Huge thanks to my betas, jcat5507, as well as those who continuously follow my weirdness. :D You guys rock

Chapter Twenty Five

The oil-stained concrete glowed in the moonlight, and for a second, it looked as though we were walking amongst the stars. It was an illusion, of course. In reality, I was being forced through the shipyard area of Jacksonville, Florida, to be used as bait for Shiloh. My stomach twisted with each step I took, and I held on to the hope that she wouldn't come. If the future of the Walkers depended on me dying, then I would gladly step in. I would take the fall, and I would do it willingly.

I struggled to find my footing, and like so many times before, I stumbled forward. An icy hand reached out and steadied me, pulling me back roughly. I growled in response to the physical contact but ultimately kept my thoughts to myself. We had been walking for nearly ten minutes, and I had already come close to falling three times. It wasn't entirely my fault. There wasn't an adequate light source, and the ground was slick with what was probably oil. For once, my clumsiness was not my fault.

Not including Constantine and Tabitha, there were about ten Volturi guards. They were a force of nature and moved with pageantry, with a kind of deadly beauty. Their pace was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. It was the pace of the invincible. They came with one specific purpose: to destroy.

The six, self-appointed lords of the area shuffled close behind. Each of them had brought their own personal bodyguard, totaling their number to twelve. Compared to the Volturi with their flowing robes, the lords looked somewhat out of place. Dressed like your everyday bankers, lawyers, and businessmen, they glanced around the area nervously. They were an angry mob, whipped to a frenzy and slavering for justice, but there was fear there also. They had never challenged the Walkers in the past—not that I knew of, anyway—and it was clear that doing so now made them anxious. No. It's more than that. Their sideways glances and continuous whispers told me that they were afraid.

Constantine marched regally ahead of the pack, his cape billowing in the breeze that rolled off the ocean. I had no idea where he was taking us. After announcing his intentions, there had been no hint of a destination. He had merely led me out of the torture room and into the arms of the vampire that was currently holding me hostage. I glared up at him now, but he ignored me. They all ignored me. Why they felt I needed a guard at all was beyond me. Did they actually thing I could escape?

The smell of metal, oil, and rust filled my nose as we moved deeper into the yard, which made me cough and gag a little. I gasped as the clouds cleared and cast the full moonlight on the area. On the right, a series of large, massive tankers, held to the pier by gigantic chains, hovered in the dark waters. Large storage bins lined the left side. They were multicolored and covered with different company names. Why had Constantine led us here? Was it because it was far from humanity, and the vampires could conduct their business in peace, or was it something else?

"Stop here," he said firmly and motioned with his right hand. "Bring her up."

I was half dragged, half carried up to the front, and when the guardsman brushed against the wound on my back, I squealed in pain. He ignored me again. I was presented to Constantine, and he turned to me, the tips of his mouth pulled up into the most sadistic smirk he'd shown me yet.

"My dear Bella," he cooed and rested his hand on my shoulder. The chill that shot through me had been soothing at one time. It felt like another lifetime when Edward's icy touch had ironically made me flush with heat. No longer. "I am so sorry you are in distress. It is almost over, I assure you."

I took a deep breath and squared my shoulders. "You and I both know that isn't true, Constantine."

He beamed at my repetition of his words, his head cocking slightly to the left. "You are the most willful human I have ever encountered. Why is it, if you don't mind me asking, that you would choose death over eternal life?"

"If living forever means betraying those I love," I stammered over a particularly violent batch of throbbing from my back, "then I would rather die."

He laughed in a condescending manner. "How noble, and yet, have you asked yourself if Shiloh would do the same for you? Do you believe she would bring her species to an end for one, pathetic human?"

I shook my head. "No. She won't, that's why this is a waste of time. You should kill me now."

He was thoroughly amused by my words. "Do you really have so little faith in your ceannaire? Do you doubt that she will try to rescue you?"

"She can find another receptor," I said simply, shrugging. "She knows it, and so do I."

With an untroubled smile, he reached over and cupped my cheek. He had thankfully chosen the one that didn't look like a crater. The touch of his skin made me angry, and I fought the urge to bite him. "It is strange that I have more faith in Shiloh than you. Perhaps it is because I know the depths of her loyalty. I have seen her fight, almost to the death, for those she loves. I know her."

"Shiloh doesn't love me." It was difficult to get the words out, but I managed regardless. "She doesn't even trust me. She said so herself."

His eyebrows shot up, and for a moment, I could have sworn he looked shocked. Apparently, he had not entertained the idea that I was not close to Shiloh on any level. Rather than continue to look surprised, he recovered his bemused expression and clasped his hands together."And she never lies, does she?"

I ignored his attempts to fill me with despair, and instead, I tried to focus on the positives. Even though I was going to suffer arguably one of the most painful deaths in the history of mankind, the Walkers were going to endure. That wasn't all, though. Renee and Phil would survive, as well. Perhaps—I couldn't believe I was daring to hope this—Shiloh would still honor her promise to keep them safe. Although I fantasized that she would, I knew it was unlikely. With the Volturi in town, the only plausible outcome was for Shiloh and the others to leave town.

The absence of the Walkers, however, meant one thing: the end of fuil aimsir. The streets of Jacksonville would run red, and the carnage would be incalculable. Perhaps the Volturi would keep them in line for a short time, but it would inevitably lead to anarchy.

Constantine was in my line of sight again, his smile twisting into something sickly sweet. "Bella, I believe you and I have gotten off on the wrong foot."

In spite of the knowledge that I was going to be gruesomely killed, I managed to keep my expression vacant, and yet somewhat sarcastic. "Well, you did just torture me and kill my best friend."

"You see a monster before you, an unfeeling creature who wants nothing more than to destroy the Walkers, to blot them out from the world." He steepled his hands and gazed at me with sympathetic eyes. "I find no pleasure in exterminating a species."

I gave him a pointed stare. "You torture me, and the only reason you want Shiloh here is to kill her. Forgive me if I think you're full of it."

"I only wish to end her suffering," he replied, touching my shoulder with both his hands. I shrugged off his touch. "Can you imagine? She has been alone for a long time. She must be so lonely."

There was a tiny pool of blood in my mouth. I spat it out at him, and he closed his eyes as it splattered against his face. He looked angry for only a moment before he smiled broadly. Slowly, he wiped the blood away and proceeded to lick it from his hand.

"Tasty," he mused, and his expression darkened. His eyebrows pulled together, although he still maintained his sinister grin. "I will enjoy our time together, Bella. You will scream. You will beg me to stop. And in the end, I will break you."

I opened my mouth to tell him that he could try, but I was silenced when he reached over and slapped me. I yelped at the pain that spread through my fractured cheek, and he chuckled. With that, he turned and stalked away.

Constantine and the others stood there, waiting to see if Shiloh would emerge. I stood beside them, patiently waiting for the moment when he would realize that she would not be coming, for the moment when he would kill me. No. He would torture me, brutally, inhumanely, and then, then he would kill me. I closed my eyes and swallowed the lump in my throat. I would not be afraid. I would be strong. If not for myself, then for Shiloh, and for Nora.

What felt like an hour ticked by, and there was neither sight nor sound of Shiloh. The wind whipped through the shipyard, bringing the foul stench of rust and metal under my nose, and the moon rose higher overhead. Still, nothing.

"There is no sign of her," Tabitha remarked to Constantine. "I do not believe she will come."

"How quickly you lose faith, sister," he hissed and shook his head. "She will come."

Perhaps it was because I was feeling empowered, or maybe because, knowing I was going to die anyway, I felt I should go out with a bang. Whatever it was, I found myself taunting Constantine. "Why did you have to amass this arsenal? Huh? Why couldn't you have just found her and taken care of her yourself?"

He turned slowly, the irritation on his face evident. "I beg your pardon?"

Breathily, I said, "Why do you need the backup? Why can't you just fight her on your own? Are you afraid?"

"Afraid?" He laughed loudly and mockingly, before he snagged my right shoulder. His nails were moments away from piercing my skin, but he relinquished me before any damage could be done. "What could I possibly have to be afraid of? I have defeated her once, dear Bella. I can certainly do it again."

I shook my head and reminded him, "The Walkers get stronger with age. It has been over three hundred years since you encountered her. You know she's much stronger than before. That's why you brought these others. You're scared of her."

He chuckled and waved his hand in the air, dismissing my comments. "You know nothing. You hold that insipid creature on a pedestal when she is no different than me. She hunts my people, sometimes for sustenance, sometimes for sport. Does that make her a monster in your eyes? I'm sorry that I just happen to be the wrong kind of monster."

He didn't give me a chance to respond.

"I will show you what true power is," he growled ferociously. "I promise you, Bella, you will be aching for death by the end."

My lips turned up into a smile on their own. "You're wasting time."

"You—" He lifted his hand to strike me again, but right as he was about to let loose, he froze. His words were cut off by an exclamation of surprise. My gaze whipped around, trying to see what he was seeing, but all I saw was darkness. He spun me around and pointed to a particularly dark section of the pier. Through the dark shadows cast by the storage units in the moonlight, walking steadily toward us with a determined gait was Shiloh. "You were saying, my dear?"

"No!" I couldn't stop the cry from pouring out of my lips.

My pulse thrummed through my entire body as my heart pounded in my chest. As Shiloh advanced on us, my eyes were wide. Why was she here? Why was she not running away with the others? Shiloh had made a point of telling me that she did not trust me, so why would she be risking her life to save me? I shuddered as two Volturi guards flanked her, reaching out and grabbing her biceps, restraining her. What was going to happen?

Constantine's laughter echoed. "Welcome, Aoife, daughter of Oren! We have been expecting you—or do you go by Shiloh now?"

The Volturi guardsmen laughed along with him, but the lords remained silent. They hung their heads, trying not to look at her, and they shuffled away as she approached. In fact, the closer she came, the further they retreated. Even with the Volturi here, they were still fearful. How was it that Shiloh could instill such fear in vampires?

Now that she was closer, I realized that she was wearing the traditional hunting gear for the Walkers. Nora had worn it once, and I had laughed. It had looked so outlandish; I couldn't believe anyone would actually wear it. Now, as I observed the black leather outfit, tied at the sides of her torso, arms, and legs with corset lacing, I did not laugh. She looked strong and fierce, a warrior ready to do battle.

Only she wasn't here to fight. She was here to die.

Constantine led Shiloh and those holding her over to me, but she paid me no mind. She held her head high as she was positioned in front of the lords, all who avoided her gaze, but her eyes were glued on Constantine. There was no emotion there, no sign that she was aware she would die tonight, but I was sure that she knew, regardless.

"Why are you here?" I called softly to her, the tears streaming down my cheeks. "I didn't want you to come."

"My brothers and sisters," Constantine said, his voice resonating through the immediate area. He gestured wildly and bowed to Shiloh. "We are fortunate to be in the presence of royalty. May I present to you Lady Aoife, daughter to the first hunter of our kind, Oren. You are considered a princess, are you not?"

She finally spoke. "To whom one is born should not designate the role of leadership. Loyalty is an earned gift, not a birthright."

He extended his arms and purred, "How can you argue with such humbleness? Oren has trained you well."

I cast a murderous glare at him, but he ignored me. I wished I could pull Shiloh aside and force her to leave, but even if I could shake my vampire guard, something told me she wouldn't listen to me. My shoulders sagged forward, and another fresh round of tears spilled down my cheeks.

"How long has it been since we last saw one another?" He cocked his head to the side, and amusement flashed in his smile. He was enjoying this. "Three hundred years?"

"Three hundred and three years," Shiloh answered in her typical monotone voice. It didn't escape me how her eyes flared when he started laughing. "It has been a long time."

"Yes. It has." He took a deep breath. "Now the question remains. What to do with you. I am a little put out at the moment, to be honest. You are an enemy, one that has been a thorn in my masters' sides for many, many years. Lord Aro wants your head on a silver plate, literally. However, I have convinced him to accept you into the Volturi. You will have to be turned first."

My hands curled into fists, and my nostrils flared. Turning a Walker into a vampire was considered the highest form of disrespect and blasphemy. The only reason Nora had been allowed to live was because Shiloh had cared so deeply for her. However, the idea of Shiloh being anything other than a Walker was unthinkable.

"I am very serious," He continued, starting to pace. "If you were any other, I would simply kill you. However, I know you, Daughter of Oren. You do not fear death. You welcome it. What would be a more fitting punishment than to turn you into the very thing you hate?"

Shiloh stepped forward, but the guards held firm. "Your masters would enslave me as they have you, Constantine. I would rather take my chances in the afterlife."

His smile grew more sinister, and he reached out and ran his hand through Shiloh's hair, cupping her cheek when he was through. "You can do away with your false courage. You are broken, Aoife. I crushed you many years ago, and rest assured, I can do it again. All that remains is your body, a hollow, empty shell—and although it will hardly be as exciting to break, I will try to enjoy it. When you finally accept the depth of your failure—not just the children you failed to save, but your entire species—when you forget what it was to love and be loved, then I will kill you."

My body started to shake, and I felt a mass of strength return to me. I reached up and yanked away the hand blocking my mouth. "He didn't kill you before, Shiloh! He knows he can't kill you on his own. That's why he has all these reinforcements! He's as scared of you now as he was three hundred years ago—as he should be!"

Constantine strode across the distance separating us, and just as Shiloh was about to meet my gaze, he blocked her from me. Leaning down, he wrapped his hand around my arm and pulled me roughly to him. I struggled against his hold but he was unrelenting. He walked in the opposite direction, dragging me behind, and when he had cleared the group, he pushed me to the ground.

My back and cheek throbbed mercilessly, threatening to freeze me in that state of pain and agony. There was something more important, though. I had to keep it together, at least for a little longer.

"I have never encountered such a willful human before," he said, clearly annoyed by my outburst. "I am a man of my word, Bella. You are free to leave. You may go and die in the way and time that best suits you. Please do not begrudge me when I say we shall not meet again."

He hovered over me for a few seconds, before turning and heading back toward Shiloh. My nostrils flared, and I slowly sat up and watched him move away from me. I couldn't let him kill her, but what could I do? My strength was waning at a steady pace, and soon, I would be too weak to stand.

"I recall our first meeting with rapt enthusiasm," Constantine chimed to Shiloh. "It was the most intoxicating event of my immortal life."

"Is that so?" Shiloh looked unimpressed, bored even.

"Indeed." His posture changed drastically. "What say we … give it another go, yeah?"

With an elegant movement, he lifted his right foot and planted it on her chest. The vampires that had been restraining her arms released her immediately. I watched in pained silence as she sailed backward and hit the concrete with a rough thud, a splintering crack extending out from where she had landed. She was on her feet in the blink of an eye, and a good thing, too, because that was the moment Constantine struck. He flew through the air like a bullet, crashing into her midsection. When they tumbled to the ground, Constantine seized the opportunity and secured her head in his hands. He beat Shiloh's head against the ground twice, but it was a fruitless effort. Like his own, Shiloh's body was too strong to be broken by concrete.

"I will not make the same mistake twice," he roared and lifted her up. Why wasn't she fighting him? "You will die this night. The phoenix shall not rise from the ashes a second time."

He pulled his arm back, and his fist connected with her face. She stumbled back but regained her composure quickly. She was choosing not to defend herself. She was actually sacrificing herself. As he fell upon her again, she crumbled to the floor, but this time, she did not get up.

"Shiloh! Get up!" I called out to her. "Damnit! Fight! Don't do this! Please! Fight!" As they fell from my lips, I knew that my words were useless.

As I struggled to my feet, my eyes caught sight of the brutalization before me. Constantine was sitting on top of Shiloh now. He had her shoulders pinned with his knees, and he was inflicting blow after blow with his fists. The scent of blood overwhelmed me, and I noticed a trail of red seeping from her lip. There was also a cut above her left eye that was starting to drip red. She was offering herself up as a lamb for the lion. She would not protect herself.

This is my fault. Nora's death, and now Shiloh's … it's my fault. The tears ran down my cheeks again as I regarded myself with such horror. My presence was poisonous. Edward had once joked that I was a danger-magnet. It was only then, when I was faced with the destruction of another soul, that I realized how true his words were. I brought pain and suffering to everyone I loved. The violence against Shiloh and Nora was just a physical manifestation of it.

Constantine pulled back and let out an angry roar. He stood up, pulling Shiloh up by her neck, and he sneered, "This is your rightful position, Daughter of Oren. You are at my mercy, always. Thou art weighed in the balance." He brought his head to hers with a sickly crunch, before allowing her to drop to the ground. "And art found wanting."

She did not move, and I felt something inside me tighten. Resolve. Angry resolve. Intolerance.

He stood over Shiloh. "You have failed again, Aoife. You blame me for the deaths of your children, but your anger is misplaced. If you wish to see the one responsible, you need only look in the mirror."

My heart exploded with fury, and a surge of adrenaline pumped through my veins. All the pain and stiffness left my body, and I was able to rise. Moving at a speed I had never achieved before, I crossed the distance between myself and Constantine, and right as he bent down to grab her, to do God knows what, I was on him. An inhuman screech came from my lungs as I jumped on his back. He was taken by surprise, and before he could pull me off, I raked my hands across his face.

I wasn't sure what I had expected to happen, but I certainly didn't expect my nails to tear thick fissures across his face. He screeched and dumped me off his back before he turned and cupped his wounded head in his hands. Venom dripped down his chin and hit the concrete. I crawled over to Shiloh, who was still on the ground, and I touched her cheek. It was something I had never done before and would probably never do again. Her eyes opened slightly, and for a few moments, we just stared at one another.

I shook my head. "Why are you doing this?"

A loud, bellowing shout came from behind me, and I turned to find Constantine cradling his head. "My face! You half-breed bitch!"

He was beside me, lifting me up by my neck, before I could register his movement. I stared into his hateful glare, reciprocating it with my own. The next few moments floated by in slow motion. With an angry curse, he hurled me through the air forcefully. The world spun slowly before my eyes, and I felt my body sail through the air like a Frisbee. I only had enough time to recognize Shiloh's voice as she called my name, before I crashed to the pavement in a sickening crunch.

The stitches that Tabitha had given me split open, and I could feel the rough concrete digging into my wounds. I cried out, and try as I had, I could not find it in me to move. The weariness caused by the blood loss had found its way to me, and with the sight of Shiloh, broken and bloody before me, the spark of fury I had felt ignited into a hatred so deep, it was almost impossible to contain. Somewhere within me, despite the tired feeling washing over me, all the anger and rage was compiling into one massive burst. It was coming. The explosion was imminent.

"She'll live," Constantine said, and it sounded as though he were somewhat disappointed by that fact. As I shifted on my side, I noticed him motion to one of the Volturi guards. He promptly turned back to Shiloh. "There is no glory to be found in slaying you. I will give you a quick death. The one you deserve."

The Guard he had gestured to approached, a small, rectangular box nestled in his hands. With a snap of Constantine's fingers, two other vampires seized Shiloh's arms and hauled her to a standing position while he opened the box. From it, he retrieved an ornate, intricate dagger. Its blade was about eight inches long, and the hilt was gold with multicolored jewels encrusted in the handle. It was beautiful yet deadly. Why was it present? What good would it serve?

Constantine started speaking, and I realized that my hearing was fading. I pulled myself along the dirty ground, trying to hear. Almost as if he noticed my attempts, his voice grew louder.

He spoke in another language, which sounded similar to Latin; however, he was quick to translate. "The Blade of Life, my brothers and sisters. Two hundred years ago, my masters perfected the art of weapons manufacturing. This is one of the four daggers created out of the venom of vampires. It is the sharpest blade in existence. Its purpose"—he turned to Shiloh—"is to kill immortals."

No! I had lost the power of speech, my vocal chords rendered silent by the immense pain I was enduring. I fruitlessly reached out toward Shiloh, but my heart broke as I realized there was no way I could reach her. Even if I could somehow ignore the fact that my back was on the verge of hemorrhaging, my fingers were broken, and I was certain my shoulder had dislocated when I had hit the ground, there was no way I could defeat Constantine. Even with my improved strength and speed, I was no match for him.

"I wish to extend you one more chance, Aoife," Constantine said, lowering the blade. "You will be spared if you agree to join us. Aro seems to think you may have a quantifiable talent."

"Where would he get such an idea," Shiloh's voice was rough and jagged, stunted.

"I am unsure," he remarked skeptically. "Eleanora had a mighty powerful one. We also have it on good authority that the ability to detect honesty is an inherited trait among the Walkers."

"It is inherited," Shiloh admitted, but quickly added, "by a few. They are, of course, not with us."

"Pity," he sneered. "Perhaps you would like to give us a demonstration."

There was a moment of silence, and I actually found myself hanging on to every second. I had never seen Nora, Rix, or Shiloh use their gifts, and I would have been lying if I had said there wasn't a part of me that desired to. After experiencing Jasper, Edward, and Alice, I was curious to know what else was out there.

The wind swept through, and just when I thought Shiloh was quietly refusing his request, something strange happened.

"Why Lord Aro has objected to kill you, boggles me." Constantine looked flustered for a moment, before he continued speaking. "Your kind is nothing more than a cancer upon the world, an imperfection. You could never be of service to us."

He stumbled backward, his hand across his mouth. I gaped. From his reaction, it seemed as though Shiloh had the ability to force the truth from others. That was a significant ability. If the Volturi were the lawmakers, they would require someone who could distinguish between fact and fiction.

Constantine had little time to recover before it started again. "These local lords are ridiculous. As if they could ever truly own this city. The world belongs to us and us alone. This ridiculous land grabbing will not go unpunished."

He lashed out, striking Shiloh across the cheek, and for a second, I could have sworn I heard her laugh. It was a sarcastic chuckle, one that was distinctly female in tone. However, the sound stopped immediately as Constantine brandished the blade in her direction, reminding her how she was at his mercy.

I suddenly felt the curious urge to run, to flee from the scene. Self-preservation was setting in. My eyes danced around the area, looking for possible escape routes, but I stopped them in their tracks. Even if there was nothing I could do, I would stay. I would not let Shiloh die alone in the dark. I would not let Constantine condemn her to darkness again. I would do anything and everything I could.

My left hand had gone completely numb. Against my better judgment, I glanced down and was sickened by the sight of my disfigurement. One of my fingers was jutting out at a right angle, while the other was curled in a position similar to the letter S. Both fingers were turning a bluish black color, and that color seemed to be moving up my hand.

I turned away; I couldn't think of that now.

It hurt a lot, but I pulled myself across the pavement toward Shiloh. The asphalt scraped against my skin, and I could feel the twinges of pain in my broken fingers. There was some life left there. I hissed from the sudden pain and noticed a trail of blood seeping behind me. The wound on my back must have been worse than I had previously thought.

Constantine, in the meantime, had recovered from Shiloh's ability, but he was furious. Perhaps it was because she had taken his control away from him. Whatever the reason, he paced back and forth, ridiculing and cursing her in a different language. When Shiloh responded in a harsh tone, I realized that he was speaking her language—the language of the Walkers. How did he know it?

With a sharp laugh, he swiped the dagger out and slashed her left arm. A line of red oozed out and dripped down her bicep. The sight of the injury made me cry out on the inside. Where was Dex? Where were the others? Why weren't they here to save her? Had she told them not to? How could they stand in the shadows and watch—something told me they were watching—while someone they professed to love was brutalized?

My head was starting to get cloudy. The dim electrical lighting, which came from crudely mounted construction lanterns, grew darker and not because the bulbs were going out. I was dying. I was losing too much blood. Something had to be done, but I couldn't find the will to care.

"Before we continue," Constantine said. "We must first ascertain any whereabouts of other Walkers—pureblood or receptor."

Shiloh sighed. "It is impossible to know the whereabouts of any receptors, particularly if they are unturned. You know this. My ancestors were very liberal with their affections. There could be bloodlines all over the world. You cannot know who is and who is not without testing each person. It is a fruitless effort, regardless, considering there are no purebloods left to turn them."

"You were planning on turning Bella, were you not?" He pointed to me, and Shiloh's eyes momentarily cut to mine.

"I offered her a choice," Shiloh remarked, and she bowed her head slightly. "She refused."

I shook my head, feeling remorseful of my actions. Why had I let Edward chase me from Forks? If I had stayed, then Shiloh and the others would still be safe. She wouldn't be facing death head on. It was true; I ruined everything that I touched. My gaze turned white hot as I stared at Constantine's smug look. It wasn't entirely my fault.

The vampires—their kind—were accountable for this devastation and ruin. They were a plague on the human world, an existence that never should have been, monsters, regardless of how well they mimicked the humans they lived among. My grief and sorrow over Edward and the Cullens had given birth to the growing anger and hate. It spread through my being, consuming me.

"The bodies of your father and mother were never found," Constantine said lowly. "Where are they?"

"They were killed in the catacombs," she responded quickly. "They would be ashes by the time you searched."

"I do not believe you." He shook his head. "I believe they are here, and you are protecting them."

She cocked her head to the side. "As though I would need to protect my father. He has my strength ten times over."

"Then why is it that he was killed," Constantine crossed to her, "and you were not?"

My vision was failing me, but I could hear her. There was humor in her voice, almost as though she were enjoying tormenting him. "I battled a weaker opponent."

He struck her hard, her head whipping to the side, and her cheek split. Another line of red blotted her pale skin. She shouldn't have had to do this. She should not have been taking the beating that was meant for me.

"Shiloh!" I coughed on a bit of blood. Constantine paused, and for the first time, she put her entire focus on me. "You don't have to do this. Please? You've already saved me in ways you'll never know. You don't have to die for me."

Her voice was strong when she called, "I could neither live with my actions, nor look into another human's face were I not to stand here."

"No!" I shook my head. "I'm not worth it! You can find another receptor! I'm nobody, no one! Is this because of Nora? Do you feel guilty?"

"Guilt has nothing to do with my decision," Shiloh answered. "I would care for no other now that I have known you."

She turned away from those holding her arms, and she bent regally at the waist. With their hands still on her, she crossed her arms atop her chest as she bowed. I knew that bow. I had admired Nora as she demonstrated it. It signified endless friendship and undying loyalty. My heart swelled, and I struggled to stand, failing miserably. She merely shook her head and turned away from me.

"Please, Shiloh!" I cried to no one in particular. "Fight back!"

That was the moment when Constantine chose to interfere. He sped over to me, moving so fast that I couldn't keep up, and his hand came down hard on my torso. I felt the moment my rib cage compressed, and while I wanted to howl in pain, I found breathing to be difficult.

"Leave her be!" Shiloh's voice echoed through the air, but I was too consumed by the sharp, needle-like pain that cut through me.

Constantine sneered down at me as I started to scream in a hoarse voice. "That's enough of that, dear Bella."

A loud, bellowing grunt filled the silence. Constantine responded, "Do not snarl at me, Aoife! Your receptor is the one who has put herself in such a predicament! I offered her the chance to leave peacefully, and she has spit in the face of my generosity. Her suffering is of her own making."

I wanted to tell myself to be quiet, to shut up, that I needed to concentrate. If I was going to survive, I needed to focus. Then it hit me: I wasn't going to survive. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't a bad thing. It was difficult to picture a death as anything other than tragic, but this was different. Wasn't it?

Constantine stalked back toward Shiloh, but for the first time since her arrival, he addressed the lords.

"Is this what you are afraid of?" He shouted, gesturing to Shiloh with the knife still in his hands. There were a few, unintelligible murmurs, but other than that, his words were met with nothing. "This creature that refuses to protect herself, that stands there as a willing puppet?"

I lay on my stomach, listening with a broken heart as he denounced Shiloh's strength and rebuked them as weak minded. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I realized there was nothing I could do to save her.

Darkness claimed me, and I strayed from thought. The lights from the city were obscuring the starlight, but I did manage to see one. Despite all the factors that were warring against that one speck, it still shone in all its brilliance. How a light source that was billions, maybe even trillions, of miles away could contend with the city lights and still manage to be seen was amazing. I felt dizzy, lightheaded, and as my eyes started to close, the star seemed to burn brighter. Was that even possible, or was it in my head?

The sounds around me—the lapping of the water against the pier, the wind blowing through the storage bins, Constantine enjoying the sound of his own voice—were starting to dull. It was as though someone were turning down the volume of the world. Everything was meshing together, creating an inaudible roar that was diminishing. Soon, it became a melodic lullaby that was lulling me into complacency. I could feel my heart starting to slow, and I was powerless to stop it.

"On this day, this day of reckoning, I will deliver you from your fears, brothers and sisters! I will remove the oppressive bonds that this creature has laid upon you," Constantine's voice boomed. The power that he held resonated in his voice, and I was sure that the crowd was captivated. "The line of the Walkers will finally be brought to an end. You, Aoife, believe that this carnage will end with you, but that is far from the truth. We shall investigate every rumor, every story, and we shall stamp out the blaze that your kind has started. The very mention of your species will bring about the strictest of punishments. We will remove your memory and your legacy from this world. No one will remember your name. You shall be forgotten."

My eyes popped open. No.

"I know there are others of your kind still in existence," he lauded. "I will find them, and I will send them screaming into the next life!"

My heart started to pump harder, faster. No.

For a moment, I was taken back to that room in the Under Passage, where Constantine had tortured me needlessly. He had insisted that the younglings had attacked him. Why would they do that? As I lay there, listening to that arrogant zealot preaching about the end of the Walkers, it came to me. They fought because they loved her. Unconditionally. Even as small they were, they were willing to die for her.

"The Walkers will be a myth," Constantine continued, "but more importantly, they will be regarded as an aberration, a mistake. Something that was never meant to exist."

My head was swooning, and as I slowly found my footing, the world twisted and turned beneath me. It briefly reminded me of the first time I had tried alcohol. At Renee and Phil's wedding, I had been given the opportunity to try champagne for the first time. It had tickled my nose, and I had been rendered speechless by the taste. Not knowing much about how alcohol could affect an inexperienced drinker, I had swallowed an entire glass full. Twenty minutes later, I was stumbling, confused why my vision was dancing back and forth. It was strange.

My feet were flat on the ground, and slowly, I uncoiled my body. I stood up straight, regardless of the pain shooting through me, and I locked my eyes on the ground ahead of me. Constantine was pointing the blade right at Shiloh. There was no other option. I knew what I had to do.

"This ends tonight." Constantine turned his back to Shiloh and repositioned the blade in his hand. He was going to do it. He was going to sweep back and plunge the blade into her heart, killing her instantly.

No! My heartbeat thundered in my chest, and I took a single step forward. When I didn't fall on my face, I took another, and then another. I put every ounce of anger, fury, and most importantly, fear for Shiloh into my steps. My feet pounded against the concrete, and yet, I heard nothing. No sound. I was absolutely silent. Like a ghost, or a shadow. The world around me turned into a dark blur, but I was hardly paying attention. I was focused on Shiloh. There was only a small window of opportunity, and I wasn't sure I would make it.

Deftly, I moved at the fastest speed I had ever achieved, only a tad slower than a vampire. In spite of how much my legs screamed at me to stop, I kept moving. I had to. I couldn't stop. Not yet. Not until—

I stopped in front of Shiloh. Her eyes lit up with surprise and shock, as did the guards holding her.

"Kill him for me…for us" I whispered my last words desperately, and then I felt Constantine's blade slip into my back and explode from my chest. The last thing I heard as my world fell to darkness was a heart wrenching, mournful cry. I only barely recognized the voice.

It was Shiloh.

Author's Note: Questions? Comments? Concerns?

I'm sorry for another cliffie so soon, but it was necessary. The next chapter will (hopefully) not take too long. At the moment, I'm writing it in the 3rd person, but we'll see if that changes. tee-hee. If you enjoyed it, hated it, or were confused by it, I want to hear from you! Then again, if you have nothing to say, you could always tell me a random piece of information in the comments. I would love to hear from those who have yet to be heard. I know you're out there! Either way, I digress. Until next time.