Hey all, please note that this story is the sequel to 'Becoming Dawn Ruthless' and it would make more sense if you read the first one first…but it's up to you! Anyways, enjoy!

Dawn's Pov

Time passed by unnoticed. I remained in my contemplative silence until I heard a scream. I jumped off the roof; my panic making me clumsy and I ran into the ground hard. I cursed and groaned. I took a deep breath and used the air to push myself beck up to the window. I climbed in and ran into the room where I heard the scream. I rushed into the room just in time to see a man with sunglasses disappear into the ground. I cried out and whipped out my phone.

"Tanith, someone has just taken Val."

"I'll be right there." She didn't bother wasting time asking questions.

I paced back and forth around the house until I heard the sound of a motorbike tearing up the gravel of the driveway. I rushed outside and explained everything.

"Sanguine." She growled suddenly.

"What?"

"One of the annoying bad guys that just won't stay down."

"How do you know it's him?"

"Seriously Dawn, do you know anyone else who can tunnel underground and constantly wears sunglasses?"

"Well, I know someone who wears sunglasses…"

"I'll call Skulduggery."

I sat impatiently while Tanith called her friend and explained the situation. There was muttering on the other end and Tanith snarled.

"Fine then!" She slammed the phone down.

"He says he can't get back in time to help and Fletcher wouldn't know the place."

I groaned.

"It's just us then?"

"No surprise there. Come on, let's go save Val."

We were speeding through the streets when a thought occurred to me and I frowned.

"How do you know where she is?" I shouted.

"I don't! I'm guessing." She called back and I paled.

"What?"

"All the bad guys always seem to gather up in Serpine's old castle, it's really stupid but helpful for us."

I kept my thoughts to myself and hoped that she was right.

We reached our destination and Tanith flipped out the back wheel so that we parked against the wall. I had to hold my arm out to the wall so that I didn't fall off. I swore at her under my breath and got off. Tanith was already ten steps ahead of me with her sword out and I almost felt pity for the man who had taken Valkyrie; I knew he was going to regret it.

We crept through the dark corridors and I shivered. I heard plenty of scuttling and squeaking and made sure to stay away from the walls. We stopped outside each door and listened. We kept doing this for 20 minutes until we heard an annoying Texan drawl coming from behind one. We listened harder.

"They aren't coming lil darlin'. Not without the skeleton, so please stop talkin' my ear off."

Valkyrie didn't answer but we heard an intake of breath and the sound of someone spitting. There was a shout of anger and a slap. Valkyrie cried out and I looked at Tanith. I could tell that wasn't going to stand out here any longer. With a shout, she kicked the door down and strode in. Sanguine stepped back and cursed.

"Why are you here? I thought the skeleton was in America."

"He is." Tanith said coldly. "But we can take care of ourselves."

Sanguine rolled his metaphorical eyes and put his feet together, but Tanith was bloody fast and sent her foot into the back of his knee. With a startled yelp, Sanguine fell backward and Tanith stood over him.

"Come and have a go… If you think you're hard enough."

Sanguine growled and launched himself up, intending to catch Tanith by surprise, but that seemed impossible for her and she casually flicked her sword out and he shouted in pain as it opened up his thigh. Sanguine ran-well hopped-after Tanith and she ran up the wall and held the sword below her. Sanguine tried to reach up but Tanith evaded him and stuck her sword into his shoulder. He turned away from Tanith and used his uninjured arm to swing his razor at me. The razor entered my body just as Tanith's sword sliced through his neck. I felt cold seeping through my body and looked down at the hole in my chest. Everything went black.

Valkyrie's Pov

I was tied to the chair with rope and couldn't use my elemental powers to help Tanith. I saw as Sanguine turned on Dawn and stabbed her through the chest. Tanith slit his throat but she was too slow. Everything seemed to move slowly as Dawn collapsed and fell to the ground.

"No." I whispered.

I remembered something and cursed myself for not thinking of it sooner. I concentrated on my shadows and brought them out and used them to stop the blood from escaping Dawn's body. Sanguine had been stupid not to use bound chains. Tanith saw what I was doing and quickly came over to release me from the chair. I rubbed my wrists and then turned all my attention to the shadows keeping Dawn alive.

Dawn's Pov

I woke up in a hospital room and looked around me in confusion. A head entered my field of vision and I saw Tanith standing over me. I smiled weakly she turned around.

"Val, she's awake."

Valkyrie hurried over and I had to endure their endless fussing until finally had enough.
"Stop! Where am I?"

"This is Kenspeckle's lab, he fixed you up. He's a grouch but a good man."

"I'll take your word-." My sentence was cut short as I was overcome with a huge yawn.

They looked at me apologetically and Valkyrie instantly apologized.

"Oops, sorry, we'll let you sleep."

I was about to argue when I finally thought to look down, I was in a blue hospital gown and the hole in my chest had disappeared to nothing more than a bruise.

"Whoa."

"I know right!" Tanith squealed.

I couldn't answer her as I was still looking in amazement at my healed chest. Tanith seemed to realize that I was in no condition to chat. Tanith coughed and looked at Valkyrie meaningfully and her eyes widened.

"Oh right, sorry." She apologized again and the pair quickly left the room.