A/N: Alright, this chapter might be a bit boring to some, others might disagree. But I figured this would be the perfect time to set some things straight while setting up other things. Plus it gives a little insight on what Cristiano really is and what possibly holds for the future.

Oh and believe me, I tried my best to cut out as much as I could, only leaving what I thought would be helpful to understand later.

Anyways, as always...

Read, review, & enjoy! ^-^


Isabelle's POV:

"Isabelle." I heard a deep voice call out to me as the tree's trunk began to shift into a face. I stared into the trunks now misshapen face and watched as it began to twist and snap right before it take its final shape.

Fudge.

The face called out to me again. "Isabelle."

I only saw this sort of thing on TV. And believe me, being here, in the dark and alone is somewhere I prefer never to be. This scene that is playing out right before my eyes is just hinting that there will be something that I don't want to look forward to in the next minute or so.

Instinctively I hugged myself as I began to walk away from the creepy tree and noticed I was still wearing this damn dress.

Ugh! This is just freaking awesome!

This is so typical. In scary movies, why is it that the hottest chick always die? I mean, I'm not saying that I'm smoking effing hot, but you understand I'm sure. If the chick isn't just hot, then most likely she's wearing the most ridiculous outfit, lingerie preferably, and what do you know? Her head gets cut off or she gets eaten by a suped up zombie with some alien looking tentacles coming out from their mouths.

Then there's me. In the dark woods. Alone. Wearing Amy's damn nighty.

Hell to the effing no!

I took in my surroundings and realized I seen this place before. I wasn't sure where, but I think I might have been here. Once, maybe. But I just couldn't pinpoint where exactly.

Do you know the feeling when the name or whatever is just at the tip of your tongue and yet, you can't remember? That is exactly how I feel right about now.

Forget it.

I began walking further down the paved road, glancing behind me every so often. Just making sure no killer or zombie is coming after me.

Can never be too careful.

But then when I looked over to the left, I noticed there were gravestones.

Fudge, why do I have to be in a damn cemetery? I thought to myself. An alley, a haunted house, anywhere. But a cemetery? Ugh.

I would've continued walking except, I saw a woman looking down at a grave. She had her back to me so I wasn't sure if I knew her. It was just that it would be a bit more comforting to be here with someone familiar.

But the one thing that began to alarm me about this woman was the fact that all she had on was a pair of undies and a spaghetti strap.

"Excuse me?" I called out as I began walking towards her.

Okay, I know I shouldn't have done that being that because I couldn't see her face, she could be anything. Oh hell, she could be Ju-On herself for all I knew. (Ju-On is the original Japanese version of The Grudge.)

"Hello. Can you tell me where I am?" I asked her, now standing just a few feet away from her.

Can she even hear me?

I waited, giving her a moment before reaching for her shoulder.

"Hey." I whispered as I turned her toward me.

And as she turned around to face me, she began screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as I jumped back. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Help me!" she cried as she tried to reach out for me.

Impulsively, I jumped back, far enough to where she couldn't grab me. Under normal circumstances, I would've helped her without a doubt. But something creepy about her didn't sit too well with me.

For one, her body was literally decaying to the point where she was barely recognizable. Her flesh itself had a tinted grayish blue to it. Her hair had already begun to fall out. Her eyes were sunk in. And she smelled like rotting flesh.

What the hell?

"Isabelle…" she called out to me this time.

I backed up, trying my best not to run. If I knew scary, zombie movies, the faster you ran, the faster the zombies would catch up to you. And then eventually, you're pretty much fucked.

This chick however looked like a zombie, smelt like one too (just guessing), but she seem to hang onto some of her humanity. At least, that's what I hoped because she wasn't focused (yet) on eating my flesh that's for damn sure.

"How do you know me?" I asked, adding a few more steps away from the walking, rotting corpse.

I didn't care whether or not she actually knew me, I was just trying to buy myself some time to think. But she didn't bother answering anyway, instead, she dug at her neck as if she was struggling to breathe.

"Isabelle…" she managed to gurgle out.

Fuck this shit. I'm out of here. I thought to myself as I turned around and began running.

To hell with those scary movies because I wasn't about to stay here and be killed. No, scratch that, I wasn't about to stay here only to be eaten alive. Hell to the effing no on that one thank you very much.

"Its him, he's after me…" was all I heard when I glanced back toward her, making sure she wasn't coming after me.

Well, maybe I should've been paying attention to where I was going because in the next moment, I ended up running straight into that damn tree with a face. How'd I ended up back here, I don't know.

"Hey, Isabelle." the tree croaked, my face smashed against his.

Then I screamed, jolting from one reality to the next.


"Are you okay?" someone asked.

Ignoring the question, I jumped out from the chair, throwing the blanket off of me. I could still (faintly) smell her rotting flesh as I shivered, totally grossed out.

"Ahh!" I screamed as I shook myself, trying to rid myself of the rotting corpse.

"Isabelle!"

"Holy mother of Jesus!" I yelped as I literally jumped, backing into the table near the window.

I had to press my hand to my chest to stop my heart from jumping out. I felt so many emotions at that moment, I wasn't able to distinguish one from the other.

"Am I still dreaming?" I asked softly in pure disbelief at what I was seeing before me.

It worked! It really worked!

"I hope not." he said. "You need to get me out of here."

I just stood there in disbelief. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. But what I did know was that I wanted to hug him, squeeze him like a teddy I haven't seen since I was a little girl. And I did just that.

I jumped on the bed and embraced him in a big hug. I was so happy to have Cristiano awake, alive, and obviously well. All the built up guilt that I had was now gone. It was replaced with joy and hope.

"We did it, we really did it!"

For a moment, he sat there still. "We did it?" he asked, confused.

I pulled away and nodded. "You've been in a coma for three days now. Or were is more like the word." I flashed him the biggest smile. "I was scared you wouldn't wake up."

"Okay…" he said. "Isabelle, can we talk about this later? You can tell me everything, but right now, we have to go. We need to get out of here and fast."

I frowned, "Why? The nurse said to call her if-"

"Fuck what the nurse said. Just trust me on this one okay? We need to go. Now." he said as he jumped off the bed. He unplugged the monitors and stripped off the wires.

I slipped off the bed and grabbed my bag on the floor.

"Do you know something I don't?" I asked him confused at his sudden change of attitude.

I think I liked him better when he was sleeping.

"I know that if we don't get moving now, in about five minutes, this room will be swarming with Supes." he said as he slipped on his jeans.

"Are you wanted for something? Like from the supernatural police or something?"

If they even exist.

"Can you quit with all these questions and help me?"

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, clearly peeved.

He thought a moment, ignoring my change in tone, "Distract the nurses for a minute. Then go to the nearest stairs and I'll be waiting for you there."

"Wait, not like this." I told him as I looked down the length of my body.

This is so effing embarrassing!

He grunted as his eyes swept over my body.

"You don't have time. Besides…" he smiled. "…you look fine."

"This will definitely attract attention."

"Isabelle, I know these people. He's a ruthless man."

I didn't understand what it was that he was talking about. He didn't want to explain to me why he was acting a little paranoid and he sure as hell wasn't about to give me a good enough reason to go along with his plan.

"What about Amy?"

For a moment, I wasn't sure if Cristiano even heard me. His mind was obviously somewhere else. And as he was pulling his shirt over his head he stopped with his head cocked to the side and listened toward the door.

"Fuck." he cursed.

"What?"

Immediately he pushed the table aside and opened the window. He looked down below and then peered from the left to the right.

Oh sugar.

I didn't have to be a mind reader to know what he was planning on doing.

Cristiano jumped onto the window seal and turned around.

"Come on."

I stepped back, "No way. I am not getting up on that. We are on the sixth floor!" I shrieked.

He held onto the window frame and reached out toward me.

"Please Isabelle. Trust me for ten fucking minutes."

I hesitated. "I don't kn-"

He grunted, "We don't have much time, now come on!" he told me as softly as he could without sounding like he was shouting. "I promise, I will explain everything to you."

'He knows I'm coming. Fuck! I know he'll be gone by the time we get there.'

I'm not sure how far my telepathic radar goes, but I'm guessing whoever is after Cristiano is very close.

I closed my eyes, held my bag tight, and took a deep breath before running toward the window. I grabbed Cristiano's hand just as he pulled me up. Then he swung me against the wall as gently but as swiftly as he could and closed the window behind us.

I couldn't look down. I knew the ledge was not much bigger than my feet. I felt as if I was about to slip and fall onto the moving cars below.

Oh sweet mother…

I could feel Cristiano right next to me.

"Don't worry. I won't let you fall."

I scoffed, "Easy for you to say." I told him as I scooted closer to the rain pipe.

When I felt confident enough, I wrapped my right arm around it, praying this will keep me from falling flat on my face.

Everything that happened next happened so fast, I wasn't sure if it really took place.

Cristiano jumped in front of me, gripping the rain pipe as his legs straddled mine and pinned his body against mine. With his free hand he covered my mouth and smiled as he tried to form his body to mines.

Amy wasn't kidding when she said that he had a lot to work with.

Then just as the window we had came out of opened, I felt a tingling feeling all over me. When I looked out onto the world, it was as if I was hidden behind a plastic wrap. And then a fat, bald man poked his head out and glanced toward us and then back toward the other way.

Why can't he see us? We're standing right in front of his damn face. I thought to myself. Not that I wanted him to see us.

He mumbled to himself before yelling. "We just missed him! I can still smell him!" he ducked back in.

"Well go get him! Why the hell are you still standing here for?" I heard another man shout.

I was confused at first, not quite understanding what was happening. But then I recognized the view from this side of the world.

When Rose and I had gone to Blue Haven, we were cloaked. And when I looked out at the surroundings around me, it was as if I was looking out behind a plastic wrap much like this one.

But I don't remember Cristiano bringing a cloak with him.

Cristiano looked down at me and closed his eyes as he shook his head slowly. A sign, I'm guessing he means to wait, not yet. I wanted to move, if I could, but I wouldn't not only because I couldn't but because I was too afraid to. So I waited until Cristiano felt it was safe.

We stood there for another five minutes before making a move. I wasn't even sure I was still breathing.

"When I tell you to, I want you to follow right behind me to the next window. But don't let go of me." he whispered as he held onto me. I couldn't speak. All I could do was nod. "Follow me." he said as he made his way around the rain pipe.


Cristiano climbed through the window first and then turned around to help me down.

"What happened back there? What was that?" I whispered, glancing around me.

We were in the same room as someone who was literally covered in a cast from head to toe.

Great.

"Not yet." he said, grabbing a hold of my hand. "Follow me."

As we walked out into the hallway, Cristiano made sure that we walked along the wall and away from the human traffic.

I noticed how everyone around us seem to be oblivious to our very existence. Of course that gave me a hint that Cristiano is more supernatural than I thought. But as for what he was, I still wasn't sure of just yet. I knew I would get my answers soon enough.

Lucky bastard… I thought to myself as I sort of envied his invisibility.

When it was clear for us, we crossed the intersecting hallway and darted straight for the stairwell. But I knew we weren't out of the woods just yet. Cristiano tossed me onto his back and ran down the flight of stairs faster than any human I have ever seen run.

But he didn't stop running when we made it out of the hospital. He just kept on running.


What if he forgot about me? I thought to myself as I tightened my grip around his neck.

Finally, after about ten minutes of sprinting, he stopped to let me down.

I think he did forget about me.

"Are you going to tell me what is going on?" I asked him.

He nodded, "Yes, but first I need your help."

I glanced up, "What kind of help?"

"Rose taught you some spells right?"

Oh sugar.

"Yeah…" I answered, timidly.

"Those men back there were after me."

"I kind of already figured out that much."

He ignored me and continued. "I can only explain a little to you because we don't have much time. But you have to trust me, please."

"You keep saying that. But okay…"

"I'm a Demidemon."

I stepped back. "A what?"

"A half demon. My father…" he paused glancing down the road toward the hospital, "…the man back there, he's my father."

"The fat bald guy?"

He looks nothing like his father, thank goodness.

He shook his head, "No, that's his sidekick. No, my father was the man in the room. You heard him right? The second voice?" I nodded. "He's after me."

"Why?"

"For a reunion Isabelle…" he grunted, "…why do you think? He wants something from me. I told you I'll explain it later but right now, he can track me. I need a shield spell, something that will block me from him."

"And you had on a shield spell all this time?"

He shrugged, "Sort of. Well, I had it around my neck up until recently. I'm guessing it must've dropped that night in the alley."

"And why couldn't he find you all this time?" I asked, inquiring.

"Because my mind was in another state. In another reality, maybe. I don't know."

I watched him suspiciously. He didn't seem to be lying. In fact, I wouldn't know why he would be lying to me or what the hell I had just gotten myself into but I wasn't ready to find out. Not yet anyway.

And demons? I didn't even know demons existed. Maybe I read it once during my studies but didn't find it fascinating enough. Fairies, Werewolves, shifters, vampires, what next? Ghosts and spirits too?

That's all I need, a damn demon on my ass! Ugh!

"Fine, just don't laugh okay? It looks kind of stupid, at least to me it does. But I haven't done this on anyone yet. And the spell that I've known for awhile is one that helps me specifically." I paused. "But if this one doesn't work and your stalker father is still after you or us, then I will use that one on you…somehow."

This is too damn early in the day for this shit. I grunted to myself.

Lucky for Cristiano, the moon was still in the morning sky. I turned in a full circle and found the four corners of the earth.

I turned to the East and said, "By the power of the rising Sun, all the evil in Cristiano's life is done." I faced the South, saluted and continued, "By the power of the noonday blast, all control is his at last." I faced the West, "By the power of the darkening night, his shield is strong, his senses are elevated, and his armor is tight." Then finally, I turned to face the North, bowed and said, "By the Waning Crescent Moon in the brightened sky, we are not alone. Help is nigh. Mother earth and father time's hands are around him to keep him safe by night and day. Be gone foul sprits, unbidden here. I force you back for I do not fear, for we have won, and he is set free. You have no further power over him."

I turned to Cristiano and tiptoed to kiss his forehead, then his heart, solar plexus, and finally his wrists. Then I got down on my knees and pressed my hands onto his foot as I lowered my head to the ground and kissed the earth.

I stood up and smiled, "You owe me one big time."

He grinned back at me, "That was sexy. Can you do that again?"

I shoved him, "Shut up. Now that you're covered, lets go."


I called Amy from a pay phone and got her address. Then we took a cab to her suite.

"Oh my, why the hell are you still wearing that?" she shrieked as she opened her door. "Now the manager thinks I hired a Julia Roberts hooker to my suite."

I walked in and slapped her arm, "You were the one who gave this crap for me to wear remember?"

She burst into laughter as Cristiano walked in after me.

"Well I didn't think that you were going to wear it in public!"

I turned around, "I wasn't planning on it either but something came up."

"Oh really?" she said, making her googooli eyes after Cristiano.

I rolled my eyes. "Please tell me you swept over your floor plan with spells."

"Oh Bella honey, you know me a little too well."

Cristiano stopped in the foyer and slowly turned, "Nice pad you got here."

"Thanks, it's a loaner from a friend of ours."

I glanced back at Amy as she closed the door, "Ours?"

She smiled, "You do remember Mr. Northman don't you? From Bon Temps?"

I was shocked to know he actually got out of that small town once in awhile. But to also own something this fabulous in New York City with-I looked out at the living room-a great view of the city itself, now that is amazing.

"But sadly I won't be staying here long."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Isabelle, we have lots to talk about." she said walking toward the living room and glanced back, "Nice to see you're awake this morning." she told Cristiano.

I followed right behind them.

"So you must be the friend Isabelle was so eager to warn."

"Is that right?" she laughed softly. "Maybe she just wanted an excuse to spend some QT with you."

I could feel my face turning red. Maybe I was turning red from blushing at her damn statement or red from anger that she would possibly think so low of me.

Cristiano glanced back, "I was starting to think that as well." he told her while keeping his eyes on me. Then he turned back to her, "So, you're quite a talented witch right here in New York, from what I heard."

"Oh don't give me all the credit. I just feed off of Bella's unused powers while she's in the same room." she told him as she took a seat. "So…you could thank her later."

"Hey, I'm still in the room you know." I groaned, taking a seat across of Amy.

I did a once over of the room and was taken aback by the fine decorating.

This place is magnificent.

The suite were in shades of sapphire blue, gold, and cream. The walls were of a cream color with gold borders, accenting the art of the night sky hanging on the walls. The windows were draped with a soft satin cream with a gold trim beneath sapphire blue chiffon. The seating were cream with a mixture of gold and sapphire blue throw pillows, simple and elegant and yet very comfortable. The rug that lined the room was also a lighter shade of cream with gold trimmings.

Oh but the Crème de la Crème of the entire room was the sapphire blue chandelier which centered the room perfectly. It looked as if it weighed more than me with real crystal or possibly even diamonds and most likely fourteen karat gold.

"So, now that we have time…" she said placing her hands in her lap, "…I have so much to tell you, I don't even know where to begin."

"Should I leave you two alone?" Cristiano asked as he overlooked the city.

"No, you can stay. I think you should since this might have something to do with you."

"What-" I began.

Amy lift her finger up, "About six weeks ago Lily stopped by to visit me. She got my address from my mother, which, I can kill her right now if I wasn't so caught up in my own mess." she sighed. "Anyways, at first I barely recognized her. There was something really dark and unnatural about her that set up all the alarms in my head."

"Was that really Lily?" I asked.

"I'm getting to that. So anyways, I didn't invite her in, instead I just talked to her with the door opened. She was here in search of you. I didn't bother asking why, I just told her I didn't know where you were and blah, blah, blah." she smiled. "So finally, she blurts out that Ryan's getting married." she said, pausing. If you weren't paying close attention, you would've missed her shudder. But I didn't. I caught every second of it. "And as she told me about Ryan marrying some woman he barely knew, I could hear the resentment and anger in her voice. But that's not what freaked me out." she lowered her head. "Lily had fangs. Like a vampire. It just popped out or whatever you call it and-"

I gasped. "No…"

She nodded, "So she left, pissed off."

"Why was she pissed?"

"I don't really know. But I was glad at that moment that I no clue where you were. I honestly thought she was here to kill you and maybe even Ryan too."

"Me? Wait, what the hell did I ever do to her?"

"I don't know. But she wasn't too happy about everything." she leaned back, "And I do mean everything."

I looked down at my hands, "Great, Lily's a fricking vamp."

"Oh but wait, there's more. Remember how I told you that Ryan was getting married?" I just nodded. "Well, that's why I was in Mexico."

"He got married already?"

She shook her head, "Not yet. But the wedding is next week. He wants you to be there."

"What? Why?" my head shot up.

I couldn't help but feel hurt that he was marrying someone he barely knew. But maybe I was actually hurt because I knew how good of a man he could be. I knew that he could be a great husband and eventually a loving father one day, just not with me. And when I contemplated on it further, I remembered how badly it ended between us.

I don't think I could ever trust him again.

And why would he want me there? So that I am forced to sit through the ceremony and watch the one man that I thought that I was going to spend the rest of my life with say those vows to another? The one man that I was saving forever for? The same man I gave my heart and soul to? I don't think I could do it. I know that I'm strong but I don't know if I'm strong enough to bare it.

"I don't know. For two straight weeks they're having like this couples getaway or something, all paid for by her family, of course." she paused. "I guess by inviting me, he had hoped that you would be there as well."

"How did he know where you were?"

I'm sure he wouldn't have found out from Lily. It sounds to me as if she was ready to kill him. But why was she hurt by him? He didn't love her, not the way that he loved me…once.

Or maybe he did. Maybe she loved him. Then again, what do I know?

"My nosy mother, that's how. He stopped by here about three, maybe four weeks ago with the invitations to the retreat and to his wedding. The next night he invited me to have dinner with him and his fiancé-"

"That was when the murders began, about four weeks ago." Cristiano interrupted.

I almost forgot he was even in the same room as us.

"Excuse me?" Amy and I said simultaneously.

"The murders, the vampire." he said.

"So you're going to the wedding?" I asked.

"Well I already got my dress and I promised them I would go." she said trailing off. "I tried to warn you last week when I went all over searching for you-"

"And Lily?"

"I haven't heard from her since." she smiled. "And…I'm getting married too." she said flashing me her huge rock on her finger.

That was something I wasn't expecting at all. I wasn't expecting Ryan to marry so soon either but look at how things turned out. And now Amy.

I stood up and gave her a big hug. "I hope I'm not the last to know. But congratulations!"

"Really? You don't think that its too soon? I mean we only been seeing each other for four months before he proposed. But look at Ryan and Bev. They were dating about three months, no, almost three months before deciding to get hitched."

"Do you love him?" She nodded. "Then that's all that matters."

"So you can't go disappearing on me again. You have to be there at my wedding."

"When is it?"

She bit her lip, "In a few weeks."

"Is Lily going to be there?"

She shivered, "I'm not having my wedding in the evening just to fit her vamp schedule. No one tells her get bitten."

"How do you know it was by choice?"

Cristiano walked over to the mantel and paused. For a second, he was frozen. But then he grabbed the picture frame and walked over toward us.

"Who is this?" he asked, pointing at the picture.

Amy smiled, "Oh that's just Isabelle, me, and Lily on our graduation day."

I grabbed the picture from him. He knew who we were, that's not who he was pointing to. He had his finger on Lily's face.

At that moment, I pieced together the puzzle.

Lily.

Its been her all this time. She's the one that has been terrorizing New York City, draining those men dry. I could slap myself silly for not figuring it out sooner.

But why did she do it? And why did she go after Cristiano?

I looked up at him and knew that he knew what we were both thinking.

I turned to Amy, "Who turned her?"

"I don't know."

"Did you talk to her parents? What about her dad?"

Amy frowned, "Her mom is dead. She's been gone for several months now."

"That was the vampire who attacked me that night."

Amy whirled around so fast, "Lily? But why?"

He paced back and forth by the window. "I thought she was someone I knew."

"That's why she attacked you?"

"No, she thought I was there to attack her. She thought that I was using that as an excuse to stop her but it wasn't like that. I had too much to drink and I swore…" he paused, trailing off. "…she was my late wife, Omi."

"Late wife? As in dead?" Amy asked.

He just nodded.

"Why would you think that she was your dead wife? Did a vampire make her one of them?" I asked, now curious.

"No."

"Then why would you think that a woman walking in a dark alley was your wife? Do you see the dead or something?" I pushed forward.

"Because I didn't see her die, that's why!" he shouted. "We were in a car accident, okay? I was driving but for a split second, just one second, I glanced at my daughter in the backseat and…" Amy stood up. I quickly grabbed her and pulled her back down. She wasn't about to leave me here alone. "…that's all it took, one second. If I kept my eyes on the road, then they will still be here with me today."

"I'm so sorry." I told him softly.

"Was your wife in the car with you?" Amy asked softly.

"Yeah, she was sitting right next to me."

When Amy is confused, her eyebrows sort of twitch.

"Then what makes you think that she survived?"

"Because I didn't see her die. She was a fairy. She could've POP."

I bit my lip.

The only fairies I seen was the crazy one that went on a killing spree.

"Did she love you?" he just nodded as he leaned against the window seal. "Then if she was still here then she would've came back to you." Amy told him. "And your daughter? Did she make it?" he hung his head low and shook his head.


Cristiano's POV:

Maybe a year after I buried my daughter and memories of my wife, my father showed up at my doorstep.

"What brings you here?" I asked.

He couldn't have came at a better time. I was just seeing my 'bed warmer' out the door. She kissed me before walking down the hallway.

My father glanced behind and turned to me, whistling as he raised his eyebrows.

"Wow. You really out done yourself. Every night a new broad?"

I ignored him, bringing the bottle of whiskey to my lips as I gulped it down.

"May I come in?"

I wiped my mouth, "Nah, I'm busy. Come back another time." I said, closing the door on him.

"I'm sorry for your loss." he told me with his foot in the door. "I didn't know-"

"Yeah well, now you know, are you going to feel sorry for yourself?"

"Cristiano, guys like us were never meant to be happy."

I pointed to him, "Shut your mouth old man! Don't you-" I backed up with a hand on my hip. "Why are you here?"

"You're my son."

"Bullshit. Wrong answer, try again."

"What do you want to hear then? Huh? That this was my fault?"

"Fuck you. Why do you have to make this shit about you?" I shouted. "This isn't about you! This world we live in does not revolve around you!" I bellowed as I slammed the door on his foot.

"I'll be back." he promised.


Another year passed. Same scenario, just as my 'bed warmer' left he showed up at my door step.

I grunted, "What do you want now old man?"

"May I come in?"

"Like I told you the last time, I'm busy. Come back another time." I told him, closing the door on him again.

But this time, I expected his foot to be there, so I kicked it out of the way and slammed the door shut.

"You have to talk to me some time." I heard him say from the other side of the door, "You can't avoid me for the rest of your life."

"Go fuck yourself." I said as I walked back to the living room.

Brad walked out from the bathroom, wearing his boxers.

"Who was that at the door?" he asked as he dried his hair with a towel.

"Some Jehovah Witnesses."

He laughed, "They really are pests aren't they?"

I don't have a problem with religions, its just that was the only thing that came to mind.

I reached for the bottle of Jack Daniels sitting on the coffee table and drunk it as if it was water.

"Cris, man, you gotta slow down."

I wiped my mouth, "Why? No matter what I do, no matter what I say, things won't change. With all the fucking power we have in this fucking world, I can never bring them back. And you know what I figured out?"

"What?" Brad asked as he glared at me.

"No matter how many times I try, I just won't die."

Before I could bring the bottle up to my mouth again, Brad POP in front of me, hitting the bottle out of my hand.

"Is this what you want? You're looking for a fucking death wish?" he shouted, shoving me.

I stood up so fast and shoved him right back.

"They were my life! What the fuck do you know? You don't have shit!"

He watched me painstakingly. "I may not have the family you had once, but I know better than to waste the rest of my life away drinking, fucking, and drugging myself until I'm numb! Maybe you should join the land of the living and get over it!"

With all the strength I had left in me, I picked him up and flew him across the room.

"Get the fuck out! Leave!" I could feel my anger rising, "I can never just get over it! What the fuck do you know? You don't know what its like! I loved her!" I shouted. I could feel myself breaking down. "I loved her…" I said softly just as I could feel myself reenter the depression state I been in since the moment I awoke to this fucking nightmare.

There was a firm knock at the door.

"You want me to get it?" Brad asked as he got back to his feet like nothing happened.

I ignored him and sunk back onto the sofa.

A minute later, Amadeus stood in front of me.

"Get your things together."

I laughed. "Who called you here? Brad?"

"Don't give me that much credit. Maybe I should've thought of that before shit hit the ceiling."

"Never mind, who called me here, that isn't important. I should've came here years ago." he said as he sat on the coffee table before me. "I didn't know things were this bad."

"This shit isn't even half of it." I heard Brad tell him from behind.

Traitor.

"Fuck that Cris, I'm no traitor. Your ass needs help and you know it." he groaned. "This has gone on long enough."

Stay out of my head. I warned.

"I called Rose, she agreed to help you. Just give us a chance and if things don't change, and you're still feeling like shit, then…" he sighed, "…then you can return to the life you're living now."

"That's it? You won't hold me prisoner?"

"Cristiano, I've known you since you were a little boy. I know better than to make you do anything against your will."

"Think of Haven like rehab." Brad said.

I frowned, "I don't need rehab."

"Does that mean you're going?" Amadeus asked.

"He is." I heard a familiar voice say from behind. "Brad, can you help Chad get his things together?"

"Yes Miss Rose." Brad said before leading the kid down the hall.

I didn't want to look at her. I knew she would be disappointed in the way I've handled things. I could feel the way everyone pitied me. And I was never one to want pity.

"Well Cris, don't be rude. Get your butt off that couch and give me a hug." she demanded.

Reluctantly, I stood up and walked over to her. But to my surprise, she seemed happy to see me. In fact, as I approached her, she extended her arms with love.

As she embraced me, she whispered, "I'm glad we got to you in time."


Isabelle's POV:

After dinner, we sat around the living room not really doing anything.

I cleared my throat, "Okay, what we need to do is figure out a way to stop Lily."

Knowing she was out there right now, probably searching for me or her next victim, scared me.

"And how do we do that? She's a vampire." she turned to Cristiano who seemed to be in his own world at the moment. "No offense or anything…" she said, turning back to me, "…but if big tough guy couldn't handle her, then what makes you think we can?"

"We aren't vampires." I said.

She scoffed, "Yeah, no kidding."

"So maybe we should seek help from a vampire."

Like Mr. Northman for example. Of course seeing him again after all this time would be a visual bonus as well. Did I mention I wasn't pregnant this time?

Not that I'm planning on getting pregnant again any time soon either.

She grinned at me. "Now you're reading my mind." but then she frowned, "But what if he ends up killing her?"

"She's already dead. Better her than another innocent victim, Amy."

"But Lily…we've known her since for like ever. I can't kill her. If it was any old vamper, then, sure, I would do it in a heartbeat. But not Lily."

Fudge.

She was right. I don't think that I could do it either. I don't think I could even send someone out there to do it for me. I've known her almost all my life, killing her would be like killing my own sister. And I know that I would never do that.

I sank back into the chair. "So what do we do now? Just let her go?"

"The council will handle her." Cristiano finally spoke.

"Its been weeks and they haven't even done a thing. What makes you think they even give a flying rats trap?" Amy asked, clearly furious with the council.

"Because now we have a picture of the murderer." he said, nodding at the picture of the three of us on the mantel.

I stood up, "And what will they do to her? I know that council is corrupted. What if they were the ones that turned her in the first place?"

"What other choice do we have? Its not like we have a lot of options Isabelle." he said softly. "I was only lucky because of you. I can't say that for the next guy."

I hated being torn in two, but he was right, they both were.

After a moment, I stood up. "We'll call Eric first. Then…" I paused, feeling flustered at the mention of his name. "…we'll take it from there."