“No, don’t heal.” Mathias said, as he watched the wound that he had created on Kailin’s arm close. He sighed loudly, as it sealed shut, then glared up at her.
  Standing in the garden near the fountain, he was trying to teach her how to use the ability he had given her. The past couple of days she had gone through much training, and barely had a moment’s rest. She groaned at him, as she threw herself onto the wooden bench behind her.
  “What does it matter anyway? I want my wounds to close, don’t I?” Kailin asked as she wiped the blood away from her arm.
  “Yes, you want them to close. If you can teach yourself not to heal, then you can learn how to control how you heal.”
  Her eyes had strayed to the fountain, but came back to him with those words. “Control how I heal? And why the hell would I need to know how to do that?”
  Mathias sighed, she had been in a bad mood lately, or rather she had returned somewhat to her old self. He hadn’t decided on which had occurred, just yet. Taking the knife in his hand, he shoved in through his stomach. Kailin jumped slightly, and watched as the knife fell out on it’s own. “So, you can do that.” Mathias snapped, picking the knife back up.
  Kailin snorted, “I could just pull the knife out, you know.”
  “Your enemies won’t always allow you to stop and lick your wounds, Kailin. You have to stop the bleeding then so that you don’t waste energy. This way you can get the knife out, while you are still fighting.”
  She sighed, then looked back at the fountain, “Or I could flip back away from them, pull the knife, and use it on them. Instead of giving them back their weapon.”
  “You are trying to be difficult, aren’t you?”
  “I don’t have to try.” Kailin retorted.
  Mathias grinned, taking a seat beside her on the bench. “Haven’t seen you since you woke up, how have you been feeling?”
  She shrugged, “Like me again without the Gabrielle.”
  He nodded and leaned on his knees with his elbows, “She may not of known it at the time, but what she did saved you.”
  “That holds little comfort for me.”
  “Yeah, sounded rather empty even as I spoke the words.” Mathias sighed, “I’m sorry that all this was shoved onto your lap before it was time, Kailin. I knew that Tzion was up to something and I should…”
  “Is that Lycorisa and Jareth kissing?” Kailin pointed across the fountain and through the barren rose bushes.
  Mathias looked up just in time to see the two break their embrace, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” He mumbled to himself, before standing up.
  The two came running over to him, Jareth still standing behind Lycorisa. She smiled at them, before she began talking. “Tzion shoved us out of the library, doesn’t want us touching the tomes anymore.”
  Mathias pressed his lips together, “I wonder if he is trying to hide something.”
  Lycorisa shrugged, “Might be, he seemed very agitated.”
  He nodded at her, “Well, practically every room in the mansion is a library, so go find another room and start reading, until he shoves you out again.”
  She giggled, “Alright. Come on, Jareth.” They both ran back towards the mansion door.
  “You didn’t ask about their kissing.” Kailin said, standing up from the bench.
  “It’s none of my business.” He told her, as he watched her walk over to the fountain. She stuck her fingers into the cold water, and then turned back to face him.
  “Khaldun has me tomorrow.” She told him, “Then Lycorisa… I wonder how Jareth is going to manage without Lycorisa’s help.”
  Mathias shrugged, “I don’t see why they can’t do it together.”
  “Tzion said that I should train with each elder at a single time for an entire day.” Kailin told him, before leaning against the fountain.
  “Since when do you listen to Tzion?” Mathias asked as the wind blew gently, he felt his hair beginning to stand on ends.
  Kailin brushed her moist hands against her jeans, and shrugged, “I don’t see how any of this matters. We should find out where Anthony is hiding, and attack now, when he isn’t expecting it.”
  “We need you at your best, and with a little training…”
  She sighed, “Yeah, Tzion said that to me already.”
  Sitting back on the bench, Mathias looked over at Kailin. She seemed too distant to train, her mind kept traveling to other places. He understood why, she had several thoughts racing through her mind from the elders. Now that her aura was in control, she could barely keep up with all of them.
  “Well, are you going to train me or what?” Kailin asked as she sat next to him on the bench.
  He sighed, “Ok, let’s try this again. Give me your hand.” He ordered as he picked the knife up off the bench beside him.

  Alanna had her dark hair up in a braid with a pink ribbon wrapped within. Both she and Lucas were walking down the busy street with smiles on their faces. She had been stuck in that mansion for so long, she had nearly forgotten what it was like on the outside. Lucas was surprised that Tzion told them that they could go for a couple hours of shopping, and even offered him some money.
  Lucas knew that Alanna could use some new clothes, and anything else that would make her happy. After all he had left her for some time on her own, though she explained that her and Akela had gotten along rather well. Akela’s time with her was probably what caused Tzion to become more trusting of Alanna.
  “You want to get your hair styled?” Lucas asked, pointing at a hair saloon.
  “I’ve always cut my hair.” She told him, pulling on his hand. “Don’t you like the way I cut my hair?”
  Lucas continued to walk forward with her, “Of course, I just thought you would like to have it professionally done. What about a new dress?”
  “Growing up, my mother made my clothes, until I was old enough to do it myself.”
  He sighed, “How about we get something to eat? There is a nice restaurant…”
  “Restaurants are too expensive for things I can make at home.”
  “Alanna.” He held her hand, as she tried to walk away. She stopped and turned to him, “Don’t worry about money, we are trying to have a good day away from the others. So, pick something to do, ok?”
  She smiled, “Alright, I guess eating is the lesser of those three sins.”
  Lucas rolled his eyes, and began walking towards the restaurant.
  Inside the restaurant, they hung up their jackets and were escorted to a booth. The hostess handed them their menus, and walked away. Immediately, Alanna opened the menu and her mouth dropped.
  “Fifteen dollars for a tuna sandwich, are they crazy?”
  Lucas laughed at his wife, “Don’t worry about it.”
  The waitress came with a loaf of bread, and took their drink orders. Lucas had to convince Alanna to order something other then water, she finally settled on tea. Cutting up the bread, he shoved some into his mouth as he continued to look over the menu.
  “Well, well, if it isn’t the two runaways.” A voice said.
  Lucas nearly choked on his bread, as he brought down his menu to look at Damon’s face. Alanna’s hands were shaking silently, as she stared down at the table ashamed.
  Damon wasn’t bothered by their reactions, and took a seat next to Alanna on her side of the booth. He folded his hands on the table, and stared at Lucas. “Switched back, did ya?”
  Lucas swallowed his bread, “Damon, I wouldn’t expect to find you in a place like this.”
  “Business matters.” He told him, and then looked over at Alanna, “Your mother was heartbroken when she found out that you betrayed us, Anna. She can barely speak your name now without crying. After all that she did for you…” He shook his head, “You went to the other side, and for what this traitor.” His index finger pointed at Lucas, “Threw all your beliefs away for this man. How are they treating you? The vampires that is. Notice that you are a little weak in the mornings, don’t really have any dreams…”
  “Enough, Damon, leave her alone.” Lucas snapped.
  He grinned, “I knew from the beginning that you were just there to learn from me, Lucas. You had that vampire lover aura all around you, but I had hoped that I could change your mind. However, you are just like your father through and through, always willing to listen to those Hallowed lies.”
  Damon watched Lucas clenched his jaw, and ball up his fist.
  With a grin, he continued speaking, “It seemed for a time that you were coming over to my side, and I thought Alanna would be a nice incentive to keep you with us.” He grinned, and looked back to her, “That was your job to convince him to stay, not go with him, you twit.”
  “I’m sorry, I did try, but he left before I could…”
  Lucas looked over at his wife, his eyes wide. “You planned this with him?”
  Her eyes stayed on the table.
  “Don’t worry, Lucas, she’s all yours now. We wouldn’t take her tainted soul back now.” Damon smiled, “I’m a lot smarter then you think, though. I know about those ridiculous prophecies the vampires try to feed themselves. Trying to make themselves feel like they are important and that without them we would not survive.” He snorted, before standing up. “Tell Kailin that I shall see her again soon, and this time she should be better put together.” He bowed towards Alanna as he left the restaurant.
  Alanna frowned, “I’m not hungry anymore.”
  Lucas agreed, “Let’s go home.”

  She had left during the middle of the night, hoping that they would not notice she had gone. Making her way through the city, she found her apartment was unlocked. There was, however, police tape over her door. Kailin sighed, as she opened the door, breaking the police seal. When she tried to turn the lamp on, she found that the power had been turned off. Stepping across the floor she heard several pieces of glass break beneath her feet, and could see that the large window in the dinning room had been broken. There were several drops of blood on the ground, but Kailin paid no attention.
  The answering machine was blinking, and it showed that she had over forty messages. Pressing the play button, she listened to message after message left by Mark or Bethany, and a couple by Gabrielle‘s work, asking them where they were. The later ones sounded like they were worried, and telling her if she was in any trouble to call them. When they were done, Kailin left the messages on the machine, and head towards Gabrielle’s room.
  It looked just how she remembered it always being, untouched by Gabrielle’s death. The unmade bed stood in the center of the room, the sheet flung over the end. Clothes littered the floor from Gabrielle changing her clothes at least four times a day. Kailin picked up a pink silk shirt from the floor, and held it to her cheek. She walked over to the bed and laid down, pressing her face into the pillow.
  The sheets were satin, Kailin never could sleep on them, as she always slipped off the bed. However, Gabrielle refused to sleep anything but satin. She could still smell her friend’s scent on the pillows, and felt like at any moment Gabrielle would run into her room. Yelling about how human males were such pigs, and telling Kailin that she was a party pooper. Trying to convince her to go to the next big party that she was invited to.
  She could hear Gabrielle laughing in the living room at something that happened on television. Even the way the shower knobs would squeak when she went to take a shower, echoed through her mind. Gabrielle had been there to help fill the void after Leila died, but now their was no one. Kailin was alone in a house full of vampires that wanted to use her for their own causes. She was nothing more then a tool to them. Hearing herself sniffle, she turned her head away from the pillow and looked up towards the ceiling.
  “Gabby, this isn’t fair.” She mumbled to herself, hoping that Gabrielle would answer her. “Whoever is up there, I hate them! They took my family, my sister, and now you. I don’t want to help them, anymore!” She kicked her foot and it hit the wooden end board.
  The emptiness of silence surrounded her, and Kailin realized that she was alone. There would be no answer from her friend, no more jokes or insults about how Kailin lived her life. Nothing would ever be the same again.
  “Kailin?” She heard the familiar voice speak from the doorway.
  Sitting up, she looked at Mathias, “How’d you know I would be here?”
  He shrugged, “Lucas went to your room, and found you weren’t there. I just wanted to make sure that you were alright.”
  She laid back down, still holding onto the pink silk shirt. The room was dark, but her vampire eyes allowed her to see more then she needed to. All she wanted was to be in a dark room, just herself, alone. She needed to say her goodbyes to her friend, before she could move on. Though she wasn’t certain that moving on was an option for her.
  A weight shoved the bed downward, and the springs in the bed made squeaking noises. Lifting her head up slightly, she watched Mathias crawl into bed beside her.
  “What are you doing?” Kailin asked.
  When he laid down next to her, her back was turned towards him. Reaching out his right arm, he wrapped it around her shoulders, and pulled her closer to him. Kailin laid her head back down on the pillow.
  “I’ve lost people that I loved before, you know, Kailin?” Mathias said after a moment.
  “Yes, I know.”
  His right arm squeezed her gently, before they fell to the silence. The air was cold from the broken window, but that didn’t stop either of them from falling fast asleep.

  Stepping into Tzion’s private library, Kailin looked up to the second balcony-type floor, her files were still neatly stored above her. She had prepared herself to see Zdenek again, but found no one within. There was no doubt in her mind that Zdenek was still within the mansion walls, but she hadn’t seen him, nor could she tell where he was. When she was finally content that he would not visiting her, Kailin began to look at the weapons and paintings in the room.
  Today was Tzion’s turn to train her in the ways of his ability, and apparently she was early. Though the room didn’t have the familiar signs of being recently used, all the lamps were on, and strangely there were several lit candles. Tzion had placed the candles around his paint and canvas area, informing her that he painted by candlelight. The canvas was not covered, and Kailin walked over to look upon it.
  It was a finished painting of Kailin standing in the foreground with the elders behind her. They all looked like that had been through a battle, weapons in hand, and wounds covered all their bodies, even Mathias. There was a strange man between them, a man with a familiar face that she could not place. The painting radiated with heat as she drew close, and she knew it was because of the blood of Marekio. Tzion used the blood to paint his portraits, she had wondered how he had been able to create so many paintings on so little blood.
  With a sigh, she turned around to look at the paintings on the wall. Her body shivered when she saw the painting of Mathias holding her decapitated head. She just couldn’t believe after all he had done for her that Mathias would ever betray her. Continuing down the wall, she saw the other elders in their own paintings betraying her. Then she came to another painting of Mathias, one she had seen before, with her in chains in the background.
  Her brows came together, when she realized that the heat did not rise from these paintings. Reaching out her hand, she touched the painting. Nothing happened, it was like touching any other painting. Stepping back, Kailin looked at the next painting beside it, one of Akela’s betrayal. She touched the painting with the tip of her finger, immediately a flash of Marekio screaming into the night air filled her mind. Jumping back, she looked between the two paintings, before touching Mathias’ painting again. Still nothing happened, it was cold and empty.
  “You shouldn’t admire those for too long.” Tzion’s voice said, as he entered the room.
  “Why not?” Kailin spun around, hoping he didn’t see her display of confusion and fear.
  “They are about you. It does you no good to know what is to come, you must create the future for yourself, and not by what these paintings show.”
  Raising her eyebrow, she crossed her arms. “Then why even paint them?”
  He came to stand beside her, looking upon Mathias’ painting. “We need to know what to expect, however your choices and those involved in the prophecies can change them. We were given free will after all.”
  “Only those who are in the prophecies can change them?”
  Tzion nodded, and then seemed to think better of it. “Some can be invited into the prophecies. Take Khaldun, for example. He was never meant to be part of the prophecies, but about a hundred years before your birth, he was invited in by Mathias. Thus making an elder who had no part in them a key piece.”
  “So, Mathias changed the prophecy before I was even born?”
  “Indeed, we have all been manipulating the prophecies long before you were born. Even you influenced them as a child, and a grown woman. How you would be created changed many times in these paintings before Zdenek finally…” He saw the anger in her eyes, “Do not hate the man for what he was forced to do, Kailin.”
  She frowned, wanting the subject to change. “Why is Mathias’ paintings different from the others?”
  “It is proof that he truly is the betrayer.” Tzion told her as he adjusted his black shirt.
  Slowly her head shook, catching Tzion’s eye. “No, it’s empty, hallow. All the others have immense power and heat emulating from them. The two paintings of Mathias betraying me, they are… vacant.”
  He grinned, “Perhaps, you are imagining it, because you do not wish for him to be the betrayer.”
  “Or perhaps they aren’t real.” Kailin spoke the words before she even believed them herself, but Tzion’s face told her that she was on to something.
  “That is ludicrous, Kailin!”
  Again, her brow came together, “Is it?”
  Tzion calmed himself down, and began to run his hand over his goatee. “Of course.”
  “Marekio’s blood won’t burn, will it?”
  “Wh…what? How would you know that?”
  She had no idea how she knew that. There had been many ideas, memories, and thoughts that had crossed her mind that were not her own. “Shall we test flame on these paintings of Mathias?” Turning around, she grabbed the candle from the table.
  Tzion reached out his hand to grab Kailin’s, he immediately blew out the candle. “You could set my home on fire, as well as yourself.”
  “Start talking, Tzion.” Kailin snapped.
  There was a moment of defiance in his eyes, that immediately past into shame, then defeat. Turning around, he walked over to his desk, and sat down behind it. “Sit.” He pointed to the chair in front of the desk.
  Kailin took a seat, crossing her jean covered legs. “I’m listening.”
  “There is much that you do not know about Mathias, or perhaps you do.” Tzion cleared his throat, “Mathias was meant to die when he killed the first guardian. Only he could be the lover to her, but he remained behind. Continuing to live on the bitterness that he felt for me. A second guardian was born, a male. This was not to be, none of the prophecies showed a male. Mathias took the life of this one as well, and he persisted.”
  She swallowed, and leaned back into her chair.
  “He has killed all the guardians before you, how is it possible that I never painted him as the betrayer?” Tzion frowned deeply, “The elders all had paintings, why not Mathias?”
  “You forged betrayer paintings of Mathias?” Kailin asked in shock.
  His head dropped, “Do not speak of this to anyone. It could very well mean my life.”
  “Why? Why would you do that?”
  “I had to prepare everyone for the betrayal of any elder, including Mathias. When others notice the difference, I had no choice but to stress the importance of those difference. As time went on, they decided that this meant Mathias would more likely be the betrayer then any other elder.”
  “You allowed Mathias to suffer the guilt of betrayal, when he never was going to betray? Do you know how much anger and hate he holds for himself over this?” Kailin snapped.
  “Mathias is the betrayer! I am certain of this!” Tzion stood from his chair, and slammed his fists into the desk.
  Kailin jumped to her feet, “How, Tzion? How do you know? You have had thousands of years to paint him truly as the betrayer! You never have, and you never will!”
  “He is the betrayer! He killed the other guardians! He has betrayed the prophecies already!”
  She shook her head, “No, you betrayed the prophecies, Tzion. You are the one that tricked him into killing the guardians. This was all your doing!”
  Tzion was caught off guard by her words and stood in silence, “No, listen to me. I am… I did not betray the prophecies. I created them, I could not…”
  “Mathias is not the betrayer, and you have made him endure deep guilt for nothing!”
  “He is the betrayer, Kailin! I am the prophet I know the truth. He hides behind that valiant persona, but he will be the one to betray us all.” Tzion calmed his voice. “I know the truth.” He repeated.
  “Then you should know that Mathias loves me and would never do anything to betray me. This is the truth.” Her words silenced him, but only for a moment.
  “Did Mathias tell you that? Did he speak such lies to you?” Tzion asked, still stunned.
  “He doesn’t need to speak the words for me to see it.” Kailin couldn’t believe that she was saying this, especially to Tzion. After all that had happened with Gabrielle’s death, and her own trauma, she wasn’t ready to admit such things to herself.
  “Kailin, he is not to be trusted, don’t you understand this?” Tzion stood up straight, “He is a traitor, he always has been.”
  “He loves me, Tzion, and that alone will keep him from turning against me. That is something you will never understand, you are just all too afraid that in the end you will have been the one to betray us.”
  He was at a loss for words, “Kailin, he can’t… he can’t possibly. Do not love him in return. It will only make his treachery cut you even more deeply.”
  She shook her head, and crossed her arms. “You need to fix this before the prophecy continues, least you end up the betrayer, Tzion.”
  “No, it could mean my life if I was discovered.”
  “And you should pay with your life for what you have done!” Kailin flipped around and headed towards the door.
  “Wait, what about your lesson?”
  “That will come after you fix what you have done.”
  “Kai…”
  “Do it, Tzion!” Kailin snapped as she slammed the door behind her.

  “At least, you didn’t have to deal with the ability hitting you all at once.” Khaldun told Kailin, as he lifted his sword. “Of course, this is probably the easiest of all your new abilities.”
  “All my stolen abilities is a more accurate description.” Kailin chuckled, as she stood in the grass. She was taking a moment to break from their exercises. Khaldun was teaching her more about swordplay then his actual ability.
  “You didn’t choose to take them, they were forced upon you. I would hardly consider that theft.” Khaldun pulled the hair tie from his ponytail, allowing his hair to cascade over his shoulders. He took a moment to pull the loose hair from the tie, before putting his hair back up.
  “Khaldun, you have been an elder for at most four hundred years?”
  He nodded, “About that, why?”
  “So, you aren’t much older then Jareth and Lycorisa?”
  He shrugged, “If you consider a hundred and twenty to be not much older, then I suppose not.”
  Kailin sat down in the grass, and Khaldun followed her. He was curious to where this line of questioning was going. “Mathias is over six hundred years older then you, right?”
  Again, he nodded.
  “I imagine you two as close, but how can that be if he is so much older then you?”
  Khaldun grinned, “Ah, you are having difficulties deciphering my memories from your own, aren’t you?”
  “Yes, whenever I am near one of the elders that fed from me, I feel a rush of their emotions and the memories past onto me.” She sighed, “I am starting to understand, but they seem more like my own memories then someone else’s.”
  “Mathias and I met shortly after I was turned, he actually helped me gain control of my ability.” Khaldun felt the wind blow, and knew that some of his hair had been released from his ponytail. “I owe much to Mathias… more then I could ever repay.” He seemed saddened by his words.
  “You feel guilty for being tricked by Tzion, don’t you?”
  He nodded, “I didn’t want to betray him, Mathias is like a brother to me. I knew him even before I became an elder, we fought our way through together.”
  Kailin gently nodded her head, placing her short sword beside her. With one of her knees up, she rested her chin on it.
  “Can I ask you something, Kailin?”
  “What?”
  He was silent for a moment, before deciding that he did want to ask. “Is Mathias the traitor? I mean you had a blood exchange with Tzion, and I know Mathias believes that he is, but…”
  Her head pivoted from side to side on her knee, “Mathias would never betray me.”
  There was relief in his eyes that Kailin did not see, “Good, I… I always knew that he wasn’t. No matter what Tzion said, I knew he couldn’t betray us.”
  Kailin grinned, “Mathias needs to understand that it was all a lie, he was never meant to be the betrayer.”
  “A lie? What do you mean?”
  She shrugged, “I will say no more.”
  “He really does care about what happens to you, and his dedication, loyalty to you is what forced the rest of us to join his cause.”
  Khaldun was also very aware of his friend’s emotional attachment to Kailin, but he knew it wasn’t his place to say anything. He had noticed it long ago, when Kailin was coming of age. He wasn’t part of the group back then, but would often visit Mathias. Her sadness was strangely alluring, and one felt they knew her long before she ever spoke to them. Khaldun had felt it within moments of seeing her, sitting by the pond, and writing into her diary. It was strange to him that he hadn’t recognized her when they first met in the alleyway, as he had seen her many times before. Though never had he laid eyes on her as a vampire, and had only recently joined with Mathias and the others.
  The sadness remained still, and it rightfully had it’s place within Kailin’s life. He only wished that Kailin didn’t linger so often within it. She needed to become the beacon of light for all that followed her, especially his friend. Mathias needed her to believe in him more then anyone, as he saw his friend allowing the darkness to engulf him. A darkness that was never meant to take him, he had always known that. Mathias was of a pure heart and had been tricked far too many times by his master.
  “Well, well, mother, you have grown strong.” The voice said from behind them.
  Both Khaldun and Kailin jumped to their feet to look at Anthony. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and he shouldn’t of been able to stand before them.
  “Anthony… what…” Kailin stuttered.
  “The gift of your blood imbued me with the ability to walk during daylight hours. I must thank you.” Anthony’s dark face grinned, “I only wish you had gifted me with the ability to pass it on to my peons.”
  “What are you doing here?” Kailin barked, and Khaldun was ready to attack.
  She knew that Khaldun would not survive a battle with this Mephis, and placed her hand in front of him.
  “What have I always wanted, Kailin? Leila and you as my queen.” He looked towards Khaldun, “Put the sword away, you gorilla, we both know you would barely stand a moment against me.”
  “You forget that I am an elder.”
  He snorted, “And you forget that I am a Mephis, a very powerful one. Age matters not when dealing with one such as I.”
  “Enough!” Kailin snapped, “I have told you that I have no desire to join your side, and…”
  “Kailin!” Mathias ran across the grass to stand beside her.
  Lycorisa and Jareth weren’t far behind him.
  Anthony chuckled, “Oh yes, come thy little army of the light.” He grunted, “Protect the prize with your life. Pathetic.” Turning his eyes back to Kailin, he kept his grin, “I offer you the world, mother. What is it that they wish to offer you? Trickery? Slavery to an unknown cause? We are superior, mother. The world is rightfully ours to take, to control.”
  “No, Anthony. This world was not created for us, we were not meant to be.” Kailin snapped, her words shocked all who stood within hearing range.
  “You know that they have always lied. Everything you know and believe, it’s been embedded in your very blood, my blood, all vampire’s blood. We all believe only what the greater beings of our world have told us, but they have lied. And with each generation of vampire, the lies are past on.” He grinned, “The very blood that was past onto us, does nothing more then allow them to control us.”
  “Who?” Kailin asked, the others were just as interested.
  “You know they had the option to not give themselves control, but they wanted it. We are all nothing more then playthings to them. The blood is a lie… the blood is a control device. Can you live with the lies in the blood? In your blood? In our blood?”
  “I don’t know what you are talking about, Anthony!” Kailin barked.
  “We will speak more on this another time, mother. You knew where you can visit me, if you wish to hear the truth.” With that Anthony vanished into nothingness.
  Everyone stood in silence, trying to decide what the Mephis had meant.
  “He is the one that lies!” Mathias finally shouted.
  Heads began to nod in agreement, all but Kailin’s. When she did not agree, they all wondered what she was thinking. With a sigh, she turned her back to them, and headed for the mansion.
  “Kailin?” Mathias said, wanting her to stop.
  “Leave me be.” She mumbled, before disappearing out of sight.

  Kailin kneeled down in front of the barren rose bush, winter had come and stolen it’s beauty away, but in the spring it would come to life again. Since her death, she had wished she could be like a plant, able to die for the winter only to rebirth herself. She sighed, when she heard the familiar thumping noise that had plagued her ears since she was awoken. It had started off slow, and it was still very weak. No one else had made mention of it, so they either didn’t hear it or didn’t know what to make of it. At first, it had only thumped once every couple of hours, but now it did so every fifteen minutes or so.
  It had taken her some time to understand what it was, but she knew now. As it grew in intensity, she had begun to feel it, pounding within her chest. Anthony had done something terrible to her, something unspeakable. Placing her hand over her heart, she waited for it to beat again. She still craved the blood of humans, even with her own heart slowly bringing itself to life. What had he done to her?
  Her heart was vacant, a coffin for memories she had long laid to rest. Now it was forcing itself to reawaken, like she had done after her own death. He had made her into a monster, and she needed to know what Anthony had spoken of. Things were so blurred. It seemed like no one truly understood what had taken place these past few months. Except Anthony, he seemed to know much about the prophecies… about her. He was a young vampire, yet his power was overwhelming. One could feel the radiant force that surrounded him, even the elders knew better then to attack him.
  Had she done that to him? He mentioned that he fed from her, but she didn’t remember allowing him to do so. It had to be before Gabrielle died, as she didn’t have any memory until she witnessed Gabrielle fall to ash. She felt so numb stilling in the garden with that memory in mind.
  It was a strange feeling to be so numb, and yet feel so alive at the same time. Since her awakening, she found herself more interested in the vampire world. Before she cared little to nothing about what Anthony was doing or what other plots the Hallowed had. Now, she felt a strange pull, as if she belonged now. Of course, wanting to gain revenge for Gabrielle’s death was another reason she wanted to be involved. Her revenge was another confusing scenario, as she wanted Anthony to die for what he did, but she was also very interested in what he had to say.
  There was another thump from her heart. Kailin realized she had kept her hand placed over her chest while she stared at the bare plant in front of her. She dropped her hand, resting her elbows on her knees.
  “Am I alive or dead now?” Kailin asked the question to only herself, the words were barely audible.
  Lifting up her jean pants of her right leg, she pulled a knife from her black boot. Slowly she ran the blade over her left wrist, and tried to stop it from healing. The blood ran a deep crimson red, and Kailin watched as it rolled down her wrist into her cupped hand. When her hand filled, it began to spill over and into the dirt. The blood slowly absorbed into the moist dirt, and down to the roots of the rose bush.
  “What are you doing?” Mathias asked as he kneeled down beside her. He had watched Kailin run the blade back and forth over her arm every time her wound closed.
  “Practicing.” Kailin spoke the word slowly.
  “He’s lying, you know?” Mathias asked, referring to Anthony.
  Her head turned slowly to stare into his eyes, “Is he, Mathias? How can you be certain?”
  Her eyes pierced his own, and he felt as if she were looking into his soul. He wasn’t sure how he could answer her question.
  “There are liars on both sides. How can I know which way is right?” Kailin looked back at her arm that had healed, she ran the blade over it again.
  Mathias reached out and plucked the knife from her hand. “Who lies on our side?”
  “On your side?” She asked, even though she knew it was right. “Akela hides the truth from herself and peers, which is in itself a lie. Lycorisa lies to Jareth. You lie to yourself. Tzion lies about the prophecies.”
  He leaned back on his legs, “Tzion lies about the prophecies? What do you mean?”
  She slowly shook her head, “You lying to yourself directly relates to that, and you know it, Mathias.”
  Standing up, he glared down at her and placed his balled up fists on his hips. “What the hell does that mean?”
  She followed him up, and stood directly in front of him. “You aren’t the betrayer! Everyone has told you that you aren’t! It’s so obvious that…”
  “No! I am the betrayer! Tzion…”
  “Tzion has lied to you, to me, to everyone who had relied on him, Mathias! Those paintings are forgeries!” Kailin barked.
  Mathias stepped closer to her, and grabbed her upper arms. “No!” He shook her, “Listen to me, Kailin, I am the betrayer! I…”
  “Mathias, you aren’t the betrayer! Why is it so hard for you to believe? If it because Tzion tricked you into killing the previous two guardians? Is that it?”
  “No, that’s not it!”
  “That what is it, Mathias? Tell me!”
  The tight grip around her upper arms loosened. “He’s my master, Kailin. They may not show it, but every master has a close connection to their peons. He knows me better then I know myself, and if he’s lied all this time… well, then I just don’t know what to believe anymore.”
  “Believe me, Mathias.” Kailin looked up into his eyes, “You aren’t the betrayer, you are the savior. You’ve been there all my life, watching and protecting me.”
  He shook his head, “No, Kailin, I am…”
  “Mathias, I need you to stay beside me. I can’t do this alone. I don’t have Gabrielle anymore, I am afraid of being alone.”
  His grip tightened, “Don’t rely on me, Kailin. Don’t expect me to be here tomorrow. I’m going to let you down. The prophecies are drawing near, and you should ready yourself.”
  Kailin slowly shook her head, “No, Mathias. Stop telling yourself that you are the traitor. Of all the elders that could be the betrayer, you are not among them.”
  “Kailin…”
  “You are not the betrayer.”
  “Listen to…”
  “You are not the betrayer.”
  Mathias sighed, “Please…”
  “You are not the betrayer.”
  He stared into her eyes for several long moments, uncertain as to what to say.
  “Trust me, Mathias. I can see past the lies now. You have to stop lying to yourself, if you are going to be by my side when the time comes.”
  There was conviction in her eyes, she believed every word that she spoke. Mathias could feel the burden begin to lift from his back, but he didn’t want to believe it. He just couldn’t let the burden completely leave his shoulders, not yet. He had to be ready when the truth finally revealed itself.
  “Trust me.” Kailin said again.
  Mathias gave a nod, “For now.”
  “Forever.”
  He was taken back by her words, and he hated himself for giving into her. The hands on her upper arms, slipped behind her back, and Mathias pulled her close to him. Gradually, he lowered his head down to her neck, and nestled his face into her soft hair and skin. Kailin wrapped her arms around his back, locking her fingers together behind him.
  “I need you to be strong for me, because I’m not sure I can be. There is so much coming, and I can’t do it alone. I don’t care what the prophecies say, this has to be a group effort.” Kailin whispered to him.
  Mathias remained silent, his head still resting in the nape of her neck.
  “You’ll stay with me, won’t you?” Kailin asked with worry in her voice. She was most afraid that he could convince himself of his betrayal, and be easily persuaded to the other side. Simply because he was lied to and knew he would betray eventually.
  “I’ll stay until you make me go.” Mathias mumbled.
  Kailin laid her head on his shoulder, “That’ll never happen. I’ve always needed you here to protect me.”
  He squeezed her gently. There had to be at least just enough chance that he would betray as the other elders. Someone was going to be the one to stand against Kailin, and help Anthony. He had been the betrayer to the last two guardians, it had to be him.
  Inhaling deeply, Mathias smelt the sweet scent of Kailin’s skin. He had almost forgotten that she was in his arms, and even though he showed no signs of releasing her, she seemed comfortable. He dug his face deeper into her neck, and pulled her closer to him. He had always wanted to hold her in his arms, and it seemed so surreal to actually be doing so. The skin on his back tingled as Kailin ran her hands up and down, trying to comfort him, and to convince him.
  As much as he wanted to remain with her this close to him, he knew that there needed to be a separation. She needed to not rely on him, he needed to put space between them. He just couldn’t… what was that sound? He lifted his head up and looked down at her chest. The strange sound left his mind, when he realized that Kailin was on her tip toes, trying to hug him comfortably.
  As suddenly as his mind left the thought, it returned back to the strange noise. He was certain that the beating noise came from within her.
  “You heard it, didn’t you?” Kailin asked him.
  “Heard what?”
  “The thump.”
  He nodded, still holding her in his arms.
  Her eyes dropped, “My heart has started beating again.” The words were spoken slowly, and nervously as if she wasn’t certain she wanted to tell him.
  “Your heart? How… how is that possible?”
  Kailin shook her head, “I don’t know. It’s getting faster all the time, but I still have all the abilities of a Hallowed.” She looked back up at him, “Think it means anything?”
  “No, it’s probably from the rebirth. We should talk to Tzion about it though.”
  She agreed, then laid her head on his chest. “No matter what, we stay together.”
  “No matter what.” He responded.
  “I… I love you, Mathias.”
  He didn’t speak the words back to her, instead he strengthened his grip around her. Kailin knew that was as close to any admittance she would get from him, until he was certain that Tzion had lied about his part in the prophecy. After a moment, she felt him push her back some. Her eyes looked up into his, but instead of speaking, he brought his lips down to her. He kissed only the very corner of her lip, and then gently made their way to her ear and down her neck. Where he once again, rested his face into the nape of her neck.
  “Don’t say that ever again.” Mathias mumbled, before he was shoved to the side.
  “Traitor!” Nathaniel yelled, as Mathias steadied both himself and Kailin.
  When he was confident they weren’t going to fall, he let her go, and stood ashamed in front of his friend, “Nathaniel, I…”
  “You said there was nothing! You swore to me, Mathias!” Nathaniel shoved him again. “You’ve deceived me! How could you do that to me? This is my wife!”
  “Shut up, Nathaniel!” Kailin barked, “I’m not your wife! Caitlyn Bramwell was Nathaniel Bramwell’s wife. Both of those people died along time ago, we are nothing more then demons using their dead bodies to exist on this earth!”
  Nathaniel’s eyes widened as he turned to look at Kailin, he seemed to of gone from furious to stunned. “You can’t mean that. Kailin, I love you.”
  “No, you don’t. Nathaniel, you have no idea who I even am, anymore. Leave me alone! Tzion was right about you not having any place in the prophecies! You don’t belong here, you’ll only destroy everything that we have all worked for.”
  “Please, Kailin, don’t say that. You don’t mean that. I’ve… I’ve lived all this time for you.”
  “No, understand, Nathaniel! You lived for Caitlyn, and she died. Get on with the life you’ve been given. The person standing here with Caitlin’s mask on, isn’t your wife, isn’t your love. She is dead!” Kailin yelled, and when Nathaniel tried to grab her hand, she yanked it away.
  Mathias couldn’t believe the words being spoken between the two. When he watched her before she was turned, he was certain that Kailin was in love with him. She spoke often about him to her sister, and her thoughts were always with him. Something about this situation seemed wrong… it was him. He knew he would end up the betrayer.
  “I’ve wronged you both.” Mathias muttered before running away from them.
  “Mathias, wait!” Kailin yelled, but before she could run after him, Nathaniel grabbed her arm.
  “Kailin, please, take it back.”
  She shook her head, “You should find your own life now. You don’t belong here, Nathaniel. Leave!” She jerked her arm from his hand to chase after Mathias.

Let me know your opinion on this novel. It helps me out a great deal. There are two places to leave a message. On my forum and on my blog.
Forum:
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Continue to Part 20.

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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