

A Shade of

Halloween

The Complete Series:

This Box Set contains all four books in the series plus a bonus novel

Robin Todd

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Copyright © 2016 Robin Todd.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

ISBN-13: 978-1539703686

ISBN-10: 1539703681

#  Contents

#

Contents iii

Book One: A Shade of Halloween viii

Chapter One ix

Chapter Two xvii

Chapter Three xxx

Chapter Four xlvii

Chapter Five lviii

Chapter Six lxiv

Chapter Seven lxxx

Chapter Eight civ

Chapter Nine cx

Chapter Ten cxvi

Chapter Eleven cxxii

Chapter Twelve cxl

Chapter Thirteen clii

Chapter Fourteen clxii

Chapter Fifteen clxix

Chapter Sixteen clxxxi

Chapter Seventeen clxxxviii

Chapter Eighteen cciv

Chapter Nineteen ccxix

Chapter Twenty ccxxxiv

Chapter Twenty-One ccxliv

Chapter Twenty-Two ccliv

Chapter Twenty-Three cclxv

Chapter Twenty-Four cclxix

A Shade of Halloween 2: Shadows cclxxx

Chapter One cclxxxi

Chapter Two ccxci

Chapter Three cccviii

Chapter Four cccxxvi

Chapter Five cccxliii

Chapter Six ccclxiii

Chapter Seven ccclxxx

Chapter Eight cccxcvii

Chapter Nine cdxvii

Chapter Ten cdxlii

Chapter Eleven cdlxxiii

Chapter Twelve cdxc

Chapter Thirteen dxxviii

Chapter Fourteen dliv

Chapter Fifteen dlxxiv

Chapter Sixteen dxcv

Chapter Seventeen dcxviii

Chapter Eighteen dcxli

Chapter Nineteen dclix

A Shade of Halloween 3: Sorceress dclxxii

Chapter One dclxxiii

Chapter Two dclxxxix

Chapter Three dccii

Chapter Four dccxix

Chapter Five dccxxxvii

Chapter Six dcclviii

Chapter Seven dcclxxvii

Chapter Eight dcccii

Chapter Nine dcccxxiv

Chapter Ten dcccxxxvi

Chapter Eleven dccclvi

Chapter Twelve dccclxxiv

Chapter Thirteen dcccxcvi

Chapter Fourteen cmxiii

Chapter Fifteen cmxxx

Chapter Sixteen cmxliv

Chapter Seventeen cmlviii

Chapter Eighteen cmlxxvii

Chapter Nineteen cmxci

Chapter Twenty mxxiv

Chapter Twenty-One mxlii

Chapter Twenty-Two mliv

Chapter Twenty-Three mlxxii

Chapter Twenty-Four mci

Chapter Twenty-Five mcxvi

A Shade of Halloween 4: Reunion mcliii

Chapter One mcliv

Chapter Two mclxvi

Chapter Three mclxxix

Chapter Four mcxcii

Chapter Five mccv

Chapter Six mccxxii

Chapter Seven mccxxxviii

Chapter Eight mccliii

Chapter Nine mcclxxvi

Chapter Ten mccxci

Chapter Eleven mcccxxi

Chapter Twelve mcccxxxiii

Chapter Thirteen mccclv

Chapter Fourteen mccclxxvi

Chapter Fifteen mcdiii

Chapter Sixteen mcdxxi

Chapter Seventeen mcdxxxvii

Chapter Eighteen mcdlv

Chapter Nineteen mcdxci

Chapter Twenty mdv

Chapter Twenty-One mdxxiii

Chapter Twenty-Two mdxxxv

Chapter Twenty-Three mdlii

Chapter Twenty-Four mdlxi

Chapter Twenty-Five mdlxxvii

Bonus Novel: Vampire Brothel (Part One) mdcv

Roberta Hawkins – Client 146 mdcvii

Chapter One mdcviii

Bella Thomas – Client 316 mdcliv

Chapter Two mdclv

Aaron Regent – Client 031 mdclxxxiii

Chapter Three mdclxxxv

Alexa Baron – Client 006 mdccxii

Chapter Four mdccxiii

Eric Romanoff – Client 026 mdcclviii

Chapter Five mdcclix

Thank You! mdcccxxv

#  Book One: A Shade of Halloween

#  Chapter One

**"Halloween's day: The day you die!"**

I stared at the note in front of me with a raised eyebrow and smiled. It was only the 24th of June and my roommate, Alex was already preparing for Halloween. I wondered when he snuck up beside me and dropped the note. He was usually a clumsy one, unable to stay quiet even if the survival of the planet depended on it. I could tell he had gone out of his way for this ultra-secret Halloween mission and could visualize him snickering quietly to himself while slipping the note beside my pillow.

"Nice try, Alex but you forgot a few details." I smiled to myself.

It was way too obvious that Alex dropped the note. Who else had access to my room in the middle of the night? I was sure the note wasn't there at the time I went to sleep. If it were, I would have seen it. The fact that I didn't see it before going to bed ruled out the possibility of anyone else sneaking into our dorm room to drop it. Besides, Alex was the only person I knew who had no life. When other people go out to have a great time, or stay indoors to take a beauty nap of awesomeness – like me, only people with no life A.K.A. Alex, sneak up on them and place creepy Halloween notes beside their pillows.

"It's not even October yet, for Pete's sake!"

I decided to make things a little interesting, just to show him I was capable of creeping him out as well. The best way to do that was to give him a dose of his own medicine and that was exactly what I did.

I got off my bed and walked to the reading desk where I kept my box of pens. I picked a red one up, and scribbled "A single slash of the throat" on the piece of paper, right under Alex's writing. Satisfied, I placed the paper back on Alex's pillow and smiled.

" _That should tell him I'm on to his silly prank._ "

I took a nice warm shower, brushed my teeth and stood in front of my mirror for the best part of the day - Makeup. I loved fashion in general but makeup was my favorite bit. Over the top shades of blue, red and black always made my day pop. I applied a double layer of eyeliner for the dramatic eye effect I loved, and was just applying my black waterproof mascara when I caught movement in the room behind me from the side of my eye. There was no reflection in the mirror but I was pretty sure I saw something or someone move.

I turned around sharply and surveyed the room. My eyes darted quickly from one corner to the next, taking in the entire space within the room.

It was empty.

I shook my head and sighed. There was no one in the room with me, so I brushed it off. I must have imagined what I thought I saw.

I finished my makeup and smiled at my reflection in the mirror. Looking good always did wonders for my confidence. Since I looked great today, I was sure I was going to have a great day. After one final glance in the mirror, I picked my backpack up from the side of my bed and hung it over my shoulder. I needed to head out because my first class was at eight and the last thing I wanted was to be late. I heard my History tutor had zero tolerance for late coming and I didn't want to be the first one to try his patience.

#  Chapter Two

"Good morning, class."

"Good morning, Mr. Ross." The class chorused.

Obviously, everyone knew the tutor's name except me. I had missed the first class of the semester because I had to stay back and console Alex, after his heart wrenching breakup from Liz Donald. Their relationship had lasted a total of fourteen hours and twenty-six seconds when Liz pulled the plug. She probably woke up from her drunken slumber and realized she had agreed to date the school's biggest nerd. Poor her. My roommate, Alex had a very hard time accepting the fact that he had lost his first ever girlfriend before he even got the chance to kiss her. The result? Alex wallowed in a puddle of tears on our dorm room floor, and the compassionate, sympathetic and awesome me, missed my first History class to console him... and I intend to major in History. Sometimes I surprise myself at how selfless I can be.

"Welcome to the US History since 1877 course. Textbooks and notepads on the table, please. Cellphones should either be off or placed on silent. No vibrations, silent!" Mr. Ross's rendition of the riot act AKA rules brought me back from my thoughts.

Students ransacked their backpacks for the required texts, noisily placing them on the tables in front of them. I decided to send a quick text to Alex since I hadn't heard from him all morning.

Where the hell are you? Text me!

I put my cellphone on silent mode and straightened up on my chair. I needed to know when Alex replied my text, so I placed my cellphone on the table as well.

"For those of you who missed the introductory class, my name is Richard Ross. And NO, you can't call me R.R or any other abbreviations you students come up with. I don't accept late papers, irrespective of your excuse. The door to my class is always open so I can throw you out whenever you break the rules. I don't accept late coming either. If you're late and decide to walk in through the open door, I'll send you out of my next five classes. Now that you're all familiar with the rules, turn your textbooks to page 10." Mr. Ross ended with a cold smile.

"Talk about unpleasant... and creepy!" I thought.

Mr. Ross went on with the class while I stared at the screen of my cellphone, waiting for Alex's reply. It never came. Knowing Alex, he most likely had his cellphone in his bag while his head was buried in a mountain of textbooks somewhere. The library was like his second home so it wasn't unusual for him to go incommunicado for long periods of time.

"Miss. Messy Brown Hair, can you please tell the class the major reason behind the ill feelings that developed between the United States and Latin American countries in the early twentieth century?"

I lifted my gaze from my cellphone to meet the stares of the forty-five other students in my class. I was so embarrassed that I felt like shriveling into dust and floating away through the windows. For starters, I didn't have 'messy brown hair'. My hair was brown alright, but despite the fact that I didn't use a flat iron that morning, I wouldn't classify it as messy. It was straight, just not celebrity straight.

"Um..." I started, but couldn't find the words to continue.

Latin American countries had ill feelings towards the US? How was I supposed to know that? Besides, there were a thousand possible reasons for any country to have ill feelings towards another country. How was I supposed to make a reasonable guess?

I heard suppressed snickering from my classmates and felt the heat rising in my cheeks. The only thing worse than a dumb idiot in History class was an angry, red faced, dumb idiot in History class. Since I knew my options were minimal to none, I decided to take the honorable fall.

"I have no idea." I replied.

"Consider this your first warning. When I'm in class, I expect a hundred percent concentration." Mr. Ross snapped.

I thought I saw his eyes flash bright red for a split second but I wasn't so sure. I buried my head in shame, waiting for the class to end. Mr. Ross turned back around and scribbled some sentences on the board.

"Everyone, your research assignment for this class is on the board. I expect a five paged summary by the next class." He stated.

He gathered his teaching materials into his briefcase and walked out of class.

I zoomed in with my cellphone camera and took a picture of the board. The research assignment was on the belief shaping myths of the early twentieth century. I had to turn in something good – to hopefully redeem my currently nonexistent image. I knew the library had a lot of material on the early twentieth century and made a mental note to go there in the evening.

Since the class was over, I called Alex's cellphone again. This time, it rang out. I didn't want to appear like a stalker or a person with no life by calling and texting him multiple times, so I decided to give it a rest. I knew I was going to see him back at the dorm at the end of the day anyway so there really was no need to call relentlessly when he was obviously not close to his phone.

#  Chapter Three

I got into the library and went straight to the History section. Early twentieth century belief materials were arranged at the far back, behind a cream colored wall that almost completely obscured it from the rest of the library.

"Whose genius idea is it to keep spooky stuff in a concealed area?" I wondered.

I noticed the librarian at the History section had been changed. A geeky looking brunette with circular rimmed glasses sat behind the desk at the entrance where Rose used to sit.

"Rose has probably moved on with her career." I thought.

I glanced at the screen of my cellphone one last time before putting the device in my backpack. Alex still hadn't returned my calls or replied my text. I guessed he was really engrossed in whatever it was that was keeping him preoccupied.

"Wait a minute. Has he found himself another girlfriend? No way!"

The thought made me smile to myself. If that was the case, I wanted to hear all the juicy details ASAP.

I walked over to the huge bookshelves that lined the section's walls. A quick scan through the navigation sheet pasted beside the first bookshelf informed me of the right directions to get to the subjects I was interested in – Spiritual beliefs, Eugenics and African-American culture. My goal was to pick two texts from each belief area to study. That should give me a fair idea of the occurrences under each area at the time. I stuck with the plan until I arrived at the spiritual beliefs section. There were tons of books with pretty interesting titles that caught my interest. I made an exception for that belief area and selected four books instead of two.

I was making my way to a desk where I could read, when a book title in one of the shelves caught my eye.

Selena Ryder (1871 – Unknown).

The first two words of the title was what caught my attention really. It was puzzling to see a book in that section with my full name as its title.

"What are the odds?"

I picked the book off the bookshelf before I noticed the rest of the title. The words "1871 – Unknown" immediately heightened my already building curiosity.

"Did that Selena Ryder disappear or something?"

I hurried to a desk and set the books down. I had to make a decision. Save Selena Ryder for later when I'm finished with the others or dive in immediately? Every rational cell in my brain said to keep Selena Ryder for later, so I went with that option. As I researched and took notes from the other texts, my eyes glanced at the dark brown book cover with my name on it. I noticed its color was eerily similar to the color of my hair. With every new similarity I noticed, keeping my curiosity on a leash became increasingly more difficult but I knew I had to do it. Whatever was salvageable of my reputation in class depended on it. I needed to put in a good research paper submission and I was going to do just that.

"Just a little sneak peek won't hurt anyone."

I was desperately trying to win the war between my curiosity and my rationality. Tough as it was, I wrote word after word until my paper was complete. With a satisfied grin on my face, I pushed the other texts aside and turned the cover of Selena Ryder.

There was a drawing of the supposed Selena Ryder from 1871 on the first page. Her hair was parted in the middle and fell past her shoulders just like mine. The drawing was a pencil sketch in black and white and there was no way of telling what color her hair was. The first thought that came to my mind was why this Selena's hair was parted just like mine. I dismissed it almost immediately because more than a half of the female population of the United States parted their hair in the middle – at least sometimes.

I looked at her features but nothing else stood out to me. I couldn't tell the color of her eyes or her skin tone from the picture. I felt her other features like her cheek bones and the curve of her lips were similar to mine, but I dismissed the feeling as well. My mind was probably playing creepy tricks on me. I turned the page over and began reading the text. It turned out to be relevant to my research assignment. The early twentieth century experienced a great belief in the supernatural, with Vampires, Werewolves, Witches and Warlocks taking center stage. I scribbled a few more paragraphs in my research paper, detailing the new pieces of information this book revealed. The more pages I read, the more intrigued I was. There was something about this Selena girl that tugged at my curious side. One part of the text stood out to me more than the others I had read.

"Selena returned from her secret visit to the scholar at Markland. Unknown to her, the Serafino clan had attacked her home. Her best friend, Alexander Orwell had paid the price in her absence. A single slash to his throat had been the defining blow. She knew it was only a cover. The Serafino clan of bloodsuckers had drained every ounce of blood he once had..."

It was the creepiest piece of text I had ever read. I wondered why the Selena in the book had a best friend with a similar name to Alex, but dismissed it as well. It was most likely just a coincidence. I lifted my head and my eyes caught sight of the window. I was surprised at how dark it had gotten outside. I must have been so engrossed in the Selena Ryder book that I didn't realize how long I had spent in the library.

The brisk movement of a shadow behind me caused me to jump. A sudden surge of fear crawled slowly under my skin like a liquid filling up the space within a container. I turned my neck sharply in all directions, scanning the area for anyone else who was still in the library with me. There was no one. Normally, I would have dismissed the fast moving shadow but today I didn't. I was sure it was there just a moment ago. The hairs on my arm stood erect, revealing the sea of goosebumps that had formed on my skin. Someone was there, I was sure of it. I quickly returned the books to the shelves and placed my paper into my backpack. The library was beginning to creep me out and I needed to get out of there fast.

I hurriedly made my way out of the library, earning a curious stare from the new librarian. I didn't care. I just focused on getting away from all the creepiness, and back to the safety of my dorm. As I walked back to my room, I turned around constantly to see if any person or shadow was following me. Again, there was no one. A few pockets of college students were found standing here and there along my walk path. Night crawlers was what they were called in Campus vocab. The term was used to refer to students who remained outside in the dead of the night. It was supposed to be normal, but today it creeped me out.

"Don't tell me you're letting the fables from those books get to you."

I smiled at the thought and continued walking. I knew it was right. I was scaring myself for no real reason. There was clearly no shadow stalking me. When I got back to my dorm, I looked around one last time. Still no shadow. It was just me standing in front of my door. I turned the knob to see if it was open. It wasn't. That meant either Alex was asleep already or he still wasn't back. If the latter was the case, I already had a 'you're getting unserious' speech handy to read out to him when he finally got back.

I took out my key from my backpack and opened the door. Turning the light switch on revealed the most horrific image I had ever seen in my life. Alex was lying on my bed, dead. There was a single slash to his neck, obviously made by a knife or another very sharp object.

I let out the loudest scream of terror my entire hostel had ever heard.

#  Chapter Four

I opened my eyes and found myself in a dark room. Memories from my last conscious moment slowly drifted back into my mind, causing me to sit up sharply. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I walked away from the bed I was, feeling my surroundings for anything solid to grasp. I couldn't believe Alex was gone, and in such a despicable manner. It just wasn't fair. I thought about all the times I teased him. It was just a joke then but now I felt different. I blamed myself for assuming he was fine when I couldn't reach him. Maybe I would have been able to save him if I had just raised an alarm when he stopped taking his calls and replying to his messages.

My grief shook my being for all of five minutes, as I wandered around the dark and lonely room. My rationality kicked in soon after, reminding me of the inconsistencies in my reality.

"Where am I?"

The last thing I remembered was screaming in terror at the sight of Alex's lifeless body on my bed. How I moved from my dorm to this dark room remained a mystery. I had no clue where to begin with deciphering the technicalities of my movement to my current location. I continued walking blindly and soon, my outstretched hand hit something solid. I quickly realized what it was – A wall. I felt my pockets for my cellphone to provide some light in the darkness, but it wasn't there. I remembered slipping it into my backpack at the library. That was the reason I couldn't find it on me. The next rational thing to do was to feel the walls for a light switch. I proceeded with that task, my tears slowing down with the distraction.

I felt frustrated and helpless, not knowing whether to call out for help or not. Who would keep me in a dark room all by myself?

"Have I been kidnapped?"

I remembered the fast moving shadow I thought I saw at the library.

"Was that actually someone stalking me?" I wondered.

I immediately went into panic mode, as fear formed a slow moving stream under my skin.

"Don't scream. Keep it together." I mentally consoled myself.

If I had been kidnapped, screaming would not be in my best interest. I had to get a good view of my current location, noting the possible escape routes – if any. The first step to achieving that was getting some form of lighting and that became my number one priority. The more I searched, the more frustrated I got. There was no light switch anywhere. My tears had run dry at this point because it was clear I had more pressing issues to deal with.

"What if I've been kidnapped by the same person that killed Alex?"

The thought made my blood freeze within my veins. Fear was slipping into every available cell in my body, numbing and paralyzing me in the process.

"Focus, Selena. If whoever kidnapped you isn't here yet, it means there's still time to plan an escape. Besides if this is a bedroom, there should be bedside lamps."

I quickly retraced my steps back to the bed I woke up on. After bumping into the stand a couple of times, I finally made my way to the part I believe was the headboard. I felt around the headboard for a few minutes before disappointment sank my heart to my feet. I found nothing. No lamps, no switches. There was absolutely nothing to provide light in the room.

All of a sudden, the scenery around me changed. I was no longer in a dark bedroom but in a dimly lit bedroom that looked like something from a movie shot in the 1870s. It had plain white pillars and black satin drapes which were blown about by the wind. I was still in my state of confusion when he showed up.

"My Selena."

His voice was deep and scary. It sent instant chills down my spine. What made my blood run cold was the terrifying and unnatural speed with which he approached me.

I didn't see him come in through a door or window but he was upon me in an instant. The only expression of how startled and afraid I was, was the guttural scream of terror that escaped my trembling lips.

#  Chapter Five

I awoke with a start, to the beeping sound of several machines. Clarity came once I turned my head to observe my surroundings. The white walls, slim bed and surrounding monitors told me I was most likely in a hospital.

"Honey, you're awake!"

My mum rushed to my side from a chair by the side of the room. Her face was full of concern as she squeezed my palm softly.

"Oh, honey. Thank goodness you're awake. You took a pretty nasty fall." She said, leaning in to give me a hug.

"Fall?" I wondered. "Where did I fall from?"

My thoughts were still mixed up. I couldn't decipher where my reality stopped and where my dreams began. I didn't know how much of my immediate past experiences were real.

"You remember what happened, right?" My mum asked, looking at me like I was supposed to say something I hadn't said yet.

I looked at her, not quite sure what the right response to her question was. I remembered a lot of things but I wasn't sure which of them happened in reality.

"I'm so sorry about your roommate, Alex." She continued.

"So, that bit is true. Alex is really dead."

Tears welled up in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks. I felt like an invisible force was squeezing my heart. My lungs weren't faring much better either. I felt like the air around me was thinning and I continued to cry my eyes out. My mum pulled me into a hug, squeezing on my shoulders ever so slightly.

"I didn't mean to upset you, honey." She consoled me.

I blinked several times, trying to dismiss the horrific image of a dead Alex from my mind. It didn't help. My tears were beginning to blur my vision and I heard the monitors beeping faster – but it sounded like the sound came from a distance. I heard the muffled voice of someone else in the room but couldn't make out who it was. Shortly after, everything went calm. The hospital scene was gone, and I was back in the 1870s bedroom I was before.

#  Chapter Six

"My Selena."

I heard the sound of his voice again and it terrified me just like it did the last time. I had no idea why he referred to me that way but I certainly wasn't his 'Se-lee-nah'. This time, he didn't approach me. I couldn't see him anywhere around but I could hear his voice.

"You're shutting me out. Let me in, please."

I didn't know what he meant, but there was no way I would let someone who terrified me that much anywhere close to me.

"You have to let me in." He continued. "They're out to get you. They're closer than you think. Don't let it happen again, Selena. Please. Don't let me lose you again."

I had no idea what he was talking about. Who was out to get me? The only person close to me was him.

"I have to..."

He started speaking again but this time, he added the terrifying appearance from thin air. I screamed at the top of my lungs and awoke one more time – in the hospital room.

I panted heavily as my surroundings solidified in front of my eyes. I was relieved to see myself back in the safety of reality. At least, the hospital room kept me away from the terrifying man in my dreams. I knew I couldn't keep going in and out of that dream for the sake of my sanity. Doing that repeatedly was sure to make me lose it soon. I turned my head in the direction of the chair my mum sat the last time I was awake but she wasn't there. Instead, a man I didn't recognize sat there. I sat up immediately, my eyes widening from crippling fear. For a minute, I thought it was the scary guy from my dream.

"Please don't be scared." The man said, placing his hand in front of him in a reassuring gesture. I saw his badge and relaxed a little. I still wasn't a hundred percent comfortable with his presence, especially after the terrifying dream I just had.

"I'm detective Howard. It's okay, you're safe now." He said.

"Where's my mum?" I asked, still looking at him skeptically.

"She went home for a change of clothes. She'll be back in a bit." He replied.

I couldn't believe my mum left me alone after what happened with Alex. My dad didn't even show up at the hospital. Didn't they care enough about me? What if the people who killed Alex were out to get me?

A doctor walked into my hospital room and checked a few of the readings on the surrounding monitors. When he was done, he turned to me and smiled.

"How are you feeling now, Miss. Ryder?"

"Okay... I guess." I replied.

I wasn't okay. I had just lost my roommate in the most horrific manner, and I was going in and out of terrifying dreams. Who will be okay in a situation like that?

"This is detective Howard. He's here to ask you a few questions about what happened." The doctor continued.

I blinked, saying nothing.

"Detective, she's been traumatized and is still fragile. Try not to push too hard." The doctor said, before walking out of the room.

"Doctor." I called out after him. "Can you stay here, please?"

I didn't want to be alone with the detective. I didn't know if I could completely trust him, and I just wasn't comfortable alone with an unfamiliar face.

"Sure." The doctor smiled and took a seat at the far corner of the room.

"Miss. Ryder, I know you've been through a lot, but I need you to tell me anything you remember from the night Alex was killed. It will really be helpful in tracking down the person who did this." Detective Howard said, pulling a chair close to my bed.

"I came back to the dorm and found him on my bed." I said, tears choking my words as they made their way out of my mouth.

"Was he already dead?" Detective Howard asked.

"Yes. I screamed when I saw him, and that's the last thing I remember. I woke up here." I replied.

"Okay. I know it was terrifying to see him like that and I'm sorry. You've been really helpful and I appreciate it. I don't intend to get you upset but I need to know everything." He said, handing me a tissue.

I wiped my tears and nodded my understanding. I was not only devastated by what happened to Alex, I was also terrified that whoever did it to him might come for me too.

"Do you remember anything suspicious before you found him dead? Did he complain of anything? Enemies, maybe?" Detective Howard asked.

"Um... That morning, I saw a note from him on my pillow. He wrote that I was going to die on Halloween's day."

I started recounting the events from the morning of Alex's death when something struck my mind. I had written 'a single slash of the throat' on that note, and that was exactly how Alex was killed. How was I supposed to explain that I had no idea who did it when they did it in the exact way I described?

"Okay, Miss. Ryder. What else do you remember?" Detective Howard prodded.

"I thought I saw someone move swiftly behind me when I was applying my makeup but when I turned around, there was no one there." I replied, intentionally leaving out the part where I wrote 'a single slash of the throat'.

If they hadn't seen the note yet, then I still had a chance to get rid of it. There was no need implicating myself and making the police waste precious investigation time on me when the real killer was out there walking free.

"Do you remember anything else?" Detective Howard asked.

"No." I shook my head.

"Did you hear from him after that?" He asked.

"No." I shook my head again.

"Where did you spend the rest of the day?"

"I went to class, and after that, I went to the library to work on my research assignment paper." I sniffed.

"Thank you very much for your help. I hope you make a quick recovery. If we find anything, we'll let you know." He stated, getting up to leave.

I nodded, and watched him leave my hospital room. The doctor smiled at me, leaving right after the detective.

Once I was left alone with my thoughts, something else stood out to me. It was a memory I had almost forgotten. There was a brown book at the library with my name on it. It had a passage in there that talked about Selena's best friend, Alexander Orwell dying from a single slash to his throat.

"Could it be just a coincidence?"

It was a little too coincidental that the 1870s Selena had a friend with the name Alexander who died just the same way my roommate, Alex died. I knew I had to go back to the library once I got out of the hospital. I had to read more of that Selena's story. I was going to figure everything out but first, I needed to get to my dorm and discard that implicating note.

#  Chapter Seven

The car pulled over and I glanced at my mum's pretty features. Her full lips had a smile on display, but her green eyes belied her true feelings. She was worried about me and how I was going to cope on my first day back in school after the incident. That much was clear, but because I wanted her to believe I bought her facade, I said nothing about it. Most people said I looked nothing like her. I really didn't look like any of my parents, to be honest. For a long time, I believed I was adopted. But my parents said I wasn't. My birth certificate also said I wasn't, so I had to believe it. The only resemblance I had to any of my parents was the color of my eyes. They had the same shade as my dad's and that was pretty much it.

"Try and have a good time in school today." My mum said, pulling me out of my mental zone.

She handed me my sandwich in a brown paper bag, which I accepted with a smile.

"I will, mum. You don't have to worry. I'm fine." I kissed her on her cheek.

I don't know how convincing my smile was, but it seemed to work. My mum watched in silence as I got out of the car and hung my backpack on my shoulder. I waved her goodbye and watched her drive off before continuing my walk to class. Since the incident with Alex, I moved back home on my mum's insistence. She claimed to need the company because my dad was out of town but I knew that was just her cover story. My dad was always out of town on business, 'making the money to give us the comfortable lives we live' – his exact words. Since I wasn't exactly ready to go back to my dorm after what happened, I agreed to my mum's demands.

I got into my history class and placed my textbooks on the table. I switched my cellphone to silent mode and waited for Mr. Ross to come in. I didn't really feel like listening to the sorrowful condolences coming in from my classmates, so I plugged my headphones to my ears and put my favorite playlist on repeat. At exactly 8 am, Mr. Ross came in and began his lecture. I managed to remain invisible, following all his stipulated rules to avoid his verbal attack.

"Hey, Selena. Have you heard about Harper's party? Everyone's going." Tim Ropes whispered, halfway through the lecture.

I gave him the death glare and signaled to him to shut it. Thankfully, Mr. Ross didn't notice and the class went on. I really didn't grasp anything that was taught because my mind was all over the place. Somehow, I managed to maintain my 'focused' demeanor which feigned concentration. All I saw was Mr. Ross's lips opening and closing – and that was when I wasn't completely zoned out. Mr. Ross concluded the day's topic and wrote the assignment for the next class on the board.

"This class is over, make sure to pick your graded papers on your way out." He said, reminding me of my paper which I never turned in.

Students made their way out of the class, leaving Mr. Ross who stayed back to pack his teaching materials neatly into his briefcase. He supervised the collection of graded papers until everyone was out of the class – except me.

When we were alone, I walked up to him and handed him my paper. I knew his rules about late submission, but I had to at least try. If not for the incident, I would have turned my paper in on time. I mentally prepared for whatever the outcome was, but that didn't help release my breath which was caught in my chest.

"Mr. Ross, here's my paper for the last assignment. I wrote it before the deadline but couldn't turn it in because my roommate was found dead on my bed and I collapsed from shock. I've been in the school's hospital since then." I said, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall out of my eyes. Talking about the incident always brought tears to my eyes but sometimes, it was unavoidable – like now.

"I believe my rules aren't too difficult to understand. I don't accept late papers IRRESPECTIVE of your excuse!" Mr. Ross snapped coldly.

A knot formed in my throat from the hurt I felt.

"What a heartless douchebag."

As hard as I tried, the tears refused to stay behind my eyelashes. I turned away from him so he wouldn't see me cry. I didn't want to give him any more satisfaction.

Alex's death was not an excuse and Mr. Evil-Ross could go to hell for all I cared.

I walked out of the classroom, leaving him there. I went to my locker in the cheerleading section to have some alone time. When I got there, I almost collapsed from shock at the sight in front of me. Mr. Ross was standing there, leaning against my locker! It was completely impossible for him to be there. I left him back in class and went straight to my locker. He didn't walk past me at any point. Even if he did and I somehow missed him, how did he know which locker was mine? For a few seconds, I was confused – and transfixed. I wanted to turn around and run in the other direction but my legs were firmly rooted to the spot. Mr. Ross looked straight into my eyes and whispered to me. I had no option but to listen as the words rolled smoothly out of his lips.

"Meet me in my office."

Suddenly, the invisible force holding my legs in place released its grasp and I could move again. I found myself walking behind Mr. Ross, as he went straight into his office. There were no questions asked.

We arrived at his rectangular shaped workspace and I immediately noticed how impeccable it was. There was no paper or file out of place, not even slightly. Textbooks were tucked neatly in bookshelves and student papers were arranged to perfection on his polished wooden desk. He placed his briefcase gently on the table and proceeded to lock the door. I blinked several times as he slowly made his way towards me. A part of me knew what he was about to do and screamed at me to run or shout. The stronger part of me told me to stay quiet because that was what he wanted. As crazy as it sounded, that was what I did. It was very confusing. Why would I want to do his bidding instead of mine?

Mr. Ross finally got to me and placed a stray strand of my brown hair behind my ear. He traced a line with his finger from underneath my earlobe, through my neck, to my chin. A knot formed in my throat as I tried to suppress the deep feelings of lust his actions evoked within me. Why did he affect me this way?

"Do not move." He whispered, looking straight into my eyes again.

His eyes seemed to bore holes into my pale skin, but in a good way. He leaned into me slightly, placing his face very close to my neck. I felt the warmth of his breath as his nose rubbed gently against the exposed skin of my neck. Everything he was doing was inappropriate – but oh, so appealing. I wanted to take a step back but I realized I really didn't want to. I was transfixed once again, losing control of my own movement. Perhaps I was in shock. Mr. Ross didn't look like the kind of instructor to pick such an unhealthy interest in a student.

"Why is he coming on to me?"

Several other similar questions roamed around in my head but none escaped my lips. I seemed to have had an invisible gag stopping me from saying anything I thought he didn't want to hear. I swallowed hard as his hand traveled through my body, feeling me in all my special places. He moved through my side until he got to my knee, where his hand rested for a few seconds. Then, he went up my thigh... underneath my skirt. I wanted him to stop but at the same time, I didn't. It wasn't like I could stop him anyway. I was locked in his office, secluded from everyone else. He held the back of my neck firmly and looked into my eyes. For a brief moment, I thought his eyes conveyed anger. The expression was gone before I could make sure. He smiled for the first time since our encounter, leaving me completely shocked.

"Is Mr. Ross capable of a kind expression?"

He pulled my face up towards him again, and held it in place. His eyes kept looking at my facial features, searching for something. I wanted him to kiss me but he didn't. He just kept staring at my face and exploring my body with his hands.

"Be mine." He whispered.

I barely heard him but I understood what he meant. For some strange reason, I yearned for him – in an unholy way. I wanted him to do things I couldn't admit even to myself. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and opened them again. This time, they burned fiercely. Not like a real fire but his look was very intense. He pushed me onto his polished wooden desk and turned me around so that he stood behind me.

Then, he took me.

It was a slow, sensual exchange, one that felt very familiar. I wondered why, because I had never been with anyone like that before.

What he did was wrong, but it felt right. It was explosive, but it felt so calm. It was insane, but it felt most welcome. I felt a burning inside me. An explosion that erupted deep within. I opened my mouth and screamed, just as my body jolted back to reality.

I was in the hospital room, right on the bed where I was questioned by the detective. I didn't realize I had fallen asleep – but everything felt so real. It didn't feel like a dream to me. I felt and experienced everything. I remembered every detail – the smell of his cologne... the passion he evoked within me.

"You're awake!"

My mum's sleepy but excited voice made me turn in her direction. I offered her a small smile and tried to sit up on my bed but I felt too weak.

"No, honey. You should rest." She said, stroking my hair with her slender hand.

"I need to go to the bathroom." I said to her, trying to find an excuse to be alone.

"Okay, honey." She replied, calling for a nurse to take me.

That wasn't what I wanted. I needed to go to the bathroom alone – to check if my encounter with Mr. Ross was truly just a dream.

I knew how everything felt. If it wasn't real, I needed to make sure. The only way to do that was to confirm to myself that I was still a virgin. That was the only way I could be convinced.

#  Chapter Eight

I woke up in the middle of middle of the night and found my mum sleeping in the corner. It was the perfect opportunity to confirm my suspicions because I was feeling much stronger than the last time I woke up. I placed my feet gently on the tiled floor and lifted my frame off the bed. I had to make as little noise as possible, because I didn't want to wake her up. If I did, she would insist on going to the bathroom with me and I didn't want that. I looked back at her to confirm she was still asleep before slipping my feet into the plain white slippers beside my bed.

"How I miss the fluffy pink slippers in my room."

When I got into the bathroom, I locked the door in case my mum woke up when I was still in there. It would be too embarrassing for her to walk in and see me checking my personals. I lifted my hospital gown and slipped down my panties. I was about to sit on the toilet after dropping the seat when a silly thought crossed my mind.

"What if you check and see it's true. What if you're no longer a virgin?"

The thought was ridiculous but scary. Everything in that dream felt so real. It felt like I was there and everything happened to me. I don't normally feel anything in dreams but the dreams I've been having since the incident have been different.

"There's only one way to know for sure. Just check!" I mentally rolled my eyes at myself.

It was the moment of truth and my heart was threatening to push itself out of my ribcage in a series of forceful beats. I steadied my shaking hands and looked down. Everything looked normal. Just to be double sure, I felt the area around my personals for signs of hurting or swelling – any indication of an entry. There was nothing.

"Okay... See? There's nothing to worry about."

I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped my lips. I could go back to bed and not worry about hot instructors ravishing me in my dreams.

I slipped back into my bed as silently as I could manage. After a few short minutes, I was welcomed into the warm embrace of sleep.

#  Chapter Nine

I was very excited when my mum told me I was getting discharged one week later. While I hadn't completely forgotten about Alex, I no longer broke down every time thoughts of him crossed my mind. Thinking about him still got me sad but I guessed time helped the flood gates acquire a lid to keep them in check. The last time I cried over Alex was two days ago, when I watched short clips from his funeral in the local news. I couldn't stand the sight of close family members balling their eyes out, especially his mum. My heart went out to them but all I could do was sit on my hospital bed and cry. It frustrated me that I couldn't be there to bid him the final goodbye but I made a note to take flowers to his grave as soon as I was up to it.

"How are you feeling today, Selena?" A smart looking nurse asked, after checking my vitals.

"I feel fine." I replied.

"Your report came in from the psychiatrist this morning, showing you're in stable mental condition, and can return to school." She said with a smile.

I wasn't sure how to respond, so I gave a small smile in return.

"We understand the effects of trauma on the mind, which is why we had the evaluation done on you. Everything looks good for now but if you experience anything unusual like repeated nightmares or black outs, please report it to the hospital immediately." She added.

At this point, I remembered my nightmares. I wanted to report it but decided against it. How could I? They were too embarrassing. Besides, talking about them would only make everyone judge me and believe I was thinking about my instructor in an inappropriate way – which was definitely not the case.

"Sure, I will." I replied instead.

She turned to my mum and asked her to grab my drugs from the dispensary before leaving. It felt great to be back in normal clothes again. That hospital gown was a bit too plain and depressing. My mind went back to my dorm and I wondered what my reaction would be when I got back there for the first time after the incident. The thought was scary to be honest, but I had to do it. I had to find the incriminating note and destroy it before anyone else did.

"I wonder why the police haven't found the note yet. I left it right on his pillow."

I grabbed my stuff and walked out of the hospital room, hoping never to return. At least not for something as traumatic as what I just experienced.

#  Chapter Ten

I got back to my dorm after bidding my mum goodbye and realized I couldn't do it. I couldn't go back into my room alone. My mum had insisted on coming in with me but I turned her offer down, saying I could handle it. She asked if I was sure about that and I nodded convincingly. I really thought I could. Besides, I didn't want anyone to be there when I got in, just in case the note I wrote was lying somewhere. I had no idea how deeply I was affected by the incident. I stopped in front of Trina Bayle's door and knocked. Trina was the first person I met in college during registration. I wanted to ask her to come to my room with me because she had paid me a number of visits at the hospital but unfortunately, there was no response. The door was locked and I had no option but to go back to my room alone. I inserted the key and turned the knob. I wanted to walk right in but a silly thought popped up in my head, preventing me from doing so immediately.

"What if I go in and the person who killed Alex jumps from behind the door and slits my throat?"

It was a terrifying thought but I consoled myself with the fact that the police had searched everywhere around the dorm. There were no traces of a forced entry. Besides, with all the publicity going on with the case, I was doubtful the killer would lurk around. I waited outside for a couple of seconds, listening for any sounds that might emanate from inside the room. There was none. With shaky fingers, I pushed the door open and screamed in shock.

"Surprise!!!" My dorm mates screamed, with excited smiles on their faces.

They almost scared me out of my mind. I let out a sigh of relief and smiled at the many faces who welcomed me with smiles and hugs.

"Sorry!" Vanessa Bridges stated, making a cute face.

I was forced to laugh. It was much better to be surprised by them, than by a psycho killer. Trina Bayle came up to me and hugged me once everyone dispersed to drink.

"It's so good to have you back." She said, hugging me again.

"Thank you so much." I replied.

"Thank all you guys!" I screamed at the crowd of students in my room.

It was really thoughtful of them to do something so nice for me. I had no idea I was loved this much by them.

"For every horrible person out there, there are tons of awesome ones."

I smiled at the thought in my head and blended in with the small crowd of college students in my room.

#  Chapter Eleven

The party finally ended and I was grateful to Trina Bayle, Vanessa Bridges and Paul Rogers for helping with cleaning up the mess made by my dorm mates. They really helped me settle back in, making the room a lot less spooky than it would have been if I had walked in to meet it empty. When everyone left, I went around Alex's bed in search of the incriminating note. It was nowhere. I lifted the mattress and shifted the headboard. Still, I couldn't find it anywhere.

"If the police took it, why didn't they say anything?"

I had been following the developments of Alex's case on TV and there had been no mention of the note I wrote. It seemed to have disappeared without a trace. I was sure I wrote it and kept it on Alex's pillow. Or didn't I?

"Am I losing my mind or something? No. someone probably put it in the trash after the surprise party without realizing what it is."

That had to be it. Everything was still a bit confusing but I decided not to focus on it, choosing to move on with my day instead. If the note was gone, then it was in my best interest. If it ever turned up with the police, then I could simply explain that it was a coincidence.

When night came, I showered and changed into my Minnie mouse PJs, before slipping underneath the sheets and closing my eyes to sleep. I opened my eyes and found myself back in my house. There was no one in sight, just the darkness and me.

"Mum!" I screamed.

My voice echoed back to me in waves, like the house was completely empty. I didn't understand why I was getting echoes. My mum didn't say anything about clearing the place out.

"Mum!" I called out again and just like the first time, there was no response.

It was unlike my mum to leave the front door open when going out.

"If she's in, why isn't she answering me?"

I switched the lights on and found the living room intact, just the way I remembered it. There were no upturned furniture or flower vases out of place. I relaxed slightly, knowing there hadn't been a break in. I was making my way up the stairs when I spotted a drop of blood on the railing. I looked around to see if there was any other blood stain but there wasn't. My scan of the ceiling produced the same results. Nothing out of the ordinary. When I got to the top of the stairs, I saw another blood stain. This one was on the floor, and it was much bigger than the one on the railing.

A thousand morbid thoughts ran through my mind and I didn't waste any more time before running towards my mum's room and flinging the door open. To my horror, I saw my mum covered in blood, in the arms of a mysterious looking, and terrifying man. The area around his lips was covered in blood – my mum's blood. He sank his teeth into her neck, just as the events unfolding before my eyes registered themselves in my brain. I was witnessing a real life vampire attack.

"Mum!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, horrified by the distasteful and disgusting sight in front of me.

The blood in my veins boiled from anger, as I raced towards the monster who held my mum in his arms. I had no idea what I was going to do to him when I got to him but I charged at him regardless. He dropped her to the ground with a thud, and bared his blood stained fangs in the most appalling smile anyone could ever give. I could see the satisfaction in his eyes as they gleamed in the dimly lit room. I let out another blood curdling scream, just as my body jolted awake on my bed.

Goosebumps covered every exposed portion of my skin and I shivered from fear. The shivering did nothing to abate the cold sweat that had broken out all over my body. I knew my recent dreams weren't just random. Everything looked and felt so real. I felt the space beside my pillow for my cellphone and immediately placed a call to my mum. With every second that passed while waiting for her to pick up, my heart thundered louder. More fear and apprehension creeped into every available space in my cells.

"Hey, honey. Is everything okay?" My mum's sleepy voice finally came through the speaker of my cellphone.

I heaved a sigh of relief before stuttering out the words that were intended to convey my message.

Somehow, my ability to construct proper sentences disappeared and all I could do was cry.

"Mum... Monster... Dead." The words choked their way out of my lips.

"Honey?" My mum called out, clearly confused.

I could hear the shifting on her bed and knew she was sitting up. I really wanted to relay the events in my dream but the words escaped me.

"Mum... You... Monster."

"It's okay, honey. It was just a nightmare." She consoled me over the phone.

"No, mum. It felt so real." Somehow, I managed to get a grasp of sentence formation again.

"Please... lock... the doors... and windows." I pleaded.

"Honey, my doors and windows are always locked. It was just a nightmare." She repeated.

I knew my mum always had the doors and windows at the house locked but I was convinced the front door was open. It was open in my dream and it felt too real not to be true.

"Please, mum. Just check." I cried.

"Okay. I'm going to go there and check it if you promise to go back to sleep." She said.

"Okay." I agreed, sniffing back my tears.

I waited on the phone for a couple of seconds before she spoke again.

"Honey, I'm standing at the front door and it's locked, just like I said it was."

"Okay... Thank... God." I sighed into the phone.

"Selena, I suggest you apply for a change of dorm rooms. You're clearly still troubled by the horrific incident that happened there, just like anyone in your position will be. You shouldn't keep staying there. Please put in your application in the morning. The authorities will understand." She stated calmly.

"Okay, mum. I love you." I replied.

"I love you too, honey."

The line went dead but I couldn't go back to sleep. I looked at the time on my alarm clock and it was 3:45 am. I decided it would be better to be around other people so I grabbed my pillow and was heading out the door when I saw a fast moving shadow from the corner of my eye. My blood froze in my veins, numbing my muscles from further action. The last time I saw a fast moving shadow in my room, Alex turned up dead.

"Am I next?"

The thought horrified me even more. My neck turned in every direction, forcing my eyes to scan my surroundings quickly. There was no one there. I ran as fast as I could and opened the door like I was being chased. I knocked on Trina's door and waited for her to answer. I knew she was most likely going to be fast asleep but standing alone out there in the hallway terrified me. Thankfully, she opened the door and wrapped her hands around me. I tried to explain but the only things that came out of my mouth were sobs. Tears flowed down my cheeks like something terrible had happened. Quite frankly, I had no idea why I was crying now. I had confirmed that my mum was fine but the fear just didn't go away.

Trina made some hot coffee in a mug and offered me to drink. I didn't realize how thirsty I was until the precious liquid touched my tongue. I gulped it down as much as the heat allowed me, falling asleep on her bed shortly after.

#  Chapter Twelve

I woke up the next morning to find myself sandwiched between Trina Bayle and her roommate, Jason Summers. It was weird for a couple of minutes before the holes in my memory filled themselves up and I remembered the events from last night. I was restless shortly after falling asleep, causing Jason and Trina to join me on the bed. It surely helped with the anxiety I was feeling because I didn't wake up again until morning.

"The princess ogre rises." Jason mumbled and sat up on the bed.

He fell off the edge because the bed was too small to hold two lying girls and one sitting boy. Trina and I didn't spare him the laughter as his body landed on the floor with a thud.

"Ouch." He screamed, rubbing his butt which hit the hard floor.

"That's what you get for being so insensitive." Trina laughed.

As if on a timer, both of them looked at each other in a funny way and ran off their spots. I was still trying to figure out what was going on when I saw them run into the bathroom and heard the sound of brushing teeth. It was such a funny event to watch and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Thanks for putting up with me." I yelled, so they could hear me from the bathroom.

"It's fine. We're always here to help." Trina mumbled, her toothbrush and paste mixture stopping the sound from coming out clearly.

Jason mumbled something I didn't hear at all, causing me to laugh one more time.

"You guys are the best." I yelled back, opening the door and stepping into the hallway.

I opened the door of my room and walked in. Everything looked just like it was when I left. I knew I couldn't let the terrible incident that happened in the room stop me from living my life so I mustered the courage to go in. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. There was no fast moving shadow or dead body hiding anywhere.

I gave myself a small smile and stepped into the bathroom. After my shower, I slipped into my black tank top and black skin tight jeans. I straightened my hair with a flat iron and held it into a ponytail. I felt the need to look different today. I was having a brand new start and didn't want to leave my hair parted in the middle and falling past my shoulders. I picked up my eyebrow pencil and started with my makeup. This was the first time I was wearing makeup since the incident and it felt great. Eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, highlighter, foundation, primer... they all came together on my face and I absolutely loved the result. I must have forgotten how beautiful I was because even I was impressed by what I saw in the mirror.

After staring at my reflection for another one minute, I slipped on my red and black oversized Burberry shirt and folded both sleeves to the elbow. I added my black string necklace with a shiny silver cross pendant to complete my look. It was just 7 am, which meant I still had time to go to the housing office and request for a change of room. Trina would have gone with me but she had to prep for a test and I completely understood. She spent a lot of time catering to me last night instead of studying. I got to the office and met a friendly looking lady who gave me a form to fill out.

"Just put in your hall name, current room number and your reason for requesting a change. Then sign here and here." She said, pointing to two blank lines on the paper.

I nodded and filled out the form. When I returned it to her, she smiled at me.

"It takes one day for requests to be processed but I'll put yours in today. You can come back tomorrow morning for your new assignment. How are you holding up?" She asked.

"Um... fine. Thanks." I replied.

For a few moments, I was surprised. Then I realized why she was being so sweet to me. Everyone had heard about the incident with Alex – thanks to the local news. I walked to class, wishing I had put some sunglasses in my bag. That would have helped me avoid the direct gaze of students staring at me.

"Sometimes, people don't know that all you need is for them to act normal."

A couple of people stopped me to ask how I was holding up and while I appreciated their concern, I really needed them to stop talking about it.

I got to class and memories from my dream came back to me. Thankfully, I had English for my first class. That gave me some time to compose myself before seeing Mr. Ross in History class.

"What if he had the same dream too?"

I shook my head in a bid to dispel the thought.

For the sake of my sanity, I sincerely hoped he didn't.

#  Chapter Thirteen

I got into History class and placed my textbooks on the table, switched my cellphone to silent mode and waited for Mr. Ross to come in.

"You look great, Selena. It's so good to see you're doing well." Erin Butterfield said, flashing me a smile.

"Thanks." I replied, smiling back.

"Are you holding up good?" Peyton Roland asked.

"Yeah, thanks." I replied.

I didn't really feel like listening to the condolences coming in from my classmates. I understood their good intentions but they reminded me of the incident. I felt it was better to block them out, so I plugged my headphones to my ears and put my favorite playlist on repeat. At exactly 10 am, Mr. Ross came in and began his lecture. I managed to remain invisible, following all his stipulated rules to avoid his verbal attack.

"Hey, Selena. Have you heard about Harper's party? Everyone's going." Tim Ropes whispered, halfway through the lecture.

I froze on my seat.

Tim ropes just asked me the exact question he asked in my dream! If anybody else had asked me if I was going to Harper's party, I would have passed it off as coincidental. Everything was just too similar for me to ignore. I felt like I was living a part of my life all over again. That was when everything started to creep me out. The condolences from my other classmates, the playlist I put on repeat... they were all the same as the ones in my dream.

"Oh, please no. Let this be a coincidence."

"You should come. It'll be good for you." Tim continued.

I glared at him and signaled for him to shut it. Thankfully, Mr. Ross didn't notice and the class went on. I really didn't grasp anything that was taught because my mind was all over the place. I was looking for something... anything to tell me that the events unfolding right now were different from the one in my dream. So far, there was nothing different and I was freaking out like crazy. Somehow, I managed to maintain my 'focused' demeanor which looked like I was concentrating. All I saw was Mr. Ross's lips opening and closing – and that was when I wasn't completely zoned out. I scanned Mr. Ross's face to see if he was staring at me. He wasn't. It was either he was putting up a great act of pretense, or he really had no idea what my dream was.

"How can he? It was just a dream."

Mr. Ross concluded the day's topic and wrote the assignment for the next class on the board. It was about America's productivity in medieval times – something that required me to go to the library again. I hadn't been to the library since the incident but now, I had no choice. I had to go. I made a mental note to leave before dark, because I didn't want to creep myself out with scary thoughts.

"This class is over, make sure to pick your graded papers on your way out." Mr. Ross said, forcing my attention back to the class.

I remembered my paper which I never turned in but it was way too similar to my dream. I knew I couldn't consciously do the same things and expect a different result, so I decided to let this one slide. Failing to turn one paper in was not going to cost me the course. Besides, I couldn't risk trying to turn it in only for things to turn out the way they did in my dreams. That would be horrible.

"Miss. Ryder, please stay back after the class. I'll like to have a word with you." Mr. Ross said, as students began to walk out.

He glanced at me only briefly before going back to the arrangement of his teaching materials.

"Oh, no. Please, no."

This couldn't be happening. I had no idea what I was going to do if I stayed back and he came on to me like he did in my dream. My brain was working overtime, trying to find an excuse to give him. I couldn't stay back alone with him in the classroom.

It was way too risky.

#  Chapter Fourteen

I sat there confused, watching other students as they made their way out of the class. They picked up their graded papers from the front desk and Mr. Ross supervised to make sure no one was picking a paper up for anyone else. I was going crazy. My throat felt dry and my heart was beating at a thousand beats per second. The dreaded moment came when the last student walked out of class and Mr. Ross locked the door after the student. I wasn't just left alone with him in the classroom, it was locked!

"Selena..." He started.

I didn't realize it, but I held my breath from fear. I sat there like a statue, watching him as more words came out of his mouth.

"I wanted to offer my condolences over the loss of your friend and roommate. I know how tough it can be when a student experiences something so horrific. You can take the time you need and turn your papers in whenever you're up to it." He stated, calmly.

"That's it? No surprise attacks or surprise naughty advances?"

I forcefully expelled the breath I was holding, albeit silently.

"Um... thank you... Mr. Ross." I replied, looking down. "I... um... have my paper ready."

I didn't know how or what I felt. It certainly couldn't be disappointment. There was no way I would want him to do the nasties to me now, was there? I searched my backpack for the paper and brought it out. I walked down the steps and handed the paper to him. Mr. Ross looked gave me a slightly surprised look.

"I love the fact that you're not letting your experiences beat you down." He smiled, accepting the paper from me and adding it to the stack he had.

"Thank you." I replied, walking briskly out of the class to hide the blush in my cheeks.

I went straight to the bathroom and locked myself in a booth. I didn't know what was going on but my mind was certainly twisted. A few hours ago I was scared out of my mind that Mr. Ross was going to do the nasties to me, just like he did in my dreams. Now, I was hiding in the bathroom because of an uncontrollable blush... a direct result of Mr. Ross's charming smile.

"Yeah. I'm crazy." Okay, maybe it was unexpected. I had never seen Mr. Ross smile before today and to be honest, he had a beautiful smile. One that softened up his tough features.

"Is that why he doesn't like smiling?" I could only wonder.

All through the time we were alone in the classroom, Mr. Ross didn't as much as look at me in a way that could be considered inappropriate. I began to question myself. What if I was the one with a secret crush on Mr. Ross? I was the one who had the dream about him in the first place. I wanted to let it go at that point, but I couldn't. If I was the one having naughty thoughts about him, what about the other aspects of my dream? Why did things happen exactly the same way? Something was definitely up. I could feel it. I just couldn't place my finger on what it was. When the color of my cheeks returned to normal, I came out of the booth I was hiding and made my way to my next class.

#  Chapter Fifteen

At lunch time, I had finally had enough of school. Instead of sitting at the cafeteria and engaging in long sessions of 'how are you, Selena' and 'it's gonna be okay' with condoning students, I opted to go to the flower shop. I still hadn't gone to say goodbye to Alex and I believed I felt up to it now. Alex's favorite color was navy blue so I made a bouquet with blue Orchids and white Spring Starflowers.

I walked to the cemetery which was several blocks away from campus. I needed the walk because it helped with my nerves. I wasn't really sure what to say to Alex when I got there and I thought I could use the time to come up with a few lines. I didn't. When I wasn't drawing blanks, I was coming up with silly things like I'm sorry you're dead. Who says that?

By the time I got to the cemetery, there were just a handful of people visiting their departed loved ones. Mostly old people really, but I guessed it was normal. It was mid-afternoon and most people were busy at work or school or whatever else they did to keep them busy. I already knew where Alex's headstone was because I asked my mum. I walked straight to it and placed my bouquet of flowers close to the others there and just stared. It was really weird. For the number of times I teased Alex, it was surprising to have nothing to say to him now. I sat on the grass and continued staring at the headstone. That was when the inscription registered itself in my head.

Alex Orwell Black (1999 – 2016).

I never knew Alex had a middle name. What was more surprising was what that middle name was – Orwell. My mind went straight to the Selena Ryder book I had read in the library the last time I was there. That Selena's best friend who was murdered happened to be named Alexander Orwell. Now, I was really confused. Not only did he have the same name as my Alex – at least the first two names, he was murdered exactly the same way! That was too much of a coincidence for me. I didn't know if anyone else would have ignored it, but I couldn't. I knew I had to go back to the library immediately and read more of that book. It was probably going to have some clues about what was going on around me. Everything was getting way too creepy for me to sit back and ignore.

"Selena." I heard my name behind me and jumped.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Detective Howard said, walking towards me with an almost expressionless look on his face.

"Hi, Detective." I said, getting up from the grass.

"I was at your school and one of your classmates said you went to the flower shop. I figured you were coming here. If it's okay, I'll like to have a quick discussion with you once you're done paying your respects to your friend."

"I hope this has nothing to do with the note."

"Um... I was just leaving." I replied.

"Can we talk in the car then?" He asked.

"Sure." I walked back to his car with him and took the passenger's seat.

"I wanted to update you on the case about your roommate before the press release this evening." He said.

My fingers reflexively clutched the seat of his car from nervousness, as I waited for his next words.

"I'm sorry to inform you that the case is inconclusive at this point. The victim's autopsy report revealed the cause of death to be severe blood loss from an injury to the neck. He had no prints on him and there were no traces of his blood anywhere in the room where his body was found. What we've been able to deduce is that the murder didn't happen in that room because there would have been traces of blood if it did. What we don't know however, is the motive behind his murder. There has been no other recorded murder like his recently. We also do not know if this is an isolated case or something that's going to repeat itself. I know how difficult this must be for you to hear – with the killer still at large, but I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can to track him down with the minimal clues we have. We'll keep your family updated if anything new turns up."

I released my grip on the car seat and just stared at the detective. I was relieved to know I wasn't a suspect but that bothered me. It's not like I wanted to be a suspect but the fact that I wasn't one, confirmed that they didn't see the note I wrote about Alex's murder. If they didn't see it and I couldn't find it, then where was it?

"Are you okay, Selena?" Detective Howard asked, when he noticed I wasn't saying anything.

"Um... yeah. I guess I can only hope the killer is found soon." I replied. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Where are you headed? I can give you a ride." He stated, looking at me with sympathetic eyes.

"Back to campus. I need to go to the library." I replied.

Detective Howard nodded and drove the car out of the parking lot.

#  Chapter Sixteen

When I got to the library this time, I went straight to the spiritual beliefs section. The brown Selena Ryder book was sitting on the shelf, right where I left it. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Even the new librarian didn't lift her gaze from whatever it was she was doing when I walked past her. I didn't bother to pick any other texts from the bookshelf, regardless of the fact that I had another paper to write. I wanted to dive straight into the Selena Ryder book, to hopefully figure out what was going on in my life. The paper could wait. I sat on the closest chair I could find and turned the page to the part where Alexander Orwell's murder was.

Reading it again was tough. Every detail registered itself in my head, creeping me the hell out. It not only detailed Alexander's death in the same way Alex died, it also described that Selena's reaction.

"Selena let out the loudest scream of terror her entire clan had ever heard. Blood rushed to her head, registering its presence with excruciating pain. She couldn't accept it. She refused to believe it. The world suddenly began to spin around her. As neighbors rushed to the scene in reaction to her scream, everything went blank. Her legs gave in..."

That was my exact reaction when I discovered Alex lying dead on my bed! It was impossible. There was no way everything could have happened in exactly the same way – At least, I didn't want to think so. I continued reading the brown book to the pages where the note was mentioned.

"The Sheriff's men searched the scene thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned. They could not find the note. It had lodged itself between the headboard of the bed and the first side rail..."

I stared at the lines with a raised eyebrow.

"Is it possible?"

I had searched for that note myself, and was sure it wasn't there. I even moved the headboard from the wall to see if it had fallen behind it. It wasn't there.

"I'll just check again when I get back. You don't really believe this book, do you? What do I have to lose? I can just check."

I ended the conversation in my head and went back to reading the lines. With each new one came a creepier discovery. It seemed the book's author observed the events in my life and went back in time to document them in the book.

"Wait a minute, who is the author of this book?"

The thought prompted me to turn the book over to its back cover and check – just out of curiosity. My discovery was quite unusual. There was no author's name. I checked the front cover again, as well as the spine. The result was the same. No author's name.

"That's not weird at all." I said out loud, flipping the pages back to the part I was.

At this point, I couldn't put the book down any longer. I needed to read more. I needed to know what the hell was going on in my life.

#  Chapter Seventeen

My heart raced as my eyes went over the lines. I was now reading the part which detailed something I hoped... wished... prayed was not going to be true.

"Selena was transfixed once again, losing control of her own movement, perhaps from shock. Ros did not look like the type of instructor to pick such an unhealthy interest in a student.

"Why is he trying to seduce me?"

She swallowed hard as his hand traveled through her body, feeling her in all her special places. Bolts of lightning travelled through her skin as he moved through her side until he got to her knee. Then he traced the path up her thigh, underneath her skirt. She wanted him to stop but at the same time, she did not want him to. It was not like anyone else could see them. They were in the woods at Oakland, secluded from everyone else.

He held the back of her neck firmly and looked into her eyes. For a brief moment, she thought his eyes conveyed anger. The expression was gone before she could make sure. He smiled for the first time since their encounter, completely shocking her. She wondered if Ros was capable of a kind expression.

"Be mine." He whispered.

She barely heard him but she understood what he meant. For some strange reason, she yearned for him – in an unholy way. She wanted him to do things she couldn't admit even to herself. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and opened them again. This time, they burned fiercely. He pushed her against a tree trunk and turned her around so that he held her from behind.

Then, he took her.

It was a slow, sensual exchange, one that felt very familiar. That was because they had danced the blissful dance of pleasure before – in an unforgettable way. What he did was wrong, but it felt right. It was explosive, but it felt so calm. It was crazy, but very welcome. She felt a burning inside her. An explosion that erupted deep within. She opened her mouth and screamed, just as her body shuddered back to reality."

I closed the book from a combination of fear and shock.

"How could she have had the same dream as me? How could she have had the same thoughts within her dream?"

The questions sounded crazy but they needed to be asked. Everything in the book screamed impossible, yet they happened. It was unexplainable. Mr. Ross and I had never been together before. I had never been with anyone before.

"Does that make the book different from my reality?"

I didn't know what to think. As scared as I was, I was determined to continue. I needed to know more, so I flipped the pages again. I went right back to the part I stopped, and continued.

"When Selena met Ros in reality, she was too nervous to look into his eyes. Something told her he knew her dream. He knew the passion they shared and how much she longed for his warmth. It did not make much sense but she believed it. Ros asked her to wait behind at the end of his tutorship. She managed to look at him then but he appeared oblivious to her thoughts. Unknown to her, he knew it all. He was going to take her again, just like he did in her dream but something stopped him. A piece of silver in the shape of a cross, which hung off the necklace on her neck..."

"Wait a minute. I wore my silver cross pendant to class the last time Mr. Ross asked me to wait behind. Is that why he didn't attempt the nasties? Why the hell is everyone around the 1870s Selena named similarly to everyone around me?"

The questions were beginning to make my head spin. I didn't know what to make of them. They were too similar to my experiences for me to ignore, yet too ludicrous to actually believe.

I caught the movement of a fast moving shadow behind me and jumped, hitting the book off my desk. A startled scream left my mouth before I could do anything to stop it.

"Is everything okay?"

I heaved a sigh of relief as I turned around. It was the new librarian who was standing behind me, and not a fast moving shadow.

"Yeah." I replied, picking the Selena Ryder book up and placing it back on the desk.

"Good. I'll like you to know that the library will be closing in thirty minutes." She said, giving me a professional smile.

"Um... Can I borrow this?" I asked, lifting the book off the table.

"I'm so sorry, you can't. That's the only copy this library has. You can come back and read it at any convenient time." She replied.

"Okay, thanks." I replied, watching her walk away.

I was disappointed but there was nothing I could do about it. I took note of the page I stopped, determined to continue the next day. I mindlessly flipped the pages I hadn't read - a habit I'd had since high school. I was going to simply flip the pages to get an idea of how many pages I had left to read before closing and returning the book to the bookshelf but something caught my eye. It was a passage that mentioned my mum.

"Selena was making her way through the hallway when she spotted a drop of blood on the railing used to design the walls. She looked around to see if there was any other blood stain but there was none. Her scan of the ceiling produced the same results – Nothing out of the ordinary. When she got to the door of her mother's chambers, she saw another blood stain. This one was on the floor, and it was much bigger than the one on the railing. She did not waste any time before running towards her mother's room and flinging the door open. To her horror, her mother's frame was covered in blood, held in the arms of a mysterious looking, albeit terrifying man. The area around his lips was covered in blood – Her mother's blood.

The monster sank his sharp teeth into her mother's neck, drinking from the pool of blood which flowed continuously..."

"No!"

I screamed and lifted my hands off the book like it had suddenly caught fire. I grabbed my bag off the floor and raced out of the library, not bothering to return the book to the bookshelf. I could pass off anything else as coincidental, but not this. There was no way I was going to risk my mum's life. I had to warn her at least, tell her the things I had discovered – as crazy as they sounded. I called my mum's cellphone all the way from the library back to my dorm. There was no response. I got increasingly worried as each second passed. Morbid thoughts flowed around in my head, regardless of how hard I tried to stop them.

"Don't worry about it. It's just one big coincidence."

I tried to console myself with the thought, but it didn't help much. I needed to know for sure.

"Why don't you check for the note to see if it's where the book said it would be?"

It was a thought I had in my head but I could have sworn someone said it – inside my head. I had completely forgotten about the note, my mind washed blank from the horror of knowing my mum might be in danger. Since it was the only rational thing I could do in that moment, I decided to check for the note once I reached my dorm room.

For the sake of my sanity, I hoped not to find it there.

#  Chapter Eighteen

I got into my dorm room and ran straight to Alex's bed. My curiosity was threatening to burst out of me, making my pace seem too slow. My hands were shaking as I lifted the mattress off the bed, tossing it to the floor beside the frame. Tears were beginning to cloud my vision now. I really didn't know why I was crying, probably because I could tell I was crumbling under the pressure of the ridiculousness going on in the world around me. I looked at the small space between the headboard and the first rail of the bed, and my breath got caught in my throat.

It was there!

The note was right there, carefully tucked in like someone had placed it there. I couldn't believe it. The police had checked this room. What was the possibility of them missing it? I had checked this headboard before, though not the first rail. My head began to pound as I recalled the other things in the mystery Selena Ryder book. If my silver pendant had stopped my dream from playing out exactly the same way, did that mean my mum was going to die?

"My mum!"

I rushed to my bag and brought my cellphone out. My fingers instantly raced to the dial button, praying she would pick up this time.

"Mum, pick up!" I yelled out loud, as the buzzer continued to ring in my ear.

I knew I couldn't stay back in school when my mum was possibly in danger of losing her life. Maybe if I got home soon enough, I would be able to stop it somehow. I didn't take anything else from my room. With just my cellphone, I ran out of my dorm. I didn't even bother to lock the door behind me. Everything else could wait.

"Selena!"

I heard Trina Bayle call my name as I ran past, but I couldn't stop. Any time spent explaining things could have devastating consequences. I needed to get to my mum as fast as I could, so I left Trina there looking confused. I was going to explain later. For now, I needed to make sure my mum was fine.

I got to my front door and wasn't exactly surprised to find it open. I was terrified, because it was open in my dream.

"Mum!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

There was no response. I was still standing at the front door when I spotted the drop of blood on the railing.

"No, please no!!!" Tears were beginning to make their way out of my eyes now.

I ran straight to the top of the stairs and almost collapsed when I saw a bigger red spot on the floor. I felt like I lost my ability to breathe in that moment. A searing pain shot through my heart and I felt like someone was puncturing holes in my lungs. It could not be true. The events from the Selena Ryder book just couldn't be happening in real life.

"Mum!!!"

I let out one final pain-filled, blood curdling screech, as I flung the door to my mum's room open. I must have really startled her because she turned around sharply, almost dropping the Band-Aid she was holding. She removed the earplugs in her ears, and her facial expression quickly changed from surprise to worry.

"Selena?" She called my name like she wasn't sure it was me.

I was standing in the doorway, panting like I ran a marathon across the city. I had a mixture of overwhelming emotions crashing through my body.

"The blood... the blood on the floor." I managed to say.

"I cut my finger in the kitchen and came up here to cover it up." She replied. "Why did you scream like that?"

"They're coming, mum. They're coming after you."

The words felt hot in my throat as I managed to choke them out. The flood gates opened in my eyes and tears began to stream down my face. My mum took me into her arms, hugging me to calm me down.

"It's okay, honey. Nobody's coming for me." She said, her voice laced with concern.

"No, mum. They're coming!" I protested, my body stiffening from fear.

"Okay. Who's coming?" She asked.

"The Serafino clan of vampires!" I blurted out, holding her even tighter in the hug.

My mum pulled away from the hug and studied my face.

"You look like you haven't slept in days." She said softly. "Honey, I told you going back to that room was a bad idea. Vampires aren't real."

"Mum, you have to believe me. They are. They killed Alex and now, they're coming for you too."

"Honey, Alex was killed by a cut made with a knife."

"No! The vampires killed him. Please believe me!" I cried. "Everything happened like the book said it would. The front door was open. There was blood on the railing and the floor in front of your door."

"What book?" My mum asked, clearly confused.

"The Selena Ryder book!" I replied. "It's right there in the library."

"It's okay, honey. I believe you." My mum smiled. "I know someone who can stop the vampires. Let me grab my car keys and I'll take you there."

I stood there terrified, looking around me like I was expecting the monster to jump out any second. He didn't. My mum came back with a glass of water in her hand.

"Here, drink this. It'll help you relax." She said.

I took the cup from her hands and gulped the water down. All that crying must have made me so thirsty. It was a good thing she thought of making me drink some water. Once I emptied the glass, I dropped it on the drawer and followed my mum out of the house.

"Why don't you close your eyes and sleep for a while. You look really tired." She said when we got into the car, stroking my wet cheeks with her thumb.

I realized I was actually feeling sleepy and closed my eyes for a bit. By the time I woke up, I found myself in the parking lot of my college's hospital.

#  Chapter Nineteen

"Mum?" I called out, rubbing my eyes from sleep. "What are we doing here?"

"I wanted us to make a quick stop here first. The doctor wants to see you briefly. It's just for a quick check up. We'll go to the guy who knows about vampires once we're done here." She replied, squeezing my shoulder.

"Okay."

I followed her into the hospital and was led into one of the rooms by a nurse. She asked me to lie on the bed while we waited for the doctor. Another nurse came into the room and spoke with my mum in hushed tones. While I couldn't really hear what they were saying, I noticed they turned to look at me every now and then. This behavior got me really curious but I didn't say anything about it.

"Selena, your mum says you believe vampires are out to get her." The nurse said.

I nodded in agreement and looked at my mum's face. I was completely surprised by what I saw. She looked totally different from the person who told me we were going to stop the vampires together. Her new look was one of worry and it completely shattered my heart. I could see her eyes were watering but she was doing her best not to cry.

"Honey, there are no vampires." My mum said.

"No..." I started but was cut off by the entry of a doctor and another lady.

My mum turned around and sobbed.

"Wait a minute, mum. Why am I really here?"

She didn't reply. Her eyes remained fixed on the doctor who walked to my side.

"Hi, Selena. This is Dr. Reyes. She'll be working with you to help you recover." The doctor said, pointing to the lady beside her.

"No. This is a misunderstanding. I'm fine. She's the one in danger. I can't let them hurt her. They're going to hurt her if I don't do something." I replied, pointing to my mum.

"We're going to work together to stop them." The lady introduced as Dr. Reyes assured me.

At least there was someone who wasn't dismissing my fears without considering them first. It was the least my mum could have done. I wanted to get upset at her but I couldn't. If these things weren't happening to me, I wouldn't have believed them too.

"We already spoke with Detective Howard on the phone. He'll be here soon. In the meantime, why don't you tell me what happened." She added.

She looked over at my mum who nodded her understanding and exited the room. The nurse and the other doctor walked out right behind my mum, leaving just me and Dr. Reyes in the room.

"You're not going to believe me." I said defiantly.

Dr. Reyes pulled the chair closer to my bed and sat. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Try me."

It was a simple statement but it touched me in a way that made me want to trust her. I didn't know if it was the way she looked but something about her was endearing. Dr. Reyes looked like she was in her late twenties, with a perfectly tanned skin, dull green eyes and straight black hair which she held up in a ponytail. Her white turtleneck sweater and matching white jacket gave her the feel of a celebrity – only she wasn't.

"It started with a prank by my roommate..."

I narrated the events that happened before Alex's death, and the disappearance of the note which resurfaced after the Selena Ryder book described its location. I told her about the fast moving shadow I had spotted on a number of occasions and my weird dreams which always played out in reality. I left out the dream about Mr. Ross though. That one was a little too embarrassing to be shared.

"So you believe the fast moving shadow you've been seeing are the vampires?" She asked, scribbling notes in her black notepad.

"Yes. From the Serafino clan. That's what the book said." I replied.

"Did you see the vampires or did the book say they existed?"

"I haven't really seen any faces, but I feel them around sometimes. The book confirmed their existence." I replied.

"...and you believe this book?"

"Yes." I replied, my eyes widening.

"Why?"

"Because everything that's happened is written in there. Even what happened to Alex." I replied.

"...and this book is titled Selena Ryder."

"Yes, it is." I replied.

"Do you realize that's your name?"

"Yes. That's why I read it in the first place. That's also why I believe its related to me in some way. I just need to figure out how. Maybe the book will explain things in later pages. I haven't read all of it." I replied.

"...and this book said the Serafino clan of vampires are going to hurt your mum." She looked at me as if to make sure I understood what she was saying.

"Yes. It described it in detail. It was exactly how I found her when I went home."

"...and the monster? Did you see it in your mum's house?"

"No." I replied, looking down.

"Did the book say why the vampires wanted to hurt your mum?"

"No... not yet, at least." I replied.

"Can you show me this book?"

"Yes. It's in the library. The new librarian said I couldn't borrow it because it was the only copy the library had." I replied.

At this point, Dr. Reyes paused and looked at me.

"The library never has a single copy of a book." She said.

"You can ask the librarian. She told me." I replied, desperately wanting her to believe me.

"Okay. Do you know the librarian's name?

"Rose. It's the same name as the former librarian." I replied.

Dr. Reyes smiled.

"Okay, thanks for telling me everything. I'll make sure Detective Howard looks into this today."

I nodded and wrapped my arms around my chest.

"Please tell my mum not to be alone in the house." I begged.

"Okay, I'll make sure to tell her." She replied.

Detective Howard walked in through the door and greeted Dr. Reyes. He took my statement and spent another five to ten minutes discussing with Dr. Reyes in hushed tones. When they were done with their conversation, he turned to me.

"Selena, I'm going to look into all this today, like Dr. Reyes promised."

"Thank you." I replied.

#  Chapter Twenty

My mum sat in the corner of my room the next day, her eyes filled with tears. Dr. Reyes and Detective Howard were also in the room, sitting on two extra chairs, while a doctor stood a few paces away from my bed.

"How soon can we get the results?" Detective Howard asked.

"Maybe in a week. I strongly suggest you keep her here where she can be cared for." The doctor replied.

"Wait... What results?" I asked, looking at Detective Howard but relaying my question to the doctor.

"Selena, I was at the library yesterday." Detective Howard started, a grim expression on his face.

"Okay..." I said, too impatient for him to pause now.

"The book you mentioned does not exist." He stated, calmly.

"What do you mean it doesn't exist?" I asked. "It does. I read it there yesterday."

I couldn't believe what the detective was saying. The book existed. It was how I knew everything that was going on.

"Selena, every book in the library is registered in the database. The library head did a search of that database in front of me. There was no book with Selena Ryder as its title." He replied.

I looked at everyone in the room in disbelief.

"You're not being serious, are you?" I asked.

"How can it not exist?" I asked, directing my question to no one in particular.

"Selena, we won't be this worried if that was the only thing that didn't check out." He continued. "I was in your room and the note you said you dropped before running home wasn't there. A few of your dorm mates testified to have seen you acting erratically yesterday."

"I was worried about my mum. Anyone in my position will run out the way I did!" I defended, a little too forcefully.

"...and the librarian?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The librarian named Rose was reported missing two weeks ago. How could she have told you not to borrow a book yesterday?" He asked.

"Not that Rose." I protested. "I thought that Rose quit. The library hired a new Rose. She's been there for a while now."

"Selena, I want you to know that we all care about you, and we'll help you recover. However, you need to accept the truth. You can't keep thinking these things are real." He stated.

My mum's tears were falling freely down her cheeks now.

"Mum, please... This is probably what the vampires want you to believe! It's all real!" I begged, screamed, and hoped she'd understand.

I saw Dr. Reyes raise an eyebrow at my mention of the word 'vampire'. It was the first time she made a gesture that suggested she didn't believe me. I was shaking frantically now. I remembered the dream about my mum's murder and the vivid description in the Selena Ryder book. I couldn't sit back and do nothing while that became my reality.

"Calm down, Selena." I heard the doctor say, over my screams.

I didn't even realize I was screaming.

"Selena... stop, please. I believe you." I heard Dr. Reyes say, and I stopped screaming.

My eyes were still fixed on her relaxed facial features when I felt the prick of the needle on my arm.

"Wait... stop... what..."

I could barely piece the words together properly before everything around me went blank.

#  Chapter Twenty-One

A gentle breeze blew in through the satin drapes, making them dance happily. I could tell from the shadows cast by the dim fire lanterns hanging across the room, that dusk was upon us. The wash of gray and yellow produced from a combination of the light and the shadows provided a relaxing ambience around me, providing the warmth my body needed to resist the freezing cold outside. How did I know it was cold outside? I had no idea. I just knew it was.

Strong arms were wrapped around me, warm and assured. Tender wisps of warm air tickled the back of my neck, like steady breaths from sleeping nostrils. I turned around and saw the sleek mesh of thick black hair on his sleeping head. All I wanted to do was run my fingers through it and feel its softness. I hadn't seen the face buried within my arms, but I knew who he was – the love of my life. I placed a soft kiss on his beautiful hair, not wanting to wake him up. I didn't succeed because he stirred and looked up at me with the biggest grin.

"You know vampires don't sleep." He said.

I laughed at his words and kissed him on the lips this time.

"...and they shouldn't spy on my thoughts." I replied.

"But I love your thoughts." He grinned.

I wanted to respond but I stopped as his lips met mine. I drew in a torrent of air as the butterflies began their swarm in the pit of my stomach. The tip of his fingers travelled through the exposed skin of my legs, causing me to shiver slightly. His kiss was intoxicating. He was intoxicating. He held me firmly as he continued to explore my body. It felt like I had a new found appreciation for my skin. Everywhere his hands made contact with exploded with pleasure – and I didn't want him to stop. He planted soft kisses up my neck, all the way to my cheeks. Then he stopped and looked into my eyes.

"I love you." I said, almost automatically.

"I'll give anything to be with you forever." I heard him say – inside my head.

In reality, he simply smiled. He pulled me into his arms again but then my body stiffened. I recognized him – from now.

"Mr. Ross?"

His face remained the same but his expression changed faster than I could blink. He pulled me forcefully to himself and I could do absolutely nothing to stop him. He was fast - way too fast to be considered human.

A sharp pain rang through my ears as his even sharper teeth sank into my neck, piercing through skin and muscle, reaching in and drawing blood. I let out a blood curdling scream as my body jolted back to reality.

My eyes darted this way and that as I took in my surroundings. I was in the hospital and my scream had awoken the entire hospital ward. My mum rushed to my side and pulled me into a hug.

"Mum, please. I need to get away from here." I cried.

"I'm sorry, honey but you need to stay here where you'll get the help you need. The university's hospital has one of the most experienced group of doctors in the state." She replied, running her hand through my hair.

"Mum, you don't understand. The vampires are here. Mr. Ross is one of them!"

"Mr. Ross?" My mum asked, looking as confused as ever.

"Yes. Mr. Ross. My History instructor." I replied, slowing my sobs down to pass my message across.

"Honey, your History instructor is Mr. Shulman."

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

I didn't know if my mum was deliberately saying those things to keep me in the hospital or they were actually true. But how could they be true? I'd been attending History classes since the beginning of the semester and my instructor was always Mr. Ross. I had never met a Mr. Schulman.

"Just go to sleep, honey." My mum said, laying me back down on my back. "The doctor will be here in the morning."

I laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. There was no way I was going to close my eyes when I knew the nightmares were right under my eyelids, waiting for me.

#  Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning, the doctor came and checked on me. I really didn't know what they were hoping to find because there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. The only thing I needed was to get the hell out of the state, maybe even the country. I thought of requesting to go live with my dad but I couldn't. I preferred living with my mum and besides, I wasn't just going to run off and leave her alone with the Serafino clan of murderous vampires.

"Honey, I'll be going home for a bit but I'll be back soon, and I'll bring you some lunch." My mum announced.

"No!" I screamed.

I saw her shocked look and immediately apologized.

"Please, stay here. They'll come for you if you go home alone." I pleaded.

My mum just smiled and walked out, suppressing the tears that were threatening to spill out of her eyes. I knew I had to stop her. I couldn't let her go back to that house by herself. I tried to go after her but was stopped by the nurses.

"Let me go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"The vampires are going to get her!"

I should never have said that because they just looked at me like I was crazy. They literally dragged me back into my hospital room and locked the door, leaving me alone. I waited for them to leave before going to the restroom and slipping out the window. It was small and tight, but I managed to squeeze through.

"Thank goodness I'm slim." I thought to myself, as my legs landed on the ground outside.

Well, I wasn't technically outside the hospital, I was just outside my room. I walked down the hallway towards the exit door that led to the staircase. I walked as silently as I could, to make sure no one saw me. I was just two floors from the basement when I saw a nurse coming in from one of the exit doors.

"Hey!" He screamed, realizing I wasn't supposed to be there.

"Silly me, I should have changed out of my hospital gown before leaving."

I did the first thing that came to my mind which was to make a run for it. He simply pressed a buzzer he had on him and soon, I was surrounded by hospital security.

"Stupid technology!"

They dragged me back to my room and had nurses in there with me until my mum returned.

"She's not getting any better, Mrs. Ryder. We need to transfer her to the psychiatric ward." I heard the doctor telling my mum whose eyes were filled with tears.

"What? No! I'm not crazy." I yelled at the top of my lungs.

It was to no avail. I was moved into an isolated white room that was so plain, it could make me go crazy from depression. My mum was crying so much it hurt me to see her like that. I finally figured that the only way to get out of there was to stop talking about the vampires – at least until I could prove a few things. I even thought that would make them let me out sooner than they stipulated. I just hoped the vampires didn't get to my mum before I got out.

A nurse came into my isolated chamber through the metal door, accompanied by two other men. He was holding four brown belts and for a second, I was surprised. I realized what was going on when the men held me down and the nurse began strapping me down to the bed.

"No!" I screamed.

"Mum, please... don't let them strap me in! I'm not crazy!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Again, it was to no avail. My mum just wrapped her hands around herself and sobbed.

"Mum! You can't let them do this! The vampires are going to get me!" I had said it before I remembered not to mention the word 'vampire'.

"I can't watch this." My mum cried, running out of the room and leaving me there.

I continued screaming 'No!' until I felt the prick of the needle on my arm. I heard Mr. Ross in my head, cackling with a cold laughter that made my skin crawl.

"She's going to die and come Halloween's day, so will you."

His voice was clear in my head just like he was standing in front of me. I looked around frantically, but he was nowhere. The only thing that moved around me was the metal door which closed after the nurse and his henchmen exited my room.

Everything went blank after that.

#  Chapter Twenty-Three

After two months of 'treatment', I was discharged and allowed to go home under close observation. To be quite honest, the doctors, psychiatrists and nurses should be the ones being observed closely because they just spent two months treating a patient who was perfectly fine.

The past two months of my life were plagued with one boring psychiatry session after another and all I could do was hope for the end of it. To make sure that end came quickly, I stopped saying anything related to the vampires and was pleased to see that it worked.

My mum picked me up from the hospital and I was so happy to see that she was fine. It was such a relief to know the vampires hadn't done anything to her in my absence. She was more than ecstatic to have me back home and it felt great to see her happy again.

Just looking at her smiling face made me wish things would remain this way and I wouldn't have to deal with any of the craziness again. We drove home to a surprise party organized by Trina Bayle. To be quite honest, I was surprised to see her there, all charming and sweet. It made me feel like I had my old life back. I gave her a long hug and joined in on the party. The food was amazing, but I went all out for the drinks. I turned eighteen in the hospital and since I couldn't get an actual party in there, I wanted to celebrate. When it was evening, everyone went home, except Trina and a few others who stayed back to help with cleaning.

"It's great to have you back, Selena. We'll be twin bunnies this Halloween." Trina said, drawing my attention to what day it was.

I gave her a smile but my mind quickly went back to Halloween which was just two days away. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about it.

"Am I really going to die in two days, or has all of it gone away with my 'treatment'?"

The thought made me shudder slightly but I decided to hope for the best. I hadn't heard anything from the vampires in a while and I took that as a very good sign.

#  Chapter Twenty-Four

I settled into my room and was going to turn the lights out but decided against it. I still wasn't too comfortable in the dark after everything that had happened in the past few months. Though I hadn't really heard anything from the Serafino clan since my isolation in the psychiatric ward – except for a few nightmares, I still hadn't completely forgotten about them. I wasn't feeling sleepy just yet, so I turned the TV on and just flipped channels. I wasn't really in the mood for a Soap Opera and since I couldn't find any movie I wanted to watch, I settled for the local news channel. The next thing I realized was my body jolting awake. I didn't even know when I fell asleep. It was my reason for waking up however, that had the blood in my veins running cold. There was someone in my room. I looked around frantically, but didn't see anyone. I could swear someone was there only moments ago. I felt them, even in my sleep. Now that I was awake, my room still had that rich, erotic and sensual smell of Jasmine – an indication that someone had indeed been there.

The news on TV caught my eye for a brief second and I was forced to look at the screen opposite my bed. It had breaking news splashed across it, with a picture of Rose – the former librarian – who was declared missing a few months ago. Her body had been found, dead. I couldn't believe the cause of death.

'Blood loss due to injury from a single slash to the throat'.

It was exactly the same way Alex was murdered and I knew exactly who did it. The Serafino clan of vampires were back, and I had no idea if this was a message to me. I was going to step down from my bed when my hand hit an object beside me. I turned to see what it was and almost jumped out of my skin from shock. The Selena Ryder book from the library was right on my bed, like someone had placed it there.

"I thought Detective Howard said it didn't exist."

I couldn't believe it. What was even creepier was the fact that it was open. My blood boiled as I read lines from the page displayed in front of my eyes. It was a page I had read before, the one that detailed my mum's death.

"Mum!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, dashing out of my room as fast as my legs could carry me.

"Please, no... please!" I begged whatever higher power was out there to make this like one of the other times when I was just being paranoid.

The blood stain in front of her white door only served to make my hope bleak and destroy my ability to breathe properly. I barged into her room, flinging the door open with all my might.

It was too late.

My biggest fear and my greatest horror was playing out right there in front of my eyes. The monster had his back to me, holding my mum's limp body in his arms. He lifted his head which was buried in her neck, and turned to me, revealing his sharp teeth which were colored red from her blood.

I let out a blood curdling scream as my body shuddered from horror and tears exploded out of my eyes. It made the monster smile. It was a menacing smile, one that served to show his satisfaction with his actions. He dropped her body to the ground with a thud and sped past me with unnatural speed.

He was gone before I could blink and I hated the feeling of uselessness that washed over me at his departure.

I ran to the front door in a crazed chase, hoping to see something... anything that could help me identify the monster.

It was useless.

The only thing I met in front of the open door was a note which sent terror rippling through my entire being. I picked it up with shaky hands and read it. It was something I had seen before, only this time I knew for a fact that it was not a prank.

"Halloween's the day you die!" The note read.

I dropped the piece of paper like a plague and ran into the kitchen. I almost yanked the phone off the wall as I tried to pick the receiver up. My eyes burned with hot tears as my fingers punched the numbers 9-1-1.

#  A Shade of Halloween 2: Shadows

#  Chapter One

Selena's POV

A cold sweat broke out all over my skin as my body shuddered from terror and grief. The entire experience was overwhelmingly unreal. I felt weak in the knees, ready to pass out any minute but I knew I had to hold on. The phone's receiver was still glued to my ear, as I waited for the call to connect. Every second that passed felt like a year. The sickening image of my mum's bloody body lying limp in her room upstairs played itself on repeat in my mind's eye. I couldn't shake it off, neither could I accept it. I was stuck somewhere between being insane and being numb. My mind was crumbling, I could tell.

"How could I have let this happen?"

I wanted to tell myself I did the best I could to warn her. But did I really? Wasn't there anything else that I could have done? Maybe I could have saved her if I had insisted on staying in the same room with her. The guilt I felt was growing by the second, threatening to clutch my heart until it exploded into a thousand little pieces.

"9-1-1. What's the emergency?" The operator finally spoke from the other side.

My words collided at the back of my throat as I tried to choke them out. My free flowing tears and never ending grief served to make sure what came out of my lips remained incoherent.

"I... is... dead... mum..."

"Excuse me?" The operator said from the other side. "Ma'am, please calm down and speak slowly."

I took in a deep breath and tried to steady my shaking body. I wasn't completely successful but I managed to get my crying to quieter sobs.

"My... mum..."

I was in the middle of my sentence when he sped into the kitchen with the same unnatural speed the monster had used only moments earlier. The receiver fell out of my hand and dangled off the phone as I let out a blood curdling scream. A vampire was in my home. I was surely going to die. He stopped right in front of me and pulled me into his arms. I fought with all my might, kicking, screaming and slapping every part of his body my legs and arms could make contact with.

"Please calm down, my Selena." He said, hugging me tight.

"Hello..."

"Is anyone there?"

"Hello... Miss?"

I could hear the operator's voice coming from the other end of the line but I was trapped in the embrace of this vampire - a monster whose kind had caused all the misery in my life.

"He called me his love. Why did he do that?"

"Let me go!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"We're tracking your location right..." The operator was still speaking when the vampire yanked the phone off the wall, disconnecting it in the process.

I felt dizzy from the speed with which he moved me to yank the phone off the wall. The vampire held me still, like he didn't feel any of the hits I landed on his body.

"Help!"

"Somebody, help me!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

He placed one hand on my waist and moved his other hand to cover my mouth. My eyes widened in desperation as I continued to scream out muffled words nobody heard. The vampire looked straight into my eyes and held my gaze. I tried to blink but realized I couldn't. It felt like he was controlling my eyes - and he kept them fixed on his gaze.

"Forget whatever is terrifying you." He said.

I immediately stopped screaming and looked up at his face. He wore a sad expression that I couldn't quite place.

"Thank goodness I got to you in time." He said, pulling me into another hug.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

"You got to me in time for what?" I asked, completely confused.

"I need to get you out of here first. I'll explain everything later." He replied.

"Okay." I shrugged.

"Where's your room?" He asked, looking straight into my eyes in a weird way.

I led him to the bedroom downstairs, where I had been staying since I got back from the hospital. He packed a few things into a box he found in the closet and the next thing I felt was the dizzying feeling of moving too fast.

#  Chapter Two

Selena's POV

I opened my eyes and found myself in an exquisitely furnished bedroom. I was lying on a bed with clean white sheets, numerous pillows and a white duvet designed with paw prints - probably puppy prints because they were small and cute. I loved the prints. They made me to smile. I looked around at my surroundings and spotted a coffee table at one end, a dresser right opposite the bed I was on, a soft leather sofa on the far right, and a flat screen TV facing the sofa. It was a beautiful room, but I had no idea how I got there. I got off the bed and looked around for a few extra seconds, trying to figure out how I might have ended up there.

"Did I go home with a mysterious stranger last night?"

The thought made me chuckle but then the realization of what that meant struck me like a strong wave. If I came back home drunk with a stranger last night, did we have sex? I rushed into the side door that looked like the bathroom and rested my frame behind the door while looking around. I was happy to see it was really the bathroom and I proceeded to check my personals for any sign of entry. There was none, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness I didn't lose my virginity to some stranger on a drunken night."

I walked back into the room and went to the closet. I recognized the box I found in there, and some of the clothes on the hanger. I flipped through the other hangers, trying to see if I would recognize anything else but I didn't. I saw black T-Shirts, grey slacks, a few leather jackets and one pair of boots. From the size and design of the items, I could tell they belonged to a guy. But who? I tried to remember anything from before I woke up. My mind was drawing a blank. It was like I didn't exist before that morning. I knew a couple of basic things like who I was for instance. My name was Selena Ryder and I knew I was supposed to be a virgin and in college – pathetic, I know but I always wanted my first time to be special and with someone I truly loved. Apart from the basic information about myself, I couldn't remember anything else.

I walked to the exit door and found it unlocked. At least that meant I hadn't been kidnapped. I opened the door and peered outside. There was a hallway with other doors that had numbers on them. I was clearly in a hotel room and I had no idea why. I didn't want to leave and I had no idea why either. I found myself wanting to go back into the room and sit on the bed. I felt like I had a very good reason for wanting to stay back in the room but I had no idea what it was. It was a really weird feeling but I couldn't do anything about it. After about five minutes, I was beginning to get bored. I found a book on the coffee table and decided to go take a look.

"It'll help me pass time."

From my visual inspection of the brown covered book, I could tell it had a good number of pages.

"It could be a novel or an encyclopedia."

I didn't care what it was. I just wanted to read it to pass time. Before I could walk to the coffee table holding the book, I heard the door click behind me and turned around to see it opening slowly. A guy walked into the room. Scratch that, a smoking hot guy walked into the room. He was the kind of guy that made girls have naughty erotic fantasies because everything about him screamed sexy. His sleek black hair was cut short, so that it hovered just above his head. The rich strands seemed to band together and flow as one, just like tousled hair. What melted my heart into jelly were his dark green eyes. They were deep, mysterious and daring. The kind that made you want to do bad things... very bad things.

"You're awake." He smiled.

That was when I realized I was gawking at him.

"Um... yeah." I replied, pushing an invisible strand of my hair behind my ear.

I just wanted to do something to play off the fact that I was gawking at him. I still didn't know who he was but if he was some guy I met last night and came back to his hotel room with, I could sure as hell see why.

"Damn, he's smoking hot!"

He closed the door and walked in, dropping the gray grocery bag he was holding on the coffee table beside the brown book I hadn't gotten a chance to read yet. Then he walked up to me and pulled me into a hug.

"You have no idea how great it feels to have you in my arms again." He said, hugging me tighter.

"Um... okay. I know I might sound crazy right now, but I don't exactly remember who you are." I said, pulling out of his hug and covering my face with both palms.

He laughed... a deep, sexy laughter.

I didn't know what it was about this guy that made him so irresistible. Maybe it was everything. He was cute, charming, cool and sexy. I didn't know how I ended up in his hotel room when he could have been with any blonde Barbie he as much as smiled at.

"You don't sound crazy. You don't remember because I compelled you to forget." He said.

I dropped my hands from my face immediately and looked at him like he was the crazy one. Then, I realized what it was - a joke. I burst into a fit of laughter. He stood there and watched me laugh and when I realized I was the only one laughing, I slowly pulled my facial muscles back to their normal expression... or so I tried to do. I ended up with a very silly smirk plastered across my face and it was his turn to laugh.

"You're so cute when you act like that." He said, forcing me to blush.

I didn't want him to see my face turning red, so I turned around and walked towards the bed. I silently took several deep breaths to calm myself down before turning around to face him and sitting on the edge of the bed. He walked towards me and got on one knee right in front of me. His position made him look like he was going to propose and I held my breath.

"When I found you yesterday, you were distraught. I had to calm you down and save you from the danger you were in. I couldn't exactly do that in your frame of mind, so I had to compel you to forget." He said, with a serious expression on his face.

"Wait a minute... When you say 'compel me' do you mean vampire compulsion?" I asked.

It was probably a stupid question but it was the only thing I could think of. I didn't know any other way of compelling someone to forget everything about themselves.

"Yes." He replied, completely surprising me.

"Is that even real?" I asked, still surprised.

"There are several things you don't know that are real, Selena. I'll try my best to explain but..." He stopped mid-sentence.

"But what?" I asked, still wondering if he had any idea what he was talking about.

He looked straight into my eyes in a weird way that stopped them from blinking, before replying.

"You have to trust me."

#  Chapter Three

Selena's POV

"I trust you." I said, still looking into his green eyes.

"Believe me when I say I hate compelling you, my love. Right now, I have no choice. I wish I can keep you in this bubble forever and not worry about Ros, but I can't. I can't let him hurt you again." He had a sad smile on his face and I wondered why.

"For starters, I don't know who Ros is. I don't even know your name. I..."

"Shh..." He placed a finger on my lips to stop me from talking and I obediently kept mute.

My attention was focused on the skin of his finger that was touching me and I was struggling between being too self-aware and maintaining my composure.

"My name is Ryan Soille, and as much as I hate to admit it, Ros is my brother." He said.

I caught a flash of anger in his eyes when he mentioned his brother. I could tell that whatever sibling rivalry was going on there, it was best to stay far away from it.

"Ryan's a nice name..." I started, but he stared deep into my eyes again and asked me to remember everything.

All the painful memories came rushing back to me, forcing my heart back into grief.

"My mum!"

I instantly got off the bed and raced towards the exit door, leaving him kneeling there. By the time I got to the door, he was standing in front of it, preventing me from going outside. I instinctively looked back to the spot where he was kneeling before, and couldn't believe what I saw. He was kneeling right there. I turned back to the door and screamed from shock. He was there again, standing right in front of me.

"How did you..." I started, pointing back to the direction of the bed.

I was sure he could see the shock and confusion on my face.

"I'm a vampire." He shrugged. "Speed is one of my many abilities."

He pulled me into his arms to stop me from moving and smirked. It was a bit of an evil smirk, but it quickly disappeared from his face.

"We can do this forever, darling or you can just listen to me." He said. "I thought I asked you to trust me."

"I trust you, but my mum..."

"...is already dead." He cut me off. "Listen, I'm sorry to hear that, but if you don't stop and listen, you'll be dead too."

I knew he was right. The note said I was going to die on Halloween's day which was literally one day away. The least I could do was put up a fight and if Ryan knew how, it was in my best interest to listen to him.

"I can't have you going out in the open right now. I can tell you why, but I think it'll be better to show you." He said, picking me up into his arms and carrying me to the sofa in the room.

He put me down and straightened back up, before turning in the direction of the coffee table.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I got you something to eat. You should be starving by now." He said.

He was right. I hadn't eaten anything since the party yesterday and my stomach was beginning to growl. Unfortunately, I knew I was probably going to die the next day if I didn't figure out a way to stop it. As such, hunger was the least of my worries.

"I think you should tell me why first." I replied, staring at his back.

He ignored me and pulled a paper wrap out of the grocery bag he had dropped on the coffee table earlier. As soon as he started unwrapping the Burrito roll, its delicious smell flooded my nostrils and I immediately changed my mind about what I said before.

"Um... on second thought, I'm going to eat now." I said, causing him to smile.

He passed me the Burrito which I hungrily ate. I don't know if it was the hunger I felt that made it taste so delicious, or the fact that I knew I might not be here much longer to get a chance to eat. When I was half way through the roll, Ryan walked back to the sofa and sat beside me. He had a red apple in his hand, from which he took a bite. I looked at him in surprise.

"I thought vampires only drank blood."

Ryan laughed and raised one of his eyebrows. It was supposed to be a skeptical look but it was very cute.

"...and where did you hear that?" He asked.

"You know, vampire books and movies." I replied, causing him to laugh again.

"Well, let's say they aren't exactly correct. We can eat pretty much anything we could eat before we were turned. The difference however, is that the food no longer nourishes our bodies like it used to. Blood is where we get our nutrition from, makes us strong... yadi, yadi, yada. I'm sure you know the rest."

"So, why do you eat normal food then? If it does nothing, you might as well skip it." I shrugged. "Just saying."

"Well, you're going to have to eat it if you really want to blend in. How do you think vampires exist among humans and they don't get singled out? They go to parties and bars to have fun just like everyone else. If they really can't eat anything else, it'll only be a matter of time before people notice. It's not like you can walk around with blood in a coffee cup."

"Gross!"

"Exactly. Trust me, you don't want to spend all your time compelling people to forget they saw you drinking blood when there's a whole lot of other stuff you could be doing." He replied.

"I thought vampires had all the time in the world. Spending time compelling people shouldn't really bother them." I said, squeezing the wrap of my now finished Burrito and tossing it into the trash.

"You can say that, but humans don't." He replied.

I was going to ask what humans not having that much time had to do with vampire timing when he spoke again.

"I could be kissing you right now for example, instead of answering all these questions." He said, leaning towards me with a grin plastered across his face.

I could immediately feel the heat rising in my cheeks, making me shift uncomfortably on the sofa. He leaned in even closer, such that his lips were barely inches from mine. His eyes went down to the curve of my lips, before coming back up and staring into my eyes in a piercing gaze. Then he smiled and pulled back. I was a little disappointed when he pulled back but I didn't dare show it. I just stared at him like it was nothing and watched him turn the TV on with the remote. He flipped to the local news channel and all the blood drained from my face.

"What?!" I screamed, staring at the screen in disbelief.

I was on the news, WANTED by the police!

"Eighteen-year-old Selena Ryder who was recently released from a mental institution is on the run. Police believe she murdered her mum in cold blood at their Duck-Ville neighborhood home, to prove her claims that vampires are after her. While investigations are still on-going, the police have issued a statement urging members of the public to be vigilant and call 9-1-1 as soon as she's spotted. She is believed to be mentally unstable and highly dangerous..." The news reporter read out, to my shock and horror.

"Yeah. That's one of the reasons I didn't want you to go out." Ryan said, giving me a sympathetic look. "The other reason is even worse. My brother Ros will be out there looking for you by now."

#  Chapter Four

Selena's POV

I sank back into the sofa, completely shocked by the breaking news on TV.

"How can they think I killed her?" I asked.

My mind was going into overdrive, trying to process a million thoughts at the same time.

"I'll never hurt my mum!"

"They don't know that. Besides, you were the only one in the house at the time of her murder, after which you disappeared mysteriously." Ryan replied, making a face and flicking his fingers to describe the disappearing act.

"...because you literally kidnapped me!" I yelled.

"They don't know that either. Take a chill pill." He grinned.

"How is any of this funny?" I asked, looking at him in disbelief.

"You're all the same. Fussing over the unnecessary, when the real danger stares you in the face."

"...and what do you mean by that?" I fumed, placing both hands on my hips.

"My brother is probably out there right now, trying to find you and you're bothered about whether or not the police think you killed your mum. What will it matter when you're dead?"

"That's the most insensitive thing to say right now!" I snapped.

"You think? How are you any different from the police? You were warning them the entire time and instead of considering your warning at the very least, they chose to focus on the state of your mental health..."

"How did you know that?" I cut him off.

I got up from the sofa and backed away from him.

"I never told you I warned them."

"Selena." I could hear the cautiousness in his voice.

"Who the hell are you, really?" I yelled, turning to face the door completely.

I had barely moved two steps when I saw him in front of me, stopping me from moving any further.

"Stupid vampire bully!"

"I'm the only one who's trying to keep you safe in all of this... and I'm far from being a bully. You'll see!" He said in a stern tone.

I could tell he was beginning to get irritated.

"You can hear my thoughts?" I asked, shaking my head and backing away from him some more.

"You really don't pay attention, do you? I'm a vam-pi-re!" He said, dragging his words out. "Of course I can hear your thoughts if I want to."

"How did I get myself entangled in this mess? Why did your brother pick me? What does he want from me? I've never even met him and he's killed everyone around me!" I sank to the floor, letting the tears flow freely down my cheeks.

Ryan walked up to me and sat beside me. He pulled me into his arms and cuddled me. He didn't say anything, he just ran his fingers through my hair and held me close. I felt safe in his arms and though I wasn't going to admit it to him, I was happy he was there. I had no idea what I would have done by now if I was left all by myself. Perhaps I would have been in an interrogation room being questioned for a murder I knew nothing about, while the real killer walked free. My sobs eventually quietened and Ryan cupped my face in his hands. My eyes lifted up to meet his and I could see he was hurt by my grief. He wiped my cheeks with his thumbs while holding my face and staring straight into my eyes. I blinked a few times, sniffing and looking back into his deep... very deep green eyes. They represented hope for me and I knew that I could trust him. He held my face like that for a while longer, as if he was frozen in time. Something in his eyes made me feel like he knew me. I didn't have the time to think about much else because he lowered his face towards me and brushed his lips against mine.

I was frozen for a few seconds, not reacting to his kiss. He must have misinterpreted my reaction as me not wanting to kiss him because he pulled back immediately. In reality, not wanting to kiss him was very far from the truth. I just froze because I didn't know what reaction would pass off as too much or too little. Though he had pulled away soon after, his kiss lingered on my lips. It felt like everything was perfect in those few seconds. I wanted him to kiss me again but he didn't. He pulled me into his arms instead and cuddled me some more. After a few seconds of silence, he finally spoke.

"Halloween's day is special to my brother because it's the day we got married."

"We what?" I pulled away from his arms so I could look straight at his face. If he was kidding, I wanted to know.

"This is the exact reason I didn't tell you at first. There are a number of things I'll have to explain to you. Only then will you completely understand." He said.

"I get it... But what do you mean we got married? Like actually tied the knot kind of married? When?" I couldn't mask my shock.

"It was a very long time ago, my Selena."

"It doesn't make any sense. We got married on Halloween's day in some alternate universe and now your brother wants me dead for it? You actually expect me to buy that bull? What does it say on my forehead? Moron?"

Ryan gave me a sad smile before replying.

I saw the anger flash in his eyes again, but it disappeared as soon as it came.

"Before we got married, you were engaged to Ros. You met me and we fell in love. You chose to be with me, and ended things with him. Everything went ugly after that." He said.

I could tell each word hurt as he struggled to let them free. He looked like he went back in time to relive painful memories he would have preferred not to have. I didn't know what to make of the situation but with my recent experiences, nothing seemed impossible anymore. I stopped talking for a few seconds, totally stunned by the last sentence he made.

"You should probably read about it before I explain." He said, pointing to the book on the coffee table.

"Wait... Is this the same..."

"Yes, it is." He replied, before I could even finish the question. "The Selena Ryder book... your history."

"How did it get here?" I asked.

"It was in your room when I packed your stuff." He replied. "I'm sure you're wondering how it got there. It's part of the reasons I had to take you out of that house. Either Ros or one of his goons must have dropped it there which tells me he's only bidding his time." Ryan replied.

The things Ryan said would have made no sense to me on a normal day but the past few months of my life have been nothing close to normal. I remembered the fact that the book predicted pretty much everything that had happened so far. Ryan was right. I needed to read more of what was written in there. I needed to know what Ros had planned for me.

#  Chapter Five

Omniscient POV

Trina walked out of her room and locked the door behind her. Her roommate, Jason was over at the sick bay because he was feeling a little under the weather. The room was pretty lonely and if things hadn't turned out the way they did, she would have invited Selena over to keep her company. The two girls had been cool with each other since they met a few months ago. They weren't exactly best friends, but they had been there for each other on a number of occasions. Everything inside Trina told her this was one of such occasions. She needed to be there for Selena... if only she knew how. She had watched the news on TV and knew something was off. There was no way Selena could have killed her mum. They were way too close, and loved each other dearly. She had paid Selena a number of visits at the hospital before she was transferred to the psychiatric ward and during those visits, Selena didn't seem crazy to her. A number of other things stood out as well. The bodies of the victims the police claimed Selena murdered all had one thing in common. There was a single slash to the throat. That meant whoever killed them had a pattern, a killing style. If that was the case, then Selena couldn't have killed them all, because she was isolated in the psychiatric ward when the librarian was killed. What disturbed Trina most however, was the demeanor of the Police Chief when he held his press conference on the Selena Ryder case. His eyes lacked focus. His pupils were dilated, like he was staring at nothing in particular. His words came out like he was reading from a script, even though he wasn't. He sounded pretty convinced Selena was the murderer which was also off. The police always concluded their investigations before sounding so convinced. Even then, they usually referenced overwhelming evidence, which was missing in this case.

"I have to find a way to prove Selena didn't do it." She thought, making her away through the hallway.

As she walked past Selena's room, something caught her eye. The door was slightly open. She looked at it curiously for a few seconds before walking towards it. No one else was supposed to be in the room because the school had locked it up after Selena was taken to the sick bay. Besides, she passed by that room everyday on her way to class and it was always locked.

"Who could be in there?" She wondered.

At first, she considered the fact that Selena had come back. She quickly discarded it because there would have been a frenzy if that was the case. It wasn't like Selena could just walk around. She was on the WANTED list now. The second thought she had made her heart rate quicken. Perhaps the killer was in there, looking for something. If that was the case, this was her chance to catch him. She pulled out her cellphone and held it up in front of her. Getting her camera ready, she walked silently towards the door. Her plan was to get anything that could serve as evidence, perhaps a picture or even a short video if she was fast enough to capture one. She pushed the door slowly and slid inside. There was no one in sight. Trying not to make any noise, she tip-toed through the short walkway until she got to the main part of the room which had the beds. Surprisingly, it was empty too. There was no one there. Trina shook her head and turned the camera of her cellphone off. She concluded that there had to be another reason for the open door. Perhaps the student office wanted to revamp the room after the tragedy.

The sound of the door slamming shut behind her caused Trina to jump. She instinctively turned around in its direction and was even more startled to see a guy standing there. He moved towards her so fast that he was already in front of her before her brain registered the movement. Her cellphone fell out of her hand as she let out a horrified shriek that barely left her lips. His left hand covered her mouth, just as his right hand grabbed her, cutting off the sound of her scream and preventing her from moving. She struggled against his grip but he was way too strong for her to break free. All she could do was blink repeatedly and mumble incoherent words. He looked straight into her eyes, stopping them from blinking. She felt like an invisible force was pulling her eyelids apart, forcing her eyes to remain open.

"Stop screaming and answer all my questions honestly." He said, releasing her from his grip.

She stood there terrified, unable to scream for help. She could only hope that someone else had heard the sound of the door slamming shut and was coming to her rescue. The guy walked towards the bed and beckoned for her to follow him. As soon as he turned his back, she made a dash for the door. She had no idea why she couldn't scream because everything in her wanted to. The weirdness of the situation told her this was not the time to wonder about creepy stuff. This was the time to escape... and her escape plan fell like a pack of cards. By the time she got to the door, the guy was standing in front of it.

"When I ask you to do something, you do it!" He snapped. "You don't want to see me pissed off."

Fear crawled under her skin, causing her hands to shake. Her heart drummed loudly against her chest as she stared at his face. The guy's expression was completely different from the way it was before. He looked like he could snap her neck and not bat an eyelid over it.

"I will not tell you this again." He said, looking into her eyes in that way that stopped them from blinking.

"Don't ever try to escape."

Trina turned away from the door and walked to the bed he had asked her to sit on before. This time, the guy walked behind her. There was no need for that though. She no longer wanted to run away. He sat on the bed beside her and placed his hand on her back.

"I'm sorry I scared you. I'm not usually like that, so let's start again." He said.

It was very surprising to hear him say those words. She wasn't expecting him apologize after hearing the way he spoke to her. Trina looked at him like a scared puppy whose owner was handing it a bowl of milk and dog biscuit. She didn't want to be there but she had no choice. He wasn't going to let her leave until she answered all his questions.

"My name is Ryan Soille. What's yours?" He asked.

"Trina Bayle." She replied.

Ryan smiled.

"Are you a friend of Selena Ryder?" He asked again.

"Yes."

"That's great. Do you know where she is right now?"

"No, I don't. She disappeared after..."

"Why were you in her room?" He cut her off.

"The door was open so I thought she was in here at first. When I realized that was most likely not the case, I came in to see who was here. I thought I could catch the killer if it was him."

"Killer?" Ryan asked. "What do you mean?"

"The police think Selena killed her mum and two other people. I know it's not true because she'll never do something like that. The real killer is out there and I thought if I could catch him looking for something here, I could prove Selena's innocence." She replied.

Ryan got up from the bed and began pacing around the room.

"I don't think she disappeared. I think he has her." He finally spoke.

"Who?" Trina asked.

"My brother, Ros." He replied, rubbing his face with his palms. "I need to find her before he hurts her. Where's the last place you saw her?"

"Her house." She replied. "Wait, is your brother the real killer?"

"Most likely." Ryan replied.

"Oh no!" Trina gasped, clutching her chest. "Why does he want to hurt Selena?"

"It's a long story. Let's just say he holds a grudge. I can fill you in on the way but we need to move now. The sooner we find her, the better." Ryan replied.

Ryan and Trina stepped outside the room and were about to make the turn off the hallway when someone shouted from behind.

"Hey! What were you two doing in there? That room is off limits." A middle aged, dark haired man in a security uniform yelled, pulling out his cellphone from his pocket.

Ryan was in front of him before either he or Trina could blink.

"Forget you ever saw us." Ryan said, looking straight into the man's eyes.

The man turned around and walked off like he never saw them, leaving Trina and Ryan to make their way out of the hostel undisturbed.

#  Chapter Six

Omniscient POV

Ryan sat on the passenger seat of Trina's car as she drove towards Duck-Ville. His full dark hair swayed about in the wind, and his dark green eyes were focused on the road ahead. If he wasn't such a monster, Trina would have found him cute or rather, admitted the truth to herself. There was no denying the fact that he was one of the most attractive men she had ever set her eyes upon from a physical standpoint. Ryan turned to her and smiled. It was a very charming smile, one that made him look sweet and nice. She was about to tell herself he wasn't as much of a monster as she believed him to be when he spoke.

"The road is in front of you, you know? You should concentrate on driving instead of gawking."

"Nope, definitely a monster!" She thought.

Ryan laughed and traced a line on her neck with his index finger.

"A monster would have snapped your neck by now." He teased.

She gave him a curious glance before turning her head back to the road. Inside, her body tensed. The slight brush of his finger had evoked a pleasurable tingle that was now spreading through her spine.

"I didn't know vampires could hear our thoughts." She said, a small smirk playing at the sides of her lips.

It was Ryan's turn to give her a curious look.

"You know I'm a vampire?" He asked.

"Duh! I'm not stupid. Don't judge the color of my hair." She said, giving him a sarcastic smile. "I saw you move with enhanced speed, and compel that man in the hallway."

Ryan looked at her blonde locks and laughed.

"I'm not one of those people who think blondes are stupid – If you consider me a person."

"Nah. Not exactly." Trina couldn't help but laugh.

"Fair enough. Why aren't you scared of me?"

"How can you tell I'm not?" She asked.

"Fear is easy to spot in a human. I don't see it in you." He replied.

"Well, I was scared at first but then I stopped. Maybe you compelled me to."

"No, I didn't." He protested.

"How would I know?" She asked.

"...because compulsion doesn't work that way. You'll want to do what you've been compelled not to do. You'll just not be able to do it." He replied.

"Wait... Is it like I wanted to scream back at the dorm? Did you compel me not to scream?"

"What choice did I have? You were going to bring the entire hostel in there." He threw his hands in the air in a dramatic way.

"What else have you compelled me not to do?" Trina asked, glaring at him.

"Run away." He smiled.

The car came to an instant halt with a screeching sound, causing them both to lurch forward in their seats. Trina's leg was right on the brake pedal, pushing it to its limit.

"Woah! Are you trying to get us killed?" Ryan frowned in confusion.

"It's not like you can die." She taunted.

"Yeah, but you can! Besides, someone could have run into us from behind. They can die too." He scolded.

"Well, no one did." She pouted, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Are you always a brat?"

"Are you always a monster?" She retorted.

"Well... Technically." He grinned. "Come on. I need to get to Selena. You want to help her too, so don't waste any more time."

"You could compel me to shut up and drive."

"True, but I don't want to. I'd be bored stiff." He pursed his lips, appearing even cuter.

Trina wanted to laugh but she rolled her eyes and started the car instead. This was the opportunity she'd been looking for. Ryan was going to save Selena somehow, and she could help.

"You're not going to find anything at her house. The police should have taped it off by now." Trina said after a few seconds. "If your brother has her, shouldn't we be looking for him?"

"Never say never." He smiled. "Besides, Selena will be a lot easier to find than Ros. Vampires can shut other vampires out of their thoughts. Especially when they're of equal strength... and my brother and I aren't exactly on speaking terms at the moment."

"So why not just search Selena's thoughts. Why drive all the way to Duck-Ville?" She asked.

"She's been shutting me out, painfully so. Ros must be making her do it."

"Hmm. What's the deal with your brother, anyway? Why does he want to hurt Selena?"

"Ros is an over grown baby who can't let go of a grudge. He can't even accept the fact that I'm the older twin." Ryan smirked.

"He's your twin?" Trina asked, wide-eyed.

"Um-hum."

"So we have an evil twin problem. Fantastic!" Trina grabbed the wheel even tighter, stepping on the gas.

"Do you know how dramatic you are?" Ryan asked in a false sweet voice.

"Like everyone isn't." Trina smiled sarcastically. "Just find Selena before your brother hurts her."

"...If you can manage to get to Duck-Ville in this century." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Trina yelled.

"Just kidding." Ryan put his hands in the air defensively.

Trina pouted for a few seconds before speaking again.

"So how did you guys meet Selena?"

Ryan smiled. It was a painful smile that failed to mask the hurt he felt. He quickly shook his head and got back to his normal playful demeanor.

"I met her at an engagement party." He replied. "Why don't we make this more fun. Will you like to see how we met?"

"Like actually see it? How? Didn't it already happen?"

"Um-hum. Vampires have a lot more mind control than humans. I can project thoughts into your dreams, such that they appear like you were there." He replied. "Cool, yeah?"

"More like awesome! Will you show me tonight?"

"Sure." Ryan smiled.

Trina pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned the engine off.

"I can't show you now... You have to be asleep." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"I know. We're here." Trina replied.

"Oh!"

"Yeah... Who's the dramatic one now?" She asked.

"You're a very funny one, you know?" Ryan laughed. "Stay here. I'll be back."

He stepped out of the car and in a split second, Trina saw him getting into Selena's house from the kitchen door at the side. How he managed to go through the yellow tapes around the house at such a dizzying speed was incomprehensible.

"Yeah, vampire speed is creepy in real life."

#  Chapter Seven

Selena's POV

I walked to the coffee table and pulled out the chair in front of it. I had barely taken my seat when I flipped the cover of the Selena Ryder book open. With a sense of urgency, I turned the pages to the part where I stopped before the craziness in my life started. When I flipped past the pages detailing my mum's death, tears welled up in my eyes and fell down my cheeks. I couldn't believe she was gone, and in such a horrible way. I wiped my tears, determined not to let Ros have his way with me. Deep inside, I made a resolution. I was going do whatever I had to do to stop him from killing me tomorrow. At least if I failed, I'd know I gave it my biggest fight. I glanced behind me at Ryan, who was lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. A silly consideration made me turn my gaze sharply away from him and back to the book. I found myself wishing I could just forget about everything and snuggle up to him. For what it was worth, I would enjoy the feeling of safety being wrapped in his arms would give me – but I knew that was just my desperation speaking. I had to face up to my challenges and if the Selena Ryder book could tell me what Ros's plans were, then I could think of ways to beat them.

I looked around for my phone, wanting to save a few search terms in my notepad app I needed for later but noticed it wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Ryan, do you have my phone?" I turned my gaze back to the bed and asked.

"Of course not. I broke it back at your house. I didn't want to give the police a chance to track your cellphone signal. The last thing you want is for them to keep you in a holding cell where Ros can easily grab you from." He replied.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks for looking out for me. I have a question though. Can't you just compel them to forget about the case?" I asked.

"Compel the entire police force?" He looked at me with a raised eyebrow that said 'how dumb can you be?' "You know how they are with murder cases. The FBI probably already knows about it by now."

I knew he was right. I had to stay safe first. The person who would have been worried sick about me being unreachable was my mum and thanks to Ros, she was dead now. I wondered how my dad was handling all this. Did he even care? Did he come to town to try looking for me?

"Wait... What happens if Ros can't find me tomorrow." I asked out of curiosity.

"He'll wait until next year to try again. Killing you on Halloween's day is more important to him than just killing you."

"How do you know for sure?"

It was the natural follow up question. If he was only going to come for me on Halloween's day, all I needed to do to stay alive was to avoid him until after Halloween so Ryan and I could come up with a more permanent solution.

"...because he has done it before." Ryan replied, completely stunning me.

I thought I caught a glimpse of delight in his eyes but when I looked to make sure, it wasn't there. What I saw were sad green eyes looking at me with so much sympathy.

"He has done it before?" I repeated, trying to make sure I had heard him right the first time.

"Yes. He enjoys making us pay for hurting him. He promised himself we'll never have a happy anniversary... That was why you had to do what you did. Unfortunately, he caught on to that too."

"What I did? I don't understand... What did I do?"

"Why don't you read the book? We can talk about it when things have been made a bit clearer." He replied, getting off the bed and walking to the sofa.

I turned back to the book with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity, skipping several pages and heading to the last chapter. I wanted to know how things ended first, to mentally prepare myself for what was to come. I could go back to other events later, if I had the time.

"Selena and Ryan ran through the woods at Oakland, desperately trying to escape the fury of his brother, Ros. The enraged leader put every Serafino vampire on their hunt, with orders to bring them back alive. His brother would suffer the punishment of treason according to Council rules but that backstabbing human whore, Selena Ryder was going to die like the pathetic human pile of rubbish that she was. And no punishment would be greater than making Ryan watch. Ros was determined to sink his fangs into her slender neck, drinking every ounce of her adulterous blood and breaking every bone in her impure body until her body grew limp in his hands. Even in death, he would rip her body apart, a thousand pieces not being enough to..."

I stopped reading the book and looked away, temporarily unable to continue. My heart raced and my head pounded. The fear that crawled under my skin was clear impossible to miss by the number of goosebumps that suddenly appeared all over my body. It was a horrible way to die and I certainly didn't want to go through that. Violent bursts of tears made their way out of my eyes, rolling down my cheeks. I couldn't erase the picture of horror that had formed in my head from reading about my not so distant fate. Everything the book described could really happen tomorrow and I didn't even have a concrete plan to prevent it. From the moment the monster killed my mum I knew he was going to come for me but reading the gory details made everything seem more real - and I couldn't handle it.

I felt assuring arms wrap around me from behind, squeezing my arms to console me.

"Shh." I heard Ryan say against my neck and I wanted to stop crying but I couldn't.

"I can't, I can't!" I cried. "I can't... go... through that..."

Ryan lifted me off the chair and carried me to the bed. He laid me down gently on the comfortable sheets and wrapped his arms around me again, such that my head was buried in his perfectly sculpted chest - which I made wet with my tears.

"I'm here, Selena. I won't let him hurt you." He said, running his fingers through my hair.

I looked up at him with puffy eyes.

"You... promise?" I asked through my sobs.

He looked intently into my eyes, making me momentarily lose myself in his dark green orbs. If the situation wasn't this dire, I would have looked into them forever. He didn't say any words but his look told me he meant everything he said. He wasn't going to let Ros hurt me. I could tell he was willing to do everything in his power to stop that horrific description in the book from becoming my fate. My attention was brought back to the present when he brought his lips down to mine and kissed me with passion. I would never have guessed how calming the effects of his kiss would be to me. My fears melted slowly as he claimed my lips as his. I yielded to his passion, closing my eyes and allowing him take me deeper and deeper into the kiss. His hands moved through my body, slowly at first but he quickly picked up the pace. He was feeling... caressing... loving me. He glided his hand across my chest and I was surprised at how fast a knot formed around my personals. My body wanted him... yearned for him... and yielded to his every touch.

#  Chapter Eight

Selena's POV

The atmosphere around me suddenly felt misty as I fell deeper and deeper into the enchantment of Ryan kiss. In my curiosity, I opened my eyes and froze at the picture in front of me.

"Don't listen to his lies. He's Ros!"

The voice in my head was as clear as daylight. It was a warning of some sort, I could tell. The sight in front of me was as confusing as confusion got. It was Ryan, the same one I was kissing, telling me not to believe himself. Telling me the him outside was Ros.

"But outside where?"

I jerked back in shock, feeling my body leave Ryan's cozy arms. I opened my eyes and saw his curious face staring at me. It was then I realized I must have been in a weird dream, if that was what it was. But why did it feel so real?

"Is everything okay?" Ryan asked.

"Um... no. I-I..." I tried to get the words out but for some reason, they failed to bind together under the rules of proper sentence construction.

Ryan tried to pull me into his arms again but I jerked back. I didn't know what to make of the situation but it creeped me the hell out.

"I... saw... you." I managed to say.

I could literally see his eyes catch fire. There was so much fury in them I was afraid the warning was not just a figment of my disoriented imagination.

"Could he really be Ros?"

No... it just couldn't be true. He'd been with me the entire time, keeping me safe. But why did the person in my head look exactly like him?

"It's Ros. He's reaching into your mind." Ryan said, sounding frustrated.

"He said you... were... Ros. He looked just like you!" I replied, struggling to keep myself from stammering.

"What did you think he was going to tell you? 'Hey, I'm Ros, the one who wants you dead. Leave the safety of Ryan's protection immediately and come to your death'? Of course he looks like me. He's my twin!" Ryan spat.

I sat up on the bed and clutched my knees to my chest, rocking back and forth. Before now I knew they were brothers. But twins? They were complete opposites. Like night and day. Ryan was sweet and Ros was a complete monster. I knew Ryan was right. The countdown to Halloween's day had begun and Ros was clearly getting desperate. Of course he would do something like that, since he was trying everything he could to find me.

"Shut him out. Don't let him reach you again!" Ryan ordered.

It was unlike him to bark orders at me like that but I couldn't blame him. The situation was bad enough to make him act a little harsh.

"Um... how?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Just don't leave your mind blank." He replied, pulling me back into his arms.

I rested my head on his chest, feeling his muscles rise and fall as he took in deep breaths. The fact that Ros was getting desperate meant we were doing something right. I knew he was probably going crazy trying to find me before tomorrow when he planned to crush my bones and drink my blood. The thought made me shudder but I relaxed once I got a reassuring squeeze from Ryan's hand.

"Why is Ros so bitter?" I asked, staring at nothing in particular.

"Everything is heightened in death, Selena." Ryan replied. "Hurt, anger, betrayal... They all make you feel like your body is literally going to explode from within. What you did to Ros shattered his heart into a million pieces. Having him watch you live happily ever after with his brother would cut even deeper than the sharpest blade."

"Tell me about what really happened back then. I'm too scared to read it myself. I want to know how I'm here now. I understand vampires are immortal but I'm human, am I not? Why am I still alive?" I asked.

"Your mother, Sophia was the most powerful sorceress in all of Oakland. Her reputation was very far reaching, even up to the icy plains of the North. The vampires didn't like the control she had over them... and so they revolted against the humans. It was a bloody war, one that lasted only a few days before the humans finally acknowledged the truth. There was no way they could win against us. They had so much more to lose. Their women and children remained unprotected and unable to fight back while our army charged on. They were the greatest casualties, and our biggest targets. The death of child always had more effect on the human leaders, especially when some of those children were theirs... and that effect metamorphosed into them meeting our demands. They knew a peace treaty had to be reached, and quickly too - for their own sake. We demanded something very precious. Something to ensure that the sorceress would never interfere in our activities. Her only child was to be given over to the vampires to keep the peace. The deal was simple. If she interfered, her precious baby would die or worse, get turned into one of us. She couldn't let that happen and it was enough to keep her away from our activities. Since the Serafino clan was the biggest vampire clan at the time, you were given over to its leader, Ros. Something changed when he met you. You hated him – as you did all vampires. But he on the other hand, he fell for your beauty. The innocence of your smile drew him to you like a magnet. To you, your engagement was for the safety of your people but Ros was enchanted by your presence. The engagement took place but it was the start of something forbidden. His brother got to meet you and felt the same enchantment. A fire sparked between you two somewhere along the line and the affair began. Ros found out and things got ugly. You fled with your lover - straight to the one person you knew could help you. Your mother, Sophia knew the implications of your actions and cast a reincarnation spell which sent you off to a different lifetime. The consequences were dire. She paid with her life but that was not enough to pacify Ros. I don't want to describe the events that followed but the humans learned a vital lesson.

It was only a matter of time before Ros gave in to his broken heart. When he discovered what your mother had done, he sank further and further into his anger and made his decision to find you in every lifetime. When he did, he killed the mother figure in your life first, before he killed you. It was his way of making you pay for your crime, and that of your mother, Sophia.

I usually got to you too late, something I desperately tried to change. The relationship between vampires and humans changed with time, thanks to civilization. They got better at hunting us, killing a good number of us with their advanced tools. As resilient as the humans became, the vampires remained the smarter race. Of course, we had centuries of experience which the humans lacked. Our new survival strategy became our ability to blend in. Since humans do not hunt what they believe do not exist, we remained safe. However, a few human families transferred the ancient stories to their future generations. Thankfully, most other humans considered it folklore and never believed it. It was a good thing for the vampires because all we needed to survive was fuel their disbelief and stay hidden in plain sight. I don't want to lose you to Ros and his anger anymore, Selena. I want to keep you safe until Halloween passes so that this time, we can be together longer. We can use the added time to figure out how to keep you safe for good."

When Ryan stopped talking, I was silent for a while. It was a pretty messed up situation and I hated Ros even more. He never deserved my heart in the first place and I was pretty sure that was the reason he never got it.

"Why didn't you just kill Ros?" I asked.

"He's my brother. As much as I dislike his actions, he's still my brother. Besides, I can't - even if I wanted to. Vampires get stronger with age and because we're just seconds apart in age, we're equally matched in strength."

"I think I've had enough of the gloomy past. Tell me something to lift my spirit. How did we fall in love exactly?" I asked.

"Now, that is a very long story." He said, tickling me.

It was a rather unexpected move from him but it helped cheer me up. I was laughing like someone had sprayed nitrous oxide into the air.

"When all of this blows over, we're going to have a long dinner, and I'll tell you exactly how we fell in love." He said, once my giggles subsided.

He kissed me on my forehead and I closed my eyes, still wrapped up in his arms. He was right. Talking about it now, when we had the impending danger of Halloween would dampen its meaning for both of us. I didn't want that. I wanted it to be special.

As I snuggled more into his embrace, I knew one thing for sure. I couldn't wait for Halloween's day to pass.

#  Chapter Nine

Omniscient POV

Trina jumped and let out a startled scream as Ryan appeared beside her passenger window. He quickly opened the door and stepped inside the car, holding a dress that clearly belonged to Selena.

"Drive!" He ordered, with a sense of urgency.

"Jeez! Can you actually try walking to the car next time?" She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I said DRIVE!" He yelled, slamming his fists on the dashboard.

Trina was going to protest about his unruly behavior when she caught a glimpse of two cops exiting Selena's front door from the side of her eye.

"Shoot!" She exclaimed.

She immediately started the car and sped off the side of the road. She took the first bend off the main street and drove around, before joining the main street again some distance ahead.

"That should throw them off." She grinned.

"Like we'd need that if you had just moved when you were told to!" He snapped.

"Hey! I'm sorry, okay? I thought you were just being dramatic. Jeez!"

"And your reaction to that is throwing on some more drama? Genius!"

"Whatever!" She pouted.

"You're just an overly spoiled human brat." He teased, shaking his head.

"...and you're just an overly creepy vampire bully. If you hadn't kidnapped me, I..."

The sound of sirens behind them caused both of them to fall silent. Trina's eyes widened as the police car came into view on her rear view mirror.

"Oh my gosh!" She exclaimed, stepping on the gas.

"You know what? I'm driving." Ryan stated.

"I can't pull over now... they're gaining on us!" she yelled.

She had barely finished her sentence when she felt herself being lifted into the air. It happened so fast that she registered his action after it had happened. Ryan had switched places with her in a speeding car, with the car maintaining its momentum on the road. He was now on the driver's seat while she found herself seated on the passenger seat.

"Holy crap. That was super awesome!" She exclaimed.

"Put your seat belt on." He said, making her cheeks flush from a mixture of excitement and embarrassment.

She strapped herself on, and Ryan sped off at a frightening speed that made Trina jerk back in her seat and scream out in fear. They were going so fast, they could literally be flying but Ryan had such good control of the car and kept it steady. He took a few bends before slowing down and turning to look at Trina.

"You know, with how loud you're screaming, the cops don't really need to chase us down. They can track us easily with sound!" Ryan laughed, earning himself a death glare from Trina.

"Okay... at least I lost them. Aren't you going to give me credit for that?" He grinned.

Trina gave him 'the palm' and crossed her hands across her chest.

"I can't believe you're pissed at me right now. I just cleaned up your mess!" Ryan faked exasperation.

"Yeah, and almost killed me in the process!" Trina snapped. "Besides, YOU went into a taped off house. This was your mess."

"I had to get something Selena owned." Ryan defended.

"Still. You brought the cops on us." Trina replied.

"Drama queen!" Ryan teased.

"You know what? I like you." Trina smiled.

"That's a shocker! Thirty seconds ago, you hated my guts." He laughed. "I like you too. You're so random."

Trina joined in on the laughter and Ryan steered the car to a halt in the parking lot of a hotel.

"Want to come in?" He asked.

"Of course. We're doing this together." She replied, stepping out of the car.

They entered a luxury, brown themed suite with a massive king sized bed. Trina raced past Ryan at the door and jumped on the bed, causing him to laugh.

"I see you like my suite." He said.

"More like love it!" She grinned. "Is your favorite color brown?"

"Brown holds a special meaning with me." He replied.

"Tell me. Tell me. Tell me!" Trina prodded.

"Don't you just like to know stuff. I thought the reason would be obvious." He laughed. "It's the color of Selena's hair."

"Aww. How cute." Trina gave a pouty smile. "So, what's the plan? When do we jump in - stakes blazing - and get our girl?"

"Calm down, Lara Croft... and there's no such thing as a blazing stake!" Ryan teased, rolling his eyes.

"You know, you're such a kill joy." Trina pouted.

"I thought I was a monster?" Ryan placed his hand on his chest and faked being hurt, causing Trina to laugh.

"More seriously, I'm going to warn her. I'll reach into her thoughts and tell her she's with Ros. Then I'll figure out where Ros plans to take her tomorrow." Ryan stated.

"Tomorrow! Isn't that too risky? Why wait till Halloween's day before finding her? What if we're too late? We should go looking for her today."

"Well, we can't do that for three reasons. First, we don't know where she is at the moment and we can't search an entire city. Second, showing up tomorrow gives me the surprise advantage. Ros is not going to know for sure whether or not I'm coming and third, I don't hear a better plan from you."

"Did you really have to add the third?" Trina frowned. "...and somehow, I'm the drama queen."

Ryan laughed.

"I know you care about Selena. I'll get her before Ros hurts her. I promise." He squeezed Trina's shoulder and offered her a smile.

"Thanks." She replied. "How are you going to reach her mind this time? I thought Ros was making her shut you out?"

"That's exactly why I went over to her house. I have something she owns now, reaching her should be a lot easier."

"Okay... do you want to reach her now?" She asked.

"Sure. Just try not to make any noise." He replied.

Ryan laid on the bed, holding Selena's dress to his chest. He closed his eyes and concentrated, while Trina watched from the wooden chair in the corner. He remained in that position for about five minutes and Trina was beginning to think he had fallen asleep.

"Vampires are not supposed to sleep, right?" She thought to herself.

Ryan's body jolted up from the bed and he placed his palm over his mouth. What got Trina worried though, were the changes that were clearly evident on his face. He was several shades paler and a few droplets of blood fell from his eyes, unto his cheeks. At first she panicked, thinking he was having some sort of crazy blood craving but as she continued to watch him, what was really happening became clear to see.

Ryan was crying!

Trina rushed to his side and squeezed his hand.

"It's okay." She consoled him. "What happened? Is Selena dead?"

Ryan shook his head slowly.

"I saw her... for the first time... in this lifetime..." More droplets fell out of his eyes, forming a red line on his pale cheeks.

Trina understood. He was overwhelmed. Whatever bond they shared had to be so strong. It was clear to see that what he felt for Selena was true love. She pulled him into her arms and hugged him.

"I never thought the day would come when I'd have to hug a vampire to stop him from crying." Trina said, still holding him.

Ryan chuckled, seemingly gaining his composure again. He pulled out of the hug and wiped his cheeks. The pale color of his skin slowly faded and he regained his original light olive complexion.

"Thanks, Trina." He said. "I didn't know I was going to be so overwhelmed. I haven't seen her in a long time."

Trina smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"Were you able to warn her?" She asked.

"Yeah, I told her not to believe Ros's lies but she freaked out. She shut me out before I could tell her anything else." He replied.

"You're going to have to explain the lifetime thing you mentioned earlier but for now, I'll assume it makes sense to me." Trina said, causing Ryan to laugh.

"If Selena keeps shutting you out, she's probably scared of you. Maybe she thinks you're Ros. Why don't you try approaching her with happy thoughts? Like a sweet memory you guys share. Once she's calm, you can warn her or try to ask her questions." She added.

"You know you're a really smart one, right?" Ryan smiled. "I didn't think of that."

"Yeah, you can have my autograph later." Trina smirked.

"I don't know what I'll do with you." Ryan laughed. "...but thank you."

"You're welcome." Trina smiled. "Don't forget to show me how you met Selena tonight."

"Oh, I won't." Ryan replied.

"I'm going to step out for a bit. While I'm gone, you can call room service for anything you want."

"Where are you going without me?" Trina pouted.

"Tomorrow's a big day, Trina. I need to feed in order to function at my best."

With that, Ryan stepped out of the suite and closed the door behind him.

#  Chapter Ten

Omniscient POV

Ryan got back to the suite at 9:30 pm and grinned at Trina. He looked just a tad happier than before he left and his skin tone was a few shades deeper.

"Hey there! Miss me?" He asked.

"You have no idea." She replied. "Why did it take you so long? Did you feed on the entire city?"

"Just half of it." Ryan grinned.

Trina shook her head and threw the fashion magazine in her hand at him. He easily dodged it and smirked.

"With that aim, you'll definitely win the 'world's best sniper' award." He teased.

Trina stuck her tongue out at him and laid back on the bed.

"I hope you got me a change of clothes because you ruined my shirt with your blood... um... tears."

"What part of 'call room service for ANYTHING you need' didn't you quite get? A mall isn't exactly my go-to place for a meal." He smirked.

Trina rolled her eyes and picked up the phone beside the bed. Three minutes later, she was done.

"They'll have a rack up in five minutes." She announced excitedly.

"Good." Ryan smiled.

He was about to sit beside her when Trina made a seemingly ridiculous observation.

"I don't see you wearing a daylight amulet."

"A what?" He arched his eyebrow like he had no clue what she was talking about.

"A daylight amulet... You know, the little black ring, bracelet or necklace with a spell cast by a witch that makes vampires able to move around in daylight?" She explained with a shrug.

Ryan burst into a fit of laughter.

"You don't really believe that, do you? There's no such thing. At least, none that I know of."

Trina looked at him wide eyed.

"Um... So, how do you move around in daylight?"

"By performing a rare ritual of swallowing fireballs every morning."

Trina's face immediately grew pale like all the blood had been drained from it.

"I'm just kidding." Ryan laughed. "Did you see your face? It was priceless!"

Trina buried her face in her palms and laughed.

"I can kill you right now, Ryan Soille!" She looked up and yelled.

"...and you'll relish the dark feeling of satisfaction. Why don't I do it for you then?" Ryan asked, placing his hands over his jaw like he was about to snap his neck.

"No!" Trina yelled.

"Oh." Ryan paused. "The ice-hearted princess cares after all."

"I'm not ice-hearted... and I don't care! I'm just a super nice person." She shrugged, making Ryan laugh again.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you. The Serafino clan of vampires like many other clans, are day-walkers. There are just a handful of clans that can't walk in daylight these days. As a vampire, you're either a night-walker or a day-walker. There's no amulet to keep you safe in daylight. If you're not a day-walker, you can't walk in daylight. Period." He explained.

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door, accompanied by a feminine voice that said 'room service'. Trina opened the door and smiled as a young lady pushed an iron rack of clothes into the suite.

"Oh my Gosh! There's no way I can make just one choice." Trina exclaimed, after flipping through the hangers.

She stood back and stared at the rack with delighted eyes.

"You can keep the entire rack if you want." Ryan shrugged.

"Really?"

"Um-hum." He replied.

"I'm keeping it!" She announced to the smiling lady who nodded and left.

As soon as they were alone, Trina jumped into Ryan's arms.

"Thank you so much!" She said excitedly, hugging him tighter. "I'm so going to get myself a vampire boyfriend."

"Aww. I'd have been flattered but I'm too busy trying to forget you threatened to kill me ten minutes ago!"

Trina laughed.

"You're such a drama king." She said, and stuck her index finger into the air. "...but I like it. I like that you don't let things get you down."

"Why, thank you." He smiled. "So, are you ready to see how I met Selena?"

The smile on his face was child-like. Trina could tell he was excited to relive the memory again.

"Sure. But don't I have to be asleep first?" She asked.

"I can compel you to go to sleep." Ryan winked, causing Trina to laugh.

Five minutes later, Trina was soundly asleep. When she opened her eyes, she was in a ballroom of some sort, amidst several other invited guests at the Soille mansion in 1889.

Several men dressed predominantly in long black coats that stopped below their knees, white shirts, black pants, long black hats and bow ties chatted loudly with one another in circles. Some smoked big cigars and many others drank from patterned wine goblets. Beside them stood fair ladies, clad in long taffeta silk gowns with puffy hands and even puffier skirts. The ladies were clearly not invited to the conversations. They merely stood as spectators, with smiles on their faces and agreeable nods for their leading men whenever they looked their way. A dark haired singer dressed in a long red satin gown with thin straps, long black velvet gloves and a black hat with black netting that covered most of her face sang a slow sensual tune from a stage built in the far corner. Her red lips moved suggestively as the words left her lips, visually aided by the movement of her hands and the sway of her hips.

Trina stood among these people, seemingly invisible to them. She looked around at the splendor of the mansion, its art pieces and creatively excellent chandeliers. It felt like being in an ancient castle with not enough time to explore the beautiful antiques. As her eyes hovered around, she spotted Ryan in the crowd. He was dressed similarly to most of the men in the room but his coat was much shorter and had a collar lined with purple velvet. He held a black cane with a golden head as an accessory, and sipped from a plain wine glass.

Trina walked over to him and grinned.

"There you are!" She said, tapping him on the shoulder.

He didn't seem to notice. He turned around to face someone calling his name and kissed the blushing young lady on her cheeks. They continued having a conversation he was clearly not interested in. The lady clung to his arm and giggled at everything that came out of his mouth, which was rarely more than two words at a time.

The music stopped abruptly and everyone turned their gaze to the door. A long line of men dressed in all black - shirts, trousers, coats, hats and shoes - walked into the ballroom in two rows. Right at the end of the line, was another Ryan... No. It was Ros Soille.

"Shouldn't you have come in with the council?" Trina heard the lady clinging to Ryan ask him.

"Let's just say I'm not interested." He replied, gulping down the content of his glass.

She gave him a curious look just as Trina turned her gaze back to Ros.

He was absolutely gorgeous. He looked everything like Ryan but his eyes were darker. He had a mysterious look and charm to him that Trina couldn't explain. Everything about him screamed BAD, but it was the kind of bad that got you curious... too curious not to explore.

As Trina stood there drooling over Ros, all heads turned to the door once again and silence fell on the room like a soft wind. Standing at the entrance was Selena, all poised and elegant like a princess. Her long brown tresses fell graciously past her shoulders, held behind her by two braids woven from the side of her head, and trapping the rest of her hair in place. Her hair stopped just under her butt and naturally drew the eyes to its curve. Though she was not smiling, her face was bright and had such innocence that made one want to treat her with nothing but tender care. Her brown eyebrows were perfectly aligned from her cute nose which sat pretty on her face. Her best feature in Trina's opinion, were her full red lips which had a natural pout to them. Selena Ryder was breathtakingly gorgeous in her light pink ball gown and crown made of white lilies.

"Today, we celebrate!" A young man who came in with the long line of men announced. "The humans have met our demands and I present to you, the sorceress's daughter, Selena!"

"Yeah!!!"

The applause, chants and whistles from the guests was deafening. They continued to cheer as Selena walked forward towards Ros, who was standing at the other side of the ballroom. Trina's eyes turned to Ryan and she could see that he was frozen in place. He no longer responded to the continuous chit chat of the lady beside him and instead, he stared at Selena like someone in awe would.

Selena got to Ros and yelled the word 'monster' to his face, completely shocking everyone in the crowd.

The gasps and whispers that followed were clearly audible as they filtered through the previously silent ballroom. Ros smacked her across the face in response. The sound of the slap echoed across the room, causing it to fall as silent as a graveyard. Trina cringed at Ros's action and she could see that Ryan was even more affected. His hands were balled into fists at his sides and his eyes grew several shades darker. He walked out of the ballroom, leaving his lady companion and everyone else behind.

"Let the celebration continue." Ros ordered, causing Trina to turn back to him.

He walked out of the ballroom too, leaving Selena standing there with the rest of the clan. The music restarted and people went back to drinking, smoking and chatting. Trina decided to explore the rest of the mansion. She was already tired of being an uninvited eavesdropper on conversations she had no clue what they were about. She found herself on a balcony, overlooking the dark forest in front of the mansion. She immediately recognized the pale pink gown and long brown hair of the girl standing a few paces from her. It was Selena - and she was crying.

Trina ran to her and hugged her. Just like Ryan, Selena didn't seem to notice she was there. She just clutched the locket on her neck and balled her eyes out.

"You know; I wear my mother's locket too."

Ryan's voice coming from behind them caused both girls to turn around. His face was as calm as the sea, and no longer had the enraged expression it had in the ballroom. He smiled at Selena and approached.

"I know that the locket keeps her close." He added, when he stood in front of her.

He was a good foot taller than she was and from where Trina stood, it looked like their bodies could fit together perfectly if they ever decided to hug.

Selena frowned at him with eyes that seemed ablaze.

"Get away from me!" She yelled.

Ryan smiled and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'm sorry he hit you." He said, as if he didn't hear her yell at him.

Selena looked at him like she was surprised.

"...You hit me." She whispered.

"Oh!" He rolled his eyes. "That happens all the time and it's quite upsetting. I'm not Ros, I promise."

Selena looked at him like she didn't believe him.

"Can't you tell I'm more handsome?" He gave a shocked expression.

"Come on, Ros doesn't hold a candle to this!" He added, pointing at his face.

"This little conversation is over, brother. The sorceress's daughter must retire to her chambers." Ros's voice came from behind Ryan. He walked into the balcony and stood beside him.

Selena's wide eyes showed how surprised she was. She must have thought Ryan was lying about not being Ros. Looking at them standing side by side, Trina could tell the Soille twins were very identical. However, Ryan didn't have that dark and terribly attractive charm she saw in Ros.

As Selena made her way into the mansion, she turned back and looked at Ryan one more time. He grinned at her but she just turned around and left.

Trina's eyelids fluttered open and she was back on the king sized bed in Ryan's suite. Ryan was lying on the other side of the bed, facing the ceiling with his eyes closed.

#  Chapter Eleven

Selena's POV

I stepped out of the bathroom, wearing a pink Hello Kitty nightie Ryan had picked out for me. I didn't want to dress suggestively since we were spending the night on the same bed but I couldn't help it. The fabric was so soft and smooth. I knew I had to wear it tonight.

"At least if things get ugly tomorrow, I'll know I had a comfortable night sleep on my last day alive."

I brushed my hair and held it up in a sleep bun. I realized I was paying attention to every little detail about my appearance. I guessed that was what happened when one realized they literally might be dead the next day. As soon as Ryan saw me, his eyes grew hungry - so hungry that his stare made my cheeks heat up. His eyes became this really deep shade of green I hadn't seen before and I could feel them burning holes into my skin.

"Um... I was... um... trying to sleep... um... comfortably." My weak explanation stumbled out of my mouth like the words were colliding with each other on the way out.

Ryan didn't say anything. He was in front of me before I could blink. I really hadn't seen him move that fast for some time, and it startled me. I wanted to scream and jump back but he swept me into his arms and held me on the spot. The way he looked at me was different. It was like he knew something he wasn't telling me. It was deep, sexy and inviting... so inviting that I was having a hard time remaining on my feet. He picked me up and I instinctively wrapped my legs around him. I knew my actions were definitely going to put ideas in his head but I couldn't help it. I couldn't fight it anymore.

My body wanted him... I wanted him.

He pushed me a little higher up his frame, so that I was looking down at his green – scratch that – very green eyes. He slowly turned around, spinning me in the air like a father would to his little girl when he was dancing with her. There was no music in the room but I didn't care. I had since drowned in the beautiful green oceans of his eyes.

Ryan held me up with one hand and slowly slid the other up my back, all the way to my neck. He pulled my neck down and I obeyed, brushing my lips against his. At first, it was a soft kiss. It quickly became a hungry one as I pushed my lips further into his. I closed my eyes and wrapped my hands around his neck, while allowing him drown me in his lips... over and over again. He moved me over to the bed and laid me down gently on the sheets. His hand traveled down my side to the exposed skin on my legs and everywhere his hand touched exploded in pleasure. I knew this was it - the special time I had been waiting for my entire teenage life.

Ryan kissed my neck all the way to my shoulders before coming back up to my lips. I welcomed his lips happily... hungrily too. I wanted more of him, so much more than I wanted to admit. As if reading my mind, he broke the kiss and looked deep into my eyes.

"I want you."

His voice was so deep and husky that I had to curl my fingers and toes to stop myself from ripping his clothes off. I tried to reply but the words collided with themselves at the back of my throat. All I could do was nod my consent. I knew he would do everything in his power to protect me but if somehow he couldn't, at least I'd know he gave me a beautiful farewell.

Ryan gave a small smile when he saw me nod. I was so lost in his eyes that I didn't notice when he took his clothes off. He held himself up with his elbows, so he wouldn't put the weight of his frame directly on my slim body. It was a sweet thing to do, and in that moment, I confirmed that I wanted him to have me.

...and he did.

He wrapped his arms tightly around me and I closed my eyes as he took me on a journey of passion. Our bodies rose and fell as one, gliding passionately to the music only we produced. He kissed and bit lightly on my lips as he took me to a crescendo of heights and even higher heights. My lips moaned, and my body shivered as his explosion overtook me – over and over again.

Then it fell silent.

All that could be heard was panting... my panting.

Ryan was as calm as the sea in low tide. He looked down at me and smiled.

"I love you." I whispered.

The words had left my lips before I could stop them. What followed them was fear. What if he didn't say he loved me back? But we were married in the past. He must love me, right? It's why he went through all the trouble to save me from his brother, right?

Ryan placed his index finger on my chest and kissed my lips one more time.

"Tell me again when tomorrow ends." He whispered.

It wasn't the reply I was expecting but it was still a very sweet thing to say. I kissed him on his cheek and rested my head on his chest. I could feel his body rise and fall as he wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"Goodnight." I heard him say into my hair.

"Goodnight." I replied, closing my eyes to sleep.

I opened my eyes and found myself in a garden of beautiful growing flowers. They were on either side of the cobblestone path on which I stood. I could smell them in the chilly night air - roses, daises, lavenders and Jasmines. Together, they combined with the chilly air outside to put an enchanting fragrance around my surroundings, and a pure smile on my face. I was excited, I could tell... and it had nothing to do with the flowers. I felt strong arms wrap around my waist. I seemed to know who they belonged to because I smiled before I turned around to face him. The person behind me was Ryan Soille, the one for which my heart beat... the one who made me believe not all monsters were truly monsters. His soft lips pressed against my neck and the pleasure they brought was undeniable. I turned around and met dark green eyes. The bright smile on his face lit his eyes up, making them appear softer than they did at first.

"How's my favorite lady doing this evening?" He asked.

"I thought I was your ONLY lady." I replied, laughing.

He joined my laughter and pulled me into his arms. It was a rich, deep laughter - one that came right out of the soul. It delighted me and made me feel like I didn't have a care in the world.

"My brother's with the council." He said, smiling.

I rolled my eyes.

"Like you have to bring him up in a perfect moment."

"I only said that so you'll be comfortable enough for me to do this." He said, looking deep into my eyes.

I was going to ask what this was when his lips met mine in our very first kiss.

It felt like fireworks, waterfalls and butterflies - a combination of explosion, serene calm and pure bliss. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips harder against his, feeling his hands grab my waist even tighter.

"Selena!" I heard someone growl my name.

It wasn't from anywhere around me. I turned around in shock and confusion, wondering where such a harsh tone had come from.

My eyelids flung open and I found myself in bed, staring at the very angry face of Ryan Soille.

#  Chapter Twelve

Selena's POV

My eyes widened in shock at the sight of Ryan frowning right in front of my face.

"Are you... okay?" I stammered.

"If you didn't ruin my attempt at waking you up in a sexy way, then maybe I would be." He whined.

"Really, Ryan?" I asked, sitting up on the bed and kissing him on his lips. "You're acting like a two-year-old."

He smiled and kissed me again.

"It's our anniversary... and happy Halloween's day." He grinned.

"Happy anniversary... and Halloween's day." I replied, though I still had no memory of a wedding with him or anyone else for that matter.

"I got you something." He said, getting up from the bed and walking to the closet.

"Is it a costume?" I asked, giving him a curious look.

"You can call it that, if your goal is to be my bride." He grinned.

I had no idea what he was talking about but when he pulled a dress off the hanger and turned around to face me, time stood still. It was the most beautiful white dress I had ever seen. It was slim and long, made of the whitest of Charmeuse fabric that flowed to the ground flawlessly. The top of the dress was made of sheer white fabric, adorned with an intricate combination of patterns and white diamonds cut into tiny little pieces of complete preciousness. Everything about the dress was brightly white, except the bow at the waist which was a deep red, the same shade as blood.

"Wow." I gasped. "When did you get this?"

"Do you like it?" He asked.

"Are you kidding me? I love it! Oh my gosh..." I ran off the bed and ran my fingers against the fabric.

"I got it while you were asleep." He smiled.

The dress screamed 'Touch Me' and felt just as smooth and silky as it looked. For a moment, I forgot the impending doom of the day. I lived in that moment and loved every second. That was until Ryan put the dress back in the closet and turned to me.

"Every lifetime since your mother cast the reincarnation spell, I would try to get to you first. I would search everywhere to find you and always show up too late. My heart would break over and over again but I always hoped to find you first in the next lifetime... well, human lifetime. It's the same one for me." Ryan gave a sad smile before he continued. "This time, I did. I want the moment to be special. I want to spend the day with you like Ros never happened. I want to see you in that dress and know that you're mine. I don't want any distractions... not the Halloween frenzy outside, not the thought of Ros, nothing. I just want us to be with each other throughout the day. I've made arrangements to take you somewhere. It's a cathedral just outside of town. It's abandoned now, so we don't have to worry about people coming in and distracting us. It's also the last place my brother will think of looking for you. All I need is for you to wear this dress I got you and come with me."

I rushed into his arms and kissed him. I moved my fingers through his hair and melted my body into his. Everything he said resonated with me in more ways than one and I could only imagine how heartbroken he must have felt all those times he had to watch his brother hurt me. I was grateful not to have any memory of the number of times Ros had supposedly killed me because I would surely have turned out twisted if I did.

"Do you have a plan to keep Ros away from us even if he shows up at some point today?" I asked.

"I do... and this time, I'm ready to give it my all." He replied, looking deep into my eyes.

I kissed him again and hugged him for another two minutes before pulling away from him.

"I shouldn't keep you waiting any longer than necessary." I smiled, walking to the bathroom and closing the door behind me.

When I got out of the shower, Ryan went in to take a bath. I used the opportunity to put the gorgeous white dress on. I was brushing my hair in front of the mirror when he stepped out of the bathroom.

"Vampires sure bathe fast." I teased, causing him to laugh.

"I have a glam squad coming in for that." He said, pointing at my hair.

"A glam squad?"

"If I didn't know better, I would have thought you were planning to give me a surprise wedding." I laughed, looking at his beautiful green eyes.

He laughed again and swept me into his arms. He planted a soft kiss on my lips before placing me back down again. There was a knock on the door and he was there to open it before the person could tap the door a second time. It was his glam squad with their boxes of makeup and hair products.

"I want to see it when everything is done, so just stop by at the reception on your way out." He told the squad.

"Sure." The lady in charge replied, and Ryan walked out of the room.

The squad got to work immediately and twenty minutes later, they were gone. I looked at the mirror and even I was impressed at how beautiful the girl who stared back at me was. I smiled at myself in the mirror and caught a glimpse of Ryan from the side of my eye.

"Wow!" I heard him say, just as I turned around.

"It's beautiful, right?" I smiled.

"You have no idea how hard it is for me to keep my hands to myself right now. I feel like ripping that dress to pieces and making you mine again." He replied, forcing my cheeks to blush.

I self-consciously placed my hands on my cheeks and giggled as Ryan teased me.

"Aww. Don't be shy, my sweet little cutie." He laughed. "Shall we?"

"Sure." I replied, walking out of the hotel room behind him.

It was still the early hours of the morning so the road was free of traffic. We got to the abandoned cathedral Ryan mentioned and exited the car. From outside, I could see it was a very big one. It looked like a royal cathedral of some sort and I wondered why anyone would leave it abandoned. I didn't have time to wonder too much because Ryan grabbed my hand and pulled me into the building. Once we got inside, I was surprised. It was completely empty with a few broken pieces of wood and metal scattered around several corners.

"Um... I thought you said you made arrangements for us to have a beautiful day here." I asked, smiling just in case there was something I was missing. "There's nothing here, Ryan. It's empty."

Ryan looked at me and smiled.

"How does it feel to be hopeful for something only to find out at the last minute that you've been fooled?" He asked, and I could see his eyes had grown several shades darker.

"I... um... don't... understand." I mumbled. "Ryan?"

He cut me off before I could ask any more questions.

"What's so difficult to understand?" He snapped. "How does it feel to be made an idiot by someone you believed you could trust?"

A combination of confusion and fear hit me like a wave crashing unto a sandy shore. What was he trying to say? I knew it was Halloween's day and people tried to prank others but he didn't sound like he was kidding.

"Ryan?" I croaked again, hoping he would just stop with the acting because he was really beginning to scare me.

"It's Ros!" He snapped.

My eyes widened and my legs seemed to buckle under my weight. The walls of the cathedral immediately felt like they were closing in on me. I didn't understand the combination of feelings I was experiencing but I knew what the mixture produced - FEAR.

I took a step back as a confused frown plastered itself on my face. My only instinct was to run back outside and I tried to do so. He was right in front of me before I could complete the movement. His hand wrapped around my neck, cutting off my air supply. It was in that moment I knew for sure that he wasn't kidding.

This was Ros Soille... and I had been fooled.

I couldn't believe it. I told him I loved him. I gave him my body. My virginity. My special prize for the love of my life. Tears flooded my eyes but not only because he was squeezing my windpipe. I was hurt, emotionally shattered and completely confused. My mouth opened but no words came out. All I could do was gag and kick at him.

"How could I not have known?"

I thought about all the times I had dreamt of Ryan – the real Ryan telling me I was with Ros, begging me to let him in and I didn't. I felt myself being lifted off the ground as he continued to squeeze my neck. Once my body was suspended in the air, I felt the quick movement. I had been thrown through the air and my body slammed into the wall in the corner opposite the door. My head hit the wall with so much force, I was shocked I didn't pass out immediately.

"I told you I made arrangements for this place. I actually did. Just not the type you were expecting." He sneered.

I didn't need to ask what he meant because cold air slammed me from every side and in less than thirty seconds, I was shivering.

"You know something, Selena? I'm very disappointed in you. Really. Is this the best you can do? I expected you to at least put up a fight. You did in every other lifetime." He taunted.

I would have put up a fight if I was in any condition to do so. My head felt like it was expanding and contracting repeatedly and every movement was extremely painful. I thought if I could just focus my mind, maybe the real Ryan would be able to reach me. I didn't even know what I was going to tell him if he did. The only thing I could think of was HELP.

With the cold around me and the ringing pain in my head, focusing on anything was impossible. I couldn't get my mind blank. It was completely filled with pain and horror.

"You know, I'm even more disappointed in my brother. I expected him to at least show up and try to stop me. It doesn't matter if he's going to end up watching me drain the life out of his pathetic little human slut. Don't you think he should have been man enough to show up? But guess what? He's not here. He failed to find you - in yet another lifetime. I really don't know why you picked him over me. Is he good at anything other than ravishing you?"

I was still very confused. Perhaps if the cathedral wasn't so cold, I would have been able to think of something... anything to help me get away.

"Shall we?" He asked, walking up to me with a satisfied grin.

I didn't need to ask what he wanted. He picked me up and held my right hand out in front of me. Then he pushed my pinky all the way back until I heard a snap. A ringing pain overwhelmed me and I screamed out loud. I tried to pull my hand out of his grip but he was too strong. I didn't know which was worse. The pain from my finger or the biting cold my entire body was exposed to.

"How did I describe it in the book again? Can you remind me?" He asked. "Oh. I know. I'm going to break every little cheating bone in your worthless body and I hope my brother still finds you desirable after that." He gave me a wicked grin.

"Come on, don't act so surprised. Who did you think wrote the Selena Ryder book? Someone who cared enough to try and save you from me? Please!" He taunted.

I couldn't believe it. He wrote the Selena Ryder book? That revelation was the least of my worries. I needed to find a way out of there. I couldn't give up and let him break any other bone in my body. I could barely handle the pain from the first one, along with the bitter, numbing cold.

"I don't think this place is cold enough." He said, picking me up and throwing me against another wall.

This time, it was my back that impacted the stone structure. I let out a cry of pain as my body slumped unto the pile of scattered wood around me. That was when I thought of it. Wood! If there was anything I knew about vampires, it was the fact that a wooden stake through their hearts would kill them. It was the best chance I had of saving myself from the despicable death that awaited me. I looked around for any piece that had a pointed end and while he was distracted with decreasing the temperature in the cathedral, I picked one up and hid it in my dress. I knew he was much faster than me, so my best option was to wait for him to come to me. Perhaps if he picked me up again to throw me against a wall, I would drive the wood into his heart with all my might. It was the only plan I could think of at the time and I believed it was a good plan. Ros turned around and smirked once he made the cathedral even colder.

"Who's the idiot now?" He asked, moving towards me with unnatural speed.

He grabbed me by the neck again and when I was in the air, I brought out the stake hidden by my side and aimed straight for his heart. He caught my arm easily and laughed.

"Was this your grand plan? Your heroic escape?" He taunted me in a cold, sarcastic voice. "What were you thinking? That I'll be distracted enough not to hear you drag your clumsy body on the ground to pick this stupid stick up? What even makes you feel a stupid stick will do anything to hurt me?"

All the blood drained from my face along with any trace of hope I had at the possibility of my survival.

"I asked you a question. Who's the idiot now?" He yelled, smacking me across the face and throwing my body against another wall.

This time, he flung me with a lot more force than all the other times. When my body bounced off the wall, I fell at an uncomfortable angle and twisted my ankle. The pain that rang through my body was numbing. I had no idea why I still felt the pain. I should have passed out by now. Why on earth was I still awake in the freezing cold, while my body was getting tossed into walls like a ball?

Ros moved towards me with his enhanced speed and I closed my eyes while waiting for his impact. I could no longer cry or scream. The cold was too numbing for me to move. Even breathing had become a chore and I felt like I was having frostbite on my fingers.

I heard a crashing sound and then a thud – but it wasn't my body hitting anything. I could hear the whoosh sound of objects moving very fast. When I managed to drag my eyelids open, all I saw was a blur. I couldn't make anything out but it looked like Ros was being fought off by someone just as fast as him. That was when I realized why all I could see was the blur. Ros was indeed being fought off but it was happening way too fast for my eyes to capture the images. The biting cold was beginning to reduce, like someone turned off whatever cooling system Ros was using to freeze me in the cathedral. The next thing I heard was a whisper – Someone was whispering my name. At first, I thought I imagined it but the person was persistent. With each whisper, the blur of fighting vampires moved closer to me and somehow moved further away again. I could hear loud punching sounds and angry screams but it was happening too fast for me to see.

"Selena..."

I heard it one more time and turned my eyes in the direction of the sound. I could make out the facial outline of the person calling my name - but the image was too blurred for me to actually recognize who it was.

Whoever it was ran to me and began pulling me away from the fighting blur.

"You're going to be okay." I heard the person say, as they continued to pull me towards an exit. I was completely overwhelmed. In my heart I was thankful to whoever it was but I couldn't even speak to thank them. I held on to my consciousness by a thin thread, as we neared an exit that was different from the one Ros brought me in through. I was half way through the exit when I heard the guttural scream of pain from the person who was pulling me out. I barely saw the person falling but I heard the thud. The whoosh and whirling sound of fast moving wind surrounded me right after that. I tried so hard to figure out what was going on but I couldn't. The communication between my mind and body had been severed. I laid helplessly on the ground in a barely conscious pile, just as darkness enveloped me.

#  Chapter Thirteen

Omniscient POV

"Trina?" Ryan whispered, tapping her lightly on the shoulder.

Trina stretched and yawned, shifting into a more comfortable position as her body stirred awake.

"Hey, buddy." Ryan said, giving her a sad smile.

"Good morning." She whispered, smiling back at him. "What's with the half smile?"

"My trip down Selena's memory didn't go too well." He replied.

Trina immediately sat up on the bed as realization set in.

"Holy crap! It's Halloween's day." She exclaimed. "How bad was it?"

"Well, it was pretty good in the beginning, but then I felt Ros trying to get in her head. He must have sensed me there too and snapped her out of it because she shut me out right after." He replied.

"He's with her. What the hell is he doing in her head?" Trina let out a frustrated sigh.

"I don't know... but I know Ros. He'll most likely be enraged to sense me in her head, which means he might have set out with his plans already." Ryan replied.

"What?" Trina yelled. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"It just happened. I didn't get the chance to ask Selena where Ros plans to take her and I'm still trying to figure it out."

Ryan paused and rubbed his palms on his face.

"Please tell me it's the morning of Halloween, the day when your evil twin brother plans to kill my friend and the love of your life as you claim, and you have no idea where to find them." Trina threw her hands into the air dramatically and gave Ryan a shocked look.

"It's the morning of Halloween, the day when..."

"Ryan!" Trina cut him off. "Now's not the time for..."

"Hey. Relax, tiger. I can't think when you're nagging." He interjected. "There are three possible places he can take her. I just need to go with my gut on the exact one he'll choose in this lifetime - but my gut isn't telling me anything."

"What are the three options?" She asked.

"The original Soille mansion where the affair happened, the cathedral where Selena and I exchanged our vows, and Sophia's temple where the reincarnation spell was cast to send Selena off in 1889." He replied. "Ros picks one at random every lifetime."

"...and these three places are in this city?" Trina asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, more like at the three ends of the city. Ros alternates between these places to kill her because he knows they're special to me. He does it to throw me off. It's like his own little real life chess game. I have to guess which one he plans on taking her, and show up at the time he brings her there. If I miss, she dies. If I don't, I get to save her." Ryan closed his eyes and squeezed his temples.

"Um... just out of curiosity, how many lifetimes have you figured out the right one?" Trina asked.

"Zero." Ryan replied, casting his gaze to the floor like a dejected puppy.

"That's encouraging!" Trina said sarcastically. "We might as well pick out our funeral clothes."

"Damn it. I was so close this time. Why didn't I just find her first?" Ryan punched the wall in frustration.

"What if we check all three?" Trina asked, causing him to stop and look at her.

"What?"

"Yeah, like actually check all three. You can move faster than my car so we can start from Sophia's temple. If she's not there, then we go to the cathedral and finally the Soille mansion. If we're lucky, we might find her in Sophia's temple and not have to go to the other two." Trina replied.

"...and if we're not, we'll find her dead when we finally arrive. Besides, using my enhanced speed takes a toll on me. If I go to Sophia's temple and she's not there, by the time I get to the cathedral, I'll be too weak to beat Ros. He'll end up killing her and I'll be forced to watch. No thanks. It's too painful." Ryan looked away.

"Is it less painful to do nothing and wait for her to die?" Trina asked.

"I'm not going to do nothing. I'll just try to figure out the right one."

"How? You know what? Never mind. How fast do you get energy after feeding?" She asked him.

"I don't know exactly but it pretty fast. Blood is like a hyper active energy drink. Why?"

"You can feed once we locate her. You'll get the energy you need and then you can fight Ros." She replied.

"These three places are abandoned now, Trina. I know it's Halloween's day, but it's still too early for people to be roaming the streets in their costumes. Chances are, there won't be anyone around to feed on." Ryan stated.

"There will. You'll be feeding on me." Trina looked straight at him.

"Hell no!" Ryan frowned. "I'm not going to feed on you."

"Ryan, I know how much you care about Selena and I know you won't be able to live with yourself if she dies in yet another lifetime - especially since you know my suggestion can save her. We don't have a better plan right now so why not use this one?"

"Feeding hurts. I'm actually going to bite you and drain you..."

"I know how it works. It's for a good cause." Trina encouraged him. "It'll be just like donating blood to an injured patient in a hospital."

"Let's just hope we find her in the temple." Ryan replied, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of feeding on her. "Get dressed as fast as you can."

Trina and Ryan arrived at Sophia's temple, only to find it empty. There was no trace of anyone being there, at least not in recent times.

"Do you sense anyone around?" Trina asked.

"Nope." He replied.

"Okay, wrong pick. I'm sorry. Let's go to the cathedral." Trina said.

Ryan picked Trina up and ran as fast as he could. By the time he got to the cathedral, he had begun to pant.

"I see tire marks." Trina said. "It looks like they're here."

Ryan activated his enhanced hearing to pick the sounds coming from inside the cathedral.

"I can hear Ros. He's hurting her!"

Ryan made to rush inside the building when Trina pulled him back.

"You need to feed. I can see you panting. You can't face Ros when you're weak. He'll beat you and hurt Selena. You don't want that so please, just feed first. Trust me, it's okay." She said.

Ryan held her hand and looked deep into her eyes.

"Thank you." He said.

"It's fine." She smiled at him.

"Don't remember the pain." He looked into her eyes again but this time, he compelled her.

Ryan lowered his head to her neck and sank his fangs in. Trina shuddered and held on to him as tight as she could, suppressing the tears that were threatening to make their way out of her eyes. She knew she was doing this for Selena. She couldn't stand back and do nothing when there was something she could do to save her friend's life. She also knew Selena was not her only reason for doing this. She was doing it for Ryan too. Whether or not she admitted it, the past two days she had spent with him were memorable and in that time, she had managed to develop certain feelings for him. While she still couldn't place what those feelings were exactly, she knew she cared for him deeply. She understood and respected his feelings for Selena but that didn't take away the flutters in her heart every time he smiled. Ryan eventually raised his head and gasped, releasing his grip on her shoulders. His eyes momentarily turned blood shot red before clearing out to their normal color again.

"I'm going in." He said. "I'll try to keep Ros occupied. Get Selena out of there as fast as you can... and please, be careful."

Trina nodded and ran towards the side of the building. Cathedrals always had multiple entrances and if Ryan was taking the main entrance, Ros was most likely going to engage him there. She knew her best chance of getting Selena out would be through a different entrance. As she ran, she hoped above all things that their plan would work. By the time Trina peered in through the side entrance, Ryan and Ros were engaged in a face-off. She couldn't really see what was going on clearly because they were moving way too fast for her eyes to capture. She turned her focus from them and tried to locate Selena. Once she did, she called out to her in a whisper. Selena did not respond. Trina noticed the blood dripping out the side of Selena's head and could tell she was badly injured. The only way to get her out of there was to go inside and pull her out - and that was exactly what she did. Trina succeeded in pulling Selena away from the brawling brothers and had almost made it out of the cathedral when she felt someone pull her from behind. Before she could register the movement, she felt the searing pain of fangs sinking into her neck with a clearly different intent than the one Ryan had used when he fed on her moments earlier. Ros had gotten to her somehow, and buried his fangs deep inside her flesh. She let out a blood curdling scream as her legs gave way beneath her, causing her body to fall to the ground with a thud. Everything around her suddenly became blurry, disappearing from her vision one detail after another. She felt her body weakening and her breath getting shallower. She tried to move but realized she had lost control of her body. It no longer responded to her. Instead, it remained on the ground in a motionless pile. Though the sound she heard was faint and sounded like it was coming from afar, Trina could tell it was Ryan. He was screaming... no, he was roaring at Ros. Trina lost consciousness as her eyelids finally slid shut. Everything around her went blank, as with every other thought Ryan had.

With one final scream of rage, Ryan plunged a sharp silver stake straight through Ros's heart.

#  Chapter Fourteen

Selena's POV

I woke up on a soft bed with pillows tucked nicely under my head. For the first few seconds, I was lost. I remembered the events that happened before everything went blank and it was strange that I wasn't feeling any pain. Everything else around me felt strange. I could tell that I was in an unfamiliar bedroom. I turned my head around to see if I could recognize anything in the room that would let me know where I was, when my eyes caught sight of Ros sitting in the corner. My blood froze within my veins. Adrenalin immediately pumped into my bloodstream, springing my muscles into action. I let out a loud shriek filled with terror as I dashed off the bed and raced towards the only door I could see.

The monster was in front of me before I reached the door, holding me and stopping me from leaving. I closed my eyes and screamed at the top of my lungs, banging repeatedly on his chest with all my might.

"Selena... Calm down, my Selena. Please. It's me. It's Ryan."

I heard the words come out of his mouth and stopped screaming. I wanted to believe it was really Ryan but I couldn't. Not after I'd been so masterfully deceived by Ros. It could very well be him again, trying to get me to believe him so he'll put me through that horrific experience again. I couldn't let that happen. Not for a second time in the same lifetime. Ryan pulled my head towards his chest and tried to cuddle me but I pulled back.

"If you're Ryan, prove it!" I demanded.

I didn't know how he was going to prove it but he had to do it somehow. If he didn't, I was going to run, scream and fight until he either killed me or let me go.

"Do you know how compulsion works with vampires?" He asked softly.

"No. But what..."

I was going to ask what his question had to do with proving he was really Ryan Soille when he began speaking again.

"When a vampire compels you to either do something or forget something, only that vampire can uncompel you." He replied. "There are memories you had that I compelled you to forget. I did it because it was required by the reincarnation spell your mother cast several decades ago. You might not know anything about that right now and I promise to explain everything later, but what I'm saying is that I can uncompel you to remember something only you and I know about. Will that prove I'm really me?" He asked.

I gave him a curious look and thought about what he said. Maybe he was right. When Ros was pretending to be Ryan, he told me about some things that happened in the past. I didn't remember any of them, including marrying him. Maybe Ros couldn't uncompel me to remember because he didn't compel me to forget them in the first place.

"Make me remember everything about our wedding." I demanded.

"You know about that?" Ryan looked at me, slightly surprised.

"Just do it if you're Ryan!" I snapped, not bothering to answer his question.

I knew I was being really mean to him but I couldn't stop myself. I was hurt and confused. I was sick of being deceived and I just wanted to know the truth. Ryan grabbed my hand and pulled me close to himself. Then he looked into my eyes in a way that stopped them from blinking.

"Remember our wedding." He said.

It felt like I woke up from a deep sleep I didn't know I was having. The memory of our wedding came crashing down on me, getting me so emotional. Tears immediately gathered in my eyes and I crumbled to the ground in front of him. Ryan caught me before my body hit the ground. He pulled me up and hugged me really tight.

"I know... and I'm sorry. I'm just so happy I got you this time." He said, kissing the top of my head. "Please don't cry, my love."

I continued crying as I remembered everything about our wedding day. The memory was bitter sweet at the moment, but it was special nonetheless. It was a secret wedding at the Cathedral of St. Ives. On the night when Ryan and I promised ourselves to each other against all odds, he suggested we made our promise binding...

"Do you really mean get married?" I asked him.

I looked at the face of the man I loved with curiosity. His eyes were so brightly green from happiness that they looked like someone illuminated them from within. He smiled at me and nodded. He was so convinced he wanted to spend eternity with me.

"How are we going to do that? No priest will join us. I'm engaged to their leader." I argued, regardless of the fact that everything within me wanted to scream 'I do' and live happily ever after with him.

"I already found a priest. He's from the Robald clan. They are a very small clan of night-walkers that believe more in liberty than the Serafino clan. He agreed to join us because he too believes in true love." He replied.

"You're being serious, right?" I was doing my best to suppress the glee that was already going wild inside me. "If this is one of your one of your jokes, Ryan I'm going to..."

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

"So what do you say about being Mrs. Soille tonight?" He grinned.

"I was always going to be Mrs. Soille." I teased, pretending not to be excited out of my mind.

"Well, Mrs. THE OTHER Soille." He winked.

"Are you being serious? I'm bursting with excitement right now!" I rushed into his arms and locked my lips with his.

It was one of the things I loved most about Ryan Soille. He was so different from his brother. He found humor in pretty much everything. If I had pulled that Mrs. Soille joke on Ros, I might have earned myself a growl on a good day and a smack across my face on a bad day.

"Meet me at our secret place in the garden tonight by eleven. As you know, vampires from the Robald clan aren't day-walkers so the priest will have to get back to shelter before dawn. Besides, I can't wait to make you mine under the law."

Ryan kissed me again before disappearing with vampire speed. He did that when he was very excited or very upset. I knew the former was the case this time, and I was doing everything in my power to contain myself. My body was threatening to burst with happiness but I knew I couldn't give it off. If Ros sensed what we were planning, things were sure to get ugly.

I met Ryan at our secret garden spot as planned, and we were in the cathedral in less than the time it took me to blink. He took me into an empty office and pulled out a bag.

"I brought you a dress." He said, smiling at me pleasantly. "... and a wedding present."

I was both happy and embarrassed. In my excitement, I had completely forgotten to get him anything. I didn't even think of a wedding dress because everything was so secret. Ryan pulled out the most beautiful white dress I had ever seen. It looked nothing like the dresses of the time. It was different, but in a good way. The front was sheer and embellished with transparent precious stones. It exposed my midriff in the most scandalous but appealing way, and flowed to the ground effortlessly. There was a single red bow at the waist, providing a pop of color to the already breathtaking gown.

"My goodness!" I gasped. "It's so beautiful."

"Certainly not as beautiful as you, my lady." Ryan smiled, bowing his head.

I felt my cheeks heat up and knew they were surely turning red. Ryan was a very sweet lover and he never failed to shower me with compliments. He pulled something else out of the bag. It was a gold bracelet with the letters 'RS' inscribed in black at the front. I stretched out my hand and let him strap it on my wrist. It was so beautiful and when combined with everything else that was going on, it got me so emotional. A few tear drops fell down my cheeks as I rubbed the bracelet on my wrist.

"Ryan and Selena. I'll wear this forever." I smiled between my tears.

"... and I'll love you forever." He said, wiping my tears off my cheeks and kissing me softly on the lips.

He dashed off and was back in a second. This time, he was wearing a red jacket over his white shirt and black trousers.

"Shall we begin forever?" He asked.

I interlocked my arm with his and walked down the aisle at St. Ives, the happiest I had ever been in my life.

Ryan lifted me into his arms and placed me back on the bed.

"What happened to my injuries?" I asked.

I couldn't find any cuts or bruises on my body. I also couldn't feel any pain and there was no way they could have disappeared in such a short time after my horrible encounter with Ros.

"I healed them. I couldn't bear seeing you in that much pain." Ryan replied.

"Just rest now, my Selena. We have all the time to catch up." He said, kissing the top of my head.

I snuggled closer to him and heaved a sigh of relief. It felt good to know that the horror was over - but then my mind went back to the night before Halloween. The night when I gave myself to the monster who pretended to be Ryan. A tear drop fell out of my eye as the memory came back to me. I suppressed the resultant sob that threatened to make its way out of my mouth. I wasn't sure I was ready to tell Ryan about it yet, especially since he was being so sweet to me and I could tell he was genuinely happy to be with me again.

"Will I ever be able to tell him?"

The thought danced around in my head as I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep.

#  Chapter Fifteen

Omniscient POV

Ryan got off the bed in the middle of the night and turned to look at Selena. She was fast asleep. He took in a deep breath and exhaled with a sigh. It felt surreal to have her with him again and he was so happy he was able to save her this time. He had waited lifetime after lifetime, just to be with her again. Every time he failed to save her, it felt like a part of his heart got ripped out from his chest and he had to live with the horrible feeling until the next lifetime when the feeling got replaced with his determination to save her. He smiled softly to himself and kissed her on her forehead before walking out of the room. He had to check on Trina, who he had laid to rest in the other room. Ros had dealt Trina a fatal blow at the cathedral and while he had fed both her and Selena his blood to heal them, he knew there was a difference with her.

Trina had been too badly injured by a vampire with the intent to kill. As a result, his blood had served a different purpose than what it did in Selena's case. It had served to awaken her – but no longer as the human girl she was before. Her mortal body had died from the Ros's attack and as a result of having Ryan's blood in her system, Trina was going to awaken as a vampire. Ryan felt bad about the fact that he had to turn her without her consent but he had no choice. If he hadn't fed her his blood at the time he did, she would have been dead for good and he couldn't let that happen. Not after the sacrifice she made for Selena. If Trina hadn't been there with him, chances are he might not have been able to save Selena. The least he could do to show her his gratitude was to give her a form of life when she needed it... at least he believed so.

He entered the room Trina was, and saw her sleeping on the bed. Her body was still dead but he knew she would wake up any moment now. It had been fifteen hours since the incident at the cathedral - which was long enough for a new vampire to wake up from the sleep of death.

Ryan got a blood bag ready and took a seat beside Trina's bed. She was going to need it. New vampires always felt terribly hungry, with an uncontrollable need for blood when they woke up. The hunger was usually numbing because their bodies had not adjusted to the heightened feelings of becoming vampires yet. Ryan had barely been there five minutes when Trina gasped and jolted up in her bed. She looked so enraged at first but when her eyes settled on Ryan, her facial features relaxed into a smile.

"Hey there, buddy." Ryan smiled back at her.

"Hey there." She whispered. "Did we save her?"

Ryan pursed his lips as he choked back the urge to cry. Yes, they saved Selena but he couldn't save her... at least not in the way she would have wanted.

"Yes... Yes, we did." He replied.

"Really? Where is she?" Trina asked.

Ryan could see the excitement in her eyes but she couldn't react physically because her body was still too weak. She needed to feed to gain the strength level required for most activities.

"She's sleeping in the other room." He replied.

"So what's with the sad smile?" She asked. "... and why am I so tired? and so hungry?"

"Um... Trina?" Ryan started.

"What? Can I get something to eat? I feel like my stomach is going to melt in on itself." She cut him off.

"Yeah... about that. Something happened at the cathedral..."

"Ros got to me. I know. He sank those sharp fangs of his into my neck and I felt like I was going to die. I passed out from the pain, right?" She asked.

"Um... you actually died." He replied.

"Ha-ha! You're on with the jokes again." Trina laughed.

"No, Trina. It's not a joke."

"So, how am I here talking to you? Can vampires see ghosts?" She asked, giving him a quizzical look.

"You're not a ghost, Trina. I tried to heal you with my blood but you were too badly injured." He replied.

"So what does that mean?"

"You turned."

"Like turned into a vampire?" She asked.

"Yeah." He replied.

"No!" Trina snapped. "No! No! No! No! No!... I can't be a vampire."

She was going to get up from the bed but realized her body was too weak to stand. She collapsed back on the bed and looked at Ryan with wide eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Trina. There was nothing else I could do." He apologized

"Then you should have let me die." She shook her head as tears started to well up in her eyes.

"I couldn't do that. I'm sorry... but I couldn't just let you die. Not after what you did for Selena."

Ryan wanted to hug and console her when she jerked up in bed. Her tears had streamed out of her eyes and fallen on the exposed skin of her hand, completely shocking her.

"It's blood!" She exclaimed. "I'm crying blood tears!"

"Trina, please calm down. Your emotions are heightened right now, which is why you're feeling as bad as you are. We'll get through this. I promise. You won't always feel this way." Ryan consoled her.

Trina looked up at him in shock but the growl in her stomach caused her to clutch her midsection.

"I'm so freaking hungry!" She screamed.

"Here, drink this." Ryan said, passing her a blood bag.

"Hell no!" She pushed his hand away from her.

"Trina, please. You need to feed. I could give you regular food but it won't do anything to help the way you're feeling. You need to drink this. Trust me." He passed her the blood bag again and this time she took it.

Trina tasted just a little drop of the blood at first and was shocked at how delicious the liquid felt in her mouth. She pushed a gulp down her throat... and another... and another. She couldn't stop and she didn't bother to. She closed her eyes and squeezed the blood bag with both hands until it was completely drained. Then, she opened her eyes and tossed the crumpled bag aside. Her eyes turned bloodshot red for a moment, before clearing out and assuming their normal blue color again.

"That was... amazing!" She exclaimed.

Ryan smiled.

"I told you!"

"Can you be any less proud to be right?" She asked with a pout, turning her body suggestively towards him.

Ryan understood what was going on with her but needed to explain it to her subtly. He got off the chair he was sitting and sat beside her on the bed.

"You remember what I told you about your emotions being heightened?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied, looking straight into his eyes.

They were so green and so deep she could hardly keep herself from drowning in them.

"Well, it's not just with hunger. It's everything. Try not to act on anything you feel right now, at least until you learn how to control the intensity. I'll be here to help, so you'll get a hang of things soon. I promise." He said.

"You don't understand. How can I keep it in control?" She asked, placing her palm on his face. "I'm crazy about you."

Ryan placed his palm over hers but only because he wanted to take it off his face subtly. He was going to explain that she was only feeling that way because of her unresolved feelings from when she was alive - but he didn't get a chance to do so.

He sensed someone at the door and turned to face it, with his hand still holding Trina's on his face. A clearly upset Selena stood at the doorway, looking at them in shock.

"Selena!" He called out to her but she turned around and stormed off.

He dashed out after her, leaving Trina alone in the room, feeling confused and remorseful.

#  Chapter Sixteen

Selena's POV

My body jolted awake in the middle of the night, a direct result of the terrifying nightmare I was having. I kept seeing Ros hurting me in despicable ways and I was too powerless to stop him. When I opened my eyes, I was relieved to be back to reality but I noticed the space on the bed beside me was empty.

Ryan wasn't in bed.

"Where could he have gone?" I thought to myself. "Maybe to feed?"

I could no longer go back to sleep, so I sat up in bed and just stared at the wall opposite me. After about five minutes of doing nothing, I decided to walk around. It was better than boring myself to death in the bedroom. As soon as I stepped out of the bedroom, I noticed light rays in the hallway. The light was coming from an open bedroom door not far from the one I just exited.

"It could be Ryan in there."

I got to the doorway, and stopped at the sound of a feminine voice. She was telling whoever she was having a conversation with how crazy she was about them. Out of curiosity, I peered inside and felt my heart drop to my feet. Trina Bayle was sitting on the bed with her hand on Ryan's face! A mixture of confusion, shock and jealousy hit me from all sides. I didn't even know where to begin to process what I had just seen. For starters, I didn't know Ryan even knew Trina. Even if they knew each other, I had no idea what on earth she was doing in his house... and at that time of the night!

I stormed out in anger and marched down the hallway. I didn't even know where I was going but I wanted to get as far away from them as possible. I heard Ryan calling my name from behind me but I didn't bother to stop. I had pretty much had enough of the Soille brothers. Thinking about things in retrospect, my life was very close to perfect before they showed up and now, it was one big mess - no thanks to them. I had barely taken five steps when Ryan appeared in front of me, sweeping me into his arms.

"Get away from me!" I snapped.

I don't even know why I was so upset but I felt like my blood was boiling within my veins. Looking at him only got me more upset and I just wanted him gone. Ryan ignored my words and scooped me off my feet.

"Put me down!" I yelled.

I had barely finished the sentence when I found myself back on the bed in Ryan's room. He had moved me with his enhanced speed and while I was still trying to process my new location, I saw him lock the door and come back to the bed. He dangled the keys in front of me and smiled.

"What's so funny?"

"You can't keep me here against my wish." I frowned.

"...and you can't assume things without asking first." He replied.

"I don't need to..." I started, but Ryan cut me off.

"She died saving you, Selena!"

For a few seconds, everything fell silent. The weight of Ryan's words sank into my consciousness like a concrete boulder tossed into a river.

"She... what?" I asked.

"While I was fighting Ros off at the cathedral, I delegated your safety to Trina. She was pulling you out through a different exit when Ros got away from me and killed her." Ryan replied.

"Um..."

I didn't know what else to say. I felt deflated, guilty and sorry at the same time.

"She was already dying when I got to her. I had no choice but to turn her. She just woke up from the sleep of death and what you saw back there was me helping her deal with her heightened emotions." Ryan continued.

I couldn't believe Trina Bayle was dead... and because of me. I wanted to cry but that would seem ridiculous. She was technically dead but she was still alive. Just as a vampire. I hated Ros even more after hearing what he did to Trina.

"I'm sorry." I apologized.

I was still upset at him for sitting there with her like that but I understood. Trina was having a hard time adjusting to the changes and Ryan being as sweet as he normally was, stayed there to help. I knew I too would freak out if I woke up one day and discovered I was a vampire. Besides, helping Trina was the right thing to do.

"I was never upset with you, my love." Ryan smiled. "I like the pout though."

I smiled at his tease, not realizing I was even pouting in the first place.

"I don't want you to ever bother about anyone being with me. My heart is all yours. It has always been." Ryan smiled, pulling me into his arms.

I smiled back at him and he pulled my chin up with his index finger. My gaze met with his intense green orbs and they burned with a warm fire. For a moment, I was lost... drowned... and I melted into his beautiful gaze. He brought his face down and claimed my lips with his.

I froze.

In a moment of panic, I pulled back and ran into the bathroom. I didn't look back at Ryan but I knew he would be shocked by my actions. I didn't care. I just couldn't kiss him... not after what happened with Ros. I felt like I was undeserving of him. I felt like he wouldn't want to kiss me if he knew.

"Selena..."

I heard Ryan calling me from outside the bathroom door. I wanted to run into his arms and tell him to make everything okay but I couldn't. He couldn't make things okay. He couldn't change what I had done.

"Selena... Please. Just come out and talk to me." I heard him say from outside.

This time, I opened the door and just stared at him with tears in my eyes. He came into the bathroom and held me close.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. "I shouldn't have done that so soon. I know you'll need some time to get to know me... in this lifetime."

I wasn't crying because he kissed me. I didn't really need time to get to know him. I just wanted to tell him the truth but the words burned at the back of my throat. I was so scared of what his reaction would be. Things would surely be different if he knew and I wasn't sure I was ready to deal with it just yet. Ryan picked me up and took me back into the room. He turned on the sound system and just danced with me. We danced to a slow and lovely song I had never heard before but instantly liked. It was a sweet gesture but he reminded me too much of Ros.

Ros had danced with me that night before I gave myself to him and for some reason, I couldn't get it out of my mind. The guilt was killing me on the inside but the words I needed failed to come out.

"I can sense your resistance." Ryan whispered. "I want you to know that it's okay."

I froze on the spot just listening to his words. What was okay? Did he somehow know what Ros and I did? There was no way he could have known or was there?

"OMG! vampires can hear my thoughts." I freaked out in my mind.

"Only when they're listening... and I'm listening right now because I'm desperately trying to get through to you." Ryan whispered.

He pulled away from me so he could look straight at my face.

"Selena, I..."

"So you still don't know?" I asked, cutting him off.

"Know what?" He asked.

In that moment, I regretted asking if he didn't know. It wasn't the right time to tell him something like that. What if he freaked out?

"Selena, whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm just here to love you."

"You promise not to hate me?" I asked.

"How bad is it?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Like... really bad."

I ran to him and buried my face in his chest.

"Okay. It's not like I can hate you so let's hear it." He said.

"Um... When Ros took me, he pretended to be you at first and he told me so many things we shared and I didn't really know he wasn't you..."

"And what happened?" Ryan asked.

The smile on his face had disappeared and he just had his normal focused look on. I was really scared to tell him but I had to. I had already boxed myself into a corner and I couldn't go back now.

"I slept with him." I whispered.

Ryan didn't say anything. He just looked at me with eyes full of rage. I could tell he was gritting his teeth and trying really hard not to show me how upset he was - and he had every right to be.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I added, hoping the flames in his eyes would die down. They didn't. They continued to burn fiercely until he spoke.

"You didn't know. It's okay." He managed a small smile but I could tell it didn't come from his heart.

I felt deeply sorry for the way the information made him feel. I had hurt him, that much was clear. He was still being sweet to me and that killed me even more.

Ryan rubbed his fingers through his hair and turned around before turning back to me again.

"Um... We need to check on Trina. She should be freaking out by now." He said, with eyes full of pain.

I didn't argue. I knew he would need time to deal with the issue and I wasn't going to pressure him. I just hoped he would come around soon because my heart craved him. My body needed him and I could barely function without him.

#  Chapter Seventeen

Omniscient POV

Ryan exited his bedroom with Selena trailing quietly behind him. He didn't look back at her because he was trying hard not to freak out. Regardless of the fact that he wasn't there when the sex happened, he could see it in his mind's eye. He imagined the smile on Ros's face while he claimed the love of his life and explored her body in ways that made his blood boil. That mental picture made him want to hurt Ros... and he wanted to hurt him really bad. That notwithstanding, he had to keep his composure. At least for Selena's sake. She had gone through a lot in such a short time and the last thing he wanted was to break her even more with his reaction.

They entered Trina's room and found her in a corner, lifting different pieces of furniture into the air.

"Do you know how easy it is for me to carry stuff now?" She asked, eyes gleaming at Ryan.

"Yeah... You're a lot stronger now." Ryan replied with a smile.

"Trina?" Selena called.

Trina looked at her with a pout and dropped the dresser in her hand.

"Hey, Selena."

"I want to say how sorry I am for what Ros did to you... and thank you. I'd never have guessed you'd put your life on the line for me." Selena said.

"It's okay, Selena. I just wanted to help. I knew you didn't kill those people and when everyone was trying to say you did, I had to do something." Trina replied.

"...and I'm so sorry about my outburst earlier." Selena added.

"It's okay. I understand. Ryan's sweet and hot... and I'm not going to lie about being attracted to him. I mean, who wouldn't? Look at him." Trina said, pointing at Ryan.

"...and my head just exploded into a trillion little pieces. Puff!" Ryan made an explosive sound with his mouth and fell to the ground like he was dead.

The two girls burst out laughing.

"Yeah... and that too. He's so goofy." Trina added. "What I'm trying to say is this. I know that he loves you and I respect that. I don't want to come at him but I can't seem to stop myself. Ryan says I'll learn to control my emotions soon and I hope it's really soon. Things will go back to normal then. I promise."

"You're so amazing, Trina. Thank you so much." Selena smiled and moved forward to hug Trina.

Selena rested her head on Trina's shoulder in a way that made her neck very visible to Trina and in an instant, Trina's eyes turned bloodshot red. She bared her fangs and brought her jaws down towards Selena's neck with her newly acquired enhanced speed. Ryan quickly intercepted her and pulled Selena away.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Trina." Ryan cautioned.

"Oh my gosh!" Trina exclaimed. "I'm so sorry."

Selena looked on in shock, not knowing what really happened.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know how that happened." Trina continued to apologize.

"It's okay." Ryan said. "I should get you a blood bag."

"What happened?" Selena asked.

"I was going to bite you. I'm so sorry. I just couldn't stop myself. I should leave." Trina ranted.

"No, Trina. None of this is your fault." Selena replied, holding her hand. "We'll help you adjust to this lifestyle. I promise."

Trina squeezed Selena's hands and blood started making its way out of her eyes.

"This is all so hard. I don't know what I'm going to do. What do I tell my mum? My little brother..."

Ryan pulled her into a hug and soothed her hair while her sobs died down.

"Vampires cry blood?" Selena whispered.

"I can hear you." Trina said from Ryan's chest, making them all laugh.

"Yeah, they do." Ryan replied, pursing his lips. "Why don't you girls stay here and I'll be back in a minute. I have to get Trina a blood bag."

The two girls nodded as Ryan made his way to the door. He stepped into the hallway and peered his head back into the room.

"Try not to bite her before I get back." He said, pointing at Trina.

Trina and Selena smiled, before getting back to their chat. She filled Selena in on how she met Ryan and how they worked together to find her. Ryan returned a few seconds later with a blood bag and handed it to Trina who gulped it down hurriedly.

"There's something I have to do right now, but I promise to be back soon." He told both girls. "Are you girls going to be okay?"

They both nodded and he zoomed out of the room with enhanced speed.

"That has to be so cool." Trina stated.

"Have you tried it?" Selena asked.

"No. I don't even know how." She replied.

"I think you just run normally." Selena replied.

"I should give it a shot." Trina smiled.

She started a fast run and crashed into the wall in less than a split second.

"Ouch!" Trina screamed.

"Oh my Gosh, I'm so sorry." Selena ran towards her, helping her up.

"We should only try that in open space." Selena added, and both girls laughed.

Upstairs, Ryan turned the key of a locked bedroom and walked inside. There was a brown wooden coffin on a table in the middle of the room. He walked towards it and slipped on a glove before picking up a silver stake from the floor beside the coffin. He pushed the lid open and looked at the shriveled face of Ros Soille. There was a silver stake still stuck in his heart and he looked like he had been dead for a century. Ryan circled the coffin with his hands behind him, still holding the stake.

"You know what, brother? I'm not upset." He scrunched up his face. "I'm really not. I know you did it because you wanted me to get upset, so no. I'm not going to be."

He drove the stake in his hand into Ros's stomach with all his might. The body bounced in the coffin, still looking dead. Ryan pulled the stake out and continued circling the coffin.

"All this time we've believed we were of equal strength... but you know what, little brother? I'm older than you, even if it's for just a few seconds. I can tell I'm stronger because you're the one in the coffin right now. Still, I let you have everything you wanted. You became leader of the clan because I let you have it. I wanted just one thing and you couldn't give it to me. You..."

He drove the stake into Ros's chest a couple more times before pulling it out and continuing his circling of the coffin.

"I'm going to have her because she loves me... and you know what else I'm going to have? The Serafino clan back!"

He drove the stake into Ros's chest again and pulled it out.

"Hmm. Why don't I make you feel this just a bit?" Ryan asked Ros's shriveled form.

He dropped the stake in his hand to the ground and pulled out the stake in Ros's chest. Ros gasped for breath and sat up sharply in the coffin. With a scream, Ryan plunged the stake right back into Ros's heart, causing him to lay back dead and shrivel into the century old dead vampire once again. Ryan replaced the lid of the coffin and took in a deep breath. He straightened out his shirt and put a smile on his face before walking out and locking the door behind him. He had barely finished locking the door again when he heard the panicked voices of Trina and Selena coming from downstairs. He rushed to them with vampire speed and by the time he got to the room, he was alarmed. There was a fire burning on one of the walls and both girls were trying to put it out. He rushed out again with his enhanced speed and returned with a bucket of water. Once the fire was out, he turned back to them.

"What the hell happened here?" He asked.

"Um..." Trina started, but turned to look at Selena.

"Um..." Selena said, turning back to look at Trina.

"Can you please tell me what happened?" Ryan asked, suppressing his frustration. "Trina, did you lose it and start a fire?"

Both girls looked at him with wide eyes.

"Trina, I asked you a question." Ryan said calmly. "I promise not to be upset. Just tell me."

"I... I... I..." Selena stammered.

Ryan turned to her with a confused look.

"Selena, did you do it?" He asked.

She nodded slowly and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Why?" He asked.

"More like... how?" Trina replied.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked.

"Trina and I were practicing how to do vampire stuff because it was really exciting. At some point she tripped and I got scared she was going to fall. I stretched out my hands to help her and..."

Ryan raised his eyebrows.

"...and what?"

"The fire came from my hands." Selena whispered.

Ryan's eyes widened.

"Wow, Selena. That can only happen if you're... Wait a minute. You might have gotten it from your mum! She was a sorceress. She could do stuff like that. You just might be a sorceress too." He replied.

"How can that be? I've never had any special power in my life." She asked in confusion.

"You've never lived longer than your eighteenth birthday before." He replied, a little too excited for someone who just discovered the love of his life had creepy powers. "You were most likely dying before your powers manifested. I know it doesn't make much sense right now but we'll figure it out, I promise."

#  Chapter Eighteen

Selena's POV

I was sitting on the bed when Trina decided to try controlling her speed. We figured if she just tried to run slower than before, she could still move super-fast and be able to stop before she crashed into any solid object.

"I can do this, Selena." Trina said with a bright smile.

It was funny how the heightened emotions thing worked in vampires. A few minutes ago, Trina was the most dejected person on the planet. She was so sad I almost got depressed for her. Now, the smile on her face was so bright it could light up the entire house.

"Sure you can." I smiled back.

I hadn't even completed one blinking cycle when I saw Trina crash into the opposite wall with an even greater force than the last time she tried running. I was so scared that I instinctively screamed and stretched out my hands in front of me. I felt a surge of power, much like an electrical current flowing through me. It felt like a tornado of some sort was moving through my veins. Before I could comprehend what was going on, I saw traces of blue flames rising from my palms. I screamed in terror just as the flames blasted into the wall Trina was, scorching her in the process. I freaked out when I saw Trina's hair on fire but quickly sighed in relief when she rolled out of the fire and healed instantly.

"Holy crap!" Trina exclaimed with wide eyes. "What the hell was that?"

I was in so much shock that all I could do was move my wide-eyed gaze from Trina's face to my palms and back to her face.

"Oh my gosh." That was all I could say.

"We have to put it out!" Trina said, turning back to the flames.

My body was rooted to the ground from shock. As hard as I tried, I couldn't move. Thankfully, Ryan zoomed in and put the flames out. I had begun to get used to how fast he moved because it didn't creep me out like it used to. Perhaps it was because I had spent some time around vampires or maybe it was my shock that stopped me from reacting. When Ryan asked what happened, I just had to tell him. Saying it plainly was the easiest way to explain it because something like that had never happened before. I was still freaking out when I explained it to him, and hearing it was a trait my past sorceress mum had only made me freak out more.

"Hey... Calm down, babe. We'll figure it out. I promise." Ryan said, pulling me into his arms and rubbing my palms.

"Isn't he scared I'm going to burn him? Wait a minute. He just called me babe!"

I couldn't believe it. I thought Ryan was still too upset about what I did with Ros to want to call me endearing names. It was surprising to hear him call me babe, but it felt good. At least that one part of my life wasn't crashing down.

"Can you give us a couple of seconds, Trina? I need to take Selena somewhere." Ryan said.

"Sure." Trina nodded. "Just leave me a blood bag on your way out."

That sounded so creepy, even to Trina. I could see how surprised she was at herself for making such a bizarre request.

"Sure, but be careful. You don't want to get crippled by the blood lust." Ryan said.

"Blood lust? What's that?" Trina asked, surprised.

I would have been surprised too if I wasn't so distraught with my own creepiness.

"I'll tell you all about it when I get back." Ryan replied. "Selena needs me right now."

The girl inside me purred at his last sentence. It was manly, sexy and overly cute. I smiled as Ryan led me out of the bedroom. He took me through a flight of stairs that ended on a very small balcony on the roof. It looked like it could take no more than three people and I looked up at him with curiosity.

"I come here when I need to calm down." He said, wrapping his hands around me. "It's beautiful just looking at the night sky."

I smiled and melted into him, not wanting to let go. He hadn't raised the issue of what I did with Ros and I figured he was deliberately avoiding it. It was probably best not to mention it myself, so I let things be. I just took in the sweet fragrance of his cologne and enjoyed the moment in his arms. Ryan turned me around so that he was behind me. He wrapped his hands around my waist, making me feel so good.

"Which one's your favorite?" He asked.

"Huh?"

I didn't know if I zoned out while he was talking but I had no idea what he was asking me about.

"The stars. I usually pick a favorite one." He replied.

"Really?" I smiled. "Okay..."

I looked up at the night sky and stared at the little lights in the dark blanket. They were beautiful and surprisingly calming.

"Um... the one over there on the far right." I finally said, pointing to the brightest star in the sky.

"Great choice." He smiled. "My favorite one's down here."

"Huh?" I didn't quite get what he meant.

"My favorite one's in my arms right now." He replied, putting his head into my hair.

I blushed so hard, that I felt my cheeks were going to explode. I was lucky it was dark and my back was turned to him. I would have been so embarrassed if he had seen.

"Really?" I asked.

Ryan didn't reply. He turned me around and looked deep into my eyes.

"I know the situation with the fire down there freaked you out, but I want you to know that I'll always be here for you. We'll figure things out together, and we'll have that beautiful life I promised you in 1889. I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you ever again. This I promise you..."

His words were so sweet that I melted further into his arms. I felt like he knew exactly what I needed to hear at that time. Each word felt like a soothing balm to my injured soul.

"Thank you." I whispered.

"You don't need to thank me." I could feel him smiling in my hair. "My entire being is in love with you, Selena Ryder."

In that moment, time slowed down. I felt like I had the world under my feet and everything was going to be okay. I felt Ryan pulling my body even closer to his... and I yielded. His face moved slowly through my hair until he was looking right into my eyes. Our foreheads touched and he stayed like that for what felt like eternity. Then he claimed my lips with the brushing of his against mine. It was a slow passionate kiss that ignited sparks and explosive fireworks. I closed my eyes and lived in its bliss. In that moment, everything was perfect. I felt like the world outside didn't exist. Nothing mattered. It was just me and him... and I was finally at peace.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

The sound of a painful scream filled the chilly night around us, causing us to break our kiss off abruptly.

"It's Trina!" Ryan said with concern in his voice.

Ryan ran off with his enhanced speed and I took the stairs two at a time, running as fast as I could. When I got down, my eyes widened in shock. Right in Trina's room was a very mean looking vampire. He had Trina by the neck, suspending her gagging and kicking frame in the air. Around him were six other vampires, who looked just as mean and scary as he did. I had no idea what they wanted with her but I knew one thing for sure. Whatever it was would surely not be good.

#  Chapter Nineteen

Selena's POV

"Let her go!" Ryan growled.

I had never seen him so angry before. I understood he had every reason to be. The vampires that invaded his house were the very definition of the word scary. They were dressed in all black, which contrasted sharply with their pale skin and icy eyes. Whatever they represented had to be bad. I could feel it within me.

"Ryan Soille." The vampire holding Trina smirked, tossing her to the ground in the far corner. "How long has it been?"

Trina ran as fast as she could to the spot I was standing, right behind Ryan.

"I'll like to continue with the chit chat but I'm too busy being repulsed by you, Viktor. What do you want?" Ryan asked from behind gritted teeth.

I had no idea who this Viktor guy was but I already had a bad feeling about him. Ryan didn't seem to like him and it was clear to see why.

"Ah... Still so uptight." Viktor gave a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Has the whore not pleased you enough to lighten your mood?" Viktor asked, looking at me.

"What? Did he just call me a whore?"

Ryan charged at Viktor with bloodshot eyes and pushed him into the wall behind him. He snapped his neck in one quick motion, the sight freezing my body in wide-eyed shock. Viktor snapped his neck back into position and got off the ground he was slumped barely seconds ago. He looked at the still angry Ryan and smirked.

"I could get into a doggy fight with you but I came for more pressing matters. You do that again and I'll show you just how outnumbered you are."

"What do you want?" Ryan growled again.

"Ros. Where is he?" Viktor asked casually.

"...and what makes you think I know?" Ryan spat.

"I don't think you know. I just asked." Viktor smiled.

It was more of an evil smirk. One that said 'I know you're lying and I'm about to prove it'. Viktor's presence made the room feel a lot colder than it really was and all I wanted was to get as far away from him as possible.

"Well, I don't know. You may leave now." Ryan replied in a tone filled with irritation.

"Brother, brother, brother!"

I heard Ros's voice from behind me and almost collapsed in shock. My legs instantly felt wobbly, like I could be tossed to the ground by even the slightest wind. Where the hell did he come from? I didn't even know he was alive! I knew I never asked Ryan where Ros was after the incident, but I assumed he was dead.

"Why in such a hurry to dismiss the Council members? Could you perhaps be hiding something?" Ros asked sarcastically, walking into the room with four other vampires behind him.

I could see Ryan clenching his fist and gritting his teeth but he didn't reply. With the addition of the four vampires who came in with Ros, the number of intruding vampires rose to twelve. That was enough to crush Ryan if he dared go against them. It was in his best interest to stand down. Launching an attack against them would surely be suicide. Ros who seemed to be enjoying Ryan's torture turned around and smirked at me.

"I see he got you to safety this time, Peaches... but don't celebrate too soon." His eyes turned bloodshot red and I almost jumped out of my skin from fear.

I had a mixture of conflicting feelings flowing through me. My body shuddered from the fear of seeing Ros again after the horrific encounter he put me through. My blood boiled from hatred – of his lies and his actions. An invisible knot tied so tight in my personals from his betrayal, that I had no idea when I pulled my legs together defensively. I didn't want to be around him. I just couldn't stand it. Ros Soille was nothing but trouble.

"Why so shocked to see me, brother?" Ros continued taunting Ryan. "I mean... It should be common knowledge that my Council members will come looking for me. Or were you hoping things would be different?"

Ryan still didn't reply. He kept his gaze locked on Ros, watching for any action he might take.

"It turns out your heroic moves are going to be useless. No offense, dear brother but you can't save her this time. She's going to die." Ros continued.

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked, anger raging in his veins.

"A couple of hours ago, the Council's witches sensed a surge of dark magical powers very similar to that of the sorceress, Sophia. They traced that dark energy all the way here... and guess what they found? No, not me. I was just the added bonus." He smiled. "Your little witchy girlfriend just happens to be a direct descendant of Sophia. You know the rules, don't you? The Council cannot let her live!"

Ros had barely finished speaking when the eyes of all twelve Council vampires turned bloodshot red. They bared their sharp fangs and charged towards me with enhanced speed. The murderous intent in their eyes was as clear as daylight.

#  A Shade of Halloween 3: Sorceress

#  Chapter One

Selena's POV

I froze on the spot, barely able to process the speed with which the vampires attacked me. Of all the things that had happened in my life, this was by far the scariest. I was terrified out of my mind, forced to go numb while staring at death in the face. The vampires moved like a cold, forceful wind of death and in my mind's eye, I had seen that wind envelop me and destroy my fragile mortal body. The determination of all twelve attacking vampires came across to me like a raw power, against which I was completely defenseless.

I felt the impact in less than a split second. It came in the form of a jolt, and not long after, I felt lightheaded. I knew the feeling came from my body being hoisted into the air, traversing through the distance faster than I ever believed was possible. In that moment, I had only one thing in mind. This was the end. As the split seconds rolled by, other thoughts surfaced in my mind. Thoughts like how I was actually feeling. I expected to feel the most excruciating pain from the attack but I didn't. Instead, I felt perfectly fine. For a split second, I thought I had died and my ghost was floating in the air just above my body but when I looked down, I didn't see a body. It didn't take long for me to understand what had actually happened. Trina had picked me up, and was running as fast as she could. I had no idea where she was going and I was pretty sure she didn't either. Regardless of that fact, I was grateful to her from the bottom of my heart.

It was obvious we weren't going to make it far because those vampires were older and faster than Trina. However, her actions gave me hope. At least she tried something. It was much better than freezing on the spot like I did. I could hear Trina panting but she continued to run with all her might. Turning my head behind me drained any trace of respite the initial escape gave me. The Serafino Council vampires were hot on our trail, gaining on us with each passing second.

"Just in case we don't make it, Trina, I want you to know that I love you... and thank you!" I yelled against the wind that was blowing so fast against my face.

"Yeah. That's encouraging!" Trina teased sarcastically. "But I love you too, Selena."

Trina held on to my body tighter and I could hear her panting increase. She was getting slower because her energy was running out but I admired her courage and determination to keep trying. Behind us, the vampires looked like a whirlwind in the shape of a pyramid, racing towards us at a dizzying speed. Though I couldn't quite make out the faces, I could tell Ros Soille was in lead. He couldn't wait to sink his murderous fangs into my flesh and I desperately wished there was something I could do about it.

The slower Trina got, the closer the vampires came... and the more terrified I became. I knew they would catch up to us any moment now and all I could do was wait for the terrifying moment to come. That moment came a little too quickly, as Trina tripped on something and crashed onto the ground. Our colliding bodies had barely hit the hard surface when the Serafino vampires pounced. I heard Trina scream, but her voice was drowned out by the angry roar of the vampires around us. I instinctively held my arms over my head and closed my eyes, as I waited for the painful end to come.

It didn't.

Instead, all I heard around me was silence. I opened my eyes and for the next few seconds, I was completely confused. I was on the ground right where Trina had tripped, but there was no one else around me. The street, houses and lining trees looked exactly the same, except the vampires were gone.

"What the hell was that?"

I heard Trina's voice from my right and turned in her direction. I couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped my mouth from seeing her there. I had no idea what happened, but whatever it was could only be described as very bad. Trina had burns all over her body, as if she had been set on fire... and she wasn't healing as fast as I knew vampires could.

"Can you at least restrict the fire power to the enemy vampires?" Trina asked, looking at me with angry eyes.

"Me?"

It was all I could ask. I had no idea what she was talking about. I didn't remember doing anything except closing my eyes and waiting to die.

"Where the hell are we?" Trina asked.

She had gotten to me now and was clutching her arms to ease the pain she was feeling.

"I have no idea." I replied.

"Well, I don't see the vampires around so whatever you did saved us. Just try not to hit me next time." She grinned.

"Your mood swings will take some getting used to." I replied. "A minute ago I was scared you were going to hurt me with how angry you were. Now, you're all bright and happy."

Trina smiled.

"I'm still trying to figure it out myself." She replied.

She turned around and looked at our surroundings.

"Everything looks the same." She said.

"Yeah, but the streets are empty. I don't know where everyone went." I replied.

"You don't remember?" Trina asked.

I was completely confused. The only thing that happened before the vampires disappeared was me covering my head - except there were holes in my memory that I didn't know about.

"Remember what?" I asked her.

"The force field." Trina replied. "It was so powerful I felt like I was going to die. It pushed me away from you but I guess we ended up together because our bodies were pretty much colliding with each other when the blast happened."

"Are you lying to me right now?" I asked, looking at her skeptically.

"Did I manufacture the burns on my skin?" She replied with a sarcastic question.

"I'm sorry, Trina but it's all so surprising." I apologized.

It wasn't like I didn't want to believe her but everything she was saying sounded so unreal. Besides, I didn't have any memory of a force field and I wondered why.

"It's okay. It's probably got something to do with your sorceress nature. Just like the fire blast at Ryan's house." Trina shrugged.

Trina's last sentence made me remember Ryan and the fact that I had no idea where he was.

"Oh my gosh. I hope I didn't hurt Ryan." I gasped.

"You most likely did if you burned me like that. But don't worry. I'm fine now so he should be fine too." Trina consoled me.

I wanted to tell myself everything was going to be okay but I couldn't. I had somehow managed to lose Ryan and I had no idea how to find him again. He was the one person who could help me figure things out and I could only imagine how freaked out he'd be to be separated from me again. The only good part of all this was the fact that we were still alive.

"So what do we do now?" Trina asked.

"I have no idea." I replied honestly.

#  Chapter Two

Ryan's POV

I stood face to face with Viktor, the most obnoxious wannabe clan leader I had ever met. Ros might not have seen it for whatever reason, but I was sure Viktor didn't have the clan's best interest at heart. It was written all over him. All he wanted was to point out a slip up from Ros and turn Council leadership in his favor. As much as I wasn't a fan of Ros's actions, he was still my brother and I didn't want a sly, deceitful and conniving vampire anywhere around him. Okay I admit it. Ros's wellbeing was not my only reason for wanting Viktor gone. His presence meant trouble for Selena, especially since her sorceress powers were just beginning to manifest. Viktor was born the son of a witch but he was turned into a vampire on his eighteenth birthday. As a result of the natural divide between witches and vampires, his special powers never fully developed. While he couldn't do any of the cool magical stuff, he could sense when magic was being used and could locate the user faster than any other vampire. This ability made him an asset to the Serafino clan and a member of Ros's inner circle. The minute I saw him, I knew something bad was about to happen. When he asked where Ros was, I wasn't surprised. Knowing him, he probably already knew. All I wanted to do was get him out of the house before he noticed Selena's powers - but that didn't go as planned. He not only knew about Selena's powers already, he also got the order to execute her from Ros.

In that moment, every part of me was repulsed by him... by all of them. I stood there watching their every action, knowing I would do everything in my power to defend Selena - even if it cost me my last breath. Granted, I was gravely outnumbered. There was no way I could take on them all without paying the ultimate price. But there was also no way I could stand down and watch them kill the love of my life. My existence would have no meaning without her. It was indeed, a tough call. The second Ros gave the order, all twelve vampires rushed at Selena. I rushed to her myself but my intention was quite the opposite of theirs. I wanted to reach her and run. There was no time to decide where to run to, but I didn't care. I was prepared to run to the ends of the earth if that was going to save her from the clan. With everything that was going on, my attention was completely distracted from Trina. I believe it was the same with everyone else in the room because I could feel the shock and anger from the other vampires when Trina picked Selena up and sped out of the house.

It took less than a second for them to recover from the initial shock. They immediately gave chase just like I did. The difference now was that I knew I had two girls to save. Knowing the Council members on their chase, Trina was going to suffer the same fate as Selena if I didn't get them away in time - and I couldn't let that happen. The vampires had a head start from the house because they gave chase first but regardless of that fact, I ran with all my might. I had just gotten in front of Ros when I saw Trina trip on the walkway, sending both girls crashing to the ground. I stretched out my hands to grab them, just as the Council vampires who were barely inches behind me roared in anger. I never made contact. Selena let out a charring field of force that sent us all flying into the air, only to land several paces away from her location with burns that hurt like crazy. I felt my strength wane by several degrees and when I turned around to the other vampires, I could tell they were affected in the same way. They sluggishly picked themselves up from the ground and rushed back to the location the girls fell but they were too late. The girls were gone, completely disappeared into thin air. For a moment, I shook my head in disbelief. I quickly recovered when I realized what that meant. The girls were safe, at least for now.

I let out a thankful sigh of relief as I dragged my body up from the ground, waiting for the slow healing process to take the pain away. Whatever was in that blast was powerful enough to reduce the healing ability of all the vampires around and I knew that was something the clan would relentlessly fight to destroy. Selena was in more danger now than she ever was, and I desperately needed to be the first one to find her. If the Council found her first, everything would be over - and that was something I couldn't accept.

I looked back at the spot where the girls fell and tried to comprehend what had happened there. Did they run off while we were being blasted away? That didn't seem likely. If my strength was depleted from the blast, then Trina's must have been as well. There was no way she could have picked Selena up after that and still made it out of there fast enough to not be noticed. But if they didn't run, then where did they go? I didn't have the time to think up possible places. I noticed I had been surrounded by the Council vampires, and they looked at me like I unleashed the blast. Ros was standing right in front of me, staring me down in a way that told me just how pissed he was. I raised my eyebrow at him and plastered a smirk on my face. I loved the fact that Selena got away and could care less about the way he felt about it.

"It seems you're going to have to come with us." Ros sneered.

Before I could protest, I felt a painful stab behind me. Someone had driven a silver stake through my heart and everything went cement cold after that.

#  Chapter Three

Ros's POV

I expelled a forceful breath that felt like my face had just broken through the surface of a large body of water where I had been drowned. The force of the breath caused my body to jolt awake, and I sat up immediately. My eyes caught sight of the first image around me, a person whose neck I immediately clutched. I pulled my fingers together, almost crushing his larynx in the process.

"Benjamin?" I asked, looking skeptically at the Council vampire who was holding a silver stake in his gloved hand. "What the hell are you doing here... and why are you holding a stake over my body?"

My eyes surveyed my surroundings and from the colors and arrangement of the furniture, I could tell exactly where I was - Ryan's house. It looked exactly like mine, a direct result of the twin bond we shared. While we tended to like the same things, we didn't exactly go about them the same way. I let go of Benjamin's neck before he could reply. My memory completely coalesced and I remembered exactly what happened before I was staked out.

"I... um... I" Benjamin tried to answer my question but I stopped him.

"Never mind, Benjamin. I remember now. Where the hell is my brother?"

"I don't know. Viktor asked us to get you first. He said you were going to be in here, just like he sensed the sorceress was here." He replied.

I immediately knew who he was referring to. If I was in Ryan's house, then Selena Ryder was most likely going to be here too. But why did they refer to her as a sorceress? She never manifested her powers in any lifetime before this one, neither did she show any traces when I tried to kill her at the cathedral. I didn't bother about it too much because I knew Viktor would have answers for me.

"I see. Let's go, Benjamin."

We exited the room, and I met three other Council vampires waiting at the door. We all walked down the stairs and entered a room where a loud argument was taking place. As soon as we got in, I knew why there was so much noise. Viktor and Ryan were having their usual disagreement over who knew what this time.

"Brother, brother, brother!" I smirked, taunting my dear little Ry.

I could immediately see his apprehension. He already knew why the Council vampires were in his home and was probably already worried for his dear Selena's sake.

"Poor little brother."

I turned around to the stunned gaze of Selena Ryder and for a fraction of a split second, my heart melted. She looked just as innocent and just as beautiful as the girl who charmed my heart several centuries ago. My thawing heart immediately coalesced back into ice, complete with the sharp shards at the edges. The hurt of her betrayal and rejection rushed to me again, and I was barely able to keep my composure. I felt like I was going to explode from within if I didn't snap her neck and spill her cheating blood in front of the one she picked over me \- brother or not!

When Viktor launched the memory where he'd sensed Selena's powers into my mind, I knew exactly what he wanted. I gave the orders without hesitation. I knew Ryan was going to be hurt by my decision but it wasn't completely personal. We were all well aware of the prophecy given hundreds of years ago about a sorceress, who if allowed to reach the peak of her power manifestation, was going to become indestructible. The divide between sorceress nature and vampire nature would make sure that sorceress wiped out all vampires - and as leader of the biggest clan of vampires, I couldn't let that happen. I was responsible for every vampire under my command, including Ryan and myself. Every leader knew that the call of duty trumped everything else – including the cravings of one's heart. At first, I thought Sophia was the sorceress in the prophecy and my clan kept a close watch on her. We tried to keep her from going against us by making her daughter one of us. It was the hidden agenda behind our peace treaty. Selena Ryder was given to me as a human bride but I was meant to eventually turn her. That way, Sophia would have no choice but to spare at least some vampires whenever her sorceress nature took over completely and she felt the need to destroy us all. Unfortunately, my misguided heart fell for Selena. I no longer wanted to turn her. I wanted her to be with me for a while before deciding what to do with her or rather, how to convince the Council to spare her - but she rejected me. Selena Ryder sealed her fate, not me.

When I attacked Sophia that day in her temple, I acted out of a broken heart. I didn't expect to be able to kill her because she was supposed to be the indestructible one. The fact that she died told us something - Sophia was not the sorceress in the prophecy. The question became who was the sorceress? We watched and waited, putting Viktor's abilities to good use. He looked out for anyone that showed traits of strong magic similar to Sophia's. We never found a person with such abilities and now I knew why. I killed Selena Ryder on the eighteenth year of her life, in every lifetime. I believe that was just before her powers began to manifest. While I killed her for a different reason, I didn't know I was stopping something much bigger than my anger. From what Viktor showed me, Selena's powers were much stronger than that of Sophia - and they were just beginning to manifest. Knowing how powerful Sophia was, the chances of Selena being the Sorceress in the prophecy were greatly increased. I did what any vampire leader in my position would. Selena Ryder had to die. Besides, her death had the advantage of giving me my brother back. I knew he would hurt for a while but he'd eventually forget, probably fall in love with another human beauty and all the bad blood between us will be history.

"Don't do it!!!" I heard Ryan loud and clear in my head.

It had been forever since he said anything in my head and I kind of missed that. However, there was no way I could listen to him. It would be better for everyone if there was no Selena.

I explained why the Council could not let her live, to the hearing of everyone and with that, all twelve of us attacked. I had completely forgotten about the bratty blonde in the room until she did the most stupid thing ever. She picked Selena up and made a run for it. I understood the fact that she was experiencing the hormones of a new vampire, but her little heroic act only put her at odds with us. There was no way she could get away from us. Not with the speed and strength advantage we had over her.

We gave chase to the racing blonde and had just about caught up to her when Selena blew us into the air with her magical powers. It was the confirmation we needed to be sure we were doing the right thing. Someone already so powerful at the inception of manifestation would surely be indestructible at its peak. At this point, I had no doubt that Selena was the sorceress in the prophecy. Unfortunately, Selena Ryder got away – to nobody knows where. Probably one of those sorceress havens I heard existed in higher planes. With her escape, the timer started for us. We needed to find her before she reached the peak of her abilities and the surest way to do that was to take the one person she cared about the most.

There was no way she wouldn't come back for him and as such, my dear little Ry would serve as bait to lure his sorceress girlfriend back to us. There would be no turning back this time. Selena Ryder was surely going to die.

#  Chapter Four

Selena's POV

I stood out on the street with Trina, trying to figure out what to do. Normally, I'd have freaked out by now but for some strange reason, I felt perfectly calm. Maybe it was because of the fact that the vampires were gone and I was safe again.

"Why don't we go back to my place?" I asked Trina.

"Like that's not the first place the vampires will look." She rolled her eyes.

"Come on. It's better than staying out here." I pouted. I knew Trina was right but the way she rolled her eyes made me feel so dumb.

"You know what I think? We should go to Jason's. No one will think of finding us there." She stated.

"How do we get there?" I asked.

"Good question." Trina laughed.

I looked around and realized people were not the only thing missing. There were no cars or buses on the road, and everything was deathly silent.

"Vampire speed!" Trina rolled her eyes again.

This time, I launched myself at her. She easily grabbed me and raced to Jason's house. In my defense, I knew nobody thought of vampire speed as their first transportation option when stranded.

We got to Jason's front door and found it unlocked. That was kind of strange but what bothered me more was the fact that his street was just as deserted as all the other ones we passed through on our way there. It was either the government had a city evacuation and left us behind or something really weird was going on.

"Is it just me or is all of this really creepy?" I asked Trina as we walked into the house.

"It's not just you, Selena." She replied. "Something weird is definitely going on."

"Hello! Mrs. Harold?" Trina called out.

There was no response. We checked every room in the house and the result was the same - empty.

"Wait a minute." Trina said after checking the last room. "What if there's no one in this city?"

"How can there be no one in the city?" I asked confused. "We live here."

"You know what? Wait here. I'll check all the other houses on this street. I'll be back before you say Trina's awesome!" She grinned and dashed off.

I waited in Jason's living room and a few minutes later, Trina came back.

"Did you find anyone?" I asked.

"Nope. Told you. We're stuck on some alternate witchy universe." Trina replied.

"How?" I asked.

"I should be asking you." Trina smiled. "I think it has something to do with the force field you released but don't worry. We'll figure it out. Trina placed her hand around my shoulder and began walking out of Jason's house.

"So where are we going now?" I asked.

"To the only place that might have some answers." She replied.

I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"...and where's that?"

"Your mum's temple, duh!" She replied.

"You know, if you weren't so helpful, I'd have snapped your neck by now, Trina. You can be so annoying!" I lashed out.

"Wishes aren't horses, Selena. You should be the scared one. I'm a big bad vampire now. Ha!" She rushed so close to me that I screamed and jumped back. She caught me in her arms and laughed.

"Don't be such a scared-y cat. I'd never hurt you."

"I wish I could say the same." I grinned and launched a punch straight at her face.

Trina caught my hand effortlessly and pouted.

"Do you know how slow you appear? It's like I'm watching you trying to punch me in slow motion."

"Whatever." I smiled. "Thanks for cheering me up, Trina. Really."

"Anything for my BFF." She replied.

"So which way is the temple?" I asked.

"I thought you knew." She replied.

"Are you kidding me right now, Trina? You acted like you knew the way!"

"Um... how am I supposed to know the way? I've never been there. Besides it's your mum's temple." Trina protested.

"Yeah, a mum I've never met." I rolled my eyes. "What now?"

"Selena..." Trina called.

"What?"

"Over there!" Trina gasped, pointing to the sky behind me.

Her face looked several shades paler, like someone had drained all the blood from it. I frowned and turned around and was completely shocked at what I saw. A pitch black cloud had formed, and it was moving towards us... really fast.

"Run!" I yelled.

Trina picked me up and ran in the opposite direction. It was useless. The dark cloud caught up to us in less than a second, regardless of the speed with which Trina ran. We cuddled each other and closed our eyes in fear, screaming at the top of our lungs.

The dark cloud enveloped us and apart from the dark hue which formed over my closed eyelids, nothing else happened... at least to me.

I heard a loud cry from Trina and was forced to open my eyes. Surprisingly, I could see in the darkness but what I saw was heartbreaking. The cloud had formed a circular ring around Trina's neck and was choking the breath out of her. In less than a split second, she could no longer scream, and her suspended body dangled in the air. Her skin broke out in flames - blue flames that looked very similar to the ones that came out of my hand back in Ryan's house. It peeled away at Trina's skin and while the circular ring around her neck stopped her from screaming, I could see the pain in her eyes. They were pleading with me to do something... anything.

"Trina!" I yelled, grabbing her hand and pulling her to myself with all my might.

It was useless.

"Please... Stop... Please..." I begged whatever was hurting Trina, as tears made their way out of my eyes.

I noticed the flames didn't feel hot against my skin, neither did they hurt me in any way. Whatever it was only wanted to hurt Trina and I wondered why. I couldn't let whatever was in the dark cloud kill Trina. Not after everything she had done to help me. She had become my best friend and the only other person in the deserted city we found ourselves.

"Water!"

I swung into action the minute the thought crossed my mind. If I could just get some water to put out the flames like Ryan did back at his house, then we would only have to bother about the circular ring. I ran into the closest house from the street and came back with a bucket of water. I lifted the bucket up and poured the water over Trina's body with a splash. It was a horrible idea. The water only intensified the flames. Trina let out a muffled, pain-filled cry which pierced right through my heart. I couldn't believe that after everything we had been through together, Trina was going to die right in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Feeling helpless, I fell on my knees in front of a blazing and suspended Trina, and balled my eyes out.

#  Chapter Five

Selena's POV

I knelt there for a few seconds, crying my heart out. I wished upon every lucky star in the universe that I could think of something, anything that would save Trina and stop her torture. The first idea that came to my mind was to grab her and wrap myself around her since the flames weren't hurting me. I thought maybe if I did that, then the flames would go out. I got off the floor and hugged Trina's knees. It was the farthest part of her body I could reach from my standing position.

"Stop... please... stop." I closed my eyes and whispered to no one in particular.

I heard Trina gasp and felt her weight fall upon me suddenly. Whatever was suspending her in the air seemed to let go of its grip, allowing her to come to me.

"Oh my gosh." I cried, as I held her tighter. "I thought I was going to lose you."

Trina hugged me back and the flames on her skin died down, just like someone had turned them off. The dark cloud that strangled her completely disappeared, like it was never there. I didn't feel the need to bother about how weird and creepy everything was. I was just so happy to have my friend back with me.

"You're... suffocating... me." Trina whispered.

I realized I was actually squashing her face against my shoulder and I gave her a teary smile.

"Can we go inside, somewhere? That was the most painful thing ever!" Trina said.

I noticed she was panting now, but wasn't sure if it was from relief or the ordeal.

"Sure." I replied, putting my arm around her shoulder and walking into one of the empty houses.

"That really took a lot out of me. I need to feed fast." Trina said, just as we got inside.

We both looked at each other with a defeated expression on our faces, the full realization of our situation setting in.

"There's no one here, Selena. How do I feed?" Trina asked.

I knew she was right and my heart went out to her. Not only were we alone in the strange city, I had no idea how to send her back to the realm where she could find people to feed on. I knew how strange that sounded, being human myself but I realized that I couldn't help it. Trina was my friend and it wasn't her fault that she became a vampire. It was actually mine, so I guessed I had to be okay with her new nature. I felt really guilty for thinking about sending Trina off to feed on other people but I had no choice.

"Wait a minute. All she needs is blood."

"You can feed on me." I smiled.

"Hell no!" Trina protested.

"Trina, you don't really have a choice right now. You're weak and there's no one else around." I countered.

"Still no!" She pouted.

I could hear her breathing get shallower and it clawed at my heart.

"Trina please. Just this time. At least until we figure out a way to get out of here." I pleaded.

"You can compel me not to feel the pain if you'll feel better that way." I added.

Trina seemed to think about it for a while.

"Okay. But just this one time." She said weakly.

I walked to her and looked into her eyes. I didn't feel like I had lost control of my blinking which was the way I was supposed to feel if I was being compelled. I guessed it was because I was the one offering myself or something.

"Don't remember the pain and please don't scream." Trina said, looking straight into my eyes.

I smiled and stretched my hand out to her. She hesitated for a while before taking it and brushing her blonde hair behind her ears. I saw her eyes turn bloodshot red for a split second and she bared her fangs for the first time in front of me. It was beautiful just looking at her fangs extend. Trina brought her head down gently, and sank her fangs into my arm.

"Ouch!!!"

I let out a painful shriek that startled both me and Trina enough to make us jump.

"Oh my gosh, it's so freaking painful!" I said, clutching the area around the bite and suppressing the urge to cry.

"I don't understand." Trina said. "I just compelled you not to remember the pain."

"Does it look like it worked?" I asked. "Maybe you don't know how to compel yet."

"Oh my goodness. I thought compulsion was natural for vampires. I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was something I had to learn."

"It's okay. It's not your fault." I replied. "My hand is already bleeding so I guess you can feed now. Just don't bite me again because that's the most painful thing on the planet."

"I'm sorry." Trina whispered, taking my hand and sucking on the blood. She had barely taken three gulps when an invisible force came from nowhere and pushed her away from me. The force was so strong that it slammed her into the adjacent wall, causing her to cry out in pain. I rushed to her and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Trina. I don't know what's going on here."

"Such fantastic luck I have." Trina smiled. "I'm still so hungry and I have no idea what to do now."

"What if I bleed into a cup and put it on that table?" I asked, pointing to the dining table in the house we were. "I can walk away and you can drink it without having a creepy force blow you away."

"Yeah. Didn't you just need to add that?" Trina asked sarcastically.

I smiled and squeezed my bleeding hand into a cup I found on the kitchen counter. When I had put in enough blood, I placed it on the table and Trina picked it up. Surprisingly she drank it without drama. There was no creepy black cloud or invisible force.

"Selena..." Trina called, applying pressure on her head that had hit the wall when the force slammed her. "I think this place is built to protect you against... vampires."

"Really?" I asked. I didn't know what to make of the theory.

"Think about it. Whatever is out here never hurts you. The flames didn't burn you outside. The dark cloud disappeared when you asked it to. The force that pushed me into the wall didn't as much as lift your hair." She said. "I don't think it's all coincidental. Maybe this place is your haven. If it is, then of course, your sorceress nature will always be at odds with my vampire nature so I'll get my butt kicked for just being here."

What Trina said made sense but I didn't want to think it was true. How was that even possible?

"The dark cloud didn't stop the first time I asked it to." I protested, with a confused look.

"Yeah maybe it's like those things when you really have to mean it. Like feel it flow from within."

"Do you know how weird you sound right now?" I asked, trying my best not to laugh. "I meant it when I asked it to stop the first time. I really did."

"Isn't everything that has happened to us weird?" Trina asked. "I'm a vampire... Like a real vampire and my best friend is a sorceress. Things like this don't happen in real life, Selena."

"You're right. I guess this is our reality now." I said. "It's not all bad though. We can do cool stuff now. Okay. You can do cool stuff now. I have no idea what I'm doing." We both laughed.

"I wonder what else you can do now. I can't wait till we figure things out. I'll be taking my revenge to Ros!" Trina said excitedly.

"Oh... Ros." I suddenly felt the need to stare at the ground for no reason.

"Hey. Did I hit a raw nerve?" Trina asked, noticing my sad look.

"Um... no." I lied.

"So... Why aren't you excited you'll finally be able to get your revenge?" Trina asked.

I looked down and pursed my lips.

"Can I tell you a secret, Trina?" I asked.

"Of course." She looked at me with keen interest. "What is it about?"

"It's about Ros." I replied.

#  Chapter Six

Ros's POV

I laid on my king sized bed that meant absolutely nothing to me, and stared at the ceiling. Memories from my passionate night with Selena floated into my mind and danced happily around my consciousness. They tortured me with so much pain and anger - but still, they gave me something. I couldn't exactly place my finger on it but it felt like the memories filled a void I didn't even know existed.

"She was only that passionate with you because she thought you were Ryan!"

The thought cut like a knife. I knew I had to do something to get it out of my head.

"Oliver!" I called out to my personal help.

I got off the bed with enhanced speed and balled my fingers into tight fists. My nails were barely inches away from digging into my palms and drawing blood.

"Why am I so unsettled?"

"What is it about Selena Ryder that gets me so riled up?"

I was about to call Oliver again when he stuck his head through my bedroom door.

"Is everything alright, Ros?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "You look... flustered."

I was going to reply when he asked the most embarrassing question ever.

"And is that a boner I see?" Oliver's eyes grew wide, and so did mine.

"No!" I snapped, causing him to jump.

"Yes, Ros. Definitely yes!" He countered, pursing his lips and making a decisive gesture with his index finger.

I had no choice but to laugh and turn away in embarrassment.

"I need ten girls. Pure humans. None of those witchy little things." I said, still backing him. "Oh, and make sure they're all blonde."

I heard Oliver snickering as he sped off and I didn't even want to address the fact that he embarrassed me. Did I have a right to? Those thoughts of Selena messed me up bad and now I had to deal with the embarrassment – just like everything else. She chose Ryan and I was left to deal with the hurt. I tried everything to get it out of my head and failed miserably every time. Selena Ryder was a constant ache in my heart and I had no idea how to make it stop.

"Why does she even get under my skin?"

Oliver's entry into my room distracted me from my thoughts. I saw the lineup of ten beautiful blondes marching in behind him, and plastered a smirk on my face.

"Hello, lovelies!" I grinned, spreading my arms apart.

The girls smiled and struck a pose at the same time. It felt like a real world fashion runway show and I loved it.

"Did you compel them to do that?" I asked Oliver.

"I know how you like them." He winked, before taking his leave.

"Why don't you come over here?" I asked the first girl.

She walked up to me and stood, a little shy and innocent but I knew better. Girls like that were usually the most engaging in not-so-public activities and I couldn't wait to explore the secrets that laid beneath her tight little black skirt.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Selena." She replied.

I lost it. A torrent of rage washed over me and my eyes instantly turned bloodshot red. I had barely completely bared my fangs when I sank them into her neck with all the force of my anger. I knew she died before I took the first sip but I didn't care. She was no Selena. None of them were. Girl after girl I drained, giving no thought to the warning in my head. I knew I had to stop or risk succumbing to the blood lust but I couldn't. The dumb little Barbie had infuriated me and they all had to pay for her stupidity. It was a good thing Oliver already compelled them not to run or scream. Chasing nine girls around my house would have pissed me off even more. Once they were all drained, I felt the stirring inside me. It was like a deep craving... no, a dark lust. It felt like there was only one important thing in the world - and that thing was blood. I wanted more. I wanted so much more. In the middle of the madness, something else surfaced in my mind. An innocent brown haired girl with full pouty lips looked up at me and smiled. Selena. It was all I needed to wipe my lips and storm out of my room.

"Clean that mess up." I said to Oliver on my way out. "...and get me Viktor when you're done. I have something important to discuss with him."

I marched into the basement and turned the lights on. The brightness revealed the stone cold form of my brother, Ryan, hanging from silver chain suspenders. I put a rubber glove on before walking up to him and drawing the stake out of his heart. Ryan gasped and shook against his chains, just as his skin regained its youthful appearance.

"Hello, brother!" I smirked.

"Missing me so much already?" He asked with a hoarse voice.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but no." I grinned.

"You're lying. I can tell." He rolled his eyes.

"No you can't!" I snapped.

"So that means you're lying. I just can't tell." It was his turn to grin.

I had no idea how he did that. He snuck one up on me all the time. I was winning this 'conversation game' right before he came up with his trick question.

"Whatever, Ry. Where's your girlfriend?" I asked.

"Someone's asking nicely." Ryan smiled. "Give me a drink first."

"No. Tell me first." I replied.

"Okay. Keep your drink and I'll keep my tiny little info that I know you're dying to know. You're never going to find her without me." He smiled.

"Fine!"

I pushed a straw into a blood bag and held it in front of his face. He looked at me and scoffed.

"You know what I want Ros." He said, turning his face away.

Ryan was such a manipulator. How in the world did he manage to make demands on me when he was my hostage? Well, there was no denying the fact that he had his ways with me, just like I did with him. There were times in the past when I wished we didn't have all the disagreements. Times when I wished we could go back to the way things were when we were little.

"Aww. Someone's getting soft." I heard Ryan in my head.

"I'm not!" I snapped, glaring at him and storming out of the room.

I returned with a girl and compelled her to offer herself to Ryan. He hungrily gulped down every ounce of her blood until he had the last drop. Her lifeless body slumped to the ground in front of him and he grinned with bloodied fangs.

"I held up my part of the bargain." I said. "It's time for you to do the same. Where is Selena?"

"Right. Just so we're clear, my part of the bargain is to tell you the truth about Selena's location." He said.

"Yeah. That's what I want." I replied.

"I don't know." He smirked.

"You what?"

"Don't know." The dragged his words out. "How can I? She disappeared right in front of both of us."

"Then why the hell did you take the drink?" I asked.

"In exchange for the truth... and the truth is I don't know." He laughed. "Come on, little Rossy. Don't be so pissed. A vampire's got to drink."

I ran towards him and sank the silver stake back into his heart with the force of a thousand dynamites. He instantly turned cement cold and it gave me so much satisfaction.

"That's what you get for being so annoying, Ry." I said to his cold form, before turning the lights out and walking out of my basement.

#  Chapter Seven

Selena's POV

Trina looked at me in a confused but concerned way. She shifted even closer to me and grabbed my hand.

"What is it about Ros that has you acting this way?" She asked.

I looked at her with a deep expression and sighed.

"Never mind. You won't understand." I replied.

"Hey. It's okay, I promise. You don't have to let whatever it is eat you up inside. You can trust me." She encouraged.

"You promise you'll understand and not judge me?" I asked.

"Sure. What are best friends for?" She smiled.

"Okay. I hate Ros with all my heart..." I started.

"...and you should after what he did to you!" Trina exclaimed, cutting me off. "I'm sorry. I butt in, didn't I?"

"Yeah you did." I gave her a small smile. "Like I was saying, I hate him with everything in me, but I don't."

I saw Trina's eyebrow raise slightly but since she didn't say anything, I continued.

"I wish I can explain it clearly but I can't..."

"I don't understand how you can feel this way after what he did to you." Trina shook her head in confusion. "Is there something else you haven't told me?"

"Yeah."

"I knew it!" Trina exclaimed. "Please don't tell me it's what I'm thinking."

"Before everything happened at the cathedral, Ros pretended to be Ryan. He made me trust him and believe he was protecting me from... well, Ros. He was really sweet and things kind of moved fast and I slept with him."

"You what?" Trina gasped. "Like get down dirty and do the nasties?"

"You're so not judging me right now!" I retorted.

"I'm sorry, Selena but this is just messed up. Does Ryan know?"

"Yeah he does." I replied.

"...and?" Trina looked at me with wide eyes.

"...and nothing. He was upset for a while but I guess he got over it." I replied. "Trina, none of this is the problem."

"So what is?" She asked.

"It's everything that happened after the cathedral. Ryan and I kissed and it was magical. I promise. But it lacked something. I think it was the intensity of passion. Or maybe it was the darkness of lust..."

"Are you crazy?" Trina cut me off.

I stopped talking immediately and pursed my lips.

"Yeah. I think I am."

"Yeah, you've got to be. Ros tried to kill you! He's killed you in every lifetime before this one and if he gets a chance in this lifetime, guess what? He'll do it again! So except you've got a death wish or a morbid fantasy, you shouldn't even have such thoughts." Trina looked at me in disbelief.

"I understand what he did, but I know he did it out of a broken heart. He's just hurt, Trina. Ryan and I betrayed him..."

"...and so he should kill you over and over again for it? You're unbelievable!"

"You said I could tell you and it'll be okay." I protested, feeling my eyes beginning to sting.

Trina pulled me into a hug and rubbed her palm up and down my back.

"Yes I did and I'm sorry I snapped. I'm just in shock." She whispered.

"Are you in love with Ros?" She asked against my hair.

"No. I believe I'm in love with Ryan but Ros is like that affair you know is going to ruin you but you can't let go of." I replied.

Trina laughed and cupped my face in her hands.

"You have to let go of this one, Selena. It's bad... terrible... horrible..."

"I get it." I laughed.

"So do you forgive him for everything he did to you?" Trina asked.

"I don't, and that's why this is so complicated. Like I said, I hate him and at the same time, I don't. Does it even make sense?" I asked.

"Not really but I think I understand. Besides, I have my own little secret."

"Out with it already!" I shook her hand.

"Well, it's kind of similar to yours." She smiled. "...but you can't judge!"

"I don't plan on judging." I laughed.

"Okay. Before the cathedral, Ryan took me back to his memory of the first time he met you." She started.

"Back in 1889?" I asked with a confused frown.

"Yeah. Back then. You were so beautiful but that's not the secret." Trina laughed.

"Okay." I smiled.

"I saw Ros in the memory and I was attracted to his dark charm." She continued.

"So you're secretly in love with Ros?" I asked.

"No!"

"So what's the secret? Come on, Trina. I'm dying to know!"

"Promise you won't be mad?" She asked.

"I promise." I replied.

"Okay. So you already know I had unresolved feelings for Ryan before I turned and now that the initial vampire hormones are stable, I know what I feel for him. I love him... but I respect the fact that he loves you." She said.

"It's okay. I already kind of knew that." I smiled. "I'm sorry you have to let go for me."

"Okay. So the secret is... I kissed him." Trina finally said.

I froze for a few seconds, just staring at her. I couldn't believe what she just told me. I didn't even know what to feel about it. I already promised not to get mad and I wasn't... I was furious! Was it before he kissed me and told me I didn't have to bother about him being with anyone else? Was it after the fact? Why didn't he tell me? Was it in revenge for what I did with Ros?

"When?" I asked in a barely audible whisper.

"I'm so sorry, Selena." Trina apologized, instead of answering my question. "I couldn't help myself at the time but I know his heart belongs to you."

"I get it, Trina. I just want to know when." I replied.

"The day you heard me telling him how crazy I was about him." She replied.

"Then it can't be out of revenge."

"It's okay." I smiled and hugged Trina.

It was a sad smile, but I hoped it conveyed my true feelings. I understood the fact that Trina was having a hard time handling her emotions at the time, but what I didn't get was why Ryan never bothered to tell me. I didn't want to get emotional because I had promised Trina it would be okay, so I decided to switch to a slightly different topic.

"Do you remember my history instructor from college?" I asked.

"That's random." Trina smiled.

"Not really. It's related to all this. Please tell me if you do."

"Yeah I remember. It was Mr..."

"Ross, right?" I couldn't wait for her to say it.

Instead, Trina looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Schulman. It was Mr. Schulman." She replied.

"That was exactly what my mum said, but I know my instructor was Mr. Ross. I think it was Ros. He must have been messing with me the entire time but I can't prove it."

"Okay... Why do you think it was Ros?" Trina asked.

"How else would he have known where to find me? Before all of this started, I remember seeing a fast moving shadow everywhere I went. Knowing how fast vampires can move, I now believe the fast moving shadow was not a figment of my imagination like I thought it was at the time. It was Ros, or one of his Council vampires and they were stalking me. That's how Ros knew about Alex and my mum." I replied.

"So you're saying Ros was pretending to be your instructor?" Trina asked.

"Yes."

"So why didn't you recognize him the minute he showed up at your house?" She asked.

"Because he didn't look like Mr. Ross. He looked like himself." I replied.

"Now I see why they believed you were crazy back then." Trina laughed. "But it's possible. If he didn't want you to know how he looked, he could easily have compelled you to think he looked like someone else."

"That's it! He must have compelled everyone to think he was Mr. Schulman too!" I yelped.

"Okay. So let's assume this theory is true. Why is this important now? It's not like we can change anything that has happened." She said.

"It can change how the future goes, Trina. If I can prove that Ros was there the whole time, and that I was never crazy, then maybe the police will believe me. If I'm absolved of the murder case, I can go back to living a normal life." I replied.

Trina laughed.

"You're right. I want that ridiculous murder case gone for good. It's what put me in all this trouble in the first place. Unfortunately, I doubt we'll ever go back to living our normal lives."

I knew she was right. Too much stuff had happened for us to go back to the carefree teens we once were. Even if I managed to go free of the murder case somehow, I was at risk of blasting out uncontrollable fire in public places and being labelled the weirdo of the century. Trina was at risk of attacking people when she felt the need to feed. I still had no idea how to get back to the part of the world with people in it, and even if I did, there was a vicious clan of murderous vampires on my trail for who knew what reason.

"In that case, I think it's time we start trying to figure out how to deal with our nature. I'm done shying away from the truth. If I have these powers, I need to learn how to control myself. Maybe even use the powers for some cool stuff. You need to master your abilities and we both need to figure out how to get out of here. Are you with me?" I asked.

"Always." Trina squeezed my hand and smiled.

#  Chapter Eight

Ros's POV

I walked into my study and poured myself a glass of whiskey. I needed something strong to ease the stress on my mind, and the warm liquid lived up to its reputation. I poured another glass and whirled the liquid around in my mouth before pushing it down my throat and making a pleasurable 'Ah' sound. There was something about whiskey that made me feel good. It was warm and smooth, and yet strong enough to take the pain away. I pushed another gulp down my throat and relished the feeling as the liquid burned its way down to my stomach. I placed the glass back on the table gently and smiled.

"I don't know why you keep trying, Viktor but I don't need magic to know when someone tries to sneak up on me." I smirked.

"Always so alert, Ros." Viktor smiled. "You asked to see me?"

I turned around to see the chiseled face of Viktor, staring at me intensely. If I didn't know better, I would have thought he had a different agenda from simply honoring my request to see him.

"Yes I did." I replied, ignoring his look.

Viktor had always been a creepy one. Little wonder Ry didn't like him much. I got him though. Being a vampire-wizard hybrid had to be creepy as hell.

"Have your scouts found anything on the girl?" I asked.

"What girl?"

"Don't play coy with me, Viktor. Selena Ryder is the only girl of interest to me right now."

That came out a little differently than the way I planned it. What I meant was that I was interested in Selena because she possessed the power to destroy my kind and not because she was beautiful or that I felt anything for her. I didn't know why it sounded the other way to me but thankfully, Viktor didn't notice.

"Not at all." He replied.

"And you? Have you sensed her powers again?" I asked.

"No. It's either she completely disappeared, or her powers have not manifested since the blast." He replied.

"Is that normal?" I asked.

"Not the disappearance, certainly. It's possible however that she's in hiding and it will take a while for her to build up the will to use her powers again." He replied.

"Very well. Remain watchful. If you sense her power or get word of her location, I want to be the first to know." I stated.

"I will." Viktor turned around to leave, but got to the door and stopped.

"I haven't seen Ryan since he was delivered to you. Are you keeping him or did you let him go?"

"My brother remains my concern, Viktor. Thanks for your care. You may leave now." I gave him a smile that said to 'buzz off'.

I didn't mean to be such a jerk but Viktor needed to be told off. From time to time he pried into matters that shouldn't concern him and while I let a lot of it slide under the carpet, it was a completely different ball game when it came to Ryan. Little Ry was my only family and regardless of the fact that I enjoyed torturing him at certain times, I wanted to be the only one to do so.

Viktor stepped out of my study and closed the door behind him. Less than three minutes later, the door opened again. I turned my head sharply in its direction, ready to snap at Victor for returning when I clearly asked him to leave. I was done with our conversation and I needed time alone to think. When I completed my turn however, my irritation disappeared because Oliver's cheerful face peeked in through the slightly open door.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

"Is it important?"

"I guess." He replied.

"Okay, what is it?" I asked.

"I found this in the hallway and it looked like important Council document." Oliver said, handing me a brown scroll that was tied at the middle with a thin red ribbon.

I looked at the scroll with a raised eyebrow and accepted it from Oliver.

"Thank you." I said.

He nodded and walked out of my study, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

"Finally!"

I opened the scroll and glanced at the text written in it. It was some kind of report, written both in black and red ink. Though I hadn't read the report yet, I knew what it meant to have red ink on official parchment. Someone was either marked for execution or they had already been executed. If that was the case, why hadn't I heard about it? I took a seat behind my desk and traced my eyes over the lines...

"Nikolas Bordain –Approximately two Millennia old, rarely seen, spotted two months ago in River Burn. Taken down by a team of twelve hunters. Defining blow made with the ancient Archibald stake.

Sergio Lake – Less than a Millennia old, tracked down to the Carine Islands where nest is set up on the icy Covian mountains. Requires a team of hunters and the ancient Archibald stake.

Ronald Sky – Exactly six Millennia old, location unknown. The only known fact is a harem of Norwegian witches and a fifty strong vampire army. Focus should be on deciphering location. Can be taken down with the ancient Archibald stake.

Rayna Bold – Oldest vampire known, estimates leave age around twenty-seven Millennia, not spotted in the last twelve centuries. Only known link is the Soille twins. Requires the blood of the Immortal Elect, a vampire sacrifice and a young wolf. Ancient Archibald stake must be dipped in the blood of the Immortal Elect and the sacrifice must take place on the second full moon after ascension. "

My eyes widened for several reasons. The vampires on the list were the last of the oldest generation of vampires. Was someone planning to kill them all? That would not only be suicide, it would unleash hell on all of us. Who would be stupid enough to plan something of this magnitude? How did they plan this far without my knowledge?

I stared at the parchment paper in disbelief. Ronald Sky? The guy was close to being a myth. Rumors had it that he killed before being seen by even the keenest of vampires. Why on earth would anyone plan an assassination attempt on him? The report said Nikolas Bordain was already dead. How possible was that? Could a team of just twelve vampires really kill the great Bordain? Seeing Rayna Bold on the list was almost laughable. However, I couldn't ignore her name. The bond we shared was way too strong for me to pass this up without digging up whatever information I could find. Whoever was doing this knew about Rayna's bond with me and my brother. How did they find out?

A thousand other questions immediately began swirling around in my head as I stared at the parchment.

"How authentic is this document? How did it make its way into my house? If this operation is truly going to happen, why would anyone be careless enough to drop its report in my hallway? Is my finding the document all part of a grand plan?"

The first thing I needed to do was to confirm Nikolas Bordain's death before believing anything else on the report. I had no idea how the person or group behind the crazy annihilation plan got their hands on the Archibald stake in the first place. That relic had been carefully hidden for centuries. It was the only thing that could truly kill a vampire and I certainly wasn't comfortable with it being in the hands of some rogue vampire group with a twisted agenda. I knew I needed to get to work fast. If this was really being planned, I needed to find out who was behind it and bring them to justice before they rained hell on every one of us. Their actions were tantamount to treason because the rules were clear. Rebellion against the first generation was unimaginable. Death would be an easy punishment for anyone who dared.

At this point, it was clear I had to get my brother involved. Whatever differences we had could wait. This was bigger than all of us.

"Oliver!" I yelled in his head.

Oliver was immediately in my study.

"You know with modern technology you don't need to do that." He said.

"This is no time for jokes. Where did you find this?" I asked, pointing at the parchment paper.

"In the hallway. What is it?" He asked.

"Never mind. When did you find it?" I asked.

"Right before I brought it to you." He replied.

"Very well. Thanks for bringing it to me. Do not mention this to anyone. I need you to call an impromptu Council meeting tonight. Every Council member must be present. We have something very important to discuss." I ordered, marching out of my study.

I went straight to my basement to get Ryan. He was the only person I completely trusted in the world, and I knew he would be vital in figuring things out. I couldn't do this on my own. As soon as I unlocked the door, I turned the lights on and was completely shocked. The silver chain suspenders that once held my brother's cold body dangled freely in the air... empty.

Ryan was gone!

#  Chapter Nine

Ryan's POV

The invigorating feeling of air rushing into my lungs overwhelmed my consciousness, as my surroundings slowly came into focus. I felt the hollow in my heart as the gap that formerly held the silver stake that kept me out cold, closed up. My memory slowly coalesced back into place, bringing with it an uncomfortable realization – I was still being held captive by silver chain suspenders, but I was no longer in Ros's house. The appalling choice of furniture around me, combined with the Gothic themed walls and floor confirmed my suspicion that I was indeed out of little Rossy's living space. There was no way Ros would own a place as poorly decorated as the room I was. That much was sure.

"Did he transfer me somewhere else?" It was highly unlikely for Ros to do that.

As much as he liked to deny it, little Rossy was a hoarder - and that extended to the people in his life. He held on to his relationships, even when they caused him pain. He hardly ever let go of people - whether he was loving them or torturing them. As crazy as it sounded, it was a useful trait. Especially in times like this. Since I knew I was no longer being held by Ros, I took the time to figure out who else would want to take me captive and for what reason. I drew a blank. No one came to mind. It was clearly useless to try fighting against the silver chain suspenders that kept me in place. Silver made vampires weak and rendered us nearly immobile - but it didn't exactly kill us. Since it was clear that I wouldn't be able to break free of the suspenders, I knew my best bet was to wait for whoever my captor was. If they took my restraints off for any reason, that would be their undoing. The wait was a long, boring one. No one showed up for hours and I decided to put everything I knew about my current situation together. Whoever took the stake out of my heart had to be a vampire because they were gone by the time I opened my eyes. Only vampires could move that fast. The person also didn't want to reveal their identity just yet. Why?

"Could it be little Rossy playing silly games with me? Or maybe someone else who's too busy doing who knows what kidnappers do?"

This didn't look like the kind of game Ros would play at a time like this, especially since he was keeping me in hopes of getting Selena. With that fact known, I was left with just one option - I had to have been taken by someone else. Since I knew that someone else was a vampire, the question became who. If it was a member of Council, my first suspect would be the obnoxious Viktor. However, Viktor was too close to Ros to pull off something like that. Ros would never authorize it.

"What if my captor is someone from a smaller clan? Could this be a takeover attempt of some sorts where they plan on using me as bait to force Ros to step down?"

The more I thought about it, the more the possibility of it being true sank into my consciousness. Whatever the case was going to be, I knew I would handle it somehow. Ros and I had been through worse things over the years and those experiences gave me confidence because we always came out on top. I shifted my thoughts back to Selena. Everything I was going through paled in comparison to not knowing where she was or how she was doing. I wondered if she was freaking out about her powers or burning wherever she was down from lack of control. I wondered if she was thinking about me and trying desperately to come back to me. It would have been easier to deal with being apart from her if I had some form of closure. Knowing Trina was with her gave me some consolation but it wasn't enough to ease my aching heart. Even Trina needed to be supervised. She was still in the process of mastering her abilities and controlling her urge to feed. I wanted to be there for both of them so bad. If Ros didn't knock me out cold, I would have gone to Selena's mum's temple to try and figure things out - maybe there would be an ancient book or scroll on the art of magic that could explain where Selena went. I would have hijacked some of Ros's witches and gotten them to try and find her, or maybe I would have gotten some witches of my own. Whatever the case, I hated not being able to do anything.

"Why not try and reach her mind?"

The thought came like a light bulb in my head. If I could reach Selena's thoughts, then I could get her to tell me her location or glean it from our conversation. At least it would help ease my worry. I closed my eyes and concentrated hard. I searched the vast expanse of consciousness for strings of Selena's grasp, but found nothing. It was impossible. There had to be something. If she was shutting me out, I'd still find her consciousness. I'd only hit a brick wall when I tried to access it. The fact that I was getting nothing at all was bad... very bad. It was either she was dead, or transported to a different lifetime like the spell her mum cast in 1889. Either case was not acceptable to me. I wanted my Selena back and safe - in this lifetime. I focused one more time and tried even harder. I paid attention to the littlest of details, making sure not to miss anything. After a while I felt hopeful again. I felt like I was getting closer to finding her thoughts and I zoned in on that energy, pushing harder and harder until the energy slowly began to coalesce. When I felt like I had almost reached something, I heard the clicking sound of the door opening. It completely shattered my concentration. My eyelids flung open and for the first time in a very long time, my eyes turned blood shot red from rage. That rage quickly turned to disbelief as I stared at the smirking face of the vampire standing in front of me.

#  Chapter Ten

Ryan's POV

I had barely completed one cycle of raising my eyebrows when another vampire stepped into the room.

"What is this nonsense?" I roared.

They didn't reply. Instead, the other vampire raised his hand towards me and I saw a pistol pointed at me. For a moment, I thought the vampire holding the gun was insane. What on earth was a bullet supposed to do to me? Even humans knew it was useless to shoot a vampire. Was I supposed to be afraid? A bullet couldn't even slow me down!

"Is this a case of gross stupidity? "I wondered.

I soon found out it wasn't. The moment the bullet pierced through the skin on my shoulder, I knew it was made of pure silver. A biting feeling of agony spread through my entire body, numbing my right hand instantly. I let out a guttural scream of pain that came out as a deep sounding growl, bouncing off the walls like the wails of a wild animal in anguish. Blood instantly soaked the sleeve of my shirt and I found myself gritting my teeth.

"Not so high and mighty anymore, are you, Ryan Soille?" The vampire sneered.

"Are you out of your mind? What is this? A pathetic takeover attempt?" I barked back.

I charged at them in anger, momentarily forgetting about the silver chain suspenders that kept me in place. I was quickly reminded of their presence by the biting pain in my wrists as my hands pulled against the silver metal. I immediately regretted my decision but that regret did not abate my anger.

"Always so feisty." The first vampire spoke.

Another loud bang filled the air, signaling me of the second shot that was fired. This one was aimed at my leg and it hurt twice as much as the first. I took a deep breath and let out a suppressed grunt which did nothing to mask the pain I felt. I had no idea what was going on but I knew one thing for sure. These vampires weren't messing around. They meant business, and were willing to break me apart piece by piece until I gave them what they wanted - whatever that was.

I reminded myself that I was a Soille... and we never surrendered. Despite the fact that the silver bullets hurt like hell, I knew they weren't going to kill me. All they managed to do was piss me the hell off.

"Are you ready to have a conversation now?" The first vampire asked.

"Go to blazes!" I spat. "As a member of Council you do realize that this is tantamount to treason. I will make sure..."

"Oh shut it!" He interrupted me. "There will be no Council at the end of this."

The second vampire walked up to me and smiled in my face. It was disgusting. I pushed my head back and brought it down on his nose as hard as I could. The force smashed the bridge of his nose, causing blood to drip down his face.

"Does Ros know you're doing this?" I barked in anger.

I didn't need an answer to that. There was no way Ros would know about it and these idiots would still be standing. Whatever they were planning was bound to fail because they picked the wrong hostage. I was never going to negotiate with lowlife social climbers.

The searing pain that erupted in my back took me unawares and forced me to scream out in anguish. The first vampire had gone around me and stabbed me with something that was certainly made of silver. Not only did I have to deal with the pain of the cut, I had to deal with the reaction silver brought. It felt like someone set my entire back area on fire because the idiot refused to take the object out of my skin.

"I didn't really expect you to cooperate. That's why we came prepared." The second vampire smirked.

His enhanced healing had kicked in, stopping the bleeding in his nose. I continued to look at him in disbelief. How could he even think of doing something like this?

"I'm going to ask you this once. If you refuse to tell me, I will get it out of you. Where is Rayna Bold?" He asked.

The minute I heard Rayna's name, I knew this was no takeover attempt. This was something bigger, darker and unimaginable. Why would these idiots want to know about Rayna's location? No one went in search of a member of the first generation except...

"Wait a minute. This might be a takeover after all. This is just on a much bigger stage."

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked in shock. "You'll bring death on yourselves. You'll bring death on all of us!"

If these fools were planning what I thought they were, I had to stop them. This was madness. No one dared overthrow the first generation of vampires. It was simply impossible. They'd wipe out every last one of us and make a new generation if they as much as got wind of this.

"Oh... I'm shivering." The first vampire said sarcastically. "Why don't you ask Nikolas Bordain what he thought of the Archibald stake when it went through his heart?"

I was barely able to stop my eyes from widening in shock at the mention of the Archibald stake. It couldn't be true. These idiots had to be lying. That was all this was. A carefully crafted lie to get me to talk. Did they really think I would fall for it?

"You're even more pathetic than I thought you were." I spat.

The first vampire turned to the second and pursed his lips.

"You know what? I'm done with this. I told you it was useless trying to get him to talk. Bring the witches in." He ordered.

Three young women walked into the room and stood in front of me. They had their eyes focused on my face, like they were searching for something. I knew what it was and I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it. No number of witches could access my thoughts if I didn't grant them access. That was vampire 101. I expected these idiots to know that but then again, I knew they were living up to their reputation of stupidity.

"Let's see how long you can keep them out." The first vampire smirked.

I was going to remind them that witches had human lifespans and I was prepared to keep them out until they died of old age but something caught my eye and made my blood freeze over in my veins. The first vampire pulled something out of a black pouch that he brought out of the drawer of one of the tables. I immediately recognized the inscriptions on the sharp object and couldn't believe it. Right there in his hand was the Archibald stake. It was the only thing that could truly kill a vampire.

"How in the world did such a carefully guarded weapon get into the hands of these idiots?" I wondered.

"Did they really kill Nikolas Bordain with it?"

"Are they going to kill me if I don't tell them were Rayna is?"

The questions continued to spin around in my head as the vampire took several haunting steps towards me. It was when I received the first cut from the lethal weapon that I realized what the witches had been brought in to do. The vampire was going to keep cutting me with the Archibald stake until I lost my concentration. That would force me to lose my hold on the barrier I had placed around my thoughts, giving the witches free access to the information they required.

"No!" I screamed, as the Archibald stake made another incision in my chest.

The pain was nothing like I had ever felt before. At this point, I knew I couldn't hold on to my thoughts much longer. I had to reach out to the one person I knew could help me in a situation like this. Trying to contact Rayna would lead these idiots straight to her and it was the last thing I wanted. I let out scream after scream as the ancient stake cut more and more incisions in my body. It was hard to concentrate but I gave it my best shot. I was barely holding on to the barrier around my thoughts, with those annoying witches prodding deeper and deeper. My entire body was in turmoil and I knew I couldn't take much more. Right before I felt the first witch break through the barrier, I made the connection I needed and screamed into his head as desperately as I could.

"Ros! They're going to kill me. V..."

My concentration shattered into a million little pieces, as I felt the last cut from the ancient stake. My body finally became overwhelmed by the pain, and gave in. I felt myself falling into the darkness and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My eyelids slid closed and everything around me went deathly silent.

#  Chapter Eleven

Selena's POV

I smiled and did a double high five with Trina before walking into the study of the house we were. It meant the world to me that she was with me, and I was more than grateful to have her as my friend.

"We need to come up with a plan that can take us out of here." I said, as soon as we were in.

"Great idea." She replied. "I think since you brought us here in the first place, you're the only one who can take us back. You just need to figure out how to do that. Since we're sure that this is an exact replica of our city, it means your mum's temple is out here somewhere. We just need to find it."

"How? Do we go into each house in the city and look? That will take forever." I stated.

"Yeah I know but if we make smart guesses..." Trina started, slamming her hands down on the wooden table in front of her.

She was usually big on descriptive gestures, so seeing her hit the table while explaining her 'smart guesses' theory didn't come as a surprise to me. What was out of the ordinary however, was the smooth shifting sound of that followed her last action. The wall opposite the table shifted, revealing a large black TV screen. Trina and I looked at each other, stunned for a few seconds. It wasn't like we hadn't seen embedded TVs before. Most modern homes had them. What surprised us was the location of the remote. The part of the table Trina pushed while trying to get up was what activated the TV. Regular embedded TVs had little devices for remotes, not secret table launchers. I walked to Trina and held her hand, while we both watched the black screen. It came to life almost immediately after emerging from the wall, and displayed what looked like a map of the city.

"Cool!" Trina exclaimed. "Whose house is this?"

"I have no idea." I replied. "Maybe we should put it back the way it was."

"Are you kidding? Hell no! If this is a map of the city, we're going to use it to our advantage." Trina stated.

"Okay. Do you have any idea how to use it?" I asked.

Trina walked to the screen and poked it a few times.

"Most of these screens are touch-enabled. There should be a way to input the information we want to search for."

Nothing happened.

"Aargh!" She screamed in frustration.

"Voice authentication failed. Will you like to try again, Mr. Zoe?" The automated voice prompt asked.

"Of course. It requires authentication. Whoever owns this house must be some government security official or something. It's very unlikely that they'll leave a map of the city and who knows what other information is in there, unsecured." I stated.

Trina looked so cute with her defiant stance and pout, protesting the decision of an inanimate object.

"Hey. look at the bright side. At least we've found a map. We can try typing commands instead of speaking. That way, we just might be able to find Sophia's temple." I encouraged.

Trina typed a few generic commands and again, nothing happened. At this point, I got frustrated.

"You know what? I'm done with this city. I can't even find a simple temple!" I sighed.

The air in front of us warped around itself, completely shocking us. We looked at each other with wide eyes, before looking back at the space in front of us. A couple of golden rings had formed around certain points on a web-like structure that looked very similar to the map of the city we saw on the TV screen.

"Is this what I think it is?" Trina asked, taking a step forward.

"What do you think it is?" I asked, completely confused. I had never seen anything like it before.

The golden rings blinked around the points they were indicating, leaving me puzzled. Trina studied them for a while before speaking.

"I think we should get an actual map of the city and see where those rings point to."

"That sounds like a good idea, but where do we find an actual map?" I asked.

"There's got to be a study somewhere in this house. Wait here, I'll do a quick search." She replied, dashing off shortly after. She returned almost immediately with a map in her hand.

"Vampire speed has its perks, you know." She smiled.

"It sure does." I smiled back.

Trina laid the map on the wooden table and traced the point indicated by the first golden ring. There was a building marked "New Age Temple" right at that point.

"This is what I think it is!" Trina exclaimed. "A locator spell!"

"Hmm? A what? Cast by who?" I asked, still surprised at everything.

"Listen, I'm not sure how this city works but this is what I know. We were brought here because you were in danger. Some freak force of nature attacked me outside and stopped because you asked it to. When I tried to feed on you, the city thought I was attacking you. Guess what happened? An unseen wind as strong as a tornado blew from nowhere and slammed me against a wall. Everything here is built to protect you, Selena. More importantly, everything here obeys you. It must have something to do with your sorceress nature. The power you have is greater than anything we can imagine." Trina explained, excitedly.

"But the map didn't work when I asked for directions." I protested.

"Yeah, that's probably because magic can't change programmed code." She shrugged. "The map on the screen probably has a defined set of commands to make it work. If you know what those commands are and get Mr. Zoe to say them, I'm sure you'll be able to do get directions."

"So you think the city gave me directions in the air?" I asked, looking at Trina skeptically.

"I think when you were frustrated with our inability to locate the temple, you really wanted it to happen. That intention activated some kind of locator spell and voila! We have the location of four temples. This narrows our search a whole lot. All we need to do now is visit all four temples and figure out which one is Sophia's." She replied.

"Wow. I feel like an all-powerful being now." I grinned. "Guess you're not the only 'big, bad, something' around here anymore."

Trina laughed.

"You're the most powerless 'all-powerful-being' I've ever met!"

Her comment really cracked me up because I knew she was right. The only time I managed to get anything done was when I was upset, frustrated or depressed.

"Why don't we do something about that?" I grinned. "I'm sure we'll find a few books or scrolls to help me in Sophia's temple."

"Sure." Trina grinned, wrapping her hand around my waist. "To Sophia's temple and beyond!"

I had barely started laughing when I felt the wind blowing fast across my face. Trina had begun her run, and we were off to the first temple on the map.

#  Chapter Twelve

Selena's POV

Sophia's temple turned out to be the second one on the map. On our way to its location, we passed by the cathedral Ros took me on Halloween's day, when he wanted to break my bones and spill my blood. Seeing the cathedral again sent chills of terror down my spine, regardless of the fact that I knew we were in an alternate replica of the city. It brought painful memories back to me and judging from the reassuring squeeze of my hand from Trina, I could tell she understood and empathized with the way I felt. Right from the moment we arrived at the door of the temple, I knew there was something special about the place. My body responded to it in unexplainable ways and I felt a surge of power coursing through my veins.

"Ready to go in?" Trina asked.

"As ready as can be." I smiled, not wanting to bother her with the changes in my body.

We pushed the door and walked into pitch black darkness. From the creaking of the door's hinges, it was clear that the place had been abandoned for years. Maybe even centuries. Of course, it was expected for the lights to be out.

"Why didn't we think of coming with a torch?" I thought to myself.

"Because we were too excited about leaving." Trina laughed.

"Wait. Did you just hear my thoughts?" I asked.

I couldn't help the surprised look on my face.

"You didn't say that out loud?" Trina asked in reply.

"No!" I screamed.

"OMG!!!" We screamed in unison.

"I think you're getting all your vampire abilities now." I said excitedly.

"You have no idea how great that sounds." Trina laughed. "Speaking about abilities, why don't you try lighting the place up."

"I have no idea how to begin." I laughed.

"Well, you can try really wishing for the temple to be lit up. How about saying a mantra like those movie witches? Something like temple lights... om... temple lights... om... temple lights..." Trina explained.

"That's the silliest mantra I've ever heard." I frowned.

"I didn't mean for you to say it verbatim." Trina countered. "Just something similar."

I pulled her into a hug and laughed.

"I was just teasing. I'll try and concentrate but you have to promise not to laugh if it doesn't work." I replied.

"I won't laugh." Trina assured me and I closed my eyes.

I imagined the temple being lit up with naked fire from torches which hung along the walls, simply because I thought torches were in use in 1889. I created the mental picture and focused really hard on it. I could feel the slight heat coming from the torches, and see the light they produced. As far as I was concerned, I was doing great with my focus. I channeled all my energy to my mental picture and waited. Nothing happened. I waited some more and still, nothing happened. I was going to complain about hating how my powers embarrassed me when I needed them but Trina's voice stopped me from doing so.

"Wow!" I heard her say.

I realized my eyes were still closed and when I opened them, I was amazed. There were torches along the walls, having naked fire just like I imagined. What was even more amazing was the sheer size and beauty of the temple.

"Oh my gosh, you did it!" Trina exclaimed, hugging me in an excited jump.

"Wow."

That was all I could say. I blinked several times, just to be sure all of it was real. Every time I opened my eyes, the picture remained the same. I was standing in a large temple with multiple doors, antiques, and altars, and I freaking lit it up with my mind. It was insane!

"Look at all this stuff." Trina said.

"Yeah. I wonder how long they've been abandoned for. And why hasn't anyone moved anything?" I asked.

"I'm sure we'll get the answers later. For now, we need to stick to the plan and find any books or scrolls that can help you master your powers." She replied.

"Good point. Let's split up. You search that wing over there and I'll take this wing over here." I said.

We walked around the temple, searching for books and scrolls that might explain everything I was experiencing and hopefully tell us how to get back to the rest of the world. I could hear Trina using her enhanced speed and for the first time, I wished I was a vampire too. The speed was really helpful, especially when one needed to search an extremely large temple.

"Selena!" I heard Trina yell my name.

"Please tell me you've found something." I yelled back.

I was beginning to bore myself with searching and finding nothing.

"I've found something." Trina yelled back.

"If you're kidding, I'm going to..."

Trina appeared beside me, completely startling and cutting me off. She grinned and picked me up, transporting me over to the room she discovered in less than a second.

"It's like a secret study." She explained, once we were inside.

The room had large bookshelves that rose from the ground to the ceiling on every side, and they were filled with neatly arranged books that reminded me of the brown Selena Ryder book from my college's library. There were wooden ladders against each bookshelf, which could be climbed if one wanted to reach the books at the top.

"How did you find it?" I asked.

"By looking." Trina grinned.

"You're so sarcastic." I laughed.

"I'm sorry. I can't help it." She apologized.

"It's okay." I gave her a side hug.

We walked along the floor, looking up at the books. We didn't even realize we had interlocked our fingers while walking.

"I think the only way to find what we're looking for is to use vampire speed." Trina suggested.

"Yeah, sounds like the only way if we intend to finish this year. There are clearly hundreds of books in here." I replied.

"Stand back." Trina said, speeding off soon after.

In a couple of seconds, she was back with a pile of books in her hands. She placed them on one of the tables in the room and ushered me to a chair beside it. Once seated, I looked at the titles on the table and they were all intriguing. The books were of different sizes, and had different bizarre art works on their cover pages.

"So where do we start?" Trina asked.

"I think this one." I replied, showing her a book with a title that read 'Secrets of the Ages'.

"Hmm. It's a big one. Since vampires can read a lot faster than humans, why don't I read that one. You can pick a smaller one." She replied.

"Good idea." I replied, picking up 'The art of Magyk' and turning its cover.

We read silently for a while, before I dropped the book and turned to Trina.

"It will take a while to master these things. I'm feeling sleepy."

"That's the first human trait you've exhibited since we got here." Trina stated.

"Hey! How do you mean?" I yawned.

"I've fed at least once... and I'm a vampire. You haven't had anything to eat and you're not even hungry!" She replied.

"Well, I wasn't barbequed in the air." I teased, making her laugh.

"It's okay if you want to sleep. We can take some of these books with us and you can continue when you wake up. Since I don't need to sleep, I'll keep reading." She replied.

"Are you going to stay here?" I asked.

"Hell no!" Trina replied. "I'm coming with you."

We carried all the books we could, and walked out of the temple.

"Are you going to carry me back to the house?" I asked.

"Focus, Selena." Trina grinned. "The city is empty. Why do we need to live in just one house? We can stay anywhere."

"What would I do without you?" I smiled.

"Absolutely nothing!" She grinned. "Let's go to that house opposite the temple. It'll be great for easy access..."

"It's not a sales pitch, Trina." I rolled my eyes and ignored the resulting pout from Trina.

We carried the books into the house and placed them on the table in the living room. At this point, I could barely keep my eyes open from fatigue.

"It's okay to get some shut eye." Trina smiled.

I squeezed her hand gently before lying on the sofa and going straight to sleep.

#  Chapter Thirteen

Selena's POV

I opened my eyes and was confused for the first few seconds. Everything around me was pitch black, just like midnight. I tried to think of the last thing I did before finding myself in the darkness but I drew a blank. My memories felt like they were distant from me and I had no idea why. I heard labored breathing not too far away from me and was about to walk towards the sound when something in my head told me that was not the smartest thing to do. I had no idea who the other person in the room was and for all I knew, they could be the enemy.

"No. This person is clearly in distress."

The breaths I heard were shallow, like they were coming from someone who was close to dying. I couldn't stay in the darkness doing nothing when I knew I could be saving someone.

"Hello." I called out.

There was no answer.

"Is anybody there?" I called again.

Still, there was no response. I wanted to pass the shallow breaths off as a figment of my imagination but something in me refused to let go. I felt like the person with the shallow breaths was calling out to me - without making use of words.

"Lucidum ignis."

The words left my lips before I could stop them. I had no idea what I said, or why I even said the words. I knew I wanted the lights to come on and as weird as it was, I felt like I knew what the words would do. It was like something or someone else took over my body in that moment and voiced the words out of my mouth. What happened after shocked me in more ways than one. The entire room lit up, and I could see the person with the shallow breaths. I was going to look around for the source of the light, but the other person in the room held my attention. He was hanging from silver chain suspenders, and had his head hung low, facing the ground. Blood dripped from several parts of his body, staining the wooden floor beneath him. While all I saw was his injured body and the top of his hair, he looked awfully familiar. I felt like I knew him, like he was a part of me.

"Where have I seen this hair before?" I wondered.

I had no idea why my memory chose today to abandon me. I felt like I could reach them if I tried a little harder but the harder I tried to remember, the farther away the memories seemed. I walked towards the person, tilting my heard sideways to catch a glimpse of his face. I could only see the side of his face and it was very bloody.

"Se...le...na."

The words were barely audible as they left his lips but I heard him clearly. Whoever was hanging there knew me and was calling on me to help him. I increased my pace and walked up to him. I recognized him the moment I stood in front of him and my heart sank to my feet. It was Ryan, and he was very weak.

"Oh my gosh, no!" I screamed.

I grabbed the suspenders that held him in place and tried with all my might to break him free. It was futile. His hands remained fastened to the chain locks like I hadn't even done anything.

I heard the door open behind me and turned around. A vampire walked into the room and closed the door behind him. He looked around like he was surprised for a bit, before turning his attention to Ryan. I recognized him but could not really place from where. I had seen him before, that much was sure. But why was he holding Ryan captive?

"You will tell me what I want to know, Ryan Soille. Where is Rayna and where is the sorceress?" He asked in an angry tone.

I didn't see the weapon in his hand before but when he made to stab Ryan in the gut, I saw the silver weapon clearly. It was a weird kind of knife with several inscriptions on it. It looked really sharp and I couldn't bear seeing it actually stab Ryan.

"No!!!"

I jumped between the vampire and Ryan, stretching my hands in front of me in a defensive gesture. The vampire's weapon wielding hand sped through me like I wasn't even there. He stabbed straight at Ryan's stomach, causing him to groan in pain. That was when it dawned on me. Neither the vampire nor Ryan acknowledged the fact that I was in the room... but I was right there, in the flesh.

"Why are objects passing through my solid body?" I wondered.

"Oh my gosh, I'm dead!" I screamed, just as my body jolted awake on the Sofa.

"Easy there. Did you have a bad dream?" Trina asked, noticing the way I jumped out of sleep.

She was sitting on the opposite sofa, holding one of the books we took from Sophia's temple.

"We need to go back, Trina. We need to go back now!" I said in a frantic voice.

Trina rushed to my side with vampire speed and pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay, Selena. It was only a dream." She consoled me.

"No, Trina. Ryan is in danger. I need to get to him. I can't wait another second." I pushed myself out of her arms.

"Selena, I know you think you saw Ryan but it was just a dream. We've been out here for a while now and you miss him. It's probably why you're dreaming about him." She countered.

"No. This was not just a dream. It felt so real. I was right there!" I yelled a little louder than I should have.

What Trina said reminded me of what my mum said when I was having those crazy nightmares that played out verbatim in reality, back in college. I had learned my lesson from that experience and I wasn't going to let it play out the same way again. Ryan was in trouble and I needed to get to him.

"Selena, you can't just go back. Even if you know how to, you still need to master your powers. Ros and his vampires were after you before we got here, remember? How are you going to protect yourself from them? The police are probably combing every part of the city right now, looking for you. You can't just run back now because you had a bad dream." She replied, desperately trying to get me to reconsider.

"I can't let Ryan die, Trina. I have to go. He'll do the same for me." I replied.

"Oh my gosh." Trina exclaimed. "You're bleeding!"

Her eyes grew wide from shock as she rushed to my side. I was just as surprised as she was when I looked down at my side. Just like she said, blood was beginning to soak my shirt.

"A vampire stabbed Ryan through me in my dream." I explained. "Can you see this isn't just a dream?"

"Oh my gosh. We have to find a way to get to him." Trina agreed.

She picked me up and raced back to Sophia's temple.

#  Chapter Fourteen

Ros's POV

I whirled around and sped back up the stairs. Someone had dared to take my brother from my basement without my permission. While my utmost priority was to get Ryan back, the offenders were sure to get a piece of my wrath. The fact that they could pull this off undetected meant I had truly been distracted lately. Was I so stuck up with Selena Ryder as to make a slip like this? No. This was not a slip. This was a carefully planned operation. But to what end? Didn't they know I would chase them to the ends of the earth to get my brother back?

"Wait a minute. Could this have something to do with the parchment?"

I could see the possibility. The parchment had mentioned Rayna's link to us.

Were they planning to use Ry to get to her? I knew I had to think and act fast in identifying the culprits. This was clearly an operation by a group. No vampire could successfully pull this off alone. If Ryan was taken from my basement, it meant that whoever did it had access to my home. The only people with such access were my domestic staff and members of Council. In a situation like this, that was a large group. Excluding Ry and myself, there were thirty-four other Council members and I had no less than ten domestic staff. That brought the number of possible suspects to forty-four.

I got to my study and met Viktor pacing the room with his hands held behind him. Knowing him, he had discovered something troubling to be pacing like that. As a member of my inner circle, he was usually among the first to know about things that affected me.

"It's a good thing you're here, Viktor. Something's going on." I said, walking in to meet him.

He spun around and nodded to acknowledge my presence.

"I know. That's why I'm here. Someone has broken the sacred code. Nikolas Bordain is dead." He replied.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive. I felt the power of his passing ten minutes ago. If I felt it that means every other member of the first generation felt it too. They'll be coming, Ros. We need to be ready and we need a response."

"Wait a minute. You just felt the power of his passing?" I asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes. He was my maker." Viktor replied.

"But this parchment reported he was already dead." I replied.

"What parchment?" Viktor asked.

I walked to the drawer of my reading desk and pulled out the parchment. In less than a second, Viktor was done reading it. I saw a brief flash of an emotion I couldn't place in his eyes. Was it recognition? Anger? Surprise? I couldn't really tell. Maybe I would have probed him on a different day but today, I was completely focused on the issues at hand.

"Where did you get this?" He asked.

"Oliver found it in my hallway but that's not the problem. Ryan's gone. I was holding him in my basement to lure the sorceress. Someone took him from there and I think whoever took him is involved with this madness somehow." I replied.

"I'm sure they are. Ryan not only leads them to Rayna, but to the sorceress as well. This is really big, Ros. I think whoever is behind this is going for absolute power." He stated.

"So you're sure Selena is the Immortal Elect?" I asked.

"I have reason to believe so. After her energy blast the other day, I began my research on the Immortal Elect. There were several mentions of such an ability and the fact that she's undetectable right now alludes to the possibility." He replied.

"Hmm. Trouble really comes in spades, doesn't it?" I faked a smile. "If I don't kill her before her ascension, it means I'll have the immortal elect against me. Isn't that fantastic?"

"Don't be so negative. You still have the Ryan card. I doubt she'll kill you if she's in love with him." Viktor replied.

"The Ryan card didn't stop me from killing her when I had the chance. Besides, according to the prophecy, she'll have no mortal attachments after ascension. Doesn't that include love? I don't have any cards, Viktor." I replied.

Viktor pursed his lips.

"I'm sure we'll think of something when the time comes. Our immediate problem is getting Ryan back and figuring out who is behind this."

"True. The question here is why they brought this parchment to my house." I stated.

"It's one of two things, Ros. If they were here to take Ryan, the parchment might have slipped out of someone's pocket. But then, who plans a kidnap with all their plans tucked in their pocket? This brings me to the second assumption. Whoever's behind this wants you to know about it." He replied.

"But why?" I asked. "They could have assassinated me just like everyone else on the list."

"They might still be planning to do that. We don't know what the plan is with these guys, but we're going to find out." He replied.

"So what do we know?" I asked.

"We know what Nikolas Bordain's death means. Every vampire made by him just got increasingly stronger, and that includes me. If they manage to kill more first generation vampires, there'll be more vampires with enhanced abilities around. If this is a revolution of some sort, it means we'll be facing much stronger opposition now."

I rubbed my hands over my face.

"This just sucks. I have called a Council meeting for tonight." I replied. "We need to figure out what's going on before the world comes crashing down on all of us."

"But if Ryan was taken from your basement doesn't that mean whoever did it would be a member of Council? Who else has access to your house?" He asked. "Why let them know your plans?"

"I initially called the meeting to discuss the authenticity of the parchment. I noticed Ry was gone after I called the meeting but I can still use it to figure things out... and that's where you come in. When I discuss the recent developments at tonight's meeting, I want you to keep a watchful eye out for me. Report anyone suspicious and we'll take it up from there." I replied.

"It will be done." Viktor replied.

"Thank you."

Viktor squeezed my hand and smiled.

"I know how much you want him back, Ros. We'll work together to find him. I promise." He said.

I nodded.

"If Nikolas Bordain is really dead, it means that whoever is behind this really has the Archibald stake. If they're the same group that took Ryan, we no longer need to just find him. We need to find him before they hurt him." I stated.

My desperation was getting evident in my voice. I knew I had to do everything in my power to find him. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he got hurt.

"We'll find him, Ros. I promise. Just keep it together at the Council meeting tonight. We don't want the others to sense how affected you are by this." Viktor stated.

I nodded my thanks and watched him walk out of my study.

#  Chapter Fifteen

Omniscient POV

A secret meeting held in a dark room just outside the city. In attendance were six Council vampires and twelve non-Council vampires, also known as the foot soldiers. Presiding over the meeting was a vampire with an air of authority around him. He had straight, long dark hair which fell freely past his shoulders and contrasted with his pale olive skin.

"Have you gotten anything from the Soille twin in your custody?" He asked the other people in the room.

His voice was deep and piercing, easily producing fear in the hearts of the foot soldiers.

"Our witches searched his memory for the location of the Immortal Elect. They found nothing. He doesn't know where she is." One of the Council vampires spoke up.

"And Rayna?" The presiding vampire asked.

"We got a location from the Soille twin's memory. Four scouts were sent to confirm her presence at the location. We believe it was positive at the time the scouts got there because they are all dead." The vampire replied. "The next batch found nothing. She was gone by the time they got there."

"So you pretty much tipped her off." The presiding vampire smirked.

There was no time for the other vampire to reply. The presiding vampire was upon him in less than the time required to complete one blinking cycle. He plunged his hand deep into the vampire's chest and squeezed his heart between his fingers. The replying vampire coughed up blood and looked up at him with pleading eyes. The tension in the room was palpable. No one dared move or speak.

"What do you think this is?" The presiding vampire barked. "A trial and error takeover attempt? If you cannot accomplish one easy mission, what makes you think you deserve the power this mission affords us?"

The other vampires in the room were deathly silent. The only sound that could be heard was the whimpering of the vampire whose heart was being clutched by strong cold hands.

"Failure is not an option. I will go down in history as the only vampire who successfully usurped power from his premier generation. My legend will spread farther and wider than any other vampire before me. If I was as incompetent as the rest of you, Nikolas Bordain would still be alive today!" He snapped. "You have six hours to find Rayna's new location."

The eyes of the vampire whose heart he was clutching rolled back, leaving only the white parts in display. It was a very scary sight, one that drove terror into the already cowering hearts of the foot soldiers. The Council vampires on the other hand, didn't look phased.

"We will do better, V..." Another Council vampire started, but was abruptly cut off.

"You will refer to me as..."

"Rex. My apologies." The vampire who was interrupted bowed.

The presiding vampire withdrew his hand from the first Council vampire's chest, causing him to wheeze and fall to the ground. His enhanced healing kicked in immediately and soon enough, he was back to normal again.

"I don't need to remind you what you all stand to gain from this mission. Once we take over, everyone will bow to us. Our power will be unmatched. Our wishes will be law and vampires will once again rule the earth. We wouldn't need to 'hide in plain sight' like your damn leader puts it. A real leader stands up and fights for his place. Let the hunters bring on their advanced tools. We will kill their children until they surrender!" The presiding vampire continued. "Thanks to your incompetence, we now have even less time than we originally did. Rayna should be moving in for a convergence of the first generation as we speak. We must strike before she notices they are gone. Keep the Soille twin in your custody contained. He is very vital to the success of our plan."

"We will, Rex."

"You better." He snapped. "The strike on Sergio Lake will happen right after this meeting. Since he's your maker, I expect all three of you to gain your enhanced abilities in the wake of his passing." He pointed at three Council vampires. "That should equip us for the strike on Ronald Sky. Like you know, he is already in our custody. Our only wildcard is Rayna. Secure her location and I'll bring her in."

"We still haven't contained the Immortal Elect." Another Council vampire reminded him. "We cannot pull a strike on Rayna until we have her."

"I am well aware of that fact. Securing the Immortal Elect should be the easiest part of this mission. She will come to us once she learns of the Soille twin's condition - which our witches made sure she learned of last night. She'll be here any moment now." The presiding vampire replied.

"And what about Ros?" Another Council vampire asked. "His maker is Rayna, which means he's still stronger than all of us."

"He doesn't know how close we are to completing this mission. That's why we made sure he got the report after we'd secured all the vampires on the list. He should be focused on finding his brother right now, thinking he still has time. For all he knows, we still don't know the location of Sergio Lake and Ronald Sky. If you don't screw up your end of the deal, everything will be over by dawn. The first generation will be gone and together, we'll be stronger than him. Especially since he won't have his brother to align forces with. If he's stupid enough to challenge us then, we will deal him the same fate as the first generation. Don't forget we have the Archibald stake." The presiding vampire replied.

"What about the rest of the Council?"

"The moment power shifts, they will be wise to align themselves with us." He replied. "Get to work. I expect Rayna's location within the hour."

And with that, the secret meeting ended.

#  Chapter Sixteen

Ros's POV

Everyone rose to acknowledge my presence as I walked into the Council meeting. I waved them to sit, before getting right to the issue at hand. At a time like this when my brother's life was possibly on the line, observing the usual entry protocol seemed like an unnecessary waste of time.

"You all must be wondering why I called this impromptu meeting." I addressed them from the podium, casting a glance at Viktor to remind him of his assigned task before continuing.

"A few disturbing issues have been brought to my attention. A report surfaced in my home this morning, claiming that a group of vampires are attempting to break the sacred code."

I heard the gasps and whispers of my fellow Council members as the news sank in. My eyes darted across the room, scanning every face for any reaction that might be different from what was expected. Announcing the intent to break the sacred code should elicit nothing short of surprise from any vampire hearing the news for the first time, and surprise was etched on almost every face that looked back at me. I noticed the reaction of the Northern majority lead, Vladek Castor. While he had an initial reaction of raising an eyebrow, what I saw on his face wasn't necessarily surprise. That was a red flag and I made a mental note to test my suspicion later. I lifted my index finger into the air to signal for silence and continued.

"According to the report, the great Nikolas Bordain, a first generation vampire is dead." I smirked.

I was doing my best to act normal in order to conceal my true feelings. I was certain the vampires behind Ryan's kidnapping were sitting in the room and the last thing I wanted was to show them how affected I was by their actions.

More surprised gasps and whispers filled the room, and I continued surveying their reactions. I locked my gaze on Valentine Davidson for a split second and noticed his face was quite expressionless.

"You all know that an issue of this magnitude is not to be taken lightly. However, before we swing into action it is necessary to confirm the authenticity of this report."

Now, this was the part where I intended to fish some of the culprits out. I knew for a fact that Nikolas was dead because Viktor not only felt the energy of his passing, he also got the enhanced abilities a vampire derived from the death of his maker. What this meant was that every other vampire made by Nikolas Bordain had gotten their abilities enhanced as well.

"You know what happens when a vampire dies. All lower generation vampires in that bloodline receive a boost in their abilities. Is there anyone in this room that is of the bloodline of Nikolas Bordain?" I asked.

Drew Nicholson and Vincent Lake put their hands up to signify that their affirmation. This took them off the list of prime suspects. If they were part of the takeover, they wouldn't mention their link to Nikolas Bordain.

"Have you noticed any difference in your abilities lately?" I asked.

"Yes. I felt a surge in my energy levels today." Drew Nicholson replied.

"I noticed my enhanced speed got even faster." Vincent Lake added.

"Thank you. This proves Nikolas Bordain is truly dead. I now have reason to believe that there is some truth to the report which showed up in my home. As you know, this is an issue that concerns all of us. A strike on a first generation vampire is sure to incur the wrath of other members of that generation. From all cases in history, we know our only chance of survival is to produce the parties responsible for this outrageous act. I expect the other members of the first generation to be here in forty-eight hours or less. As a result, I implore you to go out in search of the culprits. Search from the smallest clans to the biggest ones – including our very own Serafino clan. Find these offending vampires and bring them to me. Bear in mind that you have less than twenty-four hours to do this. I don't need to tell you what the consequences are if we fail to produce the culprits. This meeting is ended." I concluded.

I waited till the room was empty before turning to Viktor. "Did you find anything suspicious?"

"Let us discuss back at my house." He replied. "There could be ears lining the walls."

He was right. We raced back to his house and when we were alone in his study, he spoke.

"I didn't notice anything suspicious from the reaction of the Council members at the meeting. However, your question about those sired by Bordain's bloodline will be vital in deciphering the truth. Only Nicholson and Lake admitted to be sired by his bloodline but I believe there are more. I'll get a team of witches to do a bloodline trace right now. If they find anyone else, then we'll know for a fact that they have something to hide. We can proceed with our investigation from there.

"Viktor, I found Vladek Castor, Valentine Davidson and Roberta Reed suspicious. They all failed to show surprise when I announced the news of Bordain's death. I say we look into them right now. Ryan might not have much time left." I replied.

"Ros, I understand how much you want to go after these people, but we need to be sure first. If we make the wrong move right now, we might tip them off and lose our element of surprise. It's a good thing that you made them believe you didn't know Bordain was really dead before now, and that you think the offending vampires can be from any clan. That should keep them relaxed for now, while we figure things out. My team of witches will get on the trace right now, and we should have results in about ten minutes." He stated.

I knew he had a point and it was best to let him do his thing. This was one of the great things about Viktor. He was always calm and calculated even in times of distress – a trait that came more from his sorcerer side than his vampire side.

"Okay, Viktor. I'll be back in ten minutes." I said, stepping out of his study.

#  Chapter Seventeen

Selena's POV

We arrived at Sophia's temple and Trina quickly grabbed my shirt.

"I understand how urgent this is, but we can't go back if you're still bleeding. Let me see how bad the cut is." She said, lifting my shirt up to expose the bare skin of my belly.

I let her do it because I knew she was right. Though I wasn't feeling any pain, it was a little creepy to have blood on my shirt.

"Hmm." Trina looked up at my face with raised eyebrows.

"What?" I asked, looking down at the place the cut was supposed to be.

There was nothing.

All I could see was the dried blood that had stuck to my skin from the cut. For the first few seconds, I was confused. Did Ryan's blood spill on me? If that was the case, then the stain should have been behind me because I was standing in front of him, facing the vampire that stabbed him. If it wasn't Ryan's blood and it wasn't mine, then whose blood was it? It was in that moment that it struck me. Back when my powers had just begun to manifest and I was being attacked by the Council vampires, Ros mentioned something about my immortality. He said they had to kill me before my manifestation reached its peak.

"Can it be true? Is it possible that I'm immortal somehow?"

The thoughts confused me as well. It was ridiculous enough to be bleeding from a cut made in my dreams. But the fact that I was dreaming explained why I didn't feel the pain of the stab right? If I was truly stabbed in reality somehow, where did the cut go? Why didn't the blood disappear with it?

"Hit me, Trina." I demanded.

"What?" She asked.

"I said hit me." I replied.

"Now why on earth would I want to do that?" She asked.

"Well, you're not technically on earth." I replied, smiling. "Okay. I know it's not going to make much sense to you but I think I know where the cut went."

"Really?" She asked. "Where did it go?"

"It healed." I replied.

"Like vampire healing?" Trina asked, raising her eyebrows again.

"Not exactly, since I'm not a vampire. I think it's something similar though. I'm still trying to figure it out, so please just hit me." I replied.

"How will hitting you explain the disappearance of a cut?" Trina asked. "What if I hurt you?"

"Well, I didn't feel the pain from the stab wound in my dream but I got the cut. I want to figure out why so please just hit me... hard." I replied. "If you hurt me, I guess I'll have to deal with it."

"Hmm." Trina pursed her lips and took a step back.

"Okay."

My eyes widened from the impact of the punch to my midsection. I reflexively buckled under the pressure of the impact and closed my eyes.

"Goodness! How fast is a vampire's punch?" I asked, smiling.

"No. You've got to be kidding me. No pain?" Trina asked with wide eyes.

"Nope." I grinned. "I can't explain it and I don't even know if I want to believe it, but it feels damn good. Hit me again!"

Trina laughed and pointed towards the temple.

"I'll really love to do that but we have an entire temple library to search."

"Yeah, let's do that instead." I replied.

I was going to walk through the door when I noticed the dark cloud behind Trina. It moved towards her just as quickly as the dark cloud that attacked her when we first arrived.

"No, please no." I screamed, instinctively stretching my hands out in front of me.

I understood what was happening. The city saw Trina hitting me and was going to attack her for it. I couldn't let that happen. I didn't want to relive the emotional and physical torture that came with it. Trina activated her vampire speed and raced in through the temple door. I stood outside and watched the cloud disappear into nothingness, just like it was never there.

"Wow." I smiled. "That was pretty cool."

I walked into the temple library Trina found the last time we were there, and discovered she was already searching the bookshelves with vampire speed. She leapt off the adjoining wooden ladders and searched all the different sections faster than my eyes could keep up.

"Vampire speed is awesome!" I said, when she finally came to a stop.

"You bet." She replied, and placed three books on one of the tables. "These look like they're related to what we need."

I knew it was going to be useless trying to read them myself, judging from the number of pages each book had. As a result, I let Trina do the honors and waited patiently as she leafed through the pages. They turned out to contain spells that were just like Trina said... 'related to what we needed'. There was nothing that matched our exact requirements.

"I think these are for regular witches or something." Trina sighed. "So what do we do now?"

I honestly had no idea what to do but I knew I had to try. Every extra second spent on that alternate city was a second that could be spent saving Ryan.

"You know what I think?"

"What do you think?" Trina asked.

"Maybe we should go back to the exact street where we appeared the first time we got here. If I can recreate the same emotion I felt before the blast, maybe I can take us back there." I replied.

"That sounds like it could work. Just make sure you don't hit me with your fiery force field." Trina smiled. "I'll race us there."

I laughed, knowing the clear winner of that race. Trina picked me up and dashed off at top speed.

"Let's just say I had compassion on you." She yelled against the fast blowing wind. "But I'm still going to win this race."

I was going to ask how she would do that when we were running together but I felt her drop me and dash off to the exact spot we were headed.

"You're unbelievable." I laughed. "If you keep making me laugh, I'm not going to be able to reproduce the feeling I had on the day of the blast."

"I'm sorry." Trina pursed her lips.

"It's okay." I replied. "Time to focus."

I closed my eyes and pictured myself in Trina's arms as she raced with all her might that day. I imagined her tripping against the sidewalk, and just how scared I felt when we were falling. I pictured the speed and anger in the vampires as they pounced on us... and I waited. Nothing happened.

"You know what? I'm done with these powers. I don't need anything from this stupid sorceress lineage. I just want to get back!" I snapped.

I thought Trina was going to say something encouraging like she normally did, but realized she was too stunned to speak. It didn't take long for me to figure out what had her so stunned. A person! There was someone else walking on the street. I was too excited to care about the actual details of our return. I just wanted to jump and hug Trina in celebration of our successful transit back to our normal city but stopped dead in my tracks. The person on the street was clearly a vampire because they moved with enhanced speed and appeared right behind me faster than any human.

"Look what the cat dragged in." I could hear the smirk in his voice.

I turned around and found myself standing face to face with none other than Ros Soille!

#  Chapter Eighteen

Ros's POV

I walked out of Viktor's house and gazed into the distance. I knew I had to occupy my mind with something while the witches ran the bloodline trace for Nikolas Bordain. Every passing minute was nerve wracking and my mind kept flooding itself with frightful pictures of what could be happening to my brother.

"Be positive. Think happy thoughts."

I tried to console myself but it didn't work. Truth be told, I had never been so scared in my entire existence. It had always been me and Ry. We went through our challenges and triumphs together. I knew we had our arguments and fights but that was normal. It didn't mean we cared any less about each other. I didn't want to be left all by myself. If it had been any other Council member being held hostage, I would have torn the town apart until I found the parties responsible and their justice would have come immediately. I would have put the rest of the clan first and done what was best to avoid the wrath of the first generation which was sure to descend upon us all. However, this case was different. Ryan was not just any Council member. He was my blood, my bond, my companion through it all. The fact that it was him changed everything. I was willing to tread the path of caution, especially since I knew his captors could actually kill him. I just wished this path found him sooner. I wanted him back and I wanted him back safe.

It was already late at night, and the last trace of daylight had since retreated behind the veil of dark clouds, making it the perfect time for a walk. I would have enjoyed the beauty of the night on any other day but today my mind was working overtime. I remembered Ryan's desperate scream in my head. He sounded weak, like I was his only option... his last hope. The fact that I couldn't act immediately was killing me. As I walked, I went over the list of prime suspects in my head. I had a feeling the culprits would be overambitious, power hungry vampires who would do anything to get their cold hands on the seat of power. Unfortunately, that position was mine. The only person I would give it up for without a fight was the one person they kidnapped.

I knew most Council vampires were ambitious but some were clearly more ambitious than others - like Viktor, Vladek and Valentine. However, I knew how loyal Viktor's was to me. I couldn't say the same for Vladek and Valentine. I pondered over my next course of action after the bloodline trace.

"If Viktor comes up with a list of vampires who didn't come forward when I asked about their blood link to Nikolas Bordain, am I going to go after every one of them at the same time?"

That was the last thought in my head when an unusual occurrence caught my eye. Two girls appeared out of nowhere, right in the middle of the street I was on. The last time I saw a real life disappearance act was when Selena Ryder and her blonde vampire friend faded into thin air. The two girls that just faded into visibility looked an awful lot like them.

"What are the odds?"

I was within reach before they had the chance to disappear again. I wasn't just pleased to see that I was right, the little witchy immortal was just who I needed on my team to get my brother back.

"Look what the cat dragged in." I smirked.

Selena turned around to face me and I instantly looked deep into her eyes. I had her within my grasp now and I couldn't take the chance of having her disappear again.

Her blonde friend ran towards me, perhaps to 'save' Selena again but I was already too close for her heroic moves to count.

"Don't run away." I compelled Selena.

"Why not? So you can try and kill me again?" She asked defiantly, completely shocking me.

Was I too distraught with Ryan's kidnapping to lose something as basic as compulsion? No. That was simply impossible. I had compelled her more times in the past than I could count. Heck, I compelled her all through the time I was pretending to be her history teacher. The only thing that was different now was the fact that her powers had manifested.

"Can she no longer be compelled?"

I refused to believe it. Something must have happened at the time I tried to compel her. That had to be it.

"I said do not run away." I repeated the compulsion.  
This time, I focused my energy on making her do my bidding... and all that energy went to waste.

"Why the hell should I listen to you?" She asked.

At this point, I confirmed that she could no longer be compelled. It had nothing to do with my emotional state. Her powers must have manifested beyond my capabilities as a vampire... and that sucked. I had to find another way to get her to help me, for my brother's sake.

"Because I need all the help I can get. Ryan's life depends on it." I replied.

It was as hopeless as replies came but it was the best I had at the time. I knew she cared about Ryan enough to put our differences aside for his sake.

"I'm not doing this for you." She stated firmly.

I understood her position. Anyone would feel that way about me after what I did to her. But why did her words still cut like a knife?

"That's completely fine." I replied, acting like I was unaffected by her words. "Ryan's running out of time and we need to find him quickly."

"Let's go, Trina." She said to her friend who had been stunned from surprise the entire time.

"This way." I gestured, and we all made our way back to Viktor's house.

#  Chapter Nineteen

Selena's POV

I was completely stunned when Ros picked me off the ground and lifted me into his arms. What had happened to him in the time I was away? Was this the same jerk who dedicated his life to breaking my mind and killing my body?

"We're going to get there faster if I use my enhanced speed." He explained.

The wind slammed against my face and I could barely keep my eyes open. Ros was running a lot faster than Trina – and I could barely keep up with her. Running with him felt like jumping off a plane and free falling back to earth.

"Try and keep up. We don't have much time." He yelled back to Trina.

She followed closely behind and though she looked fine, I knew she was struggling to maintain her speed. Ros was freaking fast and as much as I hated to admit it, moving at that speed was pretty cool. Numerous questions filled my head as we sped through the streets. Why didn't Ros compel me to stay? Why did he choose to ask for my help instead? Was he getting softer? Was he even capable of getting softer? My thoughts shifted from Ros to Ryan and I sincerely hoped he was still safe. There were a lot of things I wanted to say to him, and too many questions to ask him. I didn't even want to consider the possibility of his death. It would break me in more ways than one. I knew I couldn't deal with it right now, especially with everything that was going on around me... heck, I couldn't deal with it at any point in time.

"We're here." Ros said, placing me back on the ground.

It took me a few seconds to regain my balance from the dizzying effects of his speed. Even Trina was panting behind us. Ros held me in an upright position until I could stand on my own again. While it was supposed to be a nice gesture, I found it troubling. It reminded me of the last time he pretended to be Ryan. He was all nice and sweet and for the first time since I had the dream about Ryan, I questioned what I saw.

"What if it was Ros in my dream pretending to be Ryan?"

Ryan's face was drenched in blood in my dream and judging from how identical the brothers were, it could easily have been Ros.

"But what about the connection I felt with him? It couldn't have been Ros in my dream. Besides, if he pretended to be Ryan to lure me back, he would have at least attempted to kill me the moment he set his eyes on me."

I knew what I felt that night in my dream. If Ryan hadn't been the one in there, I would have known. My mind was probably just being defensive right now because Ros was acting all nice again.

We followed Ros into a mansion and he led us into a room that looked like the study. There was another vampire in there and the moment I saw him, I froze. I recognized him from Ryan's house the last time I was there and clearly remembered his intentions towards me. There was a certain coldness about him that got me uneasy and I didn't want to be anywhere around him.

"Look who I found, Viktor." Ros smiled at the other vampire in the room.

"How in the world did you find them?" Viktor asked.

"Well, they pretty much came to me." Ros replied. "Is the trace complete? I want this to be over as quickly as possible."

"Yes. It seems you were right after all. Turns out Valentine Davidson and Roberta Reed were sired by Bordain." He replied. "They clearly have something to hide because they chose to keep their blood ties away from you even when you asked.

"Those bastards!" Ros slammed his fist into his palm.

The sound of the punch caused Trina and I to jump in surprise.

"Hey, calm down, Tiger." Viktor cautioned. "This isn't the time to get furious. We need to stay as calm as possible, in order to come up with a fail proof strategy. Like you said, we don't have much time and it is way too risky to launch a futile attack on anyone right now. Don't forget that whoever has Ryan also has the Archibald stake."

"So what do you advise?" Ros asked.

"I say we figure out not only who is holding Ryan, but also where they're holding him. Now that we have something more concrete to go on, let's look into Davidson and Reed. I can have my witches cast a locator spell on them right now, or since the sorceress is here, she can do it." He replied.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You're here to help, aren't you?" Viktor asked coldly.

I felt like punching him in the face. There was no reason to be so insensitive towards me. I didn't even know how to cast a locator spell!

"Selena, I don't know how much time Ryan has left so if you can trace him in any way, please do so now." Ros pleaded.

I couldn't believe it. Ros Soille used the word 'please' when he wasn't pretending to be Ryan.

"I'm still a little behind on what you guys are talking about here." I replied.

"Whoever has Ryan has the Archibald stake. It's the only weapon that can truly kill a vampire. I need to find him before they complete their planned mission. I can't risk them killing him." Ros replied.

His tone was pleading and in that moment, my perception of him changed. He was still all the horrible things I knew he was but it was clear that he loved his brother.

"What is this mission?" Trina asked.

It was the first time she spoke since we got into the mansion and everyone turned to look at her. I was a bit relieved she was asking questions now because I knew she would come up with something smart for us to at least try.

"We suspect they're planning a hostile takeover of our first generation." Ros replied. "In the vampire world, the ultimate seat of power is with the first generation. Those are the vampires that are the first creators of every other existing vampire. They either don't have makers or their makers are deceased. Right after that cadre of authority, we have the clans among which the highest seat of power rests with the biggest clan - like my clan, for example. Now, if a vampire or a group of vampires can wipe out their first generation, they automatically become that first generation and as a result, they'll hold the ultimate power. Of course, every first generation does everything in their power to prevent a situation like that and that's why we have the sacred code that binds us. The sacred code prevents lower generation vampires from attempting attacks on their first generation superiors - if they could ever manage to do so."

"If these first generation guys are the most powerful vampires out there, how can weaker vampires kill them?" I asked.

"As you know, vampires have weaknesses - regardless of the generation they belong to. However, these weaknesses don't necessarily kill them. The only thing that can do so is an ancient relic known as the Archibald stake. So if five strong second generation vampires manage to ambush a first generation vampire with something that can weaken him, silver for example, all it takes to kill him is a stab through the heart with the Archibald stake." Ros replied. "We know that the vampires behind this takeover have the Archibald stake. They already killed one first generation vampire."

"Wait. What does this stake look like?" I asked.

"Pretty much like a short knife. It's a little thicker than a regular knife..." Ros started.

"...and has the hilt of a sword. There are several strange patterns all around it." I completed the sentence.

Both Ros's and Viktor's eyes widened.

"Have you seen the stake?" Viktor asked.

This time, he sounded a lot more surprised than cold.

"Yes, and no. I saw it in my dream of Ryan. A vampire was stabbing him in the stomach with it." I replied.

I could instantly see the worry in Ros's eyes.

"When did you see this?" He asked.

I could sense the uneasiness in his voice and I completely understood. After learning what the stake was capable of, I was apprehensive myself.

"Right before we came back. It's why we came back actually. To get him away from whoever has him. He looked really weak and bloodied up." I replied.

Ros rubbed his palms over his face.

"Did you by any chance see the vampires holding him captive?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied. "I saw two of them but I believe there were more outside the room."

"What did they look like?" He asked.

"One was really cold and domineering. He had long black hair that fell past his shoulders and really pale skin. Paler than Viktor. He was almost as tall as Ryan and had the most piercing and mysterious looking blue eyes I have ever seen." I replied.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Ros?" Viktor asked with raised eyebrows.

"That bastard, Vladek!" Ros snapped.

"The other vampire in the room looked a lot younger than the first." I continued. "Almost like a teenager. He had curly brown hair, a freckled face and light brown eyes."

"That's impossible." Ros threw his hands into the air. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I've never seen those vampires before. I only saw them in my dream." I replied.

"I can't believe this." Ros was clearly enraged.

"Who is the second vampire?" I asked.

"Your description matches perfectly with my personal help, Oliver!" Ros replied, with an angry frown.

I could hear the disbelief in his voice and knew exactly how it felt to be betrayed by someone he trusted.

"Wait a minute, Ros. How did you say you got the report that informed you of this plan?" Viktor asked.

"Oliver brought it to me!"

"...and Ryan was taken right from your house. Sure someone from inside helped with that operation and if Oliver is involved with this, it all makes sense." Viktor added.

Ros's eyes turned blood shot red and he clenched his fingers into tight fists. It was obvious he was trying really hard to control himself in that moment and I had to admit to myself that this was the scariest I had ever seen him.

"Okay. We're getting somewhere." Viktor stated. "Selena, did you manage to see the building where they kept him?"

"I only saw inside the room because I somehow appeared there in my dream." I replied.

"Let us raid Vladek's mansion right now." Ros roared.

His voice sounded very close to clatter of a raging thunder storm and I didn't realize when I held my breath.

"We could do that but what if Ryan's not there? We would pretty much have tipped Vladek off and the consequences might be dire." Viktor replied.

"The consequences are already dire. The first generation will be here any minute now and they'll rip our heads off if we can't produce the culprits. I'm surprised they aren't even here yet." Ros countered.

"Wait. What do you mean they'll rip our heads off?" Trina asked.

"I didn't exactly tell you the consequences of planning a strike on the first generation. The moment they sense that one of their own is dead, they'll move for a convergence. That's like a gathering of all the other members of that generation and no one knows the location where that happens. They visit the highest seat of power of the lower generation and demand the culprits. If the leader of the biggest clan can produce them, then he is pardoned and the culprits will have their heads ripped off. If he can't, then everyone else dies." Ros replied. "We only just figured out who the culprits are. If we can't find them before the first generation gets here, we're all going to die."

His eyes had assumed their regular deep green color again, an indication that his fury had waned a bit.

"How long does it take for the first generation to show up after the murder of one of them?" Trina asked.

"According to the history books, it usually takes about 24 hours but that time frame could be up to 48 hours." Viktor replied. "No takeover attempt has happened in my lifetime."

"When was the first generation vampire you referred to earlier murdered?" Trina asked.

"About 24 hours ago." Ros replied.

"That gives us less than 24 hours to save Ryan and arrest the culprits." Trina stated.

"Exactly!" Ros concurred. "Do you see why I can't afford a lengthy investigation?"

"I see that but at the end of the day, we want to get Ryan back safe." I stated.

"Selena." Trina called. "I think you're the only one that can find him in the short amount of time we have."

"How?" I asked.

"You were there in your dream or vision or whatever it was. That's why they were able to cut you. I think you projected yourself there somehow because you were asleep on the sofa. So if you can go back there and maybe look around this time for anything we can identify the house with, we can go straight there." She replied.

I hadn't thought of that before and it sounded like a good idea.

"The only problem is that I don't know how I did it the first time. I was asleep. For all I know, Ryan made the connection and I projected myself to his call." I replied.

"I think you should just try. Ryan's life might depend on it. You've made the connection once, I'm sure you can do it again." Trina stated.

I looked at everyone in the room and nodded.

"I'll try." I said, drawing in a deep breath and closing my eyes.

#  Chapter Twenty

Selena's POV

Viktor showed me to a chair on which I sat. I folded my legs towards myself and placed the back of my palms above my knees in a meditative yoga pose. My eyelids slowly closed, covering up my vision and unlocking my inner sight. I pictured Ryan's bloody face and felt the gripping tug in my heart that was the result of seeing him so hurt. I focused my imagination on the room I saw in my dream. Its grey walls and dull brown wooden flooring came back to my thoughts and I let out a low hum.

"Ostedelium semita." I whispered to myself. "Et ad viam scire."

It felt like a canvas was rolled out in front of my eyes. Right above that canvas, I saw blinking golden rings very similar to those Trina and I saw back at the alternate city. The shape of the canvas shifted and spread out on all sides, transforming from a two dimensional view to a three dimensional one. The blinking golden rings lined the canvas straight ahead, looking more or less like indicators showing me the way. I attempted to follow the rings and felt myself floating for a bit. I didn't know if the feeling of floating disappeared or I was distracted by a different feeling but my attention shifted to my surroundings. I could feel everything around me. The ground below was solid, and the air around me gently teased my skin as I walked. Time took on a different meaning because it felt like I was walking at my normal pace but I was covering distances too great to be covered at the pace I walked. Every time I caught up to the last golden ring on the path, more rings appeared further ahead, causing me to continue on the path. The rings led me to a nineteenth century styled mansion with massive grey gates just outside the city. I could see other golden rings beyond the gate and could tell that my path required me to go inside. However, I had no idea how to get through. I stood in front of the gate and looked inside at the different people going about their normal businesses.

"Apertus facmelia intoire". I whispered.

I neither remembered the gates opening nor walking through at any point. I even had no clue what funny words I was whispering or why I was whispering them. What I saw was myself inside the property, facing the front door. I turned around and saw the gates behind me, still locked. It didn't feel weird at all. What I felt instead was the need to go inside. I followed the rings through the hallways until I got inside a room I recognized. I instantly ran to the bloody frame of the familiar figure hanging from silver chain suspenders. I didn't need to see his face to know who he was this time. It was Ryan, and he was barely breathing. He seemed to be alone because I couldn't spot anyone else around. I touched his face and felt his skin against my fingers. It didn't look like he noticed me because his head remained down and he didn't move.

"I'm so sorry, Ryan. I'll get you out of here." I said, trying my best to pry his hands free of the suspenders that held him captive. His head slowly lifted and his eyes met my gaze. I saw the hint of recognition in his eyes and the faintest of smiles spread across his lips.

"My Selena. Am I dreaming?" He asked.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I threw my body at him, hugging him so tight. He saw me... he really saw me.

"No, you're not, my dearest." I replied.

I pulled away from him and smiled in his face as our eyes fell on each other one more time. I saw his dark green eyes light up and my tears fell freely.

"I'm going to get you out of here." I whispered.

"No, my Selena. You need to leave." He said, weakly.

"I can't. Not without you." I protested.

"Selena!"

I heard someone yell my name and looked behind me. Everything else happened so fast. The walls of the room dissolved, and were replaced by a bright yellow glow that was similar to the color of the golden rings that led me across the three dimensional canvas. My eyelids flung open and I met the worried stares of three pairs of eyes.

I was back to the room in Viktor's mansion and could tell I was crying because my cheeks felt wet. My body also felt sticky but I didn't need to look down to know it was Ryan's blood that had seeped through my shirt.

"Are you okay?" Trina's worried voice was the first to come through.

"What the hell happened in there?" Ros's voice followed suit, but I couldn't tell if he was worried or just irritated.

"Did you see him?" Viktor's voice remained icy but not in a bad way.

"I'm fine. I was just overwhelmed." I whispered.

Trina was already by my side, holding on to my shirt.

"It's not my blood." I said, and she instantly calmed down.

"I was scared it was for a second there." She replied. "What did you see?"

"I saw Ryan and he's badly hurt. He's being held in an orange, stone-walled nineteenth century styled mansion with grey gates. It's just outside the city, about three miles off the first major intersection from the freeway. He was alone in the room at the time I was there but he was cuffed with silver chain suspenders." I replied. "I didn't see the other people in the mansion, but I felt them around. They are exactly twenty in number but two of those are being held against their wish."

"How can you tell these things?" Trina asked.

"I have no idea." I replied.

"...and were those spells you were casting?" Ros asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When your eyes were closed, you said a couple of things in a strange language." Trina replied.

"I did?" I asked.

"Um-hum." Trina replied.

"I could have sworn I was speaking in English, if you all didn't have that weird look on your faces right now." I replied.

"Viktor, do you know of an orange mansion outside the city?" Ros asked.

"No, but we'll find out tonight." He replied.

"You girls stay here. We'll be back." Ros said, and made to speed out of Viktor's mansion.

Trina grabbed him by the wrist and he stopped to look at her with a puzzled expression.

"We're coming with you." She said, firmly.

"It's too dangerous. We're going up against Council vampires that are way stronger than you. Selena's still mortal and can be hurt." He replied.

"You can be hurt too, remember? They have the Archibald stake that can kill all of us. If you're going in, we are too. We came back to get Ryan. We're not going to sit back and wait for you to do it alone." I backed Trina up.

"Alright, fine. You stay here with Viktor and I'll take Trina out to feed. We all need to be in top shape for the mission tonight." Ros replied.

Ros and Trina sped out of the mansion, leaving me alone with Viktor.

"No feeding for you?" I asked.

"I don't need to feed as regularly as vampire pure-bloods." He replied. "Are you sure you want to go in with us? It's going to be really dangerous."

"I haven't been this sure about anything in my life." I replied.

#  Chapter Twenty-One

Selena's POV

Ros returned with Trina less than ten minutes after they left.

"Let's go." He ordered.

Viktor picked up a bag he had packed with silver stakes and hung it over his shoulder.

"Twenty is a large number, especially when dealing with Council vampires. We're going to need the weapons." He stated.

He was right. The vampires who tortured Ryan were ruthless. The last thing we needed was to be overpowered and I completely agreed with Viktor for taking the stakes that could at least knock them out when pushed through their hearts. I had never staked a vampire before and had no idea if I was going to be able to do it if it came to that.

"You can. Think of it like hitting the bull's eye when throwing darts." I encouraged myself.

It was either the journey to the city outskirts was short or my mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of Ryan to notice the distance being covered. Before I could completely wrap my head around the details of our rescue mission, I spotted the orange mansion.

"There it is." I pointed.

"Alright everybody. You know what you have to do." Ros stated. "Our primary aim is to get Ryan out of there safe. When we find him, he becomes your primary responsibility. Selena, you get him off the silver chain suspenders and Trina, your job is to get him and Selena out of there as quickly as possible. Viktor and I will take care of the Council vampires."

We all nodded and followed Ros towards the gate.

"Wait..." Viktor stopped us. "We should go in through the back fence or something. Nothing is more obvious than walking in through the gate."

I wondered why we didn't think of it before. Who goes for a rescue mission and barges in through the front door? We needed to take the mansion's occupants by surprise, to give us the best chance at success. Ros hesitated for a bit and I wondered why. He finally turned around and walked towards the back fence. He lifted me off the ground and easily scaled the stone wall barrier that separated the mansion from the rest of the world. Viktor and Trina followed suit and once we were inside, I led the way. We walked through the hallways I saw in my locator trance and everything was pretty much the same. The only difference was that I couldn't sense the other people in the mansion like I did in my trance.

"Is it just me or is something off?" Trina asked in a whisper. "We haven't run into anyone since we got here."

"The hallways were empty in my dreams as well." I whispered. "Maybe the vampires are in a different wing of the mansion."

We continued walking with as little noise as possible, keeping a close watch over our surroundings. We didn't want any surprises. If there were other vampires on our path, we needed to be the first to spot them. Thankfully, the hallways remained empty until we got to the door of the room where Ryan was being held. Ros opened the door slowly at first, before quickly pushing it all the way. We all rushed inside the room and were shocked to find it empty. Ryan was nowhere in sight.

"Wait. Something's not right here." I said with a confused frown. "This was the room I saw him. I'm sure of it."

"Of course, princess. We moved him to make room for you. We've been expecting you."

I heard the smirking voice behind me and turned sharply in its direction. The most mysterious looking pair of blue eyes stared back at me with a look that shot daggers. An enraged Ros charged up and made to attack him. He had barely activated his enhanced speed when he gasped and both our eyes widened in shock. Viktor was standing right in front of him, and had plunged one of his precautionary silver stakes into his heart.

I could tell Ros wanted to say something but his skin had already begun to shrivel into its cement cold form. Trina rushed to attack Viktor but fell to the ground, clutching her head and screaming. That was when I saw the witches behind the blue eyed vampire. They had their hands outstretched towards Trina and whatever they were doing was hurting her.

"Trina!!" I yelled. "Stop it... Stop hurting her."

The witches didn't listen. They continued their attack on Trina and before long, she passed out on the floor. I wasn't too surprised to see Viktor was working with the culprits. Ryan was right about him. He was a sly, conniving, and power hungry vampire.

Viktor and the blue eyed vampire seized me by the arm and pulled me out of the room.

"Let me go! Where are you taking me?" I screamed.

"To your destiny." The blue eyed vampire replied.

#  Chapter Twenty-Two

Ros's POV

I got back to Viktor's house after feeding, all pumped up and ready to go. Selena had been very helpful with getting the required information for the rescue mission and all that was left now was for us to go in there, kick some butts and get my brother back.

We started off on the trip to the mansion outside the city and I decided to pick Selena up. She was the slowest one in the group and if we had to travel at her pace, there would have been no chance of getting to Ryan in time. We were about half way out of the city when Selena placed both of her palms on my head and mumbled something incoherent.

"What the..."

I never completed my sentence. My words were suppressed by the bizarre occurrence playing out in front of my eyes. We were all running on the same street, except Viktor was no longer with us and everything around us was deathly silent. I turned to the girls and was surprised to see that they looked perfectly normal, like they didn't just experience the same thing I did.

"Don't freak out." Selena said. "This is in Ryan's best interest."

"What are you talking about? What did you do?" I barked.

I was furious. What on earth made Selena feel that this was the right time to pull a witchy stunt?

"You will take me back there right now or the universe helps me, I will..." I started, rushing to her with my enhanced speed and grabbing her by the neck.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Her blonde friend warned, cutting me off mid-sentence.

Who the hell did she think she was to warn me? I was the leader of the most powerful clan of vampires and the bratty blonde thought it was a smart thing to interrupt me and question my actions? My rage was interrupted when something pulled my legs from beneath and I landed on the hard ground with a very painful thud. Whatever it was began to pull me along the ground's surface, bruising me in the process. When I looked down at my legs, I saw absolutely nothing!

"I told you it wasn't a good idea to attack her." The bratty blonde smiled vindictively.

"Stop!" Selena stretched her hand out and yelled.

I came to an abrupt halt and was so freaked out, that I would have made a run for it if I knew any escape routes out of the crazy place.

"Listen, Ros." Selena stated. "This is our one shot at getting Ryan back safe and I'm not going to let your pride ruin it. You said you needed my help so trust me."

"How can I trust you?" I gave her a puzzled look. "You literally transported me here without my permission! We were on our way to get Ryan and you pulled us out of the mission?"

"I understand your concern but there was no way I could have told you with Viktor there." She replied.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I don't completely believe that Viktor has Ryan's best interest at heart. I don't know what exactly he's planning but it's safer for all of us if we watch from here." She replied.

"So what's the plan exactly?" I asked, still trying to process everything she was saying.

"I'll try to explain it as simply as possible." She replied. "When I tried to find Ryan's location earlier today, I pretty much went there. It was like I had a replica of myself there in the mansion, while the other replica - the real me, was in Viktor's mansion. The replicas are connected to each other and that's why when Ryan's blood stained my shirt over at the orange mansion, you could see blood on my shirt in Viktor's mansion. To be able to maintain these replicas, I have to operate at a higher plane from what's normal and in that state, I can feel the intentions of other people. It's how I knew there were two vampires being held against their wishes in the orange mansion. Briefly before I merged the two replicas of myself back into one, I felt the intentions of everyone in the room. Yours and Trina's were good. I could easily tell you were going on the rescue mission to get Ryan back. Viktor on the other hand, had a darker intention around him. There was no time to explain it to you and I didn't want him to know I was on to him, so I decided to replicate you, Trina and myself up here." She replied.

"So you're saying that there are replicas of us down there right now?" I asked.

I couldn't hide how shocked and creeped out I was.

"Yes. We're still on our way to the orange mansion and Viktor is with us." She replied.

"So the replica up here is the real us?" I asked.

"Yes. There can only be one real replica at every point in time but I can produce as many other replicas as I want." She replied.

"If what we have down there are just replicas, how do they know what to do?" I asked.

"A replica of you is pretty much you. It can do whatever you can. The only difference is that the real you knows which ones are replicas." She replied.

"So if this is what I'm thinking, we let the replicas go to the mansion with Viktor and if things go smoothly, we get Ryan back and merge into ourselves at the end of the mission?" I asked.

"Yes, but if things don't go as planned, we can still get Ryan back using either more replicas or the real us." She replied.

"How cool is that?" Her blonde friend asked.

"If I'm going to be honest, this is genius... but it's creepy as hell." I stated. "So how do we know what's happening with the replicas?"

"We can watch." She replied.

"Et velum, constare!" She whispered.

"Wait, what?"

I had barely finished asking what she was saying when the world around me became transparent. I saw myself and the girls whom I knew were standing beside me. We were running with Viktor, and everything looked pretty normal. Just like I was watching a movie of myself on TV.

"This is awesome!" Trina grinned.

"If I were still mortal, I would have passed out by now. This is the creepiest thing on the freaking planet!" I replied. "How is any of this even rational?"

"How is being a vampire rational?" Selena asked.

I knew she was right. Being a vampire was pretty much unbelievable to the rational mind. But being a replica of yourself on the other hand, was straight up crazy.

We watched as our replicas entered the room Ryan was supposed to be and found it empty. We saw Vladek Castor show up at the door and when Viktor drove the stake through my replica's heart, I shook my head in disbelief.

"I can't believe he's working with them. He was with me the entire time!" I sighed.

"I never really trusted him. Especially since Ryan didn't." She replied.

"It was a good thing you didn't. Thank you, Selena Ryder. Without you, this would have been the end for my brother." I stated.

"It's okay." She nodded and parted her beautiful lips into a smile.

"Since we can see them from up here, why don't we find Ryan and replace him with a replica of himself. Once we're sure he's safe, we can take the war to them." The blonde vampire stated.

"That's an amazing idea. I never thought a day would come when I'll have to say this, but you girls are freaking awesome!" I grinned.

#  Chapter Twenty-Three

Ryan's POV

I had lost track of time, staying in a depressing room and hanging from chain suspenders that kept my body upright against my will. I was weak, very weak. I had suffered numerous biting and numbing cuts from the Archibald stake and at this point, my enhanced healing was no longer effective. Blood dripped from almost every part of my body and I believed I was beginning to lose my mind.

I was sure I saw Selena at some point. She came to me and hugged me. It was a sliver of hope in my darkest moment. When I looked into her beautiful eyes and saw her teary smile, none of my suffering mattered anymore. Her stay didn't last long though. She completely disappeared from my view after a few short minutes which was expected because I was obviously hallucinating. I knew this for sure because her eyes were not the light shade of brown I had always known them to be. In my hallucination, they were aqua blue, just like the calming seas.

The door to the room I was being held captive opened, and I didn't bother to raise my head. There was no need to look at the vampire who was definitely there to torture me some more. When I was first kidnapped, I thought they were torturing me to get information about Selena and Rayna. After they got what they needed, the torture continued. It didn't take long for me to realize that their sick obsession wasn't just for the purpose of getting information. Those power drunk vampires simply enjoyed causing me pain. While my head was still hung low, I heard someone whisper my name. It was a soft, sweet voice that appealed to my soul. A smile spread itself across my face as I realized what was going on. My mind was doing it again. It was conjuring images of my Selena to keep me hopeful. I raised my head and gazed into her beautiful eyes. They were still aqua blue just like they were in my last hallucination. She placed her palms on my head and whispered something I didn't hear. At that point, my hallucination got worse. I was no longer a prisoner in a dark room. Instead, I was somewhere above the room, staring at the smiling faces of Selena, Trina and Ros. I knew it was impossible to have all of them together in the same place and I wondered if my hallucinations had really gotten worse or I had completely lost it.

"Brother!" Ros grinned, spreading his arms wide and hugging me tight.

"Ouch." I screamed. "You're hurting me."

The cuts on my body still hurt like crazy and when Ros hugged me, the pain intensified exponentially.

"It's so great to have you back." He smiled. "Drink this and heal."

Ros bit his arm and shoved his blood into my mouth before I got a chance to accept or reject his offer. It wasn't like I was going to reject it anyway. I couldn't wait to get rid of the pain. I closed my eyes and gulped volumes of the precious liquid, stopping only when my body no longer hurt. My eyes turned bloodshot red for a second, before regaining their original color. At this point, I felt like my old self again and hoped this was the real deal.

I lifted my head from Ros's arm and saw Selena and Trina grinning at me. I didn't care if this was a hallucination or not. I had missed Selena so much that I couldn't spare any extra second away from her arms. I rushed to her with my enhanced speed, picked her off the ground and planted a smashing hot kiss on her beautiful pouty lips.

"Get a room!" I heard Ros growl behind me.

"Whatever, brother!" I yelled in his head.

I placed Selena back on the ground and smiled, the happiest I had been in a long time. I went to Trina and hugged her as well.

"Hey there, soldier." She smiled at me.

"Hey there!" I returned her greeting.

At this point, I was beginning to get uncomfortable. My hallucinations had never lasted this long before I wondered why the images in front of me had not dissolved into nothingness like all the others.

"Okay. Is this real?" I asked no one in particular.

"As real as can be, brother." Ros grinned.

"Selena, how is this real?" I asked.

Selena and Trina rushed into my arms for a group hug and squeezed me so tight, that I was going to scream out loud.

"A lot has happened since the last time we were together." Selena finally began answering my question. "My powers have continued to develop, creeping me out sometimes and making me awed at other times. What's happening right now is that..."

Selena went ahead to explain the entire replica situation to me and I found it completely unbelievable.

"So when did you learn to conjure up these replicas?" I asked.

"I don't know." She replied. "Just like a lot of other things, it pretty much came upon me. It's like having an innate feeling of something you can do, and not really having to think about it."

"Wow." I replied.

It was cool and shocking at the same time.

"I think it's time to make those damn vampires pay for what they did to you." She said. "...and we have a revolution to stop."

"I told you Viktor was a sly, conniving bastard." I shook my head at Ros.

"I know... I know." Ros rolled his eyes. "Let's look at the bright side. I have you back and I can give them all what they truly deserve."

"Are you guys ready?" Selena asked.

"Hell yeah!" We replied in unison.

We all watched the activities taking place at the orange mansion, waiting for the last minute, when they believed they had succeeded with their plan before showing up and screwing them over. We followed Vladek and Viktor as they continued to drag Selena's replica through the hallways, finally throwing her into an open space within the mansion, where the other culprits were waiting.

Ros smiled as he looked at the faces of Roberta Reed, Vladek Castor, Valentine Davidson, Eva Batton, Timothy Bane and Viktor Romanov. Around them were other non-Council vampires, including Oliver, and the three female witches who accessed my memory to get Rayna's location. The open space they were had no top covering, such that the night sky was visible from there.

The witches recited several spells, drawing energy from the moon. All the vampires were silent as they continued their incantations in unison, with one hand stretched upwards towards the moon and the other hand stretched towards the Archibald stake.

"Immortality will break immortality." One of the witches chanted.

"Immortality will break immortality!" The other two chorused.

The leading witch raised her hands into the air and continued to whisper her incantations. One of the subordinates moved to grab the Archibald stake. She took a few steps towards Selena, before stopping dead in her tracks.

Another Selena was standing right in front of her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk plastered across her face. The witch frowned in confusion and was about to stab the Selena in front of her when she heard loud chuckles around her. Two other replicas of Selena appeared in the open space, completely shocking everyone in there.

"Hello Viktor!"

One of Ros's replicas appeared in front of a wide-eyed Viktor and grinned.

"Don't be so surprised." Another Ros replica said from behind him, snapping his neck and waiting for him to get back up.

As if on a distress signal, the seventeen other vampires activated their enhanced speed and dashed off in every direction. I welcomed them with a cold fist, pulling out hearts and driving stakes into other hearts. Together, Ros, Trina and I broke bones, spilled blood, and slammed bodies against walls and floors until they were all a crawling, pitiable sight. All the replicas of Selena recited strange words that drained out the powers of the three witches, preventing them from stopping us in any way. As previously agreed, the replicas of Selena dissolved from view once the witches were neutralized, leaving just replicas of me, Ros and Trina. We hunted down and killed every other vampire in the mansion, deliberately leaving Oliver and the six Council vampires alive. Ros had other plans for them.

When the massacre was over, we dragged the staked down bodies of our surviving culprits and moved them back to the open space in the mansion. I went down to the basement and released Ronald Sky, who was very grateful to us for our actions. Unfortunately, Sergio Lake had already been killed before we got to the mansion. We all converged at the mansion's open space and listened to Sky as he addressed us.

"Today will surely have a place in the history books. I offer my special thanks to you all for your sacrifice and dedication to keeping the sacred order..."

"I must have missed the party." A familiar feminine voice spoke from behind us, interrupting Ronald.

It was Rayna Bold and she was clearly pleased. She had the look of a proud mother on her face as she approached us.

"It is time to serve justice to these erring idiots." Rayna said, turning to the staked out forms of Oliver and the six Council vampires. "Take out their stakes."

We all removed the stakes that were keeping them in their cement cold form, and watched as their bodies sprang back to life.

"Stay on that spot and do not move. As your maker, or your maker's maker, I command you." She said to them.

The seven vampires looked uncomfortable as they stood on the spot, knowing that the end was near and there was nothing they could do about it. They couldn't even run because they had been commanded by someone of maker status. When a vampire of maker status commanded a lower generation vampire, they had no choice but to obey. An attempt at refusal led to an excruciating internal pain that was worse than death.

"Now, rip out your hearts..."

"Please! Don't say it, please..." Viktor begged.

The other vampires joined in on the plea, offering apologies and empty remorseful promises.

Rayna raised one eyebrow and smirked.

"As your maker, or your maker's maker..." She started.

Blood dropped out of the eyes of all seven vampires and the fear in their eyes was clear to see. They knew the punishment they were about to get was worse than what Ros and I could have served them and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"I command you." Rayna concluded.

Screams of anguish filled the air as the vampires initially tried to resist the command. We watched as more blood fell out of their eyes and their hands moved up towards their chests. One after the other they sank their fists in, ripping out their hearts and dying with the organ still clenched in their fists. Once the horror ended, Rayna turned to us and smiled.

"While punishment is due for offending vampires, a reward is in order for the commendable ones. You all have earned a special place among the first generation and must be welcomed into the fold."

Ronald Sky nodded his agreement and Rayna continued.

"There is one other way of becoming a first generation vampire which has not been made known to the lower generations for obvious reasons. When there is a convergence of the first generation, and it is unanimously agreed for commendable lower generation vampires to be welcomed into the fold, the oldest vampire of the first generation - which is me in this case - offers their blood to the new members. Today, my sons, you have made me very proud. That includes you two very beautiful young ladies."

Rayna smiled and bit into her arm, stretching it out for Ros, Trina and I to drink.

The moment I took her blood in, I felt like I was awakened. Power surged through my veins and I knew everything was going to be different from then on.

#  Chapter Twenty-Four

Selena's POV

I gazed in awe at the beautiful face of Rayna Bold, as she made Trina, Ryan and Ros first generation vampires. She spoke with such poise and grace, just like what I imagined of a nineteenth century queen. I guessed if one had lived as long as she had and possessed that much power, they had to act different from everyone else. Watching all three of them drink from her and assume their new status put a huge smile on my face. They all deserved it. It had been a tough couple of weeks for everyone and I was happy to see that everything turned out great in the end.

A few things Rayna said stood out to me, and made certain questions pop up in my head. Why did she refer to Ryan and Ros as her sons? Was that a bond between maker and vampire or was it something else? What was going to happen after now? Were we really going to be able to blend back to a semblance of normal?

Rayna's movement brought my mind back to the present as she picked up the Archibald stake and walked towards Ryan and Ros.

"This should be in your possession now." She smiled, handing the ancient relic over. "I know you will only use it for the right cause."

She turned to Ronald Sky and gave him a curt nod.

"We will meet again, and hopefully it will be for a much happier reason." She said, and they both winked at Ryan.

What did they mean by that wink? Was there something they knew that I didn't?

Again, I stopped pondering over the questions in my mind when Rayna moved over to hug Ryan and Ros. She whispered something to them and just like the wind, she disappeared into the night. Ronald Sky did the same, leaving me, Trina, Ryan and Ros behind.

Ryan pulled me into a hug and held me close. I leaned into him, closing my eyes and wishing the moment will last forever. Like all other moments, this one didn't... but it was okay. Ryan pulled away after a couple of seconds and went over to hug both Ros and Trina.

"Do you mind if I have a word with Selena?" Ros asked Ryan.

"Not at all, brother." Ryan smiled.

I walked with Ros towards the garden behind the mansion. When we were far away from the others, he spoke.

"Selena, I know we haven't really been in good terms since forever, but I want to say thank you. Things would have turned out a lot worse for everyone without your help. I know you didn't do it for me but little Ry is my favorite person so yeah... you still did it for me." He chuckled.

"Why do you keep calling him little Ry?" I asked. "He's the older twin."

"Says who? Yeah he was born first but do you know how many cultures in the world consider the last twin to be born the older one?"

I looked at him and smiled. The mystery behind his dark green eyes still lurked and pulled me in like a dark craving but I completely understood it now. He was Ros. A hot bad-ass, but an awesome brother and an attraction I should stay away from. For the sake of my sanity and the love I shared with Ryan.

"I've wanted to say this for a while now." I began. "I'm sorry for cheating on you back in 1889. I never should have done it, but I guess I was scared of you then. I couldn't tell you I had fallen in love with your brother and if I'm to be honest, you pretty much deserved it then because you were a total jerk."

Ros laughed and pulled me into his arms. He looked deep into my eyes for a few minutes before speaking again.

"I know I was. I doubt if I'm any different now, but I guess I've learned quite a few things over the years. Your actions tonight have made me see you in a completely different light. You had the chance to get your revenge but you chose to help me. I'm sorry I killed you all those times. I was hurt... very hurt. I'm still hurt you're in love with him and not me, but I guess I'll have to suck it up."

He pulled my body closer to his and for a brief second, I thought he was going to kiss me.

"Shame on you, Selena." I mentally scolded myself when he only gave me a tight hug.

"Thank you again." He whispered.

He turned and began walking away from me.

"Ros." I called out to him.

"Yeah." He turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"Thank you." I said.

He smiled and disappeared into the night. I walked back to Ryan and Trina and hugged them both once again.

"Now that everything is over, I'll like to go and say goodbye to my mum." I said to Ryan. "Can you take me there?"

"Of course." He smiled.

"It's fine. You guys go ahead. I'll see you back in Ryan's mansion." Trina disappeared into the night just like the other vampires.

Ryan picked me up and raced back to the Duck-Ville private cemetery. It only took him a couple of seconds to locate the grave.

"I'll give you a moment alone." He said, gently putting me down and walking off.

Once he was gone, I sat on the grass and pulled my knees up towards my chest.

"Hey, mum..." I started.

Tears began to flow down my cheeks, as images from her horrible murder resurfaced in my mind.

"I'm sorry. It was all my fault and I'm so sorry..."

"Freeze!!!" I heard a loud voice behind me.

I was surprised to see several torches being flashed in my direction, guns pointed at me and a couple of police offers running towards me. I had completely forgotten that I was on their WANTED list, and it was normal for them to set up watch around places I was likely to show up.

"Just great!"

I didn't bother to run or argue. I was ready to deal with this part of my life once and for all, so I could move on from it.

"You're under arrest for the murder of Lilian Ryder." One of the officers yelled.

I remained silent as they rounded me up and led me towards a waiting car.

#  Chapter Twenty-Five

Ryan's POV

I dropped Selena off at the cemetery to say goodbye to her mum. I knew it was going to be an emotional time for her and decided to give her all the privacy she needed. I was sure there were a thousand things she had to say and knew how hard it must have been for her to deal with the loss without getting any form of closure. I took the time away to feed. It had been a while since I had a drink and my body was craving the precious liquid especially after the events of the night. After feeding and walking around a bit to kill time, I decided to go back to the Duck-Ville cemetery and get Selena. I went right back to her mum's tomb stone and was surprised to see the surroundings empty. Selena was gone and I had no idea where to.

"Did she get emotional and run off? Is she grieving somewhere else silently? Did someone take her?"

The last thought gave me an uneasy feeling and I decided to take the chance and find out. I told myself that if it turned out she was taking some time alone, I was going to apologize and wait for her to come to me. I focused my energy and projected my thoughts to her.

"Where are you? I'm worried." I spoke into her consciousness.

I should have been relieved when she replied but what she said completely surprised me.

"I've been arrested for my mum's murder. I should go to jail. This is all my fault."

"No, Selena. Don't do this. None of this is your fault. You can walk away right now if you want. Leave a replica to go through the questioning if you feel someone should. Come to me... please!"

My desperate plea did absolutely nothing to weaken her resolve.

"No. She died because of me and I need to pay!" She replied.

"She died because Ros killed her. If anyone has to pay, let him do it."

"Ros only killed her because I hurt him. I have to do this."

"Selena!" I yelled into her head.

There was no reply.

"Selena!!!"

Nothing.

I had hit a brick wall. She had shut me out and there was little or nothing I could do about it.  
I had no idea why or how she came up with such a preposterous theory. Was this her way of dealing with the grief? Was she hitting the self-destruct button? Had her powers become too strong for her mortal mind and overwhelmed her? I was beginning to come up with preposterous theories of my own. I knew I had to do something about it quickly. There was no way I was going to let her accept the punishment for a crime she didn't commit. I had just reunited with her. Why in the world would she want to go away again? Didn't she love me as much as she did in 1889 anymore?

I activated my enhanced speed and raced back to Ros's mansion. He was the one who compelled the police to go after Selena in the first place. I couldn't break them out of his compulsion, even if I wanted to. This was his mess and he was sure as hell going to fix it!

Trina's POV

I heard boredom made the mind go numb. Whoever said that clearly didn't consider the effects of pressure on the mind. A lot of things had happened to me in the past few months, including dying but none of those experiences numbed my mind as much as seeing my family again. It was clear I would never really be a part of them anymore. I had to disappear at some point because they would realize something was wrong with me especially when everyone else got older. I considered just disappearing now but I couldn't do it. I had to see them again. I had to see my dad's kind eyes, hear my mum's warm laughter and hold my little brother again even if it was for the last time. I planned to go home in the morning and that simple plan freaked me out like crazy.

"Will they notice anything now?"

I knew the only way to know for sure was to see them but that didn't help with my nerves. Ryan had taken Selena out to say goodbye to her mum and I was sure they weren't going to be back in a while. I probably wouldn't have taken this decision on any other day but my mind was probably already fried. I decided to go to the other Soille mansion to escape my thoughts, at least for the moment. I raced all the way there and when I didn't meet any house staff at the door, I walked right in.

"Ros!" I yelled. "Are you in here?"

I heard the crashing sound of something breakable hitting a solid object, perhaps a wall, and ran towards it. To my utmost surprise, Ros was standing behind his desk, throwing plates at the opposite wall.

"Are you okay? What the hell?" I yelled.

I saw the nearly empty bottle of Whiskey on the table in front of him and knew exactly what this was - a classic case of frustration.

"What are you doing here?" He frowned.

"Trying to escape my demons but you clearly have legions of your own." I replied.

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and smiled.

"You sure that's your only reason for coming over here, Blondie?" He asked.

"Um... um... yeah..." I stammered.

Why did he ask me that? What other reason could I possibly have?

Ros was in front of me before I could blink. He backed me up into a wall and looked really deep into my eyes. His dark green eyes burned holes into my skin and I wondered why I felt so nervous all of a sudden.

"I don't believe you." He said. "Tell me you don't want this."

He crashed his lips into mine ferociously, claiming them like a wild beast in the heat of passion. I froze on the spot for several reasons, the biggest being how his savage actions aroused every part of my body.

"This is not happening. I'm so not locking lips with Ros Soille right now!"

I felt like Ros awoke an inner tigress I didn't know lived in me. My knees turned to jelly and I wondered how I was still standing. I leaned my body into him as his hand moved up my side, approaching my yearning twins and sending my body into joyful explosions of anticipated pleasure.

"What the hell?"

I heard the voice and froze on the spot. Ros broke off the kiss and moved his hand away, turning around to meet the stunned gaze of a clearly shocked Ryan. It was a terribly awkward moment. I felt like shriveling into dust and disappearing right into the ground.

"Whatever, Ry. What do you want?" Ros asked.

"How long have you two been..." Ryan started, and I moved my hands to cover my face.

I knew he wasn't going to believe me even if I told the truth. I couldn't even find the voice to say anything. Embarrassment made my words collide at the back of my throat.

"I'm serious, Ry. What do you want?" Ros totally bailed me out.

"Well, if you can manage to peel yourself away from this very serious situation, I'll like you to uncompel the police." Ryan taunted. "They've taken Selena."

The minute I heard Selena had been taken, I wanted to know why and what I could do to help get her back.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"I think she's having a meltdown. I left her at her mum's grave and by the time I got back, she was gone. I reached her thoughts and she told me she'd been arrested for her mum's murder. She thinks she deserves to pay for the crime, wants to serve the time, yadi, yadi, yada... You know how meltdowns go." Ryan replied.

"That's insane! She didn't murder her mum." I exclaimed.

"Well, if Mr. 'I'm so hurt I have to kill Selena' over here didn't compel the police to hunt her down in the first place, none of this would have happened." I replied.

"Hey! You shouldn't be yelling at me right now. I just saved your ass!" Ros snapped.

"Well, so did Selena. Just uncompel them already... and don't you dare think I'm going to let you two live this down." Ryan countered, referring to our little explosive moment earlier.

"Whatever! Let's go." Ros replied, totally ignoring Ryan's taunt.

We all activated our enhanced speed and raced off to the Duck-Ville police station.

Selena's POV

I sat in the interrogation room, just staring at the detective who was questioning me. I really cared less about the things he said to me and all I could focus on was the deep sense of loss and regret I felt. Seeing my mum's grave made something snap in me. I felt like I had failed her and nothing was worth it. The door to the interrogation room opened and another police officer walked in. He whispered something in the ear of the officer interrogating me, before walking out again.

"Your lawyer is here." The interrogator said.

"Hopefully he'll tell you silence won't do you any good."

I knew I didn't contact any lawyer and was sure the state had assigned someone to my case. I didn't need a defense really and wished they hadn't bothered. The door opened once again and my eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. Ros walked into the interrogation room and placed a briefcase on the table... just like a real lawyer.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Dragging you out of here kicking and screaming if I have to." He smirked.

"I want to be here, Ros. This is my decision." I replied.

"No it's not. He countered. "You're hurt and I'm sorry. I know how it feels to lose a loved one. I'll always regret the fact that I put you through this but please. Staying in here is not going to make a difference. You know you didn't do it. There's no evidence against you. They only came for you in the first place because I compelled them to. Allow me take it back, Selena. Come back to Ryan. You two need each other."

I hadn't said anything when the door opened again. The interrogator walked into the room and approached us.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Davenport but there must have been a misunderstanding somewhere. Someone erroneously issued an arrest warrant for your client and we brought her in for questioning. We sincerely apologize for the embarrassment and have cleared all records of this arrest to make it up to your client. Please pardon our mistake." He said.

"Mr. Davenport?"

I was surprised for a fraction of a split second before it hit me. Ros must have uncompelled them from his lies.

"It's alright, officer. I know mistakes happen. I'll be taking my client home now." He said, giving the interrogator a professional smile.

Ros picked his briefcase back up and we both walked out to the waiting area. Ryan and Trina were there, giving me pitiful but understanding looks.

"I'll take it from here." Ryan said, pulling me into his arms.

I buried my head in his chest and balled my eyes out.

"You don't have to deal with this alone, okay? I'm here." He whispered.

I nodded, sniffing back my tears.

"Guys, I'll be taking Selena home now." He said, picking me up and walking out of the police station.

Once we were out of sight, he activated his enhanced speed and took me straight into his brown themed master bedroom. He placed me underneath soft comfortable sheets and cradled me lovingly in his arms. He planted gentle kisses on my forehead and cheeks, before stopping to look deep into my eyes.

"You know, everything that has happened in the past few months have served to amplify what I already know." He smiled.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"I love you with all of me, Selena. I never want to be apart from you. You're my always and my forever." He whispered. "I know how down you feel right now, but please allow me reach you. Let me help you feel better again. That's what will make my life worth living."

His face came down towards me and his lips claimed mine before I got a chance to reply. I knew my heart belonged to him and I loved him with every part of me. Since I couldn't exactly reply with words, I closed my eyes and yielded my lips to him. I inhaled his minty breath and took in the fragrance of his cologne. He nibbled, licked and teased on my lips, making me gasp whenever his fangs bit lightly and pleasurably on my lips. The sensual encounter quickly intensified, and our hands explored each other's bodies in search of pleasures we knew we wanted to willingly give. Our clothes gave way and our bodies collided in a sensual embrace. My arms moved up and down his toned abs, feeling his rock solid packs and perfectly sculpted chest. He traced short sharp lines along my body, causing all the parts he made contact with to explode with pleasure. Ryan pulled back for a second and looked into my eyes once again, while I took deep breaths that betrayed my underlying emotions.

"I know the last time I tried this, it freaked you out. That's not my intention and I completely understand if you're not ready. But do I have your permission to make you mine?" He asked in a low, husky, and overly sexy voice.

I nodded my consent, still looking deep into his green eyes. He pulled me close and crashed his lips into mine once more. This time, his kiss was not the slow sensual one he started with. It was hungry, searching, a little forceful and oh so explosive. I was lost in his hunger for a few seconds and when he aligned his frame on top of mine, my breath got caught in my throat. His hips stopped right on top of mine, teasing me with the pleasure I knew he was sure to give. I couldn't help myself. My body was exploding and he hadn't even started with me. I could see the passion and hunger that laid behind his dark green eyes and wondered if he could tell how much I wanted him too.

"My body will forever be yours alone." He whispered, making a slow, deep plunge into me.

In that moment, time stopped. All I felt was bliss. Waves of pleasure crashed against my walls from every side, and I knew we were completely and wholly one. Our bodies rose and fell to our rhythm, and we danced passionately to our song. My heart rate soared, countless moans escaped my lips and I lost track of time. The drums of pleasure beat loudly around me, taking me to crescendo after crescendo until my body reached unbelievable heights. I shuddered and held on to him, burying my face in his chest as I floated back down slowly. I cherished every blissful moment until all I could hear was panting.... my panting.

"My heart will forever be yours and no other man will ever have what's yours." I promised, kissing his beautiful lips once more.

He pulled me close and I snuggled even closer. I hadn't forgotten about my mum but I felt surprisingly calmer. My eyelids slid closed and before long, I fell into the warm embrace of blissful sleep.

#  A Shade of Halloween 4: Reunion

#  Chapter One

Selena's POV

A cool breeze blew from all sides, gently swaying the long drapes that shielded the tent-like structure from the rest of woods. I ran my fingers along the sides of the tent to feel the smooth texture of the pale yellow and white drapes. Today was a beautiful day. One that would stay etched in my memory for the rest of my life. The first rays of dawn were just breaking through the night's sky, casting a golden glow around my surroundings. I smiled at the ambience of the tent and my smile broadened when I saw his handsome face. He sped into the tent with cheerful green eyes that looked like they could light up the woods around me and when combined with the victorious smile on his face, I knew I had found my definition of perfection.

"I've seen the priest safely across the borders." He said, sweeping me into his arms.

"I'm so proud of you." I beamed.

Our frames drew closer together like two magnets. When his lips met mine, it felt like the explosion of a thousand fireworks across the beautiful night sky.

"I hear the magic of consummation trumps anything we've ever felt. Why don't we make our marriage completely formal?" He winked.

I didn't need to see his face to sense the naughty smile on it. I turned away shyly, trying to suppress my yearning for his explosive touch.

"I don't know."

"You know I can read your thoughts, right?" He grinned.

"Get out of my head." I laughed.

"How can I?" He faked a shocked expression. "I love your thoughts."

"...and I love you, Ryan Soille."

The words had barely left my lips when he swept me off my feet. He placed me on the soft surface of the round bed in the corner of the tent before spreading his lips into the most perfect closed lipped smile I had ever seen.

"I love you with all of me, Selena Soille."

I drew in a sharp breath in a futile attempt to stop my body from exploding into bursts of sparkles. It was so easy to see why I fell in love with him in the first place. I pulled him close once more and was about to lock my lips with his when my eyelids fluttered open and Ryan's grinning face came into view.

"You're so mean. Why did you stop there?" I asked in protest.

"Isn't it obvious your naughty self was dying to see more? I think that part was censored PG 13."

"I'm not thirteen!" I yelled.

"No you're not. You're a traitor!"

His smile disappeared faster than a speeding bullet and the intense hate in his eyes completely shocked me.

"What... do..."

I hadn't completed my question when his hand grabbed my neck. He squeezed it with fatal intent, ignoring the painful tears rolling out of my eyes. I wanted to plead for mercy but he had taken away my ability to speak. My hands flailed in every direction, trying to grasp on to anything and I felt like my lungs were exploding within my chest. Just as my body laid motionless on the bed, my eyelids flung open and my body jolted awake.

"What's wrong?" A clearly concerned Ryan asked.

Everything in both dreams felt so real and if I didn't know better, I would have believed it.

"I saw you... and you tried to kill me." I whispered.

"That's impossible. I'd never hurt a strand of hair on your precious head." He replied.

"I know. That's why I was so confused."

"It's okay, my Selena. It was just a dream." He consoled me, running his fingers through my hair.

I realized I had just had a dream within a dream. My body was cradled lovingly in Ryan's arms. No one was strangling me. I closed my eyes and snuggled closer to him.

"I think it's the stress of the past few months finally weighing down on your mind. You know what?" He asked.

"What?"

"Let me take you somewhere far away from all this. Just for a while."

"Like on a vacation?" I asked.

"Yeah. You need it... We both need it. Things have been crazy around here lately."

"Okay." I smiled. "I think it'll be good."

"You bet it will. Don't ask where. It's a surprise." He grinned. "Now go back to sleep. I'll be waiting to slay any monster that comes anywhere near my sleeping beauty."

I felt his arms wrap around me tighter.

"You're my hero." I whispered, closing my eyes and falling back asleep.

#  Chapter Two

Selena's POV

I woke up to the fantastic smell of coffee. The precious liquid was steaming in a mug right beside two pieces of warm toast on the side stool. A happy smile plastered itself across my face as I took in Ryan's cheerful features.

"Hey, Beautiful." He placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Hey you." I cheesed.

"I thought the breakfast would do you good."

"Thanks for being so sweet to me." I smiled. "No one has ever brought me breakfast in bed."

"Any time, my Selena." He smiled back.

I munched on the well-made toast and savored the accompanying dark liquid with joy.

"Hmm. I had no idea toast could taste so delicious." I complimented. "What did you put in it?"

"A century's worth of practice and all my love, of course." He grinned.

"Now that's the most amazing toast recipe I've ever heard." I laughed.

"Do you feel better now?" He asked. "You were a bit shaken up when you woke up before."

I nodded.

"I had a really scary dream. It started in the woods right after our 1889 wedding, I think. We were just about to do what all married people do on their wedding night when I woke up. I thought you were projecting the memory into my mind so I asked why you stopped. You teased me about wanting to see PG 13 stuff and before I could say 'Jack', you were squeezing my neck." I replied.

"That's strange. First, you're not supposed to have any memory of our wedding night. I compelled you to forget everything when Sophia cast the reincarnation spell in 1889. I never uncompelled that part of your memory." He replied.

"Do you think I went back in time?"

"Well, it's either that or your sorceress nature is fading my compulsion away. I'll lean towards the latter because I never tried to hurt you at any time." He replied.

"You just might be right, you know? I remember one time in the alternate city when Trina tried to compel me not to feel pain. It didn't work. I thought it failed because she was a new vampire and didn't know how to compel yet but when we came back, Ros asked me to help him find you instead of compelling me to do it. I always wondered why he did that. It's very unlike him."

"Compulsion comes naturally to vampires and knowing Ros, he probably tried to compel you. Let's try it. I'll compel you and see if it works." He replied.

"Okay."

"Take your clothes off and flaunt that sexy body of yours." He said, looking deep into my eyes.

"Stop teasing! This is serious." I laughed.

"I wasn't teasing." He made a naughty face.

"Wait a minute. That's what you would have said if you could really compel me? Have you ever compelled me to take my clothes off?" I glared.

"Easy there. Never heard of 'job satisfaction?'"

"You're so silly! That's not what they meant." I laughed.

"Sure that's what they meant." He countered.

"No, it's not!"

"Definitely is."

I tried to tackle him on the bed but he moved away with his enhanced speed. I fell to my side with my nightie lifting up above my stomach in the process.

"Turns out I didn't need to compel you after all." He teased.

Before I could push my nightie back down, he activated his enhanced speed and swept me into his arms. He placed several kisses on my stomach, working his way up and pushing my nightie out of the way with his face. I was instantly turned on, closing my eyes and letting him do as he pleased.

"Isn't it too early to be frolicking in the sheets?"

I jumped in surprise at the voice that came from within the room. It sounded very familiar and when I turned to look at the person, I was completely embarrassed.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Ryan yelled.

"Like you knocked when you barged into my study." Ros rolled his eyes.

"How's that even the same? This is my bedroom!" Ryan threw his arms into the air in irritation.

"Ever heard the words private space?" Ros asked.

"I should be asking you that!" Ryan yelled.

"Whatever makes you happy, brother. Bedroom. Study. What's the difference? You were in my private property without knocking so don't you dare give me a lecture now."

"What do you want?" Ryan asked.

"Trina's going home to see her family for the first time since she turned. She's pretty nervous about it and I thought you guys could come along to give her some support. If you're preoccupied at the moment, I'll just leave." Ros replied.

"Wait. We're coming." I yelled after him.

"Okay. I'll be in the living room." He smiled, before turning around and walking off.

#  Chapter Three

Ros's POV

I walked into Ry's bedroom, not bothering to knock because all the doors were open. I ignored the excited giggles I heard from inside which was probably not the best idea because to my torment, my baby brother was face deep underneath Selena's clothes. I knew they were together and all, which meant that they had intimate moments from time to time – okay, maybe a lot of intimate moments – but still. It didn't make it any easier for me to watch him with her like that. I should probably have taken some responsibility for walking in unannounced, but they left the door open and what does an open door say? I stood there for a few minutes, watching how happy they were. Knowing she was mine and I lost her was bad enough but not getting a chance at redemption cut deeper than the sharpest knife. I didn't get why Ry was so upset to see me. If he really wanted privacy, he should have locked the damn door. It was common sense.

I tried so hard not to look at Selena's distracting features – and failed miserably. Her lips were full and inviting, having just the perfect pout to drive any man crazy. It was a herculean task trying to rein my imagination in after looking at them and I didn't even want to get started with how perky her twins looked in the thin fabric of her nightie. There was something about Selena that was deeper than her physical appearance. Surely looks weren't enough to have me spellbound. The lengths Ry went for her was confirmation that I wasn't insane. Selena had the ability to trap a man within her web and I had no idea how she did it. I exited the room before it became too obvious I was staring a little more intensely than I should.

Since it was going to take a while for them to shower and throw some clothes on, I went into Ry's living room in hopes of finding something to entertain myself. Barely ten minutes passed before Ry's scream echoed off the walls. I rushed back to the bedroom and for a few seconds I was stunned. Selena had her hands outstretched, with tears streaming down her face. Her eyeballs shone brightly golden and she mumbled whatever witchy jargon her words were. Ry was standing in front of her with his arms pulled apart by an invisible force threatening to rip them off his body. Hearing his screams made me momentarily lose my mind. I didn't know or care about whatever argument sprang up between them in the short time I spent in the living room. She had no right to torture him like that.

"What the hell?" I yelled, running towards Selena.

My enraged run was brought to an abrupt halt by a painful slap that felt like my body had been slammed against the surface of water. I looked ahead and saw nothing. No physical object hit me. All I saw was Selena's outstretched hand and fiery eyes.

"What are you..."

My question was interrupted by a sharp pain in my arm. It twisted at an uncomfortable angle, forcing me to groan in agony while Selena continued to mumble her gibberish. My second hand followed suit and before long, I looked just like Ry in a classic crucifixion pose, screaming at the top of my lungs. Whatever she was doing had us hanging on to our lives by a thin thread and time was running out.

"Selena... I don't... know... stop!!!" I managed to yell between screams of pain.

My words only seemed to intensify her anger and things got worse pretty quickly. I felt a tear in my chest which got deeper and wider with each passing moment. The accompanying pain was nothing compared to the shock and helplessness of the situation. Selena Ryder was about to rip our hearts out and there was nothing we could do to stop her. I struggled against whatever magical restraints she had on us, refusing to die like that. I was infuriated and helpless at the same time. This was surely not the way I'd expected to die and for the first time since Selena helped save Ry from the Council vampires, I wished I had killed her before she became this all powerful sorceress.

"Selena!!!"

I heard a high-pitched scream from a familiar feminine voice and was relieved to feel the restraints on my hands weaken. My relief was quickly replaced by anger and I wanted to give Selena a piece of it, even if it would result in my painful demise. Unfortunately, my pain was stronger than my wishes. I crumbled to the ground and clutched my chest beside Ry, impatiently waiting for my enhanced healing to kick in. I knew the person who stopped Selena was Trina before I even turned in her direction, and was so grateful she showed up at the time she did.

"What were you doing?" Trina half-screamed, rushing to Selena and pulling her into a hug.

I had no idea why Selena wasn't getting the scolding of a lifetime. The witchy immortal almost ripped my heart out - martyr style - and she got a hug?

Selena looked around, as if in complete surprise. Her eyes had returned to their regular aqua blue color now, which was a lot less creepy than the bright gold orbs that burned in her face a couple of minutes ago. I shook my head and sank into my thoughts. I needed to know the reason for her behavior and how the hell we were going to stop her the next time she decided to go all witchy ballistic on us.

#  Chapter Four

Ryan's POV

"I'm a monster." Selena whispered, with tears streaming down her face.

My heart went out to her, completely ignoring the fact that she almost killed me a few moments ago. Even while the torture was on, I knew there had to be a different explanation for her actions. Selena loved me with all her heart. She couldn't hurt me deliberately. I just needed to find a way to reach her and help her out of whatever troubled her so much as to elicit such behavior. Unfortunately, I was unable to reach her. Her defenses were reinforced with impenetrable steel - at least that was how it seemed to me. I was completely shut out but refused to give up. Thankfully, Trina showed up and snapped her out of it. I took the opportunity to step in and help her.

"Damn right, you are." I heard Ros mutter under his breath.

"You're not a monster." I assured her, pulling her into my arms.

My enhanced healing kicked in, completely wiping off all traces of the gaping hole in my chest. Selena reluctantly melted into my arms, eventually allowing me to cradle her.

"What's wrong with me?" She asked, teary-eyed.

My heart broke. I couldn't stand seeing her like that. Her hurt reached deep within my soul and forced painful blood drops out of my eyes.

"I don't know, babe but we'll figure it out. I promise."

It was as honest an answer as I could give. I didn't know how we were going to figure it out or where to even start but I knew we could do it. We just needed to believe it. We had dealt with several tough situations in the past. This one was sure to blow over too.

"You make sure you figure it out before she turns us all into chopped beef for her witchy pleasure." Ros snapped.

"Ros!" Trina scolded.

"Don't be insensitive." I added.

"You're unbelievable, Ry! Both of you. If Trina had showed up just five minutes later than she did, guess what? I would have been dead!" He retorted.

"Yeah, and maybe you deserve it! Selena wasn't this insensitive towards you after you actually killed her, lifetime after lifetime!" Trina snapped back.

"Come on. She was on the reincarnation spell. She wasn't really going to die." Ros said in his defense. "I, on the other hand, have no witchy voodoo to keep me alive. If I die, that's it."

"She's going through a lot right now, Ros. The least you can do is be supportive." I added, hoping to end the banter of words.

"Well forgive me for not offering myself as a sacrificial lamb." Ros rolled his eyes.

"Little wonder she chose Ryan over you!" Trina snapped.

It was a low blow and had I not stepped between them as fast as I did, Ros would have snapped her neck for it. The moment I saw his eyes turn red, I knew he was going to attack her and I made sure to stop him.

"Guys, this is all my fault." Selena whispered. "I'm seeing things. I saw you attack me..."

"Wait a minute." I cut in. "Was it like you saw me attacking you in your dream last night?"

Selena nodded.

"I think I know what it is." I stated. "Your sorceress nature makes you naturally antagonistic to vampires. I believe what you're experiencing is heightened antagonism towards us because your powers are different from regular sorceresses."

Selena looked at me without speaking.

"Don't worry about it. You'll learn how to control it in no time." I added.

I hoped I was right. It was the only plausible explanation I could think of and it seemed to calm her down.

"I'm sorry I called you a monster. I was pretty upset at the time." Ros apologized to Selena, completely shocking everyone.

While I never expected him to apologize, it felt great to hear him say the words. I certainly wasn't the only surprised person in the room as I briefly caught Trina's eyes widening.

"It's okay." Selena replied.

"But I still agree with you." Ros pursed his lips.

Selena laughed for the first time since the encounter. I knew it was supposed to be a good thing but I couldn't help the pang of jealousy that clawed at my heart. I wanted to be the one making her laugh. I wanted to be everything to her. It was like a weakness I couldn't get rid of.

"I think I can postpone meeting my family for now. It was nerve wracking anyway. We should all take a break and unwind. It'll be good for us." Trina suggested.

I smiled at her and mouthed the words "thank you". It was amazing to see just how selfless she was.

"Ryan and I just discussed a vacation this morning." Selena replied.

"And you guys were going to leave without me?" Trina placed both hands on her hips dramatically.

"Of course not." Selena replied, forcing a smile from Trina.

"You're such a drama queen." I teased her.

"I'll love to argue that point but unfortunately, I can't. I have a vacation to plan." She grinned.

#  Chapter Five

Ros's POV

"You're planning the vacation? Please!" I scoffed. "Listen Selena. If you're really looking to have fun and unwind, I'm your guy."

"As much as I hate to admit it, he's right." Ry backed me up, earning himself a death glare from Trina.

Selena looked at me and smiled. It was a pure smile, one that reminded me of the innocent young woman who captured my heart several decades ago. I wished I had handled things a little better at the time but I guessed I had myself to blame. I'd never really been in love before her and I had no clue how to handle it. I thought making her fear me by showing her just how powerful I was would make her adore me. Looking back now, that was pretty dumb.

"I'm going with your plan, Ros but it has to be fun."

"Oh you bet it will be." I winked, excited out of my mind to see Selena choose my plan over everyone's.

"Hey, what about my surprise?" Ry asked her.

"You just said he was the fun one!" She defended her choice.

I had no clue what they were talking about but I couldn't be happier with Selena's reply.

"Race with me, people!" I said, beckoning them towards the door. I couldn't wait to get the vacation started.

"Not so fast." Ry stopped us.

"What now?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"This vacation is about helping Selena. She needs to step away from all the vampirism and sorcery for the duration of our trip. If you guys are coming, you'll have to act human until we get back. No one is allowed to use their special abilities." He replied.

"What? Why?" I asked, perplexed.

"He has a point, Ros." Trina concurred.

"This is unbelievable. Selena? Please don't tell me you agree with them."

"Sorry, but I'm with them on this one." She replied.

I didn't miss the satisfied smile on Ry's face.

"You guys are going to regret this. I mean come on. Just being human is going to suck." I protested.

"Then I suggest you consider staying back." Ry smirked. "If you can manage being human, pack everything you need in a box or however many boxes make you happy. Meet us here in an hour. We'll be travelling with modern technology."

"Fine. Can I at least run to my house?" I asked.

"Nope. But you can take my car." Ry replied.

I felt like ramming him into a wall but thought better of it. He was right about keeping things normal to help Selena. I let things go and drove Trina to her dorm.

"Pack as fast as you can. I'm waiting here." I stated.

"Trust me, you'll want to come in." She replied.

"Fine."

We had barely made it halfway through her dorm's hallway when some red haired chick stopped her.

"Where the hell have you been?" She squealed.

I knew her type. Extremely nosy, always looking for the next gossip topic and had no problem whatsoever engaging us in a conversation for the next five hours. I didn't have that much time to spare, and for what?

"You've seen Trina every day of this semester." I compelled her.

She blinked and shrugged.

"Nice top, Trina." She smiled, walking away.

Trina's laughter told me she was happy with the way I handled the situation. Thankfully, no one else stopped us and we walked peacefully to her room. I went in first and compelled her roommate to take a walk.

"You're such a bully." Trina stated, and I faked a surprised look.

"Bullies don't ask nicely." I smirked.

"Like you asked." She rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. We only have an hour to pack. I'm not going to spend it explaining your whereabouts for the past month."

She knew I was right because she said nothing in reply. I watched her pack four travel boxes and couldn't help but ask.

"You know we're only staying for a few weeks, right?"

"Um-hum." She nodded.

I rolled my eyes. Thankfully, she had activated her enhanced speed. There was no way I would have waited for her to pack that many boxes at regular speed.

"You know we never talked about what happened back at my house." I said, once she was nearly done.

"Oh, the kiss? There's not much to say. It shouldn't have happened. We were both overwhelmed that day and used it as an escape." She replied, completely crushing my manly pride.

Now, the last thing you want to do as a girl is hurt a man's ego. How could she have dismissed it like it was nothing? I knew what a damn good kisser I was!

"Yeah, you're right. It shouldn't." I suppressed my raging emotions and focused on loading her boxes into the trunk.

I drove back to my place and was packed in less than five minutes.

"You're only bringing one box?" Trina asked.

"Yeah. It has everything I need. Besides shopping is an integral part of a great vacation." I winked.

"Aww. Now I want to take some stuff back." She said in a cute child-like way.

"Hell no!" I refused. "There's no way I'm driving back there."

"But I want to shop too." She protested.

"You can keep the extra stuff here and get them when we come back." I replied.

"Don't you just want a reason to get me back here?" She pouted.

"Get over yourself, Blondie." I smirked, only because I knew it would hurt her feelings. That was payback for hurting my ego earlier.

"Aren't you going to help me unpack?" She asked.

"Now, why on earth would I want to do that?" I replied, watching her unpack one of her boxes into the closet in a spare bedroom.

"I'm done. We can go now." She said, giving me an evil glare.

"Aww. Did I hurt your feelings?" I faked concern.

"Get over yourself!" She snapped.

I laughed, knowing she didn't really mean it. We drove back to Ry's and met them already waiting. After loading all their boxes into the trunk, we got into the car and sped away from the house.

#  Chapter Six

Selena's POV

I raised my eyebrow and turned to Ryan when Ros pulled the car to a stop at the airport's parking lot. Ryan looked more amused than surprised and I wondered if this was a setup of some sort.

"Wait a minute, guys. What are we doing here? Ros? Care to explain? This doesn't look like a getaway location. I..."

"Hey, slow down. I never said we were going on a road trip. I only agreed to Ryan's condition and if I'm not mistaken, he said to travel with 'modern technology'." Ros replied.

"So you're not shipping me off to rehab?" I asked, pursing my lips.

"As tempting as that sounds right now, no. I'm keeping my word and taking you all to a resort where we're going to have unlimited fun. Try to catch up, babe. I'm a Soille. I travel in style." Ros beamed.

I was sure I saw him wink but he exited the car before I could confirm. I turned to Ryan who gave a reassuring closed lipped smile before getting out of the car as well. Both boys moved over to the trunk to get our luggage out.

"It's good to see you smiling." Trina turned around, drawing my attention to the look on my face.

I had no idea I was smiling but that wasn't what bothered me. The question was why. Surely it had nothing to do with Ros calling me Babe. Why did he do that though? Was it a term he used lightly or did he mean it?

"I just want to be a normal teenager again. At least for the duration of this trip." I replied. "I had no idea Ros bought us tickets. Do you know where we're going?"

"I don't think he bought tickets." Trina rolled her eyes. "He most likely compelled the attendant to get the tickets."

I laughed at her reply. It was so like Ros to do something like that.

"All I know about our destination is that it's a private resort. Don't worry about it though. Ryan's here, and I'm here too. You'll be okay."

"I know. I'm not scared of Ros or anything. I'm just curious." I smiled.

The boys returned and Ryan opened the door beside me, ending our little conversation.

"Ready to leave?" He asked.

"Sure." I smiled.

We walked towards the private boarding terminal and I stifled the question burning at the back of my throat only because there were a couple of people around and I didn't want to sound like a total idiot. I had expected us to travel in a commercial aircraft but clearly that wasn't going to be the case. A new wave of excitement washed over me. It was going to be my first time on a private plane and something about it made me even more excited. I had to admit it. The trip was a good idea. It hadn't even begun and I was already relaxed. I clasped fingers with Trina until we climbed into the luxurious cabin. The minute the door closed, I expressed exactly what I felt.

"Wow!" I turned to Trina and giggled, noticing we had both exclaimed at the same time.

The interior of plane was worlds apart from what I was used to with commercial airlines. It looked more or less like an exquisitely furnished living room. Plush cream colored chairs adorned with touches of brown lined the spacious stretch in front of me, facing a state of the art flat screen TV which was fitted into the cabin's walls. The ceiling was flooded with pristine white lights that served to bring the place alive, especially when they reflected on the crimson throw pillows invitingly seated on each sofa.

"Oh my lord!" Trina exclaimed, looking around with wide excited eyes. "Whose plane is this?"

"Who do you think? Sure I have better taste than Ry." Ros rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"You own a plane?" I asked, too excited to acknowledge his sarcastic jab at Ryan.

"Of course. What do you think vampires do with all the centuries they spend alive? We get as wealthy as we want." Ros grinned.

"Let's just say I prefer the simple life." Ryan glared at Ros.

"Good morning, Mr. Soille." A beautiful young lady interrupted them.

"Morning, May." Ros turned around and smiled, abandoning his little squabble with Ryan.

"It's quite unlike you to travel at this hour." She continued, and that was when I noticed her slight French accent.

It complimented her already breathtaking physical features, giving her an overall exotic appeal which I found quite unnerving for unknown reasons. She took a few steps towards Ros, smiling at him in a way that accentuated her naturally pouty lips. Her eyes slowly drank in his features and I could swear she was deliberately moving her lashes in the sexy way they fluttered.

"Yeah my friends want to travel now." Ros replied.

"Well, welcome on board." She turned to the rest of us, maintaining her smile.

"What's your destination?" She asked, placing her slender palm lightly on Ros's back.

"The Heavenly Calabasas." Ros replied.

"A getaway?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure." Ros replied.

"Can I come? Please?" She asked softly, looking at him with big goo-goo eyes.

"Hell no!" I screamed in my head.

I could tell the look on May's face was perfectly scripted and was too irritated to say anything that would come out nice so I said nothing.

"No!" Trina blurted out, totally voicing my inner wishes.

"Come on, Trina. Be nice." Ros smiled. "You can come, May."

"Really? Thank you, Ros!" She purred.

The R in Ros was coated with her slight French accent and rolled fluidly off her tongue. I caught myself glaring at her with daggers and immediately turned away. I had no idea what my issue was. The girl probably had a history with Ros.

"I'll inform the pilot so you can be on your way." She smiled.

She turned with cat-like grace and walked away. Just when I thought she was finally disappearing from sight - at least momentarily, she stopped and turned to us.

"If you want anything during the trip, just beckon and I'll be there."

I had a feeling her message was directed solely at Ros but decided not to dwell on it.

"Strap in, guys. We'll be airborne in 5... 4... 3... 2..." The pilot's voice came through the speakers.

I took my seat beside Ryan and fastened my seatbelt, waiting for the plane to take off.

#  Chapter Seven

Selena's POV

"Listen up, guys!" Ros beamed, pulling everyone's attention to himself. "Remember why we came on this trip? Let's make it happen. I know you girls have never met May, but she's cool. I've known her for a long time and she sure knows how to have fun. We're in the skies, people! Look around you. There's ample space, fantastic speakers and one smoking hot vampire."

"One..."

Trina's protest was drowned out by the sound of music blaring out of the cabin's surrounding speakers. I laughed knowing she was about to comment on Ros's smoking hot vampire comment. Knowing him, he was either taking a jab at Ryan or just trying to be funny. Whatever the case, I was happy he came up with that little speech. It broke the ice and got everyone in a lighter mood.

It had been so long since the last time I danced and the rhythm of the beat reminded me of just how much I'd missed it. I pulled Ryan by the arm and he responded with the gentle rocking of his body in front of me. I smiled and turned around, melting into his arms and swaying my hips to the music. It felt really good. Trina and Ros also joined us on the floor, facing each other off with ridiculous break dance moves. Soon, everyone was laughing and having a good time. May showed up with glasses of champagne, passing them around and reserving one for herself.

"Is it somebody's birthday?" She asked, after Ros turned down the volume of the music.

"Not really. We're just trying to unwind." Ros replied.

"Awesome! Empty your glasses everyone. You're getting refills." She beamed. "It'll help drop your defenses and you can really move to the beat."

"On the count of three, tank it!" Ros yelled, getting a 'woo-hoo' from Trina.

Ros counted to three and everyone raised their glasses to their lips. We emptied the contents in one continuous gulping motion. I especially loved the way the bubbles danced happily around my mouth before sliding down my throat.

"Let's do it again!" May beamed.

We repeated the process a couple more times before the music resumed. This time, the difference was clear. Ryan pulled me by the waist, and I responded with sultry grinding and winding I would never have done in public. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Ros busting some great moves with Trina and May.

"Let's switch partners." Ros yelled over the music. I had barely voiced the first word of my reply when May grabbed him.

"Let me give you a performance." She beamed.

Ros was instantly distracted, turning to May who walked off to a section of the cabin that had been walled off by zipped curtains. She pulled them apart to reveal a dancer's pole, swinging her frame on the pole and gliding to the music like a professional gymnast at the Olympics. Her performance was so fluid and flawless that I would have been impressed if she wasn't such a show off. The only thing that stopped me from tossing her out of the plane was Ryan's rule preventing the use of special abilities on the trip. Since his rule said nothing about the use of our imagination, I settled for deriving satisfaction from imagining her uncomfortable fall and maybe breaking a part of her body that would hurt like crazy.

"I told you May could bring a party alive." Ros grinned, temporarily distracting me from my satisfying mental picture.

I rolled my eyes and continued dancing with Ryan. Though Trina looked outwardly indifferent, I could tell she was just as upset at May as I was. She helped herself to a continuous refill of champagne, as if trying to drown out the real world.

I was just as shocked as everyone else in the cabin when I heard the painful crack of what sounded like bone against hard flooring. I couldn't help the slight flash of a smirk across my face when I saw May slip off the pole and tumble to the ground.

"So much for your performance, Miss. Show-off."

My expression quickly changed to one of concern when I realized she had landed on her neck, twisting it at an uncomfortable angle.

"Are you okay?" I ran to her and attempted to help her up.

She got up like it was nothing and snapped her neck back into place.

"Phew. She's a vampire."

I heaved a sigh of relief. She would have been badly hurt if she were human, perhaps requiring us to make an emergency landing.

"I've never slipped before." She laughed, but I caught the hint of irritation in her silky, French accented voice.

"I guess there's a first time for everything. Don't think too much of it." Ros smiled.

She nodded and pulled his hand, choosing to dance with him on the cabin's floor this time. Everyone continued moving to the beat until the music faded off and was replaced by the pilot's voice.

"We are beginning our final descent. Please strap your seat belts on and prepare for landing."

We took our seats with happy smiles. I couldn't deny the fact that I had a great time on board, regardless of my slight irritation with May.

Thinking about her however, made me question her little misfortune. Did she fall because I imagined it? It was possible she intentionally let go of her grasp to the pole, hoping to get sympathy from Ros. I never willed her to fall and I knew my powers never altered my reality unless I willed them to. I pondered over that thought until the plane's descending motion distracted me. A smile appeared on my face and I closed my eyes, waiting for the plane to hit the ground.

#  Chapter Eight

Ryan's POV

Sometimes my brother gets on my very last nerve. That's a truth I've come to live with. As much as things feel like they're that way all the time, there are moments like this when I'm forced to admit he's cool. While I don't exactly agree with his methods - I mean come on, who tanks champagne? But sometimes I'm forced to thank him for their results. Seeing Selena sleep so peacefully in my arms was worth taking the risk of stuffing her with alcohol.

The plane landed smoothly at the resort's FBO. I didn't even know they had one. I had to give it to Ros for his choice of a vacay location. Right from landing, I knew The Heavenly Calabasas was much better than any getaway location I could have come up with. Selena looked so peaceful and angelic in my arms, completely unaware of everything going on around her. I let her sleep while the resort's staff worked with May to get our luggage out, spread a carpet from the base of the stairs to the car and confirm our lodging with the front desk via phone.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty." I whispered, watching her stir and open her eyes.

"I can get lost in your eyes and not notice time's passing by." I smiled.

"You're so sweet." She smiled back at me, sitting up on the sofa and stretching her arms. "Have we arrived?"

"Yes. We landed a few minutes ago." I replied.

"Is everyone ready to leave?" Ros asked from the adjacent sofa.

"As ready as can be." I smiled.

When we exited the plane, I couldn't help the smile that spread itself across my face. The landscape was breathtaking, decorated with metallic and wooden sculptures, creative lighting, decorated trees and seemingly endless carpet grass. It was obvious that whoever designed the resort favored the serenity of mother nature. As our car drove through the streets, I could feel the ambiance of tranquility, just what Selena needed to recover from her stressful nightmares. I didn't need to be told how impressed the girls were. Trina and Selena had happy smiles on their faces and I was sure May was just as impressed in the car behind us. After a short drive, the cars came to a halt in front of a building. We had barely gotten out when a beautiful blonde girl walked up and ushered us in.

"Welcome to The Heavenly Calabasas." She smiled. "We are passionate about making your stay here as heavenly as possible. May I confirm that you're with the Soille party?"

For a moment, I was thrown off. What did she mean by the Soille party?

"Yes. Ros Soille." Ros gave her a side smirk.

"This way." She beckoned, leading us into the building.

"Is that all the identification she needs?" I pulled Ros back to ask. "What if someone else says yes to her question?"

"Well, they can't, little Ry." He rolled his eyes. "My reply was the preset access code. I had to say that exact sentence accompanied by the side smirk. How would an impostor know that? Besides, the pilot registered our presence at landing. Stop acting like it's still the 1920s."

I wanted to drive my fist into his face for his verbal jab but I couldn't. He was right. I should have known there would be some agreed method of verification. I just didn't think it would be a sentence and a smirk. Where was this? The Secret Service? Saying nothing, I followed everyone into the building before our blonde escort spoke again.

"Your name and room number is behind the card, and your schedule's inside." She explained, handing cards to each of us.

Everyone instinctively turned to the back of their differently colored cards to study their information.

"Wait. We're staying in different rooms?" I asked, wondering why the number on my card was different from that on Selena's.

"Yes, sir. Your request specified separate rooms for everyone." The blonde escort replied.

"Oh, okay." I glared at Ros who simply smirked.

I settled into my room which was by all counts tastefully furnished. It was great to see my luggage already inside and I normally would have sprawled on the bed for a few minutes to admire my surroundings but I had a score to settle. I walked back out of my room, not bothering to check the next two doors after mine because I saw May and Trina going into them before I stepped into mine. I stopped at the third door and knocked, hoping to hear his usual 'What?' Unfortunately, a soft feminine voice replied from within.

"Who's there?"

Selena's voice put a natural smile on my lips. There was something about her that brought me true happiness. It was like she was a part of me that I needed to be complete.

"It's me." I replied, and heard the door click on the other side.

The minute the door opened, she threw herself into my arms and buried her face in my chest, completely melting my heart. I wrapped my arms around her for a few seconds before stroking her hair.

"You're so cute." I smiled.

"You came to find me." She beamed.

I loved Selena's eyes when they were brown but right now, they were the definition of perfection. There was something about their aqua blue shade that made her look even more exotic than before.

"Yes I did." I lied.

I didn't exactly like lying to her but I couldn't tell her the truth. I was hoping her room belonged to Ros but it didn't change the fact that I was happy to see her.

"I came to check on you." I smiled. "You should take a shower and change into something casual. I can't wait to see you later tonight."

I gave her another hug and exited her room. Once I was sure she had locked the door, I went to the next room and knocked.

"What?" The voice came from the other side.

"Open up." I replied.

The door flung open in less than a split second and dark green eyes peered back at me. I pushed Ros out of the way and stepped into the room.

"Well, great to see you too, Ry. Missed me so much you couldn't stay ten minutes without me?" He asked.

"You wish!" I snapped. "This isn't a friendly visit. I know what you're doing and I want you to stop it right now."

Ros looked at me like he was confused.

"...and exactly what am I doing?"

"Trying so damn hard to get Selena!" I blurted out. "Do you think I don't see your subtle moves? You brought May along because you know the girl adores you."

"What does that have to do with Selena? May asked to come." Ros looked bewildered.

"Yeah. I'm sure it was completely coincidental that Selena ended up getting so jealous as May drooled over you."

"She did?" Ros smirked.

"Stop it, Ros. I'm serious. Why in the world did you request separate rooms for everyone?"

Ros looked at me like I was crazy.

"Why the hell not? Selena needs to get back to her normal human routine. You said so yourself. What's wrong with giving her some space to herself?"

"Space to herself? She ended up one door away from your room and three doors away from mine." I spat.

"Hey. I don't work for the resort. They handled the room assignment. Get over your pettiness, brother."

I knew he was lying and I wasn't about to back down.

"Listen, Ros. I know what this is. I should have seen it coming. You're trying to get Selena back with these ridiculous coincidences that keep her close to you and far away from me. Stop it. She's with me now so leave her alone."

"Like you left her alone when she was with me?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um..." I started.

"Exactly. I didn't think you'd have an answer to that. Listen, brother. I'm doing what's best to help Selena recover and I'll keep doing that for the length of this vacation. If she ends up preferring to be with me at the end of it, then that's not my making."

"What I have with Selena is true love. Don't get her confused." I sighed.

"Then why are you so scared? True love always prevails, doesn't it?" He smirked. "You're just being jealous. Take a chill pill."

"You know what? I should never have bothered with you. She'll pick me anyway." I blurted in frustration.

"Very well then. Don't get so flustered. I have to rest now. See you at the bonfire tonight." He winked, activating his enhanced speed to hold the door open for me.

"I said no special abilities on the trip!" I snapped.

"Relax, Ry. Selena's not here. It doesn't hurt anyone." He grinned.

I hated it when he frustrated me, especially when it was clear he was enjoying every bit of it. I didn't want to give him the continued pleasure of ruffling my feathers, so I stepped out and returned to my room. I knew one thing for sure. I was determined to bring his plan to futility. Selena was mine and things were going to stay that way.

#  Chapter Nine

Selena's POV

I took a shower and slipped on a pink tank top paired with black leggings and a black scarf around my neck. According to the schedule on my card, the only event for the day was a bonfire starting at 8pm and burning deep into the night. I had never been to an actual bonfire so I was pretty excited about it. I didn't want to wear makeup so I sat in front of the dresser in my room and brushed my hair. Since I was in the mood to let my hair down, I ran my brush through my strands and maintained the part in the middle because that was my go to hairstyle when I didn't want to think too much about it. I was just about done with it when I saw the reflection of a girl in the mirror. She was wearing a flowing lilac gown held around the waist with a gold belt.

I stared at her for a few minutes, running validity checks in my head. If this had happened a year ago, I most likely would have screamed at the top of my lungs and sprinted out of the room as fast as my legs could carry me but with all my experiences in life, I knew one thing for sure. There was a lot more to the universe than just the physical. I turned around calmly to survey the space around me and the girl in the mirror was really there.

"Hello. Who are you?" I asked.

"Apologies, Selena. It was wrong of me not to have introduced myself. My name is Raven." She replied, holding out her dress and dropping her knees to curtsy.

"Okay." I smiled, a little amused by her behavior.

"Is she someone from a different lifetime? Perhaps one of the lifetimes between 1889 and now? How did she know my name? She certainly didn't come in through the door. Is she some kind of ghost? Another immortal just like me maybe?"

"I bring a message from the Keepers of Light. A great evil rises and you must stop it for its manifestation will bring an end to your world. Time is running o..."

The sound of someone knocking made me turn my gaze momentarily to the door. By the time I turned back to the girl, she was gone.

"No. Wait. Come back!" I yelled.

There was no response. The girl was completely gone. I sighed in frustration and walked to the door. My mind was still wrapped around the girl and her message.

"Hey, Selena. You look lovely in pink." Trina smiled, hugging me. "I came to see if you were ready to head out but I could have sworn I heard you talking to someone while I was standing outside the door."

Her blue eyes searched my face for answers. I knew I could talk to her about things as bizarre as the one I just witnessed, so I recounted the event.

"Did she tell you what this evil was or how to stop it?" She asked.

"No. She was still talking when you knocked. You must have scared her off because she disappeared."

"Okay. If it's something to worry about, I'm sure she'll visit you again. For now, just try to have fun. It's why we came on this trip. We can worry about the end of the world after our vacay." She smiled.

I knew she was trying to cheer me up but she also had a point. I needed to unwind and forget about all the supernatural stuff around me.

We stopped over at Ros's room because it was just next door. He wasn't there, probably already at the bonfire. Our check on Ryan's room produced an almost similar result. There was a note outside his door, asking me to meet him at the bonfire. It was quite unlike him to just leave a note but I guessed he had his reasons. I shrugged and turned to Trina.

"Seems we're going to have to meet them there." I said. "Should we check on May?"

"Hell no!" Trina whispered.

We laughed and exited the lodge, heading in the direction of the bonfire. From a distance, we could hear the cheer of other guests and the sound of bubbling music.

"I see why the boys left without us." Trina grinned, pulling me by the hand and doubling her footsteps.

I smiled and adjusted my pace to match hers. We arrived at the bonfire in no time, mixing in with the crowd of cheerful guests. My eyes darted around, searching for Ryan or Ros. I spotted Ros in a dark grey t-shirt, paired with brown shorts and black loafers. He waved at us once our eyes met, and we went over.

"Welcome to the party." He grinned, pulling me in for a hug. "Will you like something to drink?"

"Yeah." I replied. "Where's Ryan?"

"Haven't seen him." He shrugged. "Do you want a drink too, blondie?"

Trina glared at him and he got the message. He left briefly and returned with two cups.

"Super chilled, just right for the moment."

"Thanks, Ros." We chorused.

I took a few sips, still looking around for Ryan.

"Where's May?" I asked.

"Probably still in her room. Why?" He asked.

"Um... Nothing really. I just asked since I didn't see her with you." I replied.

He gave me a side smirk and pulled a bottle out of his pocket. He took a few gulps and handed it to Trina who gulped the contents down as well.

"Wait a minute. Is that..." I started, but laughed when I saw him wink.

It was very typical of Ros to break the rules. The Resort had made it clear alcohol was not allowed at the bonfire and he still brought a bottle in. I was going to ask what we were supposed to do besides drinking and dancing when I caught sight of Ryan storming towards us with clenched fists. At first I wondered what had him so riled up but when I saw him walk up to Ros and punch his face, I knew they had found another reason to fight each other. Quite frankly, they were like five year olds when together.

"Ow!" Ros groaned, clutching his cheeks. "What's with the violence?"

The sound of an alarm stopped Ryan from replying and diverted our attention to the four resort staff running towards us with hands in the air.

"Gentlemen, we'll like to speak with you in private." One of the men stated.

"Our apologies, guys. The rest of you can continue with the bonfire." Another staff added.

The boys walked away with them, leaving Trina and I to wonder that was possibly about.

#  Chapter Ten

Ryan's POV

I waited in my room for Selena to get dressed so we could go to the bonfire together. When she didn't call after a while, I placed a call to her room using the resort's intercom. She didn't pick up so I decided to find out what she was up to. When I opened my door, I found a note stuck on it. I picked it up and read it because I was sure it wasn't there at the time I went into my room.

"Hey Selena. Meet me at the bonfire. I have a surprise for you. XX" The note read.

Now, there was only one person I knew who could pull something like that and I had just about had it with him and his antics on this trip.

"He better hope Selena's still in her room and hasn't seen the note yet."

I made a quick stop at Selena's room just to be double sure she wasn't in there. The door was locked and there was no response when I knocked. I marched out of the residential area, straight to the bonfire. As I approached, I caught sight of Ros chatting and flirting with Selena and Trina. I was so upset that I didn't bother asking him any questions. I knew he did it. There was no one else with such a silly motive. I punched him and made sure I hit him hard. I didn't care about the resort's 'cordial resolution of disputes' policy at that point and wasn't surprised when I heard the alarm.

I walked in silence with the resort staff that escorted us out of the bonfire area until we got into a large office. From the tag on the door, I knew it belonged to the manager. Inside, a friendly looking lady in her mid-thirties sat behind a large brown wooden table. Once we got in, she raised her head and waived everyone else out of the office.

"Gentlemen, please sit." She gestured us to the opposite chairs.

I sat beside Ros, already zoned out mentally. I knew the manager was going to give us a warning and probably recite a long list of rules I didn't really care for.

"I understand you've breached our 'cordial resolution of disputes' policy." She stated, peering at us from behind square glasses.

"We?" Ros asked. "He hit me for no reason!"

I decided to mess with him because he'd been messing with me the entire trip.

"You're unbelievable." I looked at him in false disbelief before turning back to the manager and proceeding. "He hit me!"

"You've got to be kidding me." Ros yelled. "I didn't hit you. You hit me."

I was well aware his skin had no trace of the impact from my fist - thanks to his enhanced healing. We also looked exactly alike so I was sure the eyewitnesses would have a hard time telling us apart - except Selena and Trina, of course. From all indications, this was going to be an exciting game.

"Ma'am, he hit me." I looked back at the manager who seemed amused.

"Gentlemen, I'm aware of twins acting this way, but certainly not at this age!" She laughed. "I know one of you hit the other and to be quite honest, it doesn't matter who. The one who hit shouldn't have done it. Besides the fact that it's against our policy here at the resort, there are other mature ways of handling things. The one who got hit on the other hand, isn't completely absolved. He must have done something to provoke the other and provocation is just as bad. What I'm trying to say is simple. Here at the Heavenly Calabasas, giving our clients the most pleasant experience is our utmost priority. A scene as violent as someone hitting another in the face doesn't exactly fall under the category of a heavenly experience. If there's a..."

She paused abruptly and gasped like someone in surprise. I could see the air around her wrap around itself, just like the opening of a supernatural portal. Thin long fingers from hands as black as midnight clutched unto her shoulders and pulled her towards the center of the displaced air. My brows creased into a frown as Ros and I instinctively jumped back. The manager's scream filled the room and before anyone could really react, she was gone.

"What the mother..." Ros started, but was interrupted by the door flying open.

Resort staff with guns in their hands and eyes as wide as ours raced into the room, looking around in disbelief.

"Gentlemen, my name is Bob Jacob. I'm the head of security here at The Heavenly Calabasas. We're not exactly sure what we witnessed via the security camera feed from this office but since you were in here, can you please help with explaining things? Where's Simone? The manager?" One of the men who ran into the office spoke, shaking his head like he was trying to convince himself of what he saw.

"I've never seen anything like it." I replied honestly. "She was addressing us about our fight and next thing I knew, the air around her was moving. This ugly black hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her. Just like that, she was gone."

"That's beyond shocking." The guy replied. "Please come with us. We've already called the cops and they're on their way. I'm sure they'll need your statements. In the meantime, please remain calm as we try to figure out what the hell went on in here. We'll also like to manage the situation so we don't send our guests into a panicked frenzy. Kindly cooperate with us by not talking about the incident until the cops get here. We're sorry you had to witness something so horrific on our property and we sincerely hope Simone gets found soon."

We followed the men to a private lounge area where we were asked to wait for the cops.

"Are you going to evacuate the people at the bonfire?" I asked.

"We'll ensure all our guests are safely accounted for. Their security is our utmost priority. Please be assured that everyone will be safely monitored." He replied, before exiting the lounge.

"Ry, what do you think that was?" Ros asked once we were alone.

"I honestly have no idea." I replied. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Listen, if it happened to the manager, how can we be sure it didn't happen at the bonfire?" He asked, with concerned eyes.

"Oh no. Selena and Trina are out there. We need to get to them or at least warn them about what's going on." I shot up from the chair and began making my way out of the lounge.

"Wait, Ry. We need to think this through first. What if they're safer at the bonfire with other people? Besides, the resort staff must have gotten to them already." Ros yelled after me.

"So what are you saying?" I asked. "You want me to sit here and do nothing? Should I just hope that they're fine?"

I was frustrated and probably not thinking straight, but I couldn't help it. I had to make sure the girls were safe. It didn't matter what I had to risk to do it.

"Ry, stop! You can't just walk out. Remember they asked us not to leave until the cops get here. What are you going to do if they stop you? Activate your vampire speed to get away? Do you know how much that would implicate you in this mess? What happened there was most likely a supernatural occurrence. The last thing you want to do right now is show any supernatural ability."

Ros was right. I needed to calm down and think of the best possible way to handle the situation but it killed me to stay back there, not knowing for sure if the people I cared about were safe. I walked back to the sofa and sat beside him.

"You're right. What do you think we should do now?" I asked.

I studied his face as he sat there, staring at the opposite wall like he was lost in thought. I knew he was considering all possible options to come up with the best decision for us but my patience was wearing thin. While I knew for a fact that Selena was immortal now and no appearing black hand could fatally hurt her, I had no idea where the hand and spinning air combination took its victims. After hearing how terrified the resort manager sounded as she got sucked into nothingness, it was safe to assume whatever laid on the other side was far from pleasant. Regardless of what was there, I didn't want to be separated from Selena. I took her on a vacation to get away from all the craziness, not to get increasingly immersed in it.

"If only I didn't pick this stupid fight with Ros. I would have been beside her now."

I didn't regret a lot of my actions, but this fight with Ros was one of the few ones that forced me to have a rethink. It made no sense. As much as I hated to see Selena with anyone else, she was much safer with Ros than being all by herself amidst this freaky occurrence.

"Calm down, brother. Hitting your leg on the floor a thousand times per minute isn't going to change anything." Ros's voice pulled me back to reality.

I wanted to glare at him but reminded myself I would only be spoiling for another fight which would be counterproductive. I needed to remain calm and focused.

"Why can't the police just get here?"

"It's been less than five minutes, Ry. Relax. I think we should wait here like Bob said." He explained.

"Wait? Are you kidding me? It took you five minutes to come up with wait? Sorry. I'm not waiting. I'm getting back to the bonfire." I hissed.

"Ry, it took me five minutes to explore all possible options. Vampire speed is fast, not invisible. You're going to get caught on camera speeding out of here if you do that." I could tell Ros was beginning to get irritated.

"I can compel them to forget they saw me on camera." I frowned.

"Really? Are you going to compel them every time they watch the tape? Do you know just how many people receive the camera feed from this lounge? Assuming you do, how do you intend to reach and compel them before someone talks?"

I took a deep breath and sank back in the sofa. Again, he was right. I was only going to complicate things by activating my enhanced speed.

"Now that you're calm, you can try reaching her mind. That way you don't compromise your identity and you get to know if she's safe." Ros stated.

"Why didn't you tell me this first?" I asked.

"You're welcome." Ros replied.

"Fine. I'm sorry." I pouted.

"Drama king." Ros teased.

I laughed and closed my eyes. I could see why I didn't think of this before. Panicking was never a good idea when faced with a complicated situation. I was thankful to Ros for remaining calm and coming up with the idea but I was never going to tell him that.

I searched the expanse of consciousness for Selena's thoughts and prodded only gently before I established a connection.

"Selena, are you okay?" I asked into her mind.

"Yeah. Where are you guys?" She asked.

"We're safe in one of the resort's lounges. Are you safe? Where are you?"

"I'm safe. Trina's safe too. What happened? The resort staff evacuated everyone at the bonfire. We're all in a conference room. They asked us to stay calm and wait for an announcement." She replied.

"I'm so happy you're safe. Something strange happened to the manager. She was dragged into thin air by ugly black hands and no one has an explanation for it. Ros and I witnessed the incident and are being held back until the police arrives." I replied.

"Okay. Something just as strange happened earlier today. I was going to tell you about it at the bonfire. Someone visited me and warned me about a darkness I had to stop. She said our world was going to be destroyed if I didn't stop this darkness. I didn't get the entire message because Trina knocked and she disappeared." She replied.

"We'll figure things out together once we're out of here. Something really serious is going on. I saw it myself. Just stay safe with Trina and I'll get to you as soon as I can. I love you."

"I love you too." She replied.

"They're safe." I smiled at Ros. "Have you contacted May?"

"Of course they're safe." He smirked. "...and yeah. May's safe too. Not like you care."

"Whatever." I shrugged.

"Whatever back at you, drama king." He rolled his eyes.

I chuckled and closed my eyes again, relieved to know Selena was fine. All I needed to do now was wait for the police to show up, though I was sure they would have no clue as to what transpired in the resort manager's office.

#  Chapter Eleven

Selena's POV

Shortly before the resort staff led us away from the bonfire, I felt an overwhelming surge of dark intentions coming from everywhere around me. I couldn't quite grasp what it was or who it belonged to and was going to talk to Trina about it before I heard the alarm signaling the beginning of the evacuation. We were asked to remain calm, and for good reason. I already spotted a few crying women being cuddled and consoled by their husbands. It was almost ridiculous. Nothing had happened yet and they were already freaking out so much.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." A man dressed in a black Tux and white T's addressed us with a microphone, pulling my attention away from my thoughts. "We apologize for the abrupt end of the bonfire a few minutes ago. An inexpiable event occurred within our premises, and has given us reason to believe that the resort's security has been compromised."

"Has the resort been invaded by terrorists?" One of the men with a crying wife shouted.

I couldn't quite understand why anyone would think of terrorists at a time like this.

"I guess fear makes you analyze things differently."

"How can security be compromised? What the hell happened to your surveillance?" Another man shouted.

"How is this a 'heavenly fortress' if you can't ensure security?" A woman asked.

"Please stay calm. We understand your concern but be rest assured your safety is of utmost priority to us. We have not been invaded by terrorists neither has there been a physical security breach on the premises." The man in black assured.

The crowd fell silent and listened intently as he continued his address. From the curious looks on their faces I could tell they were wondering what kind of breach could compromise security and not be physical.

"Only if they knew half the things I know."

"What happened here was more of a supernatural occurrence." The man in black continued, but was interrupted again by someone else from the crowd.

"What is this? Some silly prank for reality TV?" The interrupting man asked. "Are we supposed to believe your supernatural load of crap?"

"The Heavenly Calabasas has a reputation to protect. We will not put people on TV without proper prior permission." The man in black replied politely. "What we experienced is of a very serious nature. The police and other appropriate agencies have been notified and they are currently investigating the event. We cannot offer further details at this point until the required investigation has been completed. We will issue a statement after that."

"What are we supposed to do while they investigate? Stay crowded up in here?" A clearly irritated man asked from the crowd.

"We will keep everyone together until we are sure it is safe to leave. Hopefully we'll ascertain that in less than an hour. Once it is certified safe, your jetliners will be refueled for your trip back, on us. You will also receive a full refund of your holiday package fees as the resort unfortunately needs to close down until due diligence following the unfortunate event has been observed. Since we value your business and most of you are regulars, when this incident gets resolved, we will reopen for business and you will also get your first holiday package free. We understand that we can never fully compensate you for cutting your trip short but we hope that our offer will help ease the discomfort. If anyone has questions about the process I just explained, please ask." He concluded.

"Um... Can you at least give us a hint as to what happened? If our security has been compromised, then we need to know what we're up against." Another man from the crowd stated.

"We don't know for sure. Investigators are currently piecing together possible explanations. Once we have something, we will issue a statement." The man in black replied. "In the absence of further questions, I will take my leave. Security staff will remain stationed within and outside this hall and once you're cleared to leave, escort staff will lead you to your jetliners. You don't have to worry about your luggage because they will be in your jets by the time you get there."

The man stepped out of the hall and once he was out of sight, people began to propose theories and counter theories to explain whatever they thought the security breach could be.

"Do the boys have anything to do with this?" Trina whispered.

"No. They didn't do this. They were in the manager's office when it happened. Ryan said we'll figure it out when he gets here." I replied.

"Okay. Seems we're going to be stuck here for a while" Trina offered a small smile. "Don't worry, I'll be right beside you."

"Thank you, Trina. Really." I smiled back.

I sat beside Trina and waited for the next steps. Deep inside, I believed whatever happened to the manager had something to do with the evil force I felt at the bonfire, and the strange girl who warned me about something evil.

#  Chapter Twelve

Ryan's POV

Two policemen walked into the lounge after what seemed like an eternity. They shook our hands before the taller one spoke.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting but we understand an unusual event took place here. I'm Detective Long and this is my partner, Detective Tony."

"Nice to meet you, Detectives." I replied.

"We'll like to go straight to the point if you don't mind." Detective Tony stated.

"Oh sure, please. I'll like to get back to my girlfriend." Ros replied.

I stopped myself from giving him a curious look. Since when did he have a girlfriend at the resort?

"Very well then. Please sit." Detective Long stated. "We've seen the tape of the incident and to be quite honest, it's unlike anything we've witnessed. I know you two must be scared but it'll help if you can recount exactly what happened in those final moments before Simone Richards disappeared."

Quite frankly, I wondered what else they wanted us to say. If they had seen the tape, then they should know what happened. Since they were asking, I explained everything to the best of my ability.

"Did you notice anything out of the ordinary before the hands showed up? Maybe something that might have triggered the event?" Detective Tony asked when I finished.

"No. None that I know of." I replied.

"Did you see anything other than the long fingers? A person maybe?" Detective Tony asked.

"No." I shook my head.

"Okay. From the tape, it is clear that whoever kidnapped Simone didn't leave the room. If they did, it means they did so in a way that neither your eyes nor the camera lens could capture." Detective Tony stated. "I don't expect them to get too far. Our men are searching the premises as we speak."

"I don't think 'someone' did this." Ros interjected. "Didn't you say you watched the tape? Did that look like a person to you?"

"They could have been using a form of cloaking technology we're not currently aware of. We need to figure out who might have a motive to want Simone gone, and what that motive is. Detective Tony replied. "We also need to know why that person invested so much into the operation. Technology that can conceal them like that will surely not come cheap."

I shook my head in disbelief. Humans were really frustrating sometimes. Wasn't it clear this attack was done by a supernatural creature? What else did they need to see to acknowledge it?

"We thank you for your time, gentlemen. We have your details from the resort's records and if there's any need to contact you in the future, we'll be in touch."

Both detectives shook our hands again before exiting the lounge.

"You're welcome." We replied.

The resort staff escorted us out of the admin area, towards one of the cars that usually drove to the landing area.

"Where are we going?" Ros asked.

His question prompted me to focus on what was out of place. My mind had been so preoccupied with the event and getting back to Selena that I didn't really pay attention to our destination.

"I'm sorry for not telling you first. I thought you already knew." The escort staff apologized. "The resort is evacuating guests and staff."

"You're just shipping us off?" Ros asked.

"No, sir. We're ensuring everyone's safety. We can't afford to have anyone else disappear without an explanation." She replied. "Your jet has been refueled and is ready to fly."

"Okay. Not bad." Ros shrugged.

We got into the car and were driven back to the jet. Selena and Trina were standing at the top of the stairs, probably looking out for us. It warmed my heart to see them there. Knowing Selena cared about me so much gave me boundless joy. It was a beautiful thing to love someone but to be loved back was a priceless experience.

As soon as we stepped out of the car, Selena ran into my arms. I picked her up in a happy embrace, ignoring Ros's eye roll. We climbed into the cabin after expressing our happiness to be with each other again.

"Welcome on board, everyone."

The sound of May's voice forced a pang of guilt to clutch my heart. I had completely forgotten she came with us on the trip, worrying only for Selena and Trina's safety.

"It's great to see you, Ros."

Her second statement erased all traces of the guilt I felt. She clearly wasn't bothered about me too. Her affection was reserved for Ros alone. If only she knew his taste in women. He had always preferred humans but then again, Ros was pretty unpredictable. I remembered walking in on him and Trina after she became a vampire. She probably had a chance after all.

"Thank you, May." Ros replied. "Can I please have a drink? The red kind. It was an awful long wait in there."

"Sure." May smiled, disappearing behind a curtain.

I took my seat beside Selena and cradled her.

"I was going crazy in that lounge away from you." I said, kissing the top of her head.

"I felt so relieved when you contacted me." She replied.

May returned with three glasses of blood and a glass of red wine for Selena. Looking at the tray made me delighted. I hadn't had a drink in a while and I was beginning to crave one.

"May, Ryan will have red wine." Ros stated.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you made the no special abilities rule." He replied.

"How is drinking a special ability?" I asked in frustration. "I'm hungry!"

"Well, too bad. You said to be completely human on the trip. Humans don't drink blood." He replied, gulping down his glass of blood slowly.

I swallowed, trying really hard to suppress my craving and anger at the same time. My eyes were fixed on the glass of blood Ros was slowly torturing me with.

"Come on, Ry. Wait it out. It'll only be a few hours before this trip is officially over." Ros smirked.

He lifted his glass to his lips one more time and took another slow, deliberate sip. I watched the liquid flow from the glass into his mouth, my craving growing in leaps as each drop rolled off the tip of the glass.

"Listen, Ros. You're being ridiculous. The vacation is over. It's been cut short and I can drink. Besides you're drinking. Aren't you supposed to follow the rules too?" I asked.

"No. We're still at the Heavenly Calabasas, aren't we?" He asked.

"So why the hell are you drinking?" I yelled a little louder than I should have.

"Because I didn't make the damn rule!" Ros retorted.

"You know what? I'm done with this conversation. This vacation is officially over, now give me that glass, May." I spat.

May looked to Ros who shook his head, signaling her not to. At this point, I had taken just about enough. His argument was ridiculous. I needed a drink and I sure as hell was going to get one.

"You can have mine." Trina offered, noticing my annoyance. "My glass is still half full."

"Thanks, Trina but you can drink yours. I want mine." I replied.

"Give me that glass right now!" I ordered May, turning my eyes red to show just how pissed I was.

May gave the glass over, turning around and muttering the word 'jerk' to herself. It was obvious why she got along with Ros. They were both annoying little freaks. What on earth made her think I was the jerk in this situation?

"Your knight in shining armor is a bigger jerk." I snapped.

I only said that to annoy her. I never expected her to go all crazy on me. Before I could move the glass of blood to my lips, she slammed into me, causing the glass to fall off my hands and shatter. I was so furious I didn't even think about it. My hands wrapped around her neck and snapped it before I could catch myself. Selena's scream forced my eyes to return to their normal green color and I regretted my actions almost immediately. I turned to her and caught a hint of disappointment in her eyes, upsetting me even further. How could she get upset with me when they clearly pissed me off? What was I supposed to do when they were getting on my last nerve?

"Strap in, guys. We'll be taking off in 5... 4..."

"Let me out!" I yelled at Ros who had a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Now, why would I do that? So you can prey on those innocent humans outside?" He asked, sarcastically.

"Since when did they become innocent to you?" I yelled.

I activated my enhanced speed and launched myself at him. A series of punches, kicks and angry screams followed, turning our disagreement into a pretty intense scene.

"...3... 2... 1." The pilot's voice completed the count.

The plane lifted off the ground, sending me crashing off to a corner.

#  Chapter Thirteen

Selena's POV

The plane took off, sweeping Ryan to a corner. His fall looked painful and I immediately felt sorry for him. Maybe I should have stopped their fight earlier but the transition happened pretty quickly.

"Are you okay?" I asked, sitting up on my chair.

Trina immediately unbuckled her seat belt and rushed to help him up.

"I'm fine." He replied, turning around to glare at Ros who had a smirk on his face.

He began walking towards Ros again but Trina held him back.

"I think that's enough, you two." She chided.

"He attacked me!" Ros protested, raising his hands into the air defensively.

"Whatever, Ros. You started it." I stated. "Besides, this is not the time to fight. We have a real problem on our hands. Someone warned me about an evil force that I had to stop right before the event at the resort happened."

"That sounds like you have a problem. No one came to me." Ros grinned.

"I'm serious!" I snapped.

"Fine." He replied. "What's this evil and how do we stop it?"

"I don't know. She was still talking when Trina knocked and she literally disappeared."

"Okay. Do you know how to contact her? Perhaps an innate feeling telling you how just like the way you know your spells?" He asked.

"No. I don't feel anything inside that points me to her." I replied.

"She'll probably contact you again because what we saw at the manager's office was pretty serious." Ryan stated.

"I hope she does." I replied.

"So, what are you girls going to do when we get back?" Ros asked, changing the topic.

"I'll like to go see my family. I think I've put it off enough." Trina replied.

"I don't know, really." I replied.

"Will you like another drink, Ros?" May asked, after snapping her neck back into place and getting off the floor.

Ros waved her off with his hand and I almost snickered out loud. Wasn't it obvious we were having a discussion that didn't involve her? Could she exist for five minutes without saying something to Ros?

"I think you should go back to college, Selena. Both of you, really. Forever is a long time and you'll need something to reminisce about. Besides, college is fun and you'll have tons of memorable times there." Ros stated.

"I don't know if I want to go back." I replied. "I pretty much took off after my mum's death. So did Trina. They should have removed us from the program by now."

"Well, that's why you have us. We'll compel you back in." Ros grinned.

"You know what? Just stop!" Ryan yelled from his seat. "She doesn't need you to do anything for her. I'll compel her back into college."

"Take a chill pill, brother. I said we'll do it. Besides, Trina can do it herself." Ros replied. "Okay, let me guess what this is. Someone's sulking because I whipped his butt!"

"You didn't! The plane took off and I fell!" Ryan yelled.

"Guys, I haven't even agreed to go back yet. Don't make it something to argue about." I interjected.

"I'm not arguing. I was having a civil conversation until Ry here decided to butt in. If you wanted her back in college, why didn't you suggest it? Let me guess. You were too busy sulking over the fact that I whipped your butt." Ros grinned.

"You did not whip my butt!" Ryan yelled, his eyes turning red for the second time on the plane.

"Whatever, brother! Everyone saw you careening across the floor like a ball."

Ryan charged off his seat, ripping his seat belt off in the process. I held my hand out and stopped him from moving. I was done with the fighting. They needed to learn how to talk things over instead of exchanging punches every time they disagreed on something.

"Ros, stop talking. You're upsetting him." I stated.

"I'm just playing with him. Did I hurt your feelings, baby Ry?" Ros teased.

"Ros, I said stop talking." I reiterated.

"Like he'll listen." Ryan scoffed.

"You too, Ryan. I'm sorry, but this needs to be resolved." I replied.

They both turned to me as I addressed them, showing areas where they could have avoided the fight from both ends. When I was done, I let go of the force holding Ryan in place.

"Okay, Ry. I'm sorry. In exchange for a peace treaty, I'm offering you two glasses of your favorite drink." Ros smiled.

"Whatever!" Ryan scoffed, earning himself a glare from me and Trina.

"Fine." He replied. "I'll take the drinks."

Ryan had barely finished drinking when the pilot announced our final descent. Everything went pretty smoothly until we landed. We moved our luggage into the waiting car and drove out of the airport.

"You guys want to come home with me?" Trina asked on the way.

"Sure." I replied, not needing to think about it.

She'd been there for me through it all, giving up her chance to go home just so she could come on the trip with me. It was my turn to return the favor.

Ros stopped the car across the street from Trina's house and we were all in shock at the frenzy going on out there. A number of police cars were parked outside, giving off their characteristic red and blue lights. A small number of reporters spoke into microphones held in front of cameras, and a small crowd of what I suspected to be neighbors gathered some distance from the house. We got out of the car and ran after Trina as she raced towards the house.

"Mum! Dad!" She yelled.

One of the uniformed men stopped her and when she identified herself, he let her through.

"I'm sorry, but you all can't go in there." The man told us with a sad face.

"What happened here?" Ryan inquired.

"It's pretty unexplainable at the moment but once we know for sure, we'll..."

"That's my best friend!" I stated as calmly as I could manage, interrupting the policeman. "At least let us know what's going on in there."

"I understand ma'am, but you need to calm down." He replied. "You're going to think I'm crazy if I just tell you without proof."

"Officer, we understand your concern. We're like family to Trina. We need to know." Ros interjected.

"A frantic neighbor reported an impossible event. We're currently investigating." He replied.

"What event?" I asked.

"According to the neighbor, she was having dinner with the Bayles and half way through, black hands appeared from nowhere. They grabbed every member of the Bayle family while she passed out from shock. Another neighbor heard her scream and called the police. By the time we got here, we were able to revive the lady and she gave us a statement. We have no proof of the said hands and no one else..."

"A similar event happened at The Heavenly Calabasas. It's the reason they shut down. You can verify that because they caught the incident on camera. The neighbor isn't crazy. Something weird is going on." Ros interrupted him.

The policeman looked at us like we were crazy for a brief second. He pulled out a notepad and pen from his pocket and scribbled something down. My attention was drawn away from him when Trina raced back out of the front door with blood falling down her cheeks. I ran to console her but she activated her enhanced speed and ran even faster.

"No!" I yelled after her but it was too late.

Her enhanced speed had surely been captured on camera because there were reporters there. In that moment, I had to make a decision. I barely had time to think because all I could think of was how hurt Trina felt. I created a replica of myself right in front of her new location and hugged her.

"It's okay, Trina. Please. Stop and just talk to me." I tried to console her.

In the distance, I saw reporters running towards us with their cameras. Ryan and Ros activated their enhanced speed and picked us up in their arms. They raced out of the arena, leaving behind stunned witnesses and multiple camera flashes.

#  Chapter Fourteen

Selena's POV

We all sat in Ros's living room with solemn faces and broken hearts. Trina continued to ball her eyes out, sending droplets of red down her cheeks and onto her clothes. I held her in my arms, saying all the soothing words I could think of, without getting much success. I understood the way she felt. When a person had to deal with that much grief, there was little or nothing anyone else could do about it.

"They... took my... family." Trina hiccupped the words out of her mouth, her body shuddering and her eyes pouring out more red droplets than I had ever seen her shed.

It was the first time she had spoken since the incident at her house and her words completely shattered my heart. Tears made their way out of my eyes and I could see the boys were struggling to keep theirs in.

"Trina, whoever or whatever did this is going to pay. We're going to find them and we're going to make sure they get what they deserve." Ros said with clenched fists.

It was obvious he was just as hurt as everyone else in the room, except Trina. I couldn't describe how devastated she was. She continued to wail and hiccup, pouring rivers of red down her cheeks. She looked like she was drowning – drowning in grief, pain and immeasurable anguish.

"I just... want... my family... back." Trina cried. "Please... Just bring... them back."

Ros and Ryan wrapped their hands around us. I looked up at their faces and broke even more. Seeing the boys cry for the first time touched me deeply. While it was surprising to see Ryan cry, it was almost unbelievable to see Ros shed those red droplets.

"I always knew he had a heart deep inside."

We allowed each other the time to grieve. Several minutes passed but it felt like no time at all. We just held each other in a group hug, belting out our frustration in blood and tears.

"If I had acted faster after the warning, maybe I would have been able to stop this." I spoke up, breaking off the group and wiping my tears with the back of my palm.

"Selena, stop. This isn't your fault." Ryan stated, wiping his tears as well.

"It is! I should have taken the warning more seriously."

"Selena, this is not the time to break. Trina needs you!" Ros stated firmly.

I turned around and walked away from the group.

"Selena, stop right there!" Ros snapped. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Out to find whatever did this!" I balled my hands into fists beside me.

"You have no clue where to find them! Besides, you can't go out just yet. Don't forget we used our abilities in public. They have it on camera. They're probably out there looking for us right now." Ros controlled the tone of his voice before continuing. "I know how hurt you feel. We're all hurt. Just stay here and we'll come up with a plan together."

"We need to act fast." Trina said, suddenly wiping the blood off her cheeks and getting up from the sofa. "They might not have much time. We need to get to them. We need to save them."

I understood that if there was a chance the victims were still alive then time was of the essence. We needed to act as quickly as possible if we had any chance of getting them back.

"I've wasted enough time crying." Trina continued. "They don't want me to cry. They need me to get them... They..."

She crumpled to the ground and let out even more violent sobs. Her body trembled from the grief that shook her. I rushed to her and held her again, rubbing my palm up and down her back.

"Shh." I pleaded. "You're going to be okay. We're going to do all we can to find them."

"We need to assess the damage and start acting. All major news channels should have our abilities splashed across people's screens by now." Ryan stated, getting up and turning the TV on.

I didn't know what he wanted to assess. It was pretty obvious our cover had been blown. I could have thought of the repercussions but I really didn't care. All I cared about was Trina and whatever I needed to do to get her family back.

The TV came on and the first thing I saw splashed across the screen were the words, "Breaking News!". This really didn't come as a surprise to me. What surprised me however, were the words of the president who was on air, giving what sounded like a national address.

"The world is at a standstill as humanity experiences what we now believe is our first alien attack since the beginning of life here on earth. Several people have been reported 'taken' by these alien attackers and at this moment, their reason for attacking us remains unclear. Surveillance tapes from around the world show hands darker than the night sky snatching up innocent people and pulling them through what we believe to be portals, into thin air. There has been no particular distinction in the victims of interest as men, women and children have been 'taken'. This is till date the biggest threat we've faced as a species but as with all challenges we've faced before this one, I say we stand up and fight. I understand this might sound unreasonable right now especially because these aliens do not come at us with weapons or anything we understand, but fighting back is our only shot. Intelligence agencies here in the US and around the world are coming together to analyze the information we have on these creatures. We also believe might have a silver lining in this dark time. A young girl named Trina Bayle was reported missing by her family three days ago. She showed up at their home with a couple of other friends on the day of the massive alien attack. While her entire family was 'taken' on that day, we have reason to believe Trina and her friends were 'taken' by these aliens before that date. They must have found a way to escape these aliens because they exhibited some unbelievable abilities as captured by the different video footages from reporters at the Bayle residence that day. We believe Trina and her friends have answers and abilities that may be our biggest fighting chance in this attack. If you can hear me, Trina please come to us. The world needs you. We need to spring into action as quickly as we can, to form a formidable defense before these aliens return. So far, five hundred people have been reported 'taken' from different parts of the world. A staggering two hundred and fifty-six of them are American citizens. We cannot afford to lose more people. As such, we request your prayers and vigilance in this trying time. If you have any information that can help us stop the aliens or find Trina and her friends, please call the emergency number, 911. We urge you to remain watchful as we relentlessly search for the answers we desperately need."

The news channel cut back to the studio reporter after the president's speech ended.

"There have been several theories regarding recent events. While world scholars believe we are under an alien attack, Christian Faithfuls believe that the Armageddon is upon us..."

Ryan pushed the button on the remote to turn the TV off while the reporter was still speaking He turned back to us with the most hopeful look I had seen on him since the tragic event occurred.

"It seems things are not as bad as they could be after all." He stated.

"How isn't this bad?" I asked in confusion.

"The world believes our abilities are the result of an alien kidnap which means our cover is not entirely blown." He explained. "We can go with that story and not have to bother about them hunting us down while we come up with a plan to find these creatures."

"So where do we say the aliens took us?" I asked.

"We can come up with whatever story we feel they'll buy. What's important right now is to understand what these black hands are. Are they creatures of the night like vampires? Are they aliens? Are they supernatural creatures we don't know anything about yet? What really are they?" Ros asked.

"You said someone came to you to warn you about this." Ryan stated, walking towards me. "It simply means you know how to stop these creatures."

"How?" I asked in frustration. "I don't have a clue what to do."

"Try and think about it. Keep your mind clear and it'll come to you." Ryan encouraged.

"I've been thinking and hitting blanks." I replied.

"Why don't we search for answers from someone who might know about things like this?" Ros asked.

"Who do you have in mind?" I asked.

"Sophia." He replied.

"My real mum?"

"She sounds like the only option right now. She popularized the arrival of the immortal elect among the witches of her day. While she might not have known that you will eventually become the immortal elect, she must have known something about your abilities and perhaps left a clue. If you fully understand your abilities, you might find a way to stop these stupid black creatures or at least contact the people who tried to warn you for information." He replied.

"How can I ask her? Last time I checked she was dead. No thanks to you!" I spat.

"I know what I did and I'm really sorry. If I knew half the things I know now, I wouldn't have laid a finger on her. That being said, we can't change the past. We can only forge ahead to the future - one that wouldn't exist if we let these creatures snatch everyone up. You can go back to your memory of your last meeting with Sophia. Ryan can take you there, since the two of you were the only ones with her when she cast the reincarnation spell. If she left a clue for you, you'll know when you observe your time together." He explained.

"He's right, Selena. Let's try that." Ryan concurred.

Trina lifted her gaze to meet mine and her bloodshot eyes forced my eyes to water. I didn't know if I was ready to meet my mum with all the emotional things going on around me but I couldn't push it off any longer. If we were going to keep our true identities hidden, we needed to come up with believable information about these creatures. For Trina's sake, I had to go back to a past I wasn't exactly ready for.

"Okay. Take me." I said to Ryan.

"I'll need you to go to sleep since I can't compel you anymore." He replied.

I looked at Trina's sad face once again and reaffirmed my reason for doing this. I was so nervous about meeting Sophia again. I didn't really know much about her but found myself questioning what I'd feel when I meet her. Would she be disappointed in me for becoming friends with the creatures that killed her?

"She's not going to know anything about my current life. She existed in the past." I consoled myself.

"I'll put myself to sleep. Just take me back to my memory of her." I said to Ryan.

Trina nodded at me as I got off the floor and walked to the sofa. I laid down on my back and closed my eyes, ignoring my heart which was beating loudly in my chest from anxiety.

"Go to sleep." I whispered to myself, keeping my eyes closed and waiting to be drawn into the blankness of sleep.

#  Chapter Fifteen

Ros's POV

Something snapped inside me when I saw Trina break. It was a fresh wave of rage like nothing I had felt before. Seeing the usually vibrant Trina reduced to a devastated crying pile on the floor stabbed at my heart and tore it to pieces. I wanted to find the cowards behind the black hands and rip them apart bit by bit. The only problem was that I had no idea what kind of creatures they were or what plane of the universe they existed.

My initial rage ebbed away with each blood drop leaving Trina's eyes. I no longer felt intense anger but a deep sense of hurt. I understood just how it felt to lose one's family and it made me remorseful for all the times I fought with Ry over something silly or avoidable.

"Hey, Trina. Take my hand." I offered.

She looked up at me with bloodshot eyes that had cried so much I was scared she would pass out from dehydration.

"I want to wait for Selena to wake up." She replied softly.

"Selena might take a while before getting up. I'm sure the separation from her mum was a very emotional one. I don't expect it to be easy for her to relive." I offered a small smile. "Come on."

Trina reluctantly took my hand and I took her to my secret storage room for beverage of the red kind. She had lost way too much blood crying, and needed to feed. I couldn't watch her go through the horrible experience of starvation after the terrible ordeal she'd been through.

"I have a special treat for you." I stated, hoping to offer some form of distraction.

My words were met with a sulking face and puffy eyes that looked at me like they could see past me. I realized I had no idea what to say to her. I had never consoled anyone before and didn't even know why I was so moved by her anguish.

"Drink this."

I passed her a slightly frozen blood bag and got the first reaction since I began my 'cheer Trina up' campaign. A slight raise of her eyebrow conveyed her surprise for the physical state of my beverage.

"It's frozen." She said.

"Yes. And delicious. Try it." I smiled.

I handed her a straw which she pushed into the bag and took her first sip. Her eyes came alive as the red liquid flowed into her mouth. Her eyelids slid shut and she applied more pressure to the bag, forcing a greater volume of the precious liquid in. When her eyes opened, they shone a bright and beautiful red. The liquid content of the bag had disappeared, leaving behind a crumpled sheet which clung to the ice within it.

"More."

She looked at me with those puffy eyes that stopped me from refusing and I passed her another bag which suffered the same fate as the first.

She asked for more but this time, I had to refuse. I knew how delicious blood became to a vampire once it was frozen and I loved the fact that she was focusing her attention on something other than her family's disappearance but I also knew she was putting herself at risk of the blood lust. That was a fate I didn't want her to encounter.

"Why not?" She protested.

"Because there's a dark monster known as the blood lust. He'll get you if you don't stop" I replied.

"What's the blood lust anyway?" She asked.

I smiled and took her hand, leading her to one of the guest bedrooms in my home. Once she saw where we were, she tugged at my hand and opened her mouth to speak.

"It's not what you think, I promise." I quickly stated, before the words left her mouth. "I just want to hold you and console you."

She laid in silence beside me, resting her head on my chest. I wrapped my hand around her shoulder and kept her close.

"I'm sorry about your family." I whispered.

"Take my mind off it. Compel me to forget." She begged.

I felt the part of my shirt under her face get wet and knew she was crying again. I pulled her even closer to myself and stroked her hair.

"You're a first generation vampire now, sunshine. My compulsion won't work on you." I replied. "Let me tell you something else instead."

"Tell me about the blood. Why did it taste so good? I thought blood was most tasteful when it was flowing through the veins of a living, breathing human being."

I was surprised to hear her offer a topic that was much better than the ancient war stories I had in mind.

"The concept comes from the dual nature of existence. Whatever pleasure or pain lies on one extreme holds its corresponding replica at the other extreme. Just like you suffer pain when you're on fire, you'll suffer pain when you're frozen too. The same goes for pleasure. While blood tastes fantastic at the higher temperatures of a human's body, it becomes a burst of pleasure at the corresponding lower temperatures of a refrigerator." I smiled.

"I wanted to drink so much more." She stated.

"And risk falling into the blood lust? Hell no!"

"Fine. Tell me about it. Why is everyone so scared of the blood lust?" She asked.

"I believe the blood lust is a system of control instituted to stop vampires from going on an all-out drinking spree. You drink too much blood at a time and you simply can't stop. It's similar to insanity for humans. You can't help yourself and you'll drink from whatever has blood, including yourself. When you've drained everyone around you, you'll drain yourself until you die. It's a horrible death because when a vampire gets drained of blood, their internal organs begin a painful deterioration process. Anyone under the blood lust has to suffer that pain until they die." I explained.

"But if they're drinking their own blood, isn't it going back into their body?" She asked.

"Well, yes and no. The blood goes into the stomach and has to go through the normal digestion process. While digestion in vampires is much faster than digestion in humans, it still takes about an hour to complete. Within that time, the vampire with blood lust keeps draining more blood out of their veins. While the blood is in their stomach, it's not available to the organs that need it, causing them to deteriorate." I replied.

"What?" She exclaimed. "Now I don't want to drink another drop of blood!"

"That's pretty dramatic." I laughed. "You need to drink because starvation will also make your organs deteriorate. The key is control. Drink only what you need and you'll be fine."

"Have you ever seen anyone with the blood lust?" She asked.

"Yeah. I've seen a couple. Killed a few myself."

"They tried to drink from you?" She asked.

"Of course. They can't help themselves and since I can't let them drain me, I do what I have to do."

For the next few minutes, we laid in silence. I stroked her hair and felt her breathing slow down like she was going into a restful state. It felt great to know that I was able to console her, at least for the time being. In that time, my resolve against the cowardly black creatures that took her family intensified. It no longer mattered what it took. I was ready to go all out to find them and make them pay for the hurt that they had caused.

#  Chapter Sixteen

Selena's POV

I found myself in a place I recognized as Sophia's temple. There was another me in there, standing beside Ryan and a woman who looked a lot like me. She was so beautiful, with curly brown hair and a slender frame. Her eyes though brown, were a shade darker than her hair and her red lips were a little less pouty than mine. There was no doubt in my mind that she was my mum and everything inside me wanted to reach out and touch her. She had her hand on the shoulder of the other me and I looked terrified out of my mind.

"Calm down, child." I heard her say.

"He's coming, mother. He's going to kill me. I'm sorry I came here but there was nowhere else to go." The other me cried.

"I sensed your danger long before you came here, my child. I pleaded with mother nature to bring you to me and I'm glad she honored my request." Sophia replied.

She seemed calm and unaffected by the impending danger. Her eyes were soft and her lips were curved into a smile. Her demeanor was a complete contrast to mine and Ryan's such that I understood she'd accepted what was to come.

"What do I do now?" The other me asked tearfully.

"Our only option is to send you away from here but that involves being separated from the one your heart craves." She replied.

"Wait, what? No." Ryan interjected.

"I don't want to be separated from him, mother. I love him. I know how much you detest his kind but they're not all monsters. I promise."

"I understand your feelings for him, daughter but you must go to save your life. I will send you to another lifetime and he can find you there if he so desires." She replied.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"I will cast a reincarnation spell on you. I can't cast it on him because he is no longer alive. Nature abhors what he has become and she might destroy him if I put him through the spell." She replied.

"Isn't the reincarnation spell dangerous for you? Doesn't nature abhor anything that goes against her laws?" The other me asked.

"Yes, the spell will draw a lot of my power. Nature might also punish me by taking my powers away completely. But she is a mother just like me. It is my hope that she understands the plight of a mother whose child is in danger. I will offer prayers to her." She replied. "We must begin. You don't have much time."

"Promise me you won't hurt him when I'm gone, mother. Please." I cried.

"My Selena. There are a lot of things you don't understand right now. A lot of those things you will find in the secrets of the ages. It will enlighten you with blood. Search for the answers when the time comes." She smiled.

"I don't understand, mother."

"I'm saying that the spell will take a lot from me. I will not have the power to hurt him once you're gone. He's fast. He will get away before I regain my strength. That being said, I have no desire to hurt him. His blood is essential for the spell. It is the life force of immortality which will take you from lifetime to lifetime until eternity comes. In all that time, I hope you search for answers. Find out about your father. Learn the truth and guide the immortal elect when he or she ascends to the peak of their power." She replied. "I see another war, my child."

"I don't understand a lot of these things. What does my father have to do with any of this?"

"Ros approaches. We must begin." She cut me off.

Sophia quickly pulled Ryan and the other me towards an altar of sand. She fell on her knees and offered incantations in a strange language.

"Mother, I don't want to leave you. Come with me." I interjected.

She seemed completely zoned out from me. Her eyeballs were lined with a golden circle and she continued reciting her spells. She held Ryan's palm in front of me and cut a pattern. His blood fell to the sand and as the drops sank in, I heard the wind howl outside. The candles in the temple lit up with fiery fire, as if in protest. Sophia shook on her knees like a force was resisting her and as I watched, more tears fell out of my eyes. Ryan cupped my chin with his other hand and smiled, giving me a reassuring nod.

"I will find you in every lifetime." He whispered.

I heard the sound of the temple's main door being pulled off its hinges. In less than a second, I saw Ros racing towards us with bloodshot eyes. He looked as though pure rage flowed through his veins and my heart skipped several beats from fear. Sophia let out one final scream that seemed to prevent him from moving. He struggled with the invisible force that stopped him from advancing further, while Sophia continued with her spell. Suddenly, the world around me began to spin.

"What's happening?" I asked.

The spinning continued and my vision blurred. Right before everything went blank, I saw Sophia falling to the ground and Ros running towards the altar.

"Selena. I'm here. It's okay." I heard Ryan's reassuring voice and opened my eyes.

I was lying on the couch in Ros's mansion and my eyes were filled with tears. Ryan pulled me into his arms and hugged me. He stroked my hair and cradled me.

"I know. I know how emotional your separation was but it's okay. You're safe." He whispered.

"He was so mean. He was such a monster." I cried.

"I know. Ros was not the nicest person back then but guess what? You've been able to help him see his mistakes. He's a much better person now, all thanks to you." He consoled me.

He continued to stroke my hair while rocking me back and forth. When my tears subsided, he pulled my face up to meet his.

"Did you find anything that can explain what's going on with the black hands?"

"She said a lot of things that I didn't understand." I replied, sniffing back my sobs.

"Anything of interest?" He asked.

"Yeah, she talked about finding the truth about my dad. She also mentioned The Secrets of the Ages."

"It will enlighten you with blood." Sophia's words came back to me as I spoke.

"She said The Secrets of the Ages will enlighten me with blood. What did she mean?" I asked.

"What is 'The Secrets of the Ages'?" He asked.

"It's a book of spells. Trina and I read it in Sophia's temple back at the alternate city." I replied.

"Well, maybe the book becomes something else when you put blood on it." He stated.

"You think so?" I asked.

"There's only one way to find out. I'll get Ros and Trina, and we can all find this book." He replied, getting up.

"Ryan, please. I don't want to see Ros right now." I pleaded.

Ryan walked back to the sofa and pulled me into his arms again.

"My Selena. I know how you feel about Ros right now, but that's only because you relived a horrible memory. It happened a long time ago and Ros has since learned from it. I know how hard it might be to let it go but please. Look at the bigger picture. We have a problem to deal with right now and Ros will be helpful in figuring things out." His eyes looked like they were pleading with me to understand.

I knew he was right. I had to work with Ros to figure things out but it didn't change the resentment I felt towards him in my heart.

#  Chapter Seventeen

Ryan's POV

I returned to the living room with Ros and Trina, only to notice Selena's eyebrows crease into a frown at the sight of Ros. Her reaction made me happy in a bizarre way. She no longer saw him as the cute bad boy he'd been trying so hard to portray since the Heavenly Calabasas trip. I fought the urge to smile at the situation because there were other pressing issues such as the way Trina felt.

"Did you find anything?" Trina ran to Selena and inquired.

She noticed her friend's puffy eyes and stopped.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized, hugging Selena.

"Don't worry about it. It was just a sad memory." Selena replied. "Sophia mentioned a book we read in her temple. The Secrets of the Ages. I suggest we go back there and find it."

"Can I please have a word with Selena before we leave?" Ros asked.

"We don't have time. I suggest we keep moving." Selena replied flatly, brushing off Ros's request.

I didn't miss the tinge of hurt on Ros's face, regardless of the fact that he was trying so hard to conceal it. Waves of pleasure swarmed around happily in my heart for all of two seconds before I felt sorry for him.

"Selena, I think you should speak with Ros. It'll help our mission if you don't hold a grudge." I said.

"Hold a grudge? Do you think I'm holding a grudge? This monster..."

Ros activated his enhanced speed and hugged her, interrupting her angry rant.

"Forgive me." He pleaded. "I don't deserve it, but please, forgive me. You may not believe me but I genuinely care about your happiness. I was hurt. More hurt than I'd ever been in my life. Still, it's no excuse for the pain I caused you. I'm sorry."

Selena let her body go limp in his arms as fresh tears made their way out of her eyes. They held each other tight until Selena's sobs quietened.

"I forgive you." She finally whispered.

Her voice was soft and laced with emotion. It tugged at my heart and I couldn't help the sting in my eyes that resulted from watching them together.

"Did I really come between something true?"

I had no idea he felt so strongly about her. Why did he? They were together centuries ago. Why didn't he show what he felt for her back in 1889?

"Would it have stopped me from falling in love with her?"

I knew it wouldn't have made a difference and my emotions moved from jealousy to remorse. My actions in 1889 were wrong but was my heart wrong too?

"I don't mean to be rude but now that we've buried the hatchet I suggest we move on with the mission. I'd love it if we found my family sooner rather than later." Trina broke the silence in the room.

"Yeah, sure." Ros replied. "So what's the plan?"

"I suggest we place replicas of ourselves inside the temple. I know the way so that shouldn't be a problem. We can watch the replicas from here. Once we get what we need, we come back here and analyze our strategy. That way, we won't get found by government officials." Selena replied.

Everyone agreed and followed Ros who led us back to the guest bedroom. The space around us stretched out like a clear fabric, revealing replicas of ourselves inside Sophia's temple.

"Wait a minute. How did you do that without touching us?" Ros asked.

"I only need to touch you the first time I transport you with my powers. After that, I only need to wish it." Selena replied.

"Oh...kay. Let's get to work then. What does this book look like?" Ros asked.

"I know what it looks like." Trina replied.

She led us to the secret library within the temple and set off using her enhanced speed. She was back after a few seconds, holding a big book which she placed on a table in front of us. Selena opened the book and leafed through the pages. It was filled with procedural spells and strange art. She took the book and merged everyone's replica back with their real versions in Ros's spare bedroom before asking for a knife. Once Ros returned with it, she cut an incision on her palm and allowed her blood drip into the depressed part of the book's cover. We waited for a few seconds for something to happen but nothing did. Selena opened the book's cover and looked at the pages again but they were the same.

"I don't understand it." She sighed in frustration.

"Did Sophia ask you to recite a spell while bleeding on the book?" Ros asked.

"No, she didn't." Selena replied.

"Did she say anything about using your blood?" Ros asked.

"Um... no. Why?" She asked.

"When Sophia cast the reincarnation spell, she used the blood of an immortal. Ryan's blood to be precise. Why don't we try that with this book?"

"I'm an immortal now." Selena countered. "If immortality was the prerequisite, then my blood should open it."

"I think it's worth a shot." Trina chipped in. "What do we have to lose?"

Opening the book already spilled her blood out of the depression in the book's cover, creating the space to try someone else's blood.

"I'll go for it." Ros spoke up.

I could tell he was trying hard to please Selena and if my heart wasn't at stake, I would have found it cute. I let him have the moment and watched Selena take his hand. She made a straight cut and we all waited for his blood to fill the depression in the book's cover. Once it was completely full, we heard a soft feminine voice that sounded like it came from all around us.

"To reveal the secrets of the ages, you must provide proof that your intentions are noble. You have five seconds to respond. How do you wish to proceed?"

We looked at each other before turning to Selena.

"There's a passcode?" She whispered.

"What are the consequences of providing the wrong passcode?" Ros whispered.

"You have one second left." The soft feminine voice came from around the room again.

"Um... Enlightenment?" Selena's response was more of a question than an answer.

Nothing happened and Selena sighed in frustration.

"What do we do now?" Trina asked.

"The world is in danger and we search for answers." Ros spoke up.

We heard the sound of rustling wind and shortly after, a young woman wearing a flowing lilac robe appeared in our midst. Saying we were stunned would be an understatement. We had no clue what the passcode was supposed to be. We didn't even know which passcode worked.

"Tell me." The mystery girl offered. "What answers do you seek?"

#  Chapter Eighteen

Selena's POV

The girl in our midst started by asking what answers we sought but when she turned to me, she froze.

"You're here." She blurted in shock.

"Um... yeah. Why?" I asked, not quite getting her reason for stating the obvious.

She lifted her dress with both hands and curtsied before addressing me again.

"Forgive me, my lady. I was very alarmed and meant no disrespect. Lord Tristan will be delighted." She beamed.

"Okay. I don't know who you're mistaking me for but we have a problem and I'll love it if you get right to the answers." I replied, impatiently. "I really don't mean to be rude but this is important."

"I apologize." This time, she bowed. "I will do as you have requested. What answers do you seek?"

"Maybe she's just being polite."

"We've had cases where black hands come out of nowhere and grab people. They disappear without a trace afterwards. Do you know anything about the hands?" I went straight to the point.

"That sounds a lot like the Stygians." She replied. "They have preyed on humans for thousands of years. Stygians are known to be the masters of illusion. I assure you the hands you see do not represent their true form.

"Stygians?" I repeated. "I've never heard of them."

"How can we defeat them?" Ros asked.

"Where do they take their victims?" Ryan added.

"The Stygians were sealed away from your world during the great war. If they are appearing in small numbers again, it means the seal is weakening." She replied. "To defeat them, you must understand their true nature. I'm not certain where they have chosen to take their victims this time but since they feed on human blood, it could be anywhere ranging from your world to theirs."

"What? No. Please tell me it's not true." Trina's eyes turned red with her outburst and Ros pulled her close to console her.

"Please stay strong." He whispered. "We'll find them."

"When you say their world, do you mean they live outside the earth?" Ryan asked.

"Only humans belong in your world." The girl replied. "At different times in history, other races which you now refer to as supernatural races, made their way into your world. Some brought peace and others brought destruction."

"You're a race?" I asked.

"Yes, we are a race. Just like humans have their home world which you call earth, we have ours and so do the Stygians. Their world is a very dark place and they take that darkness everywhere they go. You must keep them out of your world. It was for that reason we came together with humans to create your kind." She replied, turning to Ros.

"When you say my kind do you mean vampires?" Ros asked.

"Yes." The girl nodded.

"We were created for a reason?" Ryan asked.

"Yes. Before the great war, my people fought the Stygians off your world, together with human warriors. We soon realized that we couldn't keep that strategy up for long. The Stygians were a deceptively powerful race, in addition to being numerous. We were greatly outnumbered and the humans couldn't match them in strength. It was a classic battle of good versus evil, where evil prevailed. We lost more humans than we could save. It didn't take us long to realize what we needed to do. Human leaders came together with our leaders to discuss a survival strategy. We combined our powers with the powers of the greatest human sorcerers and sorceresses of the time to produce a brand new race of evil, but it was for a good purpose." She replied.

"So you're saying we're evil? I don't believe you. I'm not evil." Ryan stated defensively.

"I'm saying you were created of evil but our intentions were good." She replied. "We could not fight the Stygians with good. We had no choice but to turn to evil."

"So we're like a good-evil hybrid?" Ros asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You have both elements in you but your core and default inclination is evil. For example, you require human blood for sustenance. That can't be considered good." She replied.

"Vampires kill humans." Trina spoke for the first time since her outburst. "Why would humans create something that kills them to save themselves from dying. It doesn't make any sense."

"Vampires were not created to kill humans. It was supposed to be a beneficial relationship for both parties. Humans provided them sustenance in blood and they in turn provided them protection from the Stygians. As time went on, the Stygians realized they were losing their hold on your world. They manipulated some vampires into accepting the evil in their cores and killing humans for sport. When we noticed this trend, we came together again with human sorcerers and sorceresses to cast the spell of the blood lust. Its main objective was to serve as a deterrent to any vampire wishing to drain a human of all their blood." She replied.

"If sorcerers and sorceresses helped make vampires, why are our natures against each other?" I asked.

"Sorcery is in line with the preservation of nature's creations and vampires by their very nature violate that." She replied. "While both parties are drawn away from each other, deep down inside there is an understanding of each other's role."

"If everyone had their home worlds, why come to ours and destroy it?" Trina asked.

"Just like you, other races are inquisitive. We yearn to know the things around us. As we explore, we find new races and understand their place in the grand design of things. Every race exists for a purpose. Your world for example, produces the balance we need to preserve our home world. It was for that reason we could not let the Stygians destroy your world." She replied.

"So you guys were more selfish than generous." Trina observed.

"I wouldn't say we were selfish. It was a beneficial relationship for us, just like it was for humans. We helped defeat the Stygians during the first great war and we left a connection through The Secrets of the Ages for your race to contact us if the Stygians ever resurfaced." She replied.

"Couldn't you have made the contact process easier? We almost gave up." I complained.

"I apologize, my lady. We did not want the Stygians to find the connection to our world." She replied.

"Why does she keep referring to me as my lady?"

"So now that we've contacted you, how do we send the Stygians back to wherever the hell they came from?" Ros asked.

"Like I said before, you must understand their true nature and to do this, I will demonstrate."

The girl waved one hand in front of her like one would when parting the surface of water. As she did, pictures from a battleground came into view. I saw hundreds of bodies lying dead on the ground with just a few people still alive. The environment didn't look particularly windy but a black kite kept itself afloat and soared along. It dropped behind one of the few standing people and transformed into the form of a man. In a split second, his eyes turned bloodshot red and he sank his extended fangs into the neck of the standing girl. Her body jerked from the pain and it was obvious she was trying to run but she couldn't shake herself off his grip and the man continued to drink from her neck. Another man carrying a crucifix and a sword ran behind the attacker and began a swipe towards his neck. The attacker pulled a baby out of thin air and placed it between the sword and his neck. The man froze at the sight of the baby but that was all the attacker needed. He pounced on the man and sank his teeth into his neck. As the man holding the crucifix died from blood loss, the suspended baby disintegrated into black feathers and fell to the ground. I gasped at the horrible sight and turned to the other people in the room.

"Is any of this real?" I asked.

"Yes. This is an actual scene from the war before vampires were created. The man with the crucifix and sword was a human warrior and the man who killed him was a Stygian. I witnessed that horror, which is why I am able to show it to you." She explained. "Can you tell me why the human warrior lost this fight?"

"Because of the baby." Trina replied.

"Because he hesitated." Ros added.

"He didn't want to kill a baby." I expanded Trina's answer.

"He wasn't as strong or as fast as the Stygian." Ryan explained. "If he was fast, he still would have been able to react after the baby got out of the way."

"All your answers are correct but you must see the underlying reason for this man's action or inaction in this case. The baby was never real because you saw it disintegrate into feathers once the Stygian had the upper hand. What happened here was a manipulation of the man's good nature. He couldn't bring himself to kill a baby. The Stygian knew that and used it against him. The other thing the Stygian used there was his mastery of illusion or make belief. He went through the battlefield undetected as a paper kite, only assuming his true form when he needed to feed. He sensed the man with the crucifix and sword before he attacked, and he made him see a baby which stopped him from completing his swing. I never knew the man with the crucifix but from what I know about the Stygians, he probably had a baby of his own." The girl explained.

"Wait, I have a couple of questions. What is the Stygian's true form? How can we tell when they make us see their illusions? How do the Stygians know what would stop us from acting?"

"Those are very good questions. I don't know the answer to the first. Stygians have been known to take numerous forms throughout history. For our kind, telling what is real is easy. We have a higher sense of perception than humans. The Stygians can also read the minds of humans, so they know how that human is likely to react in a given situation. This is another area where we have an upper hand." She explained. "When we came together with human leaders to discuss a strategy, it was obvious we couldn't send good soldiers into a battle like that. We needed creatures with an inclination to kill. We created vampires with some of our own capabilities and most of theirs. For instance, vampires have fangs and can move as fast as the Stygians. They can project their thoughts into the minds of humans which is one of our traits. They also drink blood like the Stygians and their eyes turn red in the same situations."

"Wait. You said that battle scene you showed us was from your memory. You displayed it in the air in front of us. That's different from what we can do. We can only project our memories into a human mind and they have to be asleep first." Ryan observed.

"That is correct." The girl smiled. "We cannot create creatures exactly like ourselves using our powers. Every trait you inherited from your creators has been diluted. Just like a mini version of the original."

"Wow. This doesn't sound like a battle we can fight alone." Trina stated. "Can your kind come back and help us?"

"It will not be advisable to do that. The Stygians greatly outnumber us. It is important to note that all Stygians were not killed during the great war. Based on events from that time, we had to employ a twofold strategy. We combined our abilities with your sorcerers and sorceresses to cast a protection spell over your world. Remember that up until this day we do not know the true form of the Stygians. For the spell to truly keep them out, we had to keep all other races out as well. It was a sacrifice we had to make but it was worth it. After the spell was cast, the vampires only had to deal with Stygians already in your world. Our victory came when they triumphed." She explained.

"Can Stygians be invisible?" Ros asked.

"Of course. The human race remains one of the very few races without the ability to stay hidden from sight." She replied.

"This is horrible. Just how many Stygians are already here? How do we fight an invisible enemy?" Ros asked the questions in quick succession.

"I cannot give you an exact number but from our experience, they're probably already here in the thousands. You must find what broke the protection spell and fix it. That is the only way to stop more Stygians from coming in. Only after that should you engage them in battle." She replied. "To fight an invisible enemy you must stay in touch with your sense of perception. My kind can sense them naturally so my lady will be very useful to you."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean I'll be useful because your kind can sense them naturally?" I asked, not quite getting the connection.

"You are one of us, my lady." She replied.

"That can't be true. I'm human. I have a mum, a dad..."

"Selena, please calm down. I'm sure she has an explanation." Ryan consoled me.

"Forgive me, my lady. I only mentioned it because I thought you already knew." The girl apologized. "I don't have all the answers but Lord Tristan should. I can sense you are of his bloodline. I'll let him know of your presence here and I'm sure he'll explain things to you."

"I want to contact him. How can I meet him?" I asked.

"You can always come back home. Just follow your heart." She replied.

"Selena, please. We need you here. I know how selfish this sounds but there might be a chance my family is still alive. You can't just leave." Trina pleaded, her eyes turning red from bloody tears.

I couldn't refuse. Not only had she done a lot for me, she was also my best friend.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I was overwhelmed by my emotions." I replied.

"The connection I have with your world is only for a short period at every given time. I must leave now." The girl spoke again.

"Wait." Ros stopped her. "Show us how to sense the invisible before you leave.

The girl disappeared before replying.

"Stay in touch with your inner self. Look at the world around you without using your eyes. Tell me where I am."

Ros, Ryan and Trina looked around the room, confused for the first few seconds. I could tell she was standing behind Ros because I could feel her. She remained hidden from sight for a few more seconds before resurfacing.

"I really must leave. The connection is breaking. My lady can teach you more. Do what you must to stop the Stygians but be careful..."

Her voice faded with her form and we looked in silence at each other's faces. Ros was the first to speak.

"It looks like you'll have to disappear so we can sharpen our perception." He stated.

"Yeah, I'll have to. Assuming I have any idea how to disappear." I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Selena. The least you can do is try. I know you have it in you." Ryan encouraged.

I took in a deep breath and nodded. He was right. I had to try and I was willing to put in my best to do so.

#  Chapter Nineteen

Ros's POV

Selena looked distracted after learning the truth about herself and I could only imagine how creeped out she felt. I wanted to give her time to process everything but I couldn't. We had to act quickly.

"Selena, I know you're dealing with a lot right now but I need you to reach inside and try the best you can to help us. With the way your powers work, you just need to really wish for things and I'm sure they'll happen. Disappearing won't be different."

"Ros, she needs time. I don't think you should pressure her right now." Ryan interjected.

"I'm not pressuring her. We need her. Selena, Trina needs you. Everyone needs you. Don't just zone out on us. Every extra second we spend doing nothing can be put into finding the Stygians and hopefully rescuing Trina's family."

I held her hands in mine and squeezed them reassuringly before continuing.

"Even with perfect perception, we're still at a disadvantage with the Stygians. They greatly outnumber us and we have no clear way of killing them when we encounter them. We need all the help you can give us."

"If the Stygians are like vampires, can't we kill them by ripping their hearts out or driving the Archibald stake through their hearts? Trina asked.

"I don't think the stake would work because they aren't vampires. Ripping their hearts out seems like a viable option though." Ryan replied.

I thought Ryan made a good point and nodded to show my agreement. When I turned back to Selena, she was gone from sight.

"You did it!!!" I exclaimed in excitement.

Since I was still holding her hand, I was the first one to get her position right. Selena laughed for the first time in a long time and that brought me so much joy regardless of the fact that she was called me a little cheat while laughing.

"Okay, you know what guys?" She asked.

"What?" We chorused.

"I'm going to walk out of this room, fade out of visibility and come back. I'll tell you when I'm back, and you have to tell me my exact position. Deal?"

"Deal!" We chorused.

I noticed Trina smiling for the first time since her family disappeared and that doubled my happiness. The team was back and ready to work together. I closed my eyes as Selena walked out and when I heard her voice saying she was back in, I focused my thoughts into feeling everything in the room around me. Being a vampire, I could easily tell the positions of Ry and Trina but Selena remained elusive.

"Come on, guys. You have to do it." I heard her say.

I wanted to trace the direction of her voice but I knew that wouldn't help anyone. The Stygians would certainly not give their position away by speaking. I needed to do this on my own. I focused my energy once more and tried again. It was another futile attempt. I was about to open my eyes and throw my hands in the air in resignation when Ry announced his victory.

"You're behind Trina!"

"You're right!" Selena yelped, becoming visible again.

"No!!!" Trina pulled a sad face which I found really cute.

"Don't worry, Trina. You'll get it next time." Selena encouraged.

The appearance and disappearance act continued for the next hour and it was not until then that something registered in my head. I had been expecting to see the outline of Selena's figure from behind my closed eyelids when I only needed to feel her presence in the room.

"Ry, if I open my eyes and find out you're the one beside me, I'm going to..."

"You felt me!" Selena exclaimed, completely elating me.

We tested our perception abilities a couple more times until everyone could sense Selena's invisible form. After that, we sprang into action.

"I'll contact the members of Council as well as Rayna and Ronald Sky. We need all hands on deck." I stated. "Once they're all briefed on what's going on, we'll reach out to the smaller vampire clans so everyone can join in the fight. We're gonna smoke those Stygians back to wherever they came from."

I was about to grin after my presumed fantastic plan to save the world when I heard the boom at my front door. A voice came through loud speakers almost immediately, telling us we had been surrounded.

"Secret Service. Don't move. We're here on the president's orders. Please stay calm and come with us. We have orders to retrieve you peacefully. You will not be harmed."

"Not now." I rolled my eyes.

"I think we should go with them. We can tell the president what we've learned and I'm sure he'll join forces with us to deal with the Stygian problem. With his resources, we can contact everyone we need even faster." Selena stated.

"She has a point, Ros. Besides, the last thing we need right now is to be on the run." Ry added.

"Fine." I agreed.

We all marched outside with our hands in the air. Two agents searched us for weapons before leading us to a waiting helicopter. Soon, we were air bound, heading towards the White House.

I looked out the window and smiled. I had never been to the White House and to be quite honest, it felt good to be meeting with a president of the United States for the first time in my long existence.

#  Chapter Twenty

Selena's POV

We were told the president was waiting for us in the Oval office and went straight to the West Wing. After tons of security screening, we made it inside the office only to find it empty.

"Didn't they say President Washington was in here?" Ros asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, maybe he stepped out for a bit." I whispered in reply.

"Selena, do you feel it?" Ryan asked in my head.

"Feel what?"

"The eerie silence with these people."

The agents who led us inside had been giving us instructions about staying within the office, and the expected conduct while we were in there. They were hardly silent and I was going to ask what Ryan was talking about when it hit me. He didn't mean the silence of words but the silence of emotions. Whenever I was around a group of people, I felt either their intentions or their emotions. They always had something going on with them – fear, panic, joy, annoyance, courage, calm – never nothing. The agents in the Oval office with us had nothing and that raised a red flag in my head.

"You're right. Something's off." I replied. "Connect to Ros and Trina's thoughts and let them know what we've noticed. I'll try to figure these agents out while you're at it."

I knew agents were supposed to keep their emotions in but even then, I should feel their resolve. Ryan being a vampire, also had the ability to feel the emotions of regular humans and the fact that he felt nothing confirmed there was something wrong. I focused my concentration on sensing the space around me, regardless of the fact that it was supposed to come to me naturally. I couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary and wanted to attribute what we noticed to the fact that we were in the Oval office but a nagging feeling deep inside me stopped me from doing so. I looked around the office, as if admiring its large windows and beautiful art pieces. What I was really doing was focusing on each agent and making double sure I felt nothing. I was right. The agents were emotionless.

"We'll be right outside while you wait for Mr. President." One of the agents stated, before leading the others outside.

They had just exited the office when the door opened again and Vice President York walked in.

"I see the team's here. Good job, boys." He beamed.

"Selena, I don't know what's going on here but something's definitely off. I don't want to stick around to find out. Please get us out of here and replace us with replicas." I heard Ros in my head.

I was sure President Washington invited us to the White House. Even when we arrived, the agents said he was waiting for us in his office. They didn't say anything about him delegating our meeting to Vice President York. Adding that to the lack of emotions from the agents, I completely agreed with Ros. If it turned out to be a false alarm, then we could just merge back.

"Welcome to the White House, guys. Why in such a hurry to leave?" VP York grinned.

"We didn't say anything about leaving." Ros replied.

"You didn't need to say it out loud, smarty pants."

Vice President York walked right in front of Ros and glared at him such that their foreheads were almost touching. While that was going on, I was channeling all my energy into creating replicas of everyone and switching them out but nothing was working. It felt like something was stopping my powers from taking effect. I let out a silent breath to calm myself before trying again but the result was the same. We remained rooted to the spot as our actual selves.

"Selena, what's going on? Move us out now!" Ros yelled in my head.

"I'm trying..."

"Don't worry, it won't work." VP York stated, completely shocking us.

"Well, this will." Ros punched his face.

All he hit was air as the form of the vice president disintegrated into black feathers and fell to the ground. The other agents in the room also disintegrated, leaving us alone in the Oval office.

"He's a Stygian!" Trina yelled, activating her enhanced speed and running towards the door. We all followed suit but the door wouldn't budge.

"It is sealed and reinforced." VP York's voice came from behind us. "Now if you cooperate, then I'll have no reason to harm you. If you don't, then I don't think you need me to tell you what's going to happen."

"What do you want?" Trina yelled.

"What I want is simple." He replied. "I learned from my consultation that the sorceress holds the key to breaking a seal that's very important to me."

The Vice President smiled and walked towards me. My mind was processing a thousand thoughts per minute as he approached me. If I couldn't use my powers against him for some reason, the least I could do was try a spell.

"Adole bitunique." I yelled, stretching my hands out in front of me.

It worked. Fire raced from my hands towards the VP but as soon as it made contact with his form, he disintegrated into black feathers which scattered around the office.

"Coward!" I yelled out loud, turning around to see where he would emerge from.

He dissolved into visibility again and pulled me by the wrist. His grip was extremely tight and I couldn't break free. I pulled him backwards with all my might but he didn't budge. At the same time, Ros, Ryan and Trina attacked him from all sides. Ros snapped his neck, Ryan pushed his hand into his chest and ripped his heart out while Trina sank her fangs into his arm. The distraction must have made him lose his concentration because it weakened whatever he was suppressing my powers with and I took advantage of the situation to move everyone into the alternate city from where we watched him fall to the ground. Ryan was still holding the VP's heart which he promptly threw to the ground.

"What the hell?" Trina yelled.

"We need to act fast." Ros stated. "I don't know how many Stygians are in the White House but it won't take them long to find out we've killed the vice president. Ry, contact Rayna and Ronald while I contact our Council members. Trina, you're in charge of research. Go to Sophia's temple and find anything that tells us how to kill Stygians. Selena, you're with Trina. Find out how to fix the broken protection seal. VP York needed you to do it which means you can. We'll meet you girls at the temple in a few hours."

"Got it." Everyone chorused.

"Did you guys notice something while we were in there?" I asked.

"What?" Ryan questioned.

"When you touch a Stygian illusion, it disintegrates into feathers." I stated. "That's what happened the first two times we tried to make contact with the vice president."

"You're right. I wouldn't have paid attention to it." Ros concurred. "The fact that he didn't disintegrate when he grabbed you means that's his real form. That's why we were able to kill him."

"Exactly. Now we have a way to tell them apart from their illusions." Ryan stated.

We all went back to Ros's mansion in the alternate city before I brought everyone back to the real city.

"Stay safe, everyone. We'll meet up in Sophia's temple." Ros said, dashing off with Ryan.

#  Chapter Twenty-One

Ryan's POV

We raced to the building where Ros normally held Council meetings because it was big enough for everyone to gather.

"I think we should address the Council members before contacting Rayna and Sky." Ros suggested.

He mind-linked with all members and in less than ten minutes, everyone was gathered in the hall where Ros addressed them from the podium.

"Esteemed members of Council. This is a call to action. The humans are under attack and before you ask how this is any of our concern, remember that their blood is what sustains us. I'm sure you've seen the news. Black hands are snatching them up and disappearing with them. We made some findings. Those black hands belong to creatures known as Stygians. They feed on humans just like us but while we have the blood lust to stop us from completely obliterating the humans, the Stygians have nothing to stop them. We can't allow them destroy our source of sustenance and as a result, I am ordering a war against them. Each of you have been assigned the task of contacting the leaders of the smaller clans who will in turn inform their members of everything I've told you. Get every vampire on the planet involved in this because we need as many fighters as we can get."

"You sound like these Stygians are very powerful. We're vampires. Just a few of us can crush them." Jacob Wiles, a Council member stated.

"The Stygians not only have enhanced strength like we do, but also the mastery of illusion. They can make us see things that aren't real to distract us. That split second of distraction is all they need to gain the upper hand." Ros replied.

He projected his memory of the paper kite Stygian killing the man with the crucifix into the minds of all the Council members present and the gasps of shock told us they understood better now.

"You need to understand the Stygian's true nature before you engage them. The easiest way to identify them is their lack of emotion. If you encounter anyone whose emotions you can't read, they're most likely Stygian. Kill them before they attack you. Use your enhanced speed to run the illusion test. If you touch them and they disintegrate into black feathers, stay watchful. That's the illusion. The real Stygian is somewhere around you. Sharpen your senses of perception because Stygians can stay invisible." He concluded. "This meeting is over. Act fast and get everyone ready. Then wait for my signal."

The Council members sped off while Ros and I raced back to his mansion to meet with Rayna and Sky. Ros's TV was on which should have been normal, but the picture on the screen completely shocked us. Vice President York was on air, giving an address to the people.

"Didn't we kill him?" I turned to Ros in surprise.

Ros looked just as shocked and when he turned the volume of the TV up, I felt like punching the monster through the screen.

"A number of supernatural creatures have invaded us and we erroneously believed them to be aliens. Now, we know the truth. Citizens of America, vampires are real and they almost had us fooled. They've been attacking us, while hiding their true forms behind black hands. The White House was attacked by four of these vampires earlier today and thanks to the selfless sacrifice of the men of the Secret Service, I was able to survive with a number of painful injuries. Unfortunately, President Washington wasn't so lucky. He was killed by these undead creatures who have now escaped into the city. We currently have agents combing the length and breadth of this country to find them but we also need your vigilance. If you spot any of these vampires, report their location by calling 911."

"What a liar!" I spat, as I looked at our pictures on the screen.

Ros, Trina, Selena and I were being portrayed by the Stygian Vice President as enemies of humanity. I couldn't believe it.

"Ry, this isn't good at all. How on earth did he survive our attack?" Ros asked.

"I don't know. We need to contact the girls and maybe move to the alternate city while we try to figure this out." I replied.

"Good point." Ros concurred.

"Selena, VP York is alive. He has ordered our arrest and there are agents looking everywhere for us." I said into her mind.

"What? How did he survive?" She asked in shock.

"I don't know but it's no longer safe to stay here. Get yourself and Trina to the alternate city then you can come for us. We need to get out before they find us." I requested.

"Hang on. I'll be there soon." She replied.

#  Chapter Twenty-Two

Selena's POV

We arrived at Sophia's temple and set to work immediately. While I waited for Trina to search the shelves, a thought crossed my mind.

"What if I can use my powers to sort the books?"

It sounded ridiculous at first but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to try it. I decided to do so since I had nothing to lose.

"I want every book related to the Stygians on that table." I whispered, pointing to one of the tables in the library.

I felt a mixture of excitement and surprise when I saw books leave the shelves, float through the air and land on the table just like I requested.

"What the hell? Is that you?" Trina asked.

"Um-hum." I beamed.

"So you could do this and you've been letting me expend energy?" She pouted.

"I had no idea I could. "I'm sorry."

Trina pursed her lips and threw her hand across my shoulder before saying it was okay. We took our seats and got to work on the ten titles which showed up on the table and after glancing at each cover, I decided to start with the most intriguing title.

Radical Ideas of the Pre-Historic Era.

The fact that it was on the table meant it had something to do with the Stygians. I also wanted to know why it was classified as radical. I was about to flip the cover open when I heard Ryan's voice in my head telling me the vice president was still alive.

"Trina, you're not going to believe this." I said, once my conversation with Ryan ended.

"Believe what?" She asked.

"VP York is alive."

"No way!" Her eyes widened in disbelief. "We killed him!"

"There has to be an explanation for it. I just hope we find it before we encounter him again." I replied. "In the meantime, I need to get us to the alternate city. VP York has ordered our arrest."

"He's such a monster!" Trina gasped.

I couldn't agree more.

Once we were safely in the alternate city, Trina raced me over to Ros's mansion from where I moved the boys over to the alternate city. We all watched Ros's mansion, waiting for Rayna and Sky. Once they arrived, I moved them to the alternate city as well and Ros explained everything to them. We all went back to Sophia's temple and resumed our research. It turned out that the Radical Ideas of the Pre-Historic Era lived up to its reputation. It contained numerous theories about several creatures, some of which I had never encountered. A drawing on one of the pages caught my eye. It was a man with numerous black feathers sketched around him. I stopped and read what was written about the drawing and a lot of it corresponded with our knowledge of the Stygians. The book also revealed something new. The creature had two hearts. One was in the center of the chest, tilted a little to the left just like that of humans and the other was all the way on the right.

"Can this explain why the vice president is still alive?" I asked the team, tilting the page for everyone to see.

"That must be it." Everyone concurred.

Other pages from the book revealed a vital secret. Removing one of the creature's hearts weakened it a great deal but was not enough to kill it. We learned that we had to rip both hearts out in order to truly kill the creature. We also learned that while the Stygian could regenerate a missing heart, it required a long time of recuperation to do so.

"This means we have to attack VP York as soon as possible." Ros stated.

"Yes, we do. We have everything we need. The only thing left is to rebuild the protection spell around the earth. Once we do that successfully, we take the war to the Stygians." I replied.

"Did you manage to find anything about the protection spell?" Ryan asked.

"No, but I learned something useful." I smiled.

I requested all books on protection spells to file out of the bookshelves. I smiled even brighter when I saw the impressed look on all their faces.

"Yeah, sorcery has its perks." I grinned.

I read the different ways to cast a protection spell and once done, I considered the requirements. I needed a powerful sorceress and someone of the visiting girl's kind to be able to cast the protection spell.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Ros asked.

"What are you thinking?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You're not just any sorceress but the daughter of Sophia who is arguably the most powerful sorceress that ever lived. You're also of a special heritage and though I don't know what it's called, I'm sure you get the point. You're everything we need to cast the protection spell." He stated. "Since we know the true form of the Stygians now, you can cast a spell that keeps just their kind out."

My eyes widened as his words sank in. He was right. I needed to believe in myself and my abilities. I had the power to rid the world of the Stygians for good.

"I think it's high time we cast that spell, people." Trina stated, giving everyone a high five.

"To cast the spell, I need to go back to the real city because I'm not so sure this alternate city is a part of that world." I replied.

"Great idea but while we're here, let's agree on our strategy. I say we go around the White House from here and study everything. Know where the VP is, and any other Stygian he might be lodging in there. Once we have that information, we go back to the real city. Selena casts the protection spell and we attack VP York. He should be easier to kill now that he's missing a heart." Ros explained.

Everyone agreed with his idea and we moved over to the White House. I established the connection with the real city and we set about exploring all one hundred and thirty-two rooms within the three floors. Nothing prepared us for our discovery in one of the rooms on the third floor.

"I can't believe it!" Trina covered her mouth and cried.

I could tell she was overcome with emotion. We all were at the unbelievable sight of the hostages who were tied up in the room. We saw Trina's family, President Washington, a few other notable faces and a number of people we didn't recognize.

"They're probably keeping them as food reserves." Rayna noted.

"I'm so happy they're still alive." I hugged Trina.

Everyone came together in a group hug. It was the happiest moment we had shared in recent times and I was especially happy for it. I couldn't wait to finish the mission so Trina could get her family back and I could explore the thousands of questions I had about my true origin.

#  Chapter Twenty-Three

Selena's POV

We chose Ryan's house as the emergence point back to the real city. It was our best option since the Secret Service agents picked us up from Ros's mansion the last time and Trina's house was most likely under 24 x 7 surveillance.

As soon as we emerged, I raised my hands towards the sky and channeled all my energy into casting a protection spell over the earth. It was a more daunting task than I envisaged and before long, I felt my energy diminishing. I continued to recite the words of the spell and fell to my knees when I could no longer remain on my feet. The rustling of leaves along the ground told me nature was beginning to respond to my plea. I closed my eyes and tuned my mind to the higher planes. I imagined my hands touching the edges of the earth while I continued to recite the words. Once done, I channeled my wishes towards upholding the spell I had just cast. That was when all hell broke loose. I felt an overwhelming presence of emotionless beings around me, producing a force of evil much greater than the one I felt at The Heavenly Calabasas.

"The Stygians are here!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

I heard screams of anguish from voices I recognized as belonging to Ros, Ryan and Trina. I couldn't physically join the fighting because I had no weapon. My bare hands couldn't penetrate the flesh of the Stygians like the vampires could, so I attacked them with spells and the power of my will. I could see the guys reaching into thin air with both hands and ripping bloody hearts out. When they did that, the Stygian whose heart was removed faded into visibility before falling to the ground, dead. I could tell the team was putting in everything they had but the Stygians were way too numerous. They attacked from all sides and occasionally broke the limbs of the vampires on my team. At this point, I could tell the outcome of the battle if I didn't do anything. My mind went back to the times my powers responded when I was in danger. Ignoring how weak I felt, I channeled all my energy into creating a fiery blast which I sent out of my hands with the intention to kill just Stygians. It worked. All around me Stygians faded into visibility and fell to the ground. I saw the mixture of surprise and happiness on the faces of my team members, just as my vision blurred.

"G.." I tried to tell them to go but I was too weak.

Darkness overwhelmed me and I felt my body collapsing to the ground. Strong arms caught me before my body made impact with the hard surface and I felt a hand on my forehead just as my eyelids slowly opened. The face of a white-bearded man I had never seen came into view and he spoke softly.

"Regain your strength, you have done well."

I felt energy course through my veins. Strength returned to my muscles and I came back to full consciousness. Ros, Ryan, Trina, Rayna and Sky surrounded me as I lay in the man's arms.

"Are you God?" I asked in a whisper.

The man smiled and shook his head.

"I'm Tristan and we need to finish what you started. I feel the force of evil rising in that direction. We must engage them quickly." He replied, pointing in the direction of the White House.

"My family's still there!" Trina yelled.

I ignored the thousands of questions in my head and forged ahead with the team. I could ask Tristan all the questions later. For now, Trina's family was in danger and I was willing to put my personal issues aside to save them.

#  Chapter Twenty-Four

Selena's POV

"I can get us there faster." Tristan said, as we ran forward.

I didn't get a chance to ask what he did because the scenery around us changed right after his words and we found ourselves in the White House, getting attacked from all sides. Everyone sprang into action, killing nearby Stygians as quickly as we could. Ros gave the signal to the Council vampires and in a matter of minutes, we had an army of vampires with us, engaging the Stygians in a heated battle. I realized the power of my will no longer worked and switched quickly to the use of spells. I made a mental note to ask Tristan about it later because he seemed to use his powers against the Stygians just fine. In the distance, I spotted Vice President York exiting the mayhem. He must have sensed his side was losing and was escaping the scene. I couldn't let that happen. I ran after him as fast as I could and saw him morph into a black paper kite behind one of the buildings.

"That old trick won't work this time!" I yelled, blasting the kite to a million pieces with fiery energy from my hands.

Satisfied, I rejoined the battle and soon, we had the upper hand. Tristan was very helpful, killing four times more Stygians than all of us combined.

Once we were sure the battle was over, we raced up to the third floor. Luckily, President Washington, Trina's family and a few other people had not been harmed. Trina rushed to her family and they shed happy tears in each other's arms. President Washington offered his sincere thanks before calling for an immediate press conference. The reporters who had already made it to the scene – a few of which covered the final parts of the battle – gathered around the president with their cameras and microphones, asking thousands of questions.

"I'll take questions after addressing the public." President Washington ordered.

The reporters fell silent and gave him the visual cue to begin.

"Today is a great day in the history of humanity." He began his address with a victorious sigh. "Evil attempted to prevail against us but due to our sheer willpower and the selfless sacrifice of these people around me, we have come out victorious. I was held captive by Vice President York and a host of other creatures like him, while members of the public were told lies about the existence of vampires. It is true that vampires exist. They are here to help us, not destroy us. For those of you who have watched the final battle with these creatures known as Stygians, you would have seen the selfless sacrifice of the vampires for our survival..."

While the president continued his address, I walked some distance away from the scene until I stood behind Tristan. There was something about him that moved me. Maybe it was the fact that I believed he had the answers to the questions that burned deep inside me and I couldn't wait to start asking them.

"I know why you're here, child." He stated, before I got a chance to speak. "When Bertha reported your existence, I came to make sure. Thankfully, I got to you at the time I did."

"Who are you?" I asked.

He turned around to face me. I could see his eyes had softened and looked completely different from the burning orbs I saw during the battle with the Stygians. Now that he was calm, his eyes were just the same aqua blue shade my eyes became when I first gained my powers.

"My name is Tristan, leader of the fourth protectors of balance." He replied.

"I don't understand. I mean, what are you?" I asked.

"I'm Senetian but we are mostly referred to as the Keepers of Light." He replied.

My mind went back to the girl who warned me at The Heavenly Calabasas. She said she brought a message from the Keepers of Light.

"How do you know me?" I asked. "The girl from the Secrets of the Ages said I was of your kind and you would be delighted to meet me. How can this be? How did you heal me when you caught me back at the mansion?"

"Senetians have the ability to replenish what has been lost. I didn't heal you. I replenished your lost energy using some of mine." He replied. "You have that ability too. You just haven't explored it, and the host of other things you can do."

"I'm really Senetian?" I asked, lifting my eyebrow.

"Yes, my dear. Not just any Senetian, but a Senetian of the bloodline of Tristan." He replied.

"Your bloodline?"

"That is correct. Back in our home world, everyone is identified by their bloodline. You will understand things better when you come home."

"Home?"

"Yes, child. You belong in our home world."

"How can I be Senetian? I was born by human parents. My real mum is dead. If Senetians are immortal, shouldn't she be alive?" I asked.

Tristan was about to answer my question when I heard my name being yelled behind me. I turned around to see Trina, Ros and Ryan running towards me with bright smiles.

"What?" I asked, forced to smile back at them.

"President Washington is conferring national honors on us!" Trina beamed. "We're going to be gold star families."

"He didn't say we'll be gold star families, Trina. He'll said we'll get gold stars." Ryan corrected.

"What's the difference?" Trina rolled her eyes.

I laughed and turned back to Tristan who smiled at me one more time before speaking.

"Go, child. I understand you are a part of these people for now. Your questions will be answered. Just beckon when you need me."

"How do I beckon?" I asked.

"We are of the same bloodline. Connect with your heart and call out to me. Like this."

"Selena."

I heard Tristan call my name in my head.

"Just like vampires." I smiled.

He nodded and turned away from me.

I watched him fade out of visibility before going back to the press conference with the rest of the team.

#  Chapter Twenty-Five

Selena's POV

We all came together in a group hug in Ros's living room, beaming over the unbelievable turn of events. Being a vampire had become similar to being a celebrity, and a gold star vampire was similar to an A-list celebrity. It felt awesome to see our pictures go up in public places, and thousands of people requesting our autographs. People now offered their blood to vampires willingly, and there was no longer the need to compel or attack them before feeding off them.

"Who would have thought a day would come when I'd go out and say 'hey there, I'm a vampire' and have tons of girls line up to get my number?" Ros smirked.

Trina and I glared at him and he laughed.

"Come on. You know you'll always be my fav girls."

"Whatever!" We snapped at the same time, eliciting laughter from him and Ryan.

"So what are you going to do now, Selena?" Ryan asked. "The world thinks you're a vampire but we know you're not."

"I don't think you should make such an important decision without exploring both sides." A different voice replied from our midst.

We all smiled as Tristan faded into visibility.

"I hadn't beckoned. How did you know what we were talking about?" I asked.

"Well, you were going to beckon. The intention was there and that's what I felt. Besides, I hadn't left this world since the fight. Being here brought back memories I wanted to explore again." He smiled.

"Well, since you're here, I might as well ask the questions I've been dying to ask." I smiled.

"I suspect this is going to be a long one. Take a seat everyone." Tristan made a cute face.

Everyone laughed and took their places on the sofa closest to them. I asked question after question, unable to pause before learning the next thing about my true identity.

"It is true that you were born here but you were not born of completely human parents." Tristan started. "A very long time ago, Senetians found a beautiful new world. It contained great resources and beings who though weaker than us, held wills stronger than anything we could ever have imagined. Naturally, we were drawn to them. We came here and coexisted with them. As time passed, we noticed we were even more attracted to the opposite sexes of people who possessed certain powers that set them apart from other humans. You refer to these people as sorcerers and sorceresses. Our attraction kindled desires of the intimate kind in our hearts and soon, we made children with these people, extending our bloodlines to your world. We were excited to see how the children would turn out, and were just a tad disappointed when we realized those children would never fully be Senetian. They either got none of our abilities such that they turned out as human sorcerers and sorceresses just like their other parent, or they got some of our abilities... at least that's what we thought at the time. As more time passed, we noticed something else about our children. Whether or not they exhibited our abilities, they had much longer lifespans than regular humans. They could live for hundreds of years – maybe even thousands – but if one was to fatally hurt them, they could die. Don't get me wrong when I say we were a little disappointed with their outcome. We loved our children but no parent wants to see their offspring die, so when one of our children with the gift of sorcery foresaw the birth of a child who would be fully Senetian, we were overjoyed. Unfortunately, the Stygians also found your world. They pretended to come in peace at first, deceiving the humans into accepting them just like they accepted us. They also had children with powerful humans, experiencing the same scenario as us. After their attack, humans knew their true nature and we worked together to kick them out. Since we had to leave too, we couldn't witness the birth of the prophecy child."

"Wait a minute. Isn't this the same prophecy of the Immortal Elect?" Ros asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It is." Tristan smiled.

"But the prophecy said the child will destroy all vampires." Ros stated.

Tristan laughed before replying.

"The Stygians have always been a deceptive race. They must have manipulated the real prophecy as it was passed down from generation to generation. When the prophecy was given, it described the child known as the Immortal Elect, as well as the creatures the child would help destroy – fast moving blood suckers. Do you see how easy it was for the Stygians to portray the vampires as the fast moving blood suckers instead of themselves? Now, what do you think would have happened if the child had been killed before assuming their peak powers?"

"There would be no one to stop the Stygians when they successfully broke the protection spell or weakened it enough to let most of their kind in." Trina replied.

"Exactly." Tristan nodded.

"How did they go about breaking the spell in the first place?" I asked.

"They've been at it since the protection spell went up. While they haven't been able to break it yet, they have successfully weakened it a number of times in the past. Knowing them, they must have deceived some powerful human sorcerers or sorceresses into breaking the spell for them. When they discovered they couldn't completely break it without a Senetian, they came after you."

"That's horrible. I'm so happy they're gone." I said.

"Yeah, good riddance." Ros concurred.

"Back to you, my child." Tristan continued. "During my time on earth, I had one of such children I described earlier. A boy named Tyler. He was one of the special ones. Almost as powerful as me but unable to come back to our world due to his part human heritage. He fell in love with a beautiful sorceress named Sophia, who was also a hybrid child. Together, they had a baby girl. That baby girl is you and I believe what happened was simple. Two half-Senetians came together and with the blessing of nature, the baby not only became a full Senetian, she also held on to her sorcery lineage."

"If Sophia was hybrid, that explains why she was so powerful." Ros interjected.

"Wait, my father's here? Why haven't I met him? Where is he?" I asked the questions simultaneously.

A sad smile etched itself on Tristan's face.

"Tyler was such a brave one. He fought gallantly during the great war and told us most of what we know about the Stygians. Every time the protection spell weakened, he engaged the intruding Stygians. He was a fighter. A true hero. Unfortunately, like most heroes, he died defending the people he cared about." Tristan explained.

"Stygians killed him?" I asked.

"Yes. A very powerful Stygian made it through the weakened barrier and Tyler attacked him. Unfortunately, the Stygian suppressed his Senetian powers and there was nothing to fall back to." He replied.

"That's what happened to me when we engaged VP York." I explained.

"I suppose you fell back to your sorcery or perhaps your friends were there to help." Tristan smiled.

"Yeah. It was both." I replied. "But the Stygian suppression didn't seem to affect you."

"That's because I'm more powerful than they are. Senetians get increasingly powerful with age. Just like vampires. You'll get more powerful as you grow older too." He explained.

So according to what you've said, you're my..."

"Grandfather." Tristan smiled. "A very proud grandfather, I must add. There's an entire world of people excited to meet you whenever you decide to come back home. The choice is yours now, my child. Do you want to come back with me?"

I thought long and hard about his question. Did I want to stay in a world I knew well, where I had friends and had lived my entire life, or did I want to go to a world I never knew existed but belonged to? Making a decision was tougher than I ever believed it would be. It wasn't as easy as 'Earth or Seneth?' I looked back at the faces of Trina, Ryan and Ros and remembered all the times we had spent together. I looked at Tristan and saw the promise of an unbelievable future in a world filled with my own people. Tough as it was, I knew I had to make a decision and decided to follow my heart.

"Tristan, thank you for being here and for helping us with the battle." I finally spoke. "I'll love to visit Seneth at some point, but I choose to stay here with the man I love and true friends who have always been there for me."

Tristan smiled and nodded.

"You're just like your father. You have his heart. I know you haven't asked me, but if the man you love is that vampire over there, then you have my blessing." Tristan nodded towards Ryan. "I could feel his love for you the minute I stepped into your world."

"Thank you, Tristan."

I had barely finished speaking when Ryan rushed to me and picked me off the sofa. He whirled me around excitedly and planted multiple kisses all over my face.

"Thank you for choosing to stay." He grinned.

"You're welcome. My heart will forever be yours." I replied.

Trina and Ros ran to me as well, taking turns to hug me after Ryan placed me back on the ground. I saw the happy smiles on the faces of Rayna, Sky and Tristan, and it all felt great.

"I have an announcement." Ryan said loudly.

Everyone turned to him with curious stares, wondering what else he had to announce.

"I will like to make Selena my bride in the most lavish ceremony any Soille has ever had." He beamed. "If you will honor us with your presence, I'll love you all to be there."

"Of course!" Rayna chirped happily, hugging Ryan and I.

"With pleasure." Tristan beamed, hugging us as well. "Just beckon when it's time, granddaughter."

Ros pursed his lips and nodded a number of times to himself before walking to me and giving me a long hug.

"I have an announcement of my own to make." He pulled back and yelled. "Congratulations, brother. You have my consent."

Everyone laughed and hugged each other before Tristan faded out of visibility. Rayna and Sky raced off, leaving me, Ryan, Ros and Trina behind.

"Since you're staying back here with us, do you want to come back to college with me?" Trina asked.

"Of course." I replied.

"Fantastic. I should go spend some time with my family before we go." Trina grinned. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Trina." Ros called out before she took her leave. "I'll like to ask you a question."

"What?" She asked.

"Do you think maybe you could maybe find some time to maybe..."

"Is Ros finding it difficult to get his words out?" Ryan teased, eliciting laughter from everyone.

Trina walked up to Ros and wrapped her hands around his neck. He picked her up from the ground and planted a long, passionate kiss on her lips.

"What do you guys say to a double wedding?" I asked, smiling at how beautiful they were together.

"That sounds perfect!" Ros beamed. "But then, that's if Trina wants..."

"Yes!" Trina yelped excitedly, kissing Ros once more.

Everyone came together in another long group hug and in that moment, everything was perfect.

#  Bonus Novel: Vampire Brothel (Part One)

This novel is set in a Brothel and while the language is appropriate for all audiences, it contains themes of sexual relations. Reader discretion is advised.

#  Roberta Hawkins – Client 146

##  Chapter One

Roberta got out of her house that night and closed the door behind her. The air outside was cold, creating a chilly feeling as it brushed against her pale face. Her raven black hair was tucked underneath a black winter hat and she wrapped her arms around her white coat to increase the feeling of warmth she desperately needed. She had no clue if it was a good idea to go there in the first place. Stepping out in the freezing weather was already a bad idea. She thought about turning around and going back home but she couldn't. She was broken inside and needed to be fixed. Something inside her yearned to dive into the lustful pleasures his mysterious blue eyes gave a teasing glimpse of – and she needed him to make her forget the pain that tore her heart to shreds.

As she walked, her mind drifted back to the start. To the reason she got to this point in her life. Memories of the happy moments mixed with the sad ones and coalesced into the face of the man who was now her ex-boyfriend.

"You are so beautiful in my eyes."

Those simple words from their first date spun around her head like a web. She wondered how she believed his carefully crafted lie when there was nothing special about her features. A thousand glances in the mirror did nothing to change the freckled face, dull gray eyes, unruly black hair and pale face that stared back at her. Somehow, his words had found a way to work like a charm. She remembered the numerous times he wrapped his arms around her and spoke volumes about how special she was.

"Every second spent with you is priceless."

Another sentence crammed with lies spun around in her head. The words clawed at her tear glands and forced them to rain down her cheeks. She didn't want to remember any of it but she couldn't get the thoughts to go away. It was the very reason she needed to do this. She begged their intimate moments not to surface in her mind. That she couldn't handle. How could anyone handle the fact that long, steamy exchanges of pleasure while staring into loving eyes meant nothing to their partner? With these thoughts, Roberta's resolve got stronger. She took one step after another in the direction of the train station. Her mind was a mess and she knew it. She had wallowed in self-pity for way too long. This was the time to act, especially since she was expecting her White House internship offer. She couldn't work there successfully with her mind in shambles.

All through the train ride she thought about Lacey, the girl her ex had cheated on her with. According to her they had been together for nine months. That was just one month less than the duration of her relationship with Derek.

"Who cheats on their girlfriend after one month of dating them?"

She got off the train and hailed a cab to a gas station along the freeway. The rest of the journey into the woods was done on foot, just like he asked. She remembered his chiseled features as she walked, imagining the heights of pleasure their encounter tonight would take her.

It took about five minutes to locate the place he described and when she saw it, she was awed. It didn't feel possible that a place so magnificient would stay hidden in the woods and no one would know about it. It was a lot bigger than what she expected from the stranger's initial description. It was a mansion with dim red lights around its surroundings so people could see their way through but not bright enough to make the architectural masterpiece completely visible.

"No one will make a place secret only to flood it with lights, right?"

She giggled to herself as she walked through the stone-lined path that led to the door. Her secret spy-like arrival had excited her enough to place her in a mood few people described publicly. Her distracted mind was pulled back to the present when she saw the flurry of black wings rising into the air around her. They almost startled her into a fall but she managed to catch herself. Their presence freaked her out so much because she had never seen that many bats in the same place. She was sure she would end up with numerous scratches and bites in a Batman type attack. Surprisingly, the bats flew off and left her unscathed.

"Do bats fly in winter?"

She brushed her thoughts aside and walked to the door after regaining her composure. She closed her eyes for a few minutes and sighed before pushing the door open. This was it. She was out in the woods on invitation from an irresistible stranger she knew little or nothing about.

"Take it as a one night stand to rid your thoughts of Derek."

Taking another deep breath, she stepped inside with all the confidence she could muster. She had committed to do this and there was no going back now. She walked towards the reception where a female, teenage-looking receptionist sat behind the desk, staring at a computer screen.

"How may I help you today?" The receptionist's lips parted in a professional smile, as she lifted her head to acknowledge Roberta's presence.

Roberta was about to reply when her eyes caught sight of another girl standing halfway up the staircase on the right side of the reception and for a few minutes, she was disoriented. Deep feelings of lust rose up from the pit of her stomach as her eyes glued themselves on the girl's double D assets. She wanted to turn away but for some reason, the exposed rise of the girl's succulent twins held her captive. Images of herself and the girl performing naughty fantasies on each other behind closed doors flooded in her mind almost immediately. She had no clue where the images came from but they produced a rush of wetness between her thighs, forcing her to pull her legs together for fear of having the wetness slip through her fishnet panties.

"Excuse me, Miss. How may I help you?"

The receptionist's voice reminded Roberta that she was yet to state her reason for being there. She shook her head and blinked a couple of times to compose herself before attempting to reply.

"I... Sorry. I'm here because..."

The fact that she never got the handsome stranger's name stabbed at her conscious and she froze.

"How could I have come this far without as much as a name to reference?"

After analyzing her minimal options, she cleared her throat and continued.

"I was invited by a handsome stranger and I didn't even get his name."

She chuckled from an embarrassing mixture of alarm and surprise at herself. She didn't need anyone else to tell her she looked like the world's biggest idiot in that moment.

"I think it's time to turn around and go home."

"Can I have your name, please?"

The receptionist's voice pulled her to the present once again and she wondered if the girl just wanted to humor her. There was no chance of finding her name in the database because she never made a reservation. All she had was a verbal invitation from someone whose name she didn't even get and she mentally kicked herself for being pathetic enough to show up.

"Roberta. Roberta Hawkins." She absentmindedly stated.

"One moment, please. You can take a seat over there while I search for your reservation." The receptionist replied, motioning to the leather settee in the left corner of the room.

Roberta nodded and turned around. She was sure the receptionist wasn't going to find a reservation and blamed Derek for the embarrassment that was sure to come her way in the next few minutes. If she hadn't been so disoriented when the mysterious stranger found her crying outside his apartment, she probably would have asked for more details or at least his name. All he told her was to give his invitation a shot. She didn't even tell him what date she was going to make it there.

"This is such a disaster. I should leave."

Her eyes fell on the staircase to her right, dragging her thoughts back to the girl who had effortlessly aroused her. She tried and failed to find an explanation for what happened earlier. She had never been attracted to a girl in her entire life so what made this girl different?

"Has Derek's betrayal managed to change my sexual orientation somehow?"

She didn't want to think so but if that was the case, she was glad she accepted the stranger's invitation. Indulging in a night of blissful pleasures with no strings attached would surely put her mind back on the right track.

"Excuse me, Miss. I've found your reservation." The receptionist announced.

That was a shocker. How did she find a reservation when Roberta didn't make one?

"Here's your key card. Take the staircase to the second floor and locate the door with the same number as your key card." She added.

Roberta walked up to the receptionist and accepted the card with thanks. She glanced at the number 146 before walking off towards the stairs. She got to the room and walked inside. Everything from the furniture to the paintings on the wall looked exquisite and it was clear why this was such an exclusive hotel. It catered only to the wealthy and possibly high ranking members of society.

She wondered if the mysterious stranger was a billionaire, celebrity or political figure. Regardless of the amount of money he had, it was still unbelievable to have anyone spend so much just to give her a good time. Maybe he was compelled to help her out of pity. She was sure she looked really pathetic crying out there that night.

"What if he just found me attractive?"

Even to herself, that was a very long shot. She was pretty sure pathetic was more on the right track.

The door opened and Roberta turned around to meet icy blue eyes that seemed delighted to see her. They reminded her of the Alp Top drink which was pleasing to the eyes and great to the taste. It gave no indication of how fast it could mess one's brains up after hitting the bottom of the glass.

"Hello, Roberta. I'm glad you came." The stranger walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

"He didn't lock the door so he isn't likely to be a psycho killer. Phew."

She couldn't really remember much from the night they met because of her messed up emotional state. Her mind went back to the fact that the receptionist was able to trace her reservation after getting her name. That only meant one thing. She must have given the stranger her name that day and forgotten all about it.

"Well, hello there. I'm glad I came too." She offered the stranger a smile, hoping her act was good enough to cover up the fact that she had no clue what his name was.

The handsome stranger smiled and took slow deliberate steps towards her. She already conjured images of him walking up to her and taking her clothes off – no conversations necessary. He didn't do that. Instead, he walked past her to a drawer and opened it, removing a bottle and two glasses before closing it back up. He filled both glasses and passed one to her. The liquid inside was red and had a weird but delicious taste. It must have been a rare and expensive mixture, judging from the hotel's surroundings. The good part was that it was cold and tasteful. She could tell there was a bit of alcohol in it but that was okay. She came there to get naughty anyway. Alcohol would surely aid those dreams in coming true.

They drank and laughed to the stranger's small talk for a while before the effects of the alcohol kicked in. Roberta found it difficult to coordinate her thoughts as her surroundings became hazy. For some reason, she didn't want the stranger to know the full effects of the alcohol on her system and since she could still make objects out, she was sure she'd be okay. She watched him return the glasses they had used to the drawer but the speed with which he returned was unimaginable. She told herself she was zoning in and out of consciousness because there was no way he could possibly have moved so fast.

The stranger picked Roberta up from the bed and pinned her frame against a nearby wall. Her heart rate went into a frenzy as she anticipated what was to come. She didn't see him take his shirt off but when she noticed he was suddenly without it, she attributed it to the alcohol again. An excited Roberta drank in the stranger's physical features. His toned muscular abs looked so appealing underneath the light from the chandelier hanging above them. As his warm breath tickled her skin, she closed her eyes and yielded to the explosive encounter she was soon to experience. That's when he did the unthinkable. He tore her clothes off.

"What the hell?" She yelled.

She couldn't understand why he chose to do something like that. How did he expect her to go back to her apartment without clothes? All traces of arousal disappeared from her body and was quickly replaced with anger. The stranger didn't seem to care. Instead of addressing the issue, he turned her around and smacked her butt. Roberta didn't quite understand his painful but pleasurable actions. She was supposed to be upset with him but found herself biting her lower lip in excitement.

"Why does it feel so good?"

She didn't have the time to dwell on it because the stranger pushed her closer to the wall and leaned against her back.

"You know what you really want." He whispered.

She had no clue what he was talking about or why he believed he knew what she really wanted.

"I'll like to see you twerk." He whispered again, taking his weight off her body and walking back towards the bed.

Though said in a low tone, he sounded like he was giving her an order. What made him think she would twerk for him even if she could? She had never tried anything so scandalous before. She even believed things like that were reserved for strippers and prostitutes. Roberta was about to turn around and explain why she couldn't do what he asked but he was beside her before she could complete the motion.

"How did he move so fast?"

She felt another hard smack on her butt but this time, it hurt twice as much. Surprisingly, it felt that much better. She knew the skin on her butt would be red from the assault but even that knowledge turned her on. She wanted him to smack her again for some unknown reason.

"Don't make me tell you again." She heard him whisper, tracing his tongue down her neck.

The resulting tingles bouncing off her skin forced her negative response back down her throat. She found herself rolling and twisting her backside to the best of her ability. Being drunk as hell was both an advantage and a disadvantage in the situation. It stopped her from thinking too much about her form but on the flip side, she would have loved to know how well she was doing. She took the fact that he was watching her without complaint to mean she was doing at least okay and was just about getting comfortable when he gave another order.

"Place your hands on the wall above your head and continue."

Roberta obeyed without asking questions this time. Lifting her hands above her head made her feel even sexier. She remembered those music videos she had watched where the girls shook their sexy butts in front of the cameras and felt like she was one of them – special thanks to the alcohol.

Just like all the other times the stranger approached her, Roberta didn't see him coming. What she felt was the stranger's device penetrating her in places too secret to mention. She felt her walls pulsating from his evasion and while she wanted to protest his lack of subtlety, the rapturous feeling within her kept her from doing so. Nothing she had felt before compared to the undulating waves of pure pleasure floating around her walls.

"Grab me with those walls." He ordered again.

At this point, she confirmed her suspicion. His commanding tone made her purr inside. Mr. Stranger definitely had magic in his wand and it wiped her sorrows away. How could she refuse his request when this was clearly the best she'd ever had? With a naughty part of her lips, she did as she was told. Her reward was a thunderbolt of emotions crashing against her walls like the waves on a beach in high tide every time Mr. Stranger dipped inside. It didn't take long for her to feel the pressure of the incoming rain. She felt weak in the knees and loved every minute of it. When she finally buckled under the pressure, he held her up with strong arms and carried her to the table on the other side of the room. Pushing her on her back, he gently pulled her legs apart with both hands.

"What are you doing?" She asked. "Please, I can't take any more right now."

All it took to change her mind was the seductive way he looked at her. There was no time to ask questions about the methods he employed to explore her body. It was no longer a question of if but a question of when. She even became impatient, unable to wait for the ravishing to repeat itself.

He laughed a throaty laughter when her moans hit the higher decibels.

"I've never felt anything like this before." She managed to say.

"You've never been with anyone like me." He smirked.

He bordered between cocky and confident and at those heights of pleasure, Roberta didn't care which one it really was. She yielded to him and waited while he stroked and teased her until she couldn't take it anymore.

"Please take me." She begged.

He didn't oblige.

"Please, take me now!!!" She screamed.

Her core was threatening to explode as she rode wave after wave of pleasure, never quite getting over the edge. A loud moan escaped her lips when he plunged deep inside her. Still holding her legs wide apart, he moved sensually until he produced an amazing rhythm she could barely resist.

"Derek and his blondie can go to blazes!" She screamed out loud, making the stranger laugh.

It felt like a veil was lifted off her eyes. Derek never made her feel anything close to the way she felt with this stranger. If she were to compare both men, Derek was a joke for third graders. A really bad joke. She couldn't believe it but she was thankful he was gone. Before long, all thoughts of Derek faded away and Roberta was welcomed back into the arms of pleasure. She rode the wave until it erupted in a violent explosion all around them. She breathed deeply and was about to pull her legs together when he placed his finger between them and mimicked the motions of a vibrator. Her entire body trembled from the intensity of passion it was exposed to. Before she could catch herself, she was screaming in gibberish and racing towards the edge.

With her blood pumping and her lungs gasping for air, Roberta thought she saw sharp white fangs extend from what were once the stranger's normal canines. She felt the numbing pain in her neck as those fangs sank deep into her skin and drew blood. As her muscles tensed, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the combination of pain and pleasure. She was sure her mind was playing tricks on her – probably the effects of the alcohol again. She no longer bothered with what was real and what wasn't. Whatever he was using to cause her pain was welcome because she loved it. It felt amazing and she couldn't get enough of it. The rush of excitement sent her over the edge and she was still screaming at the top of her lungs when everything went blank.

Roberta awoke the next morning, wrapped under comfortable sheets in the cozy bed of room 146. A thousand questions whirled around her mind like how much of her experience the previous night was real. She was sure certain parts only happened in her drunken dream but as hard as she tried to push the memory away, she couldn't. Her body yearned for the unexplainable feeling she derived from being with the stranger in her dream. She closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into the sheets. She would deal with her delusions later. For now, she needed to sleep and enjoy the blissful feeling her dream provided.

#  Bella Thomas – Client 316

##  Chapter Two

The stars twinkled along the clear night sky, giving off a great vibe to Bella Thomas, who walked underneath the dark blanket on her way to the best place in the world – church. She'd been a devoted Christian all her life, neither drinking, smoking nor fornicating and saw no reason why anyone would damage their body with such sinful vices. To her, the church was a place to revitalize the soul and that was what made her so happy whenever she was there. As she walked down the street, she thought about the songs to sing at choir practice. She must have been distracted by her concentration on the songs because she didn't see the man in front of her until she'd bumped into him.

"I'm so sorry, sir." She apologized, looking up at the face of the man she'd accidentally hit.

He looked around thirty-five with icy blue eyes which seemed to pull her in ways she dared not entertain. Bella rebuked the stirrings in her heart with a short prayer and tried to turn away from him but something about the way he smiled sent lustful tingles to the lower parts of her and as such, the battle to look away was lost.

"It's fine. You don't have to apologize." The stranger replied.

Bella returned his smile and found herself batting her eyelashes seductively.

"Goodness, Bella! What's gotten into you?"

She couldn't believe herself. Flirting with an actual breathing Homo Sapiens male was unthinkable and yet, she just did it for reasons she couldn't explain.

"Why does he make me want to be naughty?" She questioned herself.

Bella believed the stranger must have read her thoughts because his eyes were locked on her twins when she looked up at him again. She would have chastised him if they didn't respond to him in a way that was filled with shameful lust. This time, she rebuked herself. She knew exactly what this was. Temptation. And she couldn't let it get a hold of her. She knew she had to stop it before it progressed into something worse. She told herself this had nothing to do with the devil. This was her letting herself get pulled in by an older man.

"A hot older man."

She wanted to rebuke herself once more but changed her mind about it. Perhaps if she just accepted the truth instead of denying it, she could overcome the temptation. It was a bad idea. The moment she accepted the fact that he was hot, her nipples grew turgid and pushed against the thin fabric of her chiffon blouse.

"Lord, you have beautiful breasts." The stranger complimented.

"Thank you." She replied, her cheeks flushing red.

The words had left her mouth before she could stop herself and her eyes widened in surprise. It felt like something else had taken over her as she could not imagine thanking someone for making such an unrighteous comment about her assets.

"But is he telling the truth? Are they really beautiful? Why am I blushing?"

The stranger brushed the back of his hand against her chest and Bella gasped from shock. She was thankful he couldn't read her thoughts because she would have been so embarrassed if he knew she also gasped from pleasure.

"Who touches the nipples of a stranger on the street?"

Bella turned around to survey her surroundings and was happy no one was looking. She looked back at the stranger and wondered why she hadn't yelled at him for doing something so inappropriate yet.

"Perhaps it was because I enjoyed it. No! I didn't. It was the most sinful thing in the world!"

Bella knew she was over reacting. Yes, the stranger's action was sinful but it wasn't the most sinful thing in the world. This was what she hated most about sin. It lured a person in slowly until they were totally consumed by it. She resolved within herself not to let that happen to her.

"You crossed the line, Mister!" She snapped.

"Why is my head screaming at me to shut up? It must be the devil. I must fight against his antics."

The middle aged man smiled unapologetically.

"There's a new place in town where all your desires can become a reality. You'll be free to explore pleasures you never knew existed. No one will ever know. This place is private and exclusive, just perfect for a girl like you. I see it in your eyes. I know what you hide behind that innocent look. I know what you do when you think no one's watching. Let it out. Be finally free."

Bella couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. How could he say such things when he barely knew her? She felt like he saw right through her soul and casually explored the dark cravings she had tried to hide her entire life.

"How do you know the things you speak of?" She asked in confusion.

"I hear nothing's hidden under the sun." He smiled. "Come over to the VB just outside the city. Turn off at the St. Peter's road exit and make your way into the woods off Harbor highway. A green sign will lead you to the entrance. I'll be waiting for you."

Bella watched the stranger walk away. She hated the confidence with which he spoke, like he was so sure she was going to be there. She wanted to despise how cocky he was but even the word 'cocky' made her think of a part of his body she wouldn't dare say out loud. She dismissed the thought, telling herself it was a device of the devil to stop her from going to church for practice.

"Good try, crafty one but guess what? I won. I'll never go anywhere near that place in the woods."

Bella wanted to continue on her path to church but found herself walking in the opposite direction. Her actions made no sense to her but she found herself unable to backtrack. What was it about this stranger really? Was her curiosity getting the best of her and making her do stupid things? She questioned his words as she got off Harbor highway. She wondered how he knew the truth about her as she walked into the woods at the green sign. There were things she did when she believed no one was looking – like deliberately going to church without her bra so Michael Connor, the pianist could look freely at her assets.

"But there's no way he could have known. I never told anyone."

Bella convinced herself she was only going into the woods to ask questions. She needed to know exactly what he meant by the things he said. If he indeed knew her inner thoughts, she wanted to know how. She was determined to get her answers and leave right after. She would never risk losing her virginity to a stranger after keeping it for twenty years of her life.

Bella spotted the mansion in the distance and wondered why anyone would hide such a beautiful place in the woods. She also questioned why there were so many bats flying off the walkway but brushed it off because she believed finding bats in the woods was normal.

When she got into the mansion, she described the stranger who invited her to the receptionist who handed her a key card with the number 316 and directed her to a room upstairs. She was impressed with the beautiful works of art hanging from the walls as well as the tastefully designed interior.

The door to the room opened and the sexiest girl Bella had ever seen walked in. She was wearing a black corset above black G-string panties, paired with a black hose and matching black heels. The gentle sway of her hips complimented her sultry attire and produced an unholy feeling within Bella which forced her to bite her bottom lip.

"Are you here to see Reggie?" The sexy girl asked.

Bella really didn't know what the guy's name was but since she had already described him to the receptionist downstairs, she assumed it was Reggie.

"Um... Yes... I need to ask him some questions." She stuttered.

The girl walked up to Bella and traced a line up her arm with the tip of her fingernail. It made the hairs at the back of Bella's neck stand up. When the girl grabbed and squeezed her assets from behind, Bella's eyes grew wide.

"Um..."

She was about to say something in protest but the girl stopped her by coming around, pulling the string behind her corset and letting Bella watch it fall to the ground. A lump formed in Bella's throat as she stared at the most beautifully rounded pair of double Ds she'd ever seen in her life. She wasn't sure if it was the velvety skin that covered them that made them look so succulent. Every fiber in her being pushed her to place her tongue on them and suck as hard she could. As if on a program, all the defenses she had against such a sinful act fell like a pack of cards.

"I shouldn't have come to this house of temptation."

"Don't worry. It won't count as sin since you're not actually going to make love to me." The girl whispered.

A million questions swirled around in Bella's head – like how the girl knew her thoughts, why her assets looked so succulent and how she managed to stir such passion in her core. Bella closed her eyes and strengthened her resolve.

"I have to leave this place immediately!"

Bella was sure there was a disconnect between her brain and her muscles. Her mind screamed at her to leave but her hands grabbed the double Ds in front of her. She squeezed and sucked on them hungrily while mentally kicking herself for falling from grace. Her self-chastisement didn't last long as the girl pushed her against the bed such that she laid on her back. She pulled her legs apart and blew Bella's mind away with the actions of her tongue, forcing gasps and moans to escape Bella's lips. She had never felt anything like that before. Several charged ions bounced excitedly around her core, resulting in a wave of pleasure that ran all the way to the tip of her toes.

"Holy crap!" She screamed out loud when the pleasure became too intense.

"There's nothing holy about crap." The girl seemed to mock her.

Like she knew Bella was about to condemn her mocking statement, she intensified the movement of her tongue, delivering mild and decisive strokes at an impossible speed. She went for all her pleasure spots like she had a map of Bella's core. The bursts of pleasure Bella felt were almost impossible to believe and she found herself saying she would never give it up for all the righteousness in the world.

"No, Bella. Don't blaspheme. You'll give this up and ask for forgiveness."

Just when she thought she had gotten to the peak of pleasure, Bella felt the girl's index finger slide into her other opening to the world.

"Holy smokes!" She gasped.

"There's nothing holy..."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." Bella apologized.

The girl's actions drove Bella over the edge and before long, she experienced what she believed to be the most intense, mind blowing orgasm in the world. Her legs quivered uncontrollably just as the flood gates opened. Bella's hips dropped to the bed as several satisfied gasps escaped her lips.

"I'll tell Reggie you're here to see him."

The girl smiled and stepped away from the bed. As she walked out of the room, Bella believed her sexual orientation had changed. She was no longer interested in seeing Reggie for the questions that brought her to the woods. Her mind was wrapped around the girl and the magic her tongue produced.

It had happened before the event registered in Bella's brain. The girl she watched walk out of the room showed up behind her and pushed her head sideways to expose her neck. The push was followed immediately by the sharp pain of fangs sinking into her flesh. Bella screamed but it was of no consequence. The girl bit deeper into her, draining out large volumes of blood from the injury. It only took a few moments for Bella to move from feeling excruciating pain to feeling nothing.

When Bella woke up the next morning, she was tucked underneath comfortable sheets, with scattered memories of the events from the night before. While she couldn't remember everything, the few clear parts were enough to decide her fate going forward. Her situation reminded her of Eve. She had tasted the forbidden fruit and could not go back. She loved it, craved it and yearned for it. Her memories felt too real to have been a dream and she silently resolved to sneak back to the woods every now and then. Just like the stranger said when he made her the proposition, all she needed to do was to make sure no one ever got to know.

#  Aaron Regent – Client 031

##  Chapter Three

Hard guys don't beg chicks.

That was a saying Aaron Regent memorized as a teenager, after he got his heart crushed by the very first love of his life. While he found the experience ironic, it taught him a vital lesson. He had to be in control of his emotions at all times. No girl was worth falling for and they certainly didn't deserve to have him exclusively.

When he grew older and realized girls loved bad boys, he discovered he was in business! The Casanova Aaron was born and he never went away again – not like Aaron wanted him to go away though. He found getting stuck with one girl for the rest of his life ridiculous. The more he acted like he didn't care, the more ladies flocked to him and he didn't waste his opportunities. He bedded every one that came his way and loved it... but that was until he saw her. He never remained the same after that.

He was at the bar with a few friends when the goddess walked in. It wasn't just her beauty that got him. Apart from the edginess he sensed, his curious side was drawn to the mystery lurking behind her icy blue eyes. Seeing her walk past without acknowledging him made her an instant target for a hunt. Aaron imagined himself bending her over and not being gentle. He thought about the throes of pleasure he would derive when her full red lips wrapped around his ego and that fueled his eagerness to complete his mission.

When his friends teased him about the bulge in his pants, he almost fainted from embarrassment. He hadn't realized his mental images were producing physical results and the only way he knew to make up for the smack to his ego was to conquer her. The moment he pictured her screaming his name in ecstasy, he sprang into action.

"She's a woman and that makes her fair game."

Aaron walked up to the dark corner of the bar where she blended in with the darkness and sipped red wine from a glass. Her eyes occasionally darted towards him but she pulled them away with a smirk like she was playing a baiting game. Aaron loved games but he loved winning even more. As such, he was pumped up and ready to go. In his eyes she had already been conquered. He just needed to move the chess pieces around to claim his prize.

He slid into the chair opposite her and they locked stares for a brief moment. Everything he planned to say evaporated like vapor from boiling water as a strong wave of lustful passion rose within his manly pride. He managed to drag his eyes away in a desperate attempt to regain his composure. His unruly member bulged and throbbed against his pants like he was having an orgasm. He couldn't imagine how he could be so affected from a simple stare. Surely there was something special about this goddess and he couldn't wait to explore her special places. He had to show her who the boss in this game was.

"You look lovely this evening?" He complimented.

When she smiled in reply, his already unruly member rose and fell in quick motions.

"This girl will be the death of me."

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. "Do you mind if I buy you a drink?"

She raised her eyebrow and studied him while tracing her finger around the rim of her wine glass. "I already have a drink."

Aaron found himself offering her another drink which she turned down. All the while, his mind was wrapped around the tightness of her intrinsic walls.

"I take it you're waiting for someone then."

The goddess rolled her eyes and made to leave. In an act of desperation, he caught her by the arm. "Wait... Can I have your number?"

She lifted her eyelids seductively, sending his masculine hormones into a frenzy. "I already dropped something better."

As she walked away, Aaron noticed a small piece of paper on the table which contained directions to a place just off Harbor Highway. He gave himself a mental pat on the shoulder.

"Score!"

He waved the paper to his friends with a satisfied grin before walking out of the bar. It was a quarter past eight pm when Aaron stepped into the woods at the green sign. The sky was lit with a full moon which was essential for navigating his way through the line of trees and snow. After about five minutes, he spotted the massive castle-like structure up ahead and gave himself a proud smile.

"I made a rich pick. Who knows? She might be the daughter of a political figure and I can blackmail her with photos of our steamy session tonight."

There was something about landing a girl with money that took Aaron to heights of elation. He found them naughtier and nastier – all the spicy things he enjoyed. Knowing his conquest for the night fell into this category heightened his arousal and he doubled his steps towards the front door of the mansion.

A flock of bats flew out of the darkness, startling him. They flapped their wings in his face, sank their teeth into his skin and clawed him with their feet. The fact that he didn't see them before scared the hell out of him and by the time they flew past, he had several scratches which bled all over his body.

He sighed in frustration. "Stupid bats!"

He had no clue how Batman did it with those creatures. Not only were they annoying and scary, they were also stupid. All sensible creatures knew not to beat up a Casanova's face when he was out for a night of conquest.

The brain in Aaron's head thought about going back home and returning at a later date. Unfortunately, the brain between his legs was the prevalent one at the time and it told him it was a good idea to go straight in. He was too close to the prize to retreat especially since hard guys never backed down.

Aaron found the front door and walked towards the receptionist. The teenage-looking girl's head shot up so fast, it made him jump. He saw no reason for her shock and wondered if she was doing something illegal at her desk. He noticed her discomfort increased as he closed the distance between them and her eyes were fixed on the blood oozing out of his numerous injuries. He figured he had freaked her out by showing up all bloodied and made an attempt to explain.

"I was attacked by bats outside."

The girl swallowed hard, her gaze unwavering.

"How... how may I help you?" She stammered.

Aaron raised his eyebrow. Her question was appropriate but the way she acted unsettled him. He watched as she got up from her chair and sank her nails into the wooden desk in front of her like she was restraining herself from doing something she desperately needed.

"Is she hemophobic?"

Aaron had heard about people with the extreme fear of blood but had never met anyone with the condition. He knew he should have gone home to clean up but that might have cost him the prize which was something he wasn't willing to lose.

"Why leave when I can clean up in the stupid Barbie's bathroom?"

He was about explain his reason for being there when the freakiest thing happened. The receptionist rushed towards him like she had lost some kind of inner battle. She was so fast he barely caught the movement.

"Delia, this one's mine."

A feminine voice interrupted the receptionist who stopped inches away from him. His eyes widened in disbelief as his gaze moved from the person who spoke to the freaky receptionist. He recognized the other person as the sexy girl from the bar. She had ditched her long red dress for black tights paired with black turtle neck long sleeves.

"What the hell just happened?" He asked.

"Delia has a morbid fear of blood." The girl from the bar replied with a smile.

There was something about her eyes that compelled Aaron to believe her.

"Why don't we step outside so Delia can recover?"

Aaron looked around skeptically as she led him out the front door. Taking several deep breaths, he dismissed his fear because bravery would better aid his bad boy persona. Aaron followed the goddess to a different wing of the castle-like building. He believed she chose to walk in front of him on purpose as the view from behind was disorienting. The sensual sway of her hips forced his blood to rush between his legs, toughening the member within seconds. She turned around to face him, just like a puppet master pulling the strings of his arousal.

"I was going to get you cleaned up but on second thought, I believe we should go into the woods."

The pout on her full red lips increased the turgidity of his member and all he could think of was earning his release. They walked for a while before she turned around sharply. His pants were puddled on the floor around his legs before he could register her movement. He expressed his surprise in a husky whisper. "That was fast."

His eyes fell on her mountainous assets which hung deliciously in front of his face. They begged him to lose himself in them and he was happy to oblige. The minute he reached for them, he realized they were no longer there. He couldn't hide his surprise when he noticed the girl behind him. Every question he might have asked disappeared at the sight of her glorious birthday suit which glistened in the moonlight. He was going to explode if he didn't take her there and then – and he did.

His eyelids slid shut in pleasure as he welcomed her fleshy mounds with a grateful tongue. For a moment, he felt the lightheadedness of travelling too fast and flung his eyelids open. Nothing was different as he found himself on the same spot. He attributed his feeling to the rush of excitement he got from the moment and continued his blissful exploration. He was going to complain when she pulled away but she dropped to her knees and took all of him into her mouth. That was enough to silence his protest. In that moment, he believed he was having an out of body experience. The pleasure she produced from her gliding and massaging actions was too much to be real. His member grew so big he was scared it would explode on him. But he didn't want her to stop. He clenched his fingers into fists in a futile attempt to keep the passion in and while his brain told him he was doing a great job, he heard his voice screaming into the night.

The explosion came when she spun him around and wrapped her legs around his waist. He felt himself sinking into a warm, fleshy haven and his screams increased. He couldn't control the pleasure welling up inside him. Her hips moved like they were attached to elastic strings. She bounced on him until he believed his brain stopped functioning. She ran her fingers through his hair and continued the joyous ride, all the while keeping him in place. She tightened her grip on his member and that was all it took. He belted syllables of languages he had never heard while spilling torrential loads of his special goods all over her interior. With his load still spilling and his blood pumping forcefully, Aaron held on to her and closed his eyes while waiting for the last of his goodness to exit his member. His bliss was rudely interrupted by a sharp pain in his neck and while he was still screaming out loud, it was no longer from pleasure.

"Wait. No... She's a Vam..."

Aaron's thoughts ended right there because the world around him darkened and his body grew limp in her arms. She let him fall to the forest floor with a thud, not bothering to cast him a second glance at him before disappearing into the night.

#  Alexa Baron – Client 006

##  Chapter Four

Alexa Baron stepped on the gas of her black Nissan Maxima and raced through the pitch black night. Tears flooded her eyes, blurring her vision as her tires tore through the asphalt. She couldn't believe what had just happened but she knew she had to stay alive. She had to survive, no matter what. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and drove even faster. Regardless of the emotional hurt and physical pain, Alexa was determined to get away from him... from it. Her hand instinctively went up to her neck to feel the extent of damage. The attack had happened too fast for her to properly assess the damage at the time, considering herself lucky to have gotten away in the first place.

She flinched from pain as her fingers grazed the raw flesh on her neck. They were immediately soaked with blood... her blood. She pushed the violent images from the attack to the back of her mind as time was of the essence. She needed to get to a hospital as quickly as possible if she had any chance of survival. She was still driving at top speed when she saw it standing in the middle of the road, waiting for her to either stop or run it over. There was no time to think. Her car raced forward at maximum speed and all she could do was brace herself for the impact. Out of the blue, someone else appeared. He moved with the same inhuman speed the man she knew as Duncan used when he attacked her moments earlier. She saw the other man push Duncan out of the way just in time for her car to speed through unscathed. Her relief lasted for a brief moment as she was now faced with the issue of hanging on for dear life. Her strength ebbed away with the blood that flowed out of her, resulting in the blurring of her vision. She focused all her energy into keeping her eyes open but it was futile. The excessive blood loss forced her body into shutdown mode and her hands fell off the wheels. Her Nissan Maxima veered into the woods, its forward momentum stopped abruptly by an erect tree trunk. The crash was fatal. Her mangled body spun around with the crumpled metal that was once her most precious possession. Alexa Baron was dead... and that was the beginning of her life.

She awoke with a start, heaving and gasping as her lungs drew in the much needed Oxygen. Her neck which was bent at an unnatural angle snapped itself back into place, as did the rest of her body. She kicked the windshield off her overturned car to escape the carnage and shocked even herself with the result. The entire front section of her Nissan Maxima flew off like a piece of paper blown off by the wind. Alexa exited the car and observed the wreckage. Her hands instinctively surveyed the rest of her body for injuries, only to find nothing. She hadn't sustained as much as a scratch.

"That's weird."

There was too much blood around the car for her to have made it out unscathed. She wondered who else the blood could belong to but remembered she was alone in the car at the time of the crash.

"Am I a ghost now?"

Alexa knew the thought though morbid, was valid. If she was a ghost now, then her body should still be in the wreckage, dead. She decided to do a quick search before making any conclusions. The first crazy thing happened when she got close to the blood around the car. It smelled like cold strawberry ice cream served soft on a hot summer afternoon and pulled her to itself like she was some kind of addict. By the time she caught herself, she had her knees on the ground with all five fingers of her right hand dipped into the blood soaked debris.

Alexa jumped to her feet and took a few steps away from the blood. "What the hell?"

The farther away she went, the more intense her craving became. Her throat felt dry and parched, like she'd been walking under the blazing desert sun. She desperately needed water and that was when the second crazy thing happened. The blood behind her morphed into a spring of fresh water, pulling her to itself.

"Something's definitely up with me."

Alexa ignored the feeling of emptiness and focused on her biggest worry – finding water. She felt like she couldn't go on for much longer without it and ran across the woods in search of a way out.

"Alexa." A voice called softly and she turned sharply in the direction of the sound.

All around her were tree trunks and no sign of another human being. Still, something pulled her in the direction of the voice.

"Who's there?"

Her question was met with silence. She shook her head and turned in the other direction, believing her recent trauma was forcing her to hear things. She had taken just a few footsteps when she noticed the movement around her. It was too fast for her to fully grasp but it was there. A middle aged man with icy blue eyes soon appeared, handing her a bottle of red raspberry juice. Under normal circumstances she would have asked questions like how he got there, who he was or how he knew she was thirsty, but there was nothing normal about the circumstance she found herself. Her throat was threatening to catch fire from dryness and her entire body felt like it would collapse without the drink. She was so thirsty she could smell the raspberry juice from within the bottle. Without giving it too much thought, she snatched the bottle from the man and gulped its contents down.

"What the hell?"

She cast the man an incredulous glance before shifting her gaze to the bottle in her hand. What she smelled was raspberry juice but what she tasted was completely different. It was blood, but not the way she knew it. It tasted cool, refreshing and delicious. Something about drinking it made her feel so good. It was like an instant addiction and she needed a whole lot more.

Alexa took another gulp of the delicious blood-tasting raspberry juice. She would ask the questions later. For now, her primal need was to satiate her thirst and that was exactly what she did. She tossed the empty bottle to the ground and looked back at the man with blue eyes. He smiled warmly before speaking. "It's okay to fall asleep. You'll be safe with me."

Alexa wondered why he believed she would want to go to sleep in the middle of the woods. She was going to ask what he meant by his statement when the sleep wave hit her.

"There's no way I can suddenly feel so sleepy."

She looked at the mystery man again and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could get the first word of her question out, her grasp on reality gave way, forcing her body into the deepest slumber she had ever experienced.

When Alexa woke up, she was tucked underneath comfortable sheets, on an even more comfortable bed. She immediately noticed the difference in her body. Everything felt different, like she was more alive. At first, it was a little creepy. She usually stretched when she woke up in the morning. Today, she felt just fine without stretching, just like her muscles and bones were perfectly in place.

The strange thoughts and sounds that flooded her senses forced her attention away from the way she felt. She was more concerned about the creepy, arousing thoughts in her head. They felt like hers but she knew they weren't and the situation confused her even more.

"I'm going to suck on Ben so hard he'll be pleading to put a ring on my finger."

Alexa had never met anyone named Ben. She didn't even have the time to dwell on the mystery Ben because other equally creepy thoughts surfaced in her mind.

"Tonight, I'll bend Beverly over and hit it till it's raw."

Alexa was confused. What in the world would make her want to hit it till it's raw? Hearing the door open was a welcome distraction. It silenced the thoughts in her head and revealed the handsome features of a blue eyed stranger.

"Good morning, Lexa." He greeted.

"Good morning. Um... I know how crazy this is going to sound, but I don't remember how I got here."

The middle aged man smiled before speaking again.

"I know. You'll have to feed some more to gain access to your memories." He handed her a bottle of fresh raspberry juice. "Here."

The fangs of hunger sank into Alexa's stomach the minute she set her eyes on the bottle. It looked so appealing she didn't know when she jumped off the bed and grabbed it from the stranger. In less than a second, the cap was off the bottle and she was gulping the red content with delight but the more she drank, the more she wanted... yearned for more.

The middle aged man seemed to understand her plight because he handed her another bottle of juice. She made to snatch it like she did the first, but he took it out of her reach at the last minute.

"You'll need to learn how to control your craving. We won't survive under cover for long if you keep drinking like that." He explained.

Alexa heard his words but his message failed to register in her brain. Her focus was on getting the bottle and drinking the juice she craved. Regardless of how hard she tried, the stranger still managed to get it out of her reach at the last minute.

"How does he do that so fast?"

"Sit, Lexa." He ordered.

"My name is Ah-lexa and I want the bottle!" She snapped.

She had no idea why she was so furious over a bottle of raspberry juice but in that moment, keeping it away from her irked her.

"You don't want me to make you sit." He warned.

The stranger's tone was calmer now but something inside Alexa told her whatever he planned on doing to make her sit was not going to be pleasant. She didn't question her gut feeling and did as she was told.

"Now, that's a good start." He smiled.

It was a very bad start for Alexa. She didn't want to sit but there she was, sitting because a stranger asked her to. Her entire being craved the bottle of raspberry juice and she couldn't get it – again, because Mr. Stranger said so. She was so pissed but decided to adopt a subtler approach.

"If trying to bully my way to the bottle didn't work, a little charming smile should do the trick."

"What's your name?" She asked, seductively lowering her eyelashes and flashing him a smile.

The mysterious man laughed. "A little charming smile will not do the trick in this case."

Alexa almost jumped out of her skin. She could have sworn she didn't say the words out loud. There was no way he could have heard what she was thinking. Or was there?

"Now that I have your attention, let us begin."

Alexa stared at him like a defeated puppy, waiting to for her master to decide her fate. He chose to ask the most uncomfortable question ever. "How are you handling the thoughts?"

"He knows about my thoughts?"

Alexa was overcome with embarrassment. With his last comment on her 'charming little smile' thought, she had no doubt he knew more than he should. It didn't make it any easier to know someone knew about those sensual thoughts.

"The thoughts are confusing. I don't think I'm handling them at the moment. They're just floating around." She replied.

"The first thing you need to know is that they aren't your thoughts. I'm going to teach you how to harness those thoughts to suit our purpose." The stranger explained.

"What do you mean?" Alexa asked. "How can I have thoughts that aren't mine? You said 'harness the thoughts to suit our purpose'. Who are we?"

"We're vampires." The stranger replied.

"Vampires!"

Alexa repeated the word like it was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. She let out a throaty laughter but stopped when she realized she was the only one laughing.

"Are you saying you're a vampire and I'm a vampire too?"

It should have been obvious from his statement but she couldn't accept something so ludicrous.

"Yes." The stranger replied.

"It can't be true."

"It's normal for new vamps to feel this way." He replied.

"Vamps! They have a cool term for it too? This is insane."

"This is reality, not insanity." He explained.

His response this time didn't come as much of a surprise. He had done it a couple of times now and while she found it creepy, she couldn't dwell on it. She had too much to deal with at the moment – including the dirty, erotic thoughts of 'nobody-knows-who' and her insatiable desire for raspberry juice. There was silence in the room for a few more seconds before the middle aged vampire spoke again.

"There are several theories about vampires going around the human community. This usually influences the way new vamps think when they are turned. They expect to feel or behave a certain way but as time passes, they realize not all the fables have truth to them." He explained.

"So what's real?"

"Once you awake from the immersion slumber – which is what the sleep of death is called in our circle – you won't remember anything leading to your death. Those memories will come to you after a few generic meals, which is what the blood is called. Whether or not you will eventually remember the identity of the vamp who turned you is up to them. You will, only if they want you to."

"Only if they want me to? I need to know who turned me into this... this... I don't even know what to call myself anymore." She broke down and cried.

The stranger pulled her into his arms and consoled her. "Things have been this way since the beginning of time. New vamps need time to accept who they are before the memories come flooding in. Once you get the clarity the turning process gives, you'll realize it's great to be a vamp."

The best part of his little speech was the part where he handed her the raspberry juice. She closed her eyes and savored the satisfying liquid. Once she finished her drink, she fell into a deep sleep filled with memories... hers, and a sea of people she had never met in her life.

Alexa woke up one more time, but as a completely different person. Her eyes landed on the form of the middle aged vampire who had rescued her from the woods. He greeted her with a warm smile. "Your transformation is complete."

"Did you sit here the entire time?" She asked.

He nodded. "I see you're a lot calmer towards me now. You must have recollected your final mortal moments."

"You were there." Alexa stated.

It was more of a statement than a question. She knew who he was now – Dmitri. He had saved her from the other vampire whose intention was to drink her blood and let her die. She had also realized that her escape from the vampire was not real. He let her go for the fun of hunting her down.

"Who is he?" She asked.

"His name is Duncan. It's very typical of him to leave his identity in the shadows. He enjoys the mystery." Dmitri explained.

"Is he here?" She asked.

"No he isn't. He's a lone rider. One who doesn't care about the trouble he brings the rest of the clan." Dmitri replied. "Let's forget about him for now. You have a lot to learn."

This time, Alexa listened intently. While a lot had been revealed in her sleep, there were still so many gray areas she wished to understand.

"In all your dealings as a vampire, you must remember the hunters." He started.

"The hunters?" She asked, unsure if she actually heard him right.

"Yes. They've been the bane of our existence for a long time, coming up with ingenious new ways of eliminating us every now and then. While we need to feed to stay alive, we need to do so in a way that keeps us off their radars. Uncontrolled feeding produces a trail of human bodies which leads the hunters straight to us and we don't want that. Real life hunters are very different from the stories you've heard or the movies you've seen. They are not only brutal, but work with sophisticated weapons, and spells that keep us locked down while they drive their murderous stakes through our hearts. Believe me when I tell you this. A stake through the heart is the most excruciating death any vampire can experience."

Alexa cringed from her mental picture of his words. She didn't exactly love being a vampire but she loved being alive. Dying so horribly once was bad enough. She didn't want it to repeat itself at the hands of the hunters.

"As the hunters evolved, so did we. Our current survival strategy involves feeding off humans without leaving traces. Besides, blood tastes better when the human offers it willingly." Dmitri continued.

With her new knowledge, Alexa understood the seriousness of the situation but it didn't make it any less weird to refer to other people as 'the humans'. Seventy-two hours ago, she was 'the human'.

Dmitri didn't comment on her latest thought and chose to proceed instead. "We currently run an efficient system of getting human blood discretely while ensuring they get their desired benefits. It's a win – win situation for both parties."

Alexa still didn't understand his explanation.

"Humans have always been sexually curious. They've searched for the pleasures of desire in even the darkest places. What we do here is simple. We fulfil that desire and the human in turn, offers their blood – well, maybe not the first time but every other time after that." He explained. "When a vampire has sexual relations with a human, a bond is created which pulls that human back to their vampire partner. That blood is strong enough to make them return, even when they know they'll be giving their blood in exchange for the satisfaction they seek. This provides a steady supply of food for us while keeping the hunters away."

"So, it's make love and feed." Alexa summarized.

Dmitri smiled.

"That pretty much sums it up. Vampires have very strong sexual energies which get attracted to other free flowing sexual energies in the atmosphere. When humans get aroused, they harbor naughty thoughts. These thoughts flow straight to creatures with high sexual affinity – like us. We harness the thoughts and locate the human owners. Because they're already aroused, a little persuasion is all we need to bring them here. Once they experience the pleasures we give, we own them. They'll always come back thinking it's their decision when in reality, it's the bond we created pulling them to us. Are things getting clearer now?"

Alexa nodded. It sounded like a simple strategy. "How do you avoid conflicts? Like when two Vamps go after the same human?"

Dmitri smiled.

"Vampires live by a simple code of respect. Every vamp who targets a human leaves a mark. It's like an innate feeling to other vamps. Once a human has been marked, other vamps stay away."

"This is crazy. The fact that I'm a vampire now means I need blood to stay alive. Do I have to target humans too?"

"Eventually. But for now, let's take it one step at a time. You need to learn the ropes and I'm here to teach you." He smiled.

#  Eric Romanoff – Client 026

##  Chapter Five

"Run, Eric. Run!!!"

Eric Romanoff awoke with a start, panting and taking quick glances around his master sized bedroom. The voice he heard in his dream was clear and distinct, almost frightening him out of his skin. Cold sweat dripped down his back as he recollected the events from the nightmare that plagued him day and night.

"Is everything alright, honey?" The slim blonde girl lying beside him asked.

He knew his startled rise must have awakened her and should have offered an explanation but he didn't see a need to. She was supposed to offer him distraction from his demons – a task she failed miserably at. Regardless of her presence in the room, his mind was still wrapped around the event.

"Get out!" He snapped.

The girl scampered out of the bedroom, muttering curses as she did. Eric didn't care. He buried his face in his palms and breathed deeply. He was on the verge of losing everything he worked so hard to achieve and at that point, preserving his sanity was a lot more important to him than the feelings of a girl he picked up for the night.

"Is everything alright, boss?"

Eric lifted his head at the sound of his personal assistant's voice. He watched him walk through the door the blonde girl left open. If he wasn't expecting important updates on three cities, Eric would have sent him out as well but his ability to prove he had everything under control was even more important than actually having everything under control.

"Yeah. How're we doing on the storefront?"

"The shipment was successful in Florida and Michigan. Dollar bills are seated in the bank." Dwayne, his assistant replied.

"And DC?" Eric asked, rubbing his eyes.

"DC's pending. The boys ran into an unexpected issue with the Feds. They're lying low at the moment. I'll update you again once the status changes." Dwayne replied. "Away from business, Boss. You look like you haven't closed your eyes in days. Didn't the blonde do a good job with putting you to sleep?"

Eric wanted to lie but thought better of it. Dwayne was no idiot. Once he latched onto something, he pursued it until the end. That was the main reason Eric took him under his wings after his not so pleasant takeover of the underground drug ring.

"She didn't. I need something better. Something... different. These girls do nothing to distract me. I need to be distracted from myself."

Eric stopped talking at this point. He didn't want to appear crazy. Dwayne hadn't done anything to make him question his loyalty but in the business they found themselves, complete trust was something they couldn't give freely. His best friend, Rupee had made that mistake and it had cost him his life. Eric knew the way things worked around them. It was best not to expose certain secrets. They lived in a dangerous world and any sign of weakness was an opportunity for a takeover by a young blood looking to prove himself within the circle.

"Hmm." Dwayne placed a finger on his chin for a few minutes.

"What?" Eric asked. "I know that look."

"There's a place I heard about in the underground. It's for prime members only though." Dwayne replied.

Dwayne knew Eric didn't like half info. If someone initiated a conversation with him, he expected them to finish it. He knew pulling Eric in with his little snippets would make him more willing to offer a price for the information and Dwayne was all about the money.

"Okay. Fine. What do you want in exchange for this very valuable piece of information?" Eric asked, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

"My own prime membership." Dwayne grinned.

Eric looked at him again, but with heightened curiosity this time. Whatever this place was, it had to be good for Dwayne to ask for it in exchange for his information.

"Deal. Just make sure it's worth my time." Eric smiled.

"I hear the place is a harbor for anything and everything pleasurable. Whatever your desires are will be fulfilled, and you don't even need to ask. Somehow, they know what you want and they give it to you exactly how you want it." Dwayne chirped on.

Eric laughed. It was true he looked like a mess but he didn't think it was bad enough for Dwayne to lie and patronize him.

"Come on. There's no way they'll know what I want."

"I hear they're legit, boss." Dwayne pressed on.

Eric was still skeptical. "Have you checked them out?"

"That's the thing, boss. I can't! It's members only."

"So how do new members sign up if no one can check them out?"

Dwayne looked at him and smiled.

"You just need to wish it and a scout will approach you."

Eric raised his eyebrow for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Here I was thinking I was losing my mind. Dwayne clearly lost his centuries ago."

"How many places have you wished to go and a scout approached you?" Eric asked.

"None, but that's the way this place works."

"Do you know how insane you sound?" Eric couldn't help asking.

Dwayne's reply was simple. "Do you want to bet on it?"

Now, betting was one thing Eric couldn't resist. Not only was it synonymous with the underworld, he loved to bet. He'd bet thousands of dollars in the past on things with just his gut feeling to go on. This one was a sure winner. There was no way any scout would know his desires.

"How about we actually do that? Just to humor you, whoever loses will pay for the winner's prime membership at this place you speak of."

"Deal."

Dwayne was so eager to accept, forcing Eric to give it a second thought.

"How can he be so sure he'll win when he's never even seen the place?"

Eric knew it was normal for people to bet and lose. He concluded Dwayne was just being foolhardy and decided to let him have his day.

"Think about it and wish you were there." Dwayne mouthed, making a funny face.

Eric laughed as Dwayne walked out of his bedroom. The idea of a place from one's wishes made no sense. Even if he decided to think about this place, he had no name to go on so there was no way a scout would know what place he was referencing.

"At least he distracted me from Rupee."

Eric got up and walked into the bathroom. He was done trying to rest when it was never going to happen. He had a business to run which was the reason I did it all in the first place. It was in his best interest to deal with that and forget about his demons.

Eric arrived at his underground warehouse, some minutes past noon and began his routine checks. Every now and then, he stopped to laugh at the ridiculous sentence looping in his head.

"I wish to go to Dwayne's mystery place in the woods."

As unbelievable as it was, Eric had spent his entire morning thinking about it. If he wanted to be honest, Dwayne had delivered on his promise. What he said he wanted was a distraction and this mystery place certainly helped.

Dwayne took stock of his staff and the magic, which was the code name for the coke at the base. It protected their operations from getting detected by law enforcement. A brilliant idea by the ring's former boss, Rupee.

Rupee!

Eric didn't want to think about him. His time on earth and at the base was over. Instead of resting in peace, Rupee stuck around to haunt Eric. He didn't quite get why. Takeovers happened all the time and people got hurt in the process. Rupee knew the dangers of the underworld before he got in. Eric had taken just about enough of his guilt game and needed to get out of it somehow... anyhow.

"Dwayne's mystery place in the woods."

It was a laughter bank. Eric couldn't quite explain it but it worked with his stress. He decided to think about it every time Rupee popped up in his head to save himself from the haunting images of Rupee's body falling to the ground after getting ridden with bullets from Eric's gun.

Eric concluded his routine checks and went to his private office within the base. The update on the DC case came by 4 pm. One of his scouts had led the Feds on a wild goose chase somewhere at the other end of town, allowing them offload the magic without hiccups. Eric loved it when things went smoothly. It meant he could take some time to celebrate. In his usual style, he invited everyone at the base to the club they frequented for celebrations. They had worked hard. It was time to party. Besides, watching everyone else having fun was a good way to distract himself from his inner demons.

The team arrived at the club by 11 pm and Eric went straight to the VIP section. He already handed out tips to everyone before leaving the warehouse to enable them make their own purchases. Spending large amounts of money in clubs was a red flag that alerted the Feds and Eric didn't want them on his trail. It was a survival strategy that ensured everyone had fun while living to party another day.

Eric sat in a corner and watched the guys dance with ladies who threw themselves willingly at them. To relax, he sipped on a cocktail... okay maybe two or three.

"Excuse me, do you mind if I sit with you?"

Eric looked up and saw the most charming facial features he had ever laid eyes on. He had no idea where the man came from, but that was probably because he was distracted by his thoughts. The stranger's blue eyes seemed to peer into his soul, and Eric felt naked before him – uncomfortably so.

"Um...yeah...sit." He stuttered.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Eric asked, struggling to maintain his tough outlook.

It was a façade and the stranger knew it. His smile said it all. He looked at Eric like he knew his deepest secrets – and for some reason, that turned him on.

The stranger touched the back of Eric's palm lightly, sending overwhelming sensations down to his member. Eric pulled his hand away instantly, not wanting the stranger or anyone else to know the effect he had on him.

"It's okay. You don't have to pretend with me. Your secret's safe." The stranger whispered.

Eric blinked rapidly, as if trying to ascertain whether or not the man in front of him was real. He believed he had done a good job showing everyone he was straight. Absolutely no one knew he was truly gay and somehow, this stranger knew to approach him. He wanted to ask what secret the stranger was referring to but something told him he didn't want to know the answer. Besides, making him say it out loud would be risky. Anyone could overhear him. The underworld considered gay guys to be wimps and Eric certainly didn't want to be seen that way by his crew. That was sure to produce unnecessary takeover attempts from rivals and insiders alike. Eric decided to listen on, perhaps he could learn enough about the guy to decipher why he was so attracted to him.

"Is he from a rival circle? Has someone found out about my true sexuality? But how? I go to bed with a girl as often as I can manage."

"I'm only here to make your deepest desires come true. You don't have to live in the shadows all by yourself. You don't need anyone knowing about this either. I'm offering you a work-life balance. Meet me at the VB just off Harbor highway. There's a green sign where you can enter. I'll be waiting for you tonight."

Eric didn't have the time to respond to the stranger's shocking words because he saw two guys from his team approaching from the corner of his eyes.

"Everything okay there, Eric?" One of them asked.

"Oh, sure." Eric managed to look calm.

The stranger nodded at him and walked off. He didn't even get his name. All Eric could do was watch his firm behind as he placed one foot in front of the other, increasing the distance between them. It was a struggle to keep his member in line. The dangling idiot throbbed forcefully and threatened to tear its way out of his pants. Eric had been attracted to a number of guys in his lifetime but none of them had made him feel the way this stranger did. He was damn too attractive for Eric to let get away. His body was already experiencing a frenzy of emotions just from imagining the stranger's lips on his member.

"You sure that guy didn't mean any harm? You've been staring in the direction he went."

The second team member's voice dragged Eric back to the conscious and that was when he realized he was indeed staring at the last spot the attractive stranger had been.

"Yeah I'm sure. He didn't."

Eric emptied his cocktail glass and requested for a lap dance from one of the strippers. He felt the need to that in hopes of taking the guys' attention away from what happened with the stranger. He also needed his member to behave and what better way to achieve that than to have a girl shake her unattractive back side in front of him? Thankfully, the plan worked. The guys walked away and everything went back to normal.

All through the trip back from the club, Eric zoned in and out of reality. His mind kept travelling back to those short but intense moments in the club with the hot guy. He pictured the lines of his lips and felt the strength of his personality.

"Eric!"

"What?" He jumped slightly, not realizing Dwayne had been talking to him.

"What's up, boss? You seem off."

"Off? No. I'm good. I just need to catch some sleep." Eric lied.

Eric walked into his master bedroom, leaving Dwayne with a confused look on his face. Five minutes later, he found himself in the shower.

"You're not seriously considering going there, are you?"

Eric didn't need to answer himself to know what he was doing. He told himself there was nothing wrong with taking some ME time. Besides, he'd been looking for something good enough to distract himself and the stranger was the closest thing he found. He considered taking some of the guys with him as backup, just in case it was a trap. He immediately discarded the idea as it would involve exposing his true sexuality which would only lead to bigger problems and he couldn't afford that.

"If it's a trap, I'll fight my way out. I've been in horrible situations before."

Eric left the shower and walked to his closet. He threw on a grey figure hugging V-neck long sleeved shirt with red and white neck stripes which revealed the contours of his body. He paired it with black pants and black Armani shoes. Gracious wisps of his Michael Kors cologne dabbed the ensemble, and he accessorized with a gold Swatch. Eric's mind drifted once again to the way the stranger looked into his eyes during their short conversation. He could tell the look was real – as real as the massive bulge in his pants from the thought.

"What is it about this guy?"

Eric found himself picking up his car keys and opening the door slightly. He peered out of his bedroom to make sure no one was in sight before stepping out to avoid the unnecessary questions his guys were sure to ask if they saw him going out after a long club night. He had almost made it out of the front door when Dwayne's voice forced him to freeze to a halt.

"Hey, Eric! Where you off to? Thought you were getting some shut eye."

"Yeah. Got a call. There's some business I have to take care of downtown... alone."

He stressed the 'alone' part because he didn't want Dwayne to come up with silly suggestions like wanting to come along.

"You sure look fancy for a business meeting." Dwayne grinned. "Have you been contacted by a scout?"

Eric laughed for two reasons. The first was how easily Dwayne saw through his lie. The second was Dwayne's 'I caught you' face.

"Your scouts are fake!" Eric teased, using the moment of laughter to walk out the door.

He got into his car and turned up the heat. It was a cold night and he didn't want to show up freezing. The road was free at that time of the night and since he was heading to the interstate, he set his car on auto cruise and leaned back in his seat.

"What if this guy is a scout like Dwayne said?"

The thought creeped into his mind like a slippery gel and he reflexively shook his head. It was impossible. The stranger said nothing about memberships or the underworld. There was no way he could have been a scout. Besides, the idea of someone contacting him because he thought about a place was ridiculous. Only an insane person would believe such a ludicrous theory.

Eric sped past the green sign on Harbor highway before catching it from his rear mirror. A wave of excitement coursed through his body as he took the car off cruise control and switched to reverse. He drove out half-believing there would actually be a green sign off Harbor highway leading people to an unnamed building but there it was. Between the smiles creeping up on his face and the throbbing of his disobedient member, Eric was sure there was something special about the guy in the club.

"Maybe this is serendipity. I just might be about to meet my soulmate."

Eric locked his car and slid the keys into his pockets before turning towards the path that led him straight to mystery guy. It was dark and looked like it led nowhere initially but after a few minutes of walking, he spotted a big pad in the distance. It looked like a castle in the woods, reminding him of one of the Disney characters whose name he couldn't really remember.

Eric studied the area around the house, taking note of all possible escape routes just in case trouble shot out of nowhere. He found a winding path a few meters south and another small clearing not too far away. Satisfied, he stepped on the sidewalk, ready to go in and meet the mystery guy of his dreams. A flurry of unexpected creatures rose into the air, startling him for a few seconds before he realized what they were. Bats.

"I knew I'll be batman someday."

Eric grinned in their presence, stretching his arms out as they continued to flap their wings around him. He would have loved to keep pretending he was Batman but the creatures flew away too quickly, ending his not so convincing charade.

Eric pursed his lips and stepped into the building.

"Good evening, Mr. Romanoff. Your host is waiting in room twenty-six. It's down the hallway on the first floor." The teenage-looking receptionist spoke from behind the desk.

She had a friendly smile on her face but Eric had always been skeptical of friendly appearances as they tended to be the deadliest. Her smile was probably what prompted his brain to spot the inconsistencies. She referred to him as Mr. Romanoff when he never mentioned his name to her or the mystery guy at the club.

"This is a trap!"

Eric backed away before turning in the direction of the front door and was just about to step outside when he spotted the guy from the bar. He came out of nowhere and Eric could have sworn he wasn't there a second ago.

"What's going on here?" Eric asked, bewildered.

The stranger's response was a direct look into his eyes. "Come with me."

It was all he said but Eric felt like he didn't need to say more. He felt so compelled to follow him that he couldn't bring his body to react any differently. Like an obedient little lamb, Eric walked behind the stranger until he entered a room numbered 026. The last sound he heard was the door slamming shut before he got lost in the fantasy world of Neverland.

The guy from the bar spoke in a calm but commanding voice which Eric loved. To him, each word seemed like it was dripped in honey before rolling off the stranger's tongue.

"Let go of your inhibitions. I want you to have a good time. Don't you just want a place where you can be free? Where no one will judge you for who you are? A place where you can get all the pleasures you desire and not bother about your image?"

As he asked the questions, the layers of Eric's mental guard peeled away. He heard his innermost wishes and desires being addressed and freaked out because he had never shared them with anyone.

"Who are you?" He was forced to ask.

"My name's Leo. What's your fetish?"

It was an unexpected question but one Eric had waited to hear someone ask for a long time.

"Whips."

"I got you." The stranger grinned. "We can have fun with mine as well. I love leather."

"Leather?" Eric raised an eyebrow, not bothering to conceal the grin that was quickly making its way across his face.

"I'll show you." Leo disappeared through a side door Eric hadn't noticed.

In less than a second, Leo was back – dressed in black leather G-string panties, with an elephant face design in front. Eric was both surprised and impressed with the impossible speed with which he returned but what had his brain on lockdown was the impressive length of Leo's member which formed the elephant's trunk of his panties.

"How did..."

"...I move so fast?" He asked, completing Eric's not-yet-made sentence.

"Yeah! How did you even know what I was going to ask?"

Leo laughed. "Have you ever seen a magic show in live performance?"

"Um... no." Eric shook his head.

"Well, the magicians change outfits in less than a split second and no one questions them."

"Are you into magic?" Eric asked.

The black leather whip which appeared in Leo's hands gave Eric the answer he was looking for. He couldn't believe his luck. He had showed up for a non-judgmental booty call with a smoking hot magician! Nothing was better than that in Eric's mind.

"Get over here!" Leo barked, furrowing his brows into a sexy frown.

Eric felt the rush of excitement in his veins as he obeyed Leo's command. It was all weird, new and exciting. He had always considered himself to have a dominant personality type but hearing Leo order him around in that sexy outfit forced him into submission and sent his mind wild.

Eric rushed to Leo's side and made to kiss his pretty lips but he put one finger in front of them, curving them into a pout.

"On your knees!"

Eric felt a rush he had never experienced in his life. An instant storm brewed in his member, just from looking at the hunk in front of him. At that point, Eric could tell he had a problem. He couldn't take much more of Leo's tease before spilling his ecstasy and that was the worst thing that could ever happen to a man. He surely wouldn't look at himself the same way if he spilled his load before the party began.

Eric got on his knees just as Leo lowered his gaze and traced a finger up his arm until he reached his face. The finger made its way into his lips and Leo pushed it back and forth like one would when swallowing a member. The action was enough to expel wetness from Eric's member.

"I'm thirsty." Leo announced.

Eric was still wondering if their position had anything to do with drinking water when Leo's hand yanked at his belt, expertly unhooking it. He pulled him up with his arm and quite frankly, his appearance belied his strength.

"Gosh, you're..."

Eric's words were lost with the crashing of Leo's juicy lips against his. The yearning in his member heightened as Leo sucked and bit lightly on his lips. Leo's lips travelled to Eric's neck, burning holes of passion in his skin. His tongue soon came into action, tingling the nerve endings around his neck and earlobe. Eric moaned and gritted his teeth, trying hard to stop the blast threatening to exit his member. As Leo's hot, wet kisses trailed Eric's neck, he expertly rolled his shirt up until it stopped around his neck. Eric whimpered when Leo broke the kiss but he quickly realized it was only to take his shirt off. When his lips came back down, they went lower than his neck, tugging and nicking him in places too private to mention.

Eric's rational thought processes ended when Leo's lips wrapped around his member, with his tongue making slow, sensual, snake-like movements along his shaft. Leo was working with everything in his mouth – tongue, lips and teeth – biting, squeezing, licking, sucking... and driving him crazy.

"Oh." Eric moaned, desperately clutching the edge of the desk beside him.

The tip of Leo's tongue found the base of Eric's member, teasing it sensually. With the buildup already in his throbbing member and his failed attempt to stop the inevitable, Eric lashed out in a rumble of incoherent words.

"Rah... Shoo... No... Ah... Yes..."

The explosion was a blast. Thick, hot streams of passion exploded their way out of Eric's member forcing the little man to stagger and shudder. Somehow, he managed to remain erect, pumping more explosions out like a water pipe.

"I saved a piece of the pie for you." Leo stated, turning Eric around and whipping him across the butt.

He screamed out loud in a mix of pain and pleasure, with his fingernails digging deeper into the wooden desk.

Whip!

Whip!

Whip!

With every whip, Eric's member vibrated and pulsated, drawing blood from all around his body to sustain its unbelievable rise. His heart pounded and his blood heated up within his veins, flowing in volumes larger than anything he had experienced. He felt a touch on his butt – then a push – and then a dip. A ring of pleasure circulated the entire length of Eric's opening which received Leo with pleasure. He screamed and rocked as Leo moved in and out with steady motions. He was fast, decisive and unmatched when compared to everyone else Eric had been with.

"Please..." Eric screamed, not really sure why he was begging.

He was still screaming in ecstasy when he felt the sharp pain at the base of his neck where Leo's teeth had sunk into him like a needle piercing through fabric. What escaped Eric's throat was more like a roar – of pain, of pleasure, of fear.

"What in the world!!!"

His thoughts became fuzzy and his speech blurred. What he was trying to say rolled out of his mouth in a string of consonants – completely meaningless. Darkness fell upon the world around Eric and not long after everything went blank.

Eric opened his eyes and found himself tucked nicely underneath the bedsheets of room 026. Adrenalin shot through his veins, jolting his body off the comfortable frame. He wasn't sure if his experience was real or not but he didn't want to stick around to find out. Things were already creepy as hell as they were.

Eric crept out of the room, happy to meet the hallway empty. His feet produced light tapping sounds as they made contact with the ground and put distance between him and the room.

When he got back to the reception, he froze.

Dwayne was right there, saying something he couldn't hear to the receptionist!

"Did he follow me?"

As the thought crossed his mind, Eric's legs sprang into action, retreating in the direction of room 026. As he ran, he heard the heart wrenching sound of excruciating pain and turned around to see Dwayne's bloodied frame fall to the ground. Several masked armed men rushed in through the door, shooting sporadically. His eyes grew wide as he backed up against a cement wall which shielded him from the rain of fire.

"The hunters are here!" The receptionist screamed loudly, her body morphing into a dried form before exploding into flames at the shot of a stake.

Eric didn't know what to make of the situation. His survival instincts told him to take cover somewhere safer and he was still deciding where that could be when he heard the loud bang of the explosion.

A ringing pain surrounded his consciousness just before everything went blank for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.

End of Vampire Brothel Part One.

Please note: Vampire Brothel is a FREE book and it's second part will be released in the first quarter of 2017. If you're interested in getting a free copy of the book when it's released (parts 1 and 2), please sign up for my mailing list (see details below).

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Love, Robin.

