A/N: I changed the ending of the last entry slightly... some may not have seen it since I edited. Nothing major... but just FYI :)

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The white board marker was dead. Going over the one word five times left nothing more than a smudgy mess where a P was supposed to be. Giving up, I went back to the desk and started to go through all the drawers in search of another one, while Alfie watched on with his head resting one of the tables opposite me. Finally I found a red one that was brand new, and the first line I drew made a loud squeak against the board. Instantly he was peering over my shoulder to see what I was doing and every time there was another, he jumped slightly.

"Project let there be peace?" Logan read out as he came into the classroom. "Do I want to know what this is about?"

"Please take a seat Mr. Murphy. All we be revealed soon enough!" I instructed in my best 'teacher' voice. With a shake of his head, he did as I asked and sat beside his fae friend Sonia.

"Should I have brought along pens and paper too?"

"Probably." I answered, finishing up my diagram of stick figures.

The Van Helsings and Sam came in next, and soon enough I sent Alfie to find Zane; who also came with Penny. V arrived with Toyo and Paytah while Mum and Dad were last to come in, and as I went to close the door, Huntington walked past.

"What's going on?" She asked, peering into the room.

"Group therapy. Bye!" I closed the door before she could say anything else and nodding at Hazel, my link to the dark fae - a haze of purple fog filled the room before disappearing, keeping us safe from any prying ears or eyes. "Okay, everyone. I've asked you all here today because I trust you all to know what is happening. We've fought side by side, beaten crazy odds and survived, but there is something coming once again and this time, it's not going to be easy."

"Because it's been in a walk in the park so far?" Of course Tom was the first to cut in.

"Compared to this, yes. The ones we call gods are back in our realm and for the most part, I have been their target and-"

"Why?" Penny asked, looking completely confused. "Why are they always after you?"

"To put it simply, I am cursed." I shrugged, knowing most of the people here knew that part.

"Elise, just because-" Mum started.

"You know I am, Mum." Pushing up my sleeve, the mark Cain had hidden reappeared after I killed Buluc. "But, I have been since before I was born, in fact, Alistair Bunting tried to make it so I never was."

"What?" My parents asked in unison, and I realised I never told them about that part. Dad stood up, looking more furious than confused. "How do you know this?"

"Long story, but a psychic did and Cain confirmed it."

Nigel raises his hand. "And who is Cain again?"

"Well for those playing at home who have missed the bulk of my drama, I don't know his real name, but here we call him Cain. He is some kind of, reject god and everything that's happened so far has been the others of his kind trying to kill me or him 'testing' me. It's all connected, but I know-"

"Hang on a second, what have I missed?" Zane interrupted. "The others of his kind? You mean the portal and crazy Selene and all that shit?"

"Yeah. We knew there were others working with Drac, but we thought it was the Warlocks. It wasn't, it was the ones who control them." I tell him.

I was seriously going to start enforcing a put your hand up if you wanted to talk rule because so far this wasn't going too well; especially since everyone starts talking all at once. Dad wants to know everything I haven't been telling them, the others want to know about the gods, and their plans and what can they do to help me defeat them all.

"What ever it is, we will help you." Paytah declares, his voice booming over the chaos of everyone else.

I offer him a smile and one by one everyone starts to quieten down. I take this chance to explain my drawings on the whiteboard. "Now, I do have a plan and that's why I got you all together. I'm calling it, Project Let There, actually, just Project Peace. Project P for short. The main reason for all of this is because Cain is trying to get back into his realm and to do that he needs me as some fate oracle thing, saw me doing it. Now-"

"Why can't he go back to his realm?" Penny asks; yet again interrupting me.

"He was banished here instead. He ah, killed one of those fate things I think. Anyway, the gods don't want him to return, so they figure if they take me out, problem solved." I point to the first section of stick people. "See, this is them and this wall is the barrier between realms. Now, spoiler alert. Cain created us, we just didn't magically come to be. He wanted to create himself an army of super humans, in order to get back home. Only then he got sidetracked and some other stuff happened, but my plan is to remind him of that."

"What, that he created us to go to war on his behalf?" Tom frowns. "No, bad idea."

"I haven't finished yet!" I point to the second group of stick people. "This is us, see the swords? Thing is, we struggled against the Warlocks and these gods, are the ones who created them. Right now, if they were to attack, we'd be killed. If we had someone who could train us to be better, to be more and even give us some neat weapons like these." I hold up Sobeks sword and Apollo's dagger. "Because in order to kill a god, you need a gods weapon."

"So you want him to train and equip us to go to war on his behalf?" Tom repeats still frowning.

"Bad plan." Sam agrees.

"Kind of. That's just part one. See, he's been here forever. I get that this realm is his home and he wants to go back, but what's there for him apart from more fighting, death and whatever? It's not like it's going be as good as he thinks it is. So, while he is training us, this is where the peace part comes in to the my plan. We befriend him. Why would he even want to leave, when his life is here?"

"That's your plan?" Dad butts in now. "Honey, I get you're trying to keep this as easy as you can, but if he has spent centuries seeking a way back, I doubt having someone to hit the mats or grab a beer on a Friday afternoon with, is going to make him want to stay."

"It's not just to make him want to stay. I've seen and heard about how he used to be, he's changed so much. I don't think he'd want to put us in harms way if it came down to it."

"Keep you out of harms way you mean." Penny points out."He had no problem sending us all to our death the other times!"

"I agree with Red." Hazel sighs. "I'm sorry Elise, I get what you're trying to do, but in this world things don't work out that way."

"What about the bee god we just met? Ah Muzal or what ever. He has a great life living among civilians. He owns a bee farm of all things, has a family." Logan turned in his chair to face everyone else. "Things can work out that way."

"Well we know you're going to agree to what ever idiotic plan she comes up with." Tom mumbles and the look Logan serves him with could kill.

"I think he's just lonely and if we can change his mind, then I can tell the others he isn't something they have to worry about and they can go back to doing what ever it is they do, rather than coming up with ways to kill me." I finish, thankful of Logan's imput. "If Muz can bee happy here, Cain can too."

No one laughs or even acknowledges my bee pun.

"The only logical thing I can think of is to remove Cain from the equation." Dad says instead, and everyone agrees as if nothing I had just said actually happened.

I look at Logan and Sonia, thinking even the light fae would be up for a peaceful solution, but Sonia inspects the chipped nail polish on his finger as if working out a math problem. Logan shrugs, clearly giving up already while Alfie and Annipe are the only two paying attention to me now, as Dad works out an idea of his own.

So much for a peaceful solution.

"You're wrong, killing him isn't going to be the way to do this. If another enemy appears like the Warlocks, we need him. Don't you get that?" I argue, interrupting. "I also told you before, he is the only one who wants me alive. Why take away that line of defense?"

"If he isn't around anymore, then from what you've said, nothing like that should even happen again!" Nigel points out. "There wouldn't be a threat on your life if he wasn't here either. This has been going on for weeks and only now you're all having this discussion? Kill Cain, problem solved!"

"If you think that, you're as stupid as your brother." It sounds much more childish than I intended it too.

"Hey!" Tom glares at me and I simply shrug. Just because he apologized for being an ass, didn't mean he wasn't one or that I had forgiven him.

"We do as Elise says, get in close, get what training and if possible, what weapons we can. Then, we will take out the target." Dad decides.

Just like that, nothing I had to say would matter anymore. No, now Cain was just 'the target' and everything else was a factor we only to worry about if he remained alive. Despite everything he had done to me, and his reasons may not be exactly innocent - I only stood here now because of him. For that fact alone, I felt like I still owed him, something.

"Since we can't touch those swords, we will need our own. Elise said before that anything else will not permanently kill them." Drew adds. "I can't imagine he will just, hand them over."

"Then maybe we need to get in contact with one of the other gods." Zane suggests, before turning back to me. "How did you get those ones?"

This felt wrong and I kept my mouth shut deciding not to play along with this stupid idea of theirs. Unfortunately Drew had been around for Apollo's Dagger and told them about our trip, and my run in with Artemis, while my parents retold my arena spectacular in order to get Sobeks. Either way, it wasn't something anyone could come up with a way to repeat and since I seemed to be the one they were focused on, the odds of them allowing another to contact them were slim.

"You're very quiet." V spoke softly beside me; I hadn't even noticed him move from his seat in the back.

"This is bad idea." Despite everything, I didn't want to kill Cain. We did need him, and if you want to survive, you align yourself with the most powerful. Pissing him off would probably end up with this world going to hell quicker than we can blink.

"I agree. The Oracle is bound to get a vision of their plan, if she hasn't already."

Damn, I had forgotten about that part. "You're on my side?"

"Always darling girl. They think how they supposed to. Essentially, you are all predators and this is what comes naturally to them. Watch them come up with their strategies and plans. They will think of everything, decoys and contingencies. It's foolish to think that Cain hasn't already done the same, and he's had a few years head start." V offers me a tiny smile, dropping his arm over my shoulders as we sat on the outside and looked in. "You are not like them. They forget that."

"What do I do then?" I sighed.

"How do I know? I'm just a vampire." He lets me go and moves to sit on one of the benches that run along the internal wall of the classroom. Pulling out his phone, the familiar theme tune to Angry Birds was soon heard and Annipe curiously went to his side to watch what he was doing.

Sure my plan was, ambitious, but if it worked, there wouldn't be a need to fight. No one would need to die from either side and we'd be stronger for it. There was talks of traps, of going back to some of the old temples in Rome to try contacting those gods to see if they would help us. Drew suggested seeking out Muz again, told everyone about the golden water they had consumed at the temple and the side affects. Going back for more was soon ruled out by Toyo and the look she shared with Logan had me thinking the pair of them were already up to something. Either way, sitting there listening to them was giving me a headache and so, if I wanted something done, I'd do it myself and show them I was right.

"That's enough!" I stood up on the desk and let out a big whistle. "Your plan will get you all killed. Do you not think I've thought about killing him or another solution? How many of you have actually fought against a god? You two couldn't even defeat the Lord Alpha, you would have died if you faced Dracula alone!" I pointed at my parents and then at Tom. "Our oh so wonderful, super secretive Trifecta team, couldn't even stop Buluc and there is three of them and let's not forget the crowd we brought in to face off against the Warlocks."

Toms face instantly went red as he opened his mouth to argue, but Sam shut him up before he could start something I really wanted to finish. I couldn't read my Mum as her face went blank and Dad looked at Zane who stood up beside him.

"That's not the point Elise. There is power in numbers, we've seen how we all can work together and-" Zane had his lecture voice on and I rolled my eyes.

"You think you're all capable of pulling this off, then go for it, but it's your own funeral and I want no part in any of it!" I got down of the table and went to the door. "Thanks for coming today."

The door slammed behind me and storming down the corridor, Alfie was quick to follow me. Stopping, I put my arm around his neck. "Take me to the Last Drop, please."

Sure enough we were there in a flash and I sent him home before going inside. The fact the place was empty didn't help the sudden rush of nerves that took over as I made my way to the bar. The jukebox played some old country music from the corner, and sitting alone in the semi-dark, Cain casually took a sip of his beer.

"Hunter." He greeted flatly.

"Cain." I answer in the same way. The space between us felt awkward, and I didn't like it. "I'm, sorry, about last night. I wasn't in a good place."

"Oh? Would your apology mean that we're friends, and that you care of my feelings as I apparently shouldn't care for yours?" There was a bitterness I wasn't used to in his tone, and the air around us seem to vibrate with tension. Did I really piss him off that much? "Why are you here?"

"I am sorry, plus I kind of needed somewhere to hide for a bit." I shrug. "Never mind, I'll just go."

I slid off the stool yet before I could take a step, his hand was on my forearm. "Sorry, I guess we're both in bad places, right now. Drink?"

He vanished to the other side of the bar and picked up two of the small tumblers which he half filled with ice and then a good triple shot of whisky before passing one to me. "Thanks."

"So, what had you all death stares?" He asks, sounding more like himself.

"Logan and I had a fight."

"Oh?" Cain moved us both to one of the booths and I curled my legs up underneath myself and got comfortable.

"Yeah, it was all about you're little stunt with those ancients. Thanks for that by the way."

"He shouldn't have come to this realm. The last time he was here-" Cain took a sip of his drink and winced slightly. "Let's just say, things I can do look like a children's tea party when compared to that guy."

"Really? For someone so bad, he wasn't too hard to beat."

"Coming into this realm weakens you. The timing of your meeting was completely intentional." He assured me. "I knew you would defeat him."

"What if you underestimated him?" For a second I could only see the building exploding and he must have sensed something as he frowned, clearly thinking over his next words.

"It would have been more about me underestimating you." His shoulders slumped back as he tilted his head to rest against the wall of the booth. "Then again, if I had, there wouldn't have been a city to send you to in the first place and nothing your council can do, would keep the supernatural hidden from the civilians."

"Oh." I didn't know what to say to that.

"And the bee king, how was he?"

"Accommodating." Cain smiled at this as though we were sharing a private joke. "Though, any chance of a heads up next time?"

"I'm surprised you didn't suspect something when I sent you on your way. You're usually so good at sensing me."

"Ailin?" I ask, glaring at him as he nodded. "I thought so, after everything turned to shit and surprise surprise, there was a god I had to kill!"

We fall silent for a few moments, and just when I was about to speak, Cain did instead. "You and the Tracker, did you sort out your, differences?"

"We did." I rattle the ice cubes around in the glass before taking a sip. "How do you do it Cain?"

"Do what?"

"Be alone. I love him, a lot. He can be a jerk, but he's my jerk. I don't know what I'd do without having him around. What about you and Portia? I've only known you to have one partner, and that didn't end well."

Cain laughed softly under his breath. "Portia? We have an understanding, Hunter. That is all. Do you pity me for my life being as uncomplicated as yours?"

"Envy maybe, but I wouldn't change it. I am lucky. I have friends, my family, Logan. It's hard trying to keep them safe, happy - I want to hide them from the dangers they face, but I can't. Sometimes I think it would be better to be alone, but then the thought of losing them terrifies me." I look him square in the eye, not thinking about whether or not I should do this. "Who do you have Cain? Is there someone, a family maybe, waiting in that realm for you to go back to?"

"Would it make you more willing to help me if I said yes?" He asks sarcastically, and I know I am starting to push too far. "My family is gone, though that is a blessing. We do not all have parents like yours; that care, that want you and love you like you are their world and nothing else matters. Parents that would die for their young - not plot their demise."

"I'm sorry your life has been this way. No one deserves that."

"I've had more time than you can comprehend to get over it. To understand." He mumbled, making me believe him. Not. "Just as I discovered that, love, is little more than a fickle, fleeting emotion. It is the cruelest joke your mind can play on itself."

"That sounds exactly like what someone who has had their heart broken would say."

"Or from someone who learns from their mistakes." There was something in the way he looked at me now that had my nerves sparking to life. That little, danger, sign started to flash at the back of my mind, but all this conversation had done was prove that he really had nothing or no one to go back for.

Maybe, my idea wasn't as stupid as the others thought.

"How about another drink?" I offer, moving to stand. Instead the bottle appeared at the table, hovering of my glass to fill it up before the same was done to his. "Neat trick."

"Thanks." He mumbles, drifting off into deep thought.

I let the silence pass, trying to work out what to say next. I thought back about what V said; about what Dad and Zane were now planning and how unprepared everyone was for what was coming. In some ways, I kind of felt like it was now or never, so just jumped and went for it.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Why? Why are you testing me like this?"

"I thought that would be obvious; to prepare you for what is coming Hunter." He clicked his fingers and the country drawl coming through the speaker altered to something with a little more rock.

"I have this, crazy idea, and I guess, it was really your idea to start with." I hesitated as Cain tensed, no longer slouching against the table or only half paying attention to me - he sat up straight and looked as if someone was holding a gun to his head and what ever I said next would be what set off the trigger.

"My idea?" There it was again; that dangerous edge to his words that warned me he wasn't someone to mess around with. "Please share, Hunter."

"You created us, my kind, to act as your army. But all you've done, everything that has happened, why just me, why not use all of us?"

The silence that followed seemed to draw on forever, until finally he broke it. "Explain."

"We are strong, we are made to combat the big and bad. You made us that way, but the battles of the recent times only prove one thing, we need help. Surely with some, expert training, we could adapt and be more. I'm, I just, I've been up against these things. They are unlike anything any of us have had to fight before and if our run in with the Warlocks is anything to go by, we're going to need you to come in and save our asses again. So, please, help all of us, not just me, so they can actually have a chance when things go to shit. Please!"

The glass he was holding suddenly shattered; whiskey and ice exploded over the table as the glass was coated in drops of his blood from the slices on his hand, yet his face remained completely blank. The way he looked at me was if he had no idea who I was and the rage behind his eyes was terrifying.

"I'm, I'm s-sorry. It was just an idea I had." I wanted to run, to call Alfie and get him to take me as far away from here as possible, but I was glued to the spot. I couldn't think or work out what else to say as my mouth went dry and throat seemed to close up.

"That is your idea? To have me what, train you and your friends?" He snarled and all I could do was nod. I could see the confusion on his face, the rage I didn't understand, before he looked down to the see his drink in pieces. Instantly he calmed down and dropping what was left of the cup in his hands, the pain that should have caused didn't register. "I - I will, think about it."

Then he vanished, leaving me alone in the bar. I just sat there, watching as the ice melted into a puddle of water, the liquids all merging into one big mess. Then for what ever reason, I got up and found a cloth to clean it all up. I washed my own glass, putting it away on the shelf and sat the bottle where it belonged beside the bourbon and rum. The jukebox was turned off, then the lights, and walking outside, seeing Logan with Alfie startled me back into reality.

"We couldn't get in, but Alfie said you were inside. You okay?" Logan asked instantly coming over. Instantly he pulled me against his chest and I slipped into place at his side.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I ah, I asked him about my plan."

"And?"

"He'll let me know." That is what he said after all.

"Okay. So what do we do now?"

"Wait I guess?" I hold him that little bit tighter, praying I hadn't made a mistake and that Dad and Zane were right. This was an 'I told you so' I didn't want to have to face.