No Cain, next chapter. Sorry! I keep changing how I want him introduced....

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So many things in life are taken for granted. V was right when he told me that back in the Kasha world. It was a place he had been able to enjoy things I didn't really give much thought about, but he did like daylight and watching the sun rise. Despite him sharing his wisdom, I took my time there for granted, as well as a lot of other stuff in my life. Food being one of those things; fresh air and having my friends and family around to argue with me, which was their own way of showing me they cared a close second and third. If only Jordan woke me up now and said let's get out here; trust my gut instinct. I will follow him to the end of the earth if he appeared and said that to me. 

Thing is, he isn't here now.

No one is.

I know I'm underground. The air is stale, thick and everything smells like dirt. To actually take a full breath is a luxury and I'm left laying here, thinking of everyone and everything I had been taken away from. I want to move and explore, try and find a way out, but I don't know if I can afford to do that. If I didn't have so much room around me, I'd almost think I was in a coffin. 

'Don't panic!' I repeat over and over, my eyes searching the darkness for a clue on how to get out.

I lift my arms and there isn't anything above me. Reaching to the sides, there definitely nothing around.  I let my leg hang off the side of what I'm guessing is a bed and dare to touch the ground with my hand as I roll onto my side. Sand; hard compacted dirt.

That's a start.

Standing, I wait for an alarm to sound, for something to attack me from the darkness - nothing happens. I decide to crawl, carefully reaching in front of me until I hit the rougher, harder structure that makes a wall. It's brick of some kind and I slowly stand, feeling around as I start to follow it. Eight steps to the left, I find a corner. From there, twenty-two steps has me at another one. So far, no door.

Walking around the room, slowly and carefully, I have an idea of the space I am in. The bed doesn't move and even jumping up from it, I don't feel a roof. My chest starts to get tighter, fear of the unknown and of all the horrible possibilities of where or what I could be in, gain more control of my mind.

'Don't panic!'

I rarely listen to other people and right now, I'm not even listening to myself as don't panic, turns into 'stop panicking!'. My sense of time is non-existent and going back to the bed, I sit on the floor trying to calm myself down. I idly start to draw circles on the floor, not sure why. The hardness isn't like how it is over in the corners and rather than use my finger, I use my whole hand and start to wipe at it as if I'm cleaning. Sand, gives way to wood, which then has me starting to dig at it. The floor under the bed isn't like the rest of the room and as I find the little metal circle, I don't think as I pull at it.

The wood is some kind of door and it slides open. Not thinking, I go down feet first, pulling it shut over my head. Somehow, I just know this is the right way to go, that the circles I had been drawing were some kind of clue. It doesn't make sense, but now isn't the time to dwell on it. The narrow, old and broken staircase takes me lower, and on the last step, the air gets cold, yet fresher. I can breath easy again.

Despite being completely blind as it is, I close my eyes and the faintest whisper of a breeze drags across my face, left to right, so I go in the direction of the source. I'm going to be more of a team player after this. I'm not going to be impulsive or stubborn, well, I'll try not being as impulsive or stubborn, so I may try and avoid things like this happening again. I might also talk to one of the light fae or maybe even Hazel, and see about a cleanse or a good luck charm. I don't remember breaking any mirrors, but my luck seems to be wearing thin lately.

Then again, I'm not dead.

Yet.

The tunnel, from what I'm imagining is something like an old mine shaft. There are wooden beams spaced along the passage and the urge to call out is tempting. As if reading my mind, a scream does echo down the corridor and I instantly stop, pressing myself against the wall. Again someone screams, the agony and pain in it, literally makes it feel as though my heart stops for a second as the sound fills me.

It doesn't stop. Again and again, long horrible cries keep sounding out and so I use it as a guide as I start to move faster. The noise gets louder, clearer and I realise it has to be coming from a guy. As I follow a curve in the path, another section branches off. Instead of darkness, there is a faint orange light and so I go that way.

I step in a puddle, and the further I go, the more wet it has become. My t-shirt gets pulled up over my nose as the damp, mouldy stench worsens and if not for the fact the light is becoming brighter, I would've turned around. Turns out, there is another staircase and peering upwards it's more like an elevator shaft - minus the actual elevator. The thin, tiny metal steps against the wall are the only way up, and so I try to keep silent as I climb up.

I don't get far before I find the source of the light and the screams. It's barely an inch wide gap that I have to see through below the metal door. There isn't a bed in this room, there also isn't any dirt. The room looks like something you'd see in a castle with old grey bricks and flame torches as lights. The chains on the walls look heavy and unbreakable, and the man being contained within their hold wasn't one I expected to see.

Vaaron.

Instantly I'm overwhelmed with the warning of vampires taking over my body and as I watch, a man steps forward from out of my line of sight and a rather heavy looking sword is thrust into V's stomach. Again he cries out, his beaten body had clearly been getting tortured long before my arrival.

"Enough. The boss wants him alive to witness her death." A woman commands.

"It's fucken sick how they all get on, working together over something that only exists to repress us. Let the humans see how they like living by our rules as we have been forced to live by theirs!" The man removes the sword, earning a grunt from V. "You chose the wrong side!"

V merely spits at him, earning another punch to the head. There must be another way out in there as their steps and voices drift away.

"Keep climbing, get out." V gasps in between raspy breaths.

He knows I'm here. Did the other two?

I force myself to keep climbing, but only make it a couple of steps up when I see the vent opening. It comes away surprisingly easy, and I manage to climb into the air shaft with a few bangs. I wait to see if there is any other activity and since V is the only vampire I sense now, I take my chances and go in. The  elevator door is sealed shut, with two heavy planks of wood nailed against the metal door. A doorway opens into a set of stairs and apart from that, there is a table in the corner with various tools and weapons spread out. Most are bloody, and it's obvious what ones have been recently used.

"Get. Out."

"Too late for that!" I answer V, and grab a couple of the little metal things that look like they'd be use in a hospital theatre. 

They might do well when operating, but they even better for picking locks too. V doesn't argue or protest as I get him unchained. Instantly he is slumping to the ground now he isn't being held up.

"Your. Waste, wasting time. Leave." He barely manages to lick his lips as his eyes stay closed and he doesn't move. 

"We called truce remember, I'm going to help you get out of here too!" I just don't know how.

"Pointless. It's daylight."

"Oh." Well that gives me some indication of the time. Kind of.

"Can't, stop, want-ing, your blood." He wheezes, as one hand manages to grab my ankle.

He is weak, yet clearly hungry. I can't do much for him, not now, the only option I have is getting out and bringing back help.

"I get it, I'm going to get help. I will come back for you, I promise."

I grab one of the swords and tuck a few of the sharp, pointy things into my pocket. With a final look, I start up the stairs wondering why it seems I'm always saving his life, when he is trying to end mine.

I'm not like other Hunters because I am fucking stupid. 

The stairs empty out into another corridor, which is completely modern compared to the dungeon set up below. Thankfully, no one is around and creeping down towards the window, I look out to see nothing but ocean. Looking down, the cliff this place is built on kind of seems familiar and as I start to move around the house, well mansion, I realise it's the place V had disappeared into when I had been left on the boat.

Knowing Danielle's people had been the ones to check this place out after that, the fact this was clearly a base point for them must have been one of the other bits of information she had edited in her reports. If I get out of this, I'm going to beg Ron to give me five minutes alone with her and I bet she really won't be impressed with my attitude then.

The skin in tingling with vampires and yet the level I'm on turns up void of any. The windows are all covered in thick drapes, so for the time being, I open each one I pass. If anyone was going to go down to V to do anything else to him before sunset, they were in for a nasty surprise. It also gave me somewhere safe to run back to and as I found what looked to be the main entrance, I was about to test that theory as two guards saw me.

Instantly I turned and ran, the screams I was expecting from them hitting the sun not coming. Turning, they had their guns raised and ready, completely unharmed. They weren't vampire, but I wasn't getting any kind of feelings off them.

"Drop the sword, hands up behind your head!" The freckled face woman yelled.

I obliged, moving slowly, the sword was dropped and I grabbed a couple of the sharp instruments from my pocket as my hands went behind my head.

"What are you?" I asked fearfully.

"Human? What the fuck are you?" Her companion snapped, and I knew these two weren't the ones from earlier. The whole not vampires thing gave that away.

"Human, please, help me! I was kidnapped, you're not going to believe me when I tell you there are vampires here!" I let my bottom lip wobble and didn't hold back any of the hysteria in my tone.

"What?" The man asked, shocked. "You don't know about vampires?"

"She is faking it!" The woman yelled at him. "The boss got her in this morning. Thats the H-"

Before she could finish, I threw the tiny knife at her; aiming towards her neck. The fact it actually hit her, and in the eye was an added bonus as her shrill scream had the guy completely distracted. I guess my luck wasn't that crap and charging, his attempt at stopping my attack proved futile. They weren't well trained and shock had the female passing out. Well that, or the punch I threw at her head. It wasn't a proud moment for me, beating up humans, but they were the enemy right now and what I was about to do, was even worse.

After removing all their weapons, and loading myself up, I dragged them down the stairs where V was. Leaving them with him kind of went against the whole, protect humans from vampires code of ethics. Right now, he was my only ally and what's to say, I hadn't killed them before he got hold of their bodies?

I felt more confident now I had some actual weapons and oddly, the commotion hadn't left me to face an entry full of guards. Going to the front door, I noticed the alarm panel on the wall beside it. ARMED was highlighted on the screen and I didn't want to know what would happen if I set it off by opening the door.   The next room I found was a library and sitting room which happened to have a phone on a small table by the lounge. Carefully lifting up the reciever, I checked for a dial tone.

Lady luck must really love me as instead I was able to listen in on someones conversation. Apparently tonight Dracula's display was the test run of how it would all go tomorrow night at the Academy. Specific details about that weren't mentioned, but once he was done with me, that's where they were headed. They had a helicopter arriving at eleven tonight to move Dracula, since he didn't want to use the portal the coven were setting up for everyone else to use.

What ever they were looking for now, had been confirmed at the Academy. The second he was off the phone, that was where I called.

"Huntington Academy. This is Mr. Smith speaking." Frank answered rather professionally.

"There is an attack planned for tomorrow night by Dracula!" I told him quickly, not sure if anyone was listening or how much time I had. 

"Who is this? How do you know?" He demanded, not hiding the suspicion in his tone.

"Because Mr. Smith, I'm your favourite student and am currently being held captive by the vampire. Tell my parents I'm fine and everyone needs to go to you guys!"

I hung up, hoping that was enough. It made sense Drac would go there. If the treaty was destroyed, what better way to make sure it stayed that way by removing future generations of us? And there wasn't just Huntingtons to consider, but all the Academies all over the world. I wasn't sure what else they could be after that would be there, and at least this way, they might have a chance at getting a better defence in place.

"Nicky reckons he won't change us, that we'll be killed once he's finished using us to guard him during the day." The male voice was much to close my my liking and foolishly, I ducked down behind the sofa as two people walked in.

"She's just paranoid because he wouldn't fuck her, and those, I dunno, Demon Hunters got in her head. He probably will kill her, I would. She does my head in!" The second guy whinged.

"Well, at least her shift is over now and we have the afternoon free of her." The first guy sighed.

"Once we're vampires, I'm gonna kill her. It won't matter then!" The pair laughed and left the room.

I'd never been happier to be dealing with normal, civilian guards. They didn't have the abilities that I do and that including sensing when someone was hiding in the room like I just was. Had they been one of my kind or vampire, I probably would have been caught, killed or made such a scene more would have come along.

Daring to look up, they'd left two piles of books on the other chair and looking over at them, they were all about magic. The fact they looked older than anything else I'd ever seen in book form didn't make me feel any better at all.

Going back out into the passage, I shadowed the duo as they kept talking about the girl called Nicky, that they hated so much. I guess they'd be glad to learn she was dead then and as they went to check on the prisoner, aka V, I didn't feel bad they would be joining her soon.

I kept going through the house, killing a couple more guards and any vampires I came across in the process. None of them could, or would tell me anything useful either. The human guards kept going on about being on the winning team, wanting to be vampires and even went as far as trying to stop me only for the reason they'd get in Drac's good books. All of them had been willing blood donors for the vamp too, and I had no time for dealing with that crap.

After killing a room full of sleeping vampires, I found the kitchen. Thanks to human guards, there was a good selection of food and from there I found a way outside. At least I thought I had, until two leopard shifters and a pack of wolf ones appeared in the yard. Even if I had fired every bullet I had at them, I was outnumbered and would have been taken down. It seems the supernatural world were split about keeping and destroying the treaty too judging by the aid they were offering too. They didn't approach, simply watched me closely from the fence line and with no other option, I went back inside.

This was getting me no where and after checking all of the other levels, Dracula wasn't here. I ended up going back to V, instantly on guard as some of the curtains had been closed again. He was missing from the room he had been in too, and coming back up, he was waiting in the corridor looking much, much better. He'd even cleaned himself up, and I hated to think how many guards were now drained for him to be so improved within a couple of hours.

"So, you've yet to follow my advice, again, and leave?" He greeted, unimpressed.

As I watched, the cut on his cheek began to close, transforming into a red line that looked days old, not hours.

"There are more shifters out there than what can fit in a zoo and I've pretty much cleaned out this place of all other threats."

"Killing vampires while they sleep, very honourable." 

"Fuck honourable!" I try to remember why he was still alive too.

"I am once again in your debt Hunter. How did you find me?"

"I was in another room, and got into the tunnels. Finding you wasn't on purpose!"

He nods, looking thoughtful for a moment. "You're lucky you didn't come across anything else down there. I couldn't believe it when I felt you nearby; it's a good thing the others were too distracted to notice you as well!"

"Anything else?" What was that suppose to mean?

"Dracula mostly. I wonder if he planned it this way or just didn't expect you to get out?"

"He could be down there?" 

Well there goes that idea of escaping.

"Since he has the ability to shift into certain animals too, he is at his weakest in human form. He often sleeps down there disguised as bats and while it will slow him down should he be attacked, he can fly into the daylight and as long as he isn't exposed for too long, he is safe in his animal disguise!"

"Shit. I wonder if he did that to get away from Paytah?" I think out loud.

"He met the werewolves?" V sounds surprised at this.

"Yeah, Logan, Jordan and I left Drac and Paytah fighting, when he suddenly appeared, grabbed me and before I can even process it, I'm in a cage in a truck and got knocked out. How did you get here?"

"I was in the cage beside you. I was separated from the others in the forest and set upon. He knows I am not working for him now, and may have found out what other acts of sabotage I was a part of." V admitted like it was some kind of secret.

"Obviously." I answer sarcastically, hating what I'm about say next. "So, what do we do now. We're kind of stuck here."

"Simple really, my darling girl. We wait!" V shrugs, while I glare at him.

"Stop calling me that!"

He says nothing, carefully moving towards the library, avoiding any patches of sunlight, and I know it's going to be long afternoon together. Maybe we can get out of this alive if we don't end up killing each other first.

-x-

I awake just before sunset and V and I have ourselves in a good position considering everything. I quickly called my parents and Frank had been in contact. Ron was sending additional support for the academy, including them, Jordan, Chris and Zane. Apparently Logan and the Van Helsings had two Kasha, Sonia and some demon I didn't understand the name of trying to find me. While I decided during my time in the dark to stop being so stubborn, I refused to tell them where I was since they were unable to locate me with magic. 

I had to trust V wouldn't turn against me, because right now he was all I had and I wasn't prepared to put the others in Dracula's firing line. So for that reason, I called Drew.

"Yes?" He answered suspiciously.

"Drew, it's Elise."

"Where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I didn't want to say I wasn't about what would happen after the sun went down. "You guys should go to the Academy too. Something Drac wants is there, and what ever it is, he can't have it!"

"They've got more of our kind going there than anywhere else at the moment. They're good, we're here to help you!"

"I got V. I don't need it, thank you, but this is more than me!" I argued.

"You're trusting that vamp? Are-" Drew disappeared and I didn't have to guess why.

"Tell us where the fuck you are. No playing!" Logan yelled.

"No."

"Don't be so fucking stubborn!"

"I can't help it. Loges, we saw him fighting with us, we saw him fight against Paytah. I'm not going to watch you die, because I know he will use you, all of you against me if you come here! I can't deal with that shit again, so stay safe and stay away!" I demand.

I ignore the look from V, who is sitting there listening in like it's talk back radio.

"Elise! Bunny, you're-"

"I know." I answer sadly, not needing to hear what ever he has to say. It's only going to hurt more.

"You're impossible!" He yells frustrated.

"It's why you love me, right?"

"I have no fucking idea why I love you, especially when you pull shit like this. Just tell me where you are!"

"Put Drew on."I answer calmly.

"What? No!"

 "Do it, or I hang up now." I want to say more, but if I make this goodbye, it could be.

"Elise?" Drew asks.

"You're the smartest person there. Take emotion out of it and go to the Academy because you know that's what the right thing to do is. I'm going to get out of here, and meet you there!"

"You sound so sure of it." He tells me dryly, before lowering his voice. "You're killing him Elise, I know you want to keep us safe, but we want to do the same for you."

"I know." I hang up.

I just can't bring myself to let them try and help. It's selfish, but if they come and, die, I can't deal with that. I'm not that strong and I'd regret it for ever.

"Harsh." V is quick to pounce.

"Don't." I warn.

"It had to be done. You're right, they'd either get here too late and find your corpse or arrive in time for our pal to enjoy watching you suffer while he destroys them!" He sighs.

"You don't think we'll get out here do you?" I don't know if I want to hear his answer.

"I don't know if you want to."

"What?"

 "You'll die fighting him, and you'll be okay with that because as long as you kept your family safe, you did the right thing. You don't look beyond that. Keep your family safe, and then go home to them. You don't look into the future, you live in the moment." He moved to the window and looked out, just as the last fragment of the sun went down. "How do you think I convinced you so easily to close the portal last time. You didn't think about the fact you'd die. You just wanted to save everyone; you lack self preservation."

"I don't see what is wrong with that? You'd let your loved ones die?"

"In the first case of any emergency, you make sure you're okay before helping others. What good are you if you die? Dracula isn't working alone, there are others - who do you think bought him back? So you die trying to kill him, say you manage to actually do it too. What good is that if the Academy is still attacked, if the Tracker is there with your parents and they die there? Can you deal with that?"

I don't know what to say.

"Keeping people away isn't always the best way to keep them safe. In our line of work, we don't get to be safe."

"Our line of work?" Did V just refer to himself as the Slayer he used to be?

"Your, line of work." He corrects.

"You can turn the Slayer into a vamp, but you can't take the slay-"

"Don't tease me Hunter. You might find yourself suddenly alone in this battle!" V threatens, "Don't forget all I have done while being a vampire. Where was the Slayer then?"

"True, but I've been seeing more Slayer than vampire lately. You're deal with Ailin and Ron, all the little bits of good you have been doing. That all counts for something."

"I hate you." He snaps, but it lacks conviction.

"The feeling is mutual." I can't stop myself from smiling at him, and after a few seconds, the tiniest curve of his lips tell me enough.

I call Logan and tell him where we are.

-x-

The sun has been down for an hour and the dark house seems to take on a life of it's own. The wind has the windows howling, the walls creak and groan and nothing living, or well, dead, moves. I'm getting restless and V is reading one of the magic books. It's in a language I don't know, then again I don't much much about other languages either and consider re-doing some of the classes at the Academy once this is over. 

The second V slams the book the shut, I jump, not expecting it and he rushes over to the window.

"Company has arrived."

Sure enough, a faint blue light rolls through the forest as well as the odd blast from guns being fired.

"He knew. He was waiting for them!" The sense of dread that fills my stomach has me close to throwing up and trying to open the window isn't happening. So grabbing one of the small tables, I smash it instead. "Go back!" 

My voice carries across the yard, yet I'm not sure if anyone actually hears me as the echo of the shots hits us. Surprising me further, or safe hold in the library is now void as V leaps out of the broken window. We had already split up the weapons taken from the guards, and grabbing my gun, I follow him.

"Stay close!" He commands, and I follow his instruction.

We've barely gone twenty meters when the screeching cries of bats sounds from above us and the mob descend in front of us. Just as I think they're about to slam into the ground, they take formation instead a grinning Dracula stands before us.

"Evening." He greets simply.

I start shooting.

He stumbles backwards as the bullets tear him apart and as the round finishes, his laughter takes place of the gun shots.

"Did I forget to mention the part where that's not going to work?" V mumbles, grabbing my arm, we start to run around him.

It didn't kill him, but it did slow him down. The second we hit the tree line, a large brown bear greets up by standing up at roaring. V doesn't hesitate in shooting it, and the shifter isn't as immune to the bullets at Dracula.

More gunfire starts to our left, and as something crawls above us in the trees,  catch sight of a tail and spots. Leopard.

V and I get separated as three wolves lunge at him and that's when the giant cat corners me. It hisses, the moaning rumble soon follows all in an attempt at intimidating me.

"Here, kitty kitty!" I tease, making a kissing sound.

With a snarling roar it comes forward, and the second the bullet makes contact, it falls mid leap and returns to the human it used to be.

"Toyo!" I yell, seeing the woman approaching.

"Hunter, come!" She urges, and as she transforms into her demon form, we're all thrown to the ground, blinded by the bright orange light that exploded around us.

My ears are ringing as I try to force myself up, and normally when there is an explosion, you'd smell the burning that follows. There wasn't anything, but the air still tingled, which meant magic had been bought into the equation.

Great.

My arms and legs are grabbed roughly and the gun is pulled free of my hold. Kicking out, I start to wiggle, yet who ever has me is stronger. Branches and shrubs, pull at my clothing as I'm not moved with much care. Considering I know my foot just hit someone's groin, I don't blame them.

The yard I'd just shot Dracula in is suddenly teaming with life. An assortment of shifters and vamps have formed some kind of circle around the head vamp and I'm thrown to his feet. I move to get up, yet he is suddenly there, and grabbing my chin, he forces me to look at him.

"Tell me, how did you get out of your room?"

 "What can I say, it's a talent I have."

"So I have heard Hunter. Let's see how you get yourself out of this one then shall we?" He dares to smile, before standing. "Bring them!"

I turn, frozen as my nightmare is played out in front of me. They're all caught and Nigel is unconcious as the vampire throws him down. Sonia was supposed to be with them, Toyo is missing too. That gives me some kind of hope, and V isn't here either. 

It's then Logan manages to get his arm free, and his elbow collides with the shifters chin. As he stumbles, Logan throws another hit and getting the handgun from his back, he shoots him in the chest before doing the same to the one holding Drew.

I snap out of it, grabbing the pocket knife from my pocket and open it up. The second I stand, Drac grabs my hair and pulls me towards him, which I allow. I go to kick him, knowing he'd block it and as he does, the small, yet sharp blade goes into his neck. He lets my hair go and his hands go to the wound. I go to attack again, yet even with one hand, he manages to stop me. He doesn't block my kick this time though, and as he falls to the grass, the vampires come charging over.

We're all fighting now and as my back hits someone, I nearly punch Tom.

"How many more are in the house?" He shouts at me.

"There wasn't any, I'd already cleared them out! I don't know where these ones have come from!"

"Good, Sonia and some of her coven are protecting us now. They have a shield up to stop any outsiders coming!"

Good to know.

Tom stops a wolf from biting my leg and I get given a small pistol. It probably wouldn't hurt a rabbit, but when pressed against skin - it's going to hurt. A black blur wipes out two more wolves and it takes me a second to realise it has to be Toyo or another Kasha and as I get pinned down by one of the strongest vamps I've encountered, apart from Drac, the man who kills it is one I'm already familiar with.

"You!" I gasp, accepting his hand as he helps me up. 

"Hunter!" He smiles, still managing to ooze all the charm a Incubus can.

The black wings that suddenly emerge from his back startle me, until he steps aside and the fallen angel is there fighting with another vampire. She looks me in surprise, before frowning and glancing up at her boyfriend. At least I presume they're back together considering where we are, what we're doing and the fact they're now pashing on like it's their first date.

Maybe it is.

"Ah guys?" I call out, staking a vampire who rushes at our trio. 

Gason steps forward and with his eyes glowing a bright yellow, the duo act like they've just seen the sun and instantly disintegrate.

"Nice trick!" I pat him on the back as he winks, and the pair run off to help Tom.

Every time I try and get back to Dracula, I'm stopped and by the time I do, he is gone. Tom and Drew and now with Nigel, trying to wake him up while Logan finishes the couple of mutts he was fighting with. Toyo is still, spread out beside three dead shifters and I still haven't seen V since we hit the trees. Did he abandon us after all?

I know Drac is still here, and for the moment, we seem to have survived this battle. Checking Toyo, her pulse is faint and her thighs and stomach area are stained with a deep red blood. "We can take her to get help. Will you be okay now?"

The fallen angel gently touched my shoulder and I only glared at her, remembering our last encounter. Her Incubus boyfriend nodded, "We're on your side. I told you before to stop the vampires, this is us proving our allegiance to the treaty."

"They're legit Ellie, let them take her." Drew confirms, coming over.

I nod, wiping away a few tears as the trio disappear in a ball of white, golden light.

"You're okay?" Logan grabs me from behind, and I turn to hold him.

"Yeah, are we all good?" I ask, looking around the small group.

"I feel hungover, but would kill for a drink!" Nigel answers, groaning as he holds his head. 

Blood runs down the side of his face and looking at all of us, we're not looking much better. My arm stings from a wolf bite, I have a scratch on my leg from one of the stupid cats and I feel like I've been thrown around a washing machine. We all do.

"Where is V?" I ask, still not seeing him.

"I haven't seen him." Drew answers.

Sam comes rushing over the fence with Sonia and I did not expect to see her, ever. I can't stop myself getting tense. Despite everything, seeing her, takes me back to high school drama mode and don't stop myself from glaring at her.

"She wanted to come and help you, be nice!" Logan whispers, and I know I should be.

"We don't have long until the wall comes down. The witches are using dark magic and are too strong for the fae to keep it up!" She tells us breathlessly.

"Paytah is out there too, if Drac goes to leave, he'll have to face off with all of them." Drew seems to think out loud, "Where did he go?"

The question is answered by a loud bang inside the house, followed by smashing glass.

"Inside?" I answer, and we grab what we can to defend ourselves as we run in.

Instantly we take formation, sticking to the walls and I lead the way through the house until we find V and Drac in a slam down. That stupid vampire just won't die and V is doing what he can against someone much more powerful than him. It only takes a few seconds of watching to know it's not going to go in his favour.

Something changes in the air then. It's like I'm back in the tunnels as it seems to get so thick and heavy around that you could actually cut into it. I look back at Logan and see the worry in his face and as everything goes back to normal, I guess Sam's warning about the barrier being taken out was spot on as we all know that just happened.

V manages to get Drac on his back, his fist going in over drive as he hits him again and again, but it's not enough as with a roar like grunt of effort, he is kicked off and thrown across the room. Standing Dracula cracks his neck and I point at him and then to the corner. We all start to move, circling the room so as Drac looks around, he is surrounded.

"I will kill you last." He points at me.

"You're first on my list," I smile, boldly charging forward.

It's then Logan and Tom move forward to and as I'm thrown back, Logan is kicked hard and sent in Drew's direction. Dracula stops, blocking Tom's attack as he looks more amused than anything.

"You do your ancestors a disgrace!" He taunted, making Tom angrier. "You can not kill me!"

"It's been done before!" Tom snapped back, groaning as Dracula knocking him hard in the ribs.

In seconds he was against the wall and since I was the closest, it my sword that went to Dracula's head as I attempted to behead him. It didn't work, the asshole managed to duck and turn quick enough so that he caught my wrist. 

"I said, I would kill you last. Stop trying to make me change my mind!" He twisted my arm, and I felt the pop of my elbow. 

Any chance I had of staying strong left as a burning pain took over my arm and with a wave of his hand, I don't remember how I actually ended up against the opposite wall, but I got my wits about me in time to see everyone else meet the same fate of flying across the room. Worse than that, I looked back in the direction just as Dracula bit into Tom's neck.

"No!" Drew screamed, the fear in his shout instantly had goosebumps breaking out all over me.

My injury forgotten, I used to wall to help me stand and as I stepped forward to do, anything, Logan's arm came around my waist to stop me.

Nigel moved with an agility Drew didn't have, and I remembered what Zane said about Drew not being a great fighter. V managed to come over to Logan and I, taking his place so Logan could go over there too while I was kept back.

Sam was the only one with a gun, and her two shots that went towards Drac never made it as the bullets lost their momentum midair. Tom was dropped as Drac turned in time to throw Drew back and Nigels axe became firmly implanted into the vampires chest before he pulled it out and went for the head.

The vampire vanished, the raven that took his place flew up to the highest peak of the roof before leaving the room. Nigel, Logan and Sam ran after it while V let me go and I went to Drew, cradling my arm as best I could, the pain left me as I was too focused on what was going on instead.

His neck was bleeding, yet he hadn't been drained. It was a bad bite and Drew tore the bottom of his shirt to try and compress the wound. Tom didn't open his eyes or make any sound at all. It was then Sonia appeared, looking completely exhausted.

"Can you help?" I half asked, half demanded.

Closing her eyes, another two fae instantly joined her. "If we take him to the hospital, the rest of you are not going to have a way out of this!"

Her fear was obvious and the question didn't need to be asked. One life in exchange for the rest of us. Logan, Sam and Nigel came over then, and meeting Logan's gaze, he nodded.

"Can you take the three of them?" I ask.

Drew turned to me, almost angrily. "I will stay."

"No, you won't. Go with your brothers."

He was torn, I could tell and the trio of fae spoke quietly before coming back to me. "We can try, it might be too hard to take all of them."

"Then try."

Nigel protested, so did Drew, yet the fae joined hands and the argument ended as they all vanished.

"Now what?" V slumped against the wall where Tom had just been.

"Now, we wait until eleven and take their helicopter." I decide, "Does anyone know how to fly?"

"I do!" Sam volunteered.

"Good. What is the time?"

Logan looks at his wrist. "Ah, five to."

I close my eyes, trying to focus on my breathing as my arm continues to burn with a throbbing ache.

"You should have left Drew here and gone instead." Logan takes off his jacket and carefully puts my arm in a sling. It hurts even more until even inch of willpower is used to deal with it.

"It's fine. Thanks."

"Everyone's gone." V comes back over from the front door, just as the thudding of the helicopter blades destroys the silence

"Gone?" Sam repeats.

"When Drac left, they all must have taken off." Logan picks up the axe Drew had used and while it's useless, Sam picks up the gun she had thrown away too.

"What about the werewolves, is Paytah out there?" I ask.

"Maybe, they have their own ways of getting around. Don't worry about them!" Logan tells me.

The helicopter is close, if it hasn't already landed and we all run out side where it has landed in the yard. Logan and V go first, and as the body of the vampire pilot is reduced to ash, Sam and I go over to it.

V sits up front with Sam, and Logan straps me in the back seat before doing the same for himself. After a wobbly start, Sam gets us airborne and Logan calls Ron who tells her where to go. Its not long until I've fallen asleep beside Logan, feeling safer than I have for a while now and it's ironic that's the case because it's not long until the nightmares start.

 Then again, maybe that's what I needed because no matter what Dracula forces me to relive or has me suffering through, I manage to keep sane. It's not that I don't care about what happened before, or that seeing my friends and family die doesn't bother me, it's just that I know it's not real. He's done it all before and playing on my fears, is no longer working in his favour. I'm tired of his games; of the places that held me back and instead I make my message clear to him.

I am not like the other Hunters, or even the Slayers and Trackers. I don't want to be and sure I may not make the best choices, I may be stubborn and a little reckless. That's okay, because it's just who I am.  I have friends; loyal and all survivors just like me. My family has a reputation for a reason and I am proud to follow in their footsteps, but just in my own way.

Dracula should be the one afraid, because now I'm coming for him and where I fail, someone else will be there to take my place. It's what we do. It's what we've always done.

He will not win.