A quick heads up, the first part is in Dahlia's POV. I was bored with 3rd person and had to try it out. Again thanks for the amazing support (and patience) with my story. Love you guys. All fabrications and ideoligies belong to the wonderful mind of Christine Feehan.

My first vision was of one of the pack children swallowing a poisonous mushroom. I saw him. I saw him pick it up from the ground where he had been playing with his brother. I saw him eat it. I saw him grab his stomach in agony and vomit. I saw the vomit turn to blood. I saw the boy collapse and his brother scream for help. I saw his eyes close. I did not see his eyes open again. Two days later, we heard the scream for help, the males ran, our healers tried to heal, but nothing changed. His name had been Matka. Black hair. Chestnut eyes. Age four, same as me at the time. I loved him. We played kiss chase once, he caught me, kissed me and I loved him. 'Farul datswva' We are mates he said. We had been inseparable, until we were separated. I still can't let him go. For me there is only Matka. My soulmate killed by a mushroom. A bastard mushroom. Most likely I could have saved him, that day I saw him go with his brother and I didn't believe he was dying with every step. I was four if that's any excuse. A hug from my father and it went away, Matka would come back and we'd climb the oak trees, he'd give me a flower tell me we were going to be jarelas warriors fighting against our rogue wolves side by side. Killed by a mushroom because I didn't tell anyone about what I saw.

It was ironic, not telling what I saw got Matka killed, telling got my pack killed. Now I am the rogue and eventually I'm going to die, in the lycan species whenever a pack member was isolated either through death or banishment he or she would deteriorate, the mind becoming desolate and paranoid, often this resulted in the suicide of the individual, sometimes the madness would become so vicious it would form a completely new madness, one that would turn the wolf inside rabid, seeking living human flesh to feed from, interested only in the torture of men, the rape of women and sporting children against each other, forcing them to kill the other for survival. It won't be me, I can't turn to that, not after seeing the scars on Skyler's arms and face, the weariness in her eyes. I'll find a way to make her live. She was facing a happy life, I know that, if I can get her past tomorrow, she will be radiant for centuries. I've seen her children, eventually she'll have eight children, five boys, three girls. Each mini effigies of their parents. The blue eyed guardian will not leave her side. They will hardly spend a night apart. If I can only keep them together for this one night.

xxx

They woke precisely together, Dimitri stretched his long body and drew Skyler into his arms, pressing a kiss to her mouth before burying his face in her neck. She was still with him. 'Your father and mother are here.' He said softly, more to control himself than warn her. They were hovering outside, greeting the wolves that claimed the territory nearest to his home, Dimitri could feel Gabriel's rage as potently as his own. For the first time in three years they had an understanding, they would not allow Skyler to die. They dressed slowly, never quite managing to keep their hands impersonal. Then made their way up the stairs to face the Dark Twin

'This girl... you are sure she can be trusted?' Gabriel asked carefully.

'Yes I examined her mind for ulterior motives and the vision was definitely legitimate. A vampire will kill Skyler outside of my land.' Dimitri struggled to maintain the stoicism in his voice.

Gabriel let his breath out in a long, deadly hiss, his rage only increasing when Dimitri shared his experience of the vision mind to mind.

'We do not know who we are fighting, there is no image of the vampire, only the aftermath.' Gabriel stated .

He glanced at his lifemate, Francesca stood aside tears streaming down her face, struggling not to fly into hysterics, she had seen her child slaughtered too. He drew her to him holding her for a moment until the trembling in her slight frame ceased. 'Where is the girl?'

'Dahlia' s still sleeping upstairs, I'll get her' Skyler said before heading toward the stairs.

'We're locking her up. She is not stepping outside of this house. Not even to the porch. Then we will kill this vampire.' Gabriel snapped.

'It is probably the best choice' Dimitri agreed.

Dimitri, she's gone, Dahlia's gone. She left a note. The was panic in Skyler's voice.

What does it say? He asked already using his preternatural speed up the stairs

I'll make it right. Skyler repeated simply.

Dimitri made it to Skyler's side, Gabriel and Francesca close behind him. The window open, satin curtains billowing calmly in the wind. Her belongings were gone except for a small photograph left on the bed, showing Dahlia at about eight years old, five smiling faces around her, she had pink icing tipping her nose and laughter lit her gentle eyes.

Dimitri leaned out of the open window searching for the girls scent and tracks in the snow, strangely there was no trace of spoor anywhere in the room and fresh snow had obscured her footprints or she had turned into her alternate form and mingled with the genuine animals.

Without warning clouds swept through the sky, lightning lit the sky like jagged teeth laughing maliciously at them. A scream bit through the air, turning their stomachs to ice, Skyler threw herself at the window into Dimitri's arms.

'The vampire has her, oh God, we have to help her.' She exclaimed, not pausing to consider why she was so certain.

Dimitri was already moving, relying on Gabriel to make sure Skyler stayed in the house, he streamed through the widow, sending a silent command to his brethren to aid him. He saw his three strongest packs filter through the trees beneath him, he increased his speed, covering acres of land quickly. He paused only to lower the fence surrounding his territory before resuming his flight, this time in the form of a hawk, he tried to pinpoint Dahlia's location only to find it was a completely blank slate, the crisp scent of snow and evergreen trees filled his lungs, instead he had to rely on the vision and the instinct that drove him beyond his normal senses.

Without warning, not the slightest hint of power or the taint of evil to tip him off ice spears began to cascade from the sky, jagged and at least three feet long they fell with brutal force, Dimitri quickly sent the wolves careening to a safer distance, for some it came too late, spears ploughedthrough their bodies, shattering skulls and severing spinal cords. One spear caught Dimitri through the shoulder, sending splintering pain through the birds small body, there was no way to fly, he couldn't run on paws and make it to Dahlia in time, he fell from the sky, landing with the nimbleness of a Carpathian and ran flat out, the moon was full, round like the gleaming eye of God guiding him to the mountains.

A scream again tore through the sky, raising the hairs on the back of his neck and burning coals of despair through his gut. Blood ran down his arm, breaking his concentration. For the first time in centuries he felt off balance, dread filling him at the thought of what he was about to see. He had seen thousands of victims through the ages, women, children, entire generations of families destroyed by one vampire, he had even faced the fates of associates, murdered in malice for their connection to him. But this time... this time he had emotion, he had the responsibility of a lifemate, the true love of a fragile and beautiful woman. This time it was not a face he could remove himself from, ignore and carry out the justice of his people, this was the genetic duplicate of his lifemate; how could he fail either of them? How did he go back to Skyler and admit his failure, his ineptitude? His body was torn from stray branches but he barely felt the burning sting. He was at the clearing, trees parting to reveal uneven and foreboding rock formations. He scanned carefully, the stench of evil was thick in the air as was fear but there was no evidence to say the vampire was near.

A small sound had his head spinning to the right, a choking gurgle, reminiscent of a doe in the jaws of a wolf. He leapt the distance, weaving around a particularly high boulder. Blood. On the rocks. On the ground. Flesh scattered like breadcrumbs. A hand. Delicate and feminine laid on a boulder almost regally. The torn body of a nineteen year old werewolf. All the determination and pride leaking out to soak into the ground. Dimitri knelt down beside her, his body shaking, eyes burning, his hand brushed tenderly through the little girl's dark hair. Her features were serene, no hint of pain, she looked an angel. Perfect in spite of the damage done to her. So peaceful. It was a shock when her eyelids fluttered open and she coughed, thick blood seeping from her mouth. Her grey eyes stared at him, as focussed and fierce as any wolf he'd seen. The fire of the Dragonseeker's flared in her eyes.

Dimitri's breath turned to ice in his lungs, for one moment, she had looked just like Skyler, not just her physicality, of course, but her spirit, the passion that had endured, that allowed them to survive. Slowly he gathered Dahlia into his arms, if she was alive she could be saved, Francesca was here she could heal her. He began to bite his wrist, starting the conversion process, but her remaining hand stopped him.

'I don't have a lifemate, Dimitri. I won't live my life alone, without my pack.' She croaked, spilling more blood.

'What about Skyler, you came all this way for her, now you're going to leave her?' Dimitri said softly.

'She has you. I've done what I came to do.' Dahlia was slipping away from him, he could feel her spirit growing fainter, every instinct he possessed demanded he saved the girls life, possibly even that of a Carpathian male.

'I told you, I don't have a lifemate, he died a long time ago. Please. I'm going to Matka.' She paused to wipe the blood from her mouth again, she knew there was little time, her words were becoming discernible. She only hoped her sacrifice would prevent Skyler's death.

'Take care of Skyler. The price for your lives will be high, but it will be just. Remember the dead can answer your call.' She looked up at him and smiled apparently thinking her cryptic words were clear as diamonds, that they solved everything. The tension ebbed from her body. Her dove grey eyes glazed. Dimitri listened as the death rattle whispered through her throat before grief shredded his soul and he roared his rage. One day. He had known of her existence for one day. In that one day Skyler and he had gained a lifetime of information. Dahlia had given Skyler her heritage. She had given her a new strength, a new confidence and ally to rely on. For that Dimitri owed her, and in the end it was a debt he could not repay.

He didn't know how long he sat there with Skyler's twin lying dead in his arms, an hour maybe two. He was completely closed off from Skyler, unable to find the courage to return to her with his failure. He sensed Gabriel was approaching him but made no move to acknowledge him, instead he fabricated a sheet long enough to cover Dahlia's now ice cold body. He didn't think it was necessary for Gabriel to witness the corpse of a girl who looked exactly like his daughter.

'Did you kill the vampire?' Gabriel asked, materialising just to the side of him. 'Dimitri, you are weeping.' Gabriel had to hide his shock, to him Dimitri had always seemed to be cold, harsh and more than a little difficult; to find him bent over the body of a girl he just met seemed odd to him.

Hastily Dimitri wiped the back of his hand against his face, to his surprise a smear of blood came away, it took him a moment to realise that he was feeling Skyler's grief, as well as his own. Skyler had known all along, she'd silently been sharing his mind as she had practised in the days spent healing him. Instead of answering him Dimitri decided to go on the offensive.

'Why are you here? You have left the women unprotected.'

'So the vampire still lives.' Gabriel responded dryly already preferring the morose Dimitri to the jackass any night.

'He already fled when I arrived. I would have tracked him down but I could not leave her to die alone.' It was almost an apology. Almost.

'Where did he go?' Gabriel demanded.

'He must have travelled through the mountains, I will track him this night. It must end.' He bit out the last words, his fury taking hold once more.

'Take the girl back to your reserve, Dimitri. I will hunt this foul one.' Gabriel ordered.

'No, the threat is to my lifemate, he is on my territory and is challenging me personally, I can do no other than oblige him.' Dimitri said formally

'Do you know who it is?' Gabriel asked, there was an edge to Dimitri when he spoke of the vampire, a look of betrayal burned in his eyes, tinged with an ember of despair. Gabriel had the same look in his eyes when he had to hunt Lucian all those centuries ago.

'Yes.' Dimitri said sparsely. He laid a hand on the top of the sheet, cradling Dahlia's head. A final apology.

Dimitri stood slowly, squaring his shoulders, his back to Gabriel. He let out one long exhale before he jettisoned into the air. He dreaded this. He had never felt dread before, the uncomfortable feeling of air being siphoned from your muscles was difficult to ignore. Twice now in one night. Absently he hoped it was not a permanent fixture of regaining emotion.

This had to be done. It was his fault really for letting this rivalry so far. He had made a pact with himself when he knew, he would only seek him if he was to come to Russia. Foolish. The foolishness of a young hunter who could not conceive of such a betrayal.

It took close to three hours before Dimitri found a strong presence. The scent he knew, even tainted by evil the lingering scent of metal and gunpowder clung to the malformed creature. In the owl body he had chosen Dimitri could see the form, leaning against a flat rock, legs outstretched and crossed. From afar he was perfect, a young, handsome male in his prime. His black hair fanning out like a patriotic flag, his skin dark and smooth. Dimitri circled slowly, gradually decreasing his altitude, wary for any traps, the ground seemed firm and untouched yet he was certain there were strategic pit holes, most likely filled with vicious spears or another pestilence, it would be so like him to fill it with scorpions. He would know, Dimitri detested scorpions.

Confident he was safe from any trap the foul one could have set Dimitri materialised, to the side of the vampire about fifteen feet away, not so close the vampire could easily rip out his heart but not too far that the vampire could make a hasty exit. He steeled himself for what would surely be the hardest kill he would ever make.

'Tiberiu, my old friend,' he greeted 'it has been a while.'

Yes another cliffhanger, the battle is coming up I promise you. Hope you enjoyed xx