A/N: First, I'm SO sorry I haven't updated for ages. I started to work two weeks ago and since then I had barely time to write. And I finally bought LSODM (I just couldn't wait for the German release) so I was a little busy.

Anyway, back to the story. Thank you so much to everyone who's reading and reviewing; it means a lot to me you guys like this story :)

P.S.: I started this one with the last line of the last chapter, because it had been quite an abrupt ending. Just so you don't think he says that twice :D

Chapter eleven

"Damn that Bespoke", Skulduggery murmured.

After a few moments of silence, the doorbell rang again. Valkyrie sighed.

"I should probably go and answer the door", she said reluctantly. She wanted to talk to Skulduggery first, otherwise it would become a quite awkward evening. But she didn't even know what exactly she wanted to say and besides there wasn't enough time to say anything at all, so she took the first step towards the door.

A skeletal hand on her shoulder stopped her before she could make another step.

"I'll go and answer the door", he said determined and muttered something else Valkyrie couldn't understand.

She shrugged. "I don't mind."

While Skulduggery left the living room, Valkyrie sat down on the sofa, a broad smile appearing on her face when she thought about what had just happened. Her lips were still tingling.

So many times she had tried to imagine what it would be like. Sure, she had figured it would feel somehow strange and weird to kiss bones and teeth, although she hadn't really cared about that. And she didn't need to care about that; to kiss Skulduggery wasn't strange at all. It was amazing.

xXxXx

Still thinking about what he could probably do to Ghastly and Erskine for showing up that ill-timed, Skulduggery opened the door.

"Why did you –" he started but went silent as soon as his gaze fell on the black-haired woman in front of him. She smiled as if they were the best friends. She should be terrified instead, Skulduggery thought. Maybe she was but was just good at hiding it.

"Hello, Skulduggery."

"China." He spilled out her name, his voice suddenly very low. "How dare you show up here?"

"It's Valkyrie's birthday and I was around so I thought it would be a nice idea to drop by and congratulate her", she said innocently.

"Sure", he said sarcastically. "I'll tell her you've been here. Good bye, China." Skulduggery started to close the door, but she simply placed a foot between the door and the frame.

"I didn't plan to leave right away."

"We are finished, China. Just go and leave us alone, before I decide to do something else."

"Oh, that's a pity now, it really is", she began, still that innocent expression on her face.

Skulduggery frowned. "What is?" At the same moment, he scolded himself. Why did he even give a thought to what she said? She obviously just wanted to waste his time.

"Well", she said, dragging the word dramatically. "You might see, even if I leave, you and Valkyrie won't be alone."

He froze. "What do you mean by that?"

And then he realized that China was only there to distract him and Valkyrie may be in danger. Had he heard any suspicious noises from inside the house? He had to admit that he hadn't really paid much attention to it. He cursed and turned around to see if Valkyrie was alright, but before he could enter the living room, something hit his back and he fell over. Damn. How could he have forgotten about China? He was such a fool.

xXxXxXx

In the living room, Valkyrie started to wonder why Skulduggery hadn't come back by now when she heard something hitting the floor. What could that probably have been? She stood up, wanting to see what had caused that noise, but suddenly she heard glass shatter right beneath her.

She turned around, thinking about what she could use as a weapon to defend herself from whom- or whatever there was. There wasn't anything like a weapon – well, except for her magic - so Valkyrie flicked her fingers, summoning a fireball in her hand.

A single person, completely dressed in black, stood behind the now shattered window. The only thing Valkyrie could make out right away was that the person was a woman. It was very hard to recognize someone when you could only see her through a broken glass. Besides, it had started to get dark, therefore her face was hidden, but Valkyrie had the strange feeling she knew the person. They had met before.

As soon as the woman started to speak, Valkyrie knew who she was. They hadn't just met once before. They had been best friends.

"Hey! Valkyrie, how are you doing?" Tanith asked.

"Hello, Tanith", was all she could respond at that moment.

"You know, I would really like to chat with you, just the way we always did. As sisters. But I have a mission. I'm sorry, Val."

Before she could wonder what that mission was, Tanith drew her sword and jumped forwards. Suddenly she was very close and Valkyrie felt useless having just a fireball to defend. Nonetheless she threw the fireball, hoping it was a surprise to Tanith. It wasn't.

She simply ducked her head, the fireball flying over her and through the broken window in the garden. Useless.

"Really, Val? That's all you've got?" Tanith said mockingly and wielded her sword at her. Valkyrie let herself fall to the ground, not a second to late, before the blade could cut her head off. She wasn't completely back to her feet when Tanith started the next attack.

I can help, you know. Said a voice in her head.

I don't need your help. She knew that she needed help, but she didn't need Darquesse. She didn't want to need her.

"You don't need help?" Tanith asked. Has she spoken out loud? "I wouldn't say that now. There's someone else coming, too, you know."

Someone else? Most likely Sanguine. She had to do something, anything. She collected the shadows around her and threw them at Tanith' wrist to loosen her grip on the sword. The shadows missed their aim, but when they hit Tanith' shoulder she stumbled backwards, just to tighten her grip on the sword and wield it into Valkyries direction again.

She tried to dodge it, but the sword had hit her arm. Almost immediately she could feel the warm blood on her skin, the stain growing further and covering her whole forearm soon.

"Skulduggery!" she yelled, hoping he would rescue her in the last moment like he always did when another person entered the room through the broken window. Her reflection.

Where was Skulduggery?

xXxXxXx

Sorry for this bad ending. Originally I planned on making this the last chapter and a quite long one but I felt like I had to update at least something, so that's all I've got so far.

Hope you enjoyed it :)

Please review!

Suddenly he heard Valkyrie calling his name.

China's going to die. Sorry, China. You just don't fit into my happy end. And besides, I believe I'll be really enjoying killing you ;)