 
### THE MIDNIGHT SON

### TRUST

By Louise Warren

Copyright 2011 Louise Warren

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

PROLOGUE

"Vampires are as old as the human race." He said smiling at her wistfully. She looked at him with her big green eyes in shock. He continued quietly, not wanting everyone on the train to hear him. "There have always been blood drinkers, a small sect of people who chose cannibalism over all other human values. I don't know much about it, but think of them like the difference between humans and Neanderthals; they evolved at the same time, just differently. Vampires were touched by the devil at the beginning and have lived silently next to humans ever since, feasting on the strong and able just as much as the weak and helpless, adding to our flock by feeding humans their own blood mixed with that of a vampire.

"The Highest Authority in the Universe was not happy with the way the vampires were feasting on the humans with no regard to the consequences of their actions. There were many human deaths, vampires were always stronger than humans, innate power left in them by the devil. At one point vampires outnumbered humans and the Highest Authority was so angry that his children – the human race was being obliterated by the vampires. He created the Council of Souls to take charge of eradicating vampires from the face of the earth.

"The Council of Souls was unable to completely remove the vampire bloodline, although it tried for thousands of years before man became civilized in any way, the only compromise they could come up with was the decision that the darkness would be for the vampires and the sunlight for humans. Eventually the Council came to an arrangement with the Mother of the Dead – she spoke for the vampires of the time, a relatively small group of about 50 vampires. She agreed to a limit on the number of vampires and sacrificed herself to bind the deal. It was shortly after this point the Family was born." He stopped, looking out of the window for a second, letting the story permeate through her mind.

"The Family of the Eternal Life came into being over 4000 years ago when it became evident that vampires could not live peacefully next to humans, we were after all feeding off them, and co-existing happily next to them was not a realistic long term option. The Family provides blood on tap to the pure vampires, with the promise of eternal life to the taps. It was a way to go underground – in other words without littering the world with dead bodies - without the blood supply being cut off. If you give your blood freely, you are not a victim, however the Family themselves are oblivious to the fact that they serve vampires, believing instead they are living in a community dedicated to achieving the goal of Eternal Life. They are sure that by drinking blood – for as you know they not only give it to the vampires, they drink it themselves; they will obtain at the very least an eternal life through blood.

"The sacrifice the Mother of the Dead made means there has never been a war of such, more skirmishes every 500 years or so. I'm afraid to say your family is already intrinsically involved in the latest skirmish."

"Don't tell me, 'since the day I was born'?" She sighed, resigned to the fact that this was true for most things over the last year or so.

"Yes, but also way before, since John was born. He was the start of the new beginning. Your life has been mapped, you have certain 'tasks' to fulfil, so does Dan."

But I never ... he never saw it coming." Alanah said, brushing away a tear.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that, I wish you could have had a different destiny, but alas it is outside of my power. As part of the Family, it was kept from him that we exist." He paused before continuing. "Vampires are callous, evil and manipulative creatures and will say anything to make you believe what they are saying is true, we should not be the subject of adoration and love, yet somehow that is the way humans are portraying us in this day and age. I find it both fascinating and gruesome at the same time. You yourself have seen what we do."

"Should I trust you then?" She asked nervously.

"That's up to you, but I assure you I have a vested interest in telling you the truth." He smiled at her, and she could see her husband in those eyes.

"Then go on, please." She gestured to him to continue.

"We are once again at the point where there are too many vampires." He said simply. "But like I said, the Council of Souls have never been able to completely irradiate them from the earth. That is where your family comes into it, the child you carry in your womb - your human son, will be the Midnight Son and you and your vampire husband are the conduits through which his powers will be released."

CHAPTER 1

One Year Earlier

He sat at the bar and took a swig of his beer; it felt cold as it slipped smoothly down his throat. He felt a little out of place sat on his own, but he carried on sitting regardless, it felt nice being unknown in a sea of unfamiliar people. The beat of the music reverberated through his head, the multi-coloured lights and smoke giving the club an ethereal feeling. He looked idly out onto the dance floor, watching the throngs of bodies moving together to the beat.

It was then that he saw her. His eyes locked fast onto her body. He took a sharp intake of breath as he recognised her face. He had never seen her in the flesh before, only in photos, but he was aware of what the future held for her. Instinct told him he had to prevent it from happening. He gazed at her, her long milky legs tipped by stiletto shoes, her lean body covered only by a flimsy black dress, her long auburn hair flowing down her back in cascades of curls, her smile radiating over her face, eyes sparkling in the multi-coloured lights of the dance floor. Her delicate, beautiful features accentuated perfectly by the careful application of makeup. She was flawless.

His heart pounded in his chest as he walked towards her. It felt like an involuntary action that he could not stop, but he did not want to stop. He was drawn to her like a humming bird to nectar. He was entranced and wondered how to get her attention, and indeed if she would warm to his advances, she had already refused a man trying to dance with her. He need not have worried, as he approached, she smiled and looked straight at him with her kohl rimmed green eyes. They were so beautiful and big that he could not help take a deep breath in as he moved slowly closer to her. Their eyes were locked together and it seemed nothing could pull the connection apart.

The song seamlessly changed and with it the beat. There was an almost unanimous roar of appreciation across the club as more people entered the dancing space, crushing those already dancing closer together. He was pushed, unwillingly fast towards her, almost bumping into her, he stopped himself inches from her body.

"Sorry!" he said, leaning down a little to make sure she could hear.

"That's OK!" She replied smiling, her body still moving to the beat of the music. She manoeuvred herself so that she was facing him directly, still dancing. Her attention was his alone.

Feeling conspicuous and a little embarrassed, he wasn't a natural dancer; he began to move to the beat, holding her eyes with his gaze. She blushed timidly. Their bodies met momentarily, and then flew apart, both looking sheepishly at the other. Neither seemed to be adverse to the bodily contact, it didn't feel foreign or wrong.

Their hips touched again, and this time he put his arms tentatively on her hips, she smiled and looked at him, seemingly comfortable. Their bodies resting gently against each other.

As the song changed once again to a slower beat, they began to move gently against each other, both staring intensely at the other. Heartbeats seemed to increase rapidly for both of them as if it were a defining moment for both of them.

"You're beautiful!" He couldn't help saying, hoping she wouldn't take offence.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning her head against his t-shirt, knowing her cheeks had gone red. She eventually lifted her head and looked at him again, feeling embarrassed by his words, but butterflies were fluttering in her tummy. It wasn't just the words, it was the sincerity in his eyes.

He pulled her tighter, wondering what she was thinking. It was nice to hold her at last. They moved hesitantly together to the music until the song changed again, neither of them seemed to like this one, so they unwillingly let each other go.

"May I buy you a drink?" He asked in a husky voice. He waited for her response in anticipation.

She smiled and replied "I don't usually accept offers from strangers, but for you I'll make an exception." It was her premeditated reply, but she had only ever used it once before. She looked at the man before her, and was completely attracted to him. She was more than willing to accept a drink from him.

He took her hand and led her from the dance floor to the cheering of her friends; she turned bright red in embarrassment and ignored them as best she could. They reached the bar, standing next to each other silently. The atmosphere between them was thrilling; he touched the back of her hand gently smiling as he did. He had never felt so happy in all his life.

She took the vodka and lemonade he had bought her and took a couple of tentative sips before asking: "So, what's your name?" She moved her shoulder blades gently, extremely aware that only a few hours before a needle had been depositing an inky trail on her delicate skin, and she could still feel the dragging sting that had accompanied it. At least alcohol was helping to numb the ache, but she was sure she would find it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position tonight.

He had forgotten that she did not know his name, he was already aware of hers and had been since he was seven, it was tattooed into his mind, and from this moment on, into his heart. "My name is Daniel, Dan to everyone, and you?" He asked, already aware of what her answer would be, but knowing he had to play along otherwise he would scare her. He promised himself he would not do that to her now, there would be too much of that to come, too much that he alone could not prevent.

"Alanah, Alanah Moore." She smiled angelically at him. Her heart was beginning to beat faster. Dan was doing something to her and she didn't know what.

"And what are you doing in a place like this Alanah Moore?" Dan asked smiling, he touched her arm, wanting to put his around her protectively, he too felt something unexpected between them.

"I'm here with my friends, Julie is about to turn 21 in about a couple of hours, so we are out drinking to celebrate. What about you?" She asked inquisitively, not taking her eyes off him. Her breathing was getting shallow.

"You know, out for a drink with the lads, but I seem to have lost them along the way somewhere! Are you at Uni?" Dan tried to find something to say, although it was hard as unbeknownst to her he already knew pretty much everything about her. For the first time ever he felt guilty about knowing so much about her.

"Yeah, I've just started my 3rd year studying French."

"Ah! Bonjour, comment vas-tu?" Dan smiled, proud he had remembered something from school!

"Vous pouvez parler français?" Alanah asked, her eyes smiling. "Je suis très bien Merci. Et vous?"

"That's about as much as I can remember!" Dan laughed holding his hands up in surrender. "Do you have any idea what you want to do when you graduate?"

"Not sure at the moment, but I'm looking at graduate jobs on the internet, there are plenty of options including working in France, teaching English as a second language. I'm going to take a trip there in a few months to scope it out, see if there are any real opportunities."

This was his chance; this was how he could rid her of her future, the hurt, pain and anguish he was sure she would go through if she stayed on her current path.

"France is such a beautiful country, any idea on which region you would like to go to?" Dan asked casually, taking a gulp of beer.

"Loire Valley, Brittany, somewhere like that." Alanah smiled as she thought back to happy holidays with her parents and two brothers.

"Sounds like a plan, spend a couple of months checking out possibilities – you'll never want to come back!" How could he tell her the real reason she should get out of the country, he knew she would never believe him; he would just have to try to persuade her this way, even though he felt like a fool pushing the fact.

"I will go, but when I am ready." Alanah looked at Dan. There was something in his face that made her heart beat uncontrollably fast, she looked into his bright blue eyes and felt something strange, a feeling she had never had before. Although she did not know him, he reminded her of a reoccurring dream. Mr Perfect, the man she was destined to marry. She had never seen his face, but she believed he was always watching over her, he was her guardian angel.

She was a virgin, and had never felt she had found the right person, they had always seemed to want nothing but sex, it didn't matter where she met them, they always seemed to want it too quickly, romance didn't seem to be in their vocabulary and she wasn't prepared to give it away to just anyone. But Dan seemed different, he seemed kind and interested in her, and this was beyond unusual. Generally men who asked her if she wanted a drink were after one thing, and one thing only. Maybe this was the person she would choose to take away her innocence and turn her into a woman.

Alanah smiled, she was very attracted to him in the first place, and his chivalrous but attentive attitude towards her made him even more alluring. She looked at his tanned face, the little crow's feet around his vivid blue eyes when he smiled and felt her heart fluttering, she looked at his dark brown hair, and wanted to run her fingers through it.

Dan smiled at her, unsure of what to say next. Strangely it didn't seem to matter that neither of them could find anything to say, they seemed totally at ease in each other's company, as if they had known each other for years.

This feeling piled more guilt onto his shoulders. He had spent over 20 years learning how to kill her, and here he was feeling protective of her life. 'I will not sacrifice her. I would rather die myself than take a drop of blood from her body.' Dan thought to himself. And with that thought he had changed the course of not only Alanah's life, he had set himself on a course of destiny he could never have imagined. He began to relax, convinced he was on the right path. He decided to forget everything he had been taught about Alanah and start fresh tonight. He would not be her stalker. He would be himself.

Their bodies met again, as they leaned against the bar. Dan couldn't help but lean forward and gently kiss her lips. It was natural for Alanah to kiss him back. Alanah giggled as the kiss ended.

"Sorry, was that too much?" Dan asked seriously, taken back by his own forwardness, he leaned away not wanting to alarm her.

"Strangely no, I don't usually let myself get too carried away with a complete stranger!"

"Intriguing! I seem to have some sort of power over you!" Dan laughed. He wrapped his arms around Alanah.

"I wouldn't go that far, but you do have a certain charm."

"I won't push my luck, I promise." He said sincerely, but smiled brightly.

"Thank you, that's very gentlemanly, but don't be too much of a gentleman, I quite liked it!" Alanah smiled blushing.

Dan bent down again and gently kissed her forehead. Alanah smiled to herself, 'Strange how this stranger feels like home' she lifted her head and let him kiss her lips, his stubble stinging a little as he responded enthusiastically.

There was an explosion of cheers and 'you go for it girl!' from her friends and Alanah waved them away feeling embarrassed. She turned back to Dan, forgetting them instantly.

Daniel sighed happily, holding his face close to hers. He gently rubbed noses with her, leaning his forehead against hers. "You are gorgeous." He breathed deeply. He lifted his hands up and ran his fingers through her hair, letting it hook behind her ears, his eyes never leaving hers, an intense look on his face, like she was the only woman in the world. Alanah felt gorgeous in his arms.

Alanah had to have her try at his hair and tightened her grip around the thick hair at the nape of his neck. They kissed one last time before resting their arms around the other, they were both happy and calm staring at the other. Their hearts seemed to be in sync.

"Would you mind if I went outside and had a cigarette?" Alanah asked nervously.

"No." Dan said unconvincingly, he had never been told she smoked.

"It's a filthy habit, I know, but for some reason it goes hand in hand with alcohol."

"Social smoker." Dan said, slightly relieved. "No wonder I can't taste it in your kisses."

"Afraid so. I don't have to go." She said earnestly, not wanting to leave him and hoping it had not put him off her. She wondered now why she had suggested it.

"How about I come with you?" Dan asked holding out his hand to her smiling.

"It would be nice to get out of the loud music for a few minutes, actually hear you without having to shout!" Alanah led him out into the garden area of the club. The only upside to the lack of the ability to hear were the tingling sensations she felt every time he bent down to talk to her, his breath on her neck.

Finding an empty table, they both sat down and Alanah took out a cigarette, but didn't light it, instead she placed it on top of the packet next to the lighter.

"Not lighting up?" Dan asked inquisitively. He could see she was ignoring the cigarette and couldn't help wondering why.

"Don't feel like it anymore!" Alanah blushed. "I'd much rather put my lips to better use!" She giggled and looked over at him with her huge green eyes.

"I see!" Dan smiled, a real twinkle in his eyes. He leaned forward and gently kissed her lips, lingering close to her, making Alanah's heart skip at least two or three beats.

"Definitely a better use of my lips." She smiled sheepishly, her breath rugged with anticipation. Alanah had never done this before! Sure she had danced with guys, kissed them too, but this felt different, unlike any other experience. There was a connection between the two of them that had seemed so much more than a few fleeting kisses. This felt life changing. They kissed again, intimacy feeling natural between them, as if they had been kissing for years, not just a few minutes. Dan slipped his arm around her when they eventually pulled apart and held her close to his chest. She could hear his accelerated heartbeat beneath his T-shirt.

"What are you thinking?" Dan smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. He felt a unique feeling in his body, one of complete calmness and utter terror, but he looked at her with tranquil eyes, not letting her see how much she was affecting him.

"I don't really know." She blushed, fearing the truth would be the worst thing possible to say. "But I like being with you."

"I like being with you." He leaned forward and kissed her lips gently, hugging her to his body. He would give anything to protect her. Anything.

"I feel like you could be good for me." She looked away embarrassed.

"Thank you." Dan smiled. "I feel the same about you, but who really knows what the future holds, where we will end up." He kissed her fervently, wanting to roam around her body with his hands; he wanted to take her away from here, somewhere, anywhere but here. But he knew he couldn't, not now, that would be for the future – he hoped. He would have to see how she would react to him once she had met the Family. That would be the true test for her, and the hardest few days of her life.

CHAPTER 2

Dan was so aware that she was attracted to him, her whole being oozed sensuality, and he realised that he would have to keep himself in check, even though he was desperate to kiss her all over. He would have to be satisfied with kissing her lips.

He took her face in his hand and gently caressed her cheek, looking into her eyes with such intense earnest, Alanah had to momentarily look away. But she soon looked back, into his soul and felt an immense calm flow through her body. She had never felt like this before, and she wanted to continue feeling it forever.

Dan kissed her so lightly that it could have been mistaken for a butterfly caressing her lips, but he intensified his kisses, moving his lips against hers, wanting to gently open them and explore, but he restrained himself, being the gentleman Alanah needed him to be.

Thoughts crossed his mind, he understood that he had to protect her, and as much as he would have loved to explain to Alanah why she should go to France now and stay there, it wasn't exactly something he could easily tell her – he knew she would run away screaming, and he couldn't expect anything else but that. He believed she was still a virgin, and if he could not encourage her to go to France, not being one would put her life in even more danger. It was inevitable the Family would take her, which meant he would have to plan how to escape with her.

He realised he could not save her life if they took her and discovered she was 'damaged goods', their thoughts not his, it made no difference to him whatsoever. They were so set in their ways that even the thought of her no longer being a virgin made their blood boil, they had gone to a lot of trouble to keep her from losing it. She had been chosen for a specific reason and she was to be unblemished. Dan could not care less one way or another, to him she was perfect just as she was - alive. But he knew how the family worked and wanted to keep her safe. Resisting his feelings, although difficult and frustrating was the course of action he had to take, besides he wasn't the type of man who would pick up a girl at a club and sleep with her the same night. He _was_ a gentleman. He was sure he could save her if it came to it, and virginity was Alanah's best protection. He just hoped she would remain so until her 21st Birthday, it was a risk he had to take on her behalf. He was sure she would not lose it, but six months was a long time to wait.

Alanah, conscious that she didn't even know him, felt that the emotions she was feeling were due to lust and alcohol and she wanted to get herself under control. A one night stand was not enough for her. It was not as if she was waiting for marriage, she just wanted it to be special and not the anti climax some of her friends had confessed it to being. Her friends were aware of her virginity, and whilst most supported her feelings, there was the odd girl who felt she was a prude. But she was determined to save herself for Mr Right, not Mr Right Now, yet somehow she found herself desperate to feel him close forever. She wanted to remove herself from temptation, so decided to excuse herself to go and 'powder her nose'. She afforded herself one last kiss before she left him, smiling as she knew she couldn't wait to get back to him.

She looked in the mirror, her face rosy with both alcohol and kissing. Her heart was beating steadily now, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She was desperate to feel his arms around her again, it had felt great and she was looking forward to them again.

"You're looking happy!" Said a friendly voice from behind. "Spill all the gossip!"

"Jessie!" Alanah turned round to see her best friend. Her head spun slightly as she did, she was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol coursing through her body.

"Spill the beans!" Jessie giggled. "He is so hot – I wish I'd seen him first! What's his name, does he have a hot friend for me?"

"Oh Jess, he's gorgeous! His name is Dan and I'm in heaven!" Alanah signed, closing her eyes and trying to recall his face, the alcohol obscuring her memory.

"Then you'd better get back to him!" Jessie smiled sadly.

"Are you ok Jess? You want to talk about it? It's the first time you've been out since Ruby's death." Alanah stopped in her tracks.

"I'm fine, don't worry. Go back to your man. Tell me all about it later." Jessie smiled as brightly as she could.

"Alright, I'll see you later, wish me luck!" Alanah squealed in delight.

-o-

Dan sat waiting patiently for Alanah to come back.

"You are already in love with her aren't you?" Came a slightly familiar voice from behind him.

"I beg your pardon?" Dan turned round quickly and saw Alanah – or someone who looked like her standing directly behind him.

This Alanah looked at him through black thickly Kohled eyes. Her face was perfect and emotionless. She was dressed in a tight long red linen dress which skimmed over her sandal clad feet. Her hair was a mane of red curls tumbling down over her shoulders. Her neck was graced with an ornate gold collar, flanked with purple and blue stones. Her fingers and arms were adorned with gold bangles and rings. Her translucent, almost white skin shone ethereally in the dimly lit garden.

"Alanah?" Dan finally asked amazed – she had been gone less than two minutes.

"You may call me Sekhmet." She said remaining standing. "You will never remember this meeting, but right now, you must understand I am not Alanah."

"I don't understand?" Dan stood up confused and alarmed.

"You are destined to shape the world and I am here to show you the way." She held her hand out and took his hand in hers.

Dan recoiled in shock; her skin was cold, nothing like the Alanah he had been touching minutes before.

"But ... you ... Alanah will be back in a minute." Dan stuttered, he was disorientated and out of his depth. He was used to strange, but this was just plain weird.

"I always wondered why you disappeared tonight; I never would have guessed it was me who took you." She smiled wryly. "We always thought it was Damian."

"My grandfather? He's been dead for almost 3 years." Dan said almost laughing through sheer disorientation.

"You have so much to learn. We have somewhere to go tonight."

"Where do you have to take me?" Dan asked his defences rising; he was finding it difficult to focus due to the copious amounts of alcohol.

"To give you the tools you need and to mark you with your destiny. You cannot avoid this, you must come with me. Do not worry about Alanah, she will be heartbroken, inconsolable at times that you are not here, but I can assure you she will forgive you, I should know after all." She held her hand out to him again.

"I ..." Dan stuttered.

"You don't have a choice, you are coming with me, even if I have to pick you up and carry you out kicking and screaming." She meant business and seemed quite capable of fulfilling her threat.

"OK." Dan said, her eyes mesmerizing him into submission.

She stood a note up against the glass that had once been hers and led Dan out of the club.

Moments later, Alanah walked back into the garden, her eyes smiling expectantly as she walked towards the table, before her whole body went numb at the sight of the empty chairs.

He was gone. Led against her half empty glass was a folded piece of paper, she opened it and read the note: 'I may be gone from sight, but not from your life. Dan.'

She sighed, holding back waves of emotion, she scrunched the piece of paper and left it on the table. Returning to her friends, she was determined to help Julie see in her 21st in style determined to not let her friends see how crestfallen and abandoned she felt.

-o-

"Where did he disappear to then?" Fay asked as Alanah returned to her friends.

"Back into the ether somewhere. Win some, loose some." Alanah shrugged her shoulders, but deep down she was annoyed with herself that she had been so sensible and backed off, but she knew 'if onlys' were never a good idea. "Anyhow, we're here to have a girls night out, the last thing I need is to find myself a bloke, maybe next weekend!" She smiled at the others, determined not to let them know how upset she really was, she couldn't understand it herself.

"If you ever find a bloke!!" Laughed Tess mockingly. "I didn't see him – are you sure he was real?" She laughed even more, but she really did look disappointed that she had not seen him.

"He was real. I'd rather be a virgin than an easy lay. One day I'll find him and we will live happily ever after. Until then I'm happy being single." Alanah smiled at Tess. They had never really got on, tolerated each other really for the sake of their shared friends. She was the only one who had ever mocked her choices and she disliked her intently for it. She avoided her whenever she could.

"I officially turn 21 in one hour and 32 minutes, I won't have any bickering until then!" Julie slurred from the bottom of a JD and Coke. She was having a great time, and would undoubtedly pay for it the next day along with the rest of them!

"Fine by me." Alanah raised her hands in surrender and looked at Tess. "I don't have any issues, do you?"

"None what so ever." Tess scowled, she'd been hoping for more of a confrontation.

"Haven't seen you in yoga recently, Jessie." Gill asked her friend.

"No, I've been off seeing some new friends." Jessie smiled half-heartedly. She had been sitting quietly listening to everyone else's conversations, not wanting to make a fuss.

"New friends! Aren't we good enough?" Fay asked in mock offence.

"It's not that, but I've been talking through my problems." Everyone understood Jessie had been down since her sister had died three months before. It had greatly affected Jessie, she had been quite reclusive and this was the first time they had managed to get her to come out and it had been quite a struggle.

"We've always been happy to talk to you." Fay said, putting her arm around her.

"I know, but they are very spiritual, they say Ruby is happy and in a better place. They gave me this pin. It's to remind me that she is content where she is and that I should live a full and long life myself and not dwell on the past." Everyone looked at Jessie's pin, it was an empty circle surrounded by rays of diamond like stones radiating out from the centre attached to a silver frame.

"I've seen several people with them on in campus." Gill said studying the small badge.

"Aren't those strange people giving them away, the ones outside the university grounds, dressed in robes with that strange design on them, you know, the hills and the sun, what were they calling themselves?" Tess clicked her fingers trying to remember.

"The Family of the Eternal Life." Jessie smiled broadly.

"Sounds a bit strange to me." Alanah said looking closely at the pin. "Almost religious."

"They are, they believe ...." Jessie started, determined to let her friends know about her new found faith.

"This is my birthday! I will not have it ruined by a debate on religion! There is a time and place for that, and this is not the time or place!" Julie stood up. "Let's dance!"

"Why not!" Fay smiled.

Jessie remained sat at the table, crushed by her friend's lack of interest in something she held dear to her. 'I've never felt so wanted by anyone, why do they mock me?' She remained at the table, watching her friends dance without a care in the world.

Alanah danced manically on the dance floor, trying to eradicate the feelings of neglect and longing. She was upset, and danced continuously ignoring the approach of men trying to dance with her, preferring to dance alone. She wouldn't admit it to herself, let alone anyone else, but her time with Dan had changed her forever.

CHAPTER 3

Alanah collapsed on the seat next to Jessie, her face glowing from all the erratic dancing she had been doing with her friends, but her eyes showing no real enjoyment.

"Fancy a cigarette?" Alanah asked seeing how down Jessie looked. She had been her best friend since they started school, and really just wanted to get her outside to talk. It had been a while since Jessie had opened up to her.

"OK." Jessie smiled weakly. The two of them walked out the front door, Alanah didn't fancy the garden again – too many memories, good and bad.

They stood huddled together, the night air was chilly, and winter was fast approaching. The night club bouncers stood as close to the club doors as they could get away with, even with their ubiquitous black jackets, they were cold.

"Do you think Julie is having a good time?" Jessie asked accepting Alanah's lit lighter to light her cigarette, taking a drag as the end began to glow.

"She's having a great time; I think she'll have a hell of a hangover in the morning, just like the rest of us!" Alanah said, feeling the effects already. Her lips were stinging; a reminder of Dan's passionate kisses. She pushed it to the back of her mind. "So what about you, are you having a good time?"

"I guess so, it's been a while since I've been out clubbing. It's a little overwhelming. I am having fun, I just can't stop thinking about Ruby, how she'll never get to do any of this." Jessie sighed. "Sorry, I shouldn't keep talking about it."

"Of course you should. Ruby was your sister, you miss her, it would be wrong of you not to talk about her." Alanah smiled.

"Yeah, but you'll get bored of listening to me, I'm sure you've got enough of your own problems."

"Actually, I don't. Now if Steve and Paul were still living at home, then I'd have plenty to complain about! As it is, having the house to myself has been pure bliss!"

Jessie laughed. "I'm amazed you've managed to avoid any damages to the house, the girls seem to have had a whale of a time from what I've heard!"

"Things have got a little out of hand a couple of times, but thankfully mum moved all her ornaments before they left."

"Do you ever wish you'd gone with them to America?"

"Not really. I didn't want to leave Uni, and it's only for a year. Paul seems to be enjoying High School over there and Steve loves working with Dad – they are both into the project – you'd have thought they had laid an egg, hatched it and hand raised it, the amount of love and dedication they have given to that sky scraper. Mum is an architect's widow! Seriously though, I'm glad I stayed home. I've enjoyed the peace and quiet."

"Yeah, sometimes it's good to not have to worry about other people, just concentrate on yourself."

Alanah finally lit her cigarette before speaking again. "So, new friends Jess? Tell me about them." Alanah said after her first exhale.

"You really wanna hear?" Jessie asked sceptically.

"Of course I do. Tell me everything." Alanah said squeezing her hand, meaning every word.

"Do you remember the day I ran crying from my lecture in Uni? Well, I literally ran straight into one of them, a woman called Sophie. We both fell over and she picked me back up again. She saw how upset I was and she took me to a café off campus and bought me a coffee, she listened to me for over an hour and I told her all about how Ruby had been killed in a car accident, how it was my fault that she had died and I survived without a scratch. We talked about how guilty I felt. She was so lovely and told me how she had lost a cousin in a car accident and how faith had helped her get through the hurt and pain." Jessie took a drag from her cigarette before continuing. "Naturally I told her I wasn't interested, but the more we talked, the more I could see where she was coming from. She really helped me get to grips with my emotions and helped me understand that my surviving was a good thing, not a bad thing."

"I see, that was almost straight after Ruby died. Have you seen her again since?" Alanah asked.

"Two or three times a week. I've gone to prayer meetings at their meeting house. Everyone is so understanding and empathetic, I feel truly content and happy. They have asked me to join the church properly and I have to say I am seriously considering it. They have really helped build my confidence up again, and made me realize that my life must not stop just because Ruby's did. It is up to me to live for both of us and that is what I intend to do."

"Whatever makes you happy Jess. Maybe I could come to one of the meetings with you, support you more rather than leave you to your worries alone. Just don't forget that we were your friends before they came on the scene. We all care about you too, all we want is for you to be your old self again – to be happy instead of sad." Alanah reiterated.

"I know Lani, and I will always be grateful for your support, but I can't expect you to take all my problems on your shoulders." Jessie smiled.

"I will always be here for you, nothing is more precious than our friendship, you are like a sister to me."

"More precious than that gorgeous bloke you were kissing?" Jessie joked. "You couldn't keep your hands or eyes off each other. He looked like a keeper to me!"

"He's gone now though." Alanah sighed taking a long drag of her cigarette.

"Lani, you're all misty eyed .... What happened between you two?" Jessie asked desperate to know. She took her friend in her arms, seeing a fragile soul.

"We clicked." She took a puff of her cigarette before stubbing it out, no longer liking the taste, a dry rancid feeling left in her mouth. "I don't know how to explain. You know how we've been friends, like forever, and that we understand each other – well you may as well be my sister, and we are on the same wave length and always comfortable in each other's company, even if we have nothing to say?"

"Yes, we are like sisters. How does our friendship help?" Jessie asked very interested in what her friend would say.

"I felt that with him. Comfortable, happy, safe. Like he had always been in my life. Like we fit together. I don't really know how to explain it. I felt at home with him. But he was a stranger." Alanah looked at Jessie, finding it difficult to smile. "I'm being silly, I know. It must be the alcohol, there is no way in a million years that what I'm feeling could really be true. My whole body is aching for him as if when he holds me everything is perfect and nothing else matters." Alanah sighed.

"I don't know Lani, during one of the meetings Sophie said that love affects everyone differently, that sometimes you can be touched by someone you hardly know, your life can be spun in directions you never foresaw it going." Jessie said trying to comfort Alanah.

"I could believe that, if I thought I would see him again, but I really doubt I will ever feel his arms around me again." Alanah wiped a tear from her eye.

"Oh Lani, I'm so sorry. I never would have thought that could happen. I wonder why he left?" She rubbed Alanah's arm sympathetically.

"Me neither. Maybe his friends found him. I guess I will never know. Fate was working against me tonight." She sighed deeply. "We'd better go find the others, Julie won't ever forgive us if we miss her birth!"

The two of them walked in to find their friends, forgetting their own worries and desires.

CHAPTER 4

Jessie stood huddled inside her coat as she stood outside the gates to her university building. It was 5am and the sun had not yet begun to rise on the cold December morning. She stood alone with a rucksack of clothes over her shoulders.

She was nervous, hoping she was doing the right thing, that sneaking away without telling her friends was for the best, but she had spent two months thinking about it and she was now sure it was the right decision. She'd told her mum that she was going away for a few weeks to sort out her feelings and thoughts in her head, and that once she returned she could finish her last year of Uni without the distraction of grief that seemed to be with her at all times. Ruby, her younger sister by 5 years had meant so much to her, they had been so close and Ruby had looked up to Jessie with wide awed wonder when she was growing up. She had said many times how she wanted to be just like her. To lose her at 16 was heartbreaking, so much potential gone in an instant, never to return.

It had been a normal night when she was driving Ruby to a friend's house and the breaks on the car just didn't respond as Jessie had tried to slow down, the car slid and smashed, passenger side into a lamp post, Ruby was killed outright and Jessie had spent every day since blaming herself.

Her grief had taken her to places she had never been, guilt and anger had ruled her for weeks, then sorrow and pity had followed. It wasn't until she had met Sophie that she had really began to find the solace and comfort she so desperately needed to go on with her life. They had 'forgiven' her, saying that she could move on and be the person she should be, taking the sorrow and guilt out of the equation. They had made her feel like her life was worth living again; something she had believed had gone forever.

In the end it had been an easy decision to make, to join the Family of the Eternal Life. She had been made to feel at home on the trips she had made to the house, been comforted when she had broken down in tears by so many people, she felt loved and protected by them all. It was clear to her that they did not judge her and that was the most precious commodity to her, and she trusted their judgement in her, making her feel complete.

She hadn't hesitated the last time Sophie had offered her a room at the house, somewhere to be at ease again, with the promise that a few months out of normal life would do her the world of good. It seemed too good to be true, finding a place of solace and hope, but she believed that dedicating some time to her mental recovery was the best and only way to move forward and the Family of the Eternal Life had promised her that at the very least.

She didn't have long to wait for Sophie. She drove up quietly and stopped next to her, leaning over and opening the door for her with a radiant smile.

"It's all a little clandestine picking me up at 5 isn't it!" Jessie laughed as she got into the warm car.

"Well I didn't want you to miss the morning meditation, and there are two other new recruits starting today, it'd be good if you all started off at the same time, rather than you walking in at 10! Besides, Anthony wants to bless you all in front of all the other members so that you are recognised as part of the Family." Sophie said driving off at some considerable speed. She had the advantage of an almost empty road.

"OK. I didn't know anyone else was joining. Recruits – sounds like the army!"

"Of course not, but you have plenty to learn, so Anthony categorises you as recruits, as until you are fully up to speed with your learning and understanding of the ways of the Family, you won't be able to take an active role in the meditation and other ceremonies. Don't worry, you'll soon get the hang of it."

"I really want to impress, it's such an honour to be asked to join. I do hope I don't let anyone down." Jessie said nervously.

"I'm quite sure you will impress us all. We wouldn't have asked you to join if you hadn't the potential to become a valid member of the Family. We'll make a decent recruit out of you yet!" Sophie smiled at Jessie, a hint of smug awareness in her words. She knew what was to come.

-o-

Jessie stood waiting on a stage with two other new recruits, one man and another woman, slightly older than her. Sophie had brought her to a house she had never been before, set in luscious grounds. The house was white and imposing and Jessie couldn't help look at it in awe.

Sophie had comforted her by telling her that this house was the residential house and that all new recruits started here. She had been taken to a small room as soon as she had walked through the impressive front doors. Jessie had changed into the white dress that was waiting for her, it was a little too big, but she didn't really notice.

Right now the cut of the dress was unimportant; she was stood nervously awaiting what was to come. She found the new gray cloak she had been given to wear a little difficult to get used to.

The material was heavy, and the edges were trimmed with dark green – almost emerald silk brocade. There was a hood – which she had been told never to put up unless instructed to – hung over her shoulders. Her fellow recruits both wore the same cloaks, but the trims on theirs were different. The woman's was red and the man's blue. They both looked a little more confident than Jessie, and she wondered why they were here, but she was sure she would find out at some point.

In front of them, below the stage stood about 200 silent people all looking directly at them. Jessie recognised some of the faces from the meetings she had been to and smiled at them, expecting them to smile back, but received no smiles at all. Her heartbeat began to speed up.

A man walked onto the stage, followed by three men, each dressed in a cloak, one green, one red, one blue. Each of them had their hoods up, covering their faces. The first man stood between them all began to speak.

"Welcome friends." He addressed the three of them. "Today you become closer to the Family. To become a recruit is a great honour, one that we do not bestow on just anyone. The last time anyone entered the Family was 5 years ago, and today they are full members of the Family. You have each been assigned to one of our members who are in training to become full members themselves." He pointed to the other men who had accompanied him onto the stage. It was clear from the co-ordinating colours who had been allocated to who. "They will take you under their wing and teach you what is required of you. You will be their assistant for four months until they are initiated into the Family. On that day, you will be welcomed and accepted as equals. Please reply 'yes' to the following oaths."

Jessie looked to Sophie who smiled encouragingly. She had a bad feeling about this, but she suddenly realized she was trapped. There was no way she could just walk out of this sunken hall and she had no transport back home, it was miles away.

"Do you swear to observe the rules of the Family as they are revealed to you?"

"Yes." The three recruits replied in unison.

"Do you swear to tell no one what happens here, and to observe a communication ban for the 4 months of your training?"

"Yes." All three answered, although it was clear that they were all taken aback by this oath.

"Do you swear to serve as an assistant to your sponsor who will support you in your quest to become a Family member?"

"Yes." They were beginning to question themselves as to what they were doing, but none of them dare say no.

"Excellent." Anthony smiled reassuringly. "Take your place next to your sponsor. You wear their colours on your cloaks." He gestured towards the three men.

Jessie stood next to the man in the green cloak, not daring to look up at him, she shook all over in fear.

"You'd better come with me." Her sponsor said gently. "I'll show you where you will be living." He walked through the room, the people remaining silent as they passed.

He led her through the house, up an impressive flight of stairs and into a room half way along the corridor. It was bare except for a bed, chair and wardrobe. Her back pack was waiting for her on the bed. He shut the door behind them and stood a few steps from Jessie who stood dead still staring at the hooded man.

"My name is Dan Newman. I believe you may have heard about me from Alanah?" He said quietly after removing his hood.

Jessie nodded, horrified as the man she had seen her best friend dance with – the man that had affected Alanah so badly stood in front of her, here at The Family of the Eternal Life.

"I'm sorry you are here. If I'd have known it was you Sophie had been preparing to bring here tonight, I would have warned you." He said solemnly.

"Warned me? I came here because I want to be here." Jessie said confused.

"And why is that? What did Sophie promise would happen when you came here?"

"That I would find peace and happiness. She said I needed to be residential for 4 months to gain an insight and understanding of The Family of the Eternal Life and that I could live from home after that."

"Jessie, I'm afraid to say you have been lied to. You are no longer free. The oaths you swore mean you are bound to the Family forever."

"But the oaths said no communication for 4 months ...." Jessie started.

"You'll find that by the end of the 4 months they will say you have not learnt everything. Either that or you will be so indoctrinated in the ways of the Family that you won't ever want to leave or communicate with anyone else." Dan said soberly.

"My god! I've joined a cult." Jessie said, cold realization flowing through her body. "But Sophie was so nice to me, so understanding and caring."

"It's part of her job. She is a priestess here, and when necessary she goes out into the community and locates 'fragile souls', people who can be easily manipulated. I'm afraid you were one of them this time."

"I've got to get out of here." Jessie said making for the door.

Dan stopped her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "Yes you do. There is a problem though. You will be brought straight back here and you will have a finger cut off for insubordination. You are bound to the Family for 4 months."

"A finger, for trying to leave?" Jessie gasped.

"I'm afraid so. I have some worse news for you, but telling you now is better than finding out when it happens. Sit down and I will tell you everything."

-o-

Jessie sat, still reeling from the information download Dan had just given her. She could not believe what she had heard. "What can I do to prevent it happening?" She eventually asked.

"I swear to you I will not hurt her in any way. When the time comes there will be much for you to do, I will greatly need your help. Until then, I will protect you from the Family to the best of my ability. I am your Sponsor and whatever I say goes." Dan said sincerely.

"I am your servant and I will do whatever you require." Jessie said.

"You are not my servant; you are just someone who has been conned into coming here. It is my responsibility to look after you, and I promise to do that." Dan smiled. "Everything will be OK eventually. I have to go, I have a class to attend. Take a look around your room; there are clothes in the wardrobe and a bathroom through that door. My room is next door, you are supposed to be on hand to assist me in all my needs. You don't need to wear your cloak all the time; they are mostly for ceremonies or to keep the cold out! I'll come back later and show you round the rest of the house." He left, looking back at her. "Don't worry. Everything will be ok." He said again, feeling like he was overusing the phrase.

"Easy for you to say." She said quietly before he shut the door. She sat down and contemplated her situation.

Her hands shook as she realized the state of affairs she had got herself into. She resolved her spirit, determined to be strong, she had 4 months to get through, and the only person she had to turn to was a stranger.

Jessie remembered what Alanah had said to her about him. _"I feel comfortable, happy, safe .... at home with him."_ Jessie took these words seriously, deciding that if Alanah trusted him at first sight, she would too. But it would still be a long 4 months.

It felt helpless.

CHAPTER 5

Alanah looked into his hypnotic blue eyes and felt like she could fall into them as if they were two beautiful blue lagoons. They were hungry eyes, devouring everything before him, never moving from her face, intent on memorizing every part of her.

His hands moved gently over her body, every inch of her was covered with his gentle caresses, it felt like he was everywhere at once. His warm gentle fingers igniting flames under her skin, her breath shallow and raw in her chest. Her body was crying out for more.

Then his searching lips seemed to surround her at once, her cheeks, her lips, her neck, nuzzling into her - the faintest hint of stubble pressing against her décolletage. She shuddered in ecstasy as his lips felt their way delicately around her neck.

His hair – thick and unkempt was in her hands as he pulled her close, his eyes on her again intently. She pulled gently on the soft feather light hairs at the nape of his neck, wanting to hold his face next to hers forever.

Alanah looked at him, his eyes, mouth, hair and everything else that was him, but she couldn't see him. He was fragments of fading memories that she could not put together no matter how hard she tried to in her dreams.

And she knew she was dreaming. It had been like this ever since she had met him almost 6 months ago. But this dream had an element of him she had never dreamt before – his voice. His lips lay gently against her ear, just as it had done when they had been dancing, the way he had made her tingle with the closeness of his breath. He whispered only one word to her "Soon." before disappearing abruptly from around her.

She woke up, as she had been doing for weeks silently crying, alone in her bed. It wasn't a bad dream – that was the problem, it was too good. Dan surrounded every one of her senses, enveloping her, giving her the feeling of complete security and protection. Every time she woke up the feelings were gone and she felt alone and vulnerable.

Her tears came as if she had lost her whole world, wanting more than anything to sink back to sleep and find him again, but she never found him, he always found her, caressing her and bringing himself into her dreams when she least expected it.

Alanah's tears were all consuming, not just for the loss of her dreams, but for her lost memories. Although she could remember his features individually, she could never picture his whole face complete, no matter how hard she tried.

This made her feel stuck in limbo, whether she was dreaming or awake, she could never see him, and she could only feel him in her dreams.

She'd thought the dreams would fade over time, but almost 6 months since meeting Dan in the night club, the dreams were still coming most nights, some brief, others more detailed, but never a full picture of his face.

"Soon." The only word he had ever said to her in her dreams and the word meant nothing to her, she would never see him again, that was clear to her.

But that one word gave her hope or insanity, she wasn't sure which. She wasn't sure how much longer she could go on the way she was. She didn't want to end up alone and mad. She cursed herself, wishing she hadn't held herself so much in check that she had never gone to the ladies when she had. Alanah had started the 'What if' line of thinking and she had to force herself to not day dream about what could have happened.

Alanah tried her best to get on with her daily life, trying not to day dream, knowing it would be detrimental to her final year and her sanity. Instead, she spent every waking minute applying herself to her studies, not giving herself a minute free to think about him.

But however hard she tried, he was always in her mind, and it hurt more than she could tell anyone, because she was sure she would never see him again, and if she could never stop thinking about him, how could she live?

It felt more like bereavement than anything else, and how could anyone in the world understand how she was mourning the loss of a stranger who had spent less than an hour in her life?

-o-

Jessie was stood, waiting to be summoned into the room where Dan was talking to his mother, she had knocked once, but they had been so deep in conversation that they had not heard her delicate little 'knock knock' on the imposing wooden door.

She had been at the house for almost 4 months now, the allotted for her to be sponsored by Dan. It had been a horrible and degrading experience being made to follow him wherever he wanted her to go. He had been amazing though, treating her with dignity and allowing her as much free time as he could – he didn't want her to be his servant, but the charade must hold for them both to be safe.

She hadn't been allowed to get to know the other two recruits as she had hoped she would, they had been whisked away to serve their sponsors and from what she had heard they both had a raw deal. The woman, whose name she had managed to find out was Melissa had been given to a man called Alex. She had not been left alone since that point, constantly at his beck and call. Jessie had not seen the man since, and she did not know what had happened to him.

Dan on the other hand had been as much of a gentleman as he could be. She could see what Alanah had seen in him, his eyes told the truth to her, which she trusted from the start. When he went to work, she was sent to lessons on how to be a 'good recruit' and she sat through them with gritted teeth mostly, wanting to stand up and shout and say how stupid everything was, but she valued her fingers too much to lose one.

Jessie knocked on the door more confidently and heard a 'Come in' from inside the room. She opened the door and entered the room.

"I can't believe the time has finally come. Tonight begins end of the path to Eternal Life for you. You make me so proud." His mother beamed ignoring Jessie's entrance.

"Thank you mother. When we wake in the morning, Alanah Moore will be in the room above here, terrified and at my mercy. What fun we will have!" Dan smiled.

Jessie took a sharp involuntary intake of breath. Alanah was being abducted tonight.

CHAPTER 6

Alanah yawned and stretched her arms above her head, arching her back as she tried to revive herself from her slumped stance. Her concentration was waning and she decided she needed a break. She was sat at her computer looking at websites, seeing what graduate jobs were available for someone with a predicted 2:1 French degree, but her mind wondered, it was her 21st birthday in a couple of days, and she and her friends were planning to go out the night before and party until she was officially 21 – it had become tradition among her group of friends!

She was looking forward to it, determined to outdo Julie and Fays' birthdays with an all night and all day party, although she wasn't sure how they could top the trip to the tattoo parlour or the male stripper they had organised for Fay! She was excited, but also nervous, wondering what they had up their sleeves for her. She wanted to rest to be up for it, having no idea what they had planned for her; she wanted to be ready for anything! But she was aware that she would be graduating in a couple of months and needed to find a job. She was torn between work and rest, favouring the idea of rest!

Her mobile rang and she picked it up, not recognising the number. "Hello?" Alanah answered the call.

"Lani? It's Jessie, I'm in trouble, I need your help ...." Came a panicked whisper down the line.

"Where have you been, we've haven't seen you for almost four months. What's going on? We've been worried sick. We've tried to contact the Family of the Eternal Life, but all we get is an engaged tone and they are no longer outside Uni, it's like they have disappeared. Where are you?" Alanah rattled out everything that had been going through her mind. Just to hear Jessie's voice was a huge relief, she had been worrying that she might be dead.

"Lani, they have me. I'm their prisoner. He's here, the guy from the night club. They have talked about you, they know who you are ..." The phone went dead.

"Jessie?" Alanah panicked by the silence, dialled the last number that her phone had received, willing her to pick up.

"Hello?" Came a man's voice. It was manly but soft and reassuring.

She composed herself quickly, not wanting to sound hysterical, which was how she really felt. "My name is Alanah Moore, my friend Jessica Williams just rang me from this phone, but we got cut off. Is she there please?" Alanah tried to sound bright and breezy, feeling anything but. She was determined to talk to Jessie again.

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end before the voice began to speak slowly and purposefully. "Alanah, I'm supposed to tell you Jessie is not here, that I have no idea who you are talking about. But I can tell you she is safe. I will keep her safe for you, I promise." The voice was sincere.

"Who are you? Why is she there? Where is there?" Alanah panicked at the thought of Jessie being 'kept safe'.

"I can't answer any of your questions. Just remember she is safe." The phone went dead again.

Alanah redialled the number hurriedly, but it was engaged. She continued to call for the rest of the day, but the number was constantly busy. She was sure the phone was off the hook on purpose.

Alanah finally rang the operator from the house land line, determined to find her.

"Hello, I wonder if you could help me please, I've been trying to call my friends number all day, but there seems to be a problem, its constantly engaged. Could you check the line for me?" Alanah asked.

"Of course, what's the number please?" The operator asked. Alanah read the number from her mobile's memory and waited whilst the line was checked. "There doesn't seem to be a problem with the line madam, maybe they have left it off the hook?" The operator asked trying to be helpful.

"Maybe." Alanah agreed slightly disgruntled, she started thinking fast. "Could you please let me have the address, I can go and check she is alright myself then?"

"I can't give that information out I'm afraid. You could check the phone directory or there are a few websites that might be able to help."

"I don't know what name it would be under. Can you at least tell me that?"

"I'm sorry, due to the Data Protection Act I cannot give the details out. Can I do anything else to help?"

"No thank you." Alanah put the phone down and sat at her desk. She was at a loss of what to do. The police had already been informed that Jessie was missing, but they didn't believe there was a case to search for her, she was just a low risk missing person and her mum thought she was safe with the church she had joined, she'd told her she was off searching her soul or something. But Alanah had always had a bad feeling about her disappearance, and the phone call had just confirmed it. She sat in her room, feeling totally useless, worried for her friend, but not sure who to turn to for help or what to do with the telephone number which was her only clue to where Jessie was.

-o-

The clock on the mantle struck midnight and Alanah stretched her arms and slowly came to. She had fallen asleep and had no idea what had happened at the end of the film she had been trying to watch.

The TV was displaying some trashy late night quiz show and she flicked channels until something watchable appeared on the screen. She was living alone in her parent's house as they had moved temporarily to America for her father's job and she had stayed behind for university. She had loved the freedom she had had – plenty of parties!

She had snuggled up with a box of chocolates to watch a romantic movie. She was trying to forget her worries about Jessie, but they kept resurfacing whenever she stopped doing something and gave herself time to ponder about her, but right now she was too tired to think straight about what to do next.

Resigning herself to the fact that she could not keep her eyes open for much longer, Alanah switched the TV off, loaded her duvet onto her shoulder, switched the light off and climbed the stairs to her room.

As she drifted off to sleep, she could have sworn she saw someone moving towards her from the shadows, but she thought nothing more of it as she fell into a deep dark sleep.

-o-

The man stood above her sighed sadly, his hand clutching the chloroform soaked cloth that had sent Alanah into an unnatural slumber. He forced it into his coat pocket, feeling nothing but remorse. He wasn't here by choice.

He grabbed the nearest bag he could find and proceeded to fill it with Alanah's clothes, make up, phone and hair brush - all the things a girl would take when she was going away for a while. He rooted through her chest of draws and found her passport. He zipped up the bag and took an envelope from his pocket placing it against her dressing table mirror. On the front was written 'Mum and Dad'.

The man sighed again; he was taking Alanah against his will, knowing what was supposed to happen to her and, knowing what destiny lay before her and wishing he could prevent it. But he knew his son would save her from her fate, but he looked sadly at her, aware of the hardship in front of her, but powerless to stop it.

He gently picked Alanah up and cradling her as best he could, carried her out to his waiting car. With a heavy heart he started the engine and drove away from Alanah's street.

CHAPTER 7

Alanah awoke from sleep with a sudden start. She took a sharp intake of breath as if she had not breathed before. 'What the hell happened last night?' she asked herself. She was sure something was wrong, everything around her and inside her felt alien. Her head thumped as if she had a hangover, but no alcohol had passed her lips the night before. She lay on the bed a few moments more, her mind was working fast, trying to piece together what had happened.

'Unless someone has come into my room and redecorated over night, I'm not in my own room.' Panic began to overcome Alanah. She closed her eyes tightly.

Forcing herself to open her eyes, she looked up at the ceiling and began to focus, 'That's not right!' she thought to herself. There was a ceiling rose in the centre, a small hanging pendent light, and around the edge of the ceiling was intricate coving with a tulip design. It was well worn and had been repaired many times and painted so that the design was almost invisible in places. The room would have once been grand before it had been patched up.

She sat bolt upright and quickly tried to take in her surroundings. Her eyes darted all around from the butter cream walls to the fawn carpet, to the white washed wardrobe, the full length mirror and the small mahogany dressing table on which was a clock reading 14:37, to the bars on the window. Her senses were overcome with confusion.

Alanah's breathing quickened as the truth dawned on her. "You're not in Kansas anymore." She whispered to herself. Alanah pulled the covers off herself. She was no longer wearing her comfy check pyjamas. She was instead wearing a crisp white nightie which covered her completely. She immediately felt uncomfortable, who had changed her clothes?

She looked at her fingers. Her rings were missing and her purple nail varnish had been removed. Her hands began to shake as her senses became overwhelmed with the little but new information she was trying to process. Alanah felt like her heart was beating out of her chest, and slowly slid her feet from under the covers and put them on the floor. The nail varnish from her toes had also been removed. She stood up and surveyed the room again. She walked towards the tinted window and looked out through the barred glass; she was greeted with large stepped gardens and an infinite space without any other houses. She was a prisoner, but why, she did not know.

Alanah figured the room, and therefore the house was well over 150 years old, so that would make the building she was in at least Victorian. This meant that she was at the very least 10 miles from her house, the town she lived in had very few Victorian houses, and none to her knowledge that had grand gardens attached to them, but really she could be anywhere in the UK at all. Her heartbeat escalated as she realized she was in some kind of trouble.

Tears flooded her eyes as she gazed out upon green rolling hills outside and realised she was far from home. "Where the hell am I?" she asked her whole body was shaking in distress.

"About twenty miles from the nearest city." A cheery voice came from behind her.

Alanah froze, her feet felt welded to the ground. She wanted to scream, but had no voice to scream with. Her body began to shake uncontrollably. She forced herself to turn around to see who was in the room. Stood in the doorway were a woman and a young man.

The woman looked to be in her early forties, she had yellow blonde hair which was down to her waist. She was slim, tall and wearing a coffee coloured dress and had bare feet. She began to walk towards Alanah.

"Do not be afraid, my name is Mary. I will be looking after you whilst you are here." She smiled sweetly at Alanah, and Alanah did not trust that smile.

She was confused, her body felt groggy and uncoordinated. She was sure she had been drugged the night before and put her bewilderment down to this. "Where exactly is 'here'?" She asked, sniffing back her tears attempting to appear unafraid, but she could not help wringing her fingers; she usually played with her rings when she was nervous, an unconscious coping method and missed them now.

"That is unimportant." Mary smiled.

"Well it is important to me!" Alanah's voice was unnaturally high. "Have I been kidnapped?" Alanah's parents had money, but not so much that it would warrant kidnapping her, they weren't millionaires.

"You have not been kidnapped. You are here for celebrations. My son has reached his initiation and you are here as one of the guests of honour." Mary gestured towards the man stood in the doorway.

"Do I know your son?" Alanah said looking at him. Up until that point she had not even glanced at his face. She gasped as his eyes met hers. Her heart galloped up to her mouth before returning to its original place in her body.

He was handsome in an understated way. He was tall like his mother. He had broad shoulders and was clearly well defined under his close fitting cream shirt. He wore black trousers and shoes. His dark hair was thick and unkempt, it looked like it could do with a cut, and he had brushed it back in an attempt to control it. He had tanned skin and bright blue eyes which looked sadly at Alanah. His lips were full and pinky red and she knew what it was like to kiss those lips. She knew it was Dan instantly, but something in his eyes made her keep her mouth shut.

"It does not matter that you don't know him." Mary smiled, seemingly oblivious to the recognition Alanah had for her son. Her bright and breezy attitude was beginning to grate on Alanah, it seemed fake and like it was hard for her to keep it in place. "You have been chosen to be his partner for his celebrations."

"I'm supposed to be having birthday celebrations of my own." Alanah was becoming more confident; she felt she could ask a direct question. "Why was I drugged?"

"You were sedated for your own good ....." Mary was interrupted by another man arriving at the door.

"Out of the way Dan." He pushed past him, he was still stood in the doorway. "Are you doing your usual trick of lulling our guest into a false sense of security, only to reveal your true colours at a later point?" He smiled a wicked grin at Mary then turned his attention to Alanah.

The man that stood before her was odd looking. He was tall and thin, and his presence had changed the attitude of Mary and Dan. The man was dressed in a dark grey suit, complete with a matching waistcoat, his white shirt was tie less. His hair was light brown, shoulder length and flowing manically free. His features were gaunt, sunken eyes, hollow cheeks; he didn't look healthy at all. His eyes were colourless, black and piercing. It was clear he was in charge. Alanah began to panic again, she did not like the look of him or the change in atmosphere he had brought with him – turning her shock and disbelief into complete horror.

"I am impressed Mary, it seems you chose very well indeed for Dan. She will scrub up nicely for the event. I believe Dan will be very happy with the outcome and he will be seen as the perfect candidate for leadership." The man looked her up and down with scrutinizing eyes.

"Thank you Anthony, I was lucky, Alex's mother was intent on having her, ..."

"You used your relationship with me to usurp yourself over her. You really will get yourself into trouble one day using that reason all the time." Anthony almost scolded her.

"I'm sorry if I have offended you." Mary said, bowing her head subserviently.

"Not at all, I suppose you should be entitled to a few perks." Anthony smiled at her graciously. He turned to look at Dan. "You are embarking on the first steps of a journey that will continue for the rest of your life. Your grandfather would have been proud."

"If only he was still alive to see what has become of the Family. He would have taken a great interest in the way you have been leading us since his untimely death." Dan said, his voice crisp and smooth at the same time, it was unlike the warmth Alanah had heard when she had been with him. He seemed to be implicating something with both his tone and his words.

"I'm sure he would." Anthony smiled sourly. "Damian was always one for taking a great interest in things that did not concern him. Tell me Dan, do you feel ready for the ceremony ahead. How do you feel the initiation will go?" He asked conversationally.

"I have spent every day since the age of seven learning and practicing, waiting for the day that my initiation will take place. I am prepared and ready." Dan said as honestly as possible. He would not lie.

"Not the wholehearted response I received from Alex, but acceptable, much more than Callum, he is a blithering wreck." Anthony laughed dryly. "It will be interesting to see how he performs, I'm convinced he will not make the best of impressions, and it will affect his chances of promotion afterwards, but that will no longer be my problem."

"I am quite sure I am just slightly nervous myself. It is after all, the defining day of my existence so far. Callum will be fine, he is just a bit more sensitive than Alex who has always tried too hard to please you." Dan smiled brightly, hiding his true feelings inside.

"Of course." Anthony nodded. He turned his attention to Alanah. "It's time for your examination. I trust you will be able to get her suitably dressed and ready for it?" He turned and looked at Dan, but appeared to be unable to stop himself stroking Alanah's bare arm. She pulled away alarmed, worrying what was meant by 'examination'.

"Of course Anthony, I'll sort everything out here for Miss Moore. She is my guest after all." Dan said; his voice was soothing to Alanah's ears as he placed one hand on her left shoulder, it seemed to be protective rather than dominating to her, but she was wrong. She was sure.

"Excellent, I can't be expected to do everything around here. I have to change into my robes and arrange the other guests' examinations. We shall begin shortly. I shall see you in the examination room in due course." Anthony swept out of the room leaving a shocked Alanah.

Her life had suddenly become more complicated than she had ever thought possible. She felt sick with fear and wanted to scream and run, but she didn't know how she would get out or where she would go once out. Instead she sank to the floor and began sobbing.

"Mother will you leave us?" Dan asked graciously.

"I don't know if I should leave the two of you alone ..." Mary was sceptical.

"Mother, this is between Alanah and me, I can't have her upset right now. I know what I am doing, you know that. I will escort her down to the examination. I do not need your help, I'm to become a man in the eyes of the Family, after the initiation, I am quite prepared in what I must do." He walked towards Mary and rested his hand on her arm.

"But Daniel ..." Mary protested as he led her out of the room.

"Everything will be OK." He kissed her cheek and shut the door behind him, Mary on the opposite side.

Alanah looked up at the kind face in front of her, finally the jigsaw puzzle face was complete. She was scared, but at the same time comforted that he had removed Mary and Anthony.

Dan began to walk towards her and she shrank back scared. "Leave me alone." She protested, so scared she was close to hysteria.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He held his hands up in submission to prove he had no ill will towards her. He stopped moving, not wanting her to scream, he could see how petrified she was, and he could understand why.

"Then why am I held captive here?" She was terrified and confused as to what had happened and why she was there.

"I'm not the one who is holding you." Dan knelt down and looked at her, he was aware she was terrified of him and he needed to make her trust him. He held his face as peaceful as his thumping heart would let him. "But I am the reason you are here."

Alanah's eyes bulged out of her face in disbelief. "Because of you? Why? You must tell me, I need to know the truth. Tell me why I'm really here?" She pleaded with him, her spirit at breaking point, and all reserves of calm gone, but she would not be fobbed off with cryptic explanations of her kidnapping – she knew that was what had happened.

"It will scare you if I tell you." Dan warned her.

"I don't think I can be any more scared than I currently am, look at my hands, they are shaking frantically." She looked into his eyes, and she knew he recognised her too. "I know you don't I, we danced together – kissed." She blushed, she couldn't help it, those kisses had flooded her dreams so often. "At the night club..."

"The Maze. Yes, that was me." Dan smiled sheepishly, looking down at the floor. He felt guilty knowing he could have prevented her being here if only he had not left the Maze the way he had.

"You were trying to get me to leave England. I understand why now." She blushed again as she remembered how they had kissed, the sensation of his body next to hers. "That was six months ago."

He gently helped her up and sat her on the stool next to the empty dressing table. He then went to the bedside cabinet and poured her a glass of water. He handed it to her and she accepted.

"Please, can't you tell me what is going on?" Alanah implored, her hands shaking as she drunk the water.

Dan considered for a moment. He couldn't lie to her, she would find out the truth very soon anyway. He took a deep breath. "The intention is to sacrifice you to aid my initiation." Dan said simply.

Alanah stared at him in complete disbelief, her body going numb and cold in an instant.

"You are to be given to me as my sacrifice into the Family. With your death I become an active member." Dan's face was stony. His eyes looked at Alanah. He saw the despair and anxiety in her eyes. He looked away unable to prevent his eyes welling up.

"So I'm to be murdered to aid your initiation. Into what? A Family? What Family would ask you to kill someone? For what reason can you justify taking my life?" Alanah's head was still spinning from being drugged and in the short while she had been conscious, there had been a lot to take in. "Is that why you were in the club – to choose me?"

"No." Dan replied straight away. "That was honestly a coincidence." Dan stood up and went to the wardrobe in the corner of the room. He took out a long simple cream dress, he also brought out matching ballet pumps. He laid them on the bed.

"Alanah, since the day you were born, the hour in fact, this day has been coming." He was clearly distraught. "I wish I didn't have to say this to you because no one should ever be put in the situation that you are in, but I do have to tell you because it is how I feel. If you are to continue living and I truthfully hope you do, you must do as I ask. There is nothing more I would like to do than get you out now, but you and I would be hunted down like animals. A desertion by me with you would necessitate a full scale man hunt by the Family, and it is not safe for you to go home alone, they would bring you straight back here. I need to get you somewhere safe, but there are things that need to be done before I can do that. I know you don't trust me and you have no reason to do so, but please understand that I don't like the prospect of killing you any more than you like the prospect of being killed." He stopped, his lips trembling, regaining control over himself before he spoke again. "I need you to put on this dress, and then I must take you to be examined." His voice was close to breaking on the word 'examined', he clearly knew what this meant.

Alanah looked into his sad blue eyes and understood she was caught between a rock and a hard place. "If I don't, Anthony will come back here, won't he?" She sighed, not wanting to see him again, but knowing that she probably would.

Dan nodded unable to find the words. Silently she wiped away her tears and stood up, wanting to be strong, hoping her body could carry her weight. She cleared her throat. "You'd better turn around then."

Dan obliged and turned to face the door. His body was shaking with anger, which was not aimed towards Alanah at all. For the first time in his life, he understood completely the value of a single human life, regardless of whose it was. He would viciously fight to free her. He was sure of that.

"I'm ready." Alanah said within a couple of minutes.

The new linen dress hung perfectly on Alanah. The shoes were her size. She looked virginal and innocent.

"There is a hair brush in the top draw." Dan said, trying to fight back his emotions. He was torn between his affection for Alanah – something she had no idea that he had, and his obligation to the Family – something he had grown to despise. His resolve to save her from her fate went against everything he had spend his life being taught, making his decision feel very alien, but totally right to him. He would not falter. Dan wanted to rush to her and tell her everything, but he knew it would frighten her and she was already scared enough.

Alanah brushed her elbow length auburn hair, and placed the brush back on the table. She took a sip of water, composed herself and turned to Dan. "I guess I'd better get this over with."

"Then come with me." Dan opened the door and led her out into the corridor.

It was the first time she had seen any other part of the house she was in, and although she was scared, she looked inquisitively around.

The room she had been in was at the beginning of a long line of rooms. The corridor was painted white, and the carpet was deep red. The sunlight shone down through a skylight and the painted white walls were dazzling in the light. Her earlier musings had been correct; the house was very old and probably very big too.

Dan timidly took her hand, something he had longed to do since he had held her last, and they walked down an impressive white marble stair case. The air was cool and silent. They reached what Alanah considered to be the ground floor. There was a grey stone floor and rooms and corridors heading off in both directions. There was no one else around, it was as if they were in the house on their own, you could hear the proverbial pin drop it was so quiet.

Slipping her hand out of Dan's, Alanah flew across the floor, running to the large arched front doors. She pulled them open and ran outside stopping on the top step.

The sun was low in the sky and she steeled herself ready to run.
CHAPTER 8

Alanah stood still on the top step unable to move. Dan remained where she had left him, his body unwilling to follow her, his heart hoping she would run as quickly as she could and get away from the Family, an irrational thought, she had nowhere to hide, but he knew she had to go, her life depended on her fleeing.

Alanah stood, looking at the long driveway in front of her, wanting her body to move, her heart calling her back inside. She didn't want to leave him.

"Run!" Dan called to her, willing her to go.

She didn't want to. She couldn't leave him. She turned and walked back to him. "Can you guarantee you can free me?" She asked staring earnestly at him with her bambi eyes.

"I've been planning it since the Maze. Yes I can free you." There were no qualms in his voice.

"I don't want to be hunted down." She said scared.

"You won't be, I promise." Dan said. "But the next couple of days won't be pleasant on any level, starting right now."

"If you're here, I'll be fine." Alanah smiled unconvincingly.

"That's extremely trusting of you."

"No, I'd be wrong not to trust you." She took his large hand in her delicate hand and smiled at him.

Dan nodded, his face almost white with terror himself. "We have to go down another stair case." He said as Alanah looked around the ground floor, at the cool whiteness of the marble floor, she shivered slightly, cold in the flimsy white dress. He led her through to a room which was clearly a library. The walls were lined with hundreds of old smelling books, a long established collection. They walked towards a concealed oak door at the far side of the room. Dan opened it and they walked into the dimly lit stair case and started to descend. He stopped and turned to Alanah looking intently into her hazel-green eyes.

"Alanah, I'm sorry, it's none of my business, but please, I need to know if you are a virgin." He asked earnestly, worry evident all over his face.

"Why?" Alanah asked alarmed.

"Because it would save your life if you were."

"I am a virgin." Alanah was beginning to suspect what the examination would entail and began to panic, she looked wildly around like a startled gazelle. Had she made the right choice not to run?

"Alanah, you must stay strong, you will stay safe and alive if you get through the examination. Things are not going to be pleasant, and I'm sure it's mostly unnecessary, but I promise you, get through the next half hour and you will live. I have to accept you as my sacrifice, but whatever I do, please remember that I am on your side." He held onto her hand so tightly, and his eyes looked at her with complete sincerity, that Alanah could not help but trust this stranger.

"I understand. I will be strong. Do whatever you must. Just don't sacrifice me yet." She was sure of her trust in him.

"You will be safe, no sacrifices this time. I give you my word." He squeezed her hand then let it go, not wanting anyone to see. They continued down the stairs. A man was stood waiting for their arrival. He struck a gong as they descended to the last step announcing their arrival.

At the bottom was a low long room, apple white in colour. There were six people at the far end by three white marble slabs raised on a wooden stage. The rest of the room was empty and even though the room was large enough to hold a couple of hundred people there was not another soul in the room.

Two women dressed in pale green robes approached Alanah and Dan.

"Who do you bring before us Daniel Newman?" One of them asked. It was Sophie, the woman who had befriended and tricked Jessie. She smiled at him wickedly.

"My Priestess, I bring Alanah Moore before you, chosen at her birth by my mother, allowed to live until the morn of her 21st birthday to be my sacrifice." Dan's voice was monotone as he recited one of the speeches he had spent the last 21 years memorizing.

"Her beauty is evident, but her chasteness is not. If she is not a virgin her life will be forfeit and with it your entrance into the Family as an equal to everyone else." The other one, her name was Helen looked at Alanah as she spoke.

"My father and mother have watched over her during her life. I have confidence in their abilities to keep her pure."

"You were born into the Family, but you have a choice. Our way of life is not for everyone. Do you come before us of your own free will?"

"I come before you by my own hand." Dan recited again. Whilst it was true that technically he had a 'choice', no one had ever dared take that option.

"The sacrifice you make at dawn in two days time will bind you to the Family for eternity. Do you understand the significance of what you are embarking on?"

"I have been waiting my whole life for that dawn." Dan replied, his head bowed.

"Then take your last look at your sacrifice before you are bound together." The women turned to look at Alanah. They held their hands out to Alanah.

Alanah glanced quickly to Dan's unreadable face before holding her shaking hands out to the women.

"Come with us please." and both Sophie and Helen took one of Alanah's hands and led her towards the marble slab, gently sitting her down and then making her lie down on the large cold slab. The four men, dressed in dark green robes, who had been waiting by the slab took her arms and legs and held her down. It was pointless struggling, they were too strong.

Alanah could no longer see Dan and she wondered where he had disappeared to, she began to panic, thinking she had been left alone, just with the 'bodyguards' surrounding her. She lay there for what seemed like hours, her breathing shallow and slow until a larger gong was struck, the low dong reverberating around the room. From the far end of the room, a slow walking procession appeared.

It was led by Anthony. He was dressed in a long black robe, almost - but clearly not - like a priest's cassock. Around his waist was tied a thick silver rope, hanging from it was a dagger. On the back was an embroidered picture of the moon rising over dark rolling hills and the sun setting in the east. It was enclosed in a square that had been turned on one corner. He looked like a sinister priest. Alanah remembered what her friends had been talking about at Julie's party, the strange design, the hills and the sun.

Following him was Dan who had put a moss green cloak on over his clothes. This also had the same design that was embroidered on Anthony's robes. His face was sombre and still unreadable. Alanah's heart could not help but skip a beat on seeing him.

Behind Dan was Mary, she was walking with a man Alanah had not seen before. His height and stance was similar to Dan's and Alanah could see the same bone structure under his skin, leading her to think he must be his father. They in turn wore the same green cloak that Dan was wearing. Following them were ten other people, all but one were dressed in the same cloaks. Alanah looked at their faces, and wanted to scream as she saw a familiar face.

'Jessie.' Alanah thought to herself. It was indeed her friend. She was wearing a grey cloak with a green trim, different to the others. Her brown hair was tied back in a pony tail and she looked pale and troubled.

Jessie looked up and saw her friend held down by the men. She had tried to warn her, but she had been caught. She had been lucky; Dan had not chastised her for her impudence. She was grateful to him, for she understood the punishment for contacting the outside world was the loss of a finger. He stood in front of her now, ready to receive the blessing of Anthony for his sacrifice to go ahead.

She hoped that Alanah was still a virgin, she wanted her to avoid being slain here and now, the sacrifice of her friend a real possibility if she were not. She believed deep in her heart that Alanah would not be sacrificed if only she were still a virgin, Jessie was sure everything would be fine. She had never seen an examination before, and watched in disbelief. Jessie regretted joining the Family of the Eternal Life, and would have given anything to get out and go home, but she knew she would be dragged back. She stood helplessly as her friend was scrutinized.

Anthony stopped in front of the marble slab. He bowed his head and looked to be deep in concentration. He pulled himself out of his revere and smiled at Alanah almost cruelly. "Your life depends on how chaste you have been. Not an easy task in this day and age. If you are not a virgin you will die by this knife here and now. If you are a virgin you will be given two more dawns. He signalled to the two men who were holding Alanah's ankles, and they opened her legs wide.

Anthony stepped forward and cut away Alanah's pants, revealing auburn curls. He pulled them away and discarded them. Alanah was shaking uncontrollably as she felt his hand enter the most sacred part of her body. She couldn't look at Dan. Her eyes were closed tight and she fought back the urge to scream and struggle as she felt him moving around, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction he was looking for. She was sure it was not necessary for him to do that; he seemed to be usurping his role and getting off on the ceremony rather than treating it seriously, but what could she do to stop it?

Finally, she felt him remove his cold unwelcome hand and her body relaxed slightly. "She is a virgin!" He said satisfied. "We can continue with Dan's initiation." He called Jessie to him and washed his hands in the bowl of water she held out for him. "Come forward and claim your prize." He said to Dan.

Alanah opened her eyes and saw Dan walk forward his face coming closer with every step. In his hands he held a silver band, no thicker than her little finger. He raised it and stood behind Alanah. The two men holding her arms lifted her up into a sitting position holding her still. Dan opened the band and placed it around her neck clicking it shut. She could feel the coldness of the metal against her skin. Dan turned a key and removed it handing it to Anthony who placed it on a silver tray.

Dan walked back to face Alanah and said to her, the words he had practiced. "I willingly accept you as my sacrifice. You life belongs to me now."

Alanah stared at his kind but impassive face, she did not see Anthony remove the knife from his belt and swiftly and deftly slit open her wrist. She screamed in pain and disbelief, and then fainted from shock and unexpected pain.

Dan's heart sank as her limp arm was held up and drops of her red blood collected on the silver plate, drops falling on the key. He held his breath, trying to stop his face betraying his real feelings. Showing them would cause suspicion and lead to greater scrutiny of his actions over the next few days and he was not prepared to let that happen. He gritted his teeth to keep his face from being the cause of Alanah's death.

Anthony walked to Dan and dipped his thumb into Alanah's blood, he anointed Dan's forehead and said "I give you this body for your initiation. Take it and prepare for a new dawn." Anthony licked the remainder of the blood from the plate and exited the room smiling. The witnesses filed out slowly towards the door they had come from leaving Dan, Alanah and Jessie behind.

Dan hurriedly picked Alanah up. "Jessie, follow me I need your help."

CHAPTER 9

Anthony walked to his quarters and disrobed himself, throwing them into a heap on the floor. He walked to his heavily tinted window and looked out smiling. He never managed to get the full effect of the daylight, but he had grown to appreciate the dull colours that he could see from his window, even the murkiness of the sun was better than not seeing it. He was as content as he could be.

Everything was going well, there would be three sacrifices in two days and then one of the initiation subjects would be dead. He was satisfied and hummed a cadence to himself as he looked out over his territory.

There was a knock on the door and he stood at his desk before shouting. "Enter." He liked to exude authority at every opportunity, even if there was really no need. He would never show any weakness to any member of the Family. That was not how its leader should behave.

A raven headed girl entered timidly and bowed before him. "Sir, Mary is here to see you. She requests an audience with you." The girl stood as close to the door as she dared.

'As always she comes to me when I am in need, but I will make her wait. She can not believe she has any power over me.' He said to himself. "Have her wait in the next room, I'll be with her shortly." He went to dismiss her. "Get rid of these robes for me." He added.

The girl hurriedly picked them up and retreated from the room closing the door behind her. There was an audible sigh behind the door. Anthony chuckled to himself, he liked the fact that most of the recruits were petrified of him.

"Hello Anthony." Said a voice in the room.

"Damien, is that you?" Anthony asked sitting down. He was unsurprised by the appearance of someone in his room. In truth, he had been expecting it for some time.

"It sure is." Said a man entering from a secret door. "So good of you to still have this entrance here, makes my coming and going so much easier and secret. We don't want to scare anyone, what with the fact that everyone thinks I am dead. Wouldn't want to start any rumours now would we."

"It's been a long time, how are you?" Anthony held his hand out to the man. Ignoring Damian's insinuations.

"I am well thank you, three years have flown by." Damien accepted his hand. There was no love lost between them, but cordiality seemed necessary; for the time being at least.

"Surely you forgive me by now? You had become incredibly stubborn and wouldn't relinquish the leadership back to me. I had no choice but to have you 'murdered' in front of the Family. You were no longer acting in their best interests." Anthony smiled graciously at him.

"You only left me in charge because you had become bored with drinking the same blood all the time. If I remember correctly you said you were 'desperate to taste different wines and actually get to finish the bottle'."

"I had been drinking from the same fountain for almost 80 years, and they all taste the same, what with most of them being related in some way or another. But it is easier to be here, although every now and then I do become quite a 'coach potato', forgetting how to use my in built skills. It is only ever exciting around here when an initiation is imminent, just like now. Have you heard that Daniel is at the end of the path to Eternal Life? He has just accepted his sacrifice." Anthony asked casually.

"I have, he has finally come of age. I can't believe he is 28 already, the time has just flown by." Damien commented. There was an air of menace in their normal sounding conversation.

"I couldn't agree more. How times have changed since you were sacrificing, so many years have passed under the bridge since then." Anthony smiled at him.

"Time melds into one, days weeks and years all happening at once. I presume Dan is safe?"

"For the time being. I guess it depends on how well he performs between now and the sacrifice. I always knew he would be the one; he has the same look about him that your father had just before the sacrifice. It's interesting to be aware of it this time, at least I can 'act' shocked this time instead of being genuinely so. I wonder how he will do it, I so look forward to seeing how his plans pan out." Anthony turned his chair towards Damian and looked him straight in the eye. "I've heard rumours it was you who marked him. Take care my son, you are following a dangerous path." Anthony warned his intruder.

"One that we both follow, for different reasons. I can assure you I had nothing to do with his markings. They were unexpected and must have come from a higher authority. We knew one day a marked man would come. I guess Dan is the one we have been waiting for, but the future will take care of itself. And I am quite sure we shall meet again." Damien made to leave.

"I'm assuming Daniel is the reason you are here? Are you trying to subtly tell me that the Midnight Son has begun again? Like I said I already had an idea that he was to be the child's father. Am I to fear him because he is marked?" Anthony asked indifferently.

"You never feared my father, so why should you fear Daniel? True, he was not marked, but you never batted an eye lid over him, you should treat Dan no different. Take care, today changes everything." Damien left the room, leaving Anthony to ponder what he meant.

After a few minutes deep in thought, Anthony remembered that Mary was waiting for him in the other room. His eyes gleamed as he thought of her as the distraction he needed from the conversation with Damian.

Anthony walked into the room Mary was waiting for him in and sat himself down next to her.

"My love!" She called seductively, "Take me into your arms."

Anthony obliged, he kissed her neck and held her close as he took his fill. He sat back, his appetite distracted by Damian's appearance; even Mary couldn't distract him enough. Mary noticed his lack of enthusiasm.

"What is wrong my love?" She asked confused.

"It's beginning again." Anthony said quietly.

"What?" She stared at him, waiting for his answer.

"The end. It starts at the initiation dawn. I knew it was due, but I thought I had a few years before I had to once again contemplate the arrival of the end."

"But I'm not ..." Mary started.

"I know. I will do it, maybe very soon. Just be prepared for the ceremony not to go as expected. It will be Dan who causes the disruption."

"My Dan?" Mary asked unbelieving. "He is the catalyst to the end?"

"I suppose it has always been him. Don't forget he came back marked. We must let him go. If he has chosen to leave us, we cannot stop him. We must appear to be surprised at his defection. If he is the father, he must fall in love with the mother before the child can be conceived and he can't do that here. We have only one real chance to save our way of life and we must get to the end to do it." Anthony was thoughtful.

"But the end..." Mary was worried.

"We have more than enough time to plan for it. Don't forget I prevented the last time happening at all. This time however, I have been banned from preventing the ceremony from happening by the Council of Souls. We just have to sweeten it our way and prevent the creation of the Army of Souls. There is a manuscript detailing the choices to be made by the Midnight Son and we can control him, there are enchantments we can cast. It will be easy for us, we can live as normal. Dan is the one who will have to suffer." Anthony smiled slyly.

"So we continue as per a normal initiation?" Mary asked sceptically.

"Yes. Dan must not be aware that we know what he plans to do, this must be his decision completely. Besides, if we interfere, my life will be forfeit in that very same moment of interference and there will be no other living creature as old as me who will have a chance at turning the Midnight Son as dark as night. Dan won't even know what his destiny is yet, how the choices he makes over the next few days will colour the rest of his life. It's going to be a fun few years!"

CHAPTER 10

Dan quickly carried Alanah up to her room. Panic flooding through his body, adrenaline spurring him on. Jessie followed her friend and her saviour. She was willing and prepared to follow his every command, it was not through fear, it was through trust.

"Fetch me a bandage please; we need to stop her bleeding." He asked Jessie as he gently placed Alanah on the bed. He was very concerned about her limp body, he hadn't expected her to faint.

Jessie obeyed immediately, leaving the room and returning quickly with a bandage and bowl of water. She bathed the incision carefully and gently bandaged her wrist tightly. Both waited nervously for her to regain consciousness.

"She is my best friend. We can't let anything happen to her. I'll never forgive myself." Jessie whispered to Dan, she gripped his forearm tightly, empathising her every word. "You must get her out, I don't want her to die here. It's all my fault."

"I know she is your friend and it's not your fault Jess. Everything will be OK, I promise you. I will take care of her, I will look after you too." He looked Jessie in the eye and meant it.

They waited for her to recover from her ordeal. It wasn't long before Alanah began to come round. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at the two pairs of eyes staring anxiously at her. She lifted herself up on her elbows, and felt the pain in her wrist. She groaned and led back down.

"It's OK Alanah, its over, for now at least." Dan came to her side with a glass of water, he helped her to sit up and gently lifted the glass to her lips, she sipped, grateful for the cool liquid. Eventually she was recovered enough to speak.

"Jessie?" She saw her friend stood by the bed and she sat forward quickly and hugged her. She immediately felt faint and led back down. "I've been so worried about you. Four months and no word from, what are you doing here?" Alanah was more worried about her friend than herself.

"Don't worry about me, Dan's been taking care of me. I'm quite well, I joined the Family, and I've been here for the last 4 months. It's you we need to sort out first." Jessie smiled at Alanah, genuinely glad to see a friendly face. She hid her hands and arms from her friend, knowing she would be horrified at what had happened to them, but refusing would have been frowned on and her situation was precarious enough without disagreeing with these requests.

Jessie understood that it was all her own fault for believing everything the Family had told her. If only she had used her common sense and listened to her real friends and family instead of listening to the lies that she had been fed at a time when she truly needed the support of her allies. She was aware she had been gullible, and she had been paying the price for this ever since Sophie had brought her here and so far there had been no way out.

Dan checked Alanah's wrist, he was satisfied that it had stopped bleeding and then sighed. "I don't want to, but I have to leave you now. I will be back at some point during the night if I can, but right now I have a few things I need to do. Jessie will stay with you until she must return to her room at 8pm."

"Don't leave me along." Alanah said quickly, panic in her voice.

"I have to go. If I'm not seen in the right places they will question my absence. You will be safe with Jessie." Dan smiled without opening his mouth, giving him a doleful look. "Everything will be OK. I promise." He left the room swiftly, not pausing to look back, he couldn't bear to look at her ashen face, knowing it was his fault she was here.

Jessie and Alanah stared at each other, both totally overwhelmed to see the other again. The two friends were alone and they hugged not wanting to let go. Jessie began to cry. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry that I let this happen to you. I tried to stop it but ..."

"Jess, it's not your fault. They said it's been coming since the day I was born. I was chosen at birth and there is nothing you could have done to prevent it. It's not your fault at all. You are my friend and I know you would never have done this on purpose. I just wish you would have talked to me and the girls instead of turning to this cult. What has happened has happened, and there is no point dwelling on it." She held tightly onto Jessie's hands, looking at the numerous new and old scars on them. "Jessie, what has happened to you?" She asked unbelievingly.

"They promised me eternal life. That I could live life for Ruby as well as me, promised me youth and happiness and respect and I believed them. You remember I told you they asked me to join? Well their lies had me hook, line and sinker. They made me swear an oath of allegiance and gave me to Dan, telling me that they were saving my soul. They started to drink from me, telling me that by giving them eternal life would eventually come back and be given to me, once new recruits came to the house. So far, thank god that hasn't happened, and I doubt it ever will. Not that I would ever drink blood.

"Dan has been my sponsor since the day I came here, his 'servant', for him to do as he pleased. He has treated me with nothing but kindness and respect, asking me to do very little for him. He managed to protect me from most of the family, telling them he was saving me for when he was initiated, but he could not save me from his mother. She came whenever she wanted, made me feel that it was my duty, after all he is supposed to be Next in Line for leadership. She told me that if I were good enough to her, he would marry me and I would be the leader's wife. I knew that would never happen." Jessie stopped, sniffing back her tears. "How do you feel, knowing the Family have been watching you? I remember you saying you had never felt so happy after you were with him in the Maze."

Alanah thought carefully before answering, not only was she considering her answer, she was reeling from the revelation that Jessie had been drunk from. She couldn't reconcile it within herself. "I've never felt like I have been watched before. When he said that Mary and his father had been watching my life, well I didn't know what to think." She stopped. "Blood, they have been drinking your blood?"

"Let's not talk about that shall we." Jessie asked quietly.

Alanah nodded, understanding it was not a subject she was prepared to discuss. She sat up off the pillow, leaning earnestly towards Jessie. "You are so right about the night at the Maze, I've been plagued by dreams, reliving being in his arms and I've tried so much to not think about him during the day, but I may as well have been dreaming 24/7. I remember everything except what he looked like. I remembered his stubbly chin, his lips, his nose and his eyes all individually, but I could never make them up into a complete face." Alanah sighed. She had not told anyone about waking up crying after every dream, and she didn't want to start now.

"We have spoken a lot about you when we have been alone. There is so much warmth when he says your name, so much passion. I've never seen anyone so passionate about another human. He is nothing at all like the other two Alex and Callum; they are so different to each other anyhow. Alex is brash and pig headed and Callum is so shy and never wants to kick up a fuss. He just seems to go along with whatever he is told to do, but sometimes it looks like he wants to cry. I guess he doesn't want to sacrifice either... Dan is the only one among them that has shown, to me at least, his true feelings. He said that his dad, John and his grandfather had spoken to him about you, as a person, rather than a sacrifice, something they weren't supposed to do. He said he can't help love you. He says he thinks he always has, but that he is only just realizing it, that your name is tattooed onto his heart and that you will be together forever. He is without a shadow of a doubt genuine. But could you love him?" Jessie asked sincerely.

"Since I can remember I have dreamt of my guardian angel, someone to love me for me, to make me feel safe and protected, someone to trust completely with my life. I think Dan is him. He is the man I have been saving myself for. It seems like he has always been in my life. I think I could easily fall in love with him too. I think I might already have." Alanah smiled as she thought of the dreams she had had, of her guardian angel, so sure that she had found him in Dan.

CHAPTER 11

Since his decision at the nightclub, Dan had had 6 months to plan how to get Alanah out. It hadn't taken him long to realize, that there was only one opportunity for him to safely get Alanah out without an angry mob of Family members hunting them down, and exacting a horrible revenge on them both, which he knew they would do in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, that one opportunity was at a very dangerous moment for Alanah – the moment he was supposed to sacrifice her. Once he had concluded that the most precarious moment was the only real chance to free her, he had spent every night awake planning and re planning ways to free her.

He took a seldom used staircase all the way to the top of the house, stopping on one occasion to wait for a corridor to become clear of people. As quietly as he could he ascended the wooden stairs, missing out the ones he knew creaked when stepped on.

When Dan arrived in the attic, he took a key from his pocket and unlocked one of the rooms. Checking there was no one outside – there wouldn't be, most people didn't know this set of attics existed, but he had always been taught to check before entering this room. It was to remain secret.

Growing up he had snuck up here every day and had additional lessons from his dad and Grandfather away from all the doctrine the Family had been teaching him. It was the place he had learnt about Alanah and the value of a human life.

This small dark room had been the one place in his life where he had felt he was taught lessons that would really mean something as he grew up. This was the one place Alanah was called Alanah, in every other lesson she was referred to as 'your sacrifice' or 'your first kill', anything to dehumanise her and make her nothing more than a feast to be eaten.

Dan had many happy memories in this small dimly lit room, it housed everything his grandfather had ever taught him.

He sighed as he felt alone, a good thing as he seemed to get very little time on his own. There always seemed to be someone invading the privacy he was craving. Even though he had been born into the Family, he had never gotten used to the lack of his own thoughts, and this room here had been the only place he had been allowed to voice his own mind.

It was comforting now to be away from the almost inaudible, but constant noise of the people in the house below him. With over 200 people living in the labyrinthine house, there was always a noise coming from somewhere, except here in the forgotten attic.

Dan sat down in one of the three comfy chairs and picked up the photo album that was on the desk next to it. He opened the album to the first page and a small baby looked up at him. It was Alanah when she was less than a day old. He turned the page and a one year old Alanah looked back up at him smiling with red curls bobbing around her face.

Dan smiled at each photo that he looked at, each of Alanah one year older than the last, chronicling her life right up until her 20th birthday.

It was only the last photo that he looked at with love, for it had only been since this photo had been taken that he had fallen in love with her, before that she had only been a child or a teenager, but now she was the woman that he loved.

He sat quietly for a few minutes, remembering back to the lectures his grandfather had given him, so different to what he had been taught elsewhere. He remembered them fondly.

The day his grandfather Damian had been murdered three years ago was the last day he had received any lessons here. He had been taught about compassion, how seeing things from someone else's point of view could give you the best insight into them ever, and he had never forgotten that lesson.

It had been 2 ½ years before he had set foot back in this room, seeing no reason to go there if there were no lessons to learn. It wasn't until he had started to plan Alanah's escape that he had found his way back up here. Nothing had changed – their coffee cups were exactly where they had left them, dust covering everything. He had found it heartbreaking being back in the room, realizing how much he truly missed Damian and how much he wished he was still alive to guide him now.

He had spent the last six months using this room to store everything he needed for the escape. He had surreptitiously worked overtime, managing to save almost £10,000 including the savings he had creamed off the wages he had had to give to the Family every month – another one of the lessons he had taken to heart.

Dan had also been able to get himself a passport directly from the passport agency, no Family member was permitted to travel abroad.

Along with a Sat Nav, Credit Card and a mobile phone he had gathered everything he thought he would need. He placed it all into the pockets of his cargo pants, heading back downstairs and out to his car. He sat in the driver's seat and emptied his pockets, placing everything in the glove compartment. It didn't seem a lot, but it was all he had been able to do, and once they were free, they would be able to get whatever they needed. This was just the things they needed to leave the country in haste.

He had made every preparation that he could. He just had to play a waiting game now, go through the motions, and make everyone believe that he was on the path to his initiation. He would have to fool a lot of people.
CHAPTER 12

Dan rushed back to his sparse bed room as quickly as walking nonchalantly would allow him.

He was met by his father, who was sat on the bed waiting for him. "I know what your intentions are. I know you plan to escape with Alanah." His father said.

"Don't be silly." Dan scoffed. "Why would I want to escape with a sacrifice?" He was alarmed that he had figured it out. Had he found his preparations in the attic room - had he followed him?

"Because you love her, and it is your destiny. I give you my blessing and support, everything will be alright. Your whole life has been leading up to today, and your future will begin as soon as you leave with Alanah."

"What are you talking about Dad?" Dan asked confused. They had never talked about destiny before. He thought the extra lessons he had received were to help him when he became leader.

"You and Alanah are meant for bigger things than Alanah just being your sacrifice. She is your soul mate and you will be with her forever. It was written many years before you were born that you and Alanah would meet and fall in love. Your lives to come are written in the sands of time and you will encounter many things during your lives together. It is your destiny to escape."

"Dad, you are talking a load of rubbish ...." Dan started.

"I am? Then how come I can see that tears have been rolling down your face, yet at the same time you have a determination about you that I have never seen before. It is my job to help you escape. Believe me I want you to leave, you need to be away from this place, it is draining you of your humanity and you need it more than you will ever know. I have packed a bag for you and I will put it in your car. I took Alanah's passport when she was abducted. I know you have a stash of money, and I will add to it, it will be in the boot of your car in the bag. You are all ready to leave and take Alanah with you." His father held out a gold ring to Dan. "Take this, it belonged to your grandmother. Do you remember what Damien said to do with it? Give it to your true love? Give it to Alanah; it will protect her from Anthony."

"Dad, why would you want to help me?" Dan asked amazed, finally acknowledging his intentions. He took the ring from his father and placed it on his ring finger.

"Because it's my destiny, I'm here to help you escape. Your grandfather prepared you for what you must do, he gave you all the information on Alanah and helped you to fall in love with her through the photos he showed you. He told you stories of the things she did over the years and made you realize how important humanity is. He gave you your feelings and morality, even though he was the leader of the Family, he knew how important it was that you became the man that you are. I am proud of you, and proud to be able to help you and Alanah escape." His father put his hand on Dan's shoulder. It was difficult for him to show his emotions and this was as good as it got from him.

"How?" Dan asked, trusting his father completely.

"You already know how, you were planning it yourself, only it is my duty to do it."

"You will kill Anthony?"

"It is my fate to incapacitate him to aid your escape, you will be heavily watched following your final lesson, and you won't be able to lock the necessary doors to keep everyone inside. You will need to get Alanah out as quickly as possible." His father smiled. He was an amiable man and Dan knew he could trust him.

"What about the other sacrifices?" Dan asked, determined not to let them be killed also.

"I will follow you with them and lead them to safety." His father replied.

"I am to be second, one of them will be sacrificed before I am given my knife. I can't cut Alanah free without it." Dan was anxious about saving them all.

"Jessie will have another knife for you, you must conceal it. I'll do it as soon as I can. Everything will be OK the first sacrifice can still be saved."

"Why did you marry my mother? She is an evil woman." Dan asked.

"When I married her she was not, she was young and carefree and I loved her. She got steadily worse over the years. Anthony made a play for her when you were a baby. I guess it is an 'open secret', but neither of us have ever acknowledged or discussed it. It was my fault, I renounced my claims on the leadership. It only got this bad when your grandfather was murdered and Anthony took over. She saw an opportunity to obtain power, and she knows that aside from Anthony, you are to be the most powerful person here. She is determined to keep that power, and with you destined, as far as the Family is concerned to be named as Next in Line as soon as you are initiated, she is determined to keep on your good side too. She would be the mother of the leader and in a highly influential position. Whoever leads, you or Anthony, she is a powerful woman."

"Only I am convinced Anthony will murder me the first chance he gets." Dan smiled wryly.

"That is another reason why you can't be initiated, you are in less danger in your current state, because you are not initiated you cannot take your place as Next in Line and you cannot challenge his claim to the leadership. If you are initiated you become a real and immediate threat to him." His father smiled at him, showing him a different side to him, one he too had had to hide over the years. He would be severely punished for helping Dan if he were caught.

"Alanah is not though. She is in a very vulnerable state."

"That is why you must leave the country and get as far away from here as possible. That is why you got yourself a passport isn't it? I was planning on obtaining one for you myself. But you are quite prepared aren't you? Go to her tonight; tell her the truth as much as you dare. She will be scared overnight alone."

"How can I go to her, her door will be guarded? They won't let me through at night."

"You know, there is another entrance in to her room. This old house is full of secret passages. The Family couldn't exist without them. I'll show you later." Dan's father checked the door, making sure no one was outside. "Remember that whatever happens during Sophie and Helen's ritual tomorrow night, you are my son and I will do as I have promised. I apologise now for what I must do, I'm sure I won't have a chance to say it afterwards."

Dan understood how Alanah must feel, he had to rely on someone else to keep their word, and experience humiliation and pain at the hands of someone who claimed they loved him. He felt very guilty as to what was happening to Alanah and believed that no amount of suffering on his part would make him feel any better about what was to happen. He had to keep telling himself it was happening for the right reasons.

-o-

It had begun to get dark by the time John had taken one last look out of the door. There was no one outside, but he couldn't help being cautious.

"Well my boy, how many years has this room been yours?" John asked cheerfully.

"Almost 10 years I guess. Why?" Dan asked.

"Well, I did think you would have found this by now." John was stood by Dan's wardrobe and he flicked a hidden button on the picture rail next to it. A small door, no larger than a crouched man clicked open by the skirting board below.

"Wow!" Said Dan amazed. "Where does it lead to?" He asked enthusiastically.

"It's been used by the Newman's for a couple of centuries. It goes straight to Alanah's room if you go up the stairs, and out into the grounds if you go down the stairs."

"OK." Dan said thoughtfully.

"Don't even think about it." John warned him.

"I'm not – I know the consequences of escaping now, but I think I will take her outside, she may feel claustrophobic, she's spent pretty much 24 hours solid in her room. Could you go and tell Sophie that I need Jessie tonight, I think I may need a decoy." Dan said thoughtfully.

"Of course. Get her to come straight here; she'll have to be seen leaving Alanah's room. I'll ask her to bring her cloak from her room, it's cold tonight and it will help Alanah blend in, they will think she is Jessie. I'll make sure she brings it up when I show her the way." John smiled at his son, proud of him, he had exceeded his expectations.

Dan ducked through the door, shutting it behind him. He was stood in a small corridor between the stone external wall and the brick wall of his bedroom. It would have been dark if John had not given him a small but powerful torch, small enough to conceal in a pocket.

Dan walked carefully up the stone steps, the air in the small corridor was quite cold and he shivered as if someone had walked over his grave. He noticed a drawing on the wall that looked like it had been there for centuries.

It was the body of a woman dressed in a long red dress. She had the head of a lioness and she had a gold band around her neck and jewellery on her arms and fingers. On her head was a golden disc. Dan glanced at the drawing for a few seconds, seeing an Egyptian eye and a line of hieroglyphics below it. He moved on, more interested and nervous to see Alanah.

CHAPTER 13

Jessie sat on the edge of the bed watching Alanah sleeping. They had spent the last couple of hours talking and Alanah had finally fallen asleep. She only had about 10 minutes to go before she had to be back in her room.

She sighed as she slid off the bed, getting ready to leave.

"Hi Jessie." Dan said walking from a small alcove along the far wall.

"Dan! You scared me." Jessie said looking at him.

"Sorry, my dad showed me a discreet alternative to passing the guard at the door. I shouldn't be here." Dan smiled sheepishly. "How is she?" He asked earnestly.

"Exhausted, but fine. She has been through a lot already and I don't know how she will cope with everything else." Jessie was as concerned as Dan was.

"I don't know what to say to help her. I feel so guilty for what is happening. Why would she believe me when I say everything will be OK?"

"What will they do to her before they send her for your initiation ceremony?" Jessie asked tentatively.

They will cleanse her, take away who she is. Take away her sins." Dan signed.

"But she has never sinned to such an extent that would warrant it. I've known her almost all my life and she has always been truthful, kind and honest." Jessie said concerned. "I should have stopped this."

"How could you have done that? You are just one person trapped here yourself. It is up to me to free her, you too."

"Sir, I got myself into this mess, Alanah is innocent. She must be your primary concern." Jessie held onto Dan, imploring her point.

"Jess, no one deserves to be trapped here against their will, including you. If I could I would take all the recruits with me, but by the time the sacrifices have begun, those that are not involved will be locked in their rooms. As much as I want to, I cannot save everyone."

"No one expects you to. You must do whatever you can, the others are like me, we all came here by choice, we can look after ourselves." Jessie smiled at Dan. "You love her don't you sir? I could tell from the very first moment we started talking about her. I'm sorry if I speak out of turn, but I can see it in your face."

Dan sighed, one of his worst fears being realized. "You are not talking out of turn Jessie, but if you can see it, does that mean my mother can? What about Anthony. I've done my best to hide my feelings, to act as if I am intent on sacrificing her, but if they can see through me, we are all dead."

"You are a great actor sir, if we had not been thrown together, if I were not her friend, I would never have known. I've seen the way you act when needed, you carry the right amount at distain and confidence to fool them all. Your secret is safe with me. Whatever is to come, if I can help you in any way I will. You have been my guardian since I have been here and I can never thank you enough for that. Without you, I would more than likely be dead by now." She kissed his cheek quickly, going bright red as she did. "My curfew is almost here, I must go back to my room. I know you will do everything in your power to save Alanah." Jessie bowed and went to leave.

"Jess, I need your help now if you're willing." Dan called to her quietly.

"Anything." She said walking back towards him.

"You can say no – I won't be offended." Dan said.

"Anything." Jessie reiterated. "I already promised I'd do whatever is necessary now."

"My dad has told Sophie that I require your assistance tonight to practice your role in the ceremony – it means you are not obliged to be in your room for curfew. When you leave this room go straight to my room. John will be waiting for you and he will show you the passage I used to get here. I need you to take Alanah's place in the bed in case someone checks on her. I'd really like some time to talk to her alone and as they say 'walls have ears', the garden is our best place to go."

"Of course, I'll be back as soon as I can." Jessie bowed – it had become a habit and quietly left Alanah's room.

Not wanting to be voyeuristic, Dan walked to the window and stared out through the barred window staring out into the dim light of the evening.

"Hello Dan." Alanah said opening her eyes and yawning.

"I didn't mean to wake you." He said walking towards her, but stopping half way.

"You didn't, not really, I've been dozing rather than really sleeping, it's not exactly easy to sleep when you're being held hostage." Alanah felt the collar on her neck. She gently touched it feeling the smooth metal beneath her fingers. "It wasn't a dream. I guess I am to be your sacrifice." Alanah looked at Dan.

"Not if I can help it." Dan stepped tentatively closer. "I'll get you out. I give you my solemn promise. I don't want to sacrifice you. I want to get you out of here." He looked into her eyes with his, sincerity pouring out. He came right to the bed and hesitantly sat down.

"It was you who answered the phone when I rang back yesterday wasn't it?" Alanah asked.

Dan nodded. "It was me. I couldn't say any more than I did. I knew they were taking you last night, but Anthony walked in just as I was about to warn you. If it had been Jessie on the phone, she would have lost a finger. It's how recruits are punished for contacting the outside world." He looked downtrodden, more like a little boy than a man.

"That's horrible. How can anyone do that to another human? Mind you, I've been probed and unnecessarily examined to find out if I am a virgin." She shivered, remembering what had happened.

"I'm sorry it happened." Dan whispered, he looked into her eyes.

"When we met in the Maze, you knew what was going to happen. Why didn't you tell me?" Alanah asked simply, no hint of accusation in her voice.

"Would you have believed me?" Dan took Alanah's hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes.

She thought for a minute. "No, of course I wouldn't have believed you; I would have thought you mad! If a stranger came up to me and said you are going to be kidnapped two nights before your 21st birthday, you will be a sacrifice for my initiation into ... into what Dan?"

As Dan was about to reply, Jessie walked through the wall and stood waiting patiently.

"I'll explain it all outside, I thought you could do with some fresh air. Jessie is going to stay here and pretend to be you sleeping, just in case someone comes to check."

"Is that not dangerous?" Alanah asked.

"Of course not. It's very unlikely anyone will come, but best to cover it." Jessie said. She walked towards the bed carrying a set of clothes and two cloaks. She handed Dan his.

"Besides, you will be pretending to be Jessie, I can hardly be seen out with you." Dan smiled sadly.

"Right, change of clothes, its cold out there tonight and that nightie won't protect you against the elements." Jessie placed the jeans and jumper on the bed. "You'd better turn round Dan and no looking in the mirror!" Jessie said all matronly.

"Yes Mam! I'm getting used to turning around for Alanah's modesty!" He turned around willingly, putting his own cloak on whilst he waited.

Alanah quickly pulled the jeans up under her nightie before pulling it off and replacing it with the jumper. She hurriedly pulled on socks and trainers. Jessie pulled a scarf out of the jeans pocket and wrapped it around the collar on Alanah's neck. She picked up the heavy cloak and wrapped Alanah in it.

"She's gonna to have to put the hood up Dan, we don't exactly look alike do we!" It was the first time in years that she had compared her beautiful mocha colour skin to Alanah's English rose complexion.

"Good point." Dan mused, turning round. "At least you are about the same height and clothes size that helps greatly."

"It doubles our wardrobe size." Jessie said seriously.

"We're practically sisters." Alanah shrugged, she felt comfortable in their company.

"I see." Dan said, feeling suddenly out numbered. "Are you ready?" He asked Alanah. She nodded and walked towards him. "Have a good sleep Jessie." He said smiling.

"Don't worry I will!" Jessie got into the bed and settled herself in. "This bed is much comfier than mine downstairs!"

"Shall we?" Dan asked gesturing to the passage door.

Alanah smiled slightly and crouched to enter the small hole, lifting the hem of the cloak as she went. Dan climbed in after her, turning the torch on before shutting the door behind him.

"Down the stairs?" Alanah whispered hesitantly.

"Yes, do you want me to lead?" He whispered back.

"Probably the best idea!" Alanah stood still while Dan brushed lightly past her. It was the closest their bodies had touched since the Maze.

"OK?" Dan asked when he had reached the other side.

Alanah nodded not finding the words to confirm. The momentary proximity between the two of them had been exhilarating. They walked down the stairs at a decent pace until they came to the drawing Dan has seen on the way up to her.

"Sekhmet!" Alanah said, knowing instantly who it was.

"I beg your pardon?" Dan asked confused.

"The drawing is of the Egyptian Goddess Sekhmet. My mum would be able to tell you more about her; she studied Egyptology as part of her degree. I always used to be fascinated by the pictures in her books and I remember this one."

"I see." Dan said as they continued down the stairs. "I have no idea why it's there."

"It's an old house, it's probably been there a couple of hundred years." Alanah said. She heard a scurrying behind her and held tightly onto Dan's hand as she saw a mouse run up the stairs.

"It won't hurt you, It's just scared of the light! Dan said, secretly pleased she was using him as support. He stopped and pointed to a panel on the inside wall. "This is my room, but we are going on downwards to the garden."

Alanah nodded acknowledging the information before they continued down the stairs. It wasn't long before they were exiting a concealed tunnel straight into the garden.

"It's beautiful." Alanah gasped as she took in the scene before them. The sky was almost pitch black save for the moonlight and twinkling stars that were in the sky. She knew they must be far from any town to see them shining so brightly. The moon was almost full and so close to the earth you could see some of the craters.

There was enough moonlight to be able to see the huge expanse that was the grounds of the house she was being held captive in. There was a series of tiered gardens leading downwards away from the house, each mostly grass with the trees strewn about the dark olive greenness that the night time had turned the gardens into. It truly was a dark paradise.

Dan looked around, seeing the gardens through Alanah's eyes. "I suppose it is." He sighed. "But I'm so used to seeing them, I guess I don't 'see' them anymore." He took Alanah's hand. "Watch your footing as we go down, the stairs are ancient, older than the house I think and maintenance of them is not the Family's top priority."

The stairs really were in need of some TLC. Alanah peering out from the hood, struggled to see the dips and missing stones from the stairs, and she was very glad of the support from Dan. There were 15 steps that fanned out from the top one into a gentle arch, making the bottom of the stairs considerably wider than the top, and unless you held diligently onto the stone banister, you would almost certainly be prone to falling over the broken and missing steps.

Dan continued holding her hand when they reached the bottom of the stairs, gently leading her away from the house and towards a ridge of grass that looked out over the rest of the grounds. They sat down on the cold grass and Alanah wrapped the cloak around herself to keep warm, making sure the hood was pulled over her head properly, not betraying who she really was.

It was obvious to both of them that they had to look like sponsor and recruit talking about a sacrifice rather than what they truly were – a man and a woman wondering what the other was thinking.

CHAPTER 14

"You said you'd tell me why I'm here." Alanah said gently after a few minutes of silence.

"I did." Dan sighed. "I'm just a bit terrified to tell you. I don't know how you are going to react." Dan admitted solemnly.

"Well I already know you are going to save me from whatever the danger is, I know that for a fact, so telling me what you are going to save me from, can't be all that bad." Alanah said, understanding his fear.

"Jessie put it the best way when I told her what she had sworn an oath to. The Family of the Eternal Life is a cult. In order to become an active member you must sacrifice a human." He stopped, letting that sink in before continuing. "Sacrificing only happens every 5 years, and you must between the ages of 5 and 10 to begin the path, I was 7 when I started. On the day you were born, when you were less than an hour old, my mother chose you to be my initiation sacrifice. I'll never forget seeing you. You were perfect in every way, small, and flawlessly formed, a halo of red hair around your head." Dan smiled as he remembered back. "It was decreed that you would be mine on the morning of your 21st birthday, which is the day after tomorrow. That night when we got back to the house, I was taken to the green room, with Alex and Callum, the other two who are sacrificing with me. Our mothers slit their wrists and we drank from them. It was supposed to give us a thirst for blood."

"Are you telling me you're vampires?" Alanah asked alarmed, she shied away from him scared. Was this what Jessie had meant by them feeding from her?

"I do not believe in Vampires." He said sternly, the accusation clearly a sore point for him, then returning to his normal voice. "They are a myth. But I was born into a cult, where people drink human blood every day once initiated. They consider it to be beneficial, life extending and a human right. As I am currently un-initiated, I have drunk blood only the once, and then it was hardly anything, less than a thimble full I would guess. Alex, Callum and I became blood brothers that night, normally we are called blood kin, but we had no girls embarking on the path, so we became known as the blood brothers. Our parents committed us to the 'Path to Eternal Life'. We have spent the last 21 years learning the words and meanings of the 3 days leading up to the sacrifice." Dan closed his eyes and sank back from Alanah.

"What lessons have you been taught?" Alanah asked, her whole body shaking with cold and nerves, but her voice was tender.

"We have learnt the 6 Family morals:

Trust in the Family and our leader

Despair is part of life and leads you to enlightenment

Existence is better than nonexistence

Death is inevitable, but all Family members are reborn

Enlightenment – Know yourself and you will be free

Sacrifice is inevitable

They aren't the type of morals most people learn in life, but they are the ones taught here." Dan sighed.

"You said three days leading up to sacrificing me, why aren't we sacrificed straight away? It would be easier for us sacrifices rather than having to wait three whole days in fear and tears." Alanah asked gently.

"As a show of power over you. Most of what we do is a show of power over you. We have to interact with you, show you who is boss so to speak, and then we have to callously kill you without showing everyone how it affects us. We are supposed to be emotionless when we... murder you. I suppose it completely encompass all of the morals, our trust, your despair, existence and death. The enlightenment we get from your sacrifice. It's supposed to be a lesson for us, to get to know you and then take your life, our final act as a 'human' before we become part of an eternal family. Your sacrifice binds us to the Family, they cover up the murder, but equally if you defect, they can expose what you did. Nothing better than a bargain made in hell." He felt alone and frightened. How could she understand what it was like? Why should she, she was a prisoner and had no reason to trust him. He was sure she would be repulsed by what he was and what he was supposed to become.

Alanah could see the gentle, vulnerable man Dan was, the man who had changed her life so quickly and completely. It was clear he was trapped, like her in a situation not of his doing and she knew he wanted out, and he had to get out before her life was taken otherwise he was bound for life. "How come you were at the night club, if you weren't there to choose me?" She eventually asked.

"You must understand that since the age of 7, I was taught how to act around you, the fact that you were nothing but... something to kill." He grimaced. "It kind of screwed me up big time. My father and grandfather were giving me separate lessons, told me about you as a person and I started to disbelieve everything I was being told by the Family, nothing made sense. How could killing one person give _me_ eternal life? I just didn't get it. I felt like I was under so much pressure, and I didn't want it. One Tuesday after work – a lot of us have regular jobs to help fund the Family - I just didn't come back here. I wanted to never see this house again.

"I stayed with a work colleague, deciding what was best for the future – no one to my knowledge had ever willingly left the Family, it was a cross between extreme relief and looking over my shoulder all the time scared I would be found and brought back. The night I met you, I was lying in bed when all of a sudden I felt restless, like I needed to get out of there, nothing could get rid of the feeling. It was like some sort of force making me leave. So I got up and went out, and that's when I saw you in the Maze, I honestly had no idea you were going to be there, it was pure coincidence. I knew who you were, we keep tabs on sacrifices to make sure we can find you and we had photos of you which I'd seen. I couldn't believe you were there.

"I'd always hated the prospect of having to kill you; it was something I always put to the back of my mind, not wanting to think about it, pretending I didn't need to deal with it until... well until now." Dan sighed loudly. "But seeing you living your life, having fun with your friends made me want to tell you that you had to get away from here if you were to continue living, I tried to tell you, but I couldn't find the right words and I knew you wouldn't believe me. It was nothing short of amazing when we danced together ... and kissed." Dan sighed again turning bright red. "I think I fell in love with you at that point." Dan stopped, his heart beating unbelievably fast, he realized he had said what he had had no intention of saying, love was a feeling he believed had no place here and now.

Alanah was stunned (and secretly delighted!) at the declaration of love, she thought that it was only her who had these feelings. She remembered vividly the first time he had touched her, his warmth and the feeling of his body against hers and she smiled as she remembered back to the stolen moments. "It was amazing." She whispered.

She looked at the man sat next to her and knew her future lay with him. She could feel the warmth he felt towards her and she could not help reciprocate it back. Alanah knew right at that moment he had taken her heart and she would never get it back from him. He was a stranger, but at the same time she felt she had always known him, felt comforted by his presence and at home with him.

"Any how." He continued quickly. "I intend to get you out of here, we will have to progress as if you are going to be my sacrifice, but I will engineer a way to escape. Then you must go to America, to your parents and not come back here. I'll move far away too, somewhere they can't find me ..."

Alanah held her finger up to Dan's lips to stop him talking, forgetting momentarily about being discreet. "If we get out, we go to America together."

"Alanah, I can fend for myself." He was amazed and confused by her reaction. He was expecting her to be disgusted by what he had said and never want to see him again.

"I'm sure you can, but ... something tells me we go together." She smiled at Dan. She felt very safe with him, felt she knew his spirit and she felt genuine concern and a need for love radiating from him. And she was now positive her dreams had been a sign that she should not be scared of him and that trust in him was elemental – something she was born to do. At that moment she did not fear what was to come.

Although the circumstances were the most surreal she was ever likely to be in, Alanah was sure that she would be safe and that Dan would take care of her. Whatever was to come would come, and she just had to get on the rollercoaster and ride it to the end of the track. For the first time ever, there was complete quietness in her heart and Alanah knew that her future would be different to any of her friends, even though she had no idea what the future was, she accepted all that was to come. Whatever was to happen was heading in her direction, and there was no way she could stop the ride half way through. Dan was the only man she had ever found irresistible, and even though he had just told her the deep dark secret that was his life, she was sure he despised the cult he was in. She could see in his eyes that he would do anything to remove both of them from this place.

"How will you get me out?" She asked him, turning and looking at him rather than the moon and stars. She so wanted to be able to kiss him, but eyes could be anywhere and she would not do anything rash that could end the beginning of whatever was to come.

"You really want to know?" Dan asked worried. Alanah nodded, so he continued. "During the ceremony, Anthony gives us knives to... to use." Dan fumbled with his words, trying to curb the fact that they were used to slit the sacrifices throats. "I will be able to cut you free and get you out."

"What about Jessie? She has to come too. There is no way we can leave her here. She doesn't belong here." Alanah asked worried, she looked at him with anxious eyes.

"I agree that she should not be left here. She will be beside me during the ceremony, handing the knife to me. I'll make sure she knows she is coming with us so that she doesn't lag behind. You must know that I have never mistreated her. She has been my servant for the last 4 months. I have treated her with nothing but the utmost respect and compassion. We have talked about you a lot, she is truly a good friend and is desperate to make sure you are not sacrificed. She knows that she was tricked into coming here, but it was her own free will, compared to your kidnapping. If I had known the night that I met you that she had been singled out by the family to be a recruit, I would have warned her off, but I never saw her pin. If I had seen it I would have been able to stop her coming here. I promise I will do my best, I will free her as well as you." Dan was sincere, telling nothing but the truth.

"What if you can't save us?" Alanah asked.

"I will." Dan's answer was positive. They sat silently looking out over the gardens, feeling nothing but comfortable in each other's company. "Can I ask you a question, you don't have to answer, and you can tell me it's none of my business if you like?"

"Of course you can. What is it?"

"I feel embarrassed to ask. You're still a virgin. What has stopped you making love to anyone?" He went red in the moonlight.

Alanah giggled at the redness of his face. "I blame my friends actually. I heard so many stories about how disappointed they were the first time and how they wished they had waited, or had chosen the wrong guy. I guess I learned from their mistakes and decided to be the one who was happy with their first time. I didn't want it to be an experience I wished was different for the rest of my life, not because I'm a prude or anything. Does that make sense?"

"Of course it does. Sorry I asked, it wasn't very polite."

"You are entitled to know. Besides, I know I have found the right man now. You." Alanah giggled again, going red herself.

"Thanks." Dan said, stifling the biggest smile, feeling it wasn't right the right time to agree wholeheartedly with her. He had to save her first.

"It's so nice to be in the open air, I was beginning to feel quite enclosed inside that room." Alanah said taking a breath of the clean cool air.

"It's not nice being confined in a room, our punishments are pretty harsh here. I've been in confinement myself a few times over the years." Dan laughed dryly.

"That doesn't sound good." Alanah said, shuddering.

"Well it's better than some of the punishments Anthony dishes out."

"You mean like having a finger cut off for making a telephone call?" Alanah asked.

"Yes, just like that. If Anthony had caught Jess on the phone it would have been an instant punishment, no time for explanations. It was just lucky that I was able to take the blame for her, I only got 6 hours in confinement and a public reprimand for it, a very small price to pay for saving her digit."

"Why do you think we have this... connection?" Alanah asked quietly.

"I don't know. I can tell you how it feels for me, but I don't know what it feels like for you." Dan smiled looking away from her as his cheeks blushed again.

"Tell me, please?" Alanah asked, an understated urgency to her voice.

"All my life you have been there. A person who I had never met, someone not connected to what I was born into, it made you an enigma. I thought I knew everything about you, your friends, your likes, your hobbies, the music that you listened to, but in truth I knew nothing. It wasn't until I saw you in person that I realized that you were perfect. Everything about you, your eyes penetrated into my soul and I saw you for what you really were." Dan smiled sheepishly.

"What?" Alanah asked anxiously.

"The woman I loved." Dan looked her in the eye, wanting to know what her reaction would be. "I can't put it any other way. It was as if the world stood still and nothing but you mattered any more. You were the piece of me I didn't know I was missing. I felt..."

"Complete." Alanah finished for him.

"Yes, no other word can describe it. The yin to my yang, the shadow to myself."

"I knew instantly the same thing. I felt that you had always been there, I felt so happy in your arms, like I had come home. It hurt like hell after you had gone. I felt abandoned and alone, but I couldn't understand it. How you could affect me so quickly. You've been the subject of my dreams ever since, even though I could never see you. I have relived that night so many times in my dreams, felt you close to me, kissing me ... and I've always woke up crying. It was like you were dead. That night with you changed me forever." She smiled timidly, the smile not quite lighting up her face, more of an acknowledgement they were both feeling the same way. It was a magical feeling in the midst of mayhem.

"Yes, it changed me too. I'm sorry, for everything, I wish I could change what has happened and protect you from this." Dan said there was a hint of anger to his voice.

"But you can't, can you." Alanah reasoned with him. It was not a question, just a statement of fact.

"I know, that's part of the problem." He said sighing. "But I am the reason you are in such danger."

"You know, Jessie seems to think the same thing, and I'll tell you what I told her – it was Mary who chose me. Besides, I would never have met you if she had not. You were the stranger who left such an indelible mark on my life. Your face has been missing from my memory, and I couldn't remember your voice, but you have been with me ever since. I have ached for you, knowing I would never be satisfied till I saw you again, and here you are, telling me the most amazing and frightening things anyone could hear, yet all I can think of, is how much I want you to hold me." Alanah wiped a tear from her cheek as she revealed her secret desire, hoping he would feel the same.

"Oh Alanah!" Dan almost cried, so desperate to take her in his arms, but so sure they would be caught. "I am yours forever."

"I have always been yours; I have spent my life waiting to find you." Alanah said smiling properly for the first time all day.

They were silent, they both understood that as much as they wanted to, they would have to wait for any intimate moments – and they both wanted them, but now was not an appropriate time, even though they both wanted to feel the other. Instead, they just sat close to each other, discreetly holding hands.

"So, cloaks?" Alanah asked, wanting to lighten the mood.

"Not the most fashionable of clothes it has to be said, but intimidating and warm when necessary."

"And the colours – yours is green and Jessie's is grey."

"A chance to use my years of learning! The Family has been around for well over 4,000 years in one form or another. There were 8 founding families of the Family of the Eternal Life. Each family came together believing that in numbers they could make a difference, there had been much feuding up until that point. The plan was to make a utopia for those who drank blood; they saw blood as the life source of the world and believed they were entitled to partake the forbidden drink for their satisfaction.

"Each family was granted sanctuary into the Family of the Eternal Life, with the agreement that secrecy was at the core of what they did. Each family became entrusted with an aspect of life. One family became priests, one purveyors of blood, one security and so on and so forth. Each coloured cloak belongs to an historic family, we mostly don't live by those rules any more, and we all pitch in. Each grey cloak that has a coloured trim is under the protection of that family. Like Jessie, my family protect her."

"I understand." Alanah took everything in. "What did your family historically do?"

"Well, ironically, my family still do exactly what we started out doing." Dan said, not really wanting to give the answer.

"What?" Alanah asked innocently.

"We produce the leaders." Dan said looking away.

"Oh." Alanah said, not expecting that response.

"It gets worse I'm afraid." Dan said despondently.

"Tell me." Alanah said squeezing his hand gently, hoping it would consol him.

"Anthony is only a caretaker leader. My grandfather was the last real leader, but he was murdered three years ago. My Dad refused to take the role of Next in Line – that's what we call the person who is to take the position of leader following the death of the previous leader. I wasn't initiated, which meant I could not take the position and be taught the final secrets of the Family. Anthony stepped in and took an oath to lead the Family until I was initiated and could step up to take the Next in Line position. It's not going to happen, but as far as the Family are concerned, after the initiation I am to be announced as Next in Line and sent for one to one training with Anthony." Dan cringed as he told his story.

Alanah felt the tension that had crept up over Dan's body as he talked about the responsibilities he was expected to take on, even though he wouldn't be here to accept them. She tightened her grip on his hand and bumped gently into his arm with hers as a sign that she didn't have a problem with what he had just told her. He began to relax, but not much.

"Thank you." He whispered to her.

"What for?" Alanah asked.

"For being so understanding, and so easy to love." He smiled coyly, looking down at their entwined hands.

"I was going to say the same thing about you. I feel some other force is at hand, bringing us together. What we both feel is not normal. I feel incomplete when you are not around."

"I have no idea. All I know is that I want to be with you, but more importantly for the moment anyway, I want to get you out of here, and I will. I promise." Dan smiled and saw that Alanah had started to shiver uncontrollably, the night had grown colder since they had started talking. "Come on, back inside, you'll catch a cold if we stay out here for much longer." He stood up and then helped her up from her sitting position.

CHAPTER 15

They walked slowly back up the stairs, being even more careful than on the way down as the night had grown darker as well as colder. The sky had filled up with stars and Alanah felt very small and insignificant compared to the beauty of the heavens.

It didn't take them long to be opening the door from the secret passage into Alanah's room. They both heard a distinct and loud snoring from the bed.

"Has she's always snored?" Dan laughed. Alanah nodded as she stifled a giggle. "I pity the man she marries!"

"Jessie! It's time to get up sweetheart!" Alanah said gently shaking her.

"Urgh!" Jessie said beginning to surface. "Lani, why are you waking me?" She asked groggily.

"Cos it's time to go to your bed, before one of us gets caught in the wrong place. You and Dan shouldn't be here."

Jessie sat straight up, realizing where she was. "Oh yeah. Thought I was at home." She slid out of the bed and stretched. "You two have a good talk?" She asked pulling on her clothes.

"Yeah, we had a great talk." Alanah smiled at her, she looked to Dan for confirmation. "We are both on the same page now. Thanks for helping us, it means a lot to both of us."

"OK, that's good. Glad I could help. If it's OK, I'm just gonna go down to my room, I haven't had enough sleep yet." She was still very groggy and walked towards the door.

"Jess, secret passage, remember?" Dan said, not wanting to laugh, but finding it very hard not to.

"Oh yeah. Sorry. See you tomorrow Lani." She yawned and then crawled through the door and down the stairs.

"We're alone." Alanah smiled looking at him. She pulled her cloak off and placed it on the bed, Dan removed his too, letting it slip to the floor.

It didn't need any words from either of them to know what they wanted – needed to do next. Dan moved closer and put his arms around her, encircling her body with them. Alanah lent her head on his shoulder, something she had dreamt of doing, she was close to his chiselled chest and her heart beat fast in excitement. He lifted her head and they looked into each other's eyes.

"You are so beautiful Alanah. I can't let anything happen to you." Dan moved towards her face and kissed her cheek. He lingered long enough for Alanah to pluck up the courage to kiss him back. Without a word their lips met. A kiss, then they pulled apart, awkwardly looking at each other, wondering what the other was thinking.

"I've been waiting six months for that." Alanah giggled, her cheeks turning pink.

"I've been waiting your whole life to hear you say that." Dan smiled; he held her in his arms and looked at her "You're perfect, absolutely perfect." He smiled. "No wonder my mum chose you." He kissed her cheek then returned for more, her lips soft and gentle.

Alanah responded kissing him back tenderly, her eyes shut. Her entire body relaxed for the first time since she had been taken from her own bed. The trust she felt in him took away all her fears.

They broke off but stayed in each other's arms. Alanah ran her fingers through his thick brown hair. Dan slowly moved his hands from around her shoulder and little by little traced her body with them. His hands stayed on her hips and he pulled her closer to him. Her breasts crushed against him and their lips met again. He was finally able to touch her and it felt amazing.

"I've never felt like this before." Dan admitted quietly.

"I've never been happier!" Alanah sighed. Dan looked at her confused. "I'm in your arms."

"But it's not an ideal situation." Dan reminded her by touching the collar around her neck.

"True, but I'd rather be here with you than here on my own." Alanah reasoned.

"But it's my fault you are here in the first place."

"We talked about this, I'm pretty sure that it's Mary's fault I'm here, not yours." Alanah looked into his eyes.

"Even so ..." Dan began.

Alanah couldn't help plant a kiss on his lips as they puckered on the 'o'. She silenced him instantly. "I'm sorry, I've been thinking about that for so long, I thought I'd never find you again." She smiled guiltily.

"OK." Dan said bemused. "We've talked about so many things tonight, it's a lot to take in, are you sure you are not suffering from Stockholm syndrome?"

Alanah looked at him seriously. "No." She said.

Dan's body began to relax around her. "I'm just wondering because as much as I hate to admit it, you are a prisoner here, and I guess I am your captor."

"The time I spent with you at the Maze, short though it was, I was not held captive by anyone."

"You are right." Dan said smiling, he puckered up his lips, the smile struggling to stay at the corners of his mouth.

Alanah reached up and kissed him back, stubble chaffed gently against her top lip, but she ignored the slight uncomfortable feeling, staying close to him happily.

"I never ever thought this would happen." Dan whispered in her ear. "That you would be in my arms again."

"I feel whole when I am with you." Alanah looked up at him. "As if we are still in the Maze." She blushed. "Everything else vanishes when I am in your arms."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there when you came back to the garden, I'm not sure how, but I woke up the next morning with no memory from you leaving to go to the loo. I hated it." He kissed her forehead. "I've so wanted to see you, but I could hardly have turned up on your doorstep."

"You are here now, that's all that matters." Alanah smiled into his chest as she hugged herself close to him, hearing the thump thump of his heart beneath her ear.

"Alanah." Dan said, ultra serious for a moment, he tenderly held her away from himself. "I'm sorry you are here, that this is happening to you. Before I saw you in person, you were just a stranger in a photo to me, but when I saw you, I knew straight away that you would live and I would not sacrifice you. Even my dad seems convinced that we are to be together, he's promised to help get you out. He said 'our lives are written in the sands of time'. Apparently our destinies lie together." He couldn't help giggle at the last bit, it seemed so absurd and melodramatic.

"Well right now you are with me and that's all I care about." She sighed contentedly. "I'm not stupid, I know what you are supposed to be doing in about 36 hours, but nothing about you makes me believe you will do it. Your face is too honest, I can see you, I mean really see you. That's why I trust you."

Dan smiled brightly, a full smile for the first time since Alanah had been brought to the Family. "Thank you." He exhaled. "I promise I won't let you down."

"I know." Alanah said, lifting her face up for a kiss.

Dan responded willingly, holding her body to his. He kissed her neck gently – avoiding the collar as best he could. Alanah wrapped her arms around his waist and felt him run his hands slowly up her body. He paused his hands over her head before he gently pushed his fingers into her hair, his eyes never leaving hers. He tucked her hair behind her ears like he had when they were in the maze.

Alanah loosened her grip on his body, gently stroking her fingers around his waist, barely skimming his skin with her fingers as his shirt rode up over his jeans. As her fingers traced over his skin his breath became shallow, he shuddered with every breath, his face covered in pleasure.

She saw the look on his face, and traced her fingers back over his skin.

Dan smiled with such pleasure and ecstasy on his face, Alanah began to blush and removed her hands from his skin.

"You are gorgeous. There is no other word for you." Dan laughed before kissing her lips again. He released her hair and wrapped himself around her again.

He held her for as long as he dared, before he let her go. "Alanah ..."

"Lani, I'm known as Lani to my friends." She smiled at him.

"Lani, I don't want to, but we must stop before anyone finds us. We would both be punished if we were caught. I have to leave you alone for the rest of the night."

"Don't go, please." Alanah panicked.

"I have to, to protect you." Dan lifted his head and kissed her so tenderly she almost melted in his arms. "Get some sleep. It's been a long day. I love you." He kissed her forehead, taking her hair in his hands once again, then he let her go and walked to the alcove he had appeared from just a few hours before. Leaving and not looking back, too scared he would run to her and never let her go.
CHAPTER 16

The little clock on the table read 22:47 when Alanah had finally gotten back into the empty bed. She had changed back into the frilly white nightie and tried to settle down for sleep. Her head was full of new feelings and information and she was sure she would not sleep.

How wrong she was! It took just seconds from the time her head hit the pillow to her mind shutting down and falling into a deep sleep. Her unconscious mind began to whirl through all the information she had received since she had woken up from the drugging that brought her to this house.

Every possible emotion seemed to permeate her dreams, fear, hate, calm, panic, terror, love. Love far outweighed every other emotion that dared to infiltrate her dreams, no concrete story, just the emotions fuelling her sleep. It was a strange concoction of sexually charged dreams and dreams of running from something scared, but her overwhelming feeling was that of complete happiness.

She woke with a smile on her face, it was still pitch black in the room and she squinted at the clock to ascertain the time. It was 01:52. She had slept for only 3 hours, but she had no tiredness left in her body.

Sighing Alanah sat up wondering what to do. There was no way she would get back to sleep, she had never been able to sink back into the land of nod easily and tonight was definitely no exception.

The idea came all of a sudden, and not giving herself any moment to talk herself out of her crazy idea, she silently got out of bed and padded towards the secret passage. Fumbling along the picture rail that she had seen Dan reach to, she heard a dull click and the hidden door opened outwards towards the passageway. She stepped through closing the door behind her and carefully walked down the dark stairs, her hands groping the wall as she went downwards.

Her heartbeat was loud in her ears as she felt for the door that Dan had pointed out to her as they had descended towards the garden. Finally her fingers found what she was looking for and she quietly pulled the door towards her before crouching down and walking through. She was in Dan's room.

Straightening herself up, she took in the dark surroundings. The room was smaller than the room that she was confined in. The walls were an off white colour in the darkness and the room seemed to be devoid of anything that would make it homely and lived in. There was nothing more than a wardrobe, mirror, a small table with a lamp and a bed.

Dan was asleep in the bed, his body led on its side facing away from her. There was a gentle noise coming from deep in his throat, he was snoring quietly. Alanah could not help smile, knowing he had earlier said he pitied the man who married Jessie, he obviously didn't know that he snored too!

Padding quietly to the bed, Alanah didn't know how to wake him without startling him, so she knelt down and stroked his cheek with her hand, whispering in his ear. "Wake up noisy!"

Dan awoke with a start, startled out of his sleep by her touch. He blinked his eyes, trying desperately to see who had woken him from his slumber. He groaned and then lent towards the table switching on the light. He groaned again as the light permeated his pupils which were desperately trying to adjust to the new lighting arrangements. "Lani?" He finally managed to say.

Alanah nodded, so pleased he had called her Lani. "I know I shouldn't be here, but I couldn't sleep, knowing you were so close."

Dan smiled sleepily. "I guess it's my own fault for showing you the door to my room, maybe it was a subconscious gesture hoping you would come! I'm glad you're here though." The door was locked, so no one would barge in, unexpectedly, they would be ok together. He sat up, his upper body naked.

Alanah gasped as she took her first look at his tanned torso, unable to take her eyes away from him. Every muscle was well defined, she could see them without Dan having to flex in any way. His upper body were perfectly proportioned, she followed it down to his gentle six pack. In her head, Alanah was screaming in delight. She moved her attention to his biceps. His left arm, from his shoulder to just above his elbow was adorned by a tattoo.

Alanah stared at it in amazement. When they had met in the Maze, he had been wearing a t-shirt and he had not had it then, she would have seen the bottom of it peeking out from below the sleeve, it was new. She was fascinated, tracing her fingers over every part of it.

His upper arm was graced with an Egyptian hawk, wings spread outwards and arching over the head which was topped by a round sun disc. Inside the disc was the Egyptian eye of Ra. The whole tattoo was black and grey, with only the sun disc a halo of yellow above the hawks head. The detail was fantastic. Alanah was mesmerised.

"It's beautiful." She finally gasped.

"Not as beautiful as you." Dan smiled.

"Well I like it." Alanah smiled back at him. "I was missing you. You were snoring, so you can't have been missing me!" She giggled.

"No, snoring means I miss you!" Dan said, he shifted to one side of the bed, opening the covers for Alanah to join him. "It's way too cold out there in nothing but a cotton nightie. I promise I'll be good, we won't do anything naughty, but I won't have you freeze to death."

Alanah timidly slipped into bed next to him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist and hold her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed contentedly.

"This is nice, something I have only dreamed of, not something I thought I would ever get." Dan said, his voice was happy, but Alanah could detect a slight undercurrent of worry to his voice.

"It's not a good idea for me to be here is it?" Alanah asked.

"No it's not, but I wouldn't change it for the world." Dan kissed her forehead. "We're OK for a while."

"I'll go as soon as you want me to." Alanah promised.

"Oh dear, I never want you out of my arms!" Dan hugged her tighter.

"I'll never leave your arms once we are free. I promise." Alanah hugged him back.

"A hard promise to keep, but I'll keep you to it." Dan smiled.

"Where did you get your tattoo done?" Alanah asked tracing it with her finger. She could not help be captivated by it.

"On the night I met you in the club, I said I had a strange feeling about getting out of the house and boy was I right. I was sat at the bar, you had gone to powder your nose. The next thing I remember I was back in the bed at my friend's house with a giant bandage around my arm. Stuck to it was a small envelope. It said 'For Protection' on it. I opened it and inside was a care card for tattoos. I had no idea what was under the bandage and was scared to find out. My whole arm was sore and throbbed, it was very uncomfortable. I took the bandage off later that day and was amazed and shocked to see what was on my arm.

"The address of the tattoo parlour was on the card, so I took a trip to see them. Apparently I had gone in of my own free will with a woman dressed in a red dress and handed the man a piece of paper with the design on it, said something about it being the beginning of the end. He said there were no signs that I was drunk or did not know what was about to happen, otherwise he would not have done it. He said that the appointment was booked and he was paid in advance otherwise he would never have been open at that time of night. Apparently it took over three hours to complete, and I was in pain as it happened. I have absolutely no recollection of it at all." Dan shrugged his shoulders.

"The family found me a few weeks later and took me back to the house, with more than a little persuading being needed. Once there I was hauled up in front of Anthony and he punished me for being 'marked' as he called it. I was placed in a cell for two weeks without human contact. I went mad in there, all I could think of was you, and it sent me crazy. I was desperate to see you, scared something would happen to you, and I would have done anything to see you. The only food I had was bread and water. The Family's punishments are harsh. They let me out when they believed I was recovered from my 'shameful desertion of my brethren'.

"Rumours started about my tattoo, I was called the marked man. It is forbidden to have any markings not related to the Family. It was said that there was a prophecy, that the marked man would come and lead them to a new level. Because I was to be Next in Line for the leadership, I was revered beyond my station and to say that it upset Anthony would be an understatement. I don't think about it most of the time as I have been ordered to wear clothes that cover it at all times, but when I stand in front of the mirror and see it, I think of you, I remember the short time we spent together and wonder how I got this and who the woman was who came with me. It puzzles me."

"Which tattoo parlour was it?" Alanah asked earnestly.

"The one on North Street, in town."

"This is scaring me now." Alanah turned round, pulling her nightie down over one shoulder. In between her shoulder blades was a tattoo. It was the eye of Ra, an identical but negative version of the one on Dan's arm. She turned back round. "On the afternoon of the day we met at the Maze, my friends and I decided to do something wild, something none of us had ever done before. We went to the tattoo parlour on North Street. I had free will and out of thousands of designs, I chose this one." There was silence as Dan took in what Alanah was telling him.

"I've never truly believed in fate, but your dreams of me and your tattoo now make me believe. This is far more than coincidence." Dan kissed her passionately, feeling unbelievably protective of her. "I've worried that I had nothing I could give you to provide you with real proof, a discernable declaration of love that would give you confidence in my promises. To me, this gives me a real belief in us being something real and not just confined in the bubble that we are now in."

"You mean we have a shot at a real future together?" Alanah asked hopefully.

"Is that what you want?" Dan asked, slightly hesitantly.

"Oh yes, I want nothing more!" Alanah smiled up at him. Dan just smiled back, wrapping his arms tightly around her and kissing her as gently as a butterfly. They were both ecstatic in each other's arms and the knowledge there was no pressure to do anything made them both confident in the other's arms.

She looked at Dan's tattoo and thought about the significance of it. "It is Horus who graces your arm, a god from Ancient Egypt, a powerful form of Ra the Sun God. He holds the sun disc enclosed around the eye of Ra. I believe it's called the Wadget eye. Egyptians used to wear it as an amulet for protection. It was supposed to protect everything behind it. Mummies have been found with them over their hearts, I remember my mum telling me about it when I was younger, she knows all about the Eye of Ra. I've always been fascinated by it. The sun is tribal almost, I've never seen it portrayed like this in Ancient Egypt. It's as if the past and the present have merged into one. Is the eye protecting you, or the sun around it? Or are you protecting the sun?" Alanah mused. She had been interested in ancient Egypt since she was seven when her mum had started her degree, the whole culture and mysteries had fascinated her, and she had always said she wanted to go there at some point, but as of yet she had not fulfilled her dream.

"As long as your wad-whatever it is eye protects you, that's all that matters to me." Dan lay back on the bed and peered down her nightie at Alanah's tattoo. "It's a thing of beauty."

"I think that's why I chose it, because it looked beautiful." Alanah agreed.

"Not the tattoo! Your back, it's beautiful." Dan ran his finger over her nightie up her spine, brushing over her tattoo. "Did it hurt?" Dan asked, aware he couldn't remember anything from his own experience.

"No and yes. The outline hardly hurt, more like running a nail over sun burnt skin. It was when he started shading that hurt when he was close to the bone, I could feel the buzz of the machine through the whole of my body. But it wouldn't put me off having more done." Alanah said, trying her best to convey how it had felt.

"And you could have chosen anything?" Dan asked seriously.

"Anything. I walked in there without any idea of what I wanted. Fay got a humming bird, Jessie a butterfly and I think Tess got a skull and crossbones! I just remember seeing the one I got pinned to one of the boards. I didn't have to look at any of the other designs; I knew it was the one."

"Do you mean it wasn't part of the shops display?"

"I guess so. It didn't seem out of place at the time, but then I wasn't looking for anything out of the ordinary. Could it be significant?" Alanah asked worried.

"I don't know I guess..." Dan was interrupted by a knock on the door. He froze.

"Daniel? Can I come in?" Came Sophie's voice from the other side of the door.

"Shit! What does she want?" Dan asked sitting up quickly. He grabbed a t-shirt from the bottom of the bed and pulled it over his head. He looked towards Alanah and she wasn't there, he just saw her feet shimmying under the bed just in time to hear a key in the lock and the door opening. He snapped the light off and led back down instantly, pretending to be asleep.

"Daniel?" Sophie purred as she walked into the room. Wakey wakey sleepy head."

Daniel snorted, pretending to be woken up. "What... who is it?... Sophie?"

"Hi. I had to see you." She said sitting down on the bed and turning the light back on.

"It's almost 3 in the morning Sophie, what the hell do you want? And how did you get in here?" Dan said truly disgruntled.

"I borrowed the spare key. Naughty I know, but I wanted to see you privately. The senior priests met with Anthony earlier, they have been discussing potential brides for you for when you are anointed Next in Line. I was wondering if you had chosen who you would like to marry?" She asked smiling at him.

Dan sighed. "Get married? This is the first I have heard of it. I'm not initiated yet, remember?"

"Well I was wondering if you would consider me? We did used to date a few years ago."

Alanah stifled an intake of breath before anyone could hear.

"I'd hardly call it a relationship; I took you to a Christmas ball once. That was it." Dan said flatly.

"Dan, think about it, we would be good together, I'm the only priestess you have ever shown any interest at all in, all the others can see that. Surely the amount of time we have spent together must mean something?" Sophie asked hopefully.

"Sophie, the amount of things that are going on in my life at the moment way outweigh the capacity my brain has to make any decisions such as marriage to someone I would hardly say I liked."

"Oh don't be like that, we would have beautiful strong children and I know how much good you will do when you become leader, you will bring the Family back to its original roots. You are the Marked man of the legends aren't you?"

Dan laughed, more to himself than Sophie. "You think I am here to be a saviour of some kind? Sophie, you really do take the legends way too seriously. I got drunk and woke up with a tattoo, hardly the stuff of legends, I was rebelling after all." Alanah could tell Dan was not at all enamoured with Sophie the way she was with Dan. It was a complete relief.

"But I want you." Sophie protested.

"Look, I'm not in the mood for this discussion and the impending fight we'll end up in if you don't get your own way. I will think about it and discuss it with Anthony at some point tomorrow. That is the best I can do. Tomorrow is a busy day, I would like to get some sleep before dawn comes, if you don't mind. Close the door on your way out. Good Night." Dan settled down again in the bed closing his eyes expecting Sophie to protest, but to his relief he heard her walk to the door.

"Good night Dan, I look forward to your decision, I know you will choose me." Sophie opened the door and walked out of it, locking it on the other side.

Dan sat up, just to make sure that she hadn't just pretended to leave and when he was sure she had gone, he lent over the bed "She's gone. You can come out now." He said, his voice quiet, nervous as to what Alanah would have made of that conversation.

Alanah pulled herself out from under the bed, her jaw shivering. She stood up and looked at Dan smiling. "Can I get back into bed now please, I'm as cold as ice!"

"OK." Dan said sceptically. "You don't want an explanation?"

"No, you don't like her, she is just trying her luck. I can tell." Alanah said slipping in next to him.

"Cold feet!" Dan laughed as her feet touched hers.

"I'm not happy!" Alanah said.

"Why?" Dan asked alarmed.

"You put a t-shirt on, I've got nothing to look at now." She said, her voice sounding disgruntled with a hint of humour!

"Well how do you think I feel? I've seen you dressed up for a night out looking gorgeous in a tight fitting black dress, hair flowing like a mane, stiletto shoes exaggerating the length of your legs to perfection, your face radiant and perfect." He laughed as he looked at her. "And look at you now, a very unflattering nightie, hair tied back. I so want to see your body the way you looked that night. I've spent most of my time drawing your body in my mind, screaming to myself in my head, wanting to hold you again!"

Alanah began to cry.

"What have I said?" Dan asked alarmed.

"That is music to my ears. I've never been happier. I don't know why I'm crying!" She began laughing through her tears. "I think it is relief. I'm so glad I came down here; it's given me the strength and determination to get through the next few days."

"Me too, we know we will be together when we get out and that makes this moment so much sweeter." He wrapped his arms around her again and they lay looking at each other, taking in ever part of the others face, kissing every now and then, warm and content, no hurry to their physical relationship. They had come so far in such a short time, but that didn't mean they had to be physically intimate yet. Just being in each other's arms was more than enough, a feeling of completeness surrounded them and there was no hurry for anything else.

-o-

"Lani! Wake up, quickly." Dan called at her from beside her. "We've overslept, you have to go back to your room straight away, Mary will be coming to get you any minute now."

Alanah sat upright immediately, her head spinning from the rude awakening. She jumped out of bed straight away, understanding the urgency in Dan's voice. She ran to the secret door, desperate to say a proper good bye, but knowing she probably didn't have enough restraint to make it a short kiss, she blew him one instead, saying. "Best night of my life. I love you." And she disappeared into the passageway, stumbling up the stairs.

"I love you too." Dan called after her up the stairs. His voice light and happy. Shutting the door he sat back on the bed, the biggest smile on his face. 'She loves me' he said to himself.

The euphoria that enveloped him would keep him going throughout the day as he wouldn't see her alone again. He would have to engineer a way to see her again.

He couldn't wipe that smile off his face – he was in heaven!!
CHAPTER 17

Alanah flew the door to the secret passage open just as the door to her room opened. She stood, halfway through the secret door, her eyes as a wide as a rabbit's in a headlight as she realized she had been caught .... by Jessie who walked through the door.

Seeing her friend in a very compromising position, and knowing that Mary was less than 15 seconds behind her she dropped the dress she was carrying and ran to her pulling her through with unexpected strength, pulling the door closed behind her, almost catching her fingers. She rushed back and picked the dress up. "Mary's coming." She whispered.

Alanah standing up, was slightly bemused at Jessie's quick reactions, but she understood there was a genuine urgency to her them. She stood still, her head spinning for all of a second before Mary walked through the door.

"I am impressed, you're up already." She said in a motherly condescending tone. "It's nice to see you awake, although it seems you didn't sleep much, you have terrible black circles under your eyes." She tutted.

"Well, what do you expect, I'm held here against my will, I doubt you would be able to sleep all things considered. Especially if you knew you had a deadline on your life." Alanah said scowling.

"True, though you fail to understand the importance of your sacrifice." Mary said taking the dress from Jessie and hanging it on the wardrobe.

"I'm not interested in the importance of my death, only the fact that you and Dan and Anthony feel that it is necessary." She was determined to play her part in the deception that had to be fulfilled between now and the initiation, and that meant including Dan in any accusing she would do.

"You are the perfect choice for my son, I am so glad I chose you." Mary smiled approvingly. "Right, you must wash and put this dress on. Then Jessie will take you for breakfast. You have a full agenda today. You are to be taught your part in the initiation process."

"You need to teach me how to die?" Alanah said, her fear levels almost at zero, she felt strong enough to match any words Mary had to say to her.

"I guess you will just have to wait to find out. Along with Dan's Priestesses I will be teaching you all you need to know about the ceremony. Maybe then you will understand the significance of what is happening to Dan." Mary left the room, leaving Jessie and Alanah alone. They stood silently looking at each other for a couple of minutes.

"Thank you." Alanah said finally, referring to her quick reactions.

"Not a problem, happy to help. Where did you go?" Jessie asked casually.

"To Dan's room, where else?" Alanah smiled brightly.

"What happened?" Jessie asked her eyes wide open, ready for any gossip.

"We just lay in each other's arms talking, or kissing. It was wonderful." Alanah smiled remembering his body from only a few minutes ago, she was desperate to hold him again. "Does Mary know that we are friends?"

"Yes, they know everything about you. I was seen as a weak link, someone who they could manipulate. Every sacrifice has a friend brought into the Family to help keep you calm. Only they don't have Dan to be their Guardian Angel."

"You are right, we are both lucky to have Dan." Alanah had a burning question to ask. "What do you know about Sophie, the priestess?"

"She's the reason I'm here, the bitch. She took me under her wing and made me believe this was the right place for me to be. How wrong was I? What makes you ask?"

"She came into Dan's room unannounced and asked if he had chosen who he would marry when he was named Next in Line. I hid under the bed. He was pretty disgusted and I wondered why she would do that."

"When she was talking to me, before I came here, she said she was being groomed to be the wife of someone high up in the Family, she never said who or who was grooming her, but maybe she meant Dan. Helen, the other priestess who saw to you last night did mention once that she was on the path to the top and all the other priestesses were jealous. That said, it seems that no one else that I am aware of knows anything about any match making. I think they have known each other all their lives, Sophie is only a few months older than Dan and I believe she sacrificed really early, her mother was keen to get her into the priestess house at an early age so she could become something, apparently it has worked. She is highly regarded."

"But thankfully Dan doesn't reciprocate her feelings. That is a real blessing." Alanah said deeply relieved.

"Bringing you back to immediate reality, we need to get you ready for breakfast. It's a long day and you won't get to see Dan until tonight. You have lessons to attend today."

-o-

Alanah felt somewhat refreshed following a shower and a change of clothes. Today's attire consisted of a sleeveless knee length black jersey dress, a short waist length woollen green cape and black boots.

"A lot of different changes of clothes for me so far, considering I'm a dead woman walking." Alanah said dryly.

"Don't say that." Jessie said, she could not help gasp at the truth of the words Alanah was saying.

"We both know it's true, if it wasn't for Dan, we both know I'll be dead this time tomorrow." Alanah almost whispered.

"Let's not talk about that please, it makes me feel sick every time I think about it. All your clothes have been hand made by Mary; she has had to make them as part of her promise to keep track of you. Her diligence on how well they fit you is seen as a testament to how closely watched you have been."

"Very closely it would seem considering how they all have fit me like a glove." Alanah was aware of the irony – having never felt like she had been watched.

"Well right now you are in your 'school clothes'! You are to have breakfast with the two other girls being sacrificed and then you will spend the day being taught what you must do at dawn. It's going to be a long day, I'm sorry."

"I'm not bothered about that, I can deal with a day at 'school', even though the subject is how to die that is no problem. I just have to figure out how to act in front of the other two, I'll just wing it I suppose, I'll have to act however they do, which won't be easy especially since I love the guy who is supposed to be sacrificing me."

"Alright, down to breakfast for you, I have lots to do today." Jessie sighed, trying to be upbeat.

Jessie escorted Alanah down the same staircase Dan had taken her down the day before, this time there were people milling around the hallway all on their way to fulfil whatever tasks they had decided to do. Instinctively they all stopped and looked at her.

She looked nervously around the unfamiliar faces, her eyes resting on Dan's who was hovering way in the back ground. She looked away immediately, not wanting to draw attention to him about the way she felt. She tried not to blush as she remembered the way his body had felt the night before.

Jessie walked Alanah through a silent corridor, the walls a burnt cream with thick brown carpet which completely obliterated any sound from their footsteps. "This is the school. Each room off this corridor houses the different stages of initiation. I'm taking you to the room where Dan has been learning over the last year. You'll have breakfast, and then lessons will start."

Jessie opened the last door on the right and led Alanah through into the wood panelled room. There was an elegance of another time, a long rectangle table made from a dark wood.

"Help yourself to breakfast Lani, I recommend you eat, you won't get anything else until tonight. It will be a long day for you all today." Jessie looked at the two other girls who were already in the room, including them in her advice. "I'll see you later, I have chores to perform. Chin up." Jessie smiled sympathetically at Alanah before exiting the room and closing the door behind her.

Alanah stood, her eyes falling finally on the two other women in the room with her. They both wore black dresses like hers. One was wearing a red cape, she had dirty blonde hair and the other was wearing a blue cape, she had mousy brown hair. Both wore the same collar as Alanah. Both had been crying and their pale faces were stained with tears, they were both clearly scared.

"My name is Alanah." She ventured. "Do you both know why we are here?"

Both girls nodded their heads and looked at Alanah with red eyes. The one in the red cape spoke. "My name is Imogen and this is Christina. We were both taken from our beds 2 nights ago." She had stopped crying.

"Do you know each other?" Alanah asked.

"No, we only met a few minutes ago." Christina explained.

"Have you met your initiation partners?"

"Yes, his name is Alex. He has been vile. I've never been more scared in my life." Imogen said. She was clearly a strong person, even in these circumstances.

"Mine is called Callum. He's been nice enough, but his mother doesn't like me. She doesn't think I am good enough for him." Christina was a pretty little thing, small in stature with delicate features. She was timid and scared.

"When is your birthday?" Imogen asked Alanah.

"Tomorrow, 27th March." Alanah replied. "I'll be 21."

"So will we. We are to be sacrificed at dawn on our 21st birthdays. This has been planned." Imogen had recognised the connection.

"Since the day we were born." Alanah sighed. She knew not to say anything else, just in case Dan couldn't get them out, and it hurt to even think that, but she prayed he could. She could not live with herself if they were sacrificed and she was not. "As much as I hate to say it, I'm starving and I think Jessie was right, food would be a good idea right now for all of us. I doubt we'll survive the day rationally if we are feeling faint, I know I won't." Alanah said walking to the table laid out with toast and cereals, not a fantastic spread, but food none the less.

Preparing herself a large coffee and adding 2 sugars she rested it on the table while she grabbed a bowl of cereal and a couple of slices of toast. Imogen and Christina followed Alanah's lead, both seeming to be as hungry as Alanah herself.

"How come you are so calm? We die tomorrow morning." Christina asked as her hands shook as she lifted her tea to her lips.

Alanah had already clocked the large mirror at the far end of the room and instinct told her there were people listening in from the other side. Bearing this in mind she was cautious when she replied.

"I am not fond of being told what to do. Trust me, my mum would agree whole heartedly. Dan's mother likes to assert herself over me." Alanah over exaggerated. "I won't let them beat me into submission. I will be strong until the end. They won't break me." Alanah said quietly with dignity. There was an understanding on both Christina and Imogen's faces.

-o-

Behind the glass Dan's chest puffed up with pride and he had to stifle a smile as a yawn. He knew that Alanah would keep Christina and Imogen's spirits up.

"I've done no such thing!" Mary said indignantly crossing her arms in a huff. "I certainly will now."

"Mary, you do have a tendency to come across as domineering even when you're trying to be nice!" Anthony laughed to himself and then roared in quiet laughter when Mary huffed.

"In all seriousness though, she is having a calming effect on Christina, which has to be a good thing, she's done nothing but sob since she came here." Callum moaned. He was a blonde haired slight man who seemed nervous in the presence of Anthony. His face was bland and his feature small.

"Oh come on Cal, that's the best way for them to be, I've heard so many stories...."

"Alex, be quiet please." Said a brown haired woman, she was his mother and her tone told of her authority.

"But mother..." Alex started.

"Not now Alexander." She hissed at him, embarrassed at his outburst in front of so many people.

"Gentlemen, you are all old enough to know better than to squabble like children. Concentrate please." Anthony stage whispered sternly.

Dan just stood silently, not wanting to take part in petty one-upmanship's, he was content just watching Alanah, falling more in love with her every second he watched her, feeling his heart grow to accommodate every bit of love.
CHAPTER 18

Alanah, Christina and Imogen sat finishing their breakfast, things had calmed down and neither Imogen nor Christina were crying anymore. They had both taken Alanah's lead and food had certainly calmed them down.

The door opened and three women entered. Alanah recognised Mary in her green cloak and assumed correctly that the other women were the mothers of Alex and Callum.

"Ladies, you have now all been told why you are here, and we are here to teach you the ways of the initiation..." Alex's mother began.

"I won't comply with my murder." Imogen suddenly piped up.

"My dear, you don't have a choice. Accept your death and make peace with yourself. Your life will end much better than if you fight the inevitable."

"What Karen is trying to say, is that your deaths aid the lives of our sons." Mary smiled brightly at Imogen, but her gaze stayed with Alanah.

Alanah realized that her cool calm attitude was arousing suspicion. She said the first thing that came to her. "But we'll be dead." She said.

"Your deaths are the beginning of your transition into the tie that will hold our son's to the Family. Without your sacrifices our families will be ridiculed, our son's outcasts. When we placed them on the path to the Eternal Life the ultimate conclusion was and is your death." Karen said smiling.

There was silence among the three sacrifices for a few seconds before Christina timidly asked a question. "Callum said you had been watching us all our lives and that you chose us in hospital, just after we were born."

"He is correct; we have kept a close eye on all of you over the years. We do indeed know everything we need to about you all." Mary agreed.

"We have watched you grow, shaped you wherever possible. We have kept you virgins, although in your case Imogen that was far from easy, you were intent on loosing it as soon as possible. Thank goodness for Trystan!" Karen laughed.

"My fiancé?" Imogen asked stunned.

"He's a member of the Family! For 2 years, he has told you he wanted to wait for your wedding night - that he didn't believe in sex before marriage!"

"I thought he loved me." Imogen said, realization crossing her face. "It's a lie. My whole life is a lie." Tears began to flow down her cheeks, and she struggled to control herself.

"Of course it is! We had to control you somehow; you were so intent on loosing your virginity that we had to act to keep it. He never loved you, he is a loyal Family member." Karen loved the fact that she had been successful with Imogen.

"In fact we had someone spying on you all the time. Christine, Wayne in your office at work is part of the Family. I know you thought he was sweet on you, and you've been batting your eyes at him!" Callum's mum said matter of factly.

"And what man did you have for me?" Alanah asked, almost laughing.

"It became evident to us a while ago that tempting you with a man was useless – not that you don't like them, you just seemed very capable of keeping yourself in check, you seem to have morals that are rare these days. So we infiltrated your friends instead. Tessa is a member of the Family."

Alanah's heart beat fast, not because she was upset that Tessa had been spying on her, they had not had a friendship as far as she was concerned, but because she had been there the night she had met Dan. She was relieved when she remembered that Tessa had mocked her saying she had made Dan up – she hadn't seen him. "I'd hardly call her a friend. We hated each other."

"True, but she was there, keeping her eye on you." Mary smiled. Seeing that they had subdued them sufficiently, she was ready to start. "Now, we have a lot to get through today, no more questions please ..."

-o-

It was indeed a very long day. As well as the three mothers, they had had a parade of different priests and priestesses giving them glimpses into their final hours and minutes. Depending on who was 'presenting', depended on how gruesome the instructions were. They were never told about their actual deaths – that was carefully skirted around, but they had plenty to contemplate and worry about.

All three of them were as strong as they individually could be, all feeding from each other's determination to not be ground down by the mention of their death over and over all day long.

It had seemed natural for them all to take it in turn to be the strong one, arguing and asking for more information, allowing the others time to grit their teeth and calm down. Imogen was by far the most argumentative, allowing herself to ask questions that both Christina and Alanah were squeamish over, thing like, what was done with their bodies (taken to a crypt with all incriminating evidence and left to rot in case needed at a later point) and what would become of their friends who had been recruited into the Family a few months before.

All questions were answered with as much grace as the people present could muster, which in some cases was not a lot at all.

The three of them were taught how to react to Dan, Callum and Alex and how to 'offer themselves' to their relevant partner. This was heavily questioned by all of them, demanding answers as to why they would willingly do this. The answer was simple. The recruit – their friend would be killed before their eyes and then they would be run through with a knife themselves.

They were between a rock and a hard place. Either they willingly offered themselves for death, or they would commit their friends to death as well as themselves. The Family truly knew what they were doing.

-o-

Jessie took Alanah's hand, seeing her so tired at the end of the gruelling day and helped her up to her room, leaving Imogen and Christina to be taken by their friends. She collapsed on the bed and began crying, every ounce of strength gone.

She felt his strong arms around her, no words, no kisses, just the comforting warmth of himself. Alanah kept her eyes shut, scared to look him in the eye – she now had an idea of what was to come, what he was supposed to do, she was scared, but she trusted him. His tears began to mingle with hers, he knew why she was crying, his strong arms held her to him and he gently rocked her in his arms, just feeling her body begin to relax. She was almost asleep.

Dan gently laid her down and pulled the covers over her. He kissed her forehead and whispered. "I love you." The three words that would always true. Standing up, he wiped the tears from his eyes, turned to Jessie who smiled weakly at him, the only person who had ever seen the pain in his eyes. "Look after her for me." He mouthed, unable to speak again.

Jessie nodded and watched him leave by the secret door. Alanah could have an hours sleep before she had to get ready for the feast. She lay down on the bed next to her, stroking her hand, her constant friend. She would indeed look after her.

CHAPTER 19

Dan wasn't in the mood for the last rehearsal before the event. He was so far from 'the place he should be in' that he began to show his frustration when he should not.

"Look, you get everything I have ever dreamed of once you are initiated. You become Leader of the Family. Less of the grumpiness please." Alex said seeing the look on his face.

Alex, Callum and Dan had grown up as blood brothers, meaning they had spent all their childhood living as brothers. As young boys they had been as close as real brothers could be, quarrelling over petty things, sharing secrets and hopes for the future, happy when each other succeeded, and sad when they failed.

This began to change the older they got. By the time they were 12, it had become clear who was favoured among them and it was Dan. Alex and Callum had suspicions that Dan was being groomed for leadership by John and his grandfather, but they did not dare ask questions, it seemed wrong to question the ways of the leader. They knew that once Damian had passed on (if indeed he did, they all believed he was immortal), Dan would take the leadership as John had already declined it.

Callum had taken everything with grace – he wasn't one for arguing and had accepted the fate that Dan had above his. He had remained a constant and dependable friend.

Alex on the other hand had developed a hate complex towards Dan, jealous of his elevated state above him. It got worse when Damian was murdered and Anthony had stepped in to take his place. Knowing that as soon as Dan was initiated he would be announced as Next in Line (preparing and learning to take over the leadership), had eaten away at him for the last 3 years. He had become bitter and now the hatred he felt towards Dan was beginning to flow past his conscious effort to hide it. He knew his jealousy could hinder his chances as a high ranking member of the Family, but it had been eating away at him for so long that he was at the end of his tether and an eruption was close.

"I'm tired that's all. Anyhow, we've been through this so many times over the last couple of weeks that I think if I did fall asleep I would be still able to do it." Dan said sighing.

"Everything changes after tomorrow." Callum said, looking at Dan. "Don't you want to make sure you get it right?"

"I know you do, you've buggered it up enough times. You need all the rehearsal you can get." Alex sniggered.

"Give him a break Alex, Cal's just nervous. It's been 20 years since anyone in his family have sacrificed; he has a lot of pressure on him." Dan said coming to Callum's rescue.

"Yeah, well it took his parents long enough to have him – 15 years of marriage wasn't it? I guess there were no other living members of his family left to tutor him at home!" Alex laughed.

"Alex, you're problem is with me, not Cal. Leave him out of it, he's doing just fine." Dan was annoyed with Alex and his belittling of Callum.

"If you call 'fine' messing his words up and almost tripping over his feet while holding his knife, then you're right." Dan glared at Alex. "All right, I'll leave him alone." Alex threw his hands up in surrender. "Oh exulted leader to be." He couldn't help bowing his upheld arms down as if he was worshiping Dan.

"Grow up Alex." Dan said through narrowed eyes. "You know it's only circumstances that dictate the necessity for me to become leader. If Damian was still alive, I would be Next in Line for years to come, not fast tracked through all rituals and mysteries."

"If my grandmother had married Damian as was planned, I would have been born into your family, I would have stood a chance of leadership. Instead he ungraciously dumped her before they could announce an engagement. I should have been your older brother, not just your older blood brother." Alex truly felt that events that had happened in the past – something he had no control over – were the reason he was in a family that had no real power, they were the curators of the Families archives and he hated the thought of spending his life dedicated to the happenings of the past.

"You can't change your lineage; you of all people know that. Face facts Alex, your future lies in the past of the Family. Be prepared to note down all my acts and deeds as they happen, I'm quite sure you'll understand the filing system by the time I'm anointed leader." Dan smiled at him. "Seeing as we seem to have come to a halt in our rehearsal and I doubt we will resume, I'm going to get ready for the feast. It's our last chance to treat our sacrifices as human before we drink their blood. I will see you gentlemen in a couple of hours." Dan walked confidently from the room.

"I think I'll go read over my notes a couple more times, no need to waste the precious time we have left." Callum said, gathering up his things and leaving quickly without looking at Alex.

Alex sat still, his blood boiling. 'Nothing is as it should be.' He thought to himself. "If it is the last thing I do I will revenge all wrongdoings the Newman family have done to my family and me. Whatever it takes."
CHAPTER 20

"Lani, time to wake up." Jessie said gently.

"Hmm?" Alanah responded, opening her eyes and stretching her arms up. "What time is it?"

"6.30pm I have to help you get ready for the banquet. You have another new dress to wear and I've been told you can wear make up and style your hair however you want to."

"Great!" Alanah sighed dramatically. "Another dress and a formal occasion to wear it to!!"

"Dan will be there." Jessie smiled knowingly.

"Really?" Alanah asked sitting up.

"Yes of course, he is to escort you to the banquet."

"Ahh, my last meal, before he murders me." She said dryly.

"Come on, we have just over an hour to get you ready. Knowing you that is not half enough!"

"So enlighten me, what dress do I have tonight?" Alanah asked getting out of bed. She was still in the black jersey dress she had been wearing all day, the cloak strewn on the end of the bed.

Jessie opened the wardrobe and brought out the most beautiful dress Alanah had ever seen. There was a silk and lace purple corset over a silk black off the shoulder blouse. The cuffs ended at the elbow. The skirt, which was also black, was covered in sheer purple lace pulled in to make gentle pleats around the waist.

Alanah just stared at the dress, her face agog. "Did Mary make this?" She whispered.

"She did. I gotta hand it to her, she's an excellent seamstress. Your dress tonight is a way for the mothers to show off. They can create whatever they want for you. Tonight they show you off before you are paraded ...."

"To my death." Alanah said dryly. "I'm getting used to that now."

"Sorry. Your make up is in the top draw, John took it along with some other things when he took you from your bed. I had to tell him where to find things." Jessie said, her face devoid of a smile.

"Thanks." Alanah walked to the dressing table and sat down. It was the first time she had looked at herself all day. Opening the draw, she pulled out her familiar make up bag. She opened it and the first thing she saw was the eye shadow pallet she had used the night she had met Dan in the Maze. She smiled, remembering what he had said to her in the early hours of this morning _'I so want to see your body the way you looked that night'_ So that was what she would do, as much as she could, she would recreate the make up she had done that night. As she sat putting on her foundation, she talked to Jessie.

"So what do you do round here when you're not at Dan's beck and call?"

"Mostly go to lessons. Teaching and learning are very important here. Every day between 10am and 12pm I go for meditation, we sit and listen to a priest or priestess recite some things, I do my best not to listen. From there we have lunch, never anything good, mostly a bland soup to feed us all. Then we are expected to discuss what we listened to that morning and argue its merits. Needless to say I don't do very well, but Dan has managed to excuse me from it as much as possible."

"And what about Dan, I know you said he didn't ask you to do much, but what has he got you to do?" Alanah said moving on to her concealer.

"Actually we mostly talk about you!" Jessie giggled.

"Great. How enthralling for you both!" Alanah said swirling her brush in a light canvas colour shadow.

"Seriously, he's like a giddy school boy when he talks about you. He's asked so many questions, how we met, what you're really like when we are alone with no one else to listen in. It's as if he wants to see you for you, not the sacrifice."

"When we were in the garden last night, we both agreed that meeting in the Maze was the defining moment of our lives. I can understand why he wants to know all about me because I want to know all about him. It's like we know unequivocally that we are in love – that's not even something either of us have to question, just looking at him I know he would die for me as I would for him. But I am still looking at a stranger. I just want us to get out of here so we can finally learn who the other person is. That's all I want, time with him to be happy and in love without charades and death hanging over us." Alanah said turning round to look at Jessie, her face was happy as the thought ahead to her bright future.

"I'm quite sure you'll get it. Have no fear." Jessie assured her. Alanah's eyes sparkled as she looked back at her friend. "Would you like me to finish your eyes for you? You've always struggled with the liner on that look." Jessie offered.

"That would be good, yes please." Alanah gave Jessie the brush and closed her eyes as her friend finished adding the sparkly emerald green to her eyes. Taking her eye liner brush she dipped it in the thick black liner and ran it expertly across her upper and lower lashes. Lashings of mascara later, Alanah looked at herself in the mirror. "You've done me proud." A little blush, powder and lipstick later and Alanah's make up was complete.

"I've put the hair tongs on, I'm sure you want your hair to be perfect too!" Jessie giggled, she had figured out what Alanah wanted to do.

"You know me too well Jess!" Alanah smiled.

Jessie combed out Alanah's naturally wavy hair until it glided down her back. Taking the heated tongs she turned her waves into perfect ringlets. When she was happy with them, she shook a can of hair spray and lacquered Alanah's hair to keep them in place.

"Wanna get the dress on then?" Jessie asked.

"Jess, I feel like I'm getting dressed to go on a date with Dan, not a banquet to celebrate my impending death. This doesn't feel right. I have butterflies in my tummy and I can't wait to see him. I know Christina and Imogen won't be feeling like this."

"Lani, don't feel upset about how you feel. You are unique and your experience here is totally different to Christina and Imogen. One thing I have learnt being here is that we are all destined to live _our_ lives and no one else's. You cannot feel guilty about them. Besides, Dan plans to free them too, so everything should be OK in the end." Jessie smiled at Alanah, understanding her thoughts.

"You've become very wise since you came here, and I am glad you are here, and I can't wait to get you out. Go on then, get the dress ready!" Alanah sighed dramatically.

Jessie beamed as she carefully took the dress off the hanger. Separating it into the various parts that made up the whole, she placed the corset and the skirt gently onto the bed and held the silk shirt in her hands waiting for Alanah to undress. Alanah, having undressed hundreds of times in front of Jessie before, just pulled the jersey dress down over her shoulders and shimmied out of it. She stood ready to receive the shirt.

Jessie eased the black silk over her head and pulled it into place on her body. Taking the skirt, she held it out for Alanah to step into, which Alanah did with grace, giggling to herself. "What?" Jessie asked amused.

"I feel like I'm a child being dressed by her mummy!" Alanah laughed out loud – the first time in days.

"Great, I'm a mother to you now!" Jessie scowled playfully. "Well come on, we've still got the corset to do!" Jessie held it up for Alanah to see.

"Do you really think I'll fit into that?" Alanah laughed as she looked at the corset.

"Course you will, that's all part of the fun isn't it? Pulling you into a corset!"

-o-

Dan stood in nothing but his boxer shorts in front of the mirror in his bathroom. He had just finished shaving and he was inspecting himself for any missed stubble. He couldn't spot any more so he put his razor down. His eyes went blank, he was no longer looking at his face, he was remembering and imagining Alanah's face. He could not help smile. He opened his eyes, concentrating on his face again.

He brushed his damp hair and squirted gel into the palm of his hand before rubbing it through his overlong locks, trying to tame them. He made a mental note to get it cut as soon as he could, and he couldn't help wonder when that would be. He pulled his brush back through it, achieving some sort of control that he was happy with. He sprayed on a little eau de cologne and walked to his room to get dressed.

Jessie had already laid his clothes out for him. She said his mother had chosen them to complement Alanah's dress. He sighed and begrudgingly put on the black trousers suit. His tie was a rich purple and his shirt crisp white.

Having completed his very technical and detailed grooming routine, and having taken twice as long as usual, he was at a loose end for about 10 minutes. He sat down on the bed, feeling uncomfortable in his suit, he never had to wear one in the Family and he chose to go without a tie and jacket at work, they were not a necessity in his office.

Sitting and listening quietly to the sounds of the house, he knew that this was the last time he would ever rest in his room. Whatever may happen from now - tomorrow held an unknown future and he relished finding out what it was.

-o-

"There! I told you you'd fit into it!" Jessie said standing back in admiration.

"Wow!" Alanah said looking at herself in the mirror. "I look good!" She couldn't help admire what she saw especially since she knew she had looked so awful the last few days.

"Just the boots and you're all ready." Jessie said bending down to help Alanah into them. She pulled the zips up and stood back admiring her. "Just remember to let Dan take the lead in everything tonight. This is supposed to be a celebration. Don't do anything to upset anyone tonight. They could turn on you and kill you if you upset them."

"Understood." Alanah nodded. "Best behaviour."

There was a knock on the door.

CHAPTER 21

Alanah looked at Jessie, a combination of excitement and horror on her face. "Dan!" She whispered.

"Well go get it then!" Jessie said excitedly.

Alanah walked to the door and taking a deep breath and one last furtive look at Jessie opened it. Dan was stood on the other side, he straightened up as he saw her at the door, he too looked nervous, but he reined it in quickly. It was the first time she had 'seen' him since she had left his arms that morning. It felt like a lifetime. She smiled shyly up at him through her painted eyes, her heart accelerating as he smiled at her.

"Wow!" Dan mouthed, his eyes lighting up his whole face. He cleared his throat before asking politely. "May I come in Miss Moore?" He glanced behind him, seeing Mary and John waiting patiently in the hall for him to escort Alanah to the banquet.

"You may sir." Alanah couldn't help curtsey slightly as she stood aside for him to come in. She shut the door behind him.

They stood looking at each other, both agog. Everything that had happened the night before seemed like a dream. It seemed incredible that in truth they had spent only hours together, when they felt complete acceptance and love for each other. Neither of them was sure what to say to the other. They felt awkward and embarrassed, things were going at a strange pace.

"How are you?" Dan finally asked holding his hand out to her, it shook slightly.

"All things considered, I'm not bad." She replied blushing, he could not keep his eyes off her and she felt self-conscious. It hadn't been this embarrassing in the Maze - that had felt natural straight away, this felt much more like a first date. She took his shaking hand and tentatively held his fingers.

"I've been worried about you. You were exhausted after you came back from the school room. I can only imagine what it must have been like to have to sit through it all. All of you have been so brave, but to be taught how to die, I shudder to think about what that must have been like. The day totally drained you of your spirit, you've been through so much I really thought you would never stop crying. It was sleep that stopped you in the end."

"No, it was you that calmed me down. The moment I felt you, knew it was you; that was the most wonderful moment of my day. Your presence saved me from a complete melt down. Just feeling you wrapped around me was all I needed. I'm sorry I didn't talk, but I had no mental reserves left. Thank you, for being there for me."

"No problem at all, I would have stayed longer, but I had somewhere I had to be. But I knew Jessie would look after you, she's as concerned about getting you away from here as I am." Dan pulled Alanah gently towards him. "You look unbelievably beautiful tonight. I've never seen a more gorgeous woman in my life. I just can't take this stupid grin off my face! I don't know how I am going to be able to keep my eyes off you." He kissed her hand.

"Well you'll have to. You can't let the charade fail now. We are so close to being free. Just 12 more hours." Alanah smiled at him. "You look good in a suit. You scrub up very well." Alanah said smoothing down the lapel of his jacket as if preening him was something she did all the time and it did not feel wrong to either of them. "I like it a lot."

"I feel very uncomfortable in a tie and jacket." Dan said pulling at his collar.

"Well how do you think I feel in this corset? It's ridged and holding me in – no it's sucking everything in!" Alanah humphed.

"You don't have anything to suck in!" Dan said jovially poking the corset. It felt good to be joking with her. "But you do look pretty perfect. You look just like you did the night I first met you, irresistible and heartbreakingly gorgeous, except for the corset, but I could get used to it!" He smiled.

"That's very kind of you sir to comment on Alanah's clothing, can we get this over with?" Jessie asked, feeling a little awkward, she could hear voices outside and knew he had been in the room too long.

"Of course." Dan said, returning to the script he had memorized. He looked her in the eye with his smouldering eyes, smouldering with love. "Miss Moore, I give to you a jewel as a sign of my commitment to you. My family's standard is green; I give to you an emerald as part of my dowry to you." He reached forward and locked an oval £2 coin size emerald onto Alanah's collar. "After your death this emerald will be sold and the proceeds sent to your parents accounts. They will be recompensed for your death." There was sadness in his eyes as he said these words, knowing what they truly meant.

Alanah took hold of his hand, squeezing tightly not something she had been taught and recited the words that had been drilled into her today. "I accept your dowry. Lead me to my banquet." Her face was strong, she looked at him with complete acceptance of what was to come that night.

Dan held his arm out and Alanah accepted it, glancing back at Jessie who smiled at her, seeing a young happy couple in front of her. "Hope everything goes OK." Jessie whispered, knowing Mary and John were in the corridor.

"OK. Just take a deep breath and walk down the stairs with your head held high, everyone will be watching. You look stunning, so there is nothing for you to worry about." Dan smiled at her.

"I'm ready." Alanah smiled back at him, reassuringly. She would not let him down.

Dan opened the door, stood up straight and led Alanah into the corridor.

Mary and John were stood next to each other a little way down, John looked up as he heard the door open. "Son, go show the Family the woman, who is the key to your entry into the heart of our world." He smiled, but the smile was not for the parade and banquet ahead of Dan and Alanah. Instead he could see a man and a woman beginning a long journey together. His smile was happy, but he knew the heartache and agony that would be part of that journey and he hoped they were both strong enough.

Dan walked to his parents, showing them the respect they were due. "Mother, I bring before you my sacrifice so that you might bestow your blessing upon her. She will end the Path to the Eternal Life for me and be the key to open the secrets that lie beyond the Family doors that have lain secret to me." Dan knelt before Mary. Alanah following his lead, her day's tuition had taught her that modesty and acceptance of her situation were required now and she complied willingly, knowing it was a means to an end.

"I have spent her life saving her from herself, keeping her safe for you. I release her from my care into yours. Her remaining time on earth is at your discretion, treat her as you see fit. Her life is now in your hands." Mary smiled at her son, other faces watching her, so she had no opportunity to scrutinize either of them.

Dan turned to John. "Father, you have guided me on the Path of the Eternal Life, and I thank you for your knowledge. I will await your closing ritual with the calmness and serenity you have instilled in me. I will then know I am ready for my sacrifice."

"Go with the knowledge that your mother and I bless your union with your sacrifice, through her death you will become more." John looked at Alanah, her head unbowed before him. He smiled at her and hoped that she knew that he was blessing their relationship for the long run, not just for the next few hours. There seemed to be recognition in her eyes.

Dan walked Alanah to the top of the marble staircase that she had marvelled over the day before when Dan had taken her to be examined. This time instead of the hall being empty, the entire ground floor was a sea of faces looking up at them. There were also people standing on the staircase. Dan held onto her tenderly, but firmly and they began to walk down the stairs.

Sophie stepped forward from the crowd on the stairs holding a dagger in her hand. Dan was stopped by her as she held the knife up to his heart. He was expecting this. "Who do you bring before us Daniel Newman?" She asked fiercely.

"Let me through, I bring my sacrifice for her final meal. She has been accepted by my parents and therefore is mine for the remainder of her life and my life source once she is gone." He said holding his arm up to push the dagger from him. "You cannot stop that which has already been ordained. All who stand here bear witness to the beauty I bring to the sacrifice table."

Sophie bowed towards Dan. "Go with grace and feed your sacrifice for the last time before she becomes your meal." She stood aside and let Dan and Alanah descend the rest of the steps.

Dan stopped on the bottom step and looked out at the people in front of him. "Let it be known by all, this woman is my sacrifice and anyone who attempts to prevent me sacrificing her will incur my fury. She belongs to me." His voice was loud and strong, but it was clear to Alanah that what he really meant was that anyone who tried to stop him saving her would incur his fury.

Dan led Alanah in a different direction to the ones she had been in before to a thunderous clapping from the gathered people in the hallway. They were momentarily alone and he kissed her cheek lightly. She smiled back, knowing that it meant everything he had said did not mean anything to him.

"My Lady, it gives me pleasure to be able to provide a great feast for your final meal. Please join my fellow brothers in celebrating the finality of your life." Dan said as he approached the Banquet Hall. He knew that there were priests waiting down the hall and as much as he didn't want to, he felt compelled to recite the words he had learnt, but could not hold in a laugh completely and had to stifle it as it left him. It seemed so absurd to him that he had to say all these words; they were artificial and so not what he would ever say himself. He looked at her, nothing but love in his eyes.

Alanah remained silent, just looking at Dan. She had to glare and signal at him to remind him to lead her into the Banquet Hall. It did seem hilarious that she remembered what he was to do since he was the one who had spent his life preparing for this and she had only just learnt everything that day.

The room was the largest Alanah had been in. The walls, from floor to ceiling was panelled with a honey coloured wood, intricately carved into diamonds and inlaid with darker and lighter wood as part of the design. Even though the walls were wood, the room did not feel oppressive. The floor was a light gray tile and from the ceiling a crystal chandelier was suspended. At the far end of the room, an elegant white marble fireplace was lit and burning brightly. Alanah felt like she had stepped back in time, this room seemed to exude a different atmosphere to the rest of the house that she had been in. It felt more comfortable than the other places.

In the middle of the hall, a large table was laid out for the meal. The cream table cloth was decorated with silver candle sticks, ornate cutlery and white chaser plates, ready to receive the final banquet of the sacrifices. There was an air of elegance to the table that seemed wrong, Alanah hadn't expected so much investment in this banquet.

Dan and Alanah were the first to arrive in the hall and they stood close to each other, but not touching, aware that someone could walk in at any moment. It would be a monumental mistake for them to be caught in each other's arms.

"Are you OK?" Dan asked.

"Just a bit cold." Alanah admitted shivering.

Dan took his suit jacket off and wrapped it around her arms. "Go warm yourself by the fire. The others will be here soon."

"Won't they wonder why I have your jacket?"

"Probably." He smiled back.

Alanah took his advice and walked down the hall to warm herself by the elaborate fireplace.

They both waited nervously for the others to arrive.

CHAPTER 22

It was moments later that Christina and Callum entered the room. Christina was dressed in a calf length pale blue satin dress. It was simple, but well made, the stitching was hardly visible. She looked beautiful, but she had clearly been crying, she had panda eyes.

Callum was dressed in a black tuxedo with a matching blue cummerbund around his waist. He walked to Dan and they shook hands warmly. The friendship between them was strong, they had never fought in all the years they had been blood brothers – Alex had done enough of that for all of them put together.

Christina looked at Callum and then walked towards the fire, wanting to be near the warmth and someone who knew exactly how she felt. She knew Alanah was a calming influence and she was glad she was here now.

"I wish we didn't have to do this." Callum sighed. "To kill her in the morning, it just seems so barbaric, such a waste." He looked wistfully towards Christina as she walked away.

"Cal, I know exactly how you feel." Dan sighed. "But you know that we have no choice but to continue on the path we are on. How it ends is still to be decided, but you will make the decision for Christina that is right. Now no more talk of this, Anthony is already hard enough on you, don't let any emotions show tonight. You must remain strong, everything will be fine." Dan could not find the words to tell Cal what he was planning to do at dawn. He trusted him – they had been blood brothers for 21 years, but he could not bring himself to tell him. He would not risk his chance to free Alanah, but he knew Cal would be grateful if he could get Christina out too.

"How are you holding up?" Alanah asked Christina as she approached her.

"I don't know if I am." Christina whispered.

"How has Callum been? He looks as nervous as you do." Alanah glanced at him.

"I know. He's been so sweet this afternoon. He was waiting for me when I got back from the school room. He was crying."

"Reality must have kicked in; he knows he is murdering you in a few hours." Alanah said kindly, she couldn't tell her, any more, but it killed her a little inside keeping it secret.

"He said he didn't want to kill me, but that he didn't have a choice. He said he had nowhere to go outside of the Family and that he couldn't save me. He was so sad, I actually feel sorry for him. What about Dan?"

"He's been OK. Kind when he can be, otherwise like a sulky school boy. I haven't seen that much of him." Alanah shrugged trying to be non committal.

"My room is next to Imogen's, I've heard Alex shouting and laughing. He seems to be really enjoying himself. He is lording it up, Imogen is crying all the time. She is strong, but I don't think Alex is giving her a second to relax and pull herself together. He can't wait to kill her." Christina trembled.

"And your friend?" Alanah asked.

"Thomas, yes he is a friend from school. I went out with him for a while. He is OK, but he does seem to be under the spell of this place, he has told me that dying is my destiny."

They were distracted by the door to the hall opening again and Alex and Imogen walking in.

"Well here we are boys, feeding our sacrifices for the last time!" Alex shouted jubilantly. He walked towards Callum and Dan as if he were in charge.

Imogen was dressed in a flowing black fish tail dress and she seemed uncomfortable. She walked as quickly as her dress would allow to Christina and Alanah. "I guess there is no way to get away now." She said, she was pale, but she seemed strong enough to cope with what was happening.

"Let's just get through this banquet and worry about what is to come later. Keep strong ladies, we can feed off each other's confidence as we did earlier. Don't let anything they say get you down. Christina, can you do that, for us as well as yourself?" Alanah asked earnestly, she was more worried about her than Imogen.

Christina nodded, all three of them would be resilient.

Alex looked at Dan. "Daniel my friend, we argued earlier, it was my fault. Will you forgive me?" His eyes pleaded with him.

"We are all a little out of sorts at the moment, of course you are forgiven, my brother." Dan smiled at him graciously.

Jessie, Melissa and Thomas quietly entered the room from a different door close to the fire place; they stood waiting for someone to acknowledge their entrance. It was Alex who saw them first.

"The pawns are here to serve us our dinner!" He laughed to himself.

Callum and Dan took Christina and Alanah by the hand and led them to the table, pulling back the chairs for them to sit. They were both gentlemen and had been brought up with good manners. Nothing would stop them behaving civilly towards Christina and Alanah.

Christina accepted the seat graciously and quietly said thank you to Callum. There was a kind look in her eye as she looked at him.

Alanah handed Dan back his jacket and as she sat down in her seat, she began to notice that Christina and Callum were quite happy in each other company. Callum seemed to be nervous, but attentive to her and Alanah could see from the way he looked at her that he had feelings for Christina. Alanah realized that the situation she found herself in was not totally unique. Callum would have spent his life learning about Christina, seen photos of her and, like Dan come to hate what he had to do.

Alanah knew that Dan had been prepared by his father and grandfather to see her as a human and not as a sacrifice and she knew Callum would not have had this luxury. Callum had feelings (she could not say it was love, but it was at the very least compassion), for Christina which he had come to on his own. But there was also a look of resignation in his eyes that he knew he could not stop what was inevitable. She was comforted by the knowledge that Dan would do his best to save Christina, at least he could take the weight of murder off of Callum's shoulders.

Alex on the other hand clearly had no feelings for Imogen. He treated her with distain and as little respect as he could reasonably get away with. He approached Imogen and took her hand roughly; there was almost a scowl on his face.

"No." Imogen said quietly.

"What?" Alex hissed.

"I will not co operate in this anymore. I will not sit down to my last meal." Imogen looked directly at Alex, her eyes were suddenly hard.

"Yes you will my dear." Alex growled. He began to take his belt off his trousers.

"No! Nothing will make me submit myself to my death." She started trembling.

"Cal, Dan, hold her while I strap her to the chair, she'll partake in this banquet or I'll whip her right now." Alex's eyes were cold and hard as he approached her.

"Alex, now is not the time to threaten her like that." Dan said rising from his chair. He walked calmly to him, knowing Alex's temper could make him lash out easily; he had done it so many times he knew exactly what to do. Callum followed him.

"She is my sacrifice, she must _obey_ me." Alex hissed, not taking his eyes off her.

"Right now she is a woman who is scared and doing her best to stand up to you. She is fighting for her life. Tying her to her chair will not make her stop struggling. It will make things worse." Dan tried to reason with him.

"Yes, but it will make me feel better." He smiled cruelly.

"This banquet is supposed to be civilized." Callum pleaded with Alex.

"Ah yes the civilized prelude to the cannibalistic event!" Alex laughed.

Christina and Alanah stood up, seeing Imogen shaking in fury.

"Gentlemen, please let us talk to her for a minute." Alanah said, her voice rang clearly through the tension.

"And what good will that do?" Dan asked his voice full of sarcasm. He hoped Alanah would understand.

"We are in the same predicament as Imogen, but I think we have accepted our fate. Maybe we can help her too." Christina said. Alanah nodded in agreement.

"I guess it couldn't hurt." Callum said. The men left them alone and went to talk to the recruits at the other end of the hall.

"I can't do this." Imogen said wringing her hands. "I can't willingly take part in my own murder."

"There is nothing I can say to take away the reality of what dawn means to us all, but I know that going to pieces is what Alex wants. Look at him, he is baying for your blood, he is trying and succeeding to frighten you into a frenzy." Alanah took Imogen's hand. "You need to have self control; you know that will annoy him completely. If you can just hang on to your sanity for a little longer, I'm sure we will get through this together."

"Dead." Imogen replied quietly.

"Stranger things have happened." Alanah smiled gently.

"Please Imogen, prove to Alex that you don't care what he is going to do. It is important that he thinks he has not won. We will all be strong together." Christina implored.

Imogen stared at the two of them, wondering how they were both so calm. "I'll try." She said.

All three of them stood huddled together, taking confidence from each other. Alanah realized there were three shades to the same story and that out of the three she had got the best one. They walked towards the table, waiting for the men to pull their chairs back for them before sitting down to their last meal.
CHAPTER 23

Dinner passed mostly in silence. It seemed that none of them could find a conversation worth starting. The odd comment was passed, but a discussion never ensued. Alanah, Christina and Imogen all felt that making small talk would be fruitless and there was a strained atmosphere because of the lack of conversation.

One thing everyone would have agreed on if a conversation had successfully been started was how good the food was. Although none of the sacrifices had a huge appetite, they all did try the asparagus risotto for starters and the beef wellington for main course.

Imogen ate the most; it seemed that she was trying her hardest to be the least worried about the events at dawn. Alanah ate, but her appetite was hindered by the worry she had on behalf of Imogen and Christina, she would have loved to tell them about what Dan was planning, but to let the words leave her mouth could jeopardise everything. She could not let one careless word risk their chances of escape.

There was a short respite between the beef wellington and the desert whilst Jessie, Melissa and Thomas cleared the plates and discarded cutlery and glasses from the table.

Dan seemed to see a necessity to start a conversation, so he asked Alex a question. "Do you think there will be time for a couple of hours sleep before the morning? I feel like I haven't slept for days."

"I don't think I would be able to sleep, I'm too excited." Alex chuckled, sneaking a look at Imogen.

"At killing me." Imogen said quietly.

"That has its merits I have to admit, but I am looking forward to having some of the Family secrets revealed to me finally. I have waited 21 years for this."

"My whole life." Imogen commented.

"Yes, be grateful for every day you have had."

"I think we are all grateful for the time we have had, we just wish we had thousands more days to come." Alanah said before Imogen could reply. She knew she was close to losing it again.

"We don't always get what we want, but at least you can go to your death knowing you died in the prime of your life." Dan said, looking at Alanah, it was clear that he was exaggerating his role and Alanah played along with him.

"If you think dying young and pretty is a plus, you are greatly mistaken, my corpse will rot and decay just as it would if I was lucky enough to grow old. In death we all end up the same." Alanah said taking a sip of red wine.

Dan shivered inside, hating the idea of Alanah's corpse. "I would be delighted to discuss your comments with you further, however you death will prevent us having the opportunity to complete this conversation fully." Dan said smiling. There was an extra, special smile just for Alanah hidden in his lips.

Once the table was clear, the recruits placed new settings for desert, including an additional one at the head of the table. It was shortly after, that Anthony walked through the main door and stood at the head of the table and addressed everyone. His presence changed the atmosphere from slightly tense to very stressful.

"I do hope you have all had a pleasant evening?" He asked cordially.

"I believe everyone has enjoyed the meal." Callum said smiling.

Smiling at, but ignoring him, Anthony sat down at the table. "I won't stay long, just long enough to give you the next instalment in the ladies dowries'." He handed the men a small wooden box each and sat back down. "Life ends soon for you ladies, but for the men it is the beginning of their lives."

Dan, Callum and Alex all opened the boxes to reveal identical rings, save for the gem stone, an emerald, sapphire and ruby that graced them. Each took the ring from their box and standing next to their sacrifice placed it on their ring finger each saying at their own pace and volume. "Accept this ring as the binding and final confirmation of the covenant between us. We are bound for eternity to be together."

"Ladies, I see the horror in your eyes, even though you are all doing your best to hide it. I must apologise for the loss of your lives, you all have so much potential that will be wiped from this earth, but I know that your sacrifices were your destinies and that in giving your lives you will be aiding the lives of Alex, Dan and Callum." He smiled at them all. "You are all beautiful, and your souls will be the key to their future. I can imagine the thoughts going through your heads; see the strain that you try so hard to hide. I have presided over many sacrifices, but none have been so calm and happy as this. You are to be commended for your restraint, though I feel it will make it more difficult for the men to kill you."

"That is surly a good thing for us." Christina piped up.

"Of course, I am sure you would all like a few extra minutes of life." Anthony smiled graciously.

"I think years would be more accurate." Alanah said, she held Imogen's trembling hand and looked Anthony straight in the eye.

"Alas, that is not possible." Anthony smiled sweetly at her.

"You have no power over us, you cannot make us yield to you." Imogen said quietly. It seemed when she spoke quietly, she was close to losing it again.

"But we can, believe me we have ways to make you 'yield' as you put it." Anthony laughed, more to himself than anyone else.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing will make me submit myself ....." Imogen was close to hyperventilating. She began to scream in hysterics, she was beyond control within seconds and looked close to fainting.

Christina and Alanah leapt up and pulled Imogen's chair back, they looked at her pale face and felt her clammy forehead.

"She needs to lie down. She is at the end of what she can cope with. Please, someone take her back to her room." Alanah said, looking at Anthony and Alex.

"You heard Alanah, take her back to her room." Anthony said to Alex.

"But....." Alex began. He didn't want to miss anything.

"It's your choice Alex, but you are the one who is sacrificing her in just a few short hours, I suggest you let her recover. I know how much you hate the prospect of something going wrong, and this is going wrong for you. Go now Alex."

Alex picked Imogen up and called towards Melissa. "You'd better come too." They walked swiftly from the room.

"I guess I spoke too soon about calm and happy sacrifices, Imogen is certainly neither of those. On that note I shall leave the rest of you alone for desert, I won't join you, I'm not a fan of sweet food. I bid you all a good night." And he left them alone to finish desert, the last food that was supposed to pass the lips of Alanah and Christina.
CHAPTER 24

Alanah sat on the bed, she was exhausted. It was no wonder really since she had hardly slept the night before due to the heart to heart she had had with Dan, something she would never regret staying awake for. It had been magical. But it had been followed by the day of relentless instruction and the banquet that had not quite gone to plan. She felt that if she lay her head down on the pillow right now she would be asleep within seconds. She had taken as much as her body would allow and the oblivion of sleep was inviting.

However, the promise Dan had made to her that he would come to her room had a stronger pull than sleep right at that moment. It was true that she had just seen him, but it was not him that she had seen, it was the persona he had to portray to the Family. He had managed only a few glances towards her that made her heart skip a beat, the glances that had been real instead of the falseness that had been his life.

She smiled as she looked at the wall, hearing the click on the other side of the secret door as Dan was about to make his entrance into her room, her heart leaping in joy ... only for the door to her room to open and Mary to walk in.

"I wanted to speak to you alone. Before the morning's proceedings begin." Mary said strolling casually towards her.

Panic crossed Alanah's face as she looked from Mary to the panel and back, and relief as she realized that although the secret door was slightly open, Dan had not poked his head around, he must have heard his mothers overtly imposing entrance, and she knew he would be listening in now. Her body felt cold, but sweat began to trickle down her back. She was petrified.

"What could you possibly have to talk to me about?" Alanah sighed. Making sure Mary's attention was completely on her.

"I'm curious. I have spent the last 21 years studying you. I thought I knew everything that there was to know about you, yet you have surprised me over the last 2 days. You are not the person that you have portrayed yourself to be."

"I don't understand?" Alanah said, truly confused.

"You were a brand new soul when I first saw you. A beautiful new born babe ready to enter the world. You enthralled me from that first moment and nothing would stop you being my son's sacrifice. I fought for you, for my son. I chose your destiny. I watched you grow up, saw you change from child to teenager and more recently into a young woman. You have always been conformative, been what you were expected to be. You never got into much trouble at school, studied hard for exams and attained every mile stone you should have without much hardship. You have never caused a fight or hurt anyone. It was much easier than I expected to keep you a virgin; you seem to have spurred almost every advance made towards you. Yet the last 48 hours, you have changed from the delicate rose to a firecracker. The way you have held yourself together has been amazing. The other two sacrifices have been total wrecks, but you, you have found your place here." Mary cupped her hands around Alanah's chin, looking directly into her eyes. Alanah gulped before she let her gently go. "It's like you are more now than you have ever been. I find it fascinating." Mary stood close to the bed looking down at Alanah, her eyes not moving from her face.

"My father has always told me that you should hold your head up and never let anyone see your weaknesses. I have seen nothing but fear in Imogen and Christina's eyes because they are struggling to accept their deaths – why should they, like me they expected to die old. But here they are on the eve of their 21st birthdays about to die at the hands of strangers. Don't ask me why, but instead of floundering and feeling helpless, I have accepted my fate – my untimely death and instead of spending every waking moment crying and being terrified of my death, I have chosen to live, to be strong, as best I can for the remainder of my life. If that makes you uncomfortable, I can't and won't apologise. I am at peace with who I am." Alanah told the truth, without deviating from the expected time line.

Mary laughed. "Do you know what it feels like to die as a sacrifice?"

"I can't say I do." Alanah said knowing she was about to find out.

"Then let me enlighten you." She smiled cruelly, seeing the tension on her face. "At 3am Dan will come and bind your hands. You will no longer be human to him; you will be nothing but meat from then on. Soon after it is my duty to cut your hair off, I am so looking forward that. Removing your crowning glory against your will shows that you are in submission to us and we can do whatever we want with you. The priestesses who have already attended you will them perform a cleansing ritual for your soul so that it is ready to connect with Dan. You are then beautified with clothes jewellery and make up – as I am sure you have already seen, we frown on ugly and if you were a mess it would reflect badly on our family. You are then taken to a cell – the last place you will reside and left to wait to be taken to the tables of sacrifice. You will then be handed over to Dan for your final moments of life. He will slit your throat with a dagger and drink as much blood from you as his body will accept. He will then raise the knife and strike you through the heart until you are dead. Your existence is over. Then your friend Jessie will take your body and in accordance with Family traditions hide your death from the world, thus become an integral part in your murder and bound to the Family for the rest of her life."

Alanah sat, her hands shaking, her body still. She could not look at Mary. She knew it wouldn't happen, but the thought of it gave her goose bumps all over her body. She had no voice to make a reply.

"I remember my sacrifice. I was just 5 when I began the Path, very young; my mother wanted me to be initiated as early as possible so that I could rise up the ranks quickly. By the time I was ready to sacrifice, I was married to Dan's father and Dan was 3. My sacrifices name was Eric. He was nothing more to me than a piece of meat from beginning to end, even though I toyed with him throughout the whole three days he was here waiting to be my sacrifice. He thought I loved him, that I would save him. How wrong was he! Even as he lay on the slab he believed in me the fool! Dan takes after me in so many ways; it wouldn't surprise me if he had been promising you something similar." Mary dug in the dagger, twisting it with every word, studying Alanah's face for a reaction, one Alanah refused to give her. "Anyhow, I'm sure you need some beauty sleep, you only have 4 hours until Dan comes to bind you. Sweet dreams." Mary left the room, closing the door behind her, and turning the key in the lock.

Alanah sat in stunned silence. She couldn't have said anything. 'No, you're wrong, Dan loves me and he's promised to get me out.' Would have raised the alarm straight away and meant certain death to both of them. Holding her tongue and remaining silent had been the only thing she could do.

It didn't take her long – a matter of seconds in fact to know she was OK. Her tiredness was gone, even though she still felt fatigued. She waited for Dan, not taking her eyes off the slightly ajar door. Her hands were trembling and her breathing was laboured. Yet she was desperate to see him again.

CHAPTER 25

It didn't take Dan long to poke his head through the secret door, his face contorted with worry. He walked into the room, but stood far away from her.

"Who do you believe? My mother or me?" He asked cautiously. His face was full of anxiety.

"Do I need to answer that one?" Alanah smiled up at him, but her smile was half hearted.

"I hope it's me." Dan smiled back at her, his smile matched hers.

"Of course it is. But what she said was true. I have lived my life relatively quietly and by the book, yet when I came here, that all went out the window. Suddenly I feel empowered, even though I am a prisoner and nothing I have done since I have been here has been in my control. Except when I am with you. You have changed me, for the better."

"Have I?" Dan asked confused.

"Within the few hours I have spent with you, I have accepted everything you have told me, and I still do. It is not difficult to see who is being manipulative, it is clearly Mary. She wants to be here. You don't." Alanah smiled. "You want to anywhere but here ...."

"...with you." Dan smiled. "This is so much for you to take in, are you sure you're OK?" He asked anxiously.

"Strangely enough, I've never felt more OK than when we are in the same room. Mary seems to be jealous of you, wary even. It was almost as if she was trying to get me to rise to some type of bait, reveal something to her. It almost worked, I wanted to defend you, but that would have given us away. I couldn't do that."

"I agree. I'm glad you were able to stop yourself from saying anything. But there is no way she would know what my plan is, my dad and her NEVER talk any more, they sleep in separate rooms in completely different parts of the house. They are only ever together for ceremonies where they must put on a show of being united. Besides I trust Dad with my life – with yours too. Maybe she was trying to figure out if you knew anything about the Next in Line status, wondering what will happen to her when I am Leader!" Dan chuckled. "Like that will ever happen!" He moved slowly towards the bed. "Is everything OK between us? I totally understand if you no longer trust me. I wouldn't blame you." He asked cautiously.

"I trust you, and everything is OK with us. I'm so glad you came. I haven't seen you at all today, not the real you." Alanah smiled, she blushed.

"The real me is nothing special. Just a man ..."

"No, I disagree. There is something almost ... compelling to you, for me at least. You are so much more than just a man." Alanah said sincerely.

"Oh!" Dan laughed. "I've never thought of myself like that before." He stopped laughing and looked earnestly at Alanah. "Is that a good thing?" He asked nervously.

"Most definitely. I already told you how I felt when you left me alone in the Maze. I literally felt lost. We are opposite sides of the same coin, one half of each other." She held her hand out to him. "We can never be apart because of it."

"We don't have much time before I have to go." Dan said taking Alanah's outstretched hand. His face was full of emotion and he was trying hard to rein it in, he didn't want Alanah to see how much what she had said affected him. It had made him weak at the knees and his heart burn in his chest. His love for her was uncontrollable.

"Then let's make the most of it." Alanah leant her head on his shoulder.

"You really do look gorgeous tonight. My jaw almost dropped to the floor when I saw you earlier. I'd have loved to take you in my arms and held you there forever."

"There is nothing stopping you now." Alanah said, waiting for him to envelop her with his arms.

Dan let go of her hand and took her body in his arms. "Home." He whispered into her ear. "Nothing feels better than being in your arms."

"Mmhh." Alanah agreed with him, her head on his shoulder.

"Lani?" Dan asked suddenly.

"Yes?" Alanah said looking up at him with sleepy eyes.

"I'm worried." Dan confessed.

"About what?" Alanah asked suddenly feeling awake.

"About what Mary has said to you. I'm scared you believe her and are only pretending." His voice was close to tears.

"Why?" She asked alarmed.

"Because your captivity and freedom are in my hands and you have no other choice than to trust me. I have no way to show you ... to prove to you that my words are true. You could quite easily believe what Mary told you and it hurts my heart beyond anything that you would disbelieve everything I have promised you."

Alanah looked into his vivid blue eyes and saw such deep sadness, loneliness and vulnerability that she had never seen in anyone before. She had no words to comfort him with. There was nothing she could say to express how completely she trusted him. Instead she bent towards him and cupping her hands under his chin, kissed his lips, slowly and gently.

Dan's breathing was slow to recover after the kiss that gave him the strength and determination to carry on. He no longer believed Mary could say anything that would sway Alanah away from the truth of what he was saying.

"Thank you." He whispered to her, his eyes sparking again. "You are too good for me." He smiled, seeing a glint on his finger. It was the ring John had given him the day before. "He took the ring off his finger and handed it to Alanah. "This belonged to my grandmother; I give it to you as a sign of commitment to you alone.

Alanah looked at the gold ring in her hand. It was a signet ring with the letters A.L.N. engraved on the inside of the band. It looked old and well worn, the flat surface was engraved with a half circle which had rays leaving it. At what would have been the semicircle the design ended, almost as if the ring had been cut in half and the other half had been lost. Alanah put it on her finger and it looked like the sun rising behind the horizon. The whole design was indented into the gold. It could have been used as a seal. The ring belonged to Dan and Alanah felt comforted by it.

"It belonged to my grandmother, Amanda Leticia Newman. I never met her, she died before I was born. Grandpa told me to give it to my true love, so that is what I have done. The symbol is known as the Midnight Sun. It is apparently a symbol of good fortune. I hope it brings that to you." Dan knew how important it was that she had it. His grandfather had instilled it into him to 'give it to your true love, her life depends on it'.

"Thank you." She kissed his lips passionately. "Now you have given me something that proves you are the one to trust, but I didn't need it." She smiled.

"I know, but it's more for me than anything else. I give this ring to you willingly, unlike the emerald ring on your finger and the ring round your neck. It sickened me to the stomach when I heard the click as I locked it into place." He gently touched the collar around her neck, wishing he could rip it off, but he didn't have the key or the strength to pull it from her neck, besides it would hurt Alanah and he didn't want to ever do that to her.

"Everything is a means to our getting out of here. I don't mind it." Alanah's hair tumbled down over her shoulders, her auburn curls flowing down over her back.

"Like Mary said, your hair will have to be cut." Dan said, he took a curl in between his fingers and played with it. He took her in his arms and held her close.

"I don't care. If I come out alive, it will be worth it. I've been toying with cutting it differently anyhow, I've wanted a change for some time and I thought that now I'm looking for a job, it was as good a time as any." Alanah took the hand that was playing with her hair and held it.

"It's hardly the best way to choose a new style." Dan said sighing.

"True, but I'll willingly accept a bald head if it means I get out of here alive!" Alanah laughed.

"I doubt it will be that bad!" Dan laughed. "I don't think it would suit you anyhow!" He looked at his watch. "Lani, I hate to say this, but I have to go. I have a final class to attend, and my father must perform a ritual before I come back." All humour left his face.

"Please, don't, I've had no time with you at all." Alanah said, but she had no choice, she knew that. Dan wasn't working to her schedule right now, he had places he had to be to keep up his pretence.

"Believe me, I don't want to leave, but Anthony is giving the lesson and they will search for me if I do not attend." He shut his eyes, imagining them finding him here with Alanah in his arms.

She nodded, appearing to accept his rational.

"I will be back at about 3am like Mary said. The priestesses and Mary will come just after me. They will prepare you for the ceremony."

"OK." Alanah nodded, not able to put any other words together to make a sentence. She held him as tightly as she could, wishing she would never have to let go. He returned her hold just as fiercely.

"I will have to be different; horrible, someone you will hate." His voice broke and he struggled to recover it. "I won't be able to say or do anything to you that could hint at this." He gestured to their entwined bodies. "They must not know what has happened between us. I will have to have to bind your hands together the way sacrifices are supposed to be handled at that point. You are not supposed to be human to me any more, just a vessel of blood." His face was grim; he was fighting back the urge to cry. He did not want to do it.

"I understand." Alanah sighed. She could see the turmoil Dan was going through, see his trembling lips and wet eyes and she knew that he loved her completely. She felt sick to her stomach, but she held onto him tightly. As if he was the only person in the whole world.

Dan kissed her forehead, his eyes closed. He smelt the sweetness of her hair and he tried to compose himself, but there was an overwhelming feeling of panic in his stomach. "Just remember, when I come back, nothing I say or do is how I really feel." His voice waivered.

Reluctantly they broke apart. "Try and get some sleep. I'm sure it's impossible, but try at least. Lani, when I come back you won't like me; I'll be more like Alex, and believe me that sickens my stomach at the thought. If anyone comes in and suspects I do not want to sacrifice you, we will both be killed. It is best if I act how they expect me to all the time, so I don't have to turn it on when they come in. They can't see us as we are now." He touched her face with his fingers wishing they could be somewhere else away from this hell hole. "When Anthony put your blood on my forehead, it was supposed to make me lust taking it from your body, but if anything it made me more repulsed at the idea of it. Fight against me all the time. Remember you are supposed to be being sacrificed." Alanah nodded, she too felt sick with anxiety. She kissed his fingers and looked at him with scared eyes. For the first time, she felt really scared of what was to come. Her lips quivered as she tried to smile at him.

"I guess I will wait here then, for what is to come." She looked up at him, her lips close to quivering.

"I'm so sorry." Dan hugged her tightly. "I won't even be me when I come back in." There were tears in his voice.

"It's OK. Everything will be OK." Alanah reassured him. "Go then, before we both break down in tears." She held him as close as she could, not wanting to let him go.

"Just remember that I love you. That is what will be keeping me going." He kissed her forehead.

"I love you and trust you. That will be keeping me going." Alanah smiled at him.

"Good bye." Dan slipped unwillingly from her arms and left her room via the door that had become his lifeline. He made his way down to his room, ready to attend his last lesson at the Family.

CHAPTER 26

Dan walked quietly, but confidently into the room that he had been taught the ways of the Family and the rites and rituals of the initiation. He was the last to enter, Alex and Callum already seated at the table.

"Cutting it fine aren't you Danny Boy?" Alex grinned up at him, his mood much better than only a couple of hours ago. "Today we become men!" He slapped his chest with a thud in a cave man like way, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"We sure do." Dan smiled back at him, glad he wasn't in a confrontational mood. "We also become killers at dawn." He laughed, trying to sound jubilant.

"Can't wait." Alex smiled back, clearly excited at the prospect of killing his sacrifice.

"You're quiet Cal, cold feed?" Dan asked his blond haired friend who was sat quietly waiting.

"Nervous energy, I just want it all over with. Mum is being a bit of a nightmare, all proud and everything."

"Tell me about it, mine's been buzzing for days, thoroughly enjoying the whole of the lead up to this morning! Still I guess it only happens the once, we can hardly hold it against them." Alex said.

"How is Imogen after her breakdown at the banquet? I've never seen anyone so hysterical before." Dan said taking his seat.

"Hysterical is definitely the right word. She was struggling in my arms all the way back up to her room. It was highly embarrassing seeing as there were still a lot of people hanging around the hallway following the presentations. There were quite a few innuendos and sniggers as we went by."

"Don't worry, as long as she's fine by dawn and has had her cleansing ritual, everything will be ok." Callum said smiling at Alex.

"She's pretty strong. Thrashing about on the bed, she almost right-hooked me at one point! My mum has given her a couple of her Valium, we had to force it down her throat, but she's sleeping now." Alex sighed.

"Valium? Won't that make her blood tainted?" Dan asked, knowing full well what the thoughts on drugging sacrifices whilst held captive were. It was fine to drug them to bring them here, but it was a no no from that moment on.

"What?" Alex exploded. "So you think that will make Imogen a lesser sacrifice than Alanah?" He was seething as he looked at Dan.

"Not in the least, I just remember vividly the teachings on how we look after them, and drugging is not on the list." Dan sighed theatrically.

"Just because you think you are better than Cal and me because of the announcement, doesn't make you right about everything." Alex spat at him.

"I never said it did." Dan said casually.

"Alanah should have been mine. Imogen would have been yours; it would have been fun seeing you deal with her hysteria." Alex laughed.

"I know Alanah should have been yours." Dan answered quietly, his heart aching at that thought.

"I've seen her, dressed in a red dress – my family's standard, her hair wild like a lion's mane. She should have been mine." He growled.

"But she's not, she is mine and she has been for 21 years." Dan said forcefully. "Been dreaming about her have you?"

"Not quite ..." Alex said, trying to avoid the question. "I just remember seeing her somewhere."

"Been spying on her then?" Dan asked, his eyes narrowing in accusation.

"No! Just understand that there are things I have seen that you have no idea about. You may be about to be Next in Line, but I've been taken into someone's confidence and I know that there are going to be some huge changes around here in the near future." Alex hissed his words, his eyes dark and fierce. "Not everything is how it seems."

"I agree, but when I am Leader, I can assure you that what I say will go. Nothing else."

They were stopped by the door to the plush lecture room opening, and Anthony walking in.

"Boys ..." Anthony said his hands up in a pope like stance. "... Men, as you shall be at dawn." Anthony shook hands with each of them, smiling as he went, but paying particular interest in Dan.

Dan stood stoic, nothing betraying his feelings. He could have been a blank page for all the information he was giving away. He knew he was vulnerable, he could feel it in his bones.

"Sit gentlemen, sit." Anthony gestured to the three of them. "This is my last opportunity to talk to you all before you are initiated and become active members of the Family. What happens at dawn will intrinsically change you forever. Your life will be protected and you will always be loved and supported by the Family. We ask very little in return. You have all grown up here, learned our ways, become, to all intense and purposes brothers in blood. It is 21 years ago to the day that you were all started on the path to Eternal Life. 21 years to grow from innocent children into the men sitting before me now. You have all been schooled in the ceremonies and the mysteries that have brought you to this point in your life. You are already bound to the Family by your bloodlines and the knowledge of what happens here. We all know that partaking in the drinking of human blood is abhorred by all humans, that is why we are a secret Family and although we are visible in the community outside these protective walls, we know that complete secrecy is necessary for the continued existence of the Family.

"We all know why we sacrifice a human life. It is your commitment to the Family. We do not do this lightly, that is why you have had 21 years to learn the value of that sacrifice and now you are ready to commit your lives to us. You all know that the moment your sacrifice is complete there is no going back, you are bound to the Family for life. You will have 14 days of solitude, away from us before you are welcomed open armed into the Family as our equal. You will no longer be ignorant to the ways of the Family; you will be conveyed to a new level with a new responsibility. There will come a time when you will be called to witness the end of the world as it is. For now, we celebrate the beginning, not the end."

Dan smiled as brightly as he could, taking his lead from Alex who seemed incandescently happy.

"Alex, you have shone since the day your sacrifice was chosen, so hungry for knowledge and you have been ready for this moment for years. You will enjoy yourself and remember it for eternity." He patted him on the shoulder and turned his attention to Dan. "Dan, you have not always found it easy under the tuition of the Family, but your recent application to your studies is highly commendable. Your sacrifice is the defining moment of your life so far, and how you handle it will dictate the world to come. I will watch you with great interest." He then looked at Callum. "I think we are just lucky you made it to this point." He smiled sharply. Callum, squirmed uncomfortably.

"May I just say we are all excited about the future and how our lives will change." Alex gushed.

"I'm sure you are. Alex, Callum, please go and get yourself ready for your last ritual. I will see you all at the ceremony. Daniel, will you stay please, we must discuss how we announce your succession."

Alex and Callum left the room silently, Alex looked back acidically at Dan. Anthony waited until the door had been shut before he turned his full attention back to Dan.

"I don't think Alex likes you anymore." Anthony chuckled to himself.

"Yes, his attitude has changed over the last few months, especially since I came back. I'm sure you've heard about the 'disagreements' we've had just today." Dan answered easily. He sat calmly next to Anthony.

Anthony nodded. "As tonight has grown closer, so has his distaste for you. Up until now you have both been equal, both learning and progressing towards this point. But your elevation to Next in Line after the sacrifice will probably end any brotherly camaraderie that is left." Anthony warned.

"To be leader means sacrificing any personal friendships I may have. If I have to forego his friendship then I will. He holds resentment over Alanah, something I never knew he had. It seems to have surfaced because Imogen is giving him a hard time, but this is really unimportant. The future of the Family is what is important."

"Do you feel ready to lead the Family; it's not an easy job to undertake. You will sacrifice a lot more than just personal friendships." Anthony asked sincerely.

"You told me the day after my grandfather died that the leadership of the Family was my birthright and that you would take care of the Family until I was initiated. That time is here. I have had my rebellious moments and I stand before you ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the leadership." Dan said solemnly with dignity, even though he had no intention to follow any of this through. He was just acting the way he was supposed to.

"I am very glad to see how you have turned your life around, I have discussed you many times with the senior priests and to be honest, they have not had much confidence in your ability to take over the leadership. Your shameful desertion of the Family worried them greatly. They were all for voting against announcing you as Next in Line. It was quite a heated debate, taking all my powers of persuasion to get them to wait until yesterday to make their final decision." Anthony said gravely.

"But they said yes?" Dan asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.

"Your recent behaviour has quashed all their doubts I am pleased to say, although they do have 3 conditions you must agree to before we announce your elevation." Anthony said staring out of the window.

"And what would they be?" Dan asked, he walked to Anthony's side and stood looking out of the window with him.

"Firstly, they want you to be quarantined for six weeks longer than Alex and Callum..."

"Eight weeks in total!" Dan almost laughed.

"You didn't let me finish. Secondly, during your 8 weeks isolation you will be studying all the mysteries and secrets of the Family, not just the ones revealed when you are initiated. You will be aided by myself and a priest or priestess of your own choosing." Anthony said, hoping this would appease Dan.

"And the last condition?" Dan asked folding his arms over his chest. It meant absolutely nothing to him, he knew he wouldn't be here for more than a few more hours, but he was curious about the conditions they had placed on his elevation through the ranks.

"The last one, I hope will be most agreeable to you. We require you to marry one of the priestesses, a show of your commitment to the Family."

Dan stood in silence for a moment, Sophie had been right and now his worst nightmare was playing in his mind – a Family wedding was a bloody affair at the best of times, but one for a Leader would be twice as bad, if not more. He turned to Anthony and nodded, hoping his silence had looked like deep contemplation rather than the cold and complete realization that he really wanted to get himself and Alanah out that very minute. "Those are acceptable terms."

"Excellent!" Anthony said, turning towards Dan smiling. "Do you have any preference for which priestess you would like to marry?"

"Oh!" Dan said truly surprised. "I wasn't expecting to have to choose right now."

"Of course you don't, I just thought you man have affection for one of them. I understand Sophie is quite fond of you. I have spoken to her about it and she appears willing. She would be an ideal match for you Dan."

"Hang on a sec, this is a life changing decision." Dan laughed nervously. "When do I have to let you know?" So this was why Sophie had snuck into his room last night.

"Right after your initiation, before your isolation. I will announce it before you are sent away and you will marry on your release." Anthony said. "That gives you about 5 hours to make your decision. Sophie would be a good choice, she has been a priestess for several years now and the senior priests rate her very highly. It's always nice when your wife is amiable towards you."

"And she certainly wants to get her claws into me!" Dan laughed dryly. "Out of all the priestesses I have had the most dealings with her, so the chances are she will be the one. But I have not made any decisions, like you said I have 5 hours to debate this with myself." Dan said as sternly as possible.

"A very good thing you don't have too much time to debate all the priestesses, there are plenty of good options, but I am quite sure you will make the right choice."

"Anthony, may I ask you a question?"

"Of course." Anthony smiled, his eyes too sincere to be true.

"What will you do when you are no longer leader?"

"The leadership was only ever on loan to me, it is yours to have. I intend to return to my previous position, or whatever role you choose for me, but I will always be willing to assist you in any way you see fit." Anthony said graciously.

"Do you resent me?" Dan asked quietly.

"Daniel, how can you ask that? This is your birthright. I am just a stop gap until you can step up to the mark." Anthony smiled at him, but there was a hint of hate in his eyes. "You are ready aren't you?" He added with a twist of impatience.

"I am ready to accept what is to come." Dan said with complete honesty.

"Then we have no problems. I have much to arrange and prepare, don't forget there are two other initiations as well as yours tonight. Their sacrifices are just as important as yours. You are all equal until your sacrifice is complete. Sophie and Helen will be waiting outside to take you to your blood ritual. I will see you at the ceremony. I will expect your answer after the sacrifice." Anthony held his hand out to Dan who took it and shook it, although it felt very laboured on both men's parts. "I will see you in a few hours."

Dan stood in front of the window feeling trapped. His only concern was to fulfil his promise to Alanah and get her to safety. Nothing else mattered.

-o-

Anthony slammed his hand against his study table sending all his papers flying into the air and leaving a visible indentation mark in the wood. He could no longer contain his anger.

'He defects tonight.' He fumed to himself. 'I should have killed him when I did away with Damian, it would have meant I would not be in this situation. Now I have to fight for my very existence.' He pulled open the door and called to the first person he saw. "Go get Mary Newman, I need her immediately."

He waited, as patiently as pure fury would allow him for Mary and her calming qualities to arrive. He pulled an ancient looking manuscript from out of the draw of his desk and trying his best to calm himself so that he did not tear the pages to pieces he sat down at his desk.

He had read these pages so many times over the years that there were yellow marks where his fingers had turned the pages. He had every word memorized, but he still looked, still had to see what he was missing, see if there was a loop hole he could utilize.

There were none. It was as if the document had been written with him in mind, every thought he had come up with had a clause he could not break, every option turned into a dead end. No matter how chipper he tried to be when Mary was around, he could not hold it up for much longer. He was alone in a sea of humans and he could no longer function as a lone vampire.

He considered contacting others, but he knew that would take away any control he had – not that he actually had any. Involving other would take away the control he wanted once he had taken control of the Midnight Son. He wanted to be the one to have power over the world that would emerge when he was successful.

He would recruit from within, take the strongest of the priests and priestess, give them the immortality they so desperately wanted. They would be his protection, his enforcers when the time came.

Anthony consoled himself that he had the time to prepare, the knowledge of what lay ahead and the strength to manipulate whatever was necessary.

There was a knock on the door and Mary walked in.

"After the ceremony, I will make you a vampire. You will be immortal by tonight." Anthony walked purposefully towards her and Mary took a sharp intake of breath as he wrapped himself around her, forgetting, for a while his problems.
CHAPTER 27

There was a knock at the door and Sophie and Helen walked in. "We are here to anoint you for your initiation." Sophie said, holding her hand out to Dan. "Come with me please."

Dan was extremely aware that Sophie wanted him, not only as a husband, that was something new, but she had already made several attempts to seduce him. He had always managed to excuse himself from the situation, but he could not do so now. She was in charge. He shuddered internally as he remembered how close it had come last night to Sophie finding Alanah in his bed and raising the alarm. However this was something different and he could see that she was looking forward to disrobing him. "I am quite capable of following you without having to hold your hand." Dan said curtly. "I'm not a child."

"I know, but it's more fun this way!" Sophie smiled with pleasure, grabbed Dan's hand and led him out of the room, Helen followed close behind him.

-o-

Sophie led Dan into a white tiled room. The room was cold and bare except a small but elaborately carved oak altar and above it the symbol that had been on Anthony's robes. Dan's father John stood waiting for them. He smiled at Dan as he entered.

Sophie was clearly elated, she had been waiting a long time to see Dan naked, she had to find out if the rumours she had heard were true. Determined to do all the work herself, she stood in front of Dan and started to undo the buttons on his shirt.

"You know I can do it myself." Dan pushed her away.

"At this moment in time I am a higher ranking position than you are. You will do as I say." She knew she was in the right and unwaveringly continued with the buttons. It was a game to her.

"Fine, just know it's not going to get you anywhere when they announce me Next in Line." Dan sighed and let her continue. He knew exactly what she was looking for – his tattoo, and knowing there was nothing he could do about it, resigned himself to the fact that she would stare at his arm, more than likely in awe.

Sophie pulled his shirt off and looked at his arms. She gasped in disbelief. "So it is true, you are a marked man!"

"That is why I was punished when I was brought back to the Family." Dan said curtly.

"It's fascinating." Sophie held tightly onto his lower arm examining it.

"It's a tattoo. I got drunk, remember?" Dan said, trying to pull himself away from her.

"No. It's so much more than that. You are lying. I would expect a drunken tattoo to be something like a devil or a Mickey Mouse, not this. You are the Marked man of the legends, the one to take the Family to a new level. You are our redeemer." Sophie looked at him almost reverently. "Please, Dan, choose me as your wife." She said almost breathlessly.

Dan could see the awe in her eyes and he began to panic. "I am not the Marked man of the legends. I was not sent by the Mother of the Dead. I am nothing but a man who woke up after a night out with this hawk on my arm. For all I know, I could have been drugged." Dan sighed.

"The Marked man will not know he is the one. He will deny all knowledge of the burden he will carry. That is what the legend says." Sophie said in awe.

"Then it is pointless continuing this conversation as I can't defend myself against the writings of the legend." Dan sighed. He knew he was not the Marked man. How could he be when he was defecting and leaving the Family?

"Can we please get on with this, there isn't much time?" John interrupted Sophie's veneration.

"Of course." Sophie looked at John, smiled and then continued.

"I'll do my trousers myself." Dan insisted, removing his shoes and socks, closely followed by his trousers. My boxers stay on." He was adamant. "I've had enough of you gawping at my body, let alone at that. A man has to have some dignity left intact." He scowled.

"Spirited, just what I like." Sophie laughed.

"Aren't you going to let Helen do her job?" Dan's father asked. "We are running out of time." He was growing impatient.

"Everything will be fine John. Helen can perform her rights when I'm ready." Sophie was determined to have some fun with a shy Dan. She had never seen him like this before and wanted to see how far she could go.

"Sophie, John is right, we do need to get on with it." Helen stood forward timidly.

"Fine! Can't a girl have any fun!" She sighed and stepped aside.

"Not this morning. I have to be ready. Please let Helen do her job." Dan growled at Sophie.

Helen stepped forward and tied one of Dan's hands to a rope. She secured it to a hook on the wall. She then returned and repeated it with his other hand, he was sprawled from one side of the small room to the other. He was as vulnerable as a baby, and extremely aware that he was at the mercy of Sophie and Helen.

This ritual was never explained to initiation subjects. It was shrouded in secrecy and all they were told was that they would experience pain at the hands of their father. Dan prepared himself for the undisclosed, waiting for his father to do his unknown dreadful deed.

His father stepped forward, his adrenaline pumping through his body, his hand preparing to grasp the knife that was to draw blood from Dan. He walked to the alter and removed the dagger from the white silk that covered it. He walked to Dan and held it high for him to see.

"Son, today you become a man. It is my duty to take from you your youth blood. It will be mixed with your sacrifices and poured back into you by your mother. It will hurt, but then life itself hurts and one day you will look back on today and remember nothing but fond memories. Helen will recite the rights as I go." John looked his son in the eye and saw strength and determination, he was aware the future lay in this young mans hands. He believed he would cull the evil when the time was right.

Helen took hold of Dan's left forearm and began to recite the rights of initiation, as she spoke John slit Dan's wrist open twice on a diagonal and let the red blood that flowed freely pour into the hilt of the dagger.

"From your veins your life source will flow

Down into the hilt of the dagger

From this life source your future will be told

Mixed with the blood of your sacrifice."

Dan winced in pain as the blood ran from his body, determined not to crack under the pressure. His wrist throbbed as every drop made itself known.

Helen moved from his arm, and rested her hand over Dan's heart, and Dan began to panic. From the corner of his eye he could see his father place the blade of the knife over a flame on the altar. Helen continued with her words.

"From your heart your mortal soul will flow

From your heart your current life will cease

Your life will be made new and all sins will be cleansed

By the blood of your sacrifice."

As Helen finished her words, John rubbed black ash into his son's wounds then seared them shut with the red hot knife.

Dan cried out in agony, withering in pain. He slumped against the ropes, making them taught against his arms and the wall.

Sophie took a white cloth dipped in water and began to wash Dan's sweat covered body reciting as she went:

"We cleanse you of your mortal life, we cleanse you of your sins,

We give to you another life, from the soul of your sacrifice.

We give to you new memories, we give to you new thoughts

We give to you a soul and heart, a body to feast on."

John cut the ropes free and Dan collapsed to the floor. He looked up to his father and smiled faintly, determined to show his father he was OK.

"Are you satisfied now?" Dan asked looking at Sophie, knowing she was enjoying making him suffer.

"Everything is perfect. What fun!!" Sophie giggled. She enjoyed the sacrifice process, it was when she came into her own and shone out above all the other priestesses in the Family. She was famed for her good work when it came to preparing both the sacrifices and the initiation subjects. She prided herself on how well she treated the sacrifices, calming them down before the inevitable was to happen. On the other hand, she also prided herself on making the initiation subjects suffer just a little, she thought it only right for them to feel a little scared before they killed their pray, in her opinion it was only fair.

Dan however was a different matter. He was the Marked man, her soul was sure of it. She knew at dawn he would be named as Next in Line for the Family and was determined to be his bride, to be the future leader's wife meant great power, and she was resolved to be the most powerful woman in the Family. Time would tell.

Dan stood up, panting as he struggled up. "Leave me now." He almost spat at Sophie.

"Return to your room and use the remaining time you have left to compose your soul for the events at dawn. We will deliver the dagger to Anthony." Sophie blew a kiss towards him. "See you later sexy." She and Helen left the room.

"We must go." John wrapped Dan in his cloak and held his arm out to his son and helped him out of the room.

Dan was ready to sacrifice Alanah.

CHAPTER 28

Dan sat in his room, he was still shaking from the pain in his wrist. It was throbbing and the heat the skin retained from the hot knife had already made the surrounding skin begin to fill with watery blisters.

John had left him alone as soon as he was sure Dan was OK. Dan had managed to convince him he was well enough to be left on his own, but in truth he probably was not.

Dan's torso was still naked and sweat covered his body. He walked slowly to his bathroom and splashed cool water over his face. There was not enough time to have a shower.

It felt ironic to him that just a few hours ago he had been preening himself to go to the banquet with Alanah and now he was stood here waiting to sacrifice her.

"The Marked man." He whispered to himself. He looked at the tattoo on his arm. The magnificent wings that rose up over the head of the hawk, covering the sculpted muscles of his upper arm almost completely, rising up and the tips of the wings very nearly touching each other at the beginning of his shoulder. The hawks head nestled comfortably below the tips of the wings with a solar disk adorning its head. The Wadjet eye engraved into the yellow sun.

It wasn't an unusual tattoo, Horus was a well known Egyptian god. Dan had found thousands of image references to him when he had googled him. But it was the fact that it was tattooed on him that amazed him – because he would never have chosen it for himself.

Tattoos were forbidden in the Family, so Dan had grown up being fascinated by them when he had seen them on people outside the Family. There was something compelling about indelibly marking your skin for all eternity, but he never thought he would do it to himself.

The legends of the Marked man had never directly mentioned the manner of marking – he had always assumed a birth mark of some sort, or what the mark would be of.

So what did this mean to Dan? It put a whole new spin on what he had been taught by his grandfather. What if he was supposed to be the leader of the Family – change it for the better? Could that really be his destiny?

He stood looking at himself in the mirror. Be the leader of the Family? Marry a priestess and reside over everyone as exalted leader. Could he really do it?

How many lives could he save? He'd been taught to value human lives, if he could, at the very least outlaw sacrifices he could save so many lives .....

Alanah. He burst into tears as he thought of her. For him to become leader he would have to sacrifice her and he would not do that. Nothing in the world would make him murder her or anyone else.

Anthony. There was no way he would allow Dan to live long enough to take over the leadership. If he sacrificed Alanah only to be murdered by Anthony, her sacrifice would be for nothing.

John. His father was convinced he was to escape and take Alanah with him. He had told him that Alanah and Dan were meant for bigger things, that they must escape together.

And the only thing that Dan wanted to do was leave with Alanah. He knew he could not be leader of the Family. There was nothing that could stop him loving Alanah, his heart ached at the thought of anyone hurting her.

His mind was settled. He would continue on the path he had chosen. He knew Anthony would never let him live to be leader so he would never be able to make positive changes.

Saving Alanah and the other sacrifices was all he alone could do.

He wasn't the fabled Marked man.

-o-

Dan stood alone outside the door to Alanah's room. He had told her he would be different, but he didn't want to be different. He wanted to knock brightly on the door, open it and walk in smiling and let Alanah fall into his open arms, and kissed her ardently. He just wanted to tell her he loved her. But he couldn't.

It was not about deceiving her – Alanah already knew he loved her. It was about deceiving his mother and everyone else around him. He had no choice. He couldn't help hear the words his mother had said to Alanah about deceiving her, and he knew that everything he had done could be seen in that light. In truth, he was the only one who knew the truth.

He took a couple of slow jagged breaths. He knew he had to hide his new found feelings from himself and anyone else who may come in the room. To reveal them was certain death, so he cleared all his love and focused on his hate for what was to happen to Alanah. His body shook with rage as he pulled every little memory of what had happened and what was to happen from the vault of his mind. Once ready, he unlocked the door and walked purposefully in. He was no longer the Dan Alanah knew. Alanah was stood quietly looking out of the window, she had changed into her night gown, but had not been able to sleep. She smiled at him as he walked to her mouthing the words 'I love you', then stood quietly, remembering what he had said. His face was stony.

"Turn round." Dan ordered Alanah, he did a good job of hiding the quiver in his voice. She obliged, but her lips were trembling as she tried to stay calm.

"Please don't hurt me." Alanah whispered, her breathing was shallow and she could feel adrenaline making her heart beat quicker. Dan's tone was a stark contrast from only a couple of hours earlier.

Dan roughly took hold of her wrists and ignoring Alanah's plaintiff plea bound them tightly together. Alanah winced in pain as the rope tightened against her injured wrist, slicing through the tender scab that had formed over the still pink slit in her wrist. It began to bleed through the rope. Dan callously ignored it and carried on.

"Sit on the bed." He demanded, his voice cold and emotionless. She did so, telling herself everything was OK and that Dan did not mean to hurt her – but she had a nagging thought, she could not help it, that all his earlier talk could have been lies, maybe Mary was right, he was winding her up, trying to lull her into a false sense of security, only to cut her throat in the end. She began to weep silently, her whole body moving as she tried to control the weeping and shaking.

Dan's resolve to be cold hearted faltered. The fact she was crying the way she was meant he was giving a convincing performance, and he was sure she believed Mary right now. He wanted to take it back, to hold her and tell her all would be fine and they would soon be out of the nightmare. He looked at her, his eyes glistening, his mouth about to beg for her forgiveness when the door opened, and his mother walked in.

Sniffing back the tears, he sat up straight and looked at his mother. "You're late. It's 3.10 already." He said grumpily, trying to put the mask on as strongly as it had been before.

"I had a little business to see to; I got a little behind on everything." She licked her lips and smiled. "It was quite enjoyable!" She laughed.

"Oh mother please, I really don't want to know what you've been up to with him. You have no decency being with Anthony under my father's nose. You disgust me!" Dan shouted at his mother.

"You'll change your tune at dawn!" She laughed. "Once you've had a proper taste of blood. My advice to you is ride her whilst you drain her of her life – a perfect start to your new life!" Mary had a maniacal look in her eye.

"You always have been crude; I won't have sex in front of 200 people." Dan was genuinely outraged at thought. He was aware his mother was malevolent, but had no idea how repulsive she could be.

"You must show your power over her, you will be the Next in Line shortly after. Show the Family you are ready to take the leadership. Besides it'll be the only chance she ever gets of having sex, seeing she will be dead shortly after." Mary smiled. "You ought to give her a treat!"

"I'll do no such thing. She can go to her death a virgin, never know what it feels like to be a real woman! Dan laughed and looked at Alanah. She was sitting there quietly looking up at him; her eyes welled up with tears. Her body had stopped shaking and she was just sat there feeling numb all over.

Dan was torn between his pretence and letting Alanah know everything would be OK. She had been alone for a couple of hours and he could see she thought his declaration of love had been a dream. He knew he had no choice to continue on the path he was on. "Where are the priestesses? Shouldn't they be here by now?" He demanded of his mother.

"I've delayed them for a few minutes; I want to spend some time with my son before he becomes what I am. I want to relish the moments before your life changes." She kissed her son's cheek. "I see the blood initiation truly brought out the devil in you. I would never have thought it possible for my timid son to have turned into a blood thirsty creature so quickly, especially since your escape." She was trying to convince herself that she believed his actions now, but she was worried. Mary truly believed that taking human blood – though she was human herself was an exciting and beneficial addition to her life, although she was desperate to become like Anthony, she knew she had not got long left until she got what she wanted.

"I guess Alanah's blood is more potent than you could ever have expected, and her virginal charms do help." Dan walked towards Alanah and grabbed at her breasts. Alanah finally took Dan's not so subtle hint and started to fight back.

"You'll never have me as your sacrifice. I will commit suicide before I ever let you near more of my blood. And if you do manage to drink it, I hope my anger has soured it and made it taste vile. I will never submit to you." She meant every word of it, panting quietly, if Dan had lied to her, she planned on making him suffer in any way she could, and if he hadn't she needed to let Mary believe she was petrified.

"Feisty one isn't she?" Dan laughed. "I'm going to enjoy taming you!" His eyes sparkled with malice.

"No, don't tame her! It'll be good entertainment at the sacrifice; there is nothing more entertaining than a struggling unwilling victim!" Mary laughed, some of her earlier high spirits revealing itself once more. Dan had banked on this being her reply. "Though I think she may have to fight it out with Imogen for who struggles the most. I am glad that Imogen is not your sacrifice, if things go wrong for Alex, he will be a laughing stock!"

"You are an evil pair." Alanah had started and she had no intention of stopping. She could feel the wound on her wrist bleeding again, and she used this pain to fuel her spirit. "You'll be wiped out one day, I'll see to that!"

"However will you do that when you are dead?" Dan asked. He rushed to her again, grabbed her hair and yanked her head back, pretending to slit her throat. He thrust her back onto the bed, mounted her and pretended to drink from the imaginary gash he had inflicted. He took the opportunity to kiss her neck quickly and whisper in her ear "It's not real." And then continue his make believe drinking.

Alanah cried out in genuine pain, and Dan realised it was time to bring the arguing to an end. "Enough!" Dan said climbing off Alanah. "She will know what it feels like soon enough and you have to prepare her."

"I agree. We have little time before she goes to a cell. I had better start by cutting her hair." Mary removed a pair of sharp scissors from her pocket and approached Alanah.

"You'll not have my hair." Alanah made a half hearted attempt to prevent it happening, but she was losing a lot of blood from the re-opened wound and it was making her feel faint.

Mary took hold of her plat and cut around it off near the nape of her neck. She let the hair fall to the floor and Alanah stared at it in dismay.

Dan looked at her wrists and saw the blood flowing freely through the rope, it was stained red. "Mother, go and get a bandage, she's bleeding." He pointed to Alanah's bloodied hands. "Go and find the priestesses too, they must be dawdling somewhere."

"I'll go, but I'm happy to lap up the blood before I do." Mary licked her lips smiling.

"She is my sacrifice and I do not want her to bleed to death. Please go get me another bandage." Dan said sternly.

"Fine, I will." Mary exited the room.

Dan's face instantly went back to his normal self, he could hold his concern in no longer and he let the mask drop, looking at her with his real eyes, but his voice remained the cool dark huskiness it had been since he had come back in the room, he couldn't afford to let everything slip. "Lani, are you OK?" He asked solemnly. He touched her cheek gently, hoping she did not recoil from him. She did not, but equally there was no response from her.

"Yes, I'm fine." She shut her eyes and her head gently spun. "I'm loosing all my precious blood."

"Don't be silly, it'll be fine." Dan felt sick, he used the scissors to remove the binds he had put there and held tightly onto the wound. He was worried and feeling incredibly guilty about what he had done. His hands shook as he touched her; astonished she did not pull away.

"How do I look without my hair?" Alanah asked, smiling weakly, trying to make him realise that she was indeed OK.

"Different, but as beautiful as ever." Dan smiled at her, determined to keep her spirits up somehow. The woman before him had taken quite a mental and physical bashing since she had got there, and he could not bring himself to tell her how ashen and defeated she looked. She had to stay strong to get through what was to come. He kissed her forehead and looked her in the eye.

"I know why you are doing this, but I can't help worry that you lied to me, that Mary was right."

"Never. Everything I have told you is true. You know in your heart you can trust me. You know I love you." His masked voice was rough with hatred for himself, and he felt unable to convey to her his love, but he tried. Dan looked into Alanah's hazel eyes and understood she was at the limit of what she could take. "Lie down, Mary will be back soon with the bandage and the priestesses. We'll soon sort you out." He stroked her forehead as he helped her to lie back on the blood soaked sheets.

Mary opened the door and flung the bandage at Dan. "You're not showing her pity and sympathy are you?" Mary asked haughtily, looking at her son leaning over Alanah.

Dan's mask slipped back into place. "I don't want her to bleed to death here; after all for the reputation of the Newman's, we need her to look her best. I don't want a half dead sacrifice like Stewart had. He has never been able to live it down. I want to have a beautiful sacrifice, it is the defining moment of my life." Dan re-bandaged her wrist and made Alanah as comfortable as possible. "Besides, there is nothing wrong with a _little_ kindness before I kill her." He looked at his mother and smiled with smug satisfaction.

"Fine, but no more fussing, we have to dress her before sending her to the holding cell." There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" Mary bellowed.

"It's Sophie and Helen, we are here to prepare the sacrifice." Sophie's voice called from outside the door.

"About time too. Where have you been?" Dan demanded as he opened the door in a huff. Sophie and Helen were both wearing pale green robes, both had their blonde hair piled high in buns.

"We were told to delay our coming. We came when we were told to." Sophie said, bowing her head slightly.

"Well you should not listen to everything my mother says, she is not always right. Now go and prepare the things you need whilst I finish talking to my mother." The priestesses bowed and left the room, closing the door behind them. "Where am I in the line up of initiation?" Dan asked, he knew full well he was second, but he indulged his mother who thought she knew so much more than he did. He was wrong.

"You are the second one, but I can work my charms with Anthony and ask him for you to go last if you like."

"I think I would prefer to go first." Dan said. He stretched his arms up and curved his back, lengthening all his muscles, he let them go again and relaxed.

"But first is the worst place to be, you will be forgotten by the last one. I will not have my son forgotten." Mary was alarmed.

"Mother, I want to go first. I cannot wait to be last. I don't think I can take the anticipation for that long. Besides I won't be forgotten, Anthony will be announcing me as Next in Line as soon as the sacrifices are finished. Do you understand?" He had figured out it was important to go first if he were to have the best chance of saving the other sacrifices as well, although he was still working on how he would do that.

"I will talk to Anthony once Alanah is dressed and see what I can sort out, but I give you no guarantees." She sighed. She recognised she had to keep on the right side of her son. In a matter of hours, if Anthony was wrong and he did not defect, he would be a higher ranking member of the order than she was, she couldn't risk getting on the wrong side of him.

There was another knock on the door, Sophie and Helen entered, one carrying an emerald green dress and green sling back shoes. The other carried a jug of water and a large white cloth.

The dress was hung on the door of the wardrobe. It was made of crushed silk and was sleeveless with little cap shoulders, it was pulled in at the waist and then flowed downwards to a long skirt.

Mary went to Alanah's side and shook her. "Sit up girl, it is time to get you ready." She pulled at Alanah's arm.

Alanah had been quietly awake the whole time, all thoughts and memories of her stolen moments with Dan had been forgotten. She truly believed she was going to be sacrificed and she had just led there in silent terror of her life. She now obediently sat up and looked at Mary.

"Is he going to stay here whilst you dress me?" She asked nervously. She quickly looked at Dan and then back again, wanting him to stay and protect her, but shy of him seeing her body like this.

"No, Dan will wait outside whilst we sort you out." Mary ushered Dan to the door.

"But Mother ..." Dan protested, yet he appreciated he had to leave. "Just don't be long."

Mary shut the door and turned to Alanah. "Firstly, let's straighten your hair out. We can't let you be Dan's sacrifice looking like that." She held her hand out to Alanah.

Alanah cowered back, scared that Dan was not there to intervene if something happened.

"Oh come on girl, I'm not going to hurt you, you are needed; besides there are witnesses." Mary was getting impatient. There was too much to do and she did not have time to deal with an unwilling sacrifice.

Alanah stood up and walked to the stool and sat down in front of the mirror. Mary took up the scissors and began to straighten up the hair cut she had done earlier. Alanah looked much better.

"Sophie, Helen, you must perform your rituals on her before she is dressed." Mary sat on the bed and watched as Sophie and Helen began their ceremony.

Sophie held her hands out to Alanah and spoke kindly to her. "You must stand up, we have to perform the cleansing ritual." She stood Alanah up and walked her to the middle of the room.

"Cleansing ritual? I've already been declared a virgin, isn't that clean enough?" Alanah asked, trying to put a brave face on, even though she was resigned to accept anything that was to happen. This had been mentioned the day before, but no details had been mentioned as to what the ritual really was. From experience, Alanah was sure it would not be pleasant for her.

"We must cleanse your body and soul." Sophie took the scissors from Mary and cut away Alanah's blood stained nightdress as if it were an everyday occurrence. Alanah stood naked before the three women, the only thing adorning her body was the collar around her neck.

It was then Mary saw the tattoo on Alanah's back and she knew she too was marked. Anthony was right, it had begun, there was no going back now, but Dan wanted to sacrifice Alanah. He showed absolutely no desire to keep her alive. Could Anthony be wrong – had he read the signs wrong? Dan was marked himself, but it was surely pure coincidence. How could Alanah be the mother to the Midnight Son?

Helen poured the water from the jug into a large bowl and approached Alanah clutching the pure white cloth. She dipped it into the bowl of water, and proceeded to clean Alanah's skin, reciting as she went:

"Your life belongs to another. Your blood will open the doors to enlightenment. With this water I cleanse you of your mortal sins. Your memories and thoughts are washed away and your soul is ready for the end of your existence. Your body is ready to be accepted for sacrifice."

Alanah stood, tears flowing down her cheeks as her body was washed by strangers. She could not see anything through her tears apart from Dan's face in her minds eye, she had to believe he was there keeping her strong and Alanah was determined that she would still be alive the next day. Her trust in him could not fail.

Sophie wrapped Alanah in a robe and directed her back to the dressing table. "You look a state, I know you have been crying and I understand you are scared. I need you to put your make up on, and then we can dress you." She indicated at Alanah's bag of make up in front of her and retreated to the bed.

Alanah sat looking at herself in the mirror. 'They always say creatures of the night love beauty, and I guess me looking a sight for sore eyes is not their idea of beautiful' she thought to herself. She did not like what she saw in the mirror. A pale worn out face, her hair short and sticking up all over the place, a graceful but restrictive band of silver around her neck. The content of the makeup bag had been greatly reduced, and what was left would only enhance her natural beauty, not vamp it up like she had for the banquet last night, not that she wanted to do this anyway. She applied the makeup, feeling empty and on auto pilot, normally she loved seeing the transformation from pale to healthy glow. When she was finished, she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked much better, but her hair was still a mess.

She took the jug of water that was on the corner of the dressing table, tipped some into her hand and patted it onto her hair. She brushed it and tucked it behind her ears. She looked once again in the mirror, satisfied with her looks. She turned to the three women feeling defeated and resolved to whatever fate had dealt for her.

"We must dress you." Helen helped Alanah out of the robe. Taking a long light petticoat from a draw, she pulled it gently over Alanah's head and then she took a corset from the same chest of draws and began to tighten it around Alanah's naked body. Alanah's body jerked at each pull of the cords as her body was compressed by the tightness of the corset. This was nothing like the corset she had worn the night before, that had been soft and yielding compared to rigidness of what was being thrust upon her body right now. Last night's had been for fashion, and Jessie had certainly not pulled it tight, she had been quite comfortable in it. This morning's was for restriction, another way to torture her already distressed body.

Once Helen was satisfied she could not tighten it any more, she tied it off at the bottom of her back with a bow and then tucked it up and under it. She stood back and looked at Alanah satisfied.

Sophie took the simple but beautiful green dress off the hanger and helped Alanah into it. She fastened the numerous buttons at the back and Alanah was ready. Alanah felt light headed and her heart felt greatly under pressure, she was restricted by the corset and her breathing was slow and laboured. She was unused to the sensation. She looked at herself in the mirror.

Mary took a bracelet from her pocket, it was a black ribbon, encrusted with emeralds. She lifted Alanah's left arm and attached the bracelet to her wrist. It completely obscured her bandage. "You are ready." Mary looked Alanah up and down and smiled. "You are a fine sacrifice for my son."

Alanah could not keep herself upright any longer; everything around her went black and she fell to the floor a dead weight, out cold.

CHAPTER 29

Mary shrieked in panic and the door opened abruptly and Dan burst into the room. His eyes were full of alarm and he bent down to Alanah. "What has happened to her?" He hissed. He put his fingers against her neck, searching for her pulse.

"The corset .... I must have tightened it too much." Helen said, realizing what she had to do.

"Get out of the room Dan, we will sort Alanah out." Sophie almost snarled at him, sorely disappointed in what had happened.

"I'm not leaving." Dan said standing still.

"Son, you can't see this, let Sophie and Helen sort Alanah out." Mary soothed as best she could, leading her son out of the room and closing the door behind them.

"What have I done?" Helen yelped, totally upset with herself.

"Got slightly carried away with the corset, that's all." Sophie said quietly, she didn't want to scold Helen here and now, that could wait. "Alanah, can you hear me?" She had pulled Alanah into a sitting position and loosened the corset beneath her dress.

"What happened?" Alanah asked beginning to come around, perspiration on her forehead, she felt like she was floating around the room.

"You blacked out. Corset was too tight." Sophie smiled at her. "Are you OK, do you hurt anywhere?"

"What do you care?" Alanah asked opening her eyes and looking at Sophie. "I'll be dead in a couple of hours."

"Alanah, you are so silly, you live on inside Dan. You become part of him. Of course I care about how you are." Sophie laughed, realizing Alanah couldn't be that badly hurt.

"Yes, but I won't be in this body. This body will be decomposing somewhere."

Sophie and Helen helped Alanah up and sat her on the bed.

"Dan is something special. We have been waiting for him for a very long time. He is marked by magic." Sophie's eyes lit up as she spoke to Alanah.

"I beg your pardon?" Alanah knew about the legend of the Marked man, but she couldn't let on to Sophie that she knew this, so she feigned ignorance instead.

"Over four thousand years ago, the Mother of the Dead, she preceded the Family by at least a hundred years, decreed that when her decedents were lost to the ways of blood, she would send to us a marked man. Someone who would raise us up from what we are to what we are supposed to be. That is Dan. When he is announced as Next in Line to the leadership following your sacrifice, he will bring us from this dark age to a new light and we will worship the Mother of the Dead once again." Sophie seemed so happy at the prospect that Alanah felt a pang of guilt for her.

"The sacrifice of my life is the end of my existence." Alanah said, her head beginning to clear. "Whatever Dan is supposed to become, I guess he will become it, but I really doubt it will have anything to do with me."

Sophie smiled and turned to say something quietly to Helen. Alanah sat there waiting and listening to Sophie and Helen gossiping, wondering what was waiting for her down in the sacrificial room. She sniffed back her tears and looked at them, feeling stupid for having fainted from the tightness of the corset around her body. She had not felt like this when Jessie had tightened the purple one around her the night before, but then she surmised that Jessie had not pulled it quite as tight as Helen had.

There was a knock at the door and Mary poked her head around. "Is she OK, can we come in?"

"You may come in." Sophie said, standing up. She helped Alanah up and refastened the buttons she undone to get to the corset.

Mary and Dan walked into the room and Dan looked Alanah up and down, pretending to examine how she looked in the dress, but in reality to check she was not hurt by her fainting spell.

"She will do nicely." He walked towards her, hoping he didn't appear to be concerned about her health. Dan was carrying a chain and attached it to her collar. She was ready to be led to her death. Alanah remained quiet, her eyes looking to the ground. Dan hated seeing her looking so doleful and resigned to her fate. "Thank you mother. Sophie, Helen, you have done a wonderful job. Mother, go and get yourself ready and send for Jessie, I need her to take Alanah down to the cell. I have to change myself too. We are running late thanks to your liaison with Anthony and Alanah's fainting spell." He kissed his mother on the cheek and smiled at her. "I will see you at the ceremony."

"My boy is finally becoming a man." She was proud of her son. Mary, Sophie and Helen left the room and Dan closed the door behind them.

"Lani?" He asked anxiously, his mask finally disappearing completely. She looked up at him. "I was so worried about you, seeing you in a heap on the floor. Are you OK? Is the corset still too tight?" His face was full of fear.

"I'm OK. I'm not used to wearing anything so tight, something I can't easily take off. It's still tight, but I can breathe a bit better. I'll be fine." There was no emotion in her voice.

Dan smiled nervously. "You're beautiful."

"Beautiful enough to sacrifice?" Alanah asked, her voice almost breaking.

"Far too beautiful for that." He moved a little close, holding his hand up to put on her face, but Alanah shrank back. "What do I have to do to make you trust me again?" He asked almost in tears.

"Undo this collar and get me out of here." Alanah looked him in the eyes, aware that it was hurting him almost as much as her, but her strength of will had left her, and she felt truly scared for her life. What if Dan could not save her? Her life was truly forfeit then.

"Alanah, I would love nothing more than to do just that, but I can't, not yet. It has to be during the ceremony when everyone is in the same place and we can take care of Anthony and the other sacrifices. If we even attempt to escape beforehand, we will be caught straight away and both put to death. I know you are going through hell right now, but I promise I will free you from here. You must trust me." He implored.

"Dan I am bound and ready to be sacrificed. How can I honestly trust you?" She looked into his sad blue eyes and cried inside. "You had better do whatever you need to." Yet she felt an uncontrollable need to kiss his cheek to make him feel better for what he had done, and what he had to do.

Alanah walked to him and kissed his cheek, tasting a single tear. It was good to feel him again, and she lingered near his warm body. Dan rested his head against her shoulder and began to sob. He was feeling very low and vulnerable too.

Alanah looked into his eyes and her trust came flooding back. She wanted to kiss his lips, but thought it would be a bad idea, instead she just felt his strong arms cradling her gently and could sense he was feeling the same way as her, scared and nervous. He was a strong man, yet right at this moment he felt like a little boy, desperate for reassurance and she knew there was nothing she could say to reassure him.

"Alanah Moore, I will rescue you from your fate. I stake my life on it." He pulled her close and held her tightly. He meant every word. "There is nothing here for me. I despise everything this place has bestowed on me and I'll be damned if I spend one more day here. I want to leave with you and be with you. Nothing in the world will ever be better than that."

"Then we had better get on with it." Alanah sighed. She was sure she could trust him. She knew she could get through whatever the ceremony held for her, as long as Dan was there. They parted, Alanah handed Dan the end of the chain. "Chin up." She smiled, determined to prove to him she was resilient.

"I've asked for Jessie to deliver you to the cell. It may be the last time you see her for a while. Once you are in the cell, I won't see you until the ceremony. The other sacrifices will be there."

"Can they be saved? I couldn't bear it if Imogen and Christina died." Alanah asked, suddenly concerned for them.

"I'm working on it, but I cannot guarantee it. Luck will dictate the outcome of dawn for them, and if it is on their side, I will save them." There was a knock at the door and Jessie peered around the door.

"Sir, what can I do to help?" She asked timidly coming into the room.

"Jessie, I've told you many times to call me Dan when there is no one else around. I need you to deliver Lani to the cell. I have to go and prepare myself. Remember, both of you I will free you." Dan kissed Alanah's cheek and hugged Jessie before leaving the room.

Jessie put her hand in her pocket and took out a silver key. She pressed it into Alanah's hand and gestured to her neck. "For when you get out." She said.

Alanah hid the key in the bandage on her wrist and gave Jessie a hug. "Thank you." She whispered.

"Lani, we must go. They will come and find us if I do not take you there soon, you're already really late." Jessie opened the door and led Alanah along the corridor and down a different staircase to the one Dan had taken her down before.

They carried on down for what seemed like forever until they reached a corridor. There was a doorway and stood outside there was a guard.

"Where is Daniel? The other two have been delivered." He said sharply.

"He was running late, Mary took too much time, so he asked me to deliver her." Jessie smiled at the guard.

"This is highly irregular." He mumbled grumpily.

"Take it up with him." Jessie smiled.

The guard took hold of Alanah's chains and unlocked the door. He led Alanah in and attached her chains to a bar in the middle of the room, and then he left, shutting and locking the door behind him.
CHAPTER 30

Mary stood admiring herself in the full length mirror in her room. She could not help smile at herself. She was 51, but knew she could easily pass for very early 40's, a fact that she revelled in at all times. Complements were like nectar to her, she drank them up with relish. She had taken great care of herself, especially since Anthony had first taken an interest in her. At the time he had been only a priest, but there was something compelling about him and he had always made her feel amazing and he had of course shared his secret self with her. To be the only one to know his secret had exhilarated her every sense and in a matter of hours she would be like him. She felt honoured and powerful and she delighted in their secret liaisons. Every aspect of what he was, was enticing to her. She had always flirted with the power house of the Family, regardless of whom it was, loyalty to her husband John was not high on her list of priorities.

Anthony had portrayed himself as the brother of the then leader, Damien Newman, Dan's Grandfather and her husband's father. She had been attracted to something in him and it had taken him a long time to reveal what that something was, but she accepted it with open arms, embracing his uniqueness. She was aware of the complete secrecy of what he and Damian really were, and along with another vampire who had now finally died a real death had held the position of leader at various times over the last 500 years. Anthony had told her once that humans had held the position for less than 20 years in total.

She remembered how she had had to pretend how awful it was when Damien had been killed three years ago and how Anthony had gallantly and begrudgingly taken over the leadership, holding the fort until Dan was old enough to be initiated and understand the grave responsibility that being the leader of the Family entailed. Anthony had promised her that he would let Dan be leader for 20 years before he removed him from power, and she accepted that willingly, with the promise that Anthony would make her what he was.

In the mean time she had enjoyed the protection of Anthony and she longed to be able to be his wife rather than his mistress. The open secret although never mentioned was like poison in her mouth, and she wanted to be able to rid herself of the unspoken disgrace.

She couldn't care tuppence for her husband; he was nothing but a wimp in her eyes, denouncing his claims as leader as soon as the opportunity arose. Sadly she was already married to him by this point and expecting Dan.

Naturally she had been horrified, she had only married him for the power he was to posses and his decision to abandon his duties had shocked her and made her blood boil. It was at this point that Anthony had realized her potential.

The little brat she had given birth to hadn't helped either. He seemed too much like his father, shunning the advice she had given him to ingratiate himself with Anthony. She was most disappointed in the way he had turned out. He had taken no interest in the powerful position he was destined to attain.

Thankfully his grandfather and father had done most of the bringing up and she had turned her attentions to satisfying Anthony. She was in a unique position, mistress to the current leader and mother to the future leader. Her power was known to everyone and she afforded herself the taste of all recruits, enjoying herself and rarely lifting a finger to do any work at all.

She wanted nothing to spoil her happiness and contentment, but she was now worried after seeing Alanah's tattoo. The rumours were true, Dan was about to be the catalyst to the end, there was no other explanation. But he was so determined, so delighted to be sacrificing, surely the Midnight Son was not to come now? Anthony had to be wrong. She was safe, wasn't she? But she could not deny the evidence before her, although she was willing to fool herself a little.

"You look beautiful Mary, you radiate beauty from within." John said walking into her room. He didn't really mean it, but being courteous was the only way to be in each others company. They hadn't spent this much time together since Dan was a small boy and the enforced civility was beginning to grate on both of them. It was difficult to be in the same room when they so clearly wanted different things out of life and could not discuss them with the other for fear of recrimination. The sooner the sacrifice was over, the better for both of them.

"You flatter me John." Mary said and the two of them walked towards the green room, both desperate for the morning's events to be over, both for very different reasons.
CHAPTER 31

Damian stood looking out over the gardens, watching the black sky begin to brighten on the horizon. He sighed, feeling tense, knowing that everything that was happening within the walls of the house were outside of his control. He had to trust that he had taught Dan everything he needed to know.

"I am created at this very moment." A voice whispered from behind.

Turning around, Damian looked upon a beautiful woman dressed all in red. "I'm sorry, I don't think we have been introduced?" He said awkwardly.

"You may call me Sekhmet." She smiled.

"The Mother of the Dead." Damian gasped.

"I go by many different names, and that is one of them yes." She looked at him through her Kohled eyes intently.

"You are ancient, how can you be 'created' right now?"

"I suppose you are right, I have been a thought, a memory, a solid being for so long now. The thought of what I am, being created right now seems a distant memory. But without this moment, without your preparations and the love that Dan has for Alanah, I would not be here. I am the ultimate paradox."

"Did we do something wrong? Will I fail in my attempt to rid the earth of evil?"

"Evil will always be present. You can never rid the world of it, I can attest to that. What happens in there this morning makes me who I am, and Alanah who she is. Neither of us can change the destinies that have been arranged for us and I know she will be strong. Her whole life, not just the few days she has been here will be demanding, a waiting game and a tug of war for her heart." Sekhmet said, almost sadly.

"It sounds as if you know what is to come." Damian enquired as casually as he could.

"You have said yourself many times, and you will keep on saying that nothing is set in stone. What I have lived through could change at the drop of a pin. A stray thought that someone acts on, a missed phone call, the fate of others can change the destiny of anyone. What is to come, may not come how it has for me, that is the beauty of free will. You can never crush it no matter how hard you try." Sekhmet smiled wistfully.

"So why are you here? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Curiosity mostly. But I do have thoughts that I have to plant in the minds of some of the players, including you. I am the enigma that will turn up from time to time and guide people where they need to go. I am the one who planted the seeds of doubt in Anthony as to your loyalty – no malice was intended, but Dan's life needed to be put at risk for him to seriously consider leaving the Family. For him to look at Alanah in a different light."

"So that is why Anthony turned on me so viciously." Damian said as if a light bulb had come on inside his head. "I often wondered what really happened. I know he wanted the leadership back, but that explains why his actions were so final."

"Everything that we do is to protect the Midnight Son. The boy who will help rid the earth of Anthony and his delusions of grandeur. I am playing my part, just as you are and I will fulfil what I need to before I return to my own destiny. There is an intrinsic link between what happens for this Midnight Son and what will happen for my destiny. No other ceremony has happened during a blood moon, and this time it will change the course of vampires forever."

"Your legend – that of the Mother of the Dead says that you sacrificed yourself to bind the ratio of vampires to humans." Damian whispered.

"I have done no such thing as of yet, and there is no guarantee that I will do it. Let us be successful in the Midnight Son before we consider any sacrificing. Let the sacrificing that is happening inside that house be the one to worry about right now. We both know that Dan is on tender hooks, he could be seduced by the idea of being the Marked man, make that his destiny instead of the path he is supposed to follow."

"Do you know what is to happen to Dan and Alanah?" Damian asked, trying not to seem over eager.

"They will love each other unconditionally through everything they go through, and it will be tough for both of them. I cannot tell you anything else."

"It sounds as if you have lived it yourself."

"Time is not lineal as we are made to believe. It can be manipulated by those who have the magic to do so. That was my initial reason for coming to this time, to give Dan the tools he needed for his future. But I could not stop myself from staying here, watching all that has gone on. It's been interesting living in this part of history."

"Did you mark Dan?" Damian asked, almost reverently.

"It makes sense doesn't it? In my legend, as you know I prophesise the coming of a marked man. It seems fitting that I should be the one to mark him myself. Everything happens for a reason, you know that yourself. If Anthony had not killed your mother, there would not have been a necessity for you to have been turned into a vampire, for you to have existed so long."

"I have been given dispensation to live as a human, no other vampire has that privilege. I have accepted my lot."

"And it is a lot you have to bear. You must know, if it weren't for you, Anthony would have gone over the edge a long time ago. The humanity that has resided in you has given you strength to confront him and prevent him causing a war. Humans are only safe because they believe we are a myth. They love to flirt with the idea of a vampire lover, cold hard hands all over them, but they are lucky they do not have that pleasure for they would never leave those arms alive. I know of only one vampire capable of sustaining a relationship of sorts with a human and he has not been born into that life yet. You have been the grounding rock for Anthony's blood lust and the guiding light for Dan. Without you we would be lost."

"Those are kind words my lady." Damian chuckled, mostly to himself.

"Not at all, if I could say more I would. I must go, the sun will be rising very soon and I cannot be caught in its light. Till we meet again, my dearest Damian." Sekhmet kissed his cheek lightly before retreating as fast as light away from the rising sun.

CHAPTER 32

Alanah's heart was beating fast as she sat chained to the circle with Christina and Imogen. She still felt light headed and uncomfortable in the corset and even though Sophie and Helen had loosened it slightly, she was still very restricted and found it difficult to sit comfortably.

Although Alanah had regained her trust in Dan, she was anything but calm. The thought of being paraded in front of the Family, people who were expecting her to die at dawn turned her flesh cold. The mere fact that they were willing to watch Dan kill her, made them accessories and she knew that whatever made them believe killing her was a good thing had made them accessories in numerous murders and she hated that they were all prepared to follow an ideal that was warped beyond human recognition.

Christina and Imogen had sat in almost complete silence for the whole time they had been in the cell. Alanah knew she had to remain silent too, she could hardly tell them everything would be OK, when they were so close to being murdered. There was little for them to say, the silence said it all – they were beyond petrified and almost certainly having their own inner monologue that would make your heart melt.

After what seemed like a life time of stifled sobbing, the door was opened and in walked three men, all dressed in white. They unlocked the girls' chains from the central bar and led them out into the corridor. They did not utter a word.

Imogen was led along the corridor first, followed by Alanah and then Christina. The corridor was dark and lit only by random candles dotted along the way. It wasn't far until they came to an entrance and were led through the thick oak door. There was an air of expectancy and Alanah could feel a tension that was desperate to be broken.

They were back in the green marble room, but had been led through an entrance at the other end. The room was full of people and there was a silent anticipation from the gathered crowd.

They were on the raised platform, high enough to be considered a stage next to the three alters. Stood by each were Dan, Alex and Callum, behind them a recruit. Dan and Jessie were at the centre altar. Alex and Callum were either side and were dressed identically to Dan.

Imogen was led to the altar in front of Alex and ordered to lie down. She was released from her chain, her collar still in place and tied to the marble altar. She started struggling and screaming, all remaining restraint on her fear was gone, she was in free fall towards complete melt down. Hysteria overcame ever other emotion in her body. Alex smiled, he knew he had baited her terror to the perfect extent, she was his for the taking and he was looking forward to what was to come. His whole life had been leading to this point and he was finally going to be able to take her blood inside him and his heart was pounding in anticipation.

Alanah and Christina were also ordered to lie down on their altars, both had their chains removed and were bound to the cool smooth white marble by leather ropes.

Alanah looked upwards and saw Dan standing above her. Her heart quickened when she saw him, she believed in him. His hair was covered by the hood of his cloak and what she could see of his face was emotionless and he did not look at her. Dan stood stoic, not wanting to look down at Alanah, he was scared he would give away too much if he looked at her.

Christina began to cry, she was scared and desperate for it all to be over, one way or another even if that meant losing her life. Callum put his hand on her shoulder, he had quite taken to his sacrifice and did not want to do what he had been told he had to do, only he didn't have any idea how to get out of it. He had resigned himself to the fact that he was about to become a murderer against his will, a prospect he did not relish. But one he knew he would spend the rest of his life struggling to reconcile with himself.

There was a gentle gong and the sea of faces grew quiet. From the back of the room, the entrance Alanah had come through the day before, Anthony walked, followed by Mary and John and two other women and men. They were Alex and Callum's parents and were dressed in the appropriate colours for their sons' sacrifices.

Anthony was dressed in priest's robes. They were cream in colour with a red trim all the way round the bottom. On the front was the now familiar logo of the sun setting and the moon rising. His brown hair was now tied back in a low pony tail. He had a reverend, but excited look on his gaunt face. His hand was on a long bladed knife at his side and he carried a leather bound book under his right arm. He stopped in front of the altars, surveying the three sacrifices. He smiled in approval and turned towards the gathered crowd.

"My children, this is an auspicious occasion. We are gathered here this evening to witness the passing of Alexander, Daniel and Callum from their human forms into their eternal lives as one of us. We all know the joys that being what we are brings, and in a short time these three sons will be your brethren, loved for eternity by us all."

There was a rapturous applause from the crowd and Anthony turned to the altar. He clapped his hands and Alex's recruit, Melissa stepped forward. She was carrying a silver tray which had a dagger, containing Alex's blood in the hilt. Anthony picked up the dagger and handed it to Alex, who respectfully took it from him. There was a glint in his eye as he began to recite the words of the ceremony.

"From your life, a new life for me shall be born

From your soul a new soul for me shall be born

From your blood, my blood will be reborn

You are mine and I am yours

Together we shall walk the earth throughout eternity

Your life, soul and blood in me." Alex took the knife that Anthony had given him and carefully laid it onto Imogen's collar bone, the sharp point making a small pool of blood. He recited the last line of the ceremony, his mouth salivating with anticipation. "We will be as one." And he penetrated her skin with the knife.

Imogen was screaming, not through pain, the adrenaline pumping through her body masked that, but through complete fear. Alex smiled as her blood ran freely from the wound on her neck. He lent down and began to drink.

There was a moments cheering followed by a roar of hands clapping from the gathered Family members, and as soon as it had begun, it had stopped. They were showing the next initiation subject – Dan respect for his sacrifice.

Jessie stood behind Dan, holding his dagger on a tray; she had already slipped him another knife which he had concealed beneath his robes. She stepped forward on Anthony's command. Anthony presented Dan with his ceremonial knife, the one that his father had collected his blood in. It was his turn to sacrifice. Alanah lay there quietly, her heart silently beating out of her chest.

Dan stood with the dagger in his hand. For the last 21 years he had been drilled on what to do, and he stood in silence ready to begin. He dropped the other knife down from up his sleeve, ready to act.

"From your life, a new life for me shall be born

From your soul a new soul for me shall be born

From your blood, my blood will be reborn

You are mine and I am yours

Together we shall walk the earth throughout eternity

Your life, soul and blood in me." He placed the tip of the knife on Alanah's collar bone. Now was the time. His father had to act, and Dan slipped the concealed knife downwards and slit the leather ropes that tied Alanah's hands to the altar. "We will be as one."

Then it happened. John leapt forward from where he was standing and grabbed the sacrificial knife from Dan's hands. He plunged it into Anthony's heart and then pushed him deep into the crowd, removing the knife as he fell back into a dead heap.

There was a shriek from Mary as she realized what her husband had done, she ran from her vantage point, her hands clawing at John. "You bastard, what have you done?" She shrieked.

"Ended any relationship that was left between us. I release you from our marriage, go to him and become what he wants you to be. I will no longer be a part of your deceit." He pushed her away in the general direction of Anthony and turned to Dan. "Get Imogen, Alanah and Jessie can walk without assistance." He ran and released Christina from her bounds, he was about to throw a punch at Callum, when he stopped him.

"I'm coming, I want out too John." He held his arms up to protect himself.

"Good lad." John squeezed Callum's shoulder. Deep down he had had a feeling that Callum would come too, he had seen the signs of Callum's lagging enthusiasm over the last few months and knew he did not have the stomach to kill Christina.

Dan ran to the altar Imogen was led on and went to punch Alex. Although Alex was stunned and unprepared for the events that were unfolding, he was quick enough to miss the punch Dan was throwing his way.

"Get away from my sacrifice." Alex hissed, Imogen's blood running down his chin and craziness in his eyes. He was shaking in anger and he looked like he was ready to jump on Dan and pound him to within an inch of his life.

"I will run you through the heart if you do not let her go." Dan held his knife up for him to see. "Let her go Alex and you will keep your life."

Thoughts clearly crossed across Alex's face as he looked at the dagger Dan was wielding. His life for his sacrifices - it did not seem fair, he had spent so long preparing for this moment and he could not believe it was being taken from him. But he could see the intent on Dan's face, and he did not doubt that he would run him through with the glimmering knife if he did not relinquish Imogen. Alex spat in Dan's direction. "I curse you Daniel Newman, you will not get away with this." But he stood back and let Dan free Imogen's limp body. He picked her up in his strong arms.

The crowd was still reeling from Anthony being killed in front of them, and were too shaken and without orders to retaliate against the hurried revolution that was happening at the altars.

"Follow me." John took Alanah's hand. Jessie, Callum and Christina followed running. Dan came behind carrying Imogen. He looked back at the mayhem behind them and saw his mother led over Anthony's body, she was howling. Any remaining thoughts of love for his mother disintegrated at that moment, to him she was dead and he hoped never to see her again. She was a tyrant and did not deserve his fathers love and he knew it had never been reciprocated. He turned and left disgusted at the sight.

Once everyone was through the oak door, John locked it, leaving the key askew in the lock before leading them along the corridor. They passed the cell the girls had been in and up the stairs. Once on the ground floor, John led them to the front door, he hurriedly unlocked it and they all ran through. Within 5 minutes of Imogen, Alanah and Christina being freed from their altars, they were outside in the cool night air.

Alanah looked back at the semi-circle of three stone steps she had run down. Two roman style pillars rose from the steps rising up high holding a vaulted ceiling above it. The house attached to it was a greyish white in the dawn light, and it stretched both ways, non descript in all ways except for the impressiveness that came from its sheer size.

It dawned on Alanah that people would be out following them soon. "What about the other entrance, the one through the library?" Alanah asked, concerned they would all come racing from that direction at any time. She began shivering in the cold morning air. Her dress was flimsy and not made to be worn outside of the sanctuary of the Family. Dan saw her shaking frame and wrapped his cloak around her.

"I've already locked that one, they are trapped for the time being, but it will not hold them for long. Once they have regrouped and are able to open either of the doors they will and they will go after you Dan, you are Next in Line to them regardless. You must take Alanah away from here; they will be looking for the two of you. I will take Jessie, Christina and Callum and get Imogen to the hospital. We'll then get out of the country as soon as we can. You must do the same. You are my son and you have a destiny to fulfil and nothing can stop that from happening. Go now before they find you. Take this, it will explain all. Good luck, I don't know when I will see you again." He smiled at Dan who gently handed over Imogen. Dan took the note and a key from John, glancing at the address on the key fob. He knew where it was, and he knew it was safe, for the time being at least.

Jessie and Alanah hugged. "This is for the best; you and Dan must be together. I will see you soon." Jessie was aware that Dan and Alanah had a future together, and going with John was the right thing for her to do, even though she knew she would miss her friend; there was nothing she could do to help them now. They were on their own for a while.

"Call me as soon as you can, my parents will have the number." Alanah hugged back, determined she would see her again. "Thank you, for everything; you've been a true friend." She whispered in her ear.

John took Imogen, Jessie, Callum and Christina towards another larger car. Dan and Alanah ran to his car and got in. Just as Dan started the engine they saw people rushing from the building. They seemed dazed and unsure what to do. It took them a few moments to see the two cars full of people, before racing towards the other cars. There seemed to be a problem with the cars they approached, Dan looked through his rear view mirror and saw that John must have let all the tyres down on all of the cars that were visible.

Dan accelerated down the long drive way and away from the house. His heart beat quickened as he realised he was really doing it, he was leaving the cult he so despised, and he drove at speed away from the place he had called home for the whole of his life.

It was several miles before Dan brought his speed under control and back to the legal speed limit of the motorway.

"Where are we going?" Alanah asked apprehensively. She was pleased that Dan had reigned in the speed of the car. She was not afraid of the speed, it just felt nicer to see that he was no longer as worried about being followed as he had been when they had left the house.

"Dad gave me the keys to an apartment about 100 miles away. We'll be safe there." Dan said as they drove on through the early morning, hardly anyone on the road.
CHAPTER 33

It was almost seven when Alanah opened the door to the luxurious but small studio apartment. She and Dan entered and looked at the plush surroundings, but they meant nothing compared to the reality that they were both alive and away from the Family.

Dan dropped the bags to the floor. He stood looking at her a wave of mixed feelings flooding through his body. He chose not to act on them, instead he decided to be a gentleman, something he felt he had not been to her so far. "No more pretence Lani, I promise to never hurt you again, I will never act like I did again. I promise you are safe now." He put his hand on his heart. He could not smile, in fact he was struggling to stop his lips from trembling. For the first time ever he felt free, but unsure how to react to that freedom, just glad to have it, and to see Alanah safe and well.

"Thank you for getting me out, for doing as you promised. You have saved me from death." Alanah smiled at him, relief flooding through her body. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but desperate to get out of the constraints of the dress and jewellery. She wanted to feel normal again, but she greatly needed help getting out of the dress and corset, she could not get to the buttons without Dan's help. She took a deep breath and nervously asked Dan. "Would you undo my dress for me please? I can't do it alone. I want to get out of this ritualistic dress." Her breathing became shallow as she looked into his vivid blue eyes, wondering what he was thinking.

Dan stared at her in horror. "Are you sure you're OK with me touching you?" He whispered. He felt he had done enough to her already to last a life time, let alone touch her again now.

Alanah nodded without a word, but he could see an emotion flash across her face as she did, nervousness and shyness. They had been through so much already, but although they had lain in bed together, neither of them had moved beyond just feeling the other in their arms. If he was not careful, undressing her would lead to sex, and right now he did not want her to relinquish herself to him – it seemed too tied up with the Family, fresh from escaping them. He wanted her desperately, but he wanted it to be on Alanah's terms and no one else's, that is if it was what she wanted. He would never force himself on her. He was after all a gentleman not a monster.

He gulped and nodded, walking uneasily towards her. "Turn around please." He asked, his voice quivering. Alanah obliged calmly, and Dan remembered what he had done the last time he had asked her to do this. He shut his eyes, wishing desperately he had said some other words. The mere fact that he was recalling the words he had said when he had tied her hands together only a few hours ago made his eyes sting with tears. His heart stumbled as he studied her beautiful body, desperate to caress it, but holding back. How could he give her a memory of their first time together so intrinsically linked to the cult he had just rescued her from? His hands shaking, he began to undo the small emerald buttons, fumbling as he went. His breathing was laboured and sharp as he unfastened the beautiful dress.

Alanah could feel his warm breath on her neck and she shivered with nerves, feeling intensely awakened. She shimmied out of the stunning dress and stood before Dan wearing only a corset and sheer petticoat. "You'll have to do the corset as well." She whispered. Alanah felt her heart beat faster at the prospect of Dan seeing her body, something only a few hours ago she had been scared and shy of. Her imagination began to run wild, thinking of what could happen next.

Dan's fingers trembled as he undid the bow at the bottom of the corset, he could feel her skin just below the sheer petticoat and he tried desperately to control his urge to rip the corset off and kiss her body, to truly feel her instead of tip toeing around her.

Alanah's breathing turned shallow as she felt his warm fingers gently touch her skin, she shivered in anticipation. Her need to feel him close was becoming insatiable, but she held back, aware he was feeling awkward and downhearted.

Dan could feel electricity under his fingers as Alanah stood before him, he recognised what was going through her mind, but he was determined not to allow anything to happen, he was sure it would be for the wrong reasons, a moment born out of the excitement and madness of the last few days, one that she would regret moments later. Instead, he loosened the cords enough so that Alanah would be able to wriggle out of the corset. He turned away, his cheeks red with embarrassment, and another part standing to attention.

Alanah was disappointed at his chivalrous manner hoping he would have done, something to confirm the closeness they had had in his room at the Family. She remembered lying next to him in his small bed, feeling so happy and content, but now she could feel nothing but a wall between them and she felt isolated.

She excused herself to the bathroom and stood in the shower, for what seemed like an eternity. Her body shook in the warmth of the water as she let it flow over her curves. She seemed to be in shock, realizing that she should be dead by now, but knowing that because of the man stood out in the flat she was alive and safe. She already loved him, she could not help that and she felt safe just knowing he was so close to her. The relief she felt made her break down and start to cry, she shook uncontrollably letting all her feelings out. Just a little while to feel the effects of freedom, that was all she wanted to be able to regain control of herself, then she knew she would be able to face Dan and thank him properly for saving her life and giving her a reason to live.

Dan could hear the sobbing and felt sick. He hated what had happened. He was in love with her, and he didn't want her to hurt in the way she was. He knew he was freezing her out, and he knew that she knew it too, but he needed to sort out his own thoughts before he could show her that he cared. He remembered their embraces in her room, the tentative kisses, and the way she had caressed his skin ... But that was before she had been prepared for sacrifice. That was before he had bound her wrists and pretended to drink her blood to fool Mary. He had no idea how she felt now. He would make no moves until she was ready. He didn't care how long he had to wait. She had to trust him again.

Once Alanah was composed, she re-entered the room covered only by a towel. Dan handed her one of his shirts and she did up the buttons and let the towel drop from her body to the floor. Dan looked at her long milky legs and gulped. They were beautiful.

"I don't have the key to remove your collar." Dan said looking at the shining band on her neck, his eyes sad wanting to free her. He had to free her.

"It's not uncomfortable." Alanah half smiled. She had hidden the key in the bathroom, she was not sure why, but she felt it held Dan close to her and she couldn't bear loosing him.

"I was thinking more of it as a shackle than anything else. It binds you to me and I don't want that. I hate seeing it around your neck." His voice was full of sorrow as he stared at the silver band around her neck. He was so desperate to kiss that neck.

"You have saved my life; I am already bound to you."

"No, you are not bound to me for anything. You are your own person and you must never believe you owe me anything. I saved your life because ..." He looked away, unable to finish his sentence looking at her. He whispered the last three words. "I love you."

"I know." Alanah whispered back. "I am yours because of that, not because of this collar. And I love you too." She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled at him. He could not help smile back.

"Thank you." He said, taking the hand in his. He gently took it from his face and removed the bandage from her wrist and examined it. "It will heal fine, but you will be left with a scar. I'm sorry."

"I'd rather have a scar and my life than be dead." Alanah lifted her hand back up and stroked his cheek, trying to make him feel less inhibited around her. His body stiffened, but he did not pull away. His eyes met hers and Alanah knew instantly why he was being so distant. She knew he wanted her, but the restraint she was feeling in him was meant as reassurance to her, and she cherished that above and beyond anything else. She could not help but feel a little more in love with him for allowing her to heal mentally before cementing their love. She smiled at him, a genuine smile, and she felt him relax just a little next to her.

As Dan placed a new dressing over the wound, Alanah caught sight of the singed red skin on the inside of his wrist, she saw the two diagonal cuts, blackened with the ash his father had rubbed into it. She was sure it had not been there before.

She gently took hold of his wrist and looked at it. "Dan, this is new, what happened?" She asked concerned.

Dan automatically retreated back into himself, the first signs of his reassurances retreating again as he remembered the ceremony and forgetting about being a gentleman. The hate he had for himself came to the surface; he remembered why he was giving Alanah time to adjust. He was sure, no matter what she said that he was scared of him. "It was done as part of the rituals before I was supposed to sacrifice you. My youth blood as it is called, the blood flowing through my veins before yours was to be introduced, was collected and then ash was added to the wounds before they were seared shut with a red hot knife. It's a permanent reminder of the night." He removed his hand from Alanah's, not wanting pity from her; it was the last thing he wanted.

"It looks painful. I should bathe it ...." Alanah began, her motherly nature showing itself.

"It's fine, I deserve the pain." He moved away from her defensively, feeling very low and dejected.

"What do you mean?" Alanah realised what he was thinking and one of the reasons why he was so distant.

"After what I've done to you, it's the least I deserve. I've put you through hell." He looked out of the window, not daring to meet Alanah's eyes.

"You saved my life today." Alanah replied, wanting him to understand she had no ill feelings towards him.

"I heard you crying in the bathroom. You said you love me, but I can see how possible it could be for you to not want to be here with me, that you have no choice. If you go home they will take you again, you are safer with me until I can get you to America, then I shall never see you again."

"What makes you think that?" She walked to him, determined to make him understand that she had no thoughts of that at all.

"Because ...." Dan started.

"Because of what you did to me in the room when your mother was there? Dan, I know why you did those things, and I have no desire to leave you alone once we leave the UK. Believe me, I do love you. Please trust me, we are meant to be together, I know we are. All you have done since I woke up at the Family is make me believe that I could survive being there, I believed in you from the start and you have more than fulfilled what you promised." Alanah tried to make Dan realise she had no hate for him at all, but she could see it was not working. She could see he hated himself, she would give him time.

"I'm sorry for what you have been through." Dan couldn't look at Alanah. He loathed himself for what he had done.

"This has been just as difficult for you as it has for me, I can see that now. You're not only allowing me to recover from the ordeal, you are letting yourself recover too. What you must have been through throughout your whole life, it amazes me that you are so well grounded. I guess I can only thank your Dad and Damian for giving that to you." She kissed his cheek, lingering, hoping he would respond, but he didn't. Alanah knew then that she would let him wallow in his sorrow for a little while. He had saved her, but at the cost of his home and his family. He was cut off from everything he knew, and it would take him a little while to adjust to not being under their influence. "Go and have a shower, wash away all your worries. I'll make a hot drink; I think we could both use one. Tea or coffee?" Alanah decided normality was the only way forward, how else could they move on from what had happened?

"Tea, white no sugar." Dan still continued to look at the floor. He hated himself, he truly hated himself.

Alanah hugged him, there was no hug back. "You have saved three people from death tonight. You should be proud of yourself."

Dan smiled weakly and went to have a shower.

-o-

Dan stripped off and looked in the mirror. He did not like the person he saw looking back at him. He felt like he had aged ten years in the last 24 hours and felt disheartened and alone. All he could think whilst he looked at himself was what he had done to Alanah when they were back in the room at the Family. It didn't matter that Alanah understood that it had all been an act, he had still done it.

He kept seeing over and over again himself lunging towards her, pretending to slit her throat and drink from it. He saw her wrist gushing blood and the pale and defeated look upon her face. She had been so brave throughout the whole ordeal, and he was so proud of her for being so, but he was convinced she hated him, even though she showed him kindness. He looked at his red raw wrist, seeing the ash in the wound, knowing it would be there for eternity. It would always be the eternal reminder of what had happened that day, only not the way the Family wanted it to be.

'Why would she truly want me?' He thought to himself. 'How could she love me, I'm nothing but a beast.' Yet deep in his heart he prayed, he hoped that she could love him as he loved her.

-o-

Alanah made the tea in the well stocked kitchen and opened the balcony door, she took both teas outside and then re entered to get a blanket from the bed, the early morning air was cold.

Dan came out and sat in a chair, politely refusing to wrap himself in the blanket with Alanah. He wanted to talk to her and be honest, and being opposite her was the best way to do it.

"Thanks for the tea Lani." Dan took a sip of tea. Alanah smiled, sensing he had something to say, she wanted to let him talk without interrupting him.

"I don't have the words to tell you how sorry I am that you were subjected to such torture over the last couple of days, some of it at my own hands. I hate myself so much that I'm finding it difficult to look you in the eye. I know I love you, and if I have to I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. I will protect you with my life, and I swear I will never let anyone at the Family get their hands on you ever again. I hope in time you will be able to forgive me. I don't expect anything from you in return, just to know that you are safe and happy, with or without me is enough ...."

Alanah could hold her peace no longer, she rose from her sofa and padded quickly over to Dan. His eyes were on his hands and he did not see her before she had planted a soft, gentle kiss on his lips. He looked up surprised.

"Shut up!" She whispered, feeling that she had given him enough time to wallow. "I love you and no blame for anything is on your shoulders. You have nothing to prove to me, every word you have told me is true and I don't want you to brood over what has happened. Thanks to you, no one innocent died this morning." She kissed his lips again.

"But ..."

"I accept your apology and I never want you to talk about me not loving you again and you being here for me even if I don't want you. I love you and I do want you – all of you, end of story." She kissed his lips again as if sealing all his worry up in a little parcel to be got rid of.

Dan looked at her, his eyes smiling in realization that he was forgiven by the only person that he cared about. But no matter how wonderful that was, he was still playing cautious. He sighed and finally lifted his head to look at her properly. "Thank you. I could never love anyone the way I love you. My heart aches when I think of hurting you in any way and I know I am now. I just want you to be sure that you want me in the same way that my body is aching for you right now. I don't want to be the mistake you have been trying to avoid. I want you to be certain." He looked at her, his eyes filled with tears. They both knew he was talking about sex, even though he had not mentioned the word.

"I am certain." Alanah kissed his forehead, feeling relief as Dan lifted his head and kissed her lips gently. Her body felt a wave of heat flash over it. "But there is no hurry now. We both know that."

Dan smiled, pleased they were both feeling the same way. He pulled her up next to him and held her close. "Whenever you are ready, I am yours." He whispered.

"I'll hold you to that." Alanah smiled into his chest, smelling the citrus from the shower gel. Everything felt right.

"We are going to have to leave the country as soon as possible; they will be trying to find us both. They are going to have a real grudge against me, I am the cause of the uprising and defection of John, Callum and Jessie. Our lives depend on us being away from the UK." Dan put his hands on his face, rubbing them up and down, trying to revive himself, he hadn't slept for over a day.

"I don't have my passport ..." Alanah started.

"I have it, Dad made sure he took it when he kidnapped you. You know, he really hates that he had to do that." Dan sighed.

"But what about money?"

"Not a problem, we've plenty of that." He went to the room and brought out the bag, he was astonished as to how much was in there, his father truly had added to the stash. He showed it to Alanah.

"I guess we are set up, for a while at least." Alanah looked at Dan, he was still slightly withdrawn. She yawned, trying to mask it with her hand.

"You're tired, you should go to bed, you've hardly slept since you were taken." Dan smiled half-heartedly.

"I do need to sleep, my body is desperate to recharge. It's been through a lot." Alanah yawned again.

"Of course. I'll take the sofa." Dan insisted, Alanah was too tired to argue and as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

Dan was exhausted too, but he wanted to see what his father had given him. He took the envelope out of his bag and opened it. Inside was a letter:-

Son,

You are my reason for living. My job protecting you is done. Take Alanah and live your lives. Destiny will guide you. Your life has been planned for many generations and you have much to do.

This day has been foretold. Your destiny is planned and will play itself out as you live your life. You must give the world of man a chance to continue to live in freedom. This will be no easy task, but you must complete it, else a terrible fate will befall all mankind, one I can not wish to write here.

There are six stages to your destiny, the first you have already completed.

Reach forward and touch human life and the freedoms given to us by a higher being – This you have completed by falling in love with Alanah and freeing her from sacrifice. Give to her what she needs to live her life.

Uncover the mysteries of eternal life, it does exist. It will find you, taste it and embrace what you become.

Become the creature you most despise. This will not be voluntary, but you must learn to live through the eyes of darkness, only then can you truly live in the light. Hear the calling of souls, they will speak to you always.

Bring forth a new life, one to conquer the darkness that beats in your heart and throughout the world. Understand and accept the position your family has in the destiny of the world.

Watch from the shadows as long as it takes.

Be a link in the chain of purification, help the world to heal and rid the smell of evil from yourself. The future of mankind lies on the shoulders of our family.

You are on the path towards the inevitable, whatever you do, you will follow the course until it is complete, either failing or succeeding. Your future may not be written in the words of men, but in the sands of time, your ultimate destiny is written in stone. Believe it, become it.

Alanah is part of your future, you have a shared destiny. Love her and take her as your wife; she will play more than a small role in everything that is to come. Guard her life, without her and the son she bears you the world as we know it is over.

May the higher beings, whoever they are, shine on you and bring you all the help they can.

Go forth and live for the present. Dad.

Dan folded the cryptic letter back up, he had no idea what to make of it. Walking slowly back into the room he stopped and saw Alanah asleep in the bed and his heart leapt with joy. She was safe. Her beauty and tolerance of him made everything he had spent his life becoming worthwhile and he felt a peace flow through him as he silently thanked whoever was god for her love. He yawned and went to the sofa to sleep.

CHAPTER 34

Alanah awoke just after midday. She knew exactly where she was. She lay there thinking, re examining what had happened over the last 72 hours. She accepted everything, and was determined not to let it haunt her, she had heard of too many people who had gone off the rails due to something like this happening and she wasn't going to let that happen to her. She would be strong.

Alanah knew there was one thing that made her vulnerable, she was still a virgin, and for the first time in her life, she was wishing she had not prized it so highly, yet she was aware she would now be dead if she had lost it before Anthony had examined her. She had been waiting for Mr Perfect to come along and sweep her off her feet.

Mr Perfect was led on the sofa a few feet from where she lay. Alanah turned and looked at him. She smiled as she looked at his contented face. He was gently snoring and looked like an angel. He was handsome and Alanah's heart beat fast just looking at him. He had been truthful to her, he loved her, he had saved her life and she was sure he wanted to be with her, but then he had been watching her every year of her life.

It didn't disturb her; in fact it comforted her, knowing he had been looking after her in a small way. She had always had a feeling she had a guardian angel, and now she was sure that it was Dan.

She remembered their meeting in the night club a few months before. He had tried everything to get her to go to France, but Alanah was stubborn, she was determined to finish her degree. She recalled the feelings she had had when he had spoken to her on the dance floor, their conversation in the garden, their kisses... Her heart had leapt from its resting place up to her mouth. It wasn't that he was the most gorgeous man in the room, although she couldn't deny he was handsome, his thick brown hair, full red lips that any woman would have killed to have for herself, his kind piercing blue eyes had instantly attracted her.

But there was something else, something deeper that had silently crossed between them and told her he was the one. It had felt so right for him to wrap her in his arms and hold her gently. 'I would have lost my virginity to him that night if he would have let me. I guess he has always been Mr Perfect.' She thought to herself.

The very moment she had seen him, she knew deep in her heart they would meet again, but her brain told her it was nonsense. It was him that had kept her going over the last few days, the truthfulness of his words that had proved to be so right had kept her from going insane. If she had had Alex as her 'guardian' she would have been dead. Dan truly was her Mr Perfect. It was love at first sight and Alanah smiled at the thought of being in the same room as the stranger she was absolutely sure she was in love with.

Convinced she was about to do the right thing, Alanah slid off the bed, patted her hair down and opened a few of the buttons on her shirt. She took a deep breath and walked to the sofa.

"Dan." She called softly. There was no response. "Dan." She called a little louder, gently shaking his shoulder. Eventually he came to and looked at her.

"What's wrong Lani?" He asked looking at her with his bright but sleepy blue eyes. Alanah opened the rest of the buttons to her shirt and slipped it off. She stood naked in front of him. "Lani, what are you doing?" He asked shocked, but enthralled at the sight of her naked body. He grabbed the shirt from the floor and wrapped her back in it and held it around her like a shield.

"You said 'whenever you are ready, I am yours'. I am ready. Make love to me; stop me being your sacrifice." Alanah shut her eyes, embarrassed by Dan's reaction.

Dan hurriedly did the buttons up. "Not like this." He whispered. He sat back down, now wide awake, stunned but secretly excited at what Alanah was doing. "I know what I said and I meant every word, but I don't want you to feel obliged, you haven't thought it through ... I will never force you to do anything ..." Dan shook his head, worried she was rushing into it. He had thought she would need more time before she said she was ready. He wanted her to be certain.

"Dan, you told me you were falling in love with me. Is that true?" Alanah asked.

"Yes, I _am_ in love with you, but ..." Dan started.

"Then save my life again." Alanah pleaded. Knowing somehow that this was right.

"Lani, you are beautiful and innocent. I have never taken anyone's virginity before. Are you really sure you are ready? I thought you would need more time, something romantic ..." Dan looked like he wanted to cry. "I admit I desire to touch you, to feel you, but my feelings are unimportant here."

"I am yours forever. The words you said at the ceremony were true – 'You are mine and I am yours. Together we shall walk the earth.' I am ready; I am ready to be yours completely. Your father said your destiny is important. He told you to take me with you. That means our destinies are one." Alanah implored. "You are the one I want to make love to; no one else could take your place. I want to feel you too, take me to the bed and make love to me. Forget that you will be taking my virginity, I am not as innocent as you may think." Alanah implored.

"Some of the ceremony could be interpreted as wedding vows. Maybe our destinies were married before I should have sacrificed you." Dan mused. He remembered what his father's letter had said 'Give to her what she needs to live her life'. He now knew what that meant – the removal of the threat or possibility of sacrifice.

"Then you must consummate that marriage, we must be as one. Either you must take my virginity or my blood." Alanah held her wrist out to Dan, desperately hoping he would choose the first.

Dan shook his head, pushing her hand from him, he knew he would never take any blood from her, the mere thought made him shudder. "I can't, not with that collar on your neck. It's like you're my slave."

Alanah opened her hand and held the key out to him. "I'm wearing it voluntarily. I've had the key all the time; Jessie gave it to me before she delivered me to the cell." Dan grabbed it from her and tried to unlock it. Alanah pulled away. "Leave it, please."

"Lani, I can't let you wear that around your neck." Dan implored, hating the sight of it.

"I have trusted you since the moment we met. But without this collar you will leave me. You say you love me, that whenever I am ready, you are mine, but in truth you have done nothing but push me away since we escaped."

Dan looked at her crestfallen. "I didn't want to push you into anything you didn't want. You have been through so much; I thought you deserved your space, time to think without me making things any more difficult for you. I would have made love to you the moment we entered the flat, but I was trying to be a gentleman."

Alanah sat down on the sofa. It was time for her to talk. "Thank you for trying to be a gentleman." She smiled at him coyly. "The night I met you in the Maze was the defining point of my life. Even then I knew you were the only one I could ever want to be with. No one else was able to make my heart beat the way you did - the way you do now." She stopped, and looked into his piercing blue eyes. "You have had the privilege of seeing my photo every year I have been alive, I have not had that advantage, but I have dreamt of you. I couldn't see your face or hear your voice, but it was you. I could smell you; feel you and I knew you would look after me – maybe that is why I trusted you. I believed that you would do everything within your power to save me and you did. You are the man of my dreams and that is why I want to give you my virginity. No one else will do, if it's not you, then I am to stay a virgin for eternity." Alanah did not plead, she just told the truth hoping Dan would see she really loved him.

Dan took her hand and kissed her fingers. He dropped the key to the floor, realising what he had to do, wanted to do, he believed it would save her life, and he was heartened by the fact that she wanted him to be the one to make love to her and no one else. It was a special gift, and he knew it.

Holding her hand lightly he walked her to the bed. They stopped and looked at each other. Dan hesitated before pulling Alanah close to him. He looked at her with gentle, but hungry eyes and then kissed her lips softly. Their embrace ended, both sighing happily, and he slid his hand inside Alanah's shirt and began to caress her breast, her nipple became hard under his fingers and she smiled nervously at him. Her heart was beating to a new rhythm that she was starting to enjoy.

"Well Miss Moore, I guess we had better get on with it." Dan finally smiled from ear to ear, convinced Alanah had finally reconciled all her demons from the last few days and sure that he was finished with his. He was happy that she was finally ready to be with him and he wouldn't give her any more excuses. He tenderly touched her porcelain face, feeling the soft smoothness of her cheek beneath his fingertips; he was now sure it was inevitable they would be together forever.

Inexperienced, but unperturbed, Alanah moved her hands to Dan's T-shirt and slipped them underneath, she moaned quietly as she felt, to her delight his hard body beneath. She had seen it only once before, and she was frantic to see it again. Dan kissed her lips gently but passionately, his hands moving swiftly up her body unbuttoning Alanah's shirt. She shimmied out of it, letting it drop to the floor.

She was once again naked. Dan stepped back and looked at her perfect milky skin. She stood shyly, her breasts tipped with red cherries and her silky thighs shining in the soft glow from under the curtains. She was perfect in every way to Dan, and he understood now that she would forever be his reason for living. Looking at her was suddenly not enough, he needed to feel her beneath his fingers and he slowly approached her, his eyes burning with passion and his lips ready to find every nook of her beautiful body. He nervously ran his hand down her sides, feeling that silky skin beneath his finger tips elated him and he began to hunger for her delicate body.

Alanah was already alive with anticipation and this sent a shiver of pure pleasure up her spine. She had never felt so alive; she was desperate to hold Dan.

Dan hurriedly pulled his T-shirt and boxer shorts off and held his hands out to Alanah and pulled her gently to him. They were both naked, the feel of nothing in between them was exhilarating and Alanah smiled as she realized there was something pressing against the softness at the top of her thigh. She led Dan to the bed and they both lay down, their hearts beating fast, both nervous at what was about to happen.

Dan wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her as close to him as he could, he kissed her neck, avoiding the collar as best he could, smelling her natural perfume, drinking in the warmth of her skin. He kissed her lips, slowly parting them and requesting his tongues admittance. Alanah allowed the admittance and they kissed, tasting the sweetness of each other for the first time. Nothing else mattered for a few minutes as they became one together, the intensity of their kisses growing as they grew more confident in each other's arms.

Alanah's head was spinning with delight, They kissed and embraced, hands flowing over each other as if the other had been made for them, enjoying the feeling of each others bodies, both feeling more alive than they had ever before. Dan cupped her breasts in his hands and gently sucked on her nipples, extracting a moan from Alanah's lips. He straddled her, holding his body gently above the length of her body, kissing her, sucking her, caressing her, whipping her body into a frenzy of excitement and anticipation.

Alanah finally whispered in his ear "I'm ready."

"I'll be gentle." Dan whispered, remembering how Anthony had hurt her during his unnecessary inspection.

She wrapped her legs and arms around his strong body and smiled as she felt a new sensation flowing through her body. She screamed in delight, shaking as she felt her orgasm explode through her body. Dan's followed soon after and he collapsed beside her exhausted.

He rolled over and took Alanah in his arms. She was shaking with cold; they lay happily together, Dan eventually falling to sleep, happy and tired.

-o-

Alanah lay in Dan's arms feeling warm and content. She felt protected. She gently slipped out of his arms and sat on the bed looking at him. Dan lay facing her, his hand touching his cheek and the pillow. His perfect pink lips were open and he gently snored through them.

His eyes were peacefully closed and the little crow's feet that were present during the day were not there. His bushy eyebrows sat above his eyes in need of a little grooming. Dark stubble was present on his chin and his hair lay awkwardly against his head, he looked content.

Alanah was in a quandary. She was seriously wondering what to do. She briefly thought about taking her passport and some of the money and escape England on her own, but something stopped her. She looked at him and smiled. She loved him and he loved her, she couldn't leave him, she had been subconsciously searching for him since Julie's birthday. If she left him now she would regret it for the rest of her life and she knew it.

They were to be together and she knew she could not run away from him, she would be leaving her heart behind. Alanah snuggled back into his strong arms and traced his tattoo with her fingers.

Even though she had been to hell and back since she had found him again, she had never felt so happy and she had no intention of letting the feeling end, she would be by his side as long as she had breath in her body.

CHAPTER 35

Dan awoke and stretched out to where Alanah should have been and panicked at her absence, he sat up with a jolt. Seeing her at the mirror applying her make up he lay back down relieved.

He studied her as she expertly applied eye-shadow, eyeliner and mascara. She was beautiful without it, but he was fascinated as to how it was done and he couldn't deny that it did add an extra air of sexiness to her. She finished with a slick of lipstick and pulled the towel from her head letting her damp curls fall around her face. She stood back to view her finished work.

"You look perfect." Dan said, he couldn't stop himself grinning inanely at her. He was incandescently happy. He had never woken up and looked at an angel like this before. He certainly felt he was in heaven.

Alanah turned round smiling. "You look pretty perfect yourself." She said coming to the end of the bed. "Thank you for earlier. You have turned me into a woman." She giggled happy and content, feeling complete.

"And a beautiful sexy one at that." Dan was naked and the sheet covered up to his hair line. Alanah could see a rising bulge beneath it.

Still only wearing Dan's shirt, she undid the buttons and let it slip to the floor. She climbed up onto the bed and straddling Dan crawled up, kissing his chiselled stomach and chest as she went, finally planting a kiss on his lips.

Dan wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her down next to him. "And now I am going to make love to you, my woman." He turned Alanah onto her back and taking her hands placed them gently above her head. "Close your eyes." He kissed her lips, and taking the key he had retrieved from the floor he unlocked her collar and gently removed it from her neck.

Alanah opened her eyes in time for her to see him throw it to the other side of the room.

"Lani, there is no need for a collar, there never was. I am bound to you by love; you do not need it to guarantee my company. I know I did everything I could to push you away from me, but I want nothing more than to be with you. As long as you want me, I will be with you." He kissed her forehead.

"Promise me you mean it." Alanah said looking into his eyes, searching with all sincerity.

"With all my heart." He smiled and lifted himself up and over her. "This is for you, don't move." He kissed her neck gently, feeling it without the collar made it more soft and delicate, he made sure he kissed all around, nuzzling in. He was determined to pleasure her and show her that he was in love with her. Alanah squirmed in delight below him.

Dan smiled, knowing it was he who was making her shiver in pleasure. Moving from the neck, he kissed her breasts, making sure he didn't miss a spot. Alanah's breathing became shallow, she was in heaven. Dan kissed her taught stomach, covering it in delicate butterfly kisses. He continued downwards and kissed her inner thighs. He could smell her and wanted desperately to investigate, but instead kissed his way back up to her lips and kissed them passionately.

Alanah could feel him against her body and craved him, she was charged and ready to explode. She knew staying had been the right thing to do.

Alanah shivered in ecstasy beneath him. "I love you Daniel Newman!" Alanah meant every word, hugging him close to her, kissing him passionately.

"I always have and always will love you. Nothing can take that away from me." Dan kissed her forehead and pulled her close. They lay in each others arms for a while; the moment needed no other words.

"I never want to leave this bed!" Alanah said, burying her head into Dan's hair free chest. "I don't think I could be any more happy and contented than I am with you." She propped herself up on her elbow and leaned forward to kiss his lips. "Who knew how wonderful sex could be!" She giggled, her cheeks turning cherry red at the thought.

"Well I'm delighted to be the one to introduce you to the joys of sex! You've certainly made it amazing for me." He kissed her back, stroking the curves of her body, resting his hand on her hip. "It has never been like that before for me. I wish I could say you were my first too, but I have 7 years on you." Dan sighed, feeling slightly awkward, but he felt he owed it to Alanah to be truthful.

"I can't change what you did in the past, I have no control over it, or the right to feel jealous." She kissed him, smiling. "Maybe it was a good thing that one of us has some experience, you made my first time perfect and you shouldn't feel ashamed of the fact that I'm not your first, like you said, you are a few years older than me, and waiting for 21 years was long enough, I couldn't imagine waiting 28! We are here together now, that's all that matters to me."

"Forever, I promise you that. You should see the letter my father gave me. It concerns you too." Dan kissed her forehead and got out of bed and walked to the coffee table to fetch it. Alanah smiled at his perfectly rounded cheeks. Dan handed her the letter.

Alanah sat up, wrapping the covers around herself and read it intently, digesting every word. "I may have been chosen to be your sacrifice, but it appears I was never destined to be sacrificed. We truly are destined to be together, and we're to have a son. I always imagined having a daughter."

"Maybe we will in time." Dan smiled. "I'd love to have a family."

Alanah laughed, she couldn't help it - the conversation was surreal! "Well, I never thought two days ago that I would turn 21 and be talking about having children. I thought I'd be celebrating finishing my degree. How a matter of a few days can change your life!"

"I forgot it was your birthday today. I'll have to get a present for you." Dan smiled awkwardly.

"No you don't, I don't need anything, you have already given me more than you know. You have saved my life and I can never thank you enough. You are going to give me a future that I never thought I would have. Life will be full of tough times, something tells me there will be plenty of them, but we will get through them together. You are my soul mate; we were made for each other. Finding you again, is the best birthday present I could have ever been given." Alanah thought about what had happened in the last 72 hours. She didn't mind any of it, she felt she had been waiting all her life for it and she was a strong enough person to cope with what had been thrown at her. In fact she felt pretty settled about the whole situation.

Although she knew very little about Dan himself, she knew she had the future to find out who he really was. Destiny - and she now truly believed in it, was the cause of her meeting Dan and whatever the future held, she would see it through with him. "Whatever may happen, I'll be by your side." She squeezed his hand.

"Right now we have to get out of the UK. I'll phone the airport and see what is available to fly anywhere in America." Dan kissed Alanah's forehead and slipped on his tight boxer shorts. Alanah couldn't believe her luck; she had a man who looked gorgeous in just his underwear. If only she could confide in her friends!

Dan walked to the phone and dialled for reception. "Hello? This is Mr Newman in apartment 308. Could you please connect me with the local airport?" He waited a few seconds before talking again. "Could you tell me which flights leave for America tonight and at what time? Oh, you only fly to Europe. Thank you very much." He put the receiver down. "Only fly to Europe. We'll have to fly from there. The less time we spend in the UK the better." He turned to Alanah who was still led in bed. "We'll have to get you some more clothes, you only have the dress you were wearing last night. You'll have to borrow some of mine for the time being. We'll have to disguise ourselves somehow to make sure we are not spotted at the airport, there will be people looking out for us there. Although, we will have to look enough like ourselves, for our passports."

"I don't think anyone really looks like the photo in their passports, but the last thing we want is to be stopped." She got out of bed and wrapped herself in Dan's shirt and walked out onto the balcony and looked out. "We're not far from the shopping district. It's 4pm, but its late night shopping on a Thursday.

"Well, let's go shopping, I'd love to buy you whatever you want."

"I only need a few things." Alanah was adamant, she was used to being a student and having a limited wardrobe, clothes had never been high on her list of priorities. Dan was also adamant that he would buy her a whole new wardrobe, it would be a battle!

-o-

Alanah and Dan returned to their apartment laden down with bags, Dan had kept to his word and treated her to whatever she had laid her hands on. From sexy lingerie to a handbag, from a bikini to a pair of boots and everything in between.

Whilst Alanah had thoroughly enjoyed being treated like a princess, she felt guilty about the money Dan had spent on her, but she had made sure he brought some clothes for himself.

Wanting to be out of the country tonight, Alanah took the temporary hair dye she had bought at the chemist, and went to the bathroom, emerging fifteen minutes later with her hair in a towel.

Alanah blow dried her hair straight and then used straightening irons (again bought by Dan), to make sure it was kink free. She looked at her short straight brown hair in the mirror. She looked nothing like herself. Still the dye would be gone within 10 washes and she had her whole life to grow her hair again. She reasoned with herself that trading her hair for her life was worth it.

Taking an eyebrow pencil, she darkened her eyebrows to match her new chestnut brown hair and added a slick of dark red lipstick, a colour she would never normally wear. The cosmetic changes were complete.

Now Alanah took the jeans and white shirt Dan had bought for her and dressed herself in them. She put on the boots and grey jacket. She turned to Dan. "How do I look?" She asked.

Dan held his hand out to shake Alanah's hand. "Hello, my name is Dan Newman and you are?" He laughed. "If I passed you on the street, I wouldn't recognise you, you look so different." He had changed into the clothes Alanah had bought for him.

He was now wearing blue jeans, a navy blue jumper and cream t-shirt. On his feet was a pair of tan boots. He had had his hair cut at a barber's when they were out and, it was now much shorter and spiky instead of brushed back. He held a base ball cap in his hand.

Alanah surveyed him. "You'll do very nicely." She nodded approvingly. She quickly packed up all her new clothes into the hold-all Dan had brought and placed the dress, shoes and corset she had been wearing the night before in one of the carrier bags. She placed this by the bin, never wanting to see them again. Reluctant to leave expensive gems to the maid, she placed the emerald jewellery into the bag.

Alanah picked up the collar that had been part of her for the last two days. She could not help smile at the fact that Dan had so desperately wanted it off of her neck. It had come to represent a commitment to him that he did not want her to be obliged to commit to. She unhooked the large perfect emerald and placed it in one of the small pockets on the bag Dan had bought for her. She saw the key from the collar sparkling on the floor.

She hadn't really looked at it before, it had just been a means to remove the collar from her neck, but now that she was looking at the silver key – it seemed to be pure silver like the collar, she began to feel an affinity with it. To her it meant freedom. It was oversized – way too big for the little lock it had opened, infact looking closely, she could see two sets of teeth one above the other – this was the jagged part that actually opened the lock. Only the lower, smaller set of teeth had actually been used to open the lock. The shaft of the key was engraved with three Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Eye of Ra – her tattoo and the symbol that graced the sun on Dan's arm, the Ankh – the key of life, and a lion's head with a sun disk above it's ears.

The head of the key – the part you use to turn it in a lock reminded her very much of a design she had seen very recently. Instead of a small hole to attach the key to a key ring, the head of the key had the empty silhouette of a half sun complete with rays of light emanating from it. Alanah looked at the ring on her finger that Dan had given her for protection and she knew they were related. In her mind's eye she could see both half suns come together and create a whole. Feeling loathed to leave the symbol of her freedom behind, Alanah placed the key into the pocket with the emerald, figuring she would look at them again at some point when they were safe.

Once they were ready, Dan hailed a taxi and they travelled to the airport.

CHAPTER 36

Whilst Dan booked them on a flight, Alanah sat in a corner and rang her mother. She knew she would have been trying to contact her to wish her happy birthday, and she had to contact her to stop her worrying – she was a mum after all and it was part of her job description. But Alanah was worried about telling her she was 'going travelling', she was sure alarm bells would ring in her mothers inbuilt worry sense in her brain!

"Hello mum?"

"Lani, where the hell have you been, I've been phoning home since last night, we've been so worried about you." Her mother was relieved to hear from her.

"Mum, I'm fine. I've just been off enjoying myself. I've met someone, his name is Daniel, he's wonderful, and I'm in love. We're going to travel Europe and we'll come and see you soon." She sighed contentedly.

When did this happen?" Alanah's mum asked stunned.

"A little while ago, not long after you left." She knew technically she was telling the truth, she had met Dan just a couple of months after they had gone. Her Dad's job had taken them to Houston.

"You've never mentioned him before? You hardly know him sweetheart, six months is no time at all." Yes, her worry sense had started working.

"I've never mentioned him because I knew you would quiz me about him and I wanted to make sure he was the one before I told you, besides, weren't you and Dad married within six months? Going travelling is nothing like that." She knew she had her mother on that one.

"When are you going?" Her mother sighed, clearly not wanting to make an argument of it.

"Tonight, to celebrate my birthday." Alanah subtly reminded her mother of the day.

"Yes, I know. I wish I could be with you sweetheart, 21 is such a big milestone, you're a woman now, no longer my little girl. We have transferred £500 into your account, please buy yourself something nice." Her mother sighed again, probably remembering holding Alanah as a newborn baby.

"Thank you, that's very generous of you both. I wish you could meet him, he's wonderful, very caring. I know you'd like him very much. He reminds me of Dad a bit."

"That's nice for you. Take care of yourself, be safe. I really am not happy about you travelling with someone you hardly know, someone your father and I don't know." Alanah's mother's voice was full of trepidation and Alanah felt a little guilty for making her worry.

"Mum, this is me you are talking to. You have always said I was the most sensible out of all your kids. Paul and Steve have no sense you keep saying! You know I will take care of myself, and you wouldn't have left me here in England alone if you didn't trust me. I love you mum, tell Dad I love him too. Anyhow, I have to go, we'll be going through passport control soon." Alanah replied, she pressed the end call button before her mother could answer.

Alanah returned text messages to her frantic friends apologising for missing her celebrations and saying she would call soon. She wasn't sure if she would be able to, but she had to placate them for the time being.

"We're booked on the next flight to Faro in Portugal. It leaves in 30 minutes, so no time for duty free." Dan said coming back with the tickets. "The only problem is I've seen a couple of people from the Family, it appears they are expecting us to try and leave the country."

"Well, we expected that didn't we? We'd better try and drift into the background then." Alanah stood up and took Dan's hand, determined to get through passport control without any problems.

They stood in line waiting to go through when there was a shout from the left of them.

"Dan! Dan Newman!" and a young woman ran up to him.

"Oh god. No." Dan said under his breath and squeezed Alanah's hand. He turned to her. "Hello Gail." He held out his hand for her to shake, stopping her getting close to kiss or hug him.

"Dan, I haven't seen you for ages." She tried to air kiss him.

Alanah smiled pleasantly at the woman. She could plainly see she was attracted to Dan and she held tightly onto his hand, concerned that the feelings were reciprocated by Dan.

Gail looked nothing like Alanah, she had long dyed blonde hair that appeared to have extensions added to it. Her petite body was clothed in tight dark blue jeans, black patent stilettos and a bright pink top. The word WAG came to mind! Alanah did not feel any warmth towards her.

"You saw me last Thursday in work." Dan sighed, he clearly didn't like her. Alanah relaxed.

"But it seems so long ago." Gail whined. She saw Dan was holding Alanah's hand and her attitude changed dramatically. "Who are you?" She snapped at Alanah.

"Gail, this is ..." Dan started.

"I'm Dan's girlfriend." Alanah smiled sweetly at Gail.

"You're not good enough for Dan." Gail sputtered, she clearly had her eye on him, and not enough decorum to hide it in front of his girlfriend.

"Whatever makes you say that?" Alanah asked brightly, not prepared to let her condescending comment affect her.

"He's supposed to be mine. How long have you been together? We've known each other for three years." Gail tried to make it sound like Dan and she were an item, but Alanah knew from the way Dan had tensed up that he too did not like her. He was clearly worried that their plan to melt into the background had been foiled.

"Destiny brought us together." Alanah smiled.

"But Dan, after the Christmas masked ball, I thought you liked me?" She pleaded.

Dan sighed. "That was Simon, we both had the same mask. Gail, I have never shown you any interest at all. I am not yours, never have been and never will be. Now please leave me alone, we are off on holiday." Dan tried to calm the situation down, aware that people were watching. They were next in line for passport checking and so close to the departure lounge, to freedom.

"When will you be back?" There was still a glimmer of hope in Gail's eyes.

"Didn't you know? I handed my resignation in, Friday was my last day. I'll never see you again." Dan smiled.

Gail couldn't find any words as she watched Dan and Alanah pass through passport control and disappear into the departure lounge. The only hunk in the office she had never managed to bed walked from her life. She shrugged her shoulders and walked away, wondering what his replacement would be like!

-o-

"Faro, gate 12, last call." Alanah read off the TV screen. "We'd better get a move on." They ran down the long corridor, passing gates 10 and 11 and finally arrived at gate 12.

Stood outside the gate were two familiar faces to Dan, they were senior members of the Family.

"Daniel, do not do this, now that Anthony is gone, we need a leader, there are already fights beginning as to who will be the next High Priest. You are the marked man of legends, and you are truly needed and will be worshiped from the moment you come back to the Family. Bring Alanah and we shall have a ceremony tonight, initiate you into the Family." One of the men said reverently, the other took hold of Alanah's wrist, holding it tightly.

"Robert, I am off to make a new life with Lani, she is no longer a virgin and she will be my wife as soon as she will let me marry her. I do not want to have anything more to do with the Family, leave us alone. I am not the fabled marked man." Dan pulled Alanah free and they ran into the gate, handing their boarding passes in.

"Your commitment to the Family is not over Dan, you have much still to do for us, like it or not, we will be seeing you again." Came Robert's voice through the doors.

Dan and Alanah walked into the tunnel looking back at Robert and his companion, they walked onto the plane, already away from British soil.

CHAPTER 37

Dan had forgotten to tell Alanah one thing. He hated flying – he couldn't stand it. When he had flown to Scotland for work (the only times he had ever flown, being tied to the UK by the Family), he had always had to take sedatives and right now, he was wishing he had some!

Alanah on the other hand was a seasoned traveller and had no problems at all; in fact she quite enjoyed it. She could sense that Dan was uncomfortable and held her hand out to him, he gratefully took it, deciding bravado was not the best thing to pretend right now. She squeezed it tenderly, knowing not to speak until they were in the air. She was well practiced in comforting her mum when they had flown together.

Once air born, Dan began to relax and as soon as the free in flight drink was in his hand, he finally spoke. "Well, we're out of harm's way, for the time being at least."

"Who knows what the future holds for us. We just have to ride it out." Alanah took a sip of her gin and tonic, the first alcohol to pass her lips since the whole saga had begun.

She looked around the cabin and her eyes rested on the book a teenage girl was reading. 'Twilight', she mused the book, having read the whole saga herself, the photo of Bella and Edward, the current Hollywood incarnation of a true love story, which just so happened to be about vampires and werewolves. She turned to Dan who was cautiously looking out of the window.

"Dan?" She asked stroking the back of his hand.

"Hmmmm?" he asked looking at her.

"That girl over there, look at her book." Alanah nodded in her direction.

"Yeah? It's a popular book, right?" Dan shrugged his shoulder, he didn't catch the relevance.

"Don't you see how engrained into the human psyche the thought of blood sucking demons are? From Buffy to Dracula, to Mona the vampire and the Lost Boys and those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Evil, in whatever form has always been there, from Adam and Eve and the serpent to Egyptian gods of death and the devil himself. We humans have always been fascinated in blood and death. Vampires drain the blood of innocent victims, they are immortal, ageless and a lot of people are scared of death, it is no wonder we crave stories of beautiful immortals. We want to live forever."

Dan looked at Alanah, not sure where this was leading.

"To be immortal, to live forever, to love forever, that is what some people dream of. To see what the world will be like in the centuries to come, to know what it is like to never grow old, that's what humans want, regardless of what it takes to get it. I want to have children and grandchildren and watch them grow up, but I want to stay who I am now, not be some old lady with white hair, who is in need of a hip operation and reminisces about the good old days all the time. Old age inevitably means death and whilst I don't want to live forever, I don't want to meet my maker for a very long time.

"Vampires, whether they exist or not, and I don't believe they do, will always be part of life, there will always be people searching for an eternal existence. It's no wonder the Family exists, people love life and youth, these days we worship it. It's easy to be seduced by these, and the thoughts of a very long life provided by the sacrifice of one single life could probably seem very appealing. Stories of immortality, from Greek gods to secret elixirs of youth are all around us. To be promised eternal life, now you'll get a huge following with that ..."

"Yes, you will. The Family don't care what they have to do to recruit, they will make any claim they need to enlist new blood. They surreptitiously recruit for the Family, promising eternal life, but if you were not born in the Family, like Jessie, you are never initiated like I was supposed to be, you are in limbo, forever giving your blood to the Family, being promised eternal life, only to die a mortal death in the end along with all of them." Dan said solemnly. "I have to stop them, surely this is my destiny, but at this moment in time I do not know how." He squeezed Alanah's hand intensely aware that what Alanah had said was true, the search for immortality would always be a part of the human psyche and converting the Family members back to the thoughts of mortality would be almost impossible, although he was sure it would be easier to free the recruits, some of them at least.

Alanah knew the future ahead would be hard, but she had pledged to stand by him and had no intention of shirking her responsibilities. Right now she knew that they had to get to know each other, and that meant forgetting about blood and vampires, sacrifices and destiny. She decided to change the subject to lighten the mood.

"So, when are we getting married? Will it be a white wedding, will my parents be invited? Will you invite Robert and his friend?" She asked snuggling into his arm.

"Well, we do need to get to know each other first, and I need to propose." Dan was slightly taken aback.

"You're not changing your mind are you?" Alanah batted her eyes.

Dan realized she was pulling his leg and laughed. "I will marry you, I have to because I love you and never want to be without you, but you don't really want to marry me now do you?" He looked earnestly into her eyes, his heart fluttering in anticipation.

"I never knew I would fall head over heals in love so quickly. I never thought it was possible, only something you read about in a soppy romance. When I met you in the Maze, sat next to you at the bar, it was like my life began at that very moment. The last six months have passed in a haze. I've spent every day dreaming about you. And here I am, sat on a plane with you, escaping death and talking about marrying you. It's too surreal for words! Of course I want to marry you, I can't imagine life without you, but in a little while, not yet. I will marry you soon." She kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand. "After all, our destinies are entwined and we are supposed to be having a son together!"

"We have been through so much together already, we need to slow things down a little. We need to get to know each other before we marry, even though we both know that ultimately that is what will happen. We need to go on a date when we get somewhere safe." Dan smiled at her.

"Sounds good to me. Dinner and a movie?" Dan kissed her lips, looking forward to taking Alanah on a date!

-o-

Once they were landed, Dan took charge again, the Family knew they had flown to Faro, so they took a train and travelled out of Portugal within hours of landing. He didn't want them in one place for too long, so they spent a week here and a week there, travelling through Spain, Germany Austria and Poland, eventually taking a flight to France.

They decided to take a small house in the Loire Valley, it was a beautiful part of the country and quite remote. They were both sure they would be safe and settled down to a quiet existence.

Alanah took a job at the local school and taught English as a second language. Finally using the skills she had learnt in her degree made her feel like it had all been worthwhile and not just the 'three years of constant boozing and partying' that her father had said it would be! She loved her new life.

Dan worked from home as a web designer and enjoyed the freedom he had never had before. He could come and go as he pleased, buy clothes without having to take another member of the Family with him, drink alcohol, eat whatever he pleased and go to the cinema whenever he wanted, finally his life was his own.

Alanah and Dan were at last the happy young couple they deserved to be. They fell more in love with each other every day, waking up next to each other made each morning special.

They talked about everything and anything, debating the obscure, laughing at the ridiculous, loving every minute of each others company.

Dan learned that there was so much more to Alanah than he knew and drank in every scrap of new information about her, relishing in the newness of the experience. Happiness, contentment, complacency.

Alanah watched the man who had been in her dreams all her life and saw him develop from a relatively shy man into a fun loving one who loved being with her. Both were contented.

Deep down Dan knew that he had to return to England to rid the country of the Family, but he loved his new life and kept putting it off. Alanah was blossoming into a confident woman and he adored being with her. Life was simple and perfect, he wanted to keep it that way.

Destiny however, was quickly catching up with them.

###

Don't miss the next book

Despair

Due out 2012.
