A/N: Ta-da, I'm back! Yup, here we go again. Enjoy readers! x

- Chapter Eighteen –

The Death of a Loved One

I suppose you are thinking that, due to my immense age and incredible intelligent, I have already devised an ingenious plan to save both myself and my friends from the dreaded witches. Well, you'd be wrong. In fact, I can't seem to focus on anything but the deafening ringing in my ears. Dimly, I was aware of someone trying to catch my attention. I felt chains tying my wrists together, though I couldn't recall anyone putting them on. From the sweet scent, I was certain it was the witch known as Lily. I wondered if they would shoot me again. Perhaps that wouldn't be so bad, seeing as my entire body was tingling with pain. I felt myself being lifted to my knees. Someone grabbed my hair and pulled my head back. I opened my eyes, and even the dim orange light from the street-lights burned. I could see Eric. His fangs were out. I suppose he could smell my blood a mile away and had probably heard my scream. He looked very, very mad. Even angrier than Cato, who stood right beside him.

"…you traitor Ursula!…we were wrong to ever trust in you," Maxima snarled. I could hear her, yet I could not see here. Hey, maybe while I was out for a few seconds she somehow became a ghost. I've seen crazier things. Ursula stood in front of me, with her hands on her hips and a triumphant look on her face. I locked eyes with Eric. He mouthed something. I never caught what he was trying to get at, because Ursula used the Taser on me. I don't think I've ever screamed so loudly in my life. I choked a little, bending over on my knees and feeling blood dribble from my mouth. 'You wait, Ursula,' I thought bitterly. She knows exactly what happens to the so-called Reapers that betray their own kind.

"You would dare to use that weapon on your own kind?" Cato roared, clenching his fists and taking a threatening step forward.

"Oh yes, I would, Cato," Ursula snarled, saying his name as if it were some sort of joke she found amusing. "And I am willing to use it on you, too. But first, we have a Reaper to kill."

Eric growled loudly. "No! I will not let you kill Nero!"

Ursula smirked. "Whoever said it was Nero we would kill? You see, vampire, Nero is not afraid of death. Sure, we're not what'd you call best friends, but I know her well enough to know that she cares about one person only. Well, besides you, apparently."

My stomach dropped. She could only be referring to Alliyah. I was proven correct when I heard scuffling, the sound of a door slamming open and then shutting again. Alliyah was thrown in front of me, blocking my view of Remus and Regulus, who were watching this entire exchange with horrified eyes. I knew Erastos was using his brain to try and think of some way to help us, I could practically see the gears churning in his mind.

"Nero, being a dear friend of mine, hurt me very badly as you all know," Ursula said.

"Oh so she got into a fight with you, so what?" Regulus snorted. "Get over it."

"She humiliated me!"

"Nero humiliates everyone," Cato replied. Right, well. I can only assume that was supposed to be in my defence. Thanks, Cato. What a pal. "She never means it. Consorting with witches is punishable by death, Ursula. Every Reaper knows that."

"Sure Grandpa, I remember," Ursula exclaimed bitterly. "But these witches agreed to help me get rid of all of you, beginning with Alliyah!"

"Wow. Smart," Erastos crooned. "And when we're gone, you become the Secretary of Area 5. My, Ursula, what will you do with all that power?" His tone was clearly sarcastic, and Ursula didn't like it.

"So what if it's just one area, Erastos? You don't know everything! One Area is just the beginning!"

"What do you think Grim will do, hm?" Remus asked. "He won't notice his Secretaries dying in every Area and you taking over."

"I will deal with that later. First, Alliyah."

"Alli?" I whispered.

Her eyes were shut, but she said, "I love you Nero, okay? Don't forget that."

I felt my heart clench. It mightn't beat, but it still felt pain. "Don't say that, don't make it sound like you're giving up!" I hissed, attempting to nudge her. She winced. Stupidly I realized she was covered in blood from the neck down. Had they…tortured her? Desperately I looked at Eric, silently begging him to do something. His eyes darted to the witches around us. Their numbers had thinned dramatically. Only fifteen stood around us, but they began chanting.

Ursula pulled a dagger from her pocket, twisting it in her hand. She approached Alliyah. I struggled, growling at Ursula. She looked me right in the eye, kneeling down. "This is for humiliating me," she hissed. She plunged the knife into Alliyah just as the witches finished their chant. At first, nothing happened. Alliyah stayed blinking, refusing to give in. Even the witches looked around in confusion. Then, just as I felt like laughing in Ursula's face and telling her she was a complete idiot, Alliyah closed her eyes. It felt like slow motion. Like in those corny films I watched on Eric's television, where everything seems to move a mile a minute, and there is some really slow, dramatic music in the background.

"Alliyah!" I screamed, and all havoc broke loose.

Maggie appeared in front of me, beginning to chant. I felt the chains tightening on my wrists, my mind becoming blank as all I could hear was her voice. Suddenly she stopped, being grabbed by Eric. I blinked, coming to my senses. He looked at me, as if for permission. I nodded weakly, and before Maggie could sprout some more magical crap, he had snapped her neck with ease.

Sprinkles the cat snapped at Eric's ankles, but he was quick to kick the cat away. I can't say I was particularly saddened when I spotted him lying motionless on the ground. Cato appeared behind me, ripping away my chains and yanking me to my feet. It took a second for me to adjust to my own weight. He steadied me, surprisingly gently. "I'm sorry, Nero," he whispered into my ear. It sounds strange, I know, but I didn't feel like I was really there. All I could do was stare at Alliyah. My Alliyah, who was now dead. The one being I would willingly die for.

And, as I watched my one true friend lying on the ground, I felt a burning hatred within me. I mean, I had always hated Ursula, but this was intense. I wanted to rip her to pieces, burn her alive and make her feel all the pain I was feeling. I saw Lily and Alex, clearly trying to make a break for it, running towards a car. I clenched my fists, racing after them. Of course, being a Reaper, I appeared in front of their car within a single moment, blocking their escape.

"Leaving so soon?" I asked huskily, my throat burning.

Lily stumbled slightly as Alex yanked her back by her shirt. "N-Nero-… It wasn't supposed to b-be like this!" he said quickly.

"Oh? Tell me Alex, what was supposed to happen?" I asked as I slowly strode toward him. "Were we going to have a little party, hm? Was Alliyah supposed to die, or was that an accident? Really, humour me."

"I-It was Ursula!" Lily shrieked in a shrilly tone. "She…She said if we got rid of the Reapers…we would have move power and-…"

"That's funny. It doesn't seem to be working out that way, you know."

Lily cast a petrified glance at her fellow witches who were being ripped to shreds, particularly by Cato who was in his element.

"You remember what I said in the forest, right? About how my friends and I have dealt with real witches, don't you? I don't know, maybe your memory is foggy. It shouldn't be, seeing as I was the one who was shot and yet I remember perfectly clearly. I also remember thinking that once I caught you guys again, I'd kill you both without a second thought. I'm afraid that is exactly what I'm gonna do, and boy I hope you get Cato as your Reaper when you die."

I considered letting them go, you know. They were young. And very, very stupid. Lily is sweating and I think she might wet herself if I take one more step. Alex, well, he's trying to appear strong and unafraid, carefully putting himself between Lily and I. He clearly isn't sure what to do. Protecting Lily is what he would like to do, but he isn't stupid. I'm a thousand year old Reaper. I could eat him alive if I wanted to. But I don't. I sag a little with defeat. I know Alliyah wouldn't want that. I just know it. Now I'm fighting with myself. I feel like slapping myself. Ugh, why am I having a mental breakdown now of all times?

And then, as if my emotions couldn't get any worse, I burst into tears and sank to my knees. I want my Alliyah back. My heart seemed to ache, as if it were being weighed down. I want her back! Surely Grim can do it somehow? Alex looks at Lily warily, baffled. I tugged on my hair and sniffled. I felt a hand on my back.

"N-Nero, we're sorry! We never meant for it to go this far!"

I shrug Lily away. I feel furious, and yet I can't bring myself to stand up and murder her with all the rage that I feel deep in my heart. It isn't fair. Alliyah might have been two thousand years old, but she did not deserve to die. I punched the concrete parking lot, creating a deep dent. I felt an arm around my shoulders, which I thought was Lily at first.

"I'm here, Nero," a familiar voice murmured into my hair. Eric.

I sobbed into his chest, uncaring of who was watching. Normally I just hate to be seen crying like this. It felt weak. I don't know if Lily or Alex ran. I don't really care, either. I could feel Eric's chest rumble as he barked orders at Cato, telling him to make sure Maggie was completely unconscious. Have you ever felt as if you were floating, far away from everything else? Like you had forgotten what reality was, and so had built your own? Maybe it's just me. Maybe in the past five minutes – the worst five minutes of my life – I had lost my marbles. Maybe it was better that way. Eric is surprisingly good at comforting people. I felt warm and safe, still crying softly. I had mucked up his shirt, but he didn't seem to care much.

"She's gone Eric," I whispered.

"I know."

"What am I gonna do?"

"We can figure it out later. You're bleeding Nero."

"Who cares?" I muttered. I'd heal anyway.

"I do. What will happen to the traitor, Ursula?"

"Cato will probably take her to Grim. After all…he's next in line for the title. It's his duty."

Reapers don't have funerals. If a Reaper dies, it is up to Grim. I don't want to know what he does. I just hope Alliyah goes somewhere safe and clean, you know. Somewhere nice. If Heaven exists, then Alliyah deserves a place with the highest of angels. I had no idea what to do with myself. Alliyah was my best friend – scratch that, my only friend. Although Eric was being very kind to me. I kissed him on the cheek, surprising him. Despite my tears, I saw him smile slightly. He hugged me tighter, and I buried myself into the crook of his neck.

"Thank you, Eric."