She knew she was going to die. It made sense, her punishment was finally over. She could leave this purgatory she had been caged in for the past twenty three years. Still aware of her body, she could no longer comprehend the pain.

"I can feel you lurking just outside" She whispered "I'm ready Death, come take me away."

With each moment her consciousness trickled farther and farther out. She could sense more then feel the cool breeze drifting over her, she was so light, almost a part of the air herself. It was an amazing relief. with a swell of joy and wonder she realized she could go with it. with one final exhale she was released.

Eric had heard her moans of pain for hours, but he wasn't going to stop. Cruelty was as comman amoung humans as it was vampires, and from what he had heard, what those man were doing to her was nothing new. Plus he wasn't hungry and she was spent anyway. Eric could hear her heart slowing from outside the door. He was almost to the end of the hallway when he heard her whisper to him.

Old memories of Godric drifted through his mind as he opened the door to her chamber. The scene that awaited him somehow struck as a work of beautiful art. A young women lay spread out on a table covered only by blood and the tip of a knife slowely starting to be pulled across her neck. Two other men stared hunched over, as if worshiping her with their eyes, having been cleansed with her body and blood. In an instant all three were dead