Okay so I realize it's been over a year since I last updated, but I'm back, and I am more determined than ever to make sure I can finish this fic. I have a plan and I am willing to work.

As always, Underworld is not mine.

The sound of a shower running made Michael breathe out a soft sigh. Again, he cursed his inability to think these things through. That was his mate, and everything he had been doing had just pushed her farther and farther away. At this rate, Michael would lose everything. He knew that Selene held little more than contempt for Viktor, and yet that was the first thought that crossed his mind.

It was then that he knew what he had to do. He went to check in on his daughter, making no noise and he made sure that Eve was distracted, playing with her little brother. He felt immense guilt for making this decision, but this was his burden to bear. After lashing out at Selene like he had, this was really his only option. He would make it up to her by doing the one thing that would maybe ease everything up.

He was going to kill Viktor himself, even if it resulted in his own death.

Michael smiled to himself as he saw his daughter, before creeping away from her and going to his room. A black backpack sat on the floor, which he grabbed without really a second thought. He checked to make sure it was empty before he went into the closet that Selene had basically converted into her own armory.

Weapons were definitely not his favorite thing to use, much preferring that if he had to fight that he would use his claws. However, going up against a seemingly revived elder meant that he had little other choice. He needed as much to defend himself as possible. He wasn't wrong, he had grown much stronger since the first time he had fought Viktor. On top of that, he had far more to fight for now.

He grabbed one of Selene's Berettas from the shelves and two magazines of UV ammo. He wasn't the best shot, but he knew if only one of these hit anywhere in Viktor's body, that was it. He would be little more than ashes, and out of their hair hopefully once and for all. He dropped them into the bag, as well as another two mags of regular ammo. While it wouldn't kill him easily, it could slow him down in Michael's mind.

He made sure his footsteps were silent as he went down to the kitchen and packed up blood bags, enough to last him for a good while. He needed to make sure that he was at full strength when he went to confront Viktor.

He stopped and grabbed a sheet of paper, knowing that he couldn't just disappear without telling them that he was leaving and he didn't know when, or if, he would be back. Selene did have a point; underestimating Viktor could lead to his downfall. He couldn't leave his family to wonder where he was and if he would ever return home. If he died, he wanted them to know he didn't just run away. They deserved to know that he had been trying to protect his family from one who wanted to do them harm.

His handwriting was a bit sloppy due to his shaking hands. He had been so confident moments ago, but yet now he was afraid. There was the very real possibility that he would be leaving both his children without a father. Eve already spent so much of her life without a parent, and doing this to her again would break her in his mind. He was afraid to leave her alone, but it also created a form of determination within him. No matter what, Michael knew he had to return to his family.

He read over his note to his family, before he sighed. The sound of the water shutting off reached his ears and he knew he had to leave now, otherwise Selene would see him and would stop him from going.

Or she would encourage him to go, to get out of her life. He wasn't sure which one he hated more.

He grabbed the backpack, before making his way to the door. He hoped he wasn't making a decision that he would live to regret. With a final glance, he made his way out the door and into the night, ready to start facing their problems instead of running away from them.

-Page Break-

The crumbling walls of Castle Corvinus never bothered her. It was the place she had been hiding out since she had discovered the remains of her brothers. A perfect place, really, for a necromancer to reside. There were only a few still left in the world, Viktor's men had made sure of that, considering them just as despicable as the lycans. Yet, she was still alive, the oldest one now after she had… lost her husband.

Her powers were not without limits, of course. She had already revived her brothers, meaning that she could only revive one or two more individuals at a time without either having to sever the connection with one of her brothers or weakening others to the point where they just couldn't complete the task she had asked of them.

Of course, with the false promise that they would remain alive once they were done with their task.

The necromancer seemed amused, tapping into the connection she shared with Viktor to see what he saw. It was only a matter of time, she knew, until he gave her what she desired, and then she would thrive on watching the life leave him once again after the connection was severed. All that mattered was getting her revenge on Michael and Selene for what they did to her family.

"Eva," Her name had snapped her out of her thoughts, allowing her vision to become her own again. "William and I are becoming worried, you need to stop this. Allow them to live their lives in peace." Markus saw Eva's expression change and she just started laughing, a crazed laughter that sent chills down his spine and made him want to take a few steps back.

"You must be joking with me, Markus." Her tone was cold, far colder than he had ever heard her speak to him with. "After what they did to you and William, they deserve to suffer and die. They deserve to lose everything and know how I felt when I saw your corpses."

"And yet now we are all together," Markus insisted, wanting his sister to understand what he was saying. His tone was pleading, wanting his youngest sibling back, his sister who always wanted to keep up with her brothers. "Let them be with their lives, we can be here in peace, and they will never know."

"Enough Markus!" She snapped, a fire in her eyes that terrified even the first vampire. "You do not understand! You will never see the bigger picture here. Now leave me be, I need to make sure all is going well with Viktor."

Markus sighed and turned around, walking out of the room to track down his brother. William, now a hybrid much like his brother, sat with his back up against the wall and his eyes closed. He opened one upon feeling Markus return, their bond as twins stronger than ever.

"Any luck with her?" William asked, sitting up straight. Much like his brother, he was concerned for the way that Eva seemed to be going.

"None, I am starting to think our sister is too far gone, and if Viktor fails, I can only fear what her next line of attack will be…"

Please review! I'll do my best to get the next chapter out quicker this time!