since I arrived.”
  “Oh.” Gabrielle reached into her purse and pulled out her keys.
  “When will Kailin be back? I would like to talk to her myself, there is more I need to tell her.”
  Looking at him over her shoulder, she frowned. “She was attacked by Mephis, they tore her to pieces.”
  His face didn’t change, “I see. She is alright, though?”
  “Like I said, she is in pieces. Lord Tzion went to collect her body and take it to his home. I doubt she will be back for a very long time.”
  Gabrielle opened the door. Lucas brushed past her, stepping into the apartment before she could reject to entertain him.
  “How long is a very long time?” He asked, as she shut the door.
  “Injuries like that could take years to heal.”
  “I suggest then that you move to Tzion’s as well. You may not be the one he is after, but killing you will pain Kailin. I think that’s all Damon is really after.”
  Gabrielle nodded, “I know, I’ve dealt with him many times before.” She had laid down her purse on the couch, and headed towards her bedroom door.
  “You will leave, won’t you?” Lucas asked, placing his hand on the doorknob.
  “Maybe tomorrow. I am sure I will be safe until then.”
  Opening the door that led to the hallway, he gave a quick nod. “Be careful.”
  “You too.”
  She went into her bedroom, and put on some gray sweatpants and a white shirt, placed her hair in a pony tail and went back to the couch. Taking a deep breath, she looked around the room. It wasn’t as if, she had never been alone in the apartment before. But more that she had never been alone without the knowledge that Kailin was coming home soon. Pulling her legs up onto the couch, she wrapped her arms around her knees. She was scared, she had never been on her own before.

  Tzion stood next to Mathias on the elevated floor in the warehouse, some of the younger Hallowed including Kristian were gathering parts of Kailin from around the room, and placing them on a blue tarp. The sight was almost more then Mathias could take, when he first walked in. Her head was completely crushed, and her brains spilt out over the floor. Had he not known it was her, he could of never of identified her. Several of her bones were showing on her limbs, where the flesh had been torn away. It looked more like a pack of wild dogs had gotten to her then Mephis.
  “What are we doing here, Tzion?” Mathias asked.
  “She was eaten by the Mephis.”
  He looked around, “I can see that.”
  “Don’t you understand, Mathias? She has fed from you; she now has your ability of regeneration. She can put herself back together with ease. I wanted us to be here to take careful note of anything… interesting that might occur. As it is your ability, I would think you to be the best to have by my side for these experiments.”
  Mathias was annoyed when he called Kailin an experiment, but there were more important things to address. If he upset Tzion, then the old coot wouldn’t be as forthcoming with his information. “It will take years to put herself back together, at least a couple decades. Which was probably what Anthony had planned to begin with.”
  “Anthony didn’t know she has your regenerative ability now.”
  “I doubt even my ability can help her much here. Besides, she doesn’t know how to control it in a way that will benefit her in this time. All she can do is re-grow, when bonding to the other pieces would be much quicker.”
  Tzion sighed and turned to Mathias, “She’s just a jigsaw puzzle that we must put together, and then the bonding will occur.”
  Mathias rolled his eyes, “You plan to piece her together? That is the most ridiculous…”
  “Sometimes the hardest way is the best way. Anthony would not be attacking her tonight, if he didn’t have something planned. We got lucky that they vomited up the pieces that they had eaten. That must have been Samuel’s work.”
  “And why would Samuel help us?”
  Tzion rubbed the hair on his chin, “Not us, but her. Mephis or not, he was her lover and she is his master. More so then Anthony. He has an unbreakable bond with her, like you and I have.”
  Mathias snorted.
  “Deny it all you want, Mathias. The truth remains the truth.”
  “You have a way of making the truth into a lie, Tzion.”
  He snorted, “I have a way of making a lie sound like the truth, there is a difference.” His eyes set themselves on Kristian, as he came to stand in front of them. “Yes?”
  “We are almost done here, may I go speak with Gabrielle now?” Kristian asked.
  Tzion gave a nod, and watched him leave. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that he has begun to have feelings for that Pyrrhonian.”
  “Begun?” Mathias laughed and shook his head, “They’ve been there for some time now. So much for your unbreakable bonds.”
  There was a silence between them before Mathias spoke again, “How can you be so sure, that she has any use of my ability?”
  “This very evening it was, that I saw them in use.” Turning to his master, Mathias lifted a questioning eyebrow. “I speak the truth, that sizeable Mephis that she was playing with broke her ankle. Within a few moments, she was right back on it. Much quicker then any normal fresh could heal such an injury. Would take most an hour of concentration.” “But she was in much better health, it takes a great deal of focus to…”
  Tzion sighed loudly in annoyance, “Do not feed such lies to me, Mathias. I know very well that your elder ability came to you easily. You only desire that it be as complex as most are, however you were lucky in getting one that needs nearly no control on your part.”
  “I’ll have you know, Tzion, that in order to heal myself properly it takes more then just letting it do as it pleases.”
  “I’m sure it does.” He folded his long fingers together, and stepped off the elevated floor looking at Kailin’s remains. “Further proof.” He pointed towards Kailin’s knees.
  Mathias came to stand beside him, a large patch of skin had been torn out just below her knee. In an attempt to hurry their cleaning, one of the fresh had just dumped some of her flesh atop of the wound. A small piece was reattaching itself to her.
  He only grunted as he watched it quickly seal itself on. “That still remains meaningless.”
  “Why do you not wish for her to get better, Mathias?” Tzion turned to look at him.
  “It’s not that I don’t want her better, but that the longer she remains this way, the less time you will have to toy with her.”
  Tzion grinned, “Your resentment for me tastes so bitter. Yet, it’s all the more sweeter when you admit that I am right.”
  Mathias breathed deeply through his nose to show his anger. “I am returning home, I will visit Kailin come sun up.” He walked out the large warehouse door, knowing Tzion was chuckling at him.

  Kristian knocked gently on the door, he knew that Gabrielle would sense him and probably not open the door. He smirked to himself when the door began to crack open. Gabrielle was in a pair of sweatpants, something he wasn’t use to seeing her in. She normally dressed so elegantly.
  “I thought I told you to slip a note under my door.”
  He nodded, “You did, but I thought I could offer my company as well.”
  Her eyes held anger for only a moment, then switched to the sadness that she was really containing. Stepping aside, she let him enter the apartment.
  At first, he thought it was a trick. His right foot stepped forward to enter, and then pulled back briefly. Looking upon Gabrielle’s sadden face, he knew that she was in no mood to be a jokester. He came inside, and removed his black jacket and placed it on the couch.
  “How are you doing?” He asked it, and then wanted to take it back. There was no question how she was doing, and he didn’t understand why he had asked.
  “I have known Kailin for so long, I’ve lost count of the years. In all that time, I have never before heard her scream like that. Never have I seen her so weaken, or a victim. But today, I watched it all, and I realize now that I have her built up in my mind as more then she really is.” Gabrielle walked around the couch and sat atop of Kristian’s jacket. She brought her legs to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them.
  Kristian came to sit next to her, putting his hand on his knee. His face remained somber, trying not to show his sadness. “What is she if not what you thought?”
  Gabrielle looked up into his eyes, “She’s not invincible. You should of seen her when we first met, she fought off an entire group of Bowery that were attacking me. I knew right there and then, that she was unstoppable. I knew that with her I would never have to be afraid again.” She sniffled, “She’s always won. I watched so many times as she fought creatures that could destroy me with one hit, but they were rag dolls to her. I was safe, and now I realize that all those times…” Laying her forehead down on her arm she continued. “I never really was a hundred percent safe, was I? It was all false security that I was feeding myself.”
  He didn’t understand, and wasn’t sure if he would be able to. However, knowing Gabrielle’s temper, he didn’t want her to know that he was unsure of what she had meant. “Kailin isn’t invincible, she just as vulnerable as you or I.”
  The red hair on Gabrielle’s head shook back and forth as she disagreed. “No, I’ve seen her. I know her!” She yelled, and then calmed herself down. “I’ve replayed her defeat over and over in my mind. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t fought large groups of Mephis before. It was like… like…” She bit her lower lip.
  “Like she allowed them to eat her?”
  Gabrielle lifted her head, and nodded slowly. “It’s absurd, I know. But that look she gets in her eyes when she fights, that blind justice, it wasn’t there.” She looked into his eyes, “But, why? Why would Kailin allow them to just tear away at her? She was in such pain, I felt the horror of it just watching. My skin burned, and my eyes watered.”
  He sighed for a moment, “I don’t know, Gabby. I doubt that was what she meant to do, perhaps she just wasn’t prepared. This is something you will have to ask her when she is better.”
  “That’s another thing. I have never been alone my entire life. And how long will this take? Two or three years for her to be anywhere close to normal again? What will I do? How will I be safe?”
  Kristian grinned, but immediately removed it from his face before Gabrielle noticed. “I over heard Tzion speaking with Mathias. He thinks it won’t take her long at all to repair herself, since she fed from him.”
  “Tzion or Mathias?” She asked.
  “Mathias has the ability to repair his wounds rather quickly. When she fed from him, she received it. I don’t know how much more it will effect her healing, but I would assume not long, by the way Tzion was carrying on about it.”
  “You are not fooling me, are you?”
  Kristian shook his head, “No, that would be a cruel joke.”
  Gabrielle shot up out off the couch and ran into her room, slamming the door behind her.
  For a moment, Kristian thought he had upset her, but heard her scourging around in her bedroom.
  “You must take me to her at once!” Gabrielle yelled. When she stepped out of her room, she wore jeans and a blue shirt. In her hands were a pair of sneakers, that she pulled onto her feet once she sat on the couch.
  “Like I said, I don’t know how long it will take her…”
  Gabrielle grabbed her purse, “I know, but I am betting that Tzion knows, so let’s go.” She opened the door and pointed out towards the hallway.
  Kristian grabbed his coat and pulled it on before he stepped out into the hall. Gabrielle locked the door and headed towards the elevator before he could argue again.

  Kristian opened the door to the mansion, allowing Gabrielle to step in before him. She looked to her right at the large living room with several filled bookshelves that were built into the wall. A brown bear rug laid on the wooden floor between a Victorian sofa and the lit fireplace. Lace curtains were drawn over the windows. Several other chairs that matched the sofa were placed around the room.
  Gabrielle took a step into the room, and turned back to watch Kristian shut the door. Folding her hands together, he pointed to the sofa.
  “Have a seat there, I’ll see if Tzion will meet with you now.”
  Before Gabrielle could demand that she be seen, Kristian headed down the hall. She cleared her throat, and sat down on the couch. There was a small clock on the mantel of the fireplace, and her eyes wavered between it and outside the window for a time. She couldn’t be waiting here for long, the lace curtains wouldn’t block the sun well enough. Sun couldn’t kill her, but it did cause intensive pain. Back to the clock, it was nine in the morning now. Outside the window, she made out several men caring for the bushes and flowers.
  Ten thirty, Gabrielle sighed deeply. She couldn’t sit in front of this window for much longer, and stood up to wait in the hall way. Leaning against the door, she took another deep breath. She couldn’t believe this, she would think at least Kristian would come to tell her what the hold up was. The fire was starting to die down, as the noon sun began to shine.
  By eleven she had enough of this waiting game, and looked down the hall. The mansion was huge, but she wasn’t afraid to go door to door looking for the man. The squeak of the front door told her someone was coming in.
  Mathias stepped in and looked down at her, as she stepped back some into the living room.
  “Gabrielle, what are you doing here?” He asked, Lycorisa and Jareth came in from behind him.
  “I need to speak with Tzion, I’ve been waiting here for two hours now.” She told them.
  Mathias looked down the hallway and then back at her, “Who was to notify of your arrival?”
  “Kristian went to tell him.”
  He nodded, and turned to Lycorisa, “Go around back to the cathedral, and I will help Gabrielle find Tzion.”
  Lycorisa nodded and stepped outside with Jareth following her. Mathias headed down the hall, “He’s probably in his study.”
  “Do you think that Kristian didn’t inform him?” Gabrielle asked following him through the narrow hallways.
  He snorted, “Knowing Tzion, he either ordered him to do something before Kristian could speak or ignored it. Hoping that you would get bored and leave.”
  All the wooden doors were shut as they walked up the stairs, and on the second floor no door was ajar. The narrow passages were beginning to make her feel Claustrophobic. There seemed to be no end, as soon as they turned a corner there was just another hallway filled with shut doors. Finally they reached the end of the hallway, and Mathias knocked once and then opened the door.
  Tzion sat at his desk, reading a very old hand written tome. He closed it when Mathias walked into the room, and glared at Gabrielle when she came into sight. Kristian sat on the floor across the room with another tome in his lap, and was taking notes.
  “Don’t you take hints?” Tzion said with venom.
  “I want to see Kailin.” She told him, her voice a mere mumble of what it usually was.
  Tzion stood up, and placed the tome back onto the built in shelf behind him. “Kailin will not be able to comprehend thoughts or feeling, let alone see or talk to you for several years, Gabrielle. You saw the state that she was in.”
  Gabrielle folded her arms, “That’s a lie, since she fed from Mathias she has been able to heal herself much quicker. Now, I want to see her.”
  “Who told you…” Tzion’s eyes went to Kristian, “Ah, I see.”
  Kristian’s head slouched down in shame, as he continued to read from the tome.
  Tzion bit the corner of his lower lip, “Obviously, I have not taught the value of my privacy to you well enough.” He said to Kristian, who still looked into the tome. “No use in hiding now, Kristian. Stand up, you are as much part of this as she is now.”
  Standing up, Kristian placed the tome on the floor. He looked up at Tzion, who was staring unhappily at the tome. He kneeled down and picked it up, placing it back on the book shelf. When he was finished he came to stand between Mathias and Gabrielle.
  “Kailin is in the cathedral behind my home, and as we all know, one of your….” He curled his upper list in disgust, “breed, can not enter holy ground.”
  “I can enter, but must deal with great pain.” Gabrielle corrected.
  “Indeed.” He walked in front of his desk, and leaned against it. “Well, in that case, you know where she is. Go and visit the pile of flesh that was once your friend.”
  “Still is my friend.” Gabrielle snapped, and headed out the door.
  Mathias watched her leave, and turned his eyes back to Tzion. “What is going on?”
  “I should ask you the same thing. How dare you bring that creature into my private study.” Tzion snapped, “She is now witness to my collection of tomes, pray that she does not speak Latin and was unable to read the tome titles.”
  “Why didn’t you want her to see Kailin?” Mathias asked, as Tzion sat at his desk again.
  “She is Kailin’s weakness, I am trying to make her strong. By having her in the picture, we are only hindering Kailin’s progress.” He folded his hands on the desk, and looked at Mathias.
  “You have other elders to exchange blood with her, don’t you?”
  He grinned, “You sometimes surprise me with your insight, Mathias. Yes, I have others who are awaiting her completion.”
  “Who?”
  “The triplets.” Tzion’s grin widened when he saw the anger in Mathias’ eyes.
  The triplets were the oldest living hallowed vampires beside Eva. They had been created by the Ancient long ago, and were the only humans ever turned by her. Tzion’s own master was one of their peons, but it had never been said who had actually turned them. For them to be willing to exchange blood with Kailin, something hideous had to be going on behind closed doors.
  “The triplets would never do that!” Mathias snapped.
  “They know my cause is just, and see the signs just as I do. Whether Eva agrees is not something they have concerned themselves with. They saw the light when I explained it to them.”
  He didn’t know what to say, they were too powerful. Kailin was able to consume the previously elders blood and survive well, but they would just be too much. In smaller doses over a longer period of time, perhaps she could grow strong enough. This just couldn’t be, what was Tzion doing.
  “I’ll be in the cathedral.” Mathias walked out of the room, there was nothing he could say that would matter in the least to his master.
  Tzion looked at Kristian, “Shut the door and get back to work. Tonight, you learn once more about how important my privacy is to me.”
  Kristian swallowed and did as he was told.

  Walking to the Cathedral, Mathias stopped when he noticed Gabrielle standing alone in front of the small church. She knew where the holy land began and kept her feet right at it’s edge. She stepped on her toes trying to see through the stain glass windows. Falling back onto her heels, she sighed. She wanted to go in and make sure Kailin would be alright, but the mere thought of the pain she would have to endure kept her away.
  Mathias walked up beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Turning her eyes to him she looked so sad.
  “Gabrielle, I promise you that I will come and get you the moment Kailin awakes.”
  She gave a half hearted grin, “I know, but…” Looking back to the Cathedral she sighed, “Damon knows where we live now. Lucas came and told me. It’s not safe there anymore, and from the way Tzion has been acting I doubt he will let me stay with him.”
  He grinned, “He can be stubborn.” Reaching into his jacket pocket he pulled out a small notepad that he used to write notes on Kailin with. There was a pen clipped to the top. Quickly he wrote something down and offered it to her, then pulled his keys from his pocket. “Go there. This is my home, I am sure that Jareth and Lycorisa won’t mind if you stay with us until Kailin is back on her feet.”
  She didn’t want to, but there was really not many other options that she wanted to indulge. Taking the keys from his hand, she gave a nod, then turned to leave.
  Mathias watched her walk around the mansion, and then disappear behind it. His attention went to the Cathedral. Walking up the five stairs, he opened the large double doors. There was an alter at the end of the room, which Kailin had been laid upon. There were no benches inside as this wasn’t really a place of worship, but a sanctuary against attacks. Mathias had often wondered why they didn’t hold the convention inside the many Cathedrals that Tzion built at his homes.
  Two fresh Hallowed, Lycorisa, and Jareth surrounded Kailin’s body. Trying to put together the pieces where they belonged. One fresh held a knife to cut Kailin open if she healed an area before they had finished placing her innards inside.
  Tzion’s fascination with fountains showed through, as Mathias walked past the indoor fountain towards the alter. He stood and looked down at Kailin, her skull was the last of their concerns. They didn’t want her to be able to feel what they were doing to her. Besides her unrecognizable face, her body was already looking much better.
  On the floor was a pile of Kailin’s clothing that had been pulled from her wounds. He looked down at the blood soaked slices of the once beautiful dress that she had worn. This was beyond ridiculous, why was Tzion putting so much effort forth in speeding the healing process? He knew that his master wanted to have the triplets feed from her, but why did it have to be now? The end of the Mephis wasn’t meant to be until Kailin was an elder, there was no point in strengthening her. Forcing her soul to become to strong to quickly wouldn’t allow her aura to compensate.
  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the fingers on Kailin’s left hand twitch. Lifting his hand up, he gently stroked her fingers.
  “She’s been doing that all morning.” One of the fresh told him.
  Mathias didn’t know this peon of Tzion, and only nodded.
  “Think it’s her way of saying she is still here.” He said.
  Looking up at him, he noticed that the fresh had been going slightly bald before he had been turned. Mathias could tell that it had only been a few years since he had been turned, and was probably still leading his original life. The other fresh wasn’t much older but looked to have left his human life behind long ago. Only those who had lost their true selves could tell. It was the look in their eyes, that told them they were only pretending. Who they had forced themselves to become wasn’t who they really were. Even in Tzion’s eyes the truth could be seen. Everyone wanted to be who they were born to be, and not who they had been created as.
  “You are Mathias?” The fresh asked, and watched Mathias nod his head. “I’m Brent.” He smiled, “This is Darius.”
  Mathias grinned, one could always tell when a Hallowed had left behind their true identity, as they would change their name. Brent still carried his human name, where most Hallowed would choose an older, more dignified name, sometimes even create one of their own. This was not Kailin’s route though, she had picked the name simply because it was similar to her original. It had been Gabrielle who convinced her to move on, even though it wasn’t a common practice among other breeds of vampire.
  “How long do you think this will take?” Mathias asked Brent, who seemed to be rather knowledgeable about the placement of parts.
  He shrugged, “Putting her together, could take two or three days if we work non-stop. How long it takes her to heal is a mystery to me. Though she does seem to be healing rather quickly, some parts bond before we have time to finish the area. I’ve had to reopen her chest and stomach twice already.”
  “Do you think she’ll be at least talking in a week?”
  Brent nodded, “It wouldn’t surprise me.”
  Mathias looked down at Kailin again, and frowned. “Anything I can do to help?”
  Brent shook his head, “Your friends here are about all the hands that can fit.” He was trying to make a joke, but Mathias didn’t find it amusing.
  “Alright, then I will go home.” He turned his attention to Lycorisa. “I have invited Gabrielle to stay with us until Kailin is better.”
  Lycorisa nodded. “See you later. I think Jareth and I will stay here for a while, I don’t know when we will be back.”
  “Well, it’s not as if we have anything to do with Kailin out of commission.” Mathias walked out of the Cathedral.
  He hadn’t fought to help because he really didn’t want to. It bothered him to see Kailin in that state, and he didn’t know how long he could bare it. He had sensed Khaldun in the Cathedral, but had decided not to address it. There was no energy left to argue with the man.
  Khaldun stepped out of the side room and came to stand next to Lycorisa. “Think he knew I was here?”
  Lycorisa smiled, “Probably.”
  He picked up a piece of Kailin, trying to find where it belonged. It would bond quickly to the place it had come from. “Was afraid I would be stuck back there all day. He must really be bothered by this, normally he would fight to help Kailin.”
  She nodded, and Jareth did as well. But it was Lycorisa who spoke, “You know, I think he’s as heart broken right now as Gabrielle. It’ll be better for the two of them to be together, there really isn’t much he can do here in his condition.”
  Everyone agreed, and fell silent as they concentrate on Kailin.

  Four days had past, and Kailin was whole once again. Lycorisa and Jareth still spent their time coming to visit as spies for Mathias. He always caused Tzion’s wrath, and it was thought best for him to entertain Gabrielle.
  Kailin still hadn’t awaken, and she wasn’t gaining much strength. Her body was beginning to slow from lack of blood, and Lycorisa had called Tzion to the cathedral to speak with him. They sat next to the alter on the cold stone ground, as he walked down the long hall.
  “What is it?” He snapped at Jareth.
  He disliked Lycorisa, and preferred to speak with men when given the choice. Lycorisa stood up, while Jareth remained sitting.
  “She’s becoming weak.” Lycorisa looked over Kailin. “She needs to feed, but we can’t just take someone and milk their blood out of them.”
  Tzion rose an eyebrow, Halloweds didn’t believe in such torture. “Then I would suggest you allow her to feed from you.” It was the perfect opportunity, he hadn’t begun to figure out how he would get Jareth and Lycorisa to feed from Kailin.
  “What?” Lycorisa turned around, but Tzion turned her back to look at Kailin. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and looked over at Kailin.
  “She needs blood to feed, it’s not as if we can simply shake her awake. By placing your bleeding wrist on her lips, she will begin to suck. Of course, you should feed from her first to see how much she truly needs.”
  Lycorisa rolled her eyes, “I know that you tricked Mathias and Khaldun into feeding from her. You ruined their friendship.”
  “We are vampires, Lycorisa.” He said into her ear. “We don’t need friends, only allies.”
  Lycorisa looked at Jareth, who stood up and put his hands on the alter. Tzion turned his attention to him.
  “Jareth knows that. He also knows that Kailin needs you two to share your blood with her, and hers with you.”
  She shook her head, “No, you are trying to trick us. This is just another way for you to get elders to feed from her. You aren’t helping her, she will be unable to control her demon.”
  Tzion grinned and let go of her shoulders. Walking around to the other side of the alter, he looked at her. “Do you have another solution?”
  “We get a fresh to allow her to feed from them.” Lycorisa said.
  He frowned, “How will their blood impact her at all?”
  “A little more then human blood would, and there is no chance of a power transfer. Her soul will remain at it’s current strength.”
  Tzion laughed, “You have always done what Mathias has ordered from you. So deeply, childishly in love with a man who only wants to use you. You know that he has no desire for you, I remember clearly when he told you.” He grinned, “How sad you were. Do you remember it well, Lycorisa? Like it was yesterday I bet.”
  She had her mouth closed tightly, her teeth were beginning to hurt.
  “And Jareth, always here for you. So much in love with you, and yet you ignore him. Hate him.”
  Lycorisa looked at Jareth, whose eyes were fixed on Tzion. “I do not hate him.”
  “Yet, he’s the reason, isn’t he? The reason you were forced to run away from your life and the man you loved. All because he was a spoiled rich boy who wanted you all to himself. He’s the reason that you stumbled into the abandon mansion and ended up giving up your mortal life.” Tzion had been staring into Jareth’s eyes, and then looked back at Lycorisa. “You blame him for everything.”
  “Don’t say such things.”
  “You met Mathias though, a man who ignores you. A man who, if I remember correctly, was annoyed just by your presence when you first met. And yet you long for him, while Jareth waits and watches so loyal until his end, I see.”
  “Where are you going with this, Tzion?” Lycorisa snapped.
  “Just making your friend see for the first time. It’s interesting how a man who never talks can be so blind, when his sight is all he really has.” He looked back to Jareth. “You want to defy him, don’t you? Just once. To make Mathias’ heart sink, the way it does whenever you see Lycorisa look at him in the way she will never look at you.”
  Jareth’s eyebrows pulled together.
  “And here she is.” He opened his palms up to point at Kailin. “A similar situation that Mathias lives through. For a long time, he watched her and loved her, but Kailin never saw him, never wanted him. Now she knows, Jareth. She knows that he’s alive, does Lycorisa know you are?”
  Jareth glimpsed at Lycorisa and then turned his eyes back to Tzion. He shook his head.
  “No, you are just her toy. One that she would throw away at Mathias’ whim.”
  “Shut up!” Lycorisa yelled, “That’s enough! How dare you say…” She gagged, and fell to her knees.
  Akela stood at the front entrance, “Do not speak to Lord Tzion in that tone.”
  Tzion continued, “Defy him, Jareth. Break his heart for a moment, like he has been doing to you for hundreds of years.” He walked towards the front entrance, and Akela wrapped her arm around his lower arm. “I will allow you to think on it.”
  Lycorisa ran to the door as it was shutting, she wanted the last word. When they closed, she slammed her head against the wood. “That conceded, arrogant fool!” She kicked the door, “How dare he say those things.”
  Turning around, she looked at Jareth holding Kailin’s body in his arms. He began to drink from her neck.
  “Jareth, stop!” Lycorisa screamed running to the alter.
  Outside the cathedral, Tzion grinned at Akela after hearing Lycorisa’s plea.

  Brent wasn’t far off in guessing how long it would take Kailin to speak again, after eight days, she was fairly back together. Her body had grown tired, and it was impossible for her to hunt. Her healing slowed to that of a Mephis, but until she was strong enough to feed it would have to do. She was able to walk by the eleventh day, and met outside the Cathedral with Gabrielle. Mathias carried her most of the way, but she demanded to walk out and in the doors on her own. She didn’t want Gabrielle to see how weak she was.
  Most of the time, Kailin had found herself with Mathias or Tzion inside the cathedral with her. Tzion continually spoke about how he thought Mathias shouldn’t visit her. Kailin would listen to him argue with himself about Mathias.
  Sitting on the alter, she looked down at the brown robe she had been giving to wear. The sound of the door opened caused her to look up, and a smile played across her face as Mathias entered into the cathedral. “I was beginning to think you weren’t coming today.” She said to him when he sat down on the alter beside her.
  “Gabrielle causes quite a stir. Lycorisa and her don’t seem to be getting along very well, and Gabrielle just doesn’t know when enough is enough.” He watched her smile, “Neither does Lycorisa, so there arguments go on for hours.”
  She nodded her head, “That’s Gabby alright. Strange that she isn’t getting along with Lycorisa. Gabby is such a people person, and Lycorisa seems to aim to please everyone.”
  Mathias agreed and looked down at the ground.
  “Something the matter?”
  “I feel bad about this happening to you. I should have been following you, and been there when it happened. I was so caught up in the aftermath of the fight…” He sighed, “I just feel bad.”
  Kailin didn’t know what to say, she didn’t think it was his fault. “You aren’t my babysitter, you know?”
  “Yeah, I, kind of, am.”
  She grinned, “Well, in a way it was lucky that we exchanged blood then. I could have been laying here for years.” She patted the hard stone alter beside her.
  “I suppose it is, although it was still wrong of him to force it upon us. I doubt this was the reason he wanted us to exchange blood.”
  “Probably not, but it’s a perk.”
  Mathias had been waiting to tell her about Tzion’s plan since the moment she could comprehend what he was saying. Something kept holding him back, his own inner turmoil. He had been wrong before when it came to things Tzion did. He knew it was wrong, it was against the law set forth by the ancients for elders and fresh to exchange blood. Yet, he knew that breaking that law was the only reason Kailin was talking to him at that very moment.
  “I feel so weak.” Kailin mumbled, “I haven’t gone this long without feeding since I had to hid in the sewers in Los Angeles.”
  Mathias smiled, “Yeah, I didn’t appreciate having to follow you around down there.”
  “Well, I appreciate that you did anyway.” She chuckled.
  “Kailin?” He had decided.
  “Hmm?” She turned her eyes to him.
  Mathias changed his mind several times while she responded back, but finally settled on his initial decision. “Tzion has more elders coming to feed from you.”
  Her eyes dropped, “I had a feeling that’s why he was keeping me here, and not allowing me to feed. I asked him to take me or let you take me a hundred times.”
  “I can take you to my home, at least you will be away from him. Your aura just can’t tolerate your soul to strengthen anymore, especially with the amount of power these other elders have.” He had stood up while he was talking, and came to stand in front of Kailin.
  “If we do that, then I won’t have the help of the cathedral to hasten my healing.” She said it more to herself then to Mathias.
  “I don’t know when he has this planned, but we should move soon, before they arrive.”
  She looked up at him with a frown. Standing up, she took hold of his arm to steady herself. “Alright, lets go. I need to get some items from my apartment, this robe is a little too thirteenth century monk.”

  After four days, everyone at the house was surprised that Tzion nor any of his peons had shown up at the door. Gabrielle had been so excited when she saw Kailin walked through the door, that she had leapt into her arms. Mathias and her brought four suitcases full of clothing for both her and Gabrielle. Which was another thing that excited Gabrielle. She hadn’t felt comfortable going back to her apartment since Lucas had told her that Damon knew where they were.
  Kailin wasn’t completely healed, and spent most of her time in her room sleeping. By the evening of the fourth day, she wandered down the stairs to look around. The house looked more like an older woman lived in it, then vampires from centuries that Kailin could only dream of. Walking around, she couldn’t find anyone. Until she opened the library door, and saw Lycorisa sitting at the desk with a book in her hand.
  “Hey, what are you reading?” Kailin asked as she stepped inside.
  Lycorisa looked up and grinned, “One of the tomes that Tzion released. I would let you read it, but it’s forbidden.” She told her, as she closed it.
  “Fresh can’t read the tomes.”
  “Fresh or Kailin, no matter how old you are.”
  She sat down in the wooden chair across from the desk. “Well, we will see how long I decide to follow that law, won’t we?”
  Lycorisa grinned.
  “Where’s your shadow?”
  She looked confused.
  “I mean Jareth, I’ve never seen you without him right next to you.” Kailin crossed her jean covered legs.
  “He’s mad at me right now.”
  There was a moment of silence, as Kailin thought she would explain further. “Why is he mad?”
  Lycorisa’s smile faded, and the look she gave Kailin told her that she didn’t want to talk about it.
  “Alright.” Kailin said, and sucked her inner cheek. “Where is everyone?”
  “Mathias and Jareth went to feed, and Gabrielle… she never tells me where she goes.”
  Kailin chuckled, “To feed and play.”
  Lycorisa nodded, and looked down at her fingers that were resting on the desk. She felt uncomfortable talking to Kailin, it wasn’t that she didn’t like her, but that she didn’t like that Mathias did. “Can I ask you something?” Lycorisa looked up.
  “Depends on what it is.”
  She looked out the window, and then back at Kailin. “I wasn’t around back in the day when you were still human. Well, I was, but not with Mathias. He did most of that alone. I was wondering…” She thought for a moment, “Did you love Nathaniel even though you ignored him?”
  Kailin leaned back in her chair, “Nathaniel.” She smiled, “Haven’t thought about him in a long time.”
  “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t of brought up human memories to begin with.” Lycorisa picked up the tome.
  “Yeah, I did. I just felt trapped.”
  Lycorisa put the tome back down, and looked up Kailin again. “Trapped?”
  “I can’t explain it or why. My heart felt so right, but my mind was just so full of sorrow and hate. I couldn’t get past it.”
  “You weren’t meant to be vampire, and being human didn’t feel real for you.” Lycorisa told her, “Do you still feel that way?”
  She nodded, “Sometimes, but to a lesser degree. Why do you ask?”
  “I don’t know. I guess…”
  “Cause Mathias ignores you, and you know I fed from him and want to know if I know how he feels towards you.”
  Lycorisa stared in horror for a moment, “I… I… yeah, I guess I was going to try and lead it there.” She looked down.
  “I won’t answer that, Lycorisa. What occurred he was tricked into doing, so his thoughts and feelings will remain his and his alone. Just like I will do for you.” Kailin stood up, and walked towards the door.
  “For me?” Lycorisa swallowed.
  She nodded, as she opened the door. “Why did you feed from me? You could of just let Jareth do it, and then left him to all the blame.”
  A tear ran down her cheek, she didn’t think that Kailin knew. She was foolish to think that Kailin wouldn’t notice Lycorisa’s memories traveling about her mind. “I didn’t want him to take the burden alone, it was my fault that Tzion was able to enrage him.”
  “After all these years, you still try to protect him from himself.”
  Lycorisa nodded, “I hate him so much, but I can’t just leave him. If Mathias finds out that he did it, then he would of thrown him out like he did to Khaldun. But now, if Jareth leaves then I am at fault too.”
  “It gives you a reason to leave Mathias behind.”
  She nodded, and wiped the tears from her face. “You won’t tell him, will you?”
  Kailin shook her head, “No, but I expect you to confess. He needs to know these things, after all he is trying to protect me like you do for Jareth.”
  Lycorisa agreed, “When he gets back, I will speak with him.”
  Kailin grinned and stepped out into the hallway, “After that, we will go hunting together.”
  “I doubt I will be around after that.”
  “I think you will be surprised. Mathias values your friendship and your opinions, and if you value a person then you are willing to forgive their short comings.” With that Kailin stepped outside the hall and shut the door.

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Book Cover is done by a great artist Luis Royo. He didn't do this work for me, and it's his copywritted material.

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