Running through the hallways, Kailin knew she had gotten herself lost within the large mansion. With a loud huff, she collapsed against the wall, and gave into defeat. She had lost him, and probably wouldn’t see Mathias again until he deemed fit. She cursed Nathaniel in her mind, before rethinking the harsh words she had spoken to him. Her head dropped, she needed to find him and apologize. They needed to speak, and Nathaniel needed to understand the truth.
  She made her way back out to the garden and found it empty, her eyes wandered the horizon only to find she was truly alone. The cold winds of winter blew, and Kailin thought it strange that it hadn’t snowed yet. The fall had been extremely cold and most had guessed that snow would come early that year.
  She sat down on the wooden bench, and looked out at the yard. The trees had lost all their leaves, and the grass was no longer a lush green. Rubbing her eyes, she yawned, trying not to think about anything. Whenever her mind wandered it would always find itself in others’ thoughts. She didn’t want to know everything there was to know about the elders, and yet she did. The more time that went by the more she would remember, or at least begin to understand that it wasn’t her own memory.
  Folding her hands together with a loud clap, she sighed loudly. She could feel the foreboding doom hanging over her head, and knew that her time was drawing near. Her time to stand or fall, and she knew she had to prepare the others for what was to come. She wished that Gabrielle could have been there with her, if to do nothing but shrug her shoulders, and tell Kailin that she worried too much. She felt like a different person without her, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not.
  She wondered if Gabrielle would think she was a traitor to everything she believed in. Kailin always tried to stay far away from vampire politics, and even further away from other vampires. She knew now that no amount of running could help her escape what was ahead. Dropping her head into her hands, she closed her eyes tightly. She missed Gabrielle, she needed her to be by her side now. There was a void in her heart now, her heart that now beat.
  “Kailin.” A voice said, and slowly she brought her eyes to meet with Samuel’s. His straight blonde hair fell into his eyes as the wind blew.
  Kailin came to stand in front of him, “You shouldn’t be here.” She told him. There was no fear in her heart for this man, as she knew he would never hurt her. His eyes held no ill will, not like Anthony.
  “If you worry that they will sense me, then do not fret.” Samuel told her, looking towards the mansion. “I have snuck in and out of Tzion’s home for many years now, and never once has he caught me.”
  She rose an eyebrow, “How is that so?”
  “That doesn’t matter right now, but what does is the truth.”
  “Don’t try to make me believe your side, Samuel, at least respect me enough…”
  He shook his head, “No, I have no desire to make you see one way or the other.” Clearing his throat, he took a step closer to her. “Perhaps, I should explain myself.”
  Kailin looked up into his eyes, he seemed scared. “You… you were my friend once, Samuel. Are you still my friend, now?”
  “I’ve always protected you from them, Kailin.” He lifted his hand to wipes several stray hairs from her face, but thought better of it. “Do you remember when I died?”
  She nodded, “Yes, of course.”
  “You asked me if I wanted to become a vampire, as it would be the only way I could live. Anthony ran me threw with a piece of wood debris, and I was laying on the floor bleeding to death. I agreed saying that I wanted nothing more in this world then to be with you. Do you remember?”
  Kailin again nodded.
  “Anthony was not dead, but instead dying not far away. You were young then and didn’t realize that he needed to fall to ash in order to be completely dead.” He bit his lower lip before continuing, “You risked the fire to try and turn me, but it was of no use. I had lost too much blood.”
  “I thought you died, had I known….”
  He held up his hand to stop her, “When I awoke, Anthony had bandaged my wounds, and informed me of my transformation. We thought for many years that I was a Mephis, but I am not.”
  “What do you mean? You aren’t a Hallowed.”
  Gently he shook his head, “I belong to neither, but to both. Do you understand?”
  “No.”
  He grinned at her honesty. “Listen.” Reaching out his hand, he placed it behind her head and pulled her close to him. Kailin rested her ear against his chest, and heard the faint sounds of a heart beat.
  Shocked, she jumped back. “How… how can that be, Samuel?”
  “I am not sure, and I was never completely certain. Even after reading all of Tzion’s prophecies, I have never come across an answer. All that I know is I am neither Hallowed nor Mephis, yet I am both. Do you not sense me here? I feel like both, do I not?”
  “When I saw you before though in the warehouse, you felt like a Mephis. In the sewers, I could of sworn there was…”
  “You felt what you wanted too. That is how I can enter in and out of Tzion’s home undetected. He does not feel anything but Hallowed around him, so is not bothered by my presence.” Samuel dropped his head, “This is what you have become, I can sense it.”
  “What… what about Leila?”
  He nodded, “Though she has no aura, she too has become as we. Though she is much darker, she feels different. Perhaps, it is became she was a Mephis, first… where we were both Hallowed.”
  “But, hers was done differently…” Kailin swallowed, “She received my blood for her rebirth, and I received hers. That’s how we have changed, but what about you? You were not resurrected.”
  “Yes, I was. Though I died during my turn into a Hallowed, Anthony managed to catch my aura in a moment before it left my body. Somehow, he manage to hold it hostage within my corpse long enough to call forth a demon soul. He swears that I was still alive when you left me, but I am not so certain.”
  “You think, he used some sort of ability to hold your aura captive and summon a demon soul?”
  He shrugged, “I do not know, Kailin. If I did, then perhaps I would be able to name that which I have become.”
  She remained silent, and watched as he thought on his next words.
  “I come to you now, simply because the battle grows near. Soon, we must all choose which side we belong. Truth be told, Anthony knows much more then most of these elders. Though, he has no desire but to control you, and destroy all other vampires. I am beginning to believe that is why we have transformed.”
  “How could he destroy all vampires?”
  “All but the Mephis. The blood of the queen, the mother, the savior, and the father are needed. They will combine and cause a destruction of Hallowed, Pyrrhonian, and Bowery.”
  “How?”
  “I do not know how. Anthony does not trust me as much as he would like to lead on. Kailin, if he were to do this, it would blacken the sky, and humans would eventually perish. No one would survive, this is something that Anthony does not understand.”
  “He called me the mother and the queen, does that mean Leila and me?” She asked, trying to ignore the repercussions of the spell. There was no need to get ahead of herself.
  “Yes, and the one who has watched over you as well as the only who helped create the first Mephis.”
  She rose an eyebrow, “That’s impossible, I killed the Bowery that bit Leila.”
  “No, you did not. I would speak to Mathias on this.”
  Trying her hardest, she kept herself calm, “And what of the savior?”
  “This is where I have tried to help you. Anthony believes that Tzion is the savior, as that is what he has written. I do not know what this strange blood would do if added to the ritual. It may weaken it or it might even neutralize it. Perhaps, worst yet, the strange blood may make the ritual go erratic.”
  “I see.” Kailin responded, “And what of these lies in our blood that Anthony spoke of?”
  “Reading the prophecies is just like the humans reading the bible. A thousand different people can read it a thousand different times, and each come up with a thousand different meanings. Anthony sees lies, where Tzion sees a truth. They both preach from the same book.”
  Kailin nodded, “Is that all you wanted to tell me?”
  Samuel shook his head, “I stand on his side, because I have no other place to be. Do try to forgive me for my treachery, Kailin. I just want you to know that I am certain that you belong on this side. Ignore all the words that have been spoken to you, even mine. Only you know the ultimate truth, as the Higher Being gave you that ability. You’ve always been the one who knew where you needed to be and who you needed to be. No one else can tell you how.”
  “Alright.” She agreed. Though she hadn’t truly spoken to him in such a long time, she still felt as close to him as she did the day he died.
  Samuel looked hesitant as if he wanted to say more, but then turned to leave. Kailin grabbed his arm at the elbow, and turned him to look back at her.
  “Stay here. You don’t have to be with Anthony.”
  He slowly shook his head, “Unlike the one before me, I know my place and it is not by your side. I came to terms with that long ago. Even if I joined your cause, it would not be for the reason that you desire.”
  “You mean because of our relationship, don’t you?”
  “I’m sorry, but I can not stand idly by and watch the only woman I have ever loved with another.”
  She let go of his arm, dropping it to her side. “Thank you, Samuel.”
  “Defeat him, so we can end all of this.”
  She bobbed her head up in down in agreement, staring off into the distance. “Until we meet again, then?” Her eyes went back to him.
  He had dropped his head, and looked down at the dead plants below. “If fate were only so kind.” Lifting his head up, he smiled to her, and she returned the gesture.
  Kailin leaned forward and kissed his lips gently. He smiled at her again, before walking towards the mansion gates. Watching him disappearing into the distance, Kailin was relieved that he was still her ally. In Boston, he had done much more then most humans would have to protect her from Anthony. Even though he was not a hunter and was almost completely naïve to the situation, he still stood beside her.
  She felt guilt that she had been the one to try and turn him. There was a sadness in his eyes that she had never before seen. Samuel had always been such a light hearted person, and now he was a darkened soul.
  “Defeat him, so we can end all of this.” She mumbled the words to herself, they had brought her such confusion.
  Did he mean so that these prophecies would end? What would end when this was finished? And when it was over, what would she do? Her life could never again be the same.
  “Hey.” She heard someone say.
  Kailin looked to her left to see Nathaniel, he was standing with a suitcase in hand. “Hey.” She responded, “I need to talk to you.”
  He nodded his head, “Yeah, I know.”

  Kailin found herself in Tzion’s library as were several of the elders. It had been a week since she had seen Samuel, and it had been relatively quiet around the mansion. Nathaniel had decided to leave, even after she had spoken to him. They talked about the past, and he seemed to come to terms with their feelings towards one another. Their love belonged to their human souls, and their aura’s only remembered it’s existence.
  Nathaniel admitted that he was not in love with her anymore, and had lied to himself. After all that he had done for her, he just didn’t want to admit that his love for her no longer dwelled in the depths of his heart. She saw the anger that he carried for Mathias still shining within his eyes, he felt betrayed, and it was understandable. No one had mentioned Nathaniel’s disappearance. Mathias hadn’t spoken to her since that fateful day, and kept himself hidden.
  Except now, he was forced to make an appearance, yet he stood in the corner of the room. Keeping his distance from her, whenever she moved, he would arrange himself around the room so that she could not make her way to him with ease. Kailin wondered why he was acting so childish. Was it something that she had said or possibly Nathaniel catching them? There would be no answer for her until she spoke to him.
  Khaldun was looking between her and Mathias, seeing the uneasiness in their eyes. “Mathias angry about something?” He asked her.
  Kailin shrugged her shoulders, “Who knows.” She looked up when Tzion entered in the library.
  He asked everyone to take a seat around the table, and they complied to his request. Taking his own seat between Akela and Mathias, he folded his hands on the table. The only elders missing were the triplets, and Kristian had come along like a puppy following it’s owner.
  “I have received word that the Mephis are preparing a ritual that would destroy all of us.” Tzion began, “There are still certain pieces needed before they can finish it, but we have no time. I’m afraid that Kailin’s training must end, we must act now.”
  “What do you mean a ritual?” Mathias questioned, “Destroy us all as in vampires or everyone?”
  Tzion shrugged, “That is all my informant gave me.”
  Kailin remembered Samuel’s words, “Just vampires other then Mephis.” She told them, everyone eyes fell on her. “It is a ritual that will combine the blood of the mother, the queen, the father, and the savior.” She looked up from her hands to Tzion, “When the blood is mixed it will destroy Hallowed, Pyrrhonian, and Bowery. Leaving behind the Mephis to rule over mankind.”
  “How do you know this?” Tzion demanded the answer.
  “I spoke with Samuel, he was here about a week ago. He wanted to…”
  “Why did you not tell us of this sooner?” Tzion barked.
  Her eyes went from guilty to enraged, “It was none of your business until now. When I come across information, I will give it to you when I see fit, and not a moment sooner!”
  Tzion glared across the table at her, “He was here? In my home and that Mephis went undetected? And how can you possibly believe anything that he says?”
  Leaning back in her chair, Kailin crossed her arms, “Yes, he was here. And he is not a Mephis.”
  “The hell he isn’t.” Kristian snapped.
  “He is neither Mephis nor Hallowed. Something bizarre occurred when Anthony tried to turn him, his heart still beats, but he is a vampire.” Kailin sat up, and scooted forward in her chair. “How I came across this information isn’t important anyway. If they are close then we do need to act quickly. What do you suggest, Tzion?”
  He tried to decide on whether he wanted to question her further, or allow it to die. Folding his hands again, he sighed, “We have located three major entrances to the Mephis lair. In the morning we should begin our attack. I suggest morning because the sun will be up, and we will be able to escape them easily if we are overwhelmed.”
  Kailin gave a nod, “Sounds good to me.”
  Lycorisa and Jareth, who had remained rather quiet, also gave their nod of approval.
  “Kailin isn’t ready for this.” Mathias growled.
  “I agree with Mathias.” Khaldun chimed in, “I don’t think that…”
  “I have been fighting Mephis proficiently the majority of my vampire life, if anyone isn’t ready it’s you two.” Kailin barked. “Besides, we don’t have any more time for training. We have to act now. Before my rebirth, they collected quite a bit of blood from me. That is what they will use in the ritual. I am not sure who this father is that they speak of, but I am guessing that it’s Anthony.”
  Akela stood from her chair, “Then I suggest we get our sleep, I doubt that we will all make it back tomorrow.”
  Kailin stood with her, “I doubt we all will as well.”
  Both Kailin and Akela left the room together. Mathias was shocked that Kailin was so willing to follow Tzion’s plan. She had never wanted to be part of vampire society, and now she was practically leading them. Then again, she must of just given in to her fate. Mathias watched as the others left the room, and he stood along side Khaldun.
  “What do you think?” Khaldun asked him.
  He shrugged his large shoulders, “I think we protect Kailin no matter what… like we always have. She made the decisions before she knew we were there, and she is making them now that she does.”
  Khaldun gently nodded his head in agreement, “Alright, but I meant… are you going to talk to her? She’s right, you know? We all might not make it back tomorrow.”
  Mathias turned his eyes from the door to the large man beside him, “Shut up.”
  With a large smile on his face, Khaldun left Mathias alone in the library. His solitude was short lived, as Zdenek entered in as soon as Mathias took a seat.
  “I expected Kailin to fight that… it is rather unnerving to see her give into her fate, don’t you think?” Zdenek asked, and took a seat in the sofa chair by the unlit fire place.
  Mathias had dropped his head into his hands, and looked up after Zdenek has finished speaking. “She is different now. It’s not the same woman that I’ve been protecting all these years.”
  “Does it bother you? She has finally accepted her role as guardian, no longer trying to lie to herself. If only we were all able to acknowledge our mistakes, and repair the damage we have done.” Zdenek crossed his legs, and kept his back to Mathias.
  “We are speaking about me now, aren’t we?”
  He nodded his old head, “It all begins in the morning. Are you ready to accept your part in the prophecy, Mathias? You have no more time.”
  “I am the traitor, I came to terms with that long ago.”
  Zdenek chuckled, “I see, then she will fail.”
  He straightened himself up in the chair, Mathias cocked his head to the side, “She will fail, why?”
  “Eva, Kailin, and I have already explained that to you. We must all accept our roles in the game that our gods are playing. When a knight believes himself to be a rook, then you will ultimately lose.” Zdenek folded his hands over his knees.
  “Are you telling me that if I do not accept that I am not the traitor tonight, then Kailin will die tomorrow?”
  “Maybe not die, but Anthony will succeed. The rest of us could very well perish if his ritual works.” He turned his head slightly, so he could see Mathias out of the corner of his eye.
  He shook his head, “I don’t want to be the betrayer.”
  “If you continue to think that you are, then you will be. Thus making two betrayers, and no savior for Kailin.” Zdenek spoke the words slowly, “You know within every fiber of your being that you were not created to deceive Kailin, as you would never do anything to harm her.”
  “The betrayer may not even know that he is…”
  “The one who is set on harming Kailin knows by now that they are. They have made the conscious thought.”
  “How do I know what you say is true? I can’t afford to be wrong about this.” Mathias stood from the hard chair.
  Zdenek cracked a grin, “Go speak with her. Give her that gift you had made, and see the truth for yourself. Kailin is must wiser then you may think she is. It is only in recent months that she has come to acknowledge this wisdom and use it to her own advantage.”
  Mathias reached into his coat pocket and felt the gift box inside, he wondered how Zdenek know of it. He hadn’t told anyone that he had had it made, and had nearly forgotten about it.
  “You must know your place by sunrise, or all is lost. Kailin is not the only one who can force a failure.”

  Standing outside Kailin’s bedroom door, Mathias thought over Zdenek’s words. He wanted them to be true, he didn’t want to be the one to break her heart. If it were true, then Tzion lied to him and had forced him to suffer for two eons. Lifting his fist up to the door he knocked gently, and heard Kailin tell him to enter.
  Upon entering the room, he saw that Kailin in a white tank top and dark gray pajama bottoms. Laying out her clothing for the morning, she seemed rather content and didn’t seem surprised that he had come to see her. She had taken a liking to katanas, and though they were a two handed weapon, she could easily wield one in each hand. Shutting the door behind him, he waited for her to finish and acknowledge him.
  When she turned around there was a grin on her face, as she grabbed her belt from the top of her dresser. Laying it down on the chair with the rest of her clothes, she walked over to the doorway to greet him.
  “Thought you were angry with me.” She said at the bottom of the four step stairway.
  “No, there is… was much to think on. I had to come to terms with some things.” Mathias slowly walked down the stairs to stand in front of her.
  “Come to terms? You mean about the betrayer thing?” She asked when he was within arms reach of her.
  He nodded, and Kailin thought he looked like he was about to cry. Even though he didn’t breath anymore, he took a deep, calming breath. “I am having trouble with it still. I always thought that by this point, I would be standing with the Mephis or dead. Maybe it will come tomorrow.”
  “Do you want to betray me, Mathias?”
  He shook his head, “No, of course not.”
  “So, you would rather be the savior then the betrayer, is that what you are saying?”
  “Of course.” He snorted.
  Kailin grinned, “Good, then be it, and stop lingering on what you are not.”
  “Just because I tell myself that I am not, doesn’t make it true.”
  “Well, I’m tell you that you are not, and that does make it true.”
  Mathias chuckled, “You sure?” Her light heartedness was unexpected, but it relieved the tension he was feeling.
  “Have I ever lied to you?”
  “Not that I remember.” He grinned, and then reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a jewelry box. “I thought you might need this, you know… for when we fight the Mephis.”
  Kailin took it and opened the black box, inside was a necklace. A gold chain with a inch and half long glass container for a charm in the shape of a tear drop. Wrapped around the charm was a spiral of gold, but it wasn’t the necklace that was important. It was what was in the tear drop charm that caught Kailin’s eye.
  “It’s Gabrielle’s ashes. When you threw it on the floor after you came back, I collected some of it. I thought her being there with you might bring you strength.” He was getting nervous that she wasn’t responding, only staring at the necklace.
  Suddenly, Kailin lifted her hand and wiped it against her eyes. “This is… this is wonderful, Mathias. I…” She looked up at him, “Thank you, thank you so very much.”
  He lifted it out of the jewelry box, and motioned for her to turn around. The chain was short, and it almost looked like a choker on Kailin’s neck. He knew that was the way she preferred her necklaces. Turning back around, Kailin touched the charm and smiled at him.
  “I get to have Gabby with me wherever I go now.” Her voice cracked when she spoke.
  “I am pleased that you like it.” Mathias responded, “I’m sorry that I have been avoiding you this past week, Kailin. After what you told me, and Nathaniel… I just couldn’t face you.”
  She nodded, “It’s alright, like you said, you had a lot to think about. I’m just glad that you are able to let go of Tzion’s lies.”
  There was still uncertainty in his eyes and Kailin saw it flash within after she spoke, “I don’t know if it’s true, but I’m going to let it go so I can fight beside you tomorrow.”
  “Good.”
  Clearing his throat, he looked down at the necklace, then smiled, “Well, goodnight.”
  “Goodnight.” Kailin said as he walked up the steps and out the door, she smiled to herself and went back to arranging her clothing.
  She was going to wear jeans, buckle up boots, a black shirt that showed some of her stomach, and a short black jacket. She wanted her stomach to show to lure the Mephis into seeing a weak spot. Khaldun had taught the tactic to her, and she figured the battle would be the best way to test it out.
  Her head jerked up, and she felt her heart race when another knock came to the door. “Come in.”
  Mathias stepped back inside, and shut the door behind him.
  “Is it morning already?” Kailin said jestfully, and he smiled.
  “No, there is more I think I need to say. After all, not all of us will come back tomorrow, and I just think we should clear the air.”
  Kailin nodded, and walked to the edge of her bed. Leaning against the end frame, she crossed her arms, “I’m listening.”
  Taking several steps closer to her, he tried to decide what he was going to say. “What happen to Nathaniel?”
  “We talked, and he decided it was best for him to leave. He doesn’t want to get in the way anymore.” Kailin answered.
  “Did you mean it?”
  She raised on eyebrow, “Did I mean for him to leave?”
  “No, what you said out in the garden, did you mean it?”
  “I don’t know what you are referring to, but probably. I’m not known for saying things I don’t mean.” She crossed her legs at the ankle, and continued to lean against the end of the bed.
  “As vampires, we aren’t suppose to have those sort of feelings. Demon souls aren’t meant to be able to understand certain types of emotions, and yet I see it all the time. Akela in love with Tzion, Khaldun in love with Akela. Lycorisa and Jareth in love with each other.”
  “Oh, we are talking about love now, are we?” Kailin asked, but he ignored her.
  “Vampires don’t have that capacity. It’s an emotion made by the Higher Beings so that humans would care for and protect each other. So, they would want to have children and be parents. What use is it to us?” Mathias couldn’t believe the words that he was saying. These were thoughts that he was use to asking himself, and had never dreamt of asking them of anyone else.
  “We need to have some type of emotion towards one another. After all we do work as a group at times, though Halloweds are suppose to be solitary.” Kailin answered, she really didn’t understand her answer, but it sounded good while she was speaking it.
  “Bowery and Pyrrhonians have a strong bonds with their packs, it makes them want to survive so they bond tightly with each other. They do not fall in love, so why do Hallowed? We are meant to be solitary creatures, as you said… why can we?”
  Looking down at her feet, she thought for a moment, “Perhaps, it’s a punishment or a blessing. As creations of the Higher Being wouldn’t he want us to feel emotion?”
  “He doesn’t want us to be with each other as freshes, but as elders…”
  “We have learned enough about life to understand what consequences come with emotions. Therefore, we are more weary about feeling anything towards one another.”
  Mathias grinned, Zdenek was right, she was wiser then he thought she was. “I guess that makes sense.” He swallowed, and looked at Kailin who was staring up at him. She seemed so much calmer now then she did in the garden. He couldn’t understand why she had dramatically changed so, perhaps it was because he told her to never say that she loved him again.
  “So?” Kailin stood from her leaning position.
  “I don’t want to betray you, Kailin, and I’m afraid if I say what I want to that I will.”
  She smiled sweetly at him, “Or maybe by not saying it, you will betray me.”
  Stepping forward, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Kailin had had her arms crossed, and felt more like he was restraining her then hugging her. He squeezed her tightly against him, and brought his lips down to her cheek. After he placed the gentle kiss on her skin, he stepped backwards, letting her leave his grasp.
  “That it?” She asked him.
  “Yeah, I… I need to know for sure.”
  “You need to stop seeing how many times you can trick me into thinking you are going to kiss me, and just kiss me already.” Kailin barked.
  “I can’t, not yet.”
  “Pssh!” She took a large leap forward, and was suddenly standing in front of him. Reaching her hands up, she grabbed his face at his cheeks, “Say what you want to say to me, Mathias. I’m not going to play this injured hero in need of some TLC game with you. We are beyond having to prove ourselves to one another, don’t you think?”
  Looking into her soft eyes, he heard the words of Zdenek, Eva, and even Kailin telling him that he was not the betrayer. The only voice that told him he was had belonged to Tzion. “I love you.”
  The words came slowly, but they were said. He hadn’t spoken those words since before he killed the first guardian. They were actually the very words he said to her, as she died in his arms. Standing there, he realized that the woman who had died all those years before was now standing in front of him again. This time though, she was capable of understanding what he meant, she could feel the emotion with him.
  Wrapping his arms around her, he tried to bend at the knees so he could reach her lips comfortably. He hesitated for a moment when his lips were close enough to her own that he could feel the heat radiate from her to him. Gently, he began to kiss her, as Kailin ran her hands up his chest and found her way around his neck. She pulled him closer, forcing him to kiss her deeply. The fear he held began to vanish as Kailin kiss went from shy to passionate.
  Her mouth opened slightly, and when he didn’t take her invitation, she tried to pry into his mouth with her tongue. Mathias tightened his arms around her back, as his mouth accepted her. Kailin teased his tongue with her own. He could feel her breast against his chest, and the sound of her heartbeat began to echo in his ears.
  Keeping the kiss alive, Kailin ran her hands from the back of his neck to his shoulders, and began to push his jacket off. Mathias let go of her, and grabbed her wrists.
  “I don’t think that would be a wise decision.” He told her.
  “Why?”
  She wasn’t even trying to pull her wrist from his grasp, “It’s not something we should do, not yet.”
  Kailin chuckled, “And what do you propose we get married first? Have the very first vampire to vampire wedding?”
  He frowned at her joke, as he was trying to be sincere. Something told him that even though she wasn’t showing it that Kailin was afraid of what was to come in the morning. He didn’t want to take advantage of her. “Kailin, I want to stay here all night, but...”
  “Then stay here all night.”
  It took him a moment to understand the full extent of what she was asking him. He knew that many vampires enjoyed the companionship of others, but he had never done it himself. He also felt that as a vampire, he needed to be above such things.
  “I can’t.”
  “You can do whatever you want, Mathias. You are the only one standing in your way.” Kailin dropped down on her heels, and he realized that once again she was on her tip toes.
  “I…”
  “Just stop thinking about everything, and do what you feel is right in your heart. If you want to leave, then leave. If you want to kiss me again, then do it. And if you want to stay the night with me, then you can.”
  Her eyes told him that she was truly asking him to stay, and he wanted to. After all these years this was the one thing that he had always wanted. Finally, he told himself to forget everything else, and live just one moment for his own selfish reasons. He lurched forward, knocking Kailin backwards onto the bed and laying atop of her. She was giggling, as his lips began an assault on her own, and Kailin felt as if all the passion and raw emotion that Mathias had been holding back was finally free. She felt herself being pushed upwards, as Mathias tried to help her get onto the bed fully.
  “I love you.” He mumbled the words, kissing from her ear down to the nape of her neck. “I love you.” The words came quicker and louder this time, as if he wanted to be sure she could hear him. His kissed followed down from her neck to her chest, and stopped just before her tank top began. With every touch, she could feel that he was shaking, and she wondered if it was in fear or excitement.
  Grabbing his face in her hands, she forced him to look at her. “I love you too, Mathias. Don’t be afraid.”
  Kissing her deeply, he tried to take off his jacket without breaking their touch. When he succeed, he tossed it over the side of the bed. Kailin could feel his well muscled arms in her hands, and how they flexed as he tried to touch her. His right arm ran up from her hips to her breast, as he continued to drink of her lips.
  She could taste the blood in his mouth of a meal earlier that day, as she began to suck on his bottom lip. Mathias’ moan was like a deep wolf growl, he stopped exploring her body with his hands.
  His head dropped beside her own as he laid atop of her, and his arms reached around her back. He rolled to the side to cradle her in his arms, leaving Kailin in confusion of what had just happened.
  Mathias had always dreamt that one day this might be, and he wanted anything and everything that Kailin would offer to him. Somehow, even though she was willing, he felt like he was stealing it from her. He didn’t want to take this, and have her regret it later on. His heart kept telling him that this was all he every wanted, but his mind wanted to protect Kailin from everything, including himself.
  “I don’t have regrets.” Kailin said.
  Though it was unusual for a fresh to be able to read an elder’s mind, Mathias was not surprised that Kailin was able to read his. He looked down at her with a frown, “Yes, you do.”
  Sitting up, Kailin pushed him over onto his back and began to place gentle kisses on his face. “Not when it comes to you, Mathias.” She whispered. “There is nothing you have ever done that I have regretted.”
  “Not even turning Nathaniel?”
  Her kisses stopped and she laid her head on his chest, looking up at him she smiled, “Everything, that you have ever done has been for me. I already know that. You and I were meant to stand together, not apart. This is the way it has always been, and this is the way it will always be.”
  Something about the last sentence she spoke reminded him of Eva, and he grinned. “I want to stand with you.”
  Her head popped up, and for the first time in nearly two hundred years, he saw the young human girl in her eyes. “Then stand beside me… that’s all you have to do.”
  Her words seemed to make everything seem alright, and he finally understood what Zdenek meant when he told him that Kailin would make him see. Mathias loved her with everything that he was, and would gladly lay down his life. He had always loved her, and even remembered how jealous he was when she married Nathaniel. Back then he was nothing but a shadow to her, but now he was real. She looked at him, and he could see into her own eyes. Laying down his life for her would do Kailin no good, he needed to live by her side.
  If Kailin was to succeed in the coming battle, it wasn’t because he believed that he wasn’t the betrayer. No, Kailin needed something and someone to live for. She had always had a reason, but now Gabrielle was gone. Kailin needed him to be her savior, more then he wanted to be it. That was the true meaning of savior, and that’s why Tzion had always called it the lover. He knew that this would be the way, he would save her. Simply, by giving her someone to love.
  Mathias wrapped his arms around her once more, and felt Kailin melt into him as he began to kiss her again. He gave no resistance this time, and his mind was finally set free from guilt. The prophecies had nothing to do with him, and only what he could do for her. Protecting her would never be enough, she needed someone to hold onto.

  His eyes fluttered open with his arm above his head, he slowly brought his hand down and looked over to Kailin. She was dressing herself, preparing for the morning’s event. Mathias sat up, and began to pick his clothes off the floor.
  Kailin looked at the scars on his back and arms as he dressed himself. They were permanent reminders of his human life, when he was a warrior. Brushing her hair into a ponytail, she sighed loudly, causing Mathias to look at her.
  “Are you ready for this?” He asked, buttoning up his black shirt.
  When her ponytail was complete, she turned to him with a grin, “Ready as I’ll ever be.”
  He gave a sharp nod, as he was glad to hear it. Something about this seemed wrong. Kailin was never interested in harming the Mephis unless they were threatening her, she believed they had ever right to be. Perhaps, Tzion’s desire to rid the world of the creatures had over powered her own.
  “I need to avenge Gabrielle. It has nothing to do with the Mephis.” Kailin mumbled, as she put on her belt and sheathes. She attached a gun to each thigh, before putting on her long overcoat.
  Mathias didn’t like that Kailin could so easily read his mind now, or that she willingly did so. “If Gabrielle was still alive, you wouldn’t be doing this?”
  She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, “There would be no reason then.” She hooked the necklace that Mathias gave her around her neck.
  He watched her for a moment uncertain if he wanted to believe her. After a long moment, he gave into and walked around to stand behind her.
  Placing his hands on her shoulders, he felt Kailin stiffen underneath his touch. She had become a foreigner to him, as the night before she had been warm and kind, but now she seemed cold and distant. It was as if her body housed two separate women. One willing to share her thoughts and emotions, and the other still wishing to lock herself away from everyone.
  Ignoring her stiffness, he brought down his lips to her neck, and gently kissed from the nape of her neck to just below her ear. Bringing his head back up, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her from behind. Kailin leaned back against him, resting the back of her head against his shoulder. Her stiff form loosened, and the kinder Kailin seemed to take control for a moment.
  “It ends today then, so that tomorrow there will be nothing between us.” He whispered the words, and Kailin agreed with a nod.
  “Let’s meet with the others, they must be in the library by now.” She tried to take a step forward, but Mathias kept a tight hold on her.
  “Promise me that you will be careful, and ignore their words.”
  “Whose words?”
  “The Mephis, they will try to turn you against us.”
  Reaching up her hands, she touched his lower arms. “There is no one in this world with enough power to turn me against you.”
  Mathias wanted desperately to believe those words, but he knew the prophecies and knew there was a possibility. A darkness in wait, looking to devour any who came close enough.
  His lips brushed against her own before letting her go. They began the long walk down the hallway to the library. Every passing moment seemed like an eternity. Kailin tried to remain calm, she didn’t want the others to know how truly scared she was. This was a large undertaking, and she knew that not everyone would be returning. The Mephis were a powerful foe, she feared for the lives of all that would accompany her.
  Mathias pushed open the door to the library. Mostly everyone had gathered and was ready to begin, except for Tzion and Kristian. The triplets would not be joining them. Kailin sat down at the table with them, and remained silent as the moment called for.
  Lucas sat across from her, and had only recently been informed of their plans. She hadn’t expected him to come along, but he looked prepared for battle. Guns attached to his belt, and water balloons as well, which had caused everyone to raise an eyebrow, including Kailin.
  “I can’t find him.” Kristian said as he entered into the library.
  “Where could he have gone?” Akela asked, standing up from her chair. Kailin could sense fear and uncertainty emanating from the pale woman.
  Kristian threw up his hand in frustration, “I don’t know.”
  “Then we do this without him, we do not have time for this.” Khaldun growled, his hair wasn’t pulled back like most were accustomed to seeing. Instead it fell over his shoulders, but he held the leather strap in his hands.
  “No, we must wait for him!” Akela snapped, and slammed her hands onto the table.
  Kailin shook her head, “No, we go.” All eyes turned to her, most in shock that she would order such a thing.
  “Are you certain about this, Kailin? He is the…”
  She interrupted Mathias, “I said we go.” She looked at Kristian, “Do you know anything of Tzion’s plans?” After working up the courage to begin this, she wasn’t about to let Tzion’s disappearance stop her. The time was now.
  Kristian walked over to Tzion’s desk and pulled a map from the large drawer. Placing it in the center of the table, he opened it. “This is a map of the sewage lines that the Mephis have been known to use. Tzion wanted us to enter in through three different points.” He pointed at them. “This way it leaves them no room to escape.”
  “Escape, where? We are attacking in broad daylight.” Lucas squeaked his question as he tapped his finger against the table.
  “Deeper into the sewage system.” He answered him with a cold glare, before turning back to the map. “Jareth, Lycorisa, and Khaldun will take the entrance to the north. Mathias, Akela, and I will enter in from the east. While Lucas and Kailin take the southern entrance.”
  “Where are we heading?” Mathias asked, he didn’t like that he wouldn’t be with Kailin, but didn’t want to argue about it in front of the others.
  “To the main room here.” He pointed to the large room, “They have a ritual chamber there, that is probably where Anthony will be. It’s safer for him, because he has access to stronger abilities within the chamber.”
  Kailin nodded, “Always remember that we are in their domain, and watch your backs. They knew their way around, and won’t hesitate to use that to their advantage.” She stood up from her chair, “When this is over and things go well, we will meet here. If the worse happens, then meet at the top of my apartment building.”
  “Why there?” Lycorisa questioned.
  “Anthony will expect us to return here, and since I haven’t been to my apartment in a while, he probably has assumed I have abandoned it.” She looked at Lucas, “Are you prepared?”
  He gave a nod, the memory of his crying Alanna was replaying in his mind. Suddenly, he wasn’t sure how he had gotten dragged into this whole thing to begin with. He was just a human trying to destroy an entire race of vampire.
  “Enter in at six, that way we will all begin at the same time.” Kailin told them as she was walking out the door with Lucas right behind her.
  Everyone watched as she exited the room, calm and collected as if she didn’t have any concerns about the task at hand.
  Lycorisa frowned, “Easy for her to just sashay out of here, it’s not like the Mephis can kill her.” She felt Jareth gently squeeze her hand.
  “We must begin.” Khaldun mumbled before getting out of his own chair, “If I don’t ever see you again, it was a pleasure.” He offered out his hand to Mathias.
  “Indeed.” Mathias shook his hand, before following Akela and Kristian out the door.
  He wasn’t prepared for this, despite what he continued to tell himself. The prophecies didn’t expect this to happen for another eight hundred years, and yet they were on their way. Would the Higher Being even allow them to finish it this early? Perhaps, the Mephis were meant to live on the earth for a thousand years, and they couldn’t change it. He was reminded then that Eva told him of free will. It was Kailin’s will that this ended now, or was it?

  Standing over the manhole Khaldun looked at Jareth who was leaning against the brick building. Lycorisa was standing closer to the manhole, her arms wrapped around herself. She wasn’t cold but visibly worried. The three of them wore their normal clothing of jeans, slacks, t-shirts, and jackets. Except today they were all strapped with guns and swords. Though the guns wouldn’t kill the Mephis, it would slow them down, Kailin had taught them that much.
  To the east of the city, Mathias was also preparing himself over the man hole. Akela had her nose turned up at the filthy alley that she was forced to wait in. Occasionally, she would complain about a piece of paper or a can, and Kristian would pick it up and throw it in the nearby dumpster. Strangely enough, Kristian didn’t look bothered and seemed to be calm. He reflected Kailin greatly in this, and Mathias wondered if Kristian trusted enough in Kailin that he wasn’t worried, or trusted enough in Tzion.
  Mathias looked to the south, and hoped that Kailin was doing well. He guessed that Tzion was meant to go along with her, and he knew he should of said something. It was too late now to speak up, he wouldn’t be able to make it to her in time, if he abandoned his group now. Akela and Kristian would have been fine on their own, but Kailin… no, Kailin could hold her own against the Mephis. He needed to remember that.
  The southern entrance was just as silent as the others. Kailin leaned against the fence, while Lucas marched back and forth between the nearby building and the manhole. He was mumbling something to himself, but Kailin chose not to listen. Looking at her watch there was ten minutes left to go. Her eyes fell to the east, and she wished that Mathias could of joined her. She should of demanded it back in the library, but didn’t want the others to suspect anything.
  Khaldun ran his fingers through his hair, and wondered to himself what exactly they were suppose to do in there. He was meant to make his way south to the ritual chamber, but then what. He doubted that anyone could defeat Anthony except Kailin. Was Tzion trying to wipe out the main hive?
  “Six minutes.” Lycorisa announced to them, before hiding her watch underneath her coat again.
  “And why didn’t the triplets come along, they could of taken the west.” Mathias thought to himself. How was it possible that they were part of the prophecies, but not the ones chosen to fight along the guardian’s side? It was unfair to everyone else who was risking their lives today. And where was Tzion? That coward, he probably ran and hid himself. He’ll have an astonishing excuse of survival and battle to tell when he returned, no doubt.
  “How much longer?” Akela huffed.
  Mathias pulled up the sleeve on his coat, “Three minutes.”
  “Let’s just go now, three minutes isn’t that much of a head start.”
  “You know it’s just as bad down there as it is up here.” Mathias told her, and she just glared at him, “Besides, Kailin said six, so we wait until six.”
  Leaning her head back against the fence, Kailin sighed loudly. “Stop pacing, you are making me nervous.” She snapped at Lucas.
  He came to stand in front of the manhole, and began to check his equipment.
  “What are the balloons for?”
  Lucas looked up at her with a grin, “They are filled with holy water.”
  “Clever, childish, but clever.” Kailin rolled up her sleeve to check the time. “Almost time. You ready?”
  Lucas gave a quick nod, before shrugging his shoulders. “I doubt that I’ll ever truly be ready. But this is for Jerry. He died and no one believed me about who did it, at least I can get him some justice now.”
  Lifting herself off the fence, she stood across the manhole from him. “Alright, then this is for Gabrielle and Jerry. Our friends who died by their hands, may justice be served.”
  Lucas grinned.
  She looked at her watch again. “Let’s go.” Kneeling down, she lifted the manhole cover.
  “Time to go.” Khaldun said as he leaned over to pick up the cover.
  “It’s time.” Mathias told them before he jumped down the already open manhole.

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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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