Disclaimer: I don't own Death Dealers or lycans. I just used them, because I like the terms.
A flash of lightning illuminated the dark city streets of Budapest.
Perched high atop a bell tower overlooking the city was a young woman.
Her name was Simone, and she was a female vampire, a vampiress. Her raven black hair was slightly wavy and short, falling a bare inch above her shoulders. At first glance, her eyes looked blue, but upon closer inspection, you could see a slight tinge of green to them. She was dressed in a pair of black leather pants, a tight blood red jersey shirt, and a pair of ebony combat boots with a long, black leather trench coat draped over her thin shoulders.
Simone looked very much like a normal vampire with her pale, alabaster skin and sharp fangs, but she was anything but a normal vampire. She was an outcast among her kind, having lived her entire immortal life in the company of the lycans, the sworn enemies of the vampires.
Despite this, she held no regrets about her life or the countless number of vampires she'd killed over the past two hundred years of her life.
Simone turned her gaze to the street below, disregarding the freezing rain dripping off her skin, and she quickly picked her lycan companions out of the crowd of humans one hundred and fifty feet below her.
Without a second thought, she stood up on the railing and casually stepped off, plummeting toward the deserted street below. Landing nimbly on her toes, she straightened and walked off as if nothing had happened.
Just as she reached the train station, she spotted her comrades again and slowed down her fast pace to meet their eyes. She nodded to them once, silently telling them the coast was clear, and watched them enter the station before following a minute later.
Her companions consisted of three male lycans, all well trained warriors, all at least a century older than she was.
The largest lycan was a well-muscled man of Egyptian descent, who stood a little over six and a half feet tall. He was the oldest of the group at eight hundred. His name was Naum, and he was well respected as the beta male of the pack.
The other two were quite a bit smaller and younger than he was and lean in their build. They were brothers named Trix and Link and were only about five hundred years old.
Simone stopped behind them and watched the train roll in, curious to see the American pack they'd come to fetch.
The old steam engine stopped, and smoke belched from its smokestack.
The small group of immortals watched patiently as the humans all exited the cars, relaxing when they found the American pack.
About twenty lycans got off the train and joined Naum's group before their leader appeared in the car's doorway. He quickly scanned the area for his pack and visibly sighed in relief when he saw that they'd already found the Hungarian lycans. He got off the train and joined his packmates, going straight to their head to speak with Naum.
Simone watched him with curiosity, not quite understanding why this young, meek-looking lycan was the American alpha. He wasn't overly tall or imposing, being only a few inches taller than she was. He had shaggy, dark blonde hair and soft blue eyes. He did have muscle though, she noticed as her eyes landed on his exposed chest.
When she looked up again, she found him watching her. She hurriedly looked away, slightly embarrassed about being caught looking at him.
He watched her look away and grinned slyly at her, ignoring Naum for the moment.
"David!" Naum snapped, irritated with the young alpha.
David snapped out of his daze and met Naum's dark eyes. "Sorry, Naum," he apologized. He glanced back at Simone quickly, only to find that she was gone.
Naum followed the younger male's gaze to where Simone had been before looking down as he felt a light, cold touch on his arm, already knowing who it was.
"There are three Death Dealers here," Simone told him, meeting David's gaze again. She broke eye contact quickly and disappeared into the crowd again.
Naum nodded and motioned for the pack to follow him, fighting to stay calm. He led them toward the doors, watching the approaching Dealers closely.
Just as the pack reached the doors, the lead Dealer stepped in front of them, blocking their exit.
David glared at the lead Dealer and glanced to the sides to see the other two Dealers close in around them. He nudged Naum with his elbow and nodded to the vampires.
Naum growled in frustration and clenched his large hands into fists, briefly wondering why nothing ever went as planned for them. He quickly pulled out his guns and pointed them at the lead Dealer, firing at her.
The humans in the station all screamed and began to take off running in all directions to get away from the fighting.
The Dealers abruptly returned fire on the lycans, hitting a few but not killing them.
Simone watched as two lycans, Link and one of the Americans, fell to the ground before whipping out her Berettas and shooting at the vampires. She hit one in the chest and watched him burn alive with mild satisfaction.
"Blood!" Naum called, finding her half-hidden beside a pillar.
Simone heard him yell for her and met his dark gaze briefly to let him know that she'd heard him.
"Get the pack to the den!" Naum ordered, turning his attention back on the Death Dealers. He continued to shoot at the lead Dealer as the vampire ran behind a pillar. He turned to David quickly, satisfied that the Dealer would stay quiet for the moment. "Follow the Blood!"
David's eyes widened as he turned to Naum in surprise. He looked over his shoulder where the larger lycan was pointing and saw Simone firing at the lead Dealer. He glanced back at the Egyptian for confirmation, not wanting to believe that she was a hated vampire.
"She'll lead you back to the den," Naum told him, charging the lead Dealer.
David watched him chase after the female Death Dealer with Trix tailing him, before turning to his pack. He motioned for them to follow him, and he ran off toward Simone.
Simone waited a moment for him to reach her before taking off out of the station into the stormy Hungarian night. She glanced over at David, who ran along at her side, and then back at the rest of the pack, making a mental note at how many there were. She quickly turned down an alley and kicked a box away, unveiling a hatch door. Checking to make sure the coast was clear, she opened the hatch with minimal difficulty and motioned for the lycans to enter the hole.
David waited patiently at her side until all of his pack had jumped down before following them. He landed lightly on his feet and turned to help Simone down. He knew full well that she didn't need help, but it was how he had been brought up, as a gentleman.
Simone didn't look before she leapt and was startled to find that David had caught her. Her feet still dangled half a foot above the floor, and her body was held loosely against his chest. Her hands were instinctively resting on his shoulders to keep herself steady, and she met his shining blue eyes, her face a mere inch from his.
David felt a blush rising to his face as he met her intense stare. He gently swung her to the ground and set her on her feet, finding it hard to release her waist.
Simone's eyes hardened briefly, and she turned to continue down the path through the sewers. She stepped out of his grasp and walked away, knowing that the pack would follow her.
Naum and Trix were slowly gaining on the female Death Dealer, chasing her into the sublevel tunnels of the city.
Gunfire sounded from behind them, and Trix fell as a silver bullet caught him in the shoulder.
Naum glanced back at him, briefly slowing down, but continued to chase after the Dealer, knowing that Trix could handle himself.
The Death Dealer rounded a corner and pulled out four throwing stars. She turned around on one foot and whipped the silver stars at an unsuspecting Naum as he turned the corner.
Naum skidded to a stop as the stars imbedded themselves in his torso, and he watched her run away, growling low in his throat.
"Let her go," Trix said, appearing behind him. He casually threw the Death Dealer slung over his shoulder onto the concrete, glaring down at the vampire. "We should be heading back anyway."
Naum stared at the younger male for a moment before nodding and reluctantly walking off toward the den, Trix falling in behind him.
Simone walked into the lycan den and straight through the hall, ignoring the lycans around her. She stopped abruptly as she remembered the Americans behind her, and she turned to them. "All of you may stay here and relax with the pack until we get someone to take you to your rooms," she told them, her voice and face emotionless.
The American pack nodded and moved to congregate with the Hungarians.
"But I need the alpha and beta males to come with me," she added, watching David stop at her side. She glanced at him briefly and then turned to the pack to await the beta.
"He's dead," David whispered into her ear, hanging his head in sorrow.
Simone shivered slightly as his warm breath tickled her neck, and she slowly turned her head to look at him. She noticed his grief and decided to drop the subject. "Follow me then," she ordered, keeping her voice gentle.
David nodded and followed her down the corridor, keeping his head down. He almost ran into her when she stopped at a door, and he looked up to meet her eyes.
Simone wordlessly opened the door and stepped inside, knowing that he would follow her. She walked right up to the Hungarian alpha, Lukacs, and took a seat in the chair beside him, flashing him a quick smile. She looked to him as a second father, since he had saved her life two hundred years ago and had then raised her as one of his own among the lycans.
Lukacs returned the smile and looked up as David entered. "David," he greeted, happy to see his lycan protégé again.
"Hey Lukacs," David replied with much less cheer.
"How have you been?" Lukacs asked, watching David sit down across from Simone.
"I've been pretty good," David answered, finally meeting his sire's eyes. "How about you?"
"I can't complain," Lukacs told him, sitting down in his chair.
Sonia, the lead Death Dealer from the train station, drove furiously down the street and through the mansion gates as they opened for her. She parked her car in the garage and went inside the mansion.
The lounging vampires watched her walk through the hall and through the back door that led to the lab, immediately returning to their conversations when she disappeared.
Sonia walked straight up to the desk at the back of the room, dropping her gun on the top of it to get the vampire's attention.
The weapons master, Mael, looked away from the machine gun in his hands to Sonia.
"We have a serious problem," she told him.
"And what might that be?" the vampire regent, Jozsef, wondered as he entered the room with three Death Dealers and an elegantly dressed Elder.
The Elder, Amelia, was a relatively tall, slender vampire. Her cat-slanted eyes were a beautiful mixture of blue and gray that changed colors depending on her clothes. Her long black hair fell in tight curls and reached the middle of her back when it was down. At the moment, it was pulled up into a tight ponytail atop her head, tied up with a jeweled band. Around her slender neck was a silver choker with a small diamond snake pendant hanging from it. Her dress was tight, form fitting, and had no sleeves or collar. It was blood red in color and accented her pale skin well. She wore a silver snake band on each arm, and a small silver ring studded with three rubies adorned her right hand.
The vampires already present dropped to one knee respectfully as Amelia entered.
Amelia nodded to them, watching them all get to their feet, and fixed her blue-gray eyes on Mael and Sonia. "What happened?" she asked, her voice and face blank.
"The lycans have a vampire with them," Sonia explained, looking right at Amelia.
"They've caught Dealers before," Jozsef insisted. "Why should this one be any different?"
"Because she's not a Death Dealer!" Sonia snapped, her blue-green eyes flashing angrily. "She was helping the lycans."
"A vampire would never help lycans," Jozsef scoffed.
"They opened fire on us in full view of the public, her included!" Sonia yelled, furious with him. "She killed Jakob, and who knows what happened to Tobias. We should gather the Death Dealers and head back down there in force."
"Fine," Jozsef agreed after a moment, turning to Mael. "I'll have Sander assemble a search team and-"
"No, I want to lead the team myself," Sonia argued.
"Absolutely not!" Jozsef told her, getting irritated with her. "Sander will handle it."
Sonia opened her mouth to protest again but was cut off when Amelia spoke up.
"This house is in a state of unrest as it is," Amelia explained, stepping forward. "We don't have the time or the need to attack the lycans head on just for the sake of two Death Dealers."
Sonia stared at her in disbelief for a moment before angrily storming out of the room.
"She is a spirited one, isn't she?" Amelia stated, sarcastically.
"She sure is," Jozsef agreed, his dark eyes fixed on where Sonia had disappeared.
Amelia smirked at him and left the room, the Death Dealers following her.
Lukacs was busy explaining his plan to David when Naum burst in with Trix, getting their immediate attention.
"Naum, we're in a meeting," he said, his voice edging on irritated.
"I see that," Naum replied, baring his teeth at Simone briefly. Even after two hundred years, he still hated her with a fiery passion, although he did hold a grudging respect and trust for her.
Simone responded by hissing at him, letting her fangs elongate and her eyes turn the icy blue that marked her kind. She despised Naum and knew that he felt the same way about her, but she didn't really care. She looked at David sharply when she heard him growl warningly, almost as if he was protecting her, and she was surprised to see him glaring at Naum.
Lukacs noticed too and spoke up. "Simone, be a dear and go check on our guests," he ordered, smiling slightly at her glare. He knew she hated it when he called her a "dear," but he loved to tease and annoy her.
Simone nodded once in agreement and stood up. She turned her glare on Naum as she passed him and left to carry out her orders.
Naum returned the glare and turned back to Lukacs as soon as she was gone.
Amelia walked into Sonia's room, an elegant evening dress in her hands, and she went right over to where Sonia sat.
Sonia glanced up from her laptop at Amelia briefly, already knowing why she was there.
"Oh yes," Amelia said, holding up the dress to look at it. "You'll look absolutely breathtaking in this one. It's perfect."
Sonia groaned and rolled her eyes, brushing her short black hair out of her face.
Amelia chuckled a little and turned to look at the girl she saw as another daughter, smiling at her. "Niklaus requested that you wear this for the Coven's meeting with Erik tonight," she explained, knowing that the mention of her mate's name would win over the stubborn Death Dealer.
Sonia sighed defeatedly and finally dared to look up at the dress. She had never met Erik before, but Niklaus always sent something that was a little too skimpy for her incredibly modest taste. Her eyes widened slightly when she actually saw the dress. She could tell that it was Amelia's, but it surprised her at how modest it actually was.
It was a plain black dress with a wide collar that would open up at her shoulders. Its sleeves were long and flared out at the elbows. The body was form fitting and flared out at the waist. The skirt reached the floor and had a thigh-high slit up the right side.
Sonia lifted her head and met Amelia's eyes suspiciously.
Amelia smiled at her and laid the dress across the window-seat. She turned from Sonia and left the room, knowing that she would come down if she wanted to.
Sonia watched her leave and fixed her eyes on the door for a minute before looking down at the dress.
Amelia stood at the base of the stairs with Niklaus and their four-year-old daughter, Sacha. She was dressed in a gold bikini-like top and a low-riding white skirt with gold trim, exposing her midriff. The snake bands around her upper arms now sported two white sleeve-like cloths that reached her knees, and she now wore a pair of ornately carved Celtic bangles on her wrists. The diamond snake choker still hung around her neck, and her hair was still up in the same ponytail. She loosely held Niklaus' arm with one hand, her head resting lightly on his shoulder as she awaited the arrival of the third Elder, her older brother Erik.
Sacha stood at Amelia's side, holding the other of her mother's hands. Her large, innocent doe brown eyes followed Amelia's gaze to the front doors. Her curly black hair was pulled up into twin ponytails on either side of her head, tied up with light blue ribbons. Her outfit was almost a perfect miniature of Amelia's. She wore the same white skirt and bracelets as well as a matching necklace. Her top consisted of a white spaghetti-strap tank top with a sheer, gold jacket over it.
Niklaus glanced down at them and smirked proudly at his family, looking up sharply as he heard a car pull up and stop in front of the house.
A moment later, the front doors opened, and a group of about a dozen vampires headed by Erik entered the room. They walked straight up to the other two Elders and stopped in front of them.
Amelia smiled at Erik and released Niklaus' arm and Sacha's hand to hug her big brother, who slowly returned the embrace. She pulled away and kissed his cheek lightly before latching on to Niklaus' arm again, watching her daughter wrap her little arms around Erik's legs.
Erik lifted the little girl up into his arms and hugged her gently, smiling slightly as she kissed his cheek.
"Erik," Niklaus greeted, his voice cold and threatening.
"Niklaus," Erik replied, looking the older vampire in the eyes as he set Sacha on her feet.
"Now boys," Amelia spoke up, stepping between them. "Behave."
Erik and Niklaus both backed down, knowing full well that she was the strongest of the three of them. They glared at each other once more before looking up at the stairs as they heard them creak.
Sonia stood there at the top of the stairs, wearing the black dress that Amelia had given her. Her hand rested lightly on the rail, and her eyes were fixed on Erik.
"Sonia!" Sacha cried, rushing up the steps to meet her "big sister." She loved Sonia dearly and treated her as a sister, because she had been raised to think of her as such.
Sonia smiled down at the little girl and picked her up, settling her on her hip, before turning her eyes back on Erik.
The youngest of the three Elders was about three or four inches taller than she was and about two inches shorter than Niklaus. His light brown hair was cropped short, because he despised long hair. His inhuman blue eyes were naturally a light ocean blue, and his sharp vampiric fangs showed through his slightly open mouth. He was dressed in a simple, black, satin dress shirt and matching ebony pants. Unlike Niklaus and Amelia, he didn't believe imposing dress demanded respect. Frankly, he didn't really care how he looked.
Amelia left Erik and Niklaus to meet Sonia on the stairs. She joined the younger vampire on the top step and took her hand. She smiled at the questioning look the Death Dealer gave her and led her down the stairs to join the other Elders. "Sonia, this is my older brother, Erik," she explained, nodding to her brother. "And Erik, this is Sonia, our most tenacious Death Dealer."
Erik smiled at the women and took Sonia's hand, cradling it in his own. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sonia," he said, kissing her hand gently.
"Likewise," Sonia replied, the corners of her lips tugging upward slightly.
Erik raised his eyebrows several times and grinned crookedly at her, hoping to get a real smile. He got his wish.
Sonia's teeth flashed in a quick, genuine smile, and she abruptly looked away.
Sacha giggled from her place on Amelia's hip, covering her mouth with her pale, little hand.
Erik chuckled lightheartedly at them and offered Sonia his arm as he watched Niklaus and Amelia walk over to the fireplace.
Sonia met his eyes briefly, saw Jozsef glaring at the Elder, and accepted his arm.
Erik smiled at her and led her over to the fireplace beside Niklaus and Amelia. He sat her down beside Amelia at the table and moved to stand next to Niklaus.
"Our noble houses may be separated by a great ocean, but we are equally committed to the survival of the bloodlines," Niklaus began, getting every vampire's attention. "Now that Erik has arrived, we will once again be reunited as a single Coven."
The gathered vampires all clapped for him, pleased with his news.
Amelia and Sonia looked at each other and smiled, applauding Niklaus as well.
Beside them, Erik clapped as well, though he was not quite as enthusiastic as the others were.
In the back of the room, Jozsef sat by himself, glaring daggers at Erik.
Next Night…
Simone strode through the hall of the den and stopped at the exit. She grabbed a few mags of UV bullets and her leather trench coat, jamming her guns into the holsters at her sides.
"Where are you off to?" David asked, appearing behind her.
"We're low on blood, and since I'm the only vampire here, I have to go get it," Simone answered, not looking at him.
"Do you mind if I come with you?" he wondered, feeling a strange need to protect her.
Simone froze in surprise and turned to look at him. She searched his face for any sign of falsehood and found none. He was absolutely serious. "I guess you can if you want," she gave in, still a little suspicious.
David perked up and grabbed his own coat and ammo before following her out to her car.
About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at a hospital.
Simone turned off the engine and took a deep breath. "Well, let's go," she ordered, getting out. She waited for David to join her before locking the jaguar and heading into the hospital with him close behind her. She walked straight up to the front desk and rang the bell.
The nurse spun around in her chair to face the vampiress. "Can I help you?" she asked, glancing at David quickly.
"I'm looking for Dr. Mihaly Somi," Simone answered. "Perhaps you could tell me where I can find him?"
"I'll call him for you," the nurse replied, picking up the phone. "Paging Dr. Somi. Will Dr. Somi please report to the front desk?" She put the phone down and smiled at them. "He'll be here shortly. You two should go wait over there."
Simone nodded and went to sit down, David picking up stride beside her.
"Who's this Mihaly Somi?" he wondered, feeling a slight pang of jealousy.
Simone smirked at him and sat down, watching him take a seat beside her. "He's a friend," she told him, crossing her legs. She had met Mihaly a century before when he'd come to Budapest from Moscow, and they had become fast friends, almost like siblings. Since he was a doctor, she was able to get blood from the hospital without arousing too much suspicion.
"Simone?" a young man called, looking around for the vampiress.
Simone looked over at him at the mention of her name and stood up, smiling at him. "Mihaly," she replied, walking up to him.
The young man looked over at her and smiled as she stopped in front of him. He was about to hug her when he heard David growl warningly. He looked over Simone's shoulder at David and nodded understandingly. "Well, let's go get your things," he spoke up, walking back the way he'd come.
Simone glanced from Mihaly to David suspiciously before following the young doctor, David close behind her.
Mihaly led them up two floors and into his office. He opened a small refrigerator and pulled out a handful of blood bags. He gave them to Simone and grabbed a few more at her expectant stare.
"That's good," she said, putting the bags in her coat pocket. "Thanks Mihaly." She flashed him a quick, grateful smile and left with David. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw two Death Dealers standing at the end of the hallway.
David growled low in his throat and inched closer to her.
Simone glanced at him sideways, hesitantly took his hand, and led him away from the Death Dealers, acutely aware that the vampires were following them. She broke into a run the second she turned the corner and practically dragged David along behind her to the front doors.
David glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened slightly as he saw the Death Dealers chasing after them. He turned back around and ran faster to get away from them. He heard gunfire behind him and saw Simone stumble.
Simone heard the gunshots and felt the sting of a bullet as it imbedded itself in her side. She staggered from the pain and impact and felt a pair of strong arms lift her up.
David held her close as he ran as fast as he could through the hospital. He reached the front doors and ran outside, freezing when he saw Sonia standing there with a gun pointed at his head.
Simone opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at Sonia. She met the other vampiress' gaze, and her blue-green eyes widened in shock. "Sonia?!" she exclaimed, struggling to get out of David's grasp.
Sonia's matching blue-green eyes widened as she heard her name, and she lowered her gun to get a good look at the vampire that'd spoken. "Simone?!" she asked, nearly dropping her gun in surprise.
David looked between the two quickly before flicking his eyes to the doors behind him when he heard them open. Without a second thought, he took off toward where they'd left the car. He put Simone in the passenger seat and climbed into the driver's seat. "Keys," he demanded, taking them from Simone when she held them out for him.
The Death Dealers ran out into the parking lot just as David drove away.
"Why didn't you shoot him?" one Dealer asked Sonia, angrily.
Sonia didn't answer him. Her dazed eyes were fixed on the spot where she'd seen her sister again, and she hadn't even heard him speak.
"Sonia!" the Dealer yelled, furious now.
Without warning, Sonia pushed him out of the way and took off after the car, desperate to see if that girl really was her "dead" sister.
Meanwhile, David drove frantically through Budapest, trying hard to stay calm. He looked over at Simone and bit his lip nervously. She was losing blood fast, and her skin was a ghastly white. "Simone, please stay awake," he said. "You've gotta stay with me."
Simone flashed him a weak glare and leaned her head back on the seat. "Just shut up and drive," she ordered, irritatedly. "I'll be fine."
David turned his attention back to the road, though he was obviously still worried about her.
Simone took a deep, shaky breath and passed out from blood loss.
"Simone!" David cried, slamming on the brakes. He quickly got out and went to the passenger's side door to pull Simone out with him. He gently laid her down on the sidewalk, kneeling down beside her, and brushed the dark hair out of her face. He kissed her forehead gently and moved to examine her wound. He untucked her shirt and sat back on his haunches when he saw the gaping hole in her side.
Taking a deep breath, he dug his fingers into the hole, pausing briefly when she whimpered, and ripped the little silver bullet out of her flesh, tossing it aside as it burned his skin. He took off his coat, tore off the sleeve, and tied it tight around her waist.
When he looked up again, he met the inhuman blue eyes of a vampire. Not intimidated, he leaned in a little closer to her face and kissed her softly. He pulled away and fixed his eyes on hers, watching them fade back to their natural blue-green color.
Simone watched him closely for a moment longer before she passed out again, her eyes sliding shut. She clearly trusted him to protect her while she was unconscious.
David moved to pick her up but was thrown backwards by the bullet that slammed into his chest. He half-opened his eyes to see the Death Dealer that had shot him kneel down beside Simone and move to lift her up. He tried to get up, growling threateningly at the Dealer.
Sonia straightened and slung Simone's arm across her shoulders, fixing her eyes on the unconscious vampiress' face. She glared down at David and adjusted Simone's weight slightly.
David's eyes widened as he got a good look at the Dealer's face. She was identical to Simone in every way. "No," he whimpered, trying to get up as she turned and left. "No… Simone…" He fell back against the cement and closed his eyes tightly.
A shadowed beast slowly closed in on her.
Simone watched as if from the sidelines as the creature closed in another vampire that looked so much like her.
The vampire was dressed in the garb of a Death Dealer, and her eyes were the inhuman blue of a vampire. She fired at the creature until her clip was empty and dropped her gun when it was, her eyes widening slightly in fear.
In the blink of an eye, the creature was upon the other vampire, its face a bare inch from hers.
Simone could pick out the familiar scent of lycan as well as that of her own kind on this creature. A hybrid, she thought, her eyes widening as she looked at the creature in a new light.
The creature was dressed in the same leather cat suit as the vampire, although she could tell that it was stretched out. It was definitely female, and its skin was a sleek, silvery blue color. It had the same short, wavy black hair as the vampire and was built exactly the same way.
The creature turned around slightly, and Simone's blue-green eyes met solid, deep blue eyes.
Simone sucked in her breath sharply and sat up slowly, holding her head in one hand.
"You're finally awake," Sonia spoke up, standing.
Simone looked over her shoulder at Sonia and found herself looking into a face that matched her own. "Sonia?" she asked, suspiciously.
Sonia nodded and sat down on the bed beside her.
"But… how can you still be alive?" Simone wondered.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Sonia replied, meeting Simone's eyes again. She smiled weakly at her and hesitantly touched her hand.
Without warning, Simone wrapped her arms around Sonia and hugged her tightly. "I've missed you so much, Sonia," she said, smiling.
Sonia returned the hug and just barely managed to hold back her tears, which she knew Simone was having a hard time doing as well.
They pulled away a moment later and smiled at each other, laughing slightly.
Sonia got up off the bed and went over to her closet. She pulled out a Death Dealer suit, coat, and boots and held them out for Simone. "There's a bathroom over there if you want to take a shower," she explained, pointing at the door on the other side of the room. "I'll be right out here. Just call me if you need anything."
Simone nodded in agreement and took the clothes from Sonia. She smiled at the other vampiress and went to take a shower.
David sat on a metal table, clearly in a daze, while an older-looking lycan named Slaje tended to his wounds.
"David!" Lukacs called, entering the room.
David glanced at him briefly, barely acknowledging his presence.
"David, where's Simone?" Lukacs asked, fighting to keep his voice from raising in anger.
"At the vampire mansion," David answered, his voice hollow. "A female Death Dealer took her."
Lukacs remained silent, simply watching David. So, he's chosen her, he thought, curiously. That's unexpected, but not altogether unwanted… It will certainly make my plan easier. He smiled slightly and left the room.
Simone had just come out of the bathroom and joined Sonia in cleaning their weapons and catching up on the past when Mael burst in with Sander and two other Death Dealers.
Both women looked up as they entered, their irritated expressions mirror images of each other.
"Why are you here, Mael?" Sonia asked, silencing the hiss she knew was coming from her sister.
"Niklaus wants to see you both… now," Mael answered, glancing between the two in confusion.
Sonia nodded to him and motioned for Simone to follow her. She led her sister downstairs to the throne room, disregarding Simone's hiss at the other vampires.
They entered the throne room and stopped in the middle of the floor, facing the two male Elders.
Simone saw Sonia glance at Erik and then drop to one knee in respect, and she glared down at her, unable to believe that she was showing obeisance to those monsters.
Sonia stood up a moment later and glanced sidelong at her sister. She was surprised to see her eyes the inhuman blue that marked her kind as she glared at the Elders, Niklaus in particular. When she looked up again at her sire, she saw him returning the glare.
"Sonia, who is this girl?" Erik demanded, fixing his hard eyes on Sonia.
"She is my twin sister, Simone," Sonia answered, taking a protective step toward her twin. She looked pointedly at Niklaus, and her eyes hardened. "You told me she'd been killed by the lycans."
"I was mistaken," Niklaus replied, standing up. "I truly thought her dead, my child. Forgive me."
Sonia smiled slightly at him and started to nod, only to look up sharply at Simone's outburst.
"You can't forgive him!" Simone yelled, angrily. "He's a monster!"
"Simone," Sonia growled, warningly.
"Don't you see?" Simone wondered, turning to her twin. "He's the one who killed our family, not the lycans. He's been lying to you for two hundred years. He's the one who slaughtered Momma, Father, and Samuel. The lycans are innocent, Sonia."
Sonia stared at her with wide eyes, not wanting to believe what she had just been told.
"What's going on?!" Amelia demanded from behind them.
The group all turned to look at her, and they shrunk away slightly from the furious look she was giving them.
Amelia didn't get angry very often, but when she did, you didn't want to be around. "Niklaus!" she yelled, walking up to him. "Explain yourself!"
"There is nothing to explain, my dearest Amelia," Niklaus said, trying to assuage her fury. "This girl is simply making ridiculous claims about me killing her family."
"Now, you listen to me," she began, poking his chest with each word. She was cut off by Sacha's shrill little voice and the sound of running feet. She turned just in time to catch the little girl that leapt at her chest and buried her face in her mother's neck. She settled her daughter on her hip and straightened, glaring at Niklaus. "If her claims are ridiculous, then why don't you set her straight?"
Niklaus watched her for a moment before turning to the twins, who were both giving him expectant looks. He sighed in exasperation and met the sisters' matching eyes. "I did not kill your family," he told them, looking pointedly at Simone. "The lycan alpha has been feeding you lies for the past two hundred years, my dear. It is you who has been misled, not Sonia."
Amelia sighed in relief, and her eyes faded back to their natural blue-gray color.
Sonia bit her lip nervously, not quite sure who to believe. She wanted to trust her sister, but she had trusted Niklaus her whole life. She was truly lost, torn between her sister and her savior.
Simone stormed out of the throne room, Sonia close behind her, and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Jozsef standing at the base of the stairs. She huffed in frustration and walked toward the stairs, hissing at Jozsef when she passed him. She was pleased to hear Sonia's slight hiss follow hers and continued on up the stairs with her twin in tow.
Sonia followed Simone up to her rooms and shut the doors behind her as she entered.
"What is he doing here?!" Simone demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Who?" Sonia wondered, turning to face her sister.
"The vampire at the base of the stairs," Simone answered, shifting her weight slightly.
"That's Jozsef," Sonia told her, shrugging nonchalantly. "Niklaus rewarded him with regent position after he killed the lycan leader, Lukacs."
"Lukacs isn't dead," Simone retorted, averting her eyes.
Sonia watched her with curious eyes before taking a seat on the couch. "Why do you hate us so much?" she asked, still desperately trying to understand her sister.
"I've already told you," Simone replied, staring out the window at the thunderstorm. "I'm out to avenge our family."
"I know that, but you're killing the wrong species," Sonia argued, getting angry. "For God's sake Simone, you're killing vampires, your own people."
"No," Simone said, flatly. She looked away from the window and glared at her twin, their eyes both the inhuman blue that marked their kind. "I despise Niklaus for what he did to us. The vampires aren't my people, the lycans are." With that, she turned her gaze back on the storm.
"Niklaus didn't do anything to us!" Sonia yelled, standing up quickly. "He saved us from ravaging lycans after they killed our family."
"He did not!" Simone yelled back, turning to face her twin. "He slaughtered our horses, our mother, father, and brother, and he would have killed us too. He only spared us because we reminded him of his beloved Sophia, his human love that he condemned to death."
"No. It's not true." Sonia shook her head and hid her eyes behind her dark hair.
"Yes, it is." Simone walked over to Sonia and rested her hands on her shoulders. "Right after he changed us, Lukacs attacked him and saved me… Sonia, you have to believe me."
Sonia looked up, her eyes wet with tears, and she met her sister's eyes squarely. "Simone, you need to leave. If Niklaus hears this, he'll kill you." She backed out of her twin's grasp and turned her back on her. "Please… just go."
Simone stared at her in disbelief, thoroughly shocked by what Sonia had said. "How can you trust him over me?" she asked.
Sonia remained silent, trying hard to keep her long-buried memories from resurfacing.
Simone nodded slightly in defeat and picked up her borrowed trench coat and her guns, jamming them into the holsters at her sides. She walked over to the window and opened it, ignoring the rain that poured in. She spared Sonia one last glance before stepping off the windowsill. She landed nimbly on her feet and strode off toward the front gates, desperately hoping her stubborn sister would come to her senses.
Sonia left her room and went down the hall to the library. She walked over to the huge closed doors at the back of the room and tried to open them, finding to her disappointment that they were locked. She quickly looked around for other vampires, and satisfied that no one was coming, she kicked the doors open. She walked into the little room and up to the glass case in the back.
Glancing warily over her shoulder quickly, she smashed the glass with her fist and took out the thick, ancient looking book. She dropped it on the desk in the main library and sat down in the chair.
Her hands hovered undecidedly over the cover before she pursed her lips and opened the book. She had gotten about halfway through the book when the library doors swung open. She abruptly closed the book and looked up just in time to see Amelia enter.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," Amelia said, walking right up to Sonia. She held up her hand to stop the younger vampire from dropping to one knee. "What are you doing in here anyway?"
"Just a little research," Sonia answered, gesturing to the pile of books on the desk. "Amelia, do you believe Lukacs died the way they say he did?"
"Has Jozsef been telling war stories again?" Amelia wondered, meeting Sonia's eyes.
"Well, that's my point," Sonia told her. "It's nothing but an ancient story. His story. There's not a shred proof he killed Lukacs, only his word."
Amelia's eyes flashed blue momentarily, and she looked away thoughtfully. Her gaze landed on the book Sonia had been reading, and her eyes widened slightly. "You broke into our past?" she asked, a little surprised.
"I did," Sonia admitted, nodding slightly. "I'm sorry… It's just… the things Simone said… Part of me really wants to believe her… I just want to know the truth." She hung her head in shame, pointedly avoiding the Elder's eyes.
Amelia watched her closely as Sonia left the room, pondering what she'd said.
Simone stood at her window, staring out at the torrenting rain. Her mind was focused on Sonia and the events that had transpired at the vampire mansion. She didn't even hear the door to her rooms open.
David spotted her standing by her window and silently closed the door. He walked over to her and slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him.
Simone sucked in her breath sharply and tensed in his arms. She relaxed when she caught his scent and felt his lips brush against her neck lightly.
"What's bothering you?" he asked, burying his face in her neck. His voice was muffled by her neck, and his warm breath was tickling her skin.
"It's nothing," Simone answered, shaking her head.
David turned her around and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "If it's nothing, then why are you crying?" he wondered, showing her the tears on his thumb.
Simone fixed her eyes on his thumb before reaching up to wipe the tears from her eyes.
David took her hand in his to stop her and lifted her chin to meet her eyes. "Please tell me," he pleaded, giving her the best puppy face he could muster.
Simone smiled at him slightly and dropped her eyes again.
"Please," he prodded, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.
Simone took a deep breath and met his eyes again briefly before looking back down at her feet. "There was something in the stable, tearing our horses to pieces," she began, her voice tight as she remembered. "I couldn't have saved my mother or my brother. Their screams woke me. My father died outside, trying to fend him off… I stood on the stairs watching as a creature hovered over my families' bodies. I was about to run when he turned to face me…" She took a deep breath, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "He was soaked in the blood of my horses and family members, and I could see that I was going to be next…"
"Jesus…" David breathed, finding that his anger was growing.
"But instead of killing me, he made me a vampire," she continued. "Next thing I knew I was in his arms… The war had spilled into our house… He'd been tracking Niklaus for days. He fought him off and saved me."
"Who?" David asked, curiously.
"Lukacs," she replied, meeting his gaze again. "He took me in and raised me with the lycans… He gave me the strength to avenge my family, and since then I've never looked back."
David smiled at her gratefully and hugged her gently. "Thanks for telling me," he whispered into her ear. He felt her nod slightly against his shoulder, and then her arms locked around his waist, returning the embrace.
Next Night…
Sonia walked purposefully toward the throne room, her mind focused on the task at hand.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.
She met Jozsef's angry green eyes and returned his glare.
"How could you do this to me?" Jozsef demanded, furiously. "Embarrass me like this. The entire Coven knows that I had plans for us."
"There is no us!" Sonia snapped, annoyed with his never-ending infatuations.
"You'll go before the Elders and tell them exactly what I tell you to," Jozsef ordered, ignoring her comment. "From here on out, you'll do as I say… Is that in any way unclear?"
Sonia's eyes hardened briefly, and she slammed the heel of her hand into his jaw. She hurried on to the throne room, glancing warily behind her. She entered the throne room and stopped in the middle of the room, Jozsef right behind her. She knew he wouldn't dare to touch her in front of the three Elders, all of whom were very fond of her.
As one, they dropped to one knee in respect.
Niklaus motioned for them to stand and glanced sidelong at Amelia. "Come closer, my child," he said, looking directly at Sonia.
Sonia met his gaze briefly and slowly stepped forward, stopping a few feet from the Elders. "My Lord, I have some very disturbing news for you," she told him, meeting his icy blue eyes again.
"What is it?" Amelia asked, crossing her legs languidly. She looked bored as she lounged on her throne, though her eyes were the same inhuman blue as Niklaus and Erik's.
"I have good reason to believe that Lukacs is still alive and well," Sonia replied, meeting Amelia's eyes briefly. "And even more disturbing is that if I'm correct… it would mean that Jozsef is in league with him."
"Ridiculous!" Jozsef burst out, stepping forward. "She is lying. I would never associate with a filthy dog!"
"Jozsef!" Amelia snapped, getting angry. "Be quiet! Let her speak." Her eyes softened briefly as she looked back at Sonia. "Why have you come to believe that Lukacs still lives?"
"My sister has told me many things about him, and I know that he was supposedly killed four hundred years before we were turned," Sonia explained. "And I remember seeing him flee with her the night my family was killed… I fear that he may be planning to attack us during the day when we are at our weakest."
"That's not possible," Erik scoffed.
"Not for a lycan leader as strong as Lukacs," Sonia argued.
"Lukacs is dead!" Niklaus yelled, stubbornly.
"According to whom?" Amelia wondered, finding that she believed Sonia.
The vampires all looked over to where Jozsef had been, only to find him gone.