Sunlight.

Tears that she would pull back.

They found a boat, she kept watch behind them as they floated on, guns at the ready, eyes scanning the water's surface. He rowed for over an hour before she moved, sitting now with her legs across the bottom of the small fishing rig. She put her head back and closed her eyes, resting, letting rays of sun soak in. Her wound had healed, and she was exhausted. New blood, Corvinus blood, that now coursed through her had kept her alive despite having been impaled by one of Marcus' splines. The strength she had, that she had defeated him and survived. . .and then sunlight, it amazed even her. But this new war was far from over, the war between her, Michael, and well, perhaps everyone else. Her mind went back to Viktor, his admission that he killed her family, the life that she knew for centuries ended in less than a week. . .

. . .'there, there my child, you're safe now'. . .the whirl of the sword through air, the ring of metal on bone...my family murdered, and for what? She startled awake when he spoke.

"How does it feel?" His eyes squinted toward her, he smiled.

She looked to him, hoping he didn't notice her absence. "Warm", she hesitated, "warmth, and death. . ." she sighed, forgetting him for a moment. He waited. "What will I go back to? What will I find?"

He was thinking it too. "Honestly, I don't know. We shouldn't return to Budapest, not yet. There are bound to be vampires left who will want revenge, who don't know that it's over; it's way too dangerous, for both of us."

She caught his stare, us. . .he's staying with me, she thought. . .but she wanted to return, she ached to see the desolation that was now Ordoghaz, her home, to regroup with any who would believe her, that she acted only to protect the coven. But, she knew he was right, there was no purpose to taking such a chance. "I agree". She looked away. She knew where they'd have to go.

A day later and four thousand miles away, preparations were being made. Those aristocrats in the New World coven didn't live the lazy, self-serving lifestyle that Kraven allowed at Ordoghaz. They certainly had their pleasures and wealth, but under Amelia, there was training, rules were enforced, and there were plans laid out long in advance. She had been a warrior, and was this not a war? So centuries before, she envisioned the worst that could happen. Her orders were known by the three of the oldest vampires under her, that if the houses were overrun and the elders slain, these were prepared to take her place, and that of Viktor and Marcus if necessary. She and Viktor undermined the power and authority of Markus from the start, however they believed that should either of the Corvinus brothers die that the end of their species would come about, as an elder Markus' usefulness was in obvious question.

Word of the slaughter of Lady Amelia and her consorts came--ambushed by Lycans, possibly aided by Selene, who then awakened Viktor, only to lead him to a trap and cowardly slay him--there was no one left who would recount the truth of Kraven's deceipt--the real cause of Amelia's death, or his slaying by Markus. Lady Catherine and Lords Henry & Edward took their place as leaders of the American coven. Under them, more than 3000 vampires lived unknown to the humans around them in New York City. Their strength was greater than those of their Old World counterparts, their blood untainted and their lineage pure, as most of them were directly sired by the first Death Dealers, soldiers present on the night of William's capture. Catherine was sired by Amelia herself, and had all the memories of that night, all the secrets shared by both covens. She hence had special interest in handling the matter herself. She would travel to Europe with a large lot of Death Dealers, to investigate the actions of the traitor, Selene, and to rebuild the Old World coven. She dispelled talk in the New World houses that Selene was justified, that Viktor had deceived her and used her to control Markus and William, giving righteous cause for her actions. Catherine herself knew the truth of Selene's family, but the laws of the chain prohibited treason, and regardless of Selene's history, the covens should be protected before anything else. There would be no excusing treachery and murder of an elder, especially by someone who had defiled herself. . .likely intimate with a Lycan. . .the words stuck in her throat with disgust.

It would be a week before Catherine and the Death Dealers would have their equipment set up and be fully operational in one of the larger safe houses in Budapest. One of the first things she did was to go and survey the damage at Ordoghaz, beneath smoldering ruins she found the crypt where the elders there had rested, their tombs empty, and her fury was renewed. The search for Selene began.

Selene and Michael hiked for a whole day before coming upon a small town, and were able to find a four-wheel-drive that they could steal--they'd need it if they were to take back roads all the way the Farmos, which they have to do if they were to avoid being seen. There was a home in Farmos that Viktor once took her to, not long after her new life began. A retreat of sorts, he said that no one knew of it, it's existence a complete unknown to anyone in the coven, it's seclusion and fenced grounds would keep it that way.

When they finally arrived, it was 4 am. Farmos was a small village, the side road to the hideout itself was a good distance from the nearest farm, and especially given the hour, the home was utterly quiet. Although tiredness drove them to climb right into bed, the need to unwind and let go of the events of the week kept them from sleep. Selene was anxious about the days ahead, but for now they were safe, and they were together. They reached for each other, finding comfort in touch, in being held, eventually they drifted off to sleep.

Hours passed.

Michael felt her suddenly jerk awake, she sat up. It was light now. Certain she'd heard something, he moved to his feet. "What is it?!" She jumped from the bed, twisting away, looking disoriented, her back slamming into the near wall, knocking a hanging picture from its place. She hissed and clutched at her chest as though gasping for air. "What's wrong!?", he demanded. His mind went wild. . .stray bullet? Had they been found and attacked?

"Michael!. . ." He stormed to her, gripping her shoulders. Her eyes darted everywhere but at him, as though she sought desperately to escape. ". . .I can't. . . this. . .", she couldn't finish. A hand went to her head where she made a fist, wove it into her hair, and she grimaced as though in great pain, and exhaled a feral moan. As she changed, her eyes vivid blue, her teeth bared, she grabbed at his forearms, trying to shove him away. He held her harder, studying her, Selene! she couldn't hear him any more. What's wrong!?! Faster than he could anticipate, she slipped from his grasp and punched him in the mouth. As she took another swing at him, he ducked and used her momentum to spin her and grab her from behind, pinning her arms to her. She was stronger than before, stronger than he expected, forcing him to transform just to maintain hold on her.

As they grappled, they tumbled over a nearby chair to the floor, all his weight on her and he heard her gasp, the impact had knocked the wind from her. They stayed there, his arms wrapped around her, then his legs, Stop! trying to hold her still as she groaned and fought, he couldn't let go. What 's wrong? Suddenly she weakened, her resistance faded and she began to convulse, her eyes rolling back. He rolled off but held her, as it went on for several minutes, then finally the seizures stopped, she passed out.

He pushed himself back from her, sitting up on the floor. He tasted blood and looked down, wiping some away from his chin with the side of his hand. As he caught his breath, he leaned to her again, brushing her hair from her face. What the hell just happened? She was out.