The gloomy skies were still filled with thick, fat clouds that were in turn throwing drizzly rain drops upon our unsuspecting town. In the distance, I heard the almost silent growling of my siblings as they devoured the elixir that would temporarily satiate the monsters that dwelt within each one of them. However, I was faced with two monsters myself now and they happened to be very real.

Blake, Zaphara and Caleb emerged from behind a thin layer of mist and out of the forest to join me in this small clearing. I had tried to follow Belle's scent to see where it would end, and yet again, it led me to danger. Although, I doubted that she had anything to do with this. Her scent had been a few days old and even more so, I knew that these two were unaware of who Belle was. Though I'm sure she could make new friends.

But what would they want now? Why return to Forks? We were the ones that claimed these lands. Why would they return knowing they would be outnumbered. Perhaps now the odds were in their favor, but they would only be for fleeting minutes. It wouldn't take me long to turn around and make a dash for the others at which time they would be the ones outnumbered.

Zaphara smiled a deep dark grimace and allowed her bright red curls to fall over her face as she wore that taunting smile. Blake was no better. He cocked his head to the side and stared at me through is bright red eyes. He too, wore a smile of mockery while Caleb just stared at me coldly. At first glance, he seemed relaxed, but I knew that he was more than ready to decapitate my head should I provoke them first. They had put on those same emotions when we first encountered them in our baseball clearing not too long ago.

Blake's thoughts were quite disturbing. He played with the idea of a small showdown between the two of us just so he could find some excitement. But the noises of my feeding brothers and sisters in the distance dismantled that thought rather quickly.

Zaphara on the other hand, I favored right now. She wished not to spend a lot of time around these parts hence our lifestyle and numbers. She looked down on us because of how we lived. There were also no reasons in her thoughts to explain her status on our lifestyle. Zaphara's misty thoughts revealed to me the reason why those three had decided to venture back towards us, and this might turn out to be a problem.

Blake took a comfortable and relaxed step forward. I slightly turned my body to the side and glared at the three of them from beneath my thin eye lashes. He pulled his lips up into a crooked grin still oozing with mockery.

"Hello again."

His low and rusty voice sounded dangerous though it didn't scare me whatsoever. I remained silent. I wouldn't know what to say to these three. All I knew was I had to make sure not to say anything that would provoke them. I nodded once into his direction as a sign of acknowledgement.

"How have you been?"

Oh please. Why try to make small talk. His mind revealed that he couldn't care less to how I've been. I don't even think he knew my name.

"Not a talkative one, are you?" A small rusty chuckle erupted from between his teeth. Zaphara laughed in union with her mate. Somehow, she came off to me as a truly sadistic and naive vampire. It was her mere presence and the way she handled herself that unleashed those feelings unto me.

"Well, allow me to put your mind at ease. We are not here looking for a fight. There. Feel better sheep eater?"

I already knew that they weren't here for that. I still felt my lips quiver to hold back a menacing growl that was building up in the back of my throat when he called me a "sheep eater". Was he trying to provoke me instead him?

"We only have one question and once we get the answer we want, we'll be on our way. Would that be an acceptable deed, my friend?"

Why so formal all of a sudden? Perhaps it was fear that made it so. I knew he heard my siblings in the distance. They were outnumbered. I nodded once again. I already knew the question that they would ask of me. Unfortunately for them, the answer I'd give wouldn't be what they would want to her.

"Tell me, have you seen our Creole friend, Adam? He left us a week ago for some self discovery. The way you lived out your immortalities intrigued him and he meant to return here to ask you more questions. It has been a few days since we heard from him. Just tell me if he came back here or not."

Suddenly, that gruesome image of Adam's torn body reappeared in front of me. His limbs that had been completely torn asunder and slashed, and gutted continued to send a chill down my spine. Half of his face had been ripped of as well while the other half had deep claw marks on them. His body had been destroyed to such an extend that not even his healing capabilities could have saved him. Further, he could not have hoped to regenerate with no venom in his system.

Once more, I was faced with a rather difficult decision. Should I tell them the truth about Adam? What would their reaction be? Would they believe me or rather blame me? If I was unable to tell my family about the Moriatus, would I be able to tell them?

Strange enough, that surge or feelings that I had been experiencing had apparently no opinion about this. They remained completely silent and I could not feel them even one bit.

Should I just lie to them? Would that be the more prudent route? I guess I had to. I'm sure the truth would be more destructive than releasing.

"I have not seen him either." As soon as the words spilled over my lips, a small hiss escaped Zaphara's mouth.

"He lied," she whispered in a hushed tone. Caleb and Blake caught her glance and stared at her intently.

How would she know? There was no hesitation in my answer. Was she just trying to start something? Oh, I got it.

Apparently, they had followed Adam's scent up the mountain road until they found the small clearing in which Adam had met his doom. Of course they were unable to acquire anything since Belle set his mangled remains ablaze, but they did detect hints of my own scent, and the scent of the others. It was troubling that she had not thought of this before. Perhaps then I could have thought of a counter argument.

It was indeed suspicious. Adam's scent had disappeared and they weren't able to trace it anywhere else. The aromas alone could have easily told the story of a confrontation, and with Adam's scent disappearing after and ours remained. It didn't create a very favoring mental image for us.

Blake turned away from Zaphara's glare and gave me a rather mixed look. I saw his eyes traveling the length of me. He believed her immediately. However, he was still troubled. Apparently, we had made a rather positive impression the day we had first met them and to him, we didn't seemed like the vampires that would brutally murder another for no apparent reason. Blake narrowed his eyes at me.

"What happened?"

He decided to believe the words of his lover. His tone had become almost angry. I couldn't tell them even if it appeared that I could. That strange feeling, the surge, had not bothered me the entire time when I had thought about revealing that dark secret between me and Belle to these three. Usually, when I merely thought of it, it created this wall in my mind trying to isolate my waking thoughts from the Moriatus. It was all so strange.

I couldn't tell them though. If I did, they would immediately realize that I had lied and that would not be good for this situation. The circumstances would be too suspicious as well. Had they even heard of these things? Would they think I was simply making it up to cover up the truth they sought?

What should I do?

Suddenly, a shadow crossed over us and...

Flap!

My bones became stiff as death. I felt my venom stopping its passageways through my veins when I heard that noise! I could feel my fingers beginning to slightly tremble as the images of Adam returned once more. It couldn't be. Out of all the times. I breathed a short breath of anticipation.

The three in front of me had seen the shadow as well, and heard the noise of flapping wings, but did not see the object from where these things came. They just looked to the sky with wide surprised eyes. I turned around myself and looked at the trees.

Did I just imagined that? No! It's impossible, otherwise, Caleb, Zaphara and Blake wouldn't be searching the skies like me. How ironic. I had no idea how to explain to them the events surrounding Adam's death, but apparently, destiny was going to do it for me.

My lips began to quiver again, but this time, it was not out of anger. Where is it? There was no scent in the air. Why wasn't there a scent that could give it away? Oh why now? Why couldn't... as horrible as it may sound, why couldn't it have just waited until it was only the three of them? I cared for my family much more than three sadistic, bloodthirsty, and battle greedy vampires.

Of all the trees that stood here, there was one that was the tallest. Its crown bore dark green leaves that were rustling. The three of them saw it too. It looked like something was moving the branches or fiddling through the leaves. I think I may just have found where.

Suddenly, we heard a small noise that sounded much like an explosion. From atop the tallest tree, two gigantic dark brown wings erupted and into our sight. Every flap was making small cracking noises as they were slowly withdrawing and slowly regaining length. They looked like the wings of a bat. The interior of the wings themselves were a very light orange, almost red with deep blue veins pulsating through them. On each end of the wings tip were what looked like a single claw? It was white, and looked like a sharp bone. They were enormous and at least seven feet in length, each of them.

I couldn't take my eyes off of it, and neither could the three nomadic vampires behind me. Suddenly, the wings flapped and a body emerged from the trees and shot up in the air where it stayed for only a mere second before it began to descend. It gained speed and was like a locomotive. It collided with the ground causing a glass shattering crack that swept us off our feet. We managed however to stay on our own and retained from falling down. The thing was now in our full view.

It raised its lowered head and revealed its monstrous visage to us. I heard it breathing. When it breathed in, it was nothing special, but as it exhaled, it made a rattling like sound that could easily be mistaken with that of a rattlesnake.

It was at least eight foot tall. It's entire body was very dark, almost a dark brown or maybe black. It was extremely muscular with an eight pack covering its stomach and it also had huge biceps. It wore no clothing of any kind and at first glance appeared to have no gender. But then again, what do I know of them. My eyes trailed down to its muscular legs and toes that were inhabited by long white nails that just like the claws on its wings seemed to be made of bone.

I focused my vision and began ascending upon its body until I reached its fingers that were shaking and moving. They were stretching before retreating into a fist while cracking. The fingers too had long white bone like nails. I began to move my eyes again until finally I reached its countenance. I wished I hadn't looked at it.

It had a long shaped face with a hooked nose. It seemed tight and somewhat wet. It looked like it was covered in vertical craters with bite marks on its left cheek. It had pointed ears that made me truly think it was some sort of a demon! Its hair was long and jet black. It reminded me of Acheron as I had seen it in Clemente's mind. Its hair seemed greasy. It reached all the way down over its chest and probably shoulder blades in the back. Its eyes were ice cold. They were orange in color with a light red coloring around its pupil. It was bearing its teeth us. They were pearly white and looked like the teeth of a shark, but thinner and pointier.

This, without a doubt was the very thing that Belle had pursued all the way here, to Forks! The Moriatus! A Gargoyle. A creature of a world that no minds can remember besides those that have been forgotten by mortals and immortals alike.

What the hell is that thing?

I have never seen anything like this before.

What sort of... couldn't be a werewolf? No! Then what?

Truly, Blake, Caleb and Zaphara's mental questions were as good as mine. I was no expert on this thing either. I knew what it was, what it did, and that was it.

Slowly, I began to feel fear settling within me. This creature was monstrous and looked like some sort of devil. That noise when it exhaled made the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. It sounded like a rattlesnake, but softer and more vicious. It stared the four of us down.

At first, it seemed to be looking at me and inhaling deeply. It then cocked its head quickly to the three in front of me that caused an interruption to my breathing. When I saw the red veins passing through its eyes, I looked away. I refocused my vision back to its body. Its body was strange indeed. It looked like it was made out of dark rocks. Its texture appeared smooth, and wet.

I hesitantly looked back up and saw it had focused its view to Zaphara now. Zaphara locked eyes with it. She pulled her lips up disgusted. Once more, the Moriatus cocked its head quickly to the right and then to the left. I heard it again as it inhaled deeply and back out with that rattling noise. What was it doing? Maybe... Oh hell no!

The realization hit me rather quickly. Oh God! It was picking out which one of us. Oh, Dammit. I started to take a step backwards. I saw Blake and Caleb glancing into my direction.

Suddenly, the Moriatus crouched, but only to immediately stand back up straight with its arms spread out to the side and face pointed to the sky and screeched.

"Ah!" I screamed in agony. I covered my ears and sank to my knees. What the hell. Oh, Jesus! My eardrums were ready to pop! My vision began to shake and become blurry as its screeching was stunning all four of us. Blake and Caleb had sunk to their knees as well and was howling in pain. Zaphara was on the ground completely rolling from side to side with her hands covering her ears too.

Oh God. My head was pounding. It was like I could feel my long lost and forgotten heart beat up there. The pain grew worse as it continued its screeching. Was this perhaps some sort of method to disable vampires before it would strike? If it was, then it was truly a successful campaign because I could focus on nothing, but that excruciating pain in my ears and head.

After what it seemed like hours, the screech began to die down and grow quieter. But even as quiet as it became, it was still pure agony. Through my eyes, it seemed like there was an earthquake here as everything appeared to be shaking violently before me.

Finally, after what felt like a life age, the horrific screech that had paralyzed us disappeared and the Moriatus looked back at all four of us. Its face bore a purely evil look. Its lips were shaking as its red tongue graced over its bone like teeth.

Suddenly, it stretched out its wings and pointed the spines of them towards us. They flung out and one of them was heading directly towards... It impacted with me! Its length hit my entire torso, and barely missed my crotch. It lifted me off of the ground and catapulted me away until I crashed into a nearby tree behind me. When I smashed into the tree, I could hear and feel every single one of my ribs breaking. I fell to the ground and grunted in pain.

Not only me though. It had done the exact same thing to Zaphara. She too, collided with a tree and I heard several of her bones broke as well. Now I wished I had gone hunting with the others. I breathed in and immediately stopped as it caused me even more pain. Thanks to the venom however, I already felt the pain growing numb. Still, the torment was immense.

Blake still sat in the middle of the clearing while Caleb was starting to get up on his feet. I saw Blake turned around shocked and searched for Zaphara. His eyes grew wide and pained as he saw her collapsing and falling over.

The Moriatus!

Now I knew which of us it wanted. Suddenly, its wings pointed its claws directly towards Blake and Caleb. It took advantage of their distraction. I summoned whatever breath I had left within me.

"Watch out!" It was too late.

The two of them took notice of me as I screamed and turned back around, but it was too late. The claws of the Moriatus' wing flung forward piercing both of their stomach and erupting out of their back with blood and venom spilling everywhere. Blake jerked his head towards the sky and screamed in agony while Caleb's eyes widened before coughing up blood and venom.

Blake crippled towards the ground and reached for the tips of the wings in a futile attempt to salvage them out of its claws. His actions angered the beast though as it growled a deep and menacing hiss and wheeled in Blake like a fish on a hook. Blake flew forward and the Moriatus gripped his face and head with, but one of his opened palms. Blake tried to reach for the Moriatus' hand and began to claw at it, but to no avail.

From beside me, I could hear Victoria wheezing and breathing heavily as she had to witness the horrendous scene before her. Much like myself, she had been handicapped by the beast and was unable to move until the venom would heal her sufficiently.

Suddenly, the Moriatus reached behind Blake with its other claws and ripped off his leather jacket and shirt exposing his naked skin to the cool afternoon air. It reached up and dug its claws into his body right above his arm. I could hear Blake's muffled scream through the monsters palm as its razor sharp claws dug into his body. The Moriatus suddenly began to open the small area of the neck between Blake's head and arm pulling them apart while drool was dripping down its stony dark jaw. Blake's screams intensified as the thing began to slowly tear apart his body.

Then, it opened its mouth and flashed its bony teeth and sunk them into his neck. It jerked its head violently from side to side while biting and swallowing Blake's bodily fluids. The screams of Blake were easily overheard by the sound of its growling, and slashing noises. It dragged its claws down Blake's shoulder blade's leaving deep and dark gashes there.

Zaphara howled in distress as she witnessed the beast feasting on her mate. She tried to get up, but continuously returned to the ground. She gripped her stomach in pain as I heard her bones moving within her. There was a cracking noise coming from Blake and the Moriatus. Caleb, on the other hand was frozen in horror. He already knew that he would next.

I returned my vision to the horrific event before me and saw the Moriatus pulling off Blake's arm. The amputated part was thrown to the ground. The beast then ran its other hand that was covering Blake's face down the back of his head, pulling of his hair and skin. It was then when I noticed that Blake's screams had died away.

His mind was clouded and nearly silent. All I could see through his eyes were the clouds above as his thoughts slowly drifted into nothingness. He was dying.

It unearthed its teeth from the nomad's body and hissed towards the sky while dark red blood and silvery lime green venom was flooding from its mouth. Was this how Adam had met his end as well? This gruesome death? Blake was barely moving. The one arm that was still attached to his body was twitching like his fingers. I saw rivers of blood coming from the open wound of his neck and traveling down the length of his body. There wasn't a lot of venom mixed in with the blood so the Moriatus must have gotten it all.

It jerked its wings back and retrieved its claws from Blake's body and let him collapsed. Now on the cold ground, he jerked and twitched all over while the heavy scent of clean blood lay in the air. Blake was dead.

All the venom that had been in his body was drained from him and without the venom, a vampire could not live. His mind was silent and completely blank. There was nothing left. The blood that remained in his lifeless body was now completely clean and even smelled delicious. Without the venom to taint either the smell or taste, this blood could possibly be consumed again. But the mere thought of such an act was repulsive and absolutely disgusting.

I focused my attention back to the Moriatus as it focused its own attention to Caleb. I had to look away in disgust when the beast suddenly decapitated his head before devouring the elixir it sought.

It only took a few seconds though beforw I looked back to the beast. There were still small quantities of venom dripping down its chin as it breathed in and made those rattling noises from somewhere in its throat. It looked at me, solely. I used the tree behind me to get up off the ground and noticed that the venom had already done a good job with healing my body. My bones were already on the mend and almost healed. Breathing was easier as well, I was glad I was healing so rapidly, but how much it would help I didn't know.

I stood on my own two feet again. Zaphara was lying on her stomach and sobbing into the ground. She had lost her mate and she was unable to do nothing, but watch. This was going to be a pain she would have to live with for the rest of eternity, if she would live. I couldn't even comprehend that.

I took a step forward and bared my teeth at the Moriatus and barely saw as the tips of its wings flung forward once more.

I was suddenly being thrown back and collided with the tree behind me again. As I impacted the wooden giant, I felt both of my shoulders breaking. I bit my lip and groaned in misery. Oh God no, it had pinned me just like it had Blake in, but a mere second. I was waiting for the pain in my stomach. I had expected it to pierce me or decapitate my head just like what it had done to the nomads, but surprisingly, I felt nothing, but the shattering and stabbing pain in my shoulders.

I opened my eyes and looked down. It had done me differently. Its two claws that were attached to the tips of its wings had dug through my shirt right beneath my arms and connected with the tree, trapping me there.

I encircled my hands around each one of the spines of the wings and felt their texture in my palms. They felt like the surface of a rock. They were wet as well, and almost oily, and quite slippery. I applied pressure now and used all my might in trying to get them out from underneath my pits so I could free myself.

Suddenly, instead of bringing me to it, the Moriatus flew towards me and stopped only inches from smashing into me. It ripped open its mouth and unleashed its hellish scream.

"Oh mother of!" I shouted in pain and unraveled my hands from its wings to cover my ears. I felt like I was being shaken from side to side and given a completely blurry vision. It was even worse this time since it was so close to me. I could see the interior of its almost orange eyes as they glared at me. My eardrums were taking a great toll because of this screech. In addition, I slowly felt all of the energy in my body somehow leaving me and my arms and legs falling to my sides.

After what seemed to be hours, it finally stopped. Apparently, this screech indeed was some sort of method to weaken vampires. It was the only rational explanation I could think of. The beast was so close to me now. Both of our noses were almost touching each other. I could feel its warm and wet breath on my skin. Jesus! this thing was hideous and truly resembled a demon right out of the hell!

It opened its mouth and flashed its bright red tongue. It jerked it gently and began closing in on my face. I closed my eyes and turned my head into the distance to the side of me.

Oh for the love of…

I could feel the wet and rough texture of its tongue as it graced my chin and slowly pulled up on the side of my cheek. It was like it was tasting me.

Then I felt its hand gripping my face while the other gripped my shoulder and exposing my neck in-between. Its screech had drained me so much that I couldn't even move a finger anymore. I had spent the remains of my energy turning away from it. And again, I could feel its tongue moving across my neck like it was marking the spot where it would dig its teeth into.

Was this the end then? Was this how I would finally leave this world? There was nothing left for me now. But at least I can take comfort in knowing that for now, my family would be safe. But for how long? Would it be satisfied with just just four of us?

This was all Belle's fault! Why did she have to pull the lonely soldier routine? Why couldn't she have asked us for help. Maybe then we could have eliminated this thing days ago. It was her fault that this was happening. She had no consideration for the lives of others. Even when we found Adam's body up in the mountains, there were no emotions in her eyes whatsoever. Damn her!

The beast moved its head to my neck and I felt the warm chill of its breath as it blew across my skin. This was it. Just like Blake and Caleb, I would now also be faced with this doom. For one last time, I saw the images of Clemente, Chalice, Garnet, Gnash, Luna, and Scar before me. They were smiling at me. It was the image of my family that I had loved for almost two centuries. I prayed they would be okay. I hoped to God that somehow they would escape this fate. Once more though, I could take comfort in knowing that it would be me it was taking and not one of them.

I opened my eyes wanting to see the last bit of green before I would burn in the eternal flames of damnation below. One last tree, or one last flower, or just anything else that was pretty and a reminder of the beautiful world in which we lived that I wanted to take with me. I wanted one last memory.

But instead of the flowers or trees, I saw something else. In a short distance, and between the dark trees, I saw a translucent figure standing. A figure which I could see through. I looked up and at his face. It was the image, vision, or whatever the heck it was I had seen in my room two days ago. The vision of me in human form.

I locked eyes with him. His own emerald orbs were glowing with determination I noticed as he nodded his head. He opened his mouth.

Believe.

Believe sleeping spirit.

Believe in my princess.

I didn't have time nor the energy to think about these cryptic words or try to comprehend with that trickery as right next to my ear, I heard the Moriatus growl and could feel drool on my neck. I closed my eyes and only hoped that this wouldn't take, but a minute.

Goodbye Clemente, and I'm sorry! Chalice, I loved you like a mother. A love deeper than I could have ever had even with my own human mother. Garnet and Gnash, please take care of everyone and for once, stop your bickering and fighting between each other.

Luna, please forgive me. I love you.

Scar. I'll miss you. Please, let your visions be your sight and guide them into the next millennium. Do not seek material possessions, but rather the love of one another.

Belle.

Believe. Believe in OUR princess.

A dry sob escaped my lifeless throat as I uttered my final word.

"Goodbye."