Disclaimer: We know who owns it.

Author's Note: I can't even begin to apologize for the delay.

"The least you could do is unchain me," Giuliana shouted angrily at Cassius' back as she trailed him through the crypt

"The least you could do is unchain me," Giuliana shouted angrily at Cassius' broad back, trailing behind him through the crypt.

"Will you keep your bloody voice down," he hissed.

"Why? No one is here but a bunch of deteriorating corpses and the rats that love to feast on them…unless they happen my way first," she giggled maniacally. "Hmm, blood in the morning, blood in the afternoon, blood in the evening…hmm little ratties I love to EAT you," she crooned seductively.

"Lovely…just lovely," Adrian mused. "You might want to rethink the image your projecting…not sure how many blokes would find it attractive; although, you would make for a cheap dinner date."

"Will you both shut it!"

Giuliana raised her dark eyebrows, a Cheshire grin gracing her hollowed features, "Temperamental one isn't he?"

"You might say that," Adrian whispered conspiratorially, his amber eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Must be the first mission he's been charged with…you can bet he put on his big-boy pants today."

"Silencio!" Cassius bellowed, his wand directed at Giuliana's long pale throat. "I won't hesitate to do you as well," he muttered, his icy blue eyes shifting towards Adrian.

Adrian shrugged and tossed his hands up in defeat. He knew not to push Cassius too far. Only one person was that daring and she had just barely escaped with her life. No wonder Ismene hated him.

"Can we get a move on," Marcus growled, breaking the tension. In the name of Salazar! What the fuck is Adrian thinking? He knows not to egg Warrington on. And this dumb broad, well it's clear that not just the corpses have been rotting in here. Completely mental! She seems more addled than Bella on her worst day. Must be the isolation…although they say Bellatrix was mad long before her time in Azkaban.

Marcus glanced at the witch again, his mind drifting to this morning's enigmatic discussion with Ismene. "She's dangerous Marcus," Ismene repeated. "The one he wants…the one he's sending you to find. You can't go. She shouldn't be found." Marcus shook his head trying to clear his thoughts.

Cassius dragged Giuliana up the stairs, Adrian and Marcus bringing up the rear. She stumbled into the sunlight, her eyes shut tight against the piercing brightness of the outside world. Adrian bent over and pulled the cowl of her cloak firmly over her head. As he began to straighten up a spell shot out from beyond a clump of bushes grazing his side and ricocheting off of the crumbling bricks of the manor.

Firing a hex off in the general direction of the unseen attacker, Marcus yelled, "Go on, apparate back."

"Can't…wards!" Adrian shouted, clutching his hip.

"Run for it," Cassius ordered, as he hoisted Giuliana over a shoulder. "Marcus, provide cover – we've got to make it to the gates!"

Sweat dripped down Marcus' face, a torrent of curses spewing forth from his mouth. There were at least three of them, if not more; two moving up the left side of the drive, hidden by the dense wall of overgrown bushes, and one firing from behind the remnants of an aged Italian fountain. They were using simple spells…nothing too serious. He snorted, his blood rising. As if I would allow them to take me alive. Fucking Americans! He fired off a particularly nasty spell at the fellow crouched behind the fountain and heard a shrill scream. Try casting one of your poncey spells with no fingers!

"Incoming!" Adrian shouted, his amber eyes raised to the North.

Marcus groaned aloud as he counted six more Aurors on brooms and these ones looked seasoned. A slicing sound temporarily filled his ears, followed by a searing pain in his lower back. Touching his fingers to the throbbing area, he felt moisture. He lifted his hand to get a better look, and saw red glistening on the tips of his long fingers. Damn!

"Marcus!"

He jerked his head toward the sound; Adrian's crumpled body greeting his eyes. Shit! Marcus darted forward, all thoughts focused on grabbing Adrian and getting the fuck out of there. He couldn't see Cassius anywhere. Bastard was probably long gone. His goal had been to get that stupid bitch back to the Dark Lord. Fuck it, if the others made it.

Red and green jets of light flew past him, causing him to stumble and shift his path. Marcus somehow managed to reach Adrian and paused long enough to see blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His breath hitched as he tried to pull Adrian onto his back and Marcus bit through his lower lip. Cursing, he wrapped a forearm across his mate's chest and dragged him along, sending spells willy-nilly with his other hand. Blood pounded in his ears as the gates loomed closer and closer. Another spell hit him and he felt the skin split down his left calf, sending a gush of blood into his boot. He choked, barreling forward with all his strength as another slicing hex hit him in the upper thigh.

"Avada Kedavra," he shouted angrily at the dark-haired wizard bearing down on him. The man collapsed leaving Marcus' pathway unhindered. He struggled forward, Adrian's weight dragging him down. As his left shoulder pushed the gate open, Marcus closed his eyes and thought of Katie.

hr

"I should fucking kill you, you know that?"

"I did what I had to do," she pleaded.

"What you had to do? Are you FUCKING serious?" he screamed, his fists shaking with unimaginable rage. "She's dead! Do you hear me? She's fucking dead Ismene. How could you? She trusted you! I trusted you! You're my family for fuck's sake!" I can't believe this…this isn't happening. It can't be real.

"I didn't have a choice, Marcus."

"Shut up! Shut up," he bellowed, his hands now pulling at his short dark hair. Tears glistened in his eyes, illuminated eerily by the single candle in the room.

She had never seen him cry. She didn't think it was possible. He was made of stone. Ismene reached out her hand, attempting to give him some semblance of comfort.

"Don't touch me," he roared, leaping away from her as if she was tainted. "I hate you…I hate you so much. I wish I would have let Cassius kill you. I wish it was you that was dead!"

A knot formed at the back of her throat as she choked on her emotions. Marcus was all she had left in this dismal world. He was the only one that had ever cared for her. She couldn't lose him, not now. "You don't mean that. You don't mean it Marcus! Your angry now, but in time, you'll see what I did was for the best. It was for us."

He turned away from her, his shoulders heaving.

He didn't hate her…he couldn't. She needed him. "Don't go. Please don't go like this. I had to do it! I had to. Marcus, I swear on my life, it was the only way to stop them. She was the sacrifice that had to be made." She was choking on her tears now as she begged him not to leave her.

He sneered at her, his emerald eyes ablaze with hatred. She had to make him understand. She couldn't take it if he left her. Fuck! "You still have your son…you still have Demetrius," she pleaded.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters without her. How could you," he cried, his voice filled with anguish. "How could you?" His shoulders sagged inward as the tears that had threatened to unleash only moments ago coursed down his cheeks. "I loved her….I loved her."

"Ismene! Ismene, wake up! It's Marcus!"

Katie's urgent cries penetrated her vision and Ismene shook her head wearily, willing the horrible images from her mind. Oh goddess, what the fuck was that? She felt hands shaking her, and Ismene's eyes lazily drifted up to see Katie staring down at her, concern marring her pale features.

"Wake up…its Marcus…he's hurt."

"Marcus hurt?" Ismene mumbled, her hand rubbing her aching temples.

"Yes…hurry. He's in the library." Grabbing the other woman's hand, Katie dragged Ismene from the sofa and down the hallway.