The moment those words left her mouth she knew she was correct. Standing behind her, in a corner Selene had not looked in was Kahn. He was still wearing leathers, as he always had. He was leaning on a wall with the same cocky grin he was known for, with a gun laying at his feet.

"You look like you're starin' at a ghost." Kahn remarked. His grin grew wider as he stepped forward. "What? Thought I'd died back there, or somethin'? I thought you'd at least expect more outta me than that."

Selene just kept staring at him. She couldn't believe her eyes. "I thought you'd died back there…. I heard the shots." Selene said, more to herself than to him.

"Oh, that." Kahn paused, his town ominous. "Yeah, almost all of them men died during that ambush. Mason and I made it out of that one."

"Mason's alive?" Selene asked, looking around.

"No," Kahn said sadly, "he made it outta that one, but he was killed right before we made it outta that hellhole. When we saw Viktor dead, we figured we'd leave, so we turned back and about ten feet from the exit, a Lycan attacked us and killed Mason. I came back here by myself, only to find the whole damn placed burned down! The sun was comin' up, so now I'm stuck here." Kahn paused. "How did you guys get here? The sun's been up for a while."

"Well…" Selene began, but became unsure of how to explain all that had happened in a period of a few days.

Michael continued for her. "Selene's immune to sunlight, now."

A look of confusion entered Kahn's face, but he decided not to ask. Don't ask questions; just do. Kahn had taught Selene that that rule was one of the most important rules to remember as a Death Dealer. If you were given a mission, just take it, follow the directions, and don't question anything. "Okay." Kahn said.

What now? Selene asked herself. The news of Mason's demise was disturbing, but not unexpected. She tried to push out the emotions, as she had done with the news of every death she had heard over the years. This time, however, she couldn't. Her heart felt heavy, and she felt tears build her eyes. What is going on? Selene had never cried or even really felt sad about a fellow Death Dealer dying. She cared, and she'd paid her respects when she could, but she'd never felt like crying before. This was brand-new territory for her.

Kahn noticed something was wrong with Selene. "Selene? Are you ok—?" Kahn interrupted himself when he realized Selene wasn't as apathetic as she usually was when she found out a fellow Death Dealer died. "Oh, my Elders. Are you CRYING?"

Selene took a deep breath and replied, "No."

"Yes, yes you are! Oh, poor Selene is crying!" Kahn mocked.

Selene looked more embarrassed than upset, and Michael didn't like that.

Michael took Selene by her hand and walked off outside into the sunlight with her. "Give me a second alone with her, okay Kahn?" He turned around, not waiting for an answer.

When they were out of Kahn's sight and out of earshot (how good were vampires' hearing, anyway?), Michael spoke to Selene.

"Hey, you okay?"

Selene hesitated. "Y-yeah." Selene avoided his eyes.

He tilted her face upward so he could look into her eyes. "No, you're not."

Selene backed up, away from Michael. "I'm not usually like… this. Usually when a Death Dealer dies, I feel bad for a little while, maybe a little sad, but then I stop caring or thinking about it. But this time, it's different. I actually feel… well, emotional."

Michael looked both shocked and dubious. "You mean, in all these years, you've never, ever felt sad when a Death Dealer dies? You don't grieve?"

"No, I never do. I usually feel more rage than anything. But after I get revenge, I feel better, and then the whole thing is just pushed out of my mind."

Selene sighed. "Look, I'll be fine. I guess I'm a little more emotional now for some reason." She started to head back to Ordoghaz. "Maybe it's the sun." She turned around and walked away.

Michael chuckled, watching the woman he loved walk in the sunlight. Maybe it's me, Michael thought to himself. Maybe I'm finally breaking down her walls.

"Michael, you coming?" Selene asked from the burnt down remains of her home.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." When Ordoghaz came into sight again, he couldn't help but notice that Selene seemed to glow in the sunlight.

Selene led Michael to the backyard building she had described. It was small, like the size of a trailer. I guess it doesn't need to be that big. After all, all it holds is keys, right?

"All that's in there are keys?"

"Yes, but we bought the trailer, because we figured if we just bought something tiny and stuck it outside, it would stick out."

"So why not just buy a safe and keep it inside?"

"Because we were afraid something would happen to the building itself – which DID – and then we'd lose all the keys."

Selene reached out and pulled the door open. She looked a bit shocked. "It's not supposed to just open like that…" she muttered to herself.

She stepped inside. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed.

Michael rushed inside. "What?"

No sooner did he walk in that he saw why she cursed. Almost all of the keys were missing! Only two or three were left. There was only one conclusion to be made – someone had broken in and taken most of the keys.

"Oh, my God." Michael said.

"Tyrell." Selene said simply, and then stormed out.

Michael followed her out, wondering who they hell Tyrell was.

Selene walked into the crypt area, and said to Kahn, "Most of the keys have been stolen. I could smell Tyrell's scent."

"Who's Tyrell?" asked Michael.

Selene turned to face Michael. "He was a Lycan that was known to be very stealthy and conniving. We've been following him for years, but I was always one step behind him. Thing was, I was also always so close, so I know his scent almost as well as mine. I wouldn't mistake it for anything."

"May I ask, why were you in that building to begin with? Why would you need a helicopter?" Kahn asked.

"Well, my plan," said Selene, "is to go to the American Coven and begin to bring peace between the two races. But right now, it seems a bit impossible."

Kahn nodded, seeing the rationality in her plan. "This is just one Lycan. I'm sure that the rest won't be as difficult, seeing as how most of them are dead."

"And besides," Kahn paused, "I have faith in you."

"Thanks."

"Look," Kahn said, leaning in, "I'm sorry for givin' you a hard time before. It's just that, I've never seen you so upset over anyone's death except for your family."

"It's okay. I've just been more emotional lately. It's kinda weird."

"So," Kahn said, leaning against the wall again, "what keys are left?"

"Nothing I can use, I'm afraid. All the keys are for the really old helicopters."

"Man, I haven't flown one of those in ages."

"I know; I'm afraid I can't remember how to fly one."

"That's never stopped you before," commented Kahn.

Selene smiled. "Well it will if I crash it into the ocean."

"You won't. Not with me there."

Kahn sat down on the floor. "At nightfall, we'll go. After all, with two veteran Death Dealers flying the damn thing, it couldn't be too bad, right?"

"No, it couldn't."

At nightfall, the three left the "shelter" of Ordoghaz. Selene had left at noon to go and get the remaining keys. They'd decide which helicopter to fly later.

"Nice bike!" Kahn said as they approached the motorcycle they had left by the gate.

"The three of us can't fit on there." Michael noted.

"That's fine." Selene said. "I have to go do something, anyway."

"What?" Michael asked.

"It's nothing big. Kahn'll navigate you to the correct spot. I'll meet up with you guys at sunrise. There's just something I need to take care of."

As Michael and Kahn drove off, Selene headed back into Ordoghaz. She checked before entering; there was still a car there from when she'd left it. There was one day when she had had enough of Kraven's constant disregard for her privacy. So she parked a car in the farthest part of the property she could, then reported it missing to Kahn. That was the place she'd spent many nights, just sitting and thinking if she didn't have a mission and if she didn't feel up to working out in the dojo.

She could drive it to the helicopter spot. After all, the tank was full, since it hadn't been driven for a few months.

Reassured she'd have a way to catch up with Michael and Kahn, she turned around and went back into Ordoghaz.

She went back down to the crypt area; the place where she'd also spent much of her time. She lied down on the floor and slept. She slept soundly, not disturbed by the smell of soot or smoke anymore. She would wake up before sunrise well rested and would drive to the place where the helicopters were stored by sunrise, as promised.

But for now, she would sleep for one last time in her home. Before she drifted off to sleep (which was rather quickly), she had only one thought in her head.

Home sweet home.


AUTHOR'S NOTE:
And now there are three…