Considering I was used to having a shadow or three, adding Penny to the mix wasn’t a big deal. Alfie was having a great old time in the water while the rest of us were freezing our butts off. The rain had stopped, but the cold that came with it hadn’t eased up. Logan had Anippe around his neck and under his jumper as she didn’t seem to appreciate the cold or even the water like Alfie currently was. Anytime I tried to cuddle closer against him, she’d poke her head up from under his shirt and give me what I’m calling her death stare.

Ani was a bit of a bitch.

Zane had Penny sparring with him in front of us, and after a morning of his torture, I was impressed she was still going. If she’d only do it quietly, I’d be happier. Each move had her sounding like a tennis player, grunting and groaning as she blocked Zane or swung at him.

“I’m so cold.” Ignoring Anippe, I wrapped my arms around Logan’s chest as his fell lazily over my shoulders.

“Control your snake then so we can go inside. Look at this one. What an angel!”

“Remember that time you put Alfie in a pillowcase, try doing that now.” I mumble.

I miss Alfie being that small, and as I get lost in sentimental thoughts, Anippe is sliding down the back of my neck and under my hair. Apparently I was warmer now I had Logan’s attention and she didn’t.

“Think that’s why he’s never really liked me?”

“Probably. That and the tequila episode maybe?” Yeah, we’d had some fun times.

“Oh I forgot about that! If I bribe him enough with junk food, I’m sure he’ll come round.”

We go quiet as Zane and Penny finish up and come to sit by us.

“You’ve got the abilities, you just need to rely on your instincts a bit more.” Zane throws her a bottle of water and she eats up the praise. “Are you guys staying out here for much longer? There is going to be a shift change in twenty and need to debrief them.”

“Go. We might be home by dinner if I start trying to get Alfie out now.” I tell him.

He nods and glances back to the water. “It’s going to rain, could be an idea to leave soon.”

He starts the four wheeler and takes off while I reluctantly leave Logan to work on Alfie’s obedience. The pair of them follow. See, multiple shadows.

“Alfie. Come, it’s time to go!” I can’t see him.

The water just flows steadily south and as if it’s there to only mock me, a duck stares at me as it lazily swims by. I hate that duck. It focuses on something just under the surface and snaps at it with a quaking sound and I hear Logan try to hide his laugh. I hate him too. It’s then Anippe emerges, her head coming out beside mine as she looks over the water.

“Got any ideas?”

She sways side to side; no.

I hated saying this, but if anything I usually got him to at least look my way while he thought of his options. “Alfie, as your Master, I command-“

I went quiet.

Logan moved a step back while Penny stepped forward as a something was charging up stream at a rather quick pace. I half expected to see a shark pin pop up and the Jaws theme to start playing as we all watched what I hoped was Alfie come towards us.

Anippe disappeared down the front of my shirt, which didn’t bother me as much as the pressure of her going around my neck. She was scared. I stepped back, and again and then bumped into Penny.

Alfie emerged like an explosion from the water, barely missing me, the freezing water that came up with him didn’t. Penny screamed and so did I as we are all shoved roughly together; his tail surrounding us as he reared, poised to strike.

That was a little dramatic.

“Alfie, what on-“

“Elise, look!” Logan had one arm free and pointed up over the hill.

I stopped looking at Alfie as Penny gasped and I’m glad Alfie had us all so tightly bound because my knees actually felt weak.

“What is that?” Penny didn’t hide how hysterical she was, “Elise, what is that!”

Because I know everything.

The black cloud rushed across the sky, different the violet grey that was filled with the promise of rain and bad weather. This promised something else; death. Everything around us seemed to feel it. The wind vanished, the grass lost its colour and the world went silent as we could only stand there gaping at it.

“They’re making it night. So the vampires can come out.” Maybe I didn’t know everything; maybe Logan did.

“What?” I ask.

It reached us then, what light we did have vanishing and the glow from the Academy building was a speck in the distance.

“Alfie, we have to go!” I try to get free, but his old becomes tighter. “Alfie, let go. You’re crushing us!”

“Stay. Safe.”

Logan uses his free arm to hold onto Alfie and pulls up. He grunts with the effort, yet as he rises, it gives us enough room to breathe again.

“Alfie. I command you to let us go.” His muscles twitch and constrict around us, before finally, he loosens up. “Good boy.”

Logan goes to one of the bikes and turns to light on, so at least we can see. Penny grabs my arm, following me over as if she is scared of the dark. “What do we do?”

“Find Dracula. Kill him.” It sounds simple enough.

Alfie isn’t happy. I feel how agitated he is and the three of us get on our bikes.

“We’ll go to your parents’ house, when the path widens, lights off. We should even walk to make sure no one hears us.” Logan thinks aloud.

“I agree. Lights off at the turn, we’ll walk from where it widens.”

Penny stays quiet as we take off and Alfie manages to keep up. When we start to walk, we use him for guidance. Our night vision isn’t like his and while it is better than your stock standard humans, we’re still at a disadvantage.

No one is at the house.

No one like us anyway. I can sense the vampires before we actually get there and we keep low to the ground. There is a light on inside and thanks to how dark it is, it gives the allusion of travelling for miles around the side yard.

Logan holds his hand up; four fingers. I nod.

“Alfie, can you kill the four?” I whisper to him.

He nods and leaves us. Sure enough the battle is over before they even know what happened, and we slip inside unbothered. Most, normal, people use their roof space for storage of things like childhood memories, Christmas decorations and crap you can’t quite throw out. We use ours for storage too only we store enough weapons that we could open our own supply store.

We all change. For one, I am frozen and wet from Alfie’s splash and despite Penny being in work out gear, her light sweater, sneakers and leggings may be suitable for a work out, but not actual combat. Climbing up into the roof space, we load up.

I’m not expecting Ailin to suddenly appear especially since she has been MIA the last couple of weeks.

“I’m not too late!” She greets.

“Ailin!” I grab her in a hug and she breaks it up as quickly as it began.

“Here.” In her hand is my ring that Oz the bear-shifter gave me. I didn’t even realise it was missing, as I’d stopped wearing it before I we went into Paytah’s world. “I’ve changed it.”

“What?” I look it over carefully. It feels heavier, but looks the same.

“It blocks magic as well as who you are now.” I know what this means. If I come against Drac, he can’t use his tricks on me and as if she is able to read my mind, she nods. “Yes.”

“We are in greater trouble than we thought. We are ready to move the Treaty if things are not going well. It is needed here, to keep them here. They can sense it, they just can’t find it.”

“Why? What’s changed?” I ask.

“We know who is working with The Impaler now.”

“Who?” Logan demands, since Ailin is being as cryptic as always.

“Old, old magic. These are Warlocks, Oath-Breakers. They worshipped the gods and they were blessed with great power to help the humans. Influenced by Cain, they sought to use their gifts for their own gain, turning into tyrants all on their own. There are four of them. I am surprised they have waited this long to strike.”

“We need a bit more info Ailin!” I argue.

Cain, whoever the hell he is, really has some explaining to do.

“Together they are unstoppable. Cain saw his error and ended it, never making the mistake of releasing an evil nearly as powerful as he. Judging by the vampire’s abilities, he must have made some friends in the Other World and so since he was brought back, he has given them release into this world too. Their bodies have rested for millennia in the temples of the sand, and now they are back. Destroying the Treaty, will send a message to Cain and is simply a flex of their power.”

“Temples in the sand?” Penny asks.

“The pyramids?” I offer and Ailin nods. “Shit.”

Her head tilts slightly, but she ignores my swearing fit that follows.

“There is no protection in place. You are all at their armies’ mercy as our magic is to be focused on defeating them only. It would be pointless any way. They know from last time what we can deflect, and what they are up against. We can only try to stop them. The best we can do is slow them down and keep the Treaty safe.”

“Can they be killed?” Logan offers.

“If you get close enough I wish you well.” So that’s a maybe?

“Who is Cain? Why can’t he just come and fix it all?” Penny adds.

“No one knows who he is or where. We’ve been trying to locate him for some time. The one person who could tell us, is keeping her silence.” There is no missing how annoyed Ailin is about that.

I don’t doubt for a second she is referring to Huntington, or Portia, whatever her name is. Then again, maybe little miss Oracle doesn’t know to tell her? That I doubt.

“He can ignore Drac, but he can’t ignore these guys.” Logan tries to justify it.

“Girl. One is a girl.” Ailin corrects.

“He can’t ignore the warlocks.” Logan clarifies.

“I guess it depends on what kind of mood he is in. The Treaty appeared that he was at a turning point. Perhaps he is bored.”

 “You think he could actually be behind this?” I just added one more person on my hit list.

“Perhaps.”

“Why do I feel like I know nothing about what is going on?” Penny groans, dropping her sword. “We’re doomed. You got these four magic guys bringing on an apocalypse and a psycho vampire running around the place as well as what or whoever Cain is watching the show and what does that stupid Treaty have to do with anything? We’re doomed.”

“That’s the spirit!” I smile at her, and there is no missing the sarcasm there. Worst of all, she does have a point.  Killing Dracula is kind of pointless and it will only mean that when I die, I’ll be able to do it happy with the fact I got that jerk.

“I must go. I only came to give you this!” Ailin disappears in her trademark swirl of black smoke.

“Some pep-talk. Maybe she should give Zane lessons?” I joke.

No one thinks I’m funny.

“Hunter!” V calls from below us and Alfie helps me down, while the other two have to jump.

“I have a name!” I answer.

“And it’s lovely,” he snaps back, “remember when you had something bad following you?”

 I nod.

“I know what that is now.”

“Ancient warlocks set on taking over the world as we know it?”

“Yes.” He looks almost annoyed I know that. “Ailin?”

I nod again. “Help yourself to whatever is up there. You might want a gun or something.”

“At the risk of being seen as a coward, I am more inclined to throw you all into that car out there and clear out.”

“You’d run away with us and not leave us to face a horrible death all on our own? That’s almost sweet!” I punch him lightly on the shoulder and go over to Alfie. “Alfie, you stay here with Ani. If anything really, really bad happens to me, I need you to look after our family. Same and Old blood, Zane, Logan, even the red head and vampire. These bad people come from where you’re species originated from and I don’t know if that will put you at risk in case they can take control of you. Stay away.”

“Alfie help Elise!”

“Not now. If you feel me dying, well, yes, then come because that means shit has gone real bad and these guys will need you to keep them safe.” I wish I could have him with me.

We work well together, but for starters, they know about him now. They will be expecting his attack. Out all of the demons they could have raised, another Apophyt They might even think he died already, and in that case, having his surprise arrival later could work in his favour.

“I want you to make sure Ani grows up to be like you, a good Apophyt. Don’t let her have the brown bubble water, ever, and don’t let her stay up all night watching dance videos or scary movies!” I can at least try and right my wrongs with him with her. “Promise me Alfie.”

He shakes his head.

“I command you to do it, as your Master!” Somehow my voice doesn’t break and I actually sound like a master should.

He nods, and leaves us.

“Sure about all that?” Logan hugs me and I let my tears vanish on his jumper.

Okay, not now. Time for breakdowns can happen later.

“Yeah. I mean, do you really want two Alfie’s drinking all your cola and getting influenced by bad TV?” I laugh; it’s a horrible fake sound so I shut up quickly.

“Good point.” He hugs me again and V returns from his trip into Guns ‘R’ Us.

It’s then the power goes off and we all group together instinctively.

“Time to go.” V whispers, and starts towards the backdoor.

The door slides open making more noise than a marching band and he looks back almost apologetically at us.  Then I see it, something moving in the darkness.

“Stop!” I call out, thankfully he can hear me despite how quiet I was. “Look!”

We group around the door, weapons ready, as the screams and noise finds us from the Academy. It’s hard to tell friend from foe as whatever is cloaking us with darkness has our senses on over drive. The trio creep forward and V waves at us. No threat.

“Tom, you’re insane. Stop this now!” I think it Drew, but Tom speaks over him.

“Is Elise there, vampire?” Tom calls out with obvious hatred; because that will get V cooperating.

“What’s it to you, Hunter.” V snaps back.

I am actually curious to see where this goes and shake my head at Logan as he and Penny move to back up V at the door. Something doesn’t seem right, and while listening in, I go to Alfie.

“Logan, where is she?” Tom changes his focus.

“Around. Why?” He answers.

“Fuck Tom, we just should just shoot you now!” Nigel snaps.

“Can you take me behind them.” I ask him, “then go back!”

There is enough magic in the air for him to use and sure enough, I find myself in the yard I can see three guys forming a triangle attack position – aimed at my boyfriend, best frenemy and vampire ally. None of them even sense me and I might feel bad about it later, but I know Drew is the weakest link here.

“Don’t fuck with me Logan. Hand her over or we’ll come in by force.”  Tom keeps going.

“No, we wont!” Drew argues and despite whatever dispute they have going on, I’m going to stop it.

Drew turns as I bump against him, and I move swiftly to take away his gun and end up with him on knees in front of me, while my own now presses against his head. He wasn’t expecting it, and luckily doesn’t protest so I don’t hurt him.

“What the fuck?” He yells, louder than he should around here.

“Shut up. What do you three want? I don’t trust anyone right now, and you making threats doesn’t help with that. I will not hesitate in pulling the trigger if you even think of stopping me right now. Understood?”

It’s a war and we’re fighting amongst ourselves. Yup, we’re doomed.

“Elise, calm down.” Nigel starts.

I pull the pistol from my side so I now have two of the trio at gunpoint. The others follow my lead and they’re pushed together for questioning.

“Why are you looking for me?” I demand.

“To protect you!” Drew answers boldly.

“Yeah?” I ask in disbelief, “Then what’s with the, we’ll come in by force, shit about?”

“That’s him, not us.”

Great. Now they’re turning on each other too.

“We weren’t going to let him get away with it.” Nigel agrees.

“You fucking assholes. You know I am right!” Tom yells at them. “What is the big deal unless I’m the only one here who hasn’t fucked her!”

“Tom, for one you’re never right and two, did you think that up all on your own?” I roll my eyes.

“Can you just tell us what you want?” V asks slowly, cautiously and daring to look over, I’m not sure what is going on with him and Logan right now.

Is he covering his mouth?

“Tom wants Drac. Drac wants Elise. So he came to get her. We came because he said we should try to protect her, and then we get here and he lets it slips, he wants to use to get the vamps attention so he’d get a chance at killing him again.” Wow, Nigel just loves to chat and sell out his brother.

“You wanted to what, kidnap me and use me as bait?” Now I yelled.

“Yes.” Tom answers, not lying.

Despite him being a jerk, something just seems off about him. I can’t pick it though.

“I’m pretty sure last time you lot met him it went really well.” I put my weapons away and shook my head.

“Elise, it sounds bad. We didn’t know until we got here!” Drew blurts out. “He just started mouthing off about his big plans. We wouldn’t actually do that!”

“No, I had every intention of handing you over to him.” Tom keeps digging his own grave.

“You’re an asshole.” I snap back at him. “I believe you Drew, but for now - all three of you stay away from us. If you get a shot at Drac, go for it.”

“I’m going to smash his face in!” Logan hisses at me as I go back to him and its then I realise V is actually holding him back from doing just that. I didn’t imagine him covering his mouth either.

“Don’t. Drac will fuck him up enough as it is.” Just like last time, Tom’s ego is bound to get in the way and this time he can be drained for all I care.

“They’re the Van Helsings?” Penny adds to the moment.

“Yeah?”

“Good thing we’re not Van Helsings.”  She says it with such dignity, and conviction I stop for a second, before letting myself laugh about that.

V releases Logan and ignoring the trio stalking us, we start back towards the Academy. Logan mutters something about what an asshole Tom is, but I don’t care about what Tom thinks of me. I never have because I keep proving him wrong.  He’s an idiot, a power hungry idiot, who, also got fed on by a vampire who can do mind control shit.

“Got a plan?” Logan asks me.

“What do you think?” V answers on my behalf.

I ignore them and turn back. Drew and Nigel stop instantly, with Tom dragging up the rear of the group; sulking. They step out of my way as I charge over to Tom and he is so out of it, he doesn’t even see me until I punch him. He falls and I pin him down with my knees up against his shoulders.

I turn his head to the side and pull down the collar of his shirt, shining the torch over his neck. Okay, so he’s always been an asshole, but this might not all be on him. The bite mark sits between his shoulder and neck, unhealed. It looks like an area of bad acne, pimply and oozing with puss, which kind of makes me want to gag.

“Tom, look at me!” I shine the torch in his eyes and his pupils don’t react at all.

His brown eyes are glazed over, almost like a milky haze covers them. He isn’t fighting me, he isn’t protesting at all. Any other time, I’d expect more of a reaction from him.

“What do you want?” I ask him instead.

“To take the bitch to Dracula. She needs to die. He has to kill her.” Tom isn’t sounding like Tom right now. There is a certain roughness to his voice that borderlines someone who is brainwashed.  Now when he looks at me, I see his eyes light up with recognition. “You!”

He tries to fight me now and I just hit him again. This time his head drops to the side, and he’s passed out. “Drac got to him. He must have given him some of his blood when he was feeding off him for it to happen.”

Again words just pour out of my mouth like I know what I’m talking about.

“You’re kidding?” Nigel asks.

“Yeah. I’m getting in early for Aprils Fools.” I glare at him. “Take him back to my parents house. Maybe tie him down, if all else fails, get Alfie to help.”

“I knew he was acting different!” Drew mutters. “How did we miss this?”

Logan takes my hand and I get up, watching the pair drag their brother away.

“What else do we have to look forward to?” Logan sighs, already sounding defeated.

We keep walking.  It’s hard to sense much, but one feeling isn’t going away and it’s stronger than all the others. I glance at V and he is already looking my way. He can feel it too.

Reaching the oval, it is like last time.

But worse.

Seven foot tall demons with horns protruding from their skull are fighting groups of us. Creatures that look like they’re made of lava shoot hot flames at the vampires on our side and it was like anything that had ever existed decided to come out for this party. We stand with open mouths and useless weapons, speechless as some kind of explosion destroys the left wing of the Academy. None of us react to it.

What do we do?

What can we do?

My parents are here somewhere, Jordan, Chris and Zane too.

Huntington.

We should get used to seeing this. It’s going to be much worse once Huntington is dead and chaos rules. Maybe we should take V up on the offer of driving away and finding somewhere to start over. Apparently I lack self-preservation and I think it just found me. I grip Logan’s hand like it’s the trigger to making this all stop and just stare. Now would be a great time for that hidden wisdom Alistair shared with me to kick into play.

Something moves to my right and I instantly turn. From the darkness, a faint golden light shined bright in a paddock I was all too familiar with sneaking across in a bid to access my endless bar tab.

“There!” I pointed out.

“What is that?” Penny asked.

“The Warlocks! It has to be!” I knew it was.

Damn my grandfather following Cain’s stupid, be cryptic rules. Just tell me what I need to know!

It’s then a blue light joins it and now as we stare stupidly in that direction, we watch as a shape starts to emerge in a rainbow of colours. It’s like a tornado, electric and fully charged. The golden light begins to swell before a storm of it’s own starts to emerge alongside the first one. When they collide, fireworks explode around it.

“If they’re busy fighting magic with magic, maybe we can sneak in and kill them?” I suggest.

“Look at those colours!” V ignores that suggestion. “Witch, fae, wizard, demon; it is all there. So many forces joining together!”

Well that explains the rainbow.

“We can try!” Penny agrees.

Taking a deep breath, we start to run that way instead.

“This is suicide!” Logan argued.

“I like to think of it as living dangerously!” My answer made him groan, but that all stopped when our way became blocked off by something that resembled an ape.

It beat its chest, and roared like a lion only there was no fur, just sleek skin stretched over bulging muscles. Demons were so attractive, and this was just further evidence of that. I didn’t expect Penny to be the first one to start shooting all she had at it, and since that was where the cause of it’s pain was coming from, it went for her.

The creature moved to two feet, the bulk of it charging forward. I don’t ever remember even a glimpse of something that looked like this in any book. Not that it really matters as I focused on it’s knee and the bullets tore away at flesh, which resulted in it falling down on knee. Logan ditched the gun he had, unsheathing the sword he had on his back and slicing upwards, slit its throat.

Penny kept shooting, screaming in a mixture of fear and adrenaline as it died, falling barely inches from her.

“Keep moving!” Logan ordered.

We didn’t need to be told twice.

More things found us. We kept going, discarding our guns as bullets disappeared. At least with knives you could retrieve your weapon and I was vaguely aware of the wetness on my skin as monsters left their mark on us. We moved as a well rehearsed machine, if one of us fell, another was there to help us and when Penny found herself in the company of two Slayers fighting with an Ogre, V and Logan kept me going.

“She’ll be fine. We can’t stop!” Logan assured me.

I looked back to find her slicing away, but I did stop. It wasn’t her I saw, rather Zane as he was thrown backwards. He didn’t move when he got up, not straight away.

“Zane!” Despite everything he heard me, turning his head blood ran down his face from his forehead and he mouthed the words ‘run’.

So where did I run to? Straight to him.

Logan sounded miles away as I went to help him. I’d never moved so efficiently; a warrior in battle, we were made for this and I felt it. Primitive urges had been domesticated over the years to create us and tonight, we all let go. There wasn’t a Treaty right now. There was no discussion or attempt to find reason. Those we were supposed to watch and monitor either fought alongside or against us. My arms felt like they were growing stronger, not weaker with each hit. Any pain only urged me on instead of slowing me down.

I’d cleared a path to Zane; no one came near us too busy with their own battles. I looked back once to find V and Logan fighting together against one of the horned beasts. Standing above him, his side was stained a dark red, almost black and the dagger was deeply embedded. No!

He was hurting. His breathing was reduced to short, sharp gasps and if only he had stayed with us instead of going back early. He was still in sweat pants and sweater, missing his usual commando attire and weapons. Zane hadn’t got back before this started.

“Run! Fuck, get out of here!” He screamed at me.

“Like hell!” A vampire charged, face distorted and fangs out. He was dust the second he came within reaching distance. “Come on, I’m going to get you out of here!”

“No, you need to leave! He’s coming!” Zane closed his eyes, wincing as I tried to lift him.

“What?” I looked up and froze.

I knew it wasn’t real.

It didn’t matter.

His eyes were a brighter blue than I remember them ever being. His hair was cut and styled with familiar precision, but it isn’t him. I wasn’t dreaming now, and I didn’t have to because the vampire was that much of a jerk, he could transform however her wanted. So why was I still frozen?

No one bothers him as he approaches us. The fighting seems to take a step back as embers and smoke are the only things that dare float in his path. His steps are confident, slow and predatory. The almost cocky, yet alluring confidence has been perfected, unlike his attempt at copying Drew where so much was missing.

Zane grabs my leg. “Run!”

“It doesn’t matter where she goes, friend. I will find her.” As familiar as his voice is, it doesn’t put me at ease or offer any kind of comfort and looking at me again, my heart stops. “Two birds my love!”

Two birds?

He launches himself at Zane, twisting the blade further which has him crying out. I find control of myself instantly with my boot coming up and kicking him in the head like I was going for the winning goal. Reece’s head snaps to the side with a crack, but he doesn’t back off from Zane. He only laughs, and I spin around to grab the sword I had dropped to try and lift Zane.

He’s there, lifting it into his hold. “This is rather amusing. Who knew, one form could do so much. Here, we have a man haunted by the loss of his best friend. His comrade. His brother.”

In seconds the blade has Zane pinned to the dirt at his shoulder and his scream is instantly recorded in my memory.  Fake Reece bends down beside Zane and my fingers ache to hold the dagger currently strapped to my waist. My whole arm feels like it is cramping as I try to force myself to grab it. Why can’t I move?

“You did a swell job of watching out for her. I’m back to collect what’s mine now.”

“Run, Elise!” Zane gets out, his head drops back onto the earth and he doesn’t move again.

I can’t even make myself react to that. Inside I’m breaking apart, but I barely flinch. Ailin said the ring would protect me. Why wasn’t it working?

I can move my eyes and looking up, V has an axe going through a woman’s neck. Her black cape falls off her back like feathers from a bird and just like that, I feel like I’ve been taken off a pause button. There is two more, hovering back from us and Ailin said it would stop his magic, not someone else’s. He is always one step ahead!

The dagger has left my waist and I’m set on digging it into that bastards neck, yet in the last second his hand is on my wrist and his strength is incomparable to mine. Instead I find myself with my back against his chest, his arm around my neck and his leg half around mine to keep me in place.

“Want to know the second bird my love?” He asks.

“Fuck. You.”

“Is that an offer for old times sake?” Dracula laughs and we turn away from Zanes body.

Logan is near V, and in that second he looks over at us. I see it all in his face; I don’t need Drac to explain to me. Logan’s fear, like Zane’s involved Reece too. Zane really did care about him and Drac had said it all. He was a comrade, a friend – for Zane they were hard to come by. Reece was like a brother to him and so to fight him as a vampire with the promise of losing everything he now cared about too was Zane’s nightmare.

Dracula made that a reality.

I’d never been able to like Sam because of her past with Logan. She had called him her boyfriend, he had been working for Selene to save her life, while apparently trying to save mine and so Dracula had played on one of my many insecurities. Seeing Zane like that, being unable to help, was another. He could have done that with any of them, but by taking Reece’s appearance he could cause more suffering.

Now Logan had to see me in the arms of Reece.

“Say goodbye to your boyfriend!” He growled, and the rush of hot breath on my neck had my heart skipping a beat.

“NO!” Logan roared as loud as the ape monster and everything moved in slow motion.

I waited for that feeling, that pain and pleasure a vampires bite provided. Mostly it was just pain as muscles tightened only to be torn into; vessels burst and that rush of adrenaline as you feel your life source leave you.

It never came. A faint pinprick, like a needle or mosquito bite, barely registered as his grip loosened and tightened. I felt like I was in an air tunnel as the sudden rush of falling sidewards as we moved roughly; coming apart. The air was knocked my lungs as he desperately grabbed for me, but I wasn’t held by him or his witches now so as we did fall, I fought back with all I had.

Someone grabbed me, tossing my back with care yet urgency as a growling mass pounced on Dracula, real Dracula; no Logan, Drew or Reece to be seen. I looked up to find Paytah staring at me and as Logan dropped down at my side, he snorted, more werewolf than the primitive man I was used to seeing. Sounds of a fight had us all looking up and Paytah sprinted over to join his pack mates as the vampire fought back.

“You okay, talk to me, Elise!” Logan rambled, squatting in front of me; he checked my neck, my face and forced my head up to look at him. “Bunny!”

“I- I’m, Zane!” We stood together and V was already at Zane’s body. “He’s, is he?”

Great. Now I can’t talk.

“He has a pulse, weak, but there. He’s lost a lot of blood.”

 Logan is suddenly fighting with two vampires as they take advantage of us. “Go, get him out of here!”

I can’t leave him on his own. I can’t leave Zane.

“What do I do!” I yell at V.

“Get your demon here!”

I focus on Alfie, calling him and he obliges appearing instantly.

“Take them to the hospital Alfie!” V opens his mouth to protest, but for the first time ever, Alfie does what I want instantly and the three of them disappear.

I pick up the nearest weapon, an axe with the heaviest handle I’ve ever had and start swinging. Penny finds us; so does Jordan. In between hits, I tell him what we need to do. If we stand and keep fighting, things are going to keep taking their place, so on the count of three we start to run.

We head towards the clearing, all-zigzagging around and in between the action. No one chases us; everyone is too distracted. Along the way my Dad see’s us and I’m soon aware of my parents following our lead.

“There is a break in the fence. A tree fell and you an use the trunk as a step!” I call out as I try and tell each of them. Penny is the first over, my parents follow her with Jordan and I’m right behind Logan.

He turns to wait for me and instead starts shouting. “Run!”

What does he think I’m doing?

The second my legs are knocked out from under me, I understand. I throw fists, set on hitting anything and everything.

“Get up, come on, run Bunny!” He encourages.

“Yes, run little rabbit. Run, run!” Dracula sneers.

I get free and hesitate in running to Logan. “Go! Stop them, I’ll be there as soon as I can!”

“What? No! Elise!” Logan screams at me.

Dracula makes the decision for him, that infamous flick of his hand sends Logan flying into the paddock and I drop and roll over to the axe I just dropped.

“So, using other peoples magic. Must make you feel powerful?” I taunt.

Charging at him, he only looks amused. “Does holding that make you feel powerful?”

“You’d be surprised.”

We start to spar, again he produces a weapon out of thin air. Any aches I had disappear and each time I strike it’s with purpose. Just like last time, he can’t keep up a sword fight. He needs to hide behind his tricks and I know when he tries the first one because his smirk disappears. The second time he really frowns and the third he just looks pissed off. Then again, that could be because I just sliced his upper left arm rather deep.

“Something wrong?” I taunt.

“Do you think you’re clever? You can’t stop me!” He challenges.

“I would say in my dreams, but we know how that’s been working out for you!”

He throws me back, hard and I see him concentrating. I barely get to my feet when a blast of wind knocks me back down. All around I see things falling, what ever he just did was supposed to be impressive. I stand up making him snarl and this time when he comes at me, his moves are beyond fast and I don’t doubt he lacks swordfighting skills now.

His blade grazes across my stomach with another mimicking the wound I gave his arm. I’m breathless, struggling to keep up this pace for so long and when I fall this time, he is on top of me. I sense them before he does, and try to control my fear at how close he’s come to biting into me tonight.

“Thank you for making this my favourite victory!”

“You haven’t won yet!” I snap, pushing my head up so collide to his.

Paytah is there in seconds, grabbing the vampire by the neck as his monster form holds Dracula up like he is nothing. He roars in his face and I’m slow to get up. Now I’ve stopped, my body is reacting to the abuse I just put it through. He cut me more than I thought. My arm is throbbing and so is my leg. My shoulder feels like it could be dislocated, and I might even have some broken ribs. I need Alfie and if only this was some kind of game where I could pick up a medic pack and be back to full health, I’d be set.

Some how Dracula gets himself free, and in the process two other werewolves end up dead around me. Every time I try and help, Dracula sends me flying and he isn’t even using his magic. He is just that strong.

When Paytah goes down and doesn’t get back up, Dracula is back. Each zap from the magic battle has the air shuddering with the power beside us. Screams and all kinds of noise act as a soundtrack to the warfare and soon all I can hear is the clang of metal on metal as every inch of willpower I have goes into keeping me moving.

I’ve nearly beaten him before.

I killed him in my dream.

It’s time for me to end this, end him.

I trip over something, a body and I quick look around proves we are surrounded. It’s like everyone has kept away from us, giving us this space to fight our own private battle and I can see the Academy still burning bright from the earlier explosion. The demons seem less, we’re putting up a good fight, but all of it is pointless if we don’t stop the Warlocks.

I can’t get up as Dracula kicks in me in the stomach. All I can taste is my blood and pain pulses through my body in the same erratic pattern as my heart beat.

“Nice try Hunter. You found the mutts to help you, and I must admit, you put up the good fight.”

He kicks me again, and I’m left with handfuls of grass as I try to grip onto something, anything to either throw at him or to hold onto so I can’t be kicked around anymore.

“If only you had taken the chance to join us when you had it. The fun we could have had!” He comes closer, rolling me over so I’m on my back and I can barely focus on his blood smeared face. I hurt him. I know I did.  “Your friends will die soon. I will personally kill your family, starting with your Mother. She is only a Halfling; she won’t taste as good as you.  I’ll enjoy seeing your Father on his knees begging for his life; I don’t expect that courage from your brother. Is he jealous of you?”

I can’t answer, and I think V was wrong. The feeling is back and for something so bad, it’s telling me it’s okay. I really do think it’s death and this time, I won’t escape him.

Dracula’s thumb rubs against my lip, and I can see my blood on his finger. He sucks on it, moaning as he clearly likes what ever it is he tastes. “You’re better than I imagined. This hunger, this need to consume you will finally be sated.”

No.

The only thing I can feel around me is a stick, but stakes are wooden and I can’t go like this.

Fight.

I’ve been used as a punching bag, thrown around like human pillow and I find the energy to keep going. The stick is suddenly sticking out of his arm, the cut not yet sealed and I twist it in deeper like he did to Zane with the dagger. Just thinking about Zane makes me try harder. Dracula gasps in pain, pulling back to yank it out. I don’t know how, but I stand up.

I stumble to where I see something glinting in the grass and nearly cry as I see a sword. It’s not as heavy as that axe, and I hold it with both hands, shaking slightly as even my body has no idea how it is doing this.

“You really are hard to kill aren’t you? Your reputation doesn’t disappoint!”

He strides forward and I raise my arms slightly. He is expecting it, but instead I drop quickly and push forward, even if that has me falling practically on top of him. It doesn’t matter, because I got him.

“Glad to hear it!” I mutter, forcing the blade up as he grips my hands.

I can’t hold it and let go. He backhands me across the face and I fall, not sure if I will get up this time. Death is here. The presence is no longer a feeling, a shadow in my mind. It’s stronger now, it’s everywhere, feeding off the destruction this afternoon or maybe it is night now, has produced.

“That’s it? That’s all you have left Hunter?” Dracula pushes back my hair, exposing my neck to him.

“No.” I tell him, spitting in his face, “Go to. Hell. Asshole!”

He only laughs. “Are you planning on sending me there, Hunter?”

A shadow falls over us, and I know this is most definitely the end. I look up, struggling to breath as my vision gets blurry and expect to the see The Reaper only it’s not him standing there.

“If she’s not. I am.”

Dracula is off me as if I am made of fire, his face set in a perfect mask of fear and disbelief as his jaw drops.  His words come out as barely a whisper and we speak in perfect unison as we look at the man before us.

“Cain? It can't be!”

“Darius?”

That very, very familiar face looks down at me with an even more familiar mischievous grin appearing. It doesn’t last long, quickly shifting to concern, as he looks me over.

“Hello Hunter.”

- - - -

Not as dramatic as I was trying for, but ta-da! I know some of you guessed it, so well done ;)