Hello and Merry Christmas Eve! Sorry it took me a minute to get back into writing this. Since it's been so long I hope I am still writing it the same as I was before. I love reviews, they are what keep me motivated, so please review away! Oh and please let me know if I ever break character too terribly. Enjoy!

Chapter 25

Jenny winced and took a sharp breath at the pain in her arm. She looked at the scalpel the man still had stuck in her arm and then back to Kale.

"Whatever you want to say make it quick. My friends here are eager to get their little operation going."

Kale said casually, making it clear he wasn't going to have the man remove the scalpel while Jenny spoke. Jenny took a deep breath and tried to focus through the stinging pain in her arm.

"You said you want Julian back as your brother right? Your friend?" Jenny said urgently.

"I think I've made that clear. Have you got anything of importance to say?" Kale replied clearly annoyed that Jenny was stalling for time.

"Well," Jenny took a deep breath, "You can't deny that Julian loves me, I mean he sacrificed himself for me. What do you think it would do to your relationship if he finds out that you let a couple of creeps cut me apart?"

Kale laughed mockingly, "Have you ever heard the expression: time heals all wounds? Well when you're a shadow man and you live forever that's hardly any concern of mine Jenny."

"What if I could spare you any problems with Julian and you could still get him back. As a shadow man." Jenny asked.

Kale stared at Jenny for a moment, before replying tiredly. "I don't know if you've been able to get it through your pretty little head yet, but I don't like you. Any pain that you feel – brings me pleasure. It would make my day to watch you be dissected alive right now, in fact it would make my year. So if you're going to ask for me to allow you to commit suicide, you can just forget that idea right now."

Jenny was at a loss for words while Kale's response sunk in. Never in her life had she heard such hateful talk directed at her, not even from the other shadow men. Jenny shook the discomfort aside and spoke like she knew what she wanted, like she wasn't afraid.

"I don't want to commit suicide. I want you to give me to the other shadow men in exchange for Julian being carved back into the rune stave. I'm the one they've wanted all along, the one that got away. Plus Julian wouldn't have to know that you handed me over, you can tell him that I went of my own free will. That way, you can have Julian back and he won't be distracted by me anymore. That's what you want, right?" Jenny held her breath and Kale's eyes. "I don't want anyone else to have to die for me again. Especially Julian."

Kale stared hard at Jenny. His eyes boring into her soul. She held his gaze and tried to look strong. What she said was true. She didn't want anyone to die for her. First her grandfather, then Julian. Jenny had felt intense guilt over their deaths. And pressure. The pressure to make her life meaningful so their deaths wouldn't have been in vain. As soon as Jenny had told Kale what she wanted, to take the place that was meant for her all along, she felt that weight and pressure lift off her shoulders.

Jenny didn't want to die. Not yet. She really didn't want to die. Especially at the hands of the other shadow men. But there was no other option. Not when she was facing death this very moment, a gruesome death that would no doubt haunt Julian and her friends for the rest of their lives. This was the better option. She would go and offer herself up and finish everything once and for all. Her friends would be sad, but they would eventually move on and live normal lives, free of the shadow world and nightmares. Julian… Julian… He would be devastated. He said it himself – he could handle anything as long as she was safe. But Kale had also said what Jenny believed to be true – time heals all wounds. Once Julian was a shadow man again, he could do whatever he wanted, create whatever he wanted, and eventually, someday, he would come to terms with Jenny's choice.

Kale was still staring, thinking, Jenny could tell, about her offer. After what felt like an eternity with a blade in her arm, Kale finally smiled. Not a happy or smug smile. One of pure evil deviousness that made Jenny's stomach flip.

"Alright. I accept your offer. We will go to the shadow world and I'll hand you over to my ancestors."

Jenny released the breath she had been holding and looked to the man with the scalpel, waiting for him to remove it and un-Velcro her ankles and wrists so they could go, but no one made a move. Jenny looked back to Kale only to see that sick smile still on his face.

"But before I hand you over, I want to have a little fun with you."

As soon as Kale finished speaking, the man with the scalpel pulled it up the length of Jenny's forearm. She screamed involuntary, as though her body was reacting to the situation before Jenny's mind caught up with what just happened.

The man in the operating uniform just giggled. Jenny felt white hot pain in her arm and could feel the blood soaking through what little of the bandage was still on her arm. Jenny looked to Kale, but he wasn't looking at her. He was looking thoughtfully at the silver tray with all the operating instruments on it.

"Now, that one." Kale said to the man. Jenny looked between the two men, horrified. She saw the man pick up a wickedly sharp knife.

"I told you that you could take me to the shadow men, why are you doing this?" Jenny demanded of Kale. She knew why. He has only said it so many times, but Jenny wasn't thinking properly. Her mind was operating purely on fear and adrenaline. Kale didn't seem to mind spelling it out to Jenny again though.

He walked over to her so that he was standing right next to the operating table, looking down at Jenny. "I hate you. You took my friend away. We were brothers. We worked together for centuries, and then you come along. At first, I didn't care. Julian was still around, we still played games. But then, as you got older, he checked out. He didn't care about anything other than you. You ruined my life. It only seems fitting to return the favor."

Jenny felt an intense amount of pressure that was slowly turning to an unbearable pain erupt in her thigh. She looked down and saw the handle of the knife sticking out of her jeans. Blood slowly staining a circle around the knife.

Jenny just stared at the handle of the knife jutting out of her leg. It looks so strange… Jenny thought as her mind started to fog up, the pain subsiding. She welcomed unconsciousness and slipped into darkness.

Jenny was drifting in darkness. She felt comfortable, warm, at peace. Am I dead? With this thought, the memories of the operating room came rushing back to her. She didn't want to open her eyes, to see the men standing around her. Slowly, carefully she moved her arm, flexing her hand. But there's no pain…and it's not velcro'd down anymore. Jenny forced herself to open her eyes.

She looked at her arm. It was re-bandaged in a fresh ace wrap and was only slightly sore, like she had played too much tennis with it. Jenny sat up and noticed why she felt warm and comfortable. She was sitting in a huge four poster bed covered with black satin sheets. The room was massive and looked like something from a gothic mansion. Stone walls and marble floors. A massive window looking out to a dark night sky spotted with stars. There was a lit fireplace ablaze, but as soon as she pushed the covers off herself she still felt the chill in the room.

Jenny forced herself to look down at her jeans. They looked perfect. No evidence of being stabbed at all. There was no pain there either - only the bruised feeling she had when she first woke up from the hospital, like the seat belt put too much force on her upper thighs in the car accident.

Jenny remembered the deal she had made with Kale. Now that she was out of the operating room, now that she wasn't looking death in the face, she started to regret it. No. She told herself, don't think like that. You have to do this, for your friends, for Julian. There was no way to win that game. We weren't getting a clue and there would be no way to know what object to grab. It was hopeless. Now where am I?

Jenny slowly and quietly got out of the bed. She saw her shoes on the night stand and slipped them on. She wished she had worn something warmer that day. It was too chilly in this place for jeans and a white long sleeve cotton shirt.

She made her way to the door and pressed her ear against it, listening for any sounds that might let her know where she is. She heard nothing but her own breathing. Jenny walked over to the window and tried to lift it. To her surprise it slid up easily and noiselessly.

She stuck her head out and looked down. She instantly felt dizzy. The room was up so high, at least six or seven floors between her and the ground. There were ledges at every floor and all sorts of bricks jutting out in places which would allow Jenny foot and handholds to climb down, but if she froze, if she looked down and got dizzy?

Jenny looked out over the grounds and saw a sprawling garden of thorny rose beds made into what looked like a maze. There was a fountain, but the water looked dark, almost muddy. It wasn't beautiful, it looked sinister. Jenny didn't want to go wandering through that maze at night.

She walked back over to the door only to hear a set of footsteps on the other side. Hide! Jenny ran over to the bed and slid under on her stomach so she could look at the shoes of the person.

The door opened slowly with a creak and banged up against the wall. The person, a man it looks like, took a few slow steps into the room and stopped at the foot of the bed. Jenny held her breath and tried to calm herself. The man then walked briskly over to the window.

Jenny heard him chuckle, the beautiful sound of dark wind chimes. Kale. Kale slammed the window shut and swore under his breath. "You can run but you can't hide, Jenny." He whispered to the window and then turned and walked out the door.

Jenny released the breath she was holding and listened. She didn't hear anything but her own heart beating wildly. No, I won't panic. Not now, think! Jenny stayed where she was, listening, waiting to hear something that would prove her friends were here too. She heard nothing.

She laid her head down on her arms and tried to think about what her next step would be, when she felt a hand around her ankle yank her out from under the bed. She was hoisted up to standing and she came eye to eye with none other than Kale.

"Did you really think," Kale snarled at Jenny, silver eyes shining, "that you could hide from the shadow man?"

Please remember to review :)