Solomon hears Mavis's ruckus, and he rushes upstairs with his inhuman speed. I stay downstairs, knowing that it'll be safer for me. I can hear Mavis screaming, "Where's Amelia? Where's my baby!?" and I feel the most utter, hopeless pain from her voice. She wanted her little girl back so badly. Poor Mavis. I listen, hearing Mavis's endless, despaired cries, wanting her daughter to be there with her. And, somehow, it all stopped. The screaming, the ruckus, it all just . . stopped. I heard foot steps coming from the stairs and I don't dare to look. What if it's Mavis? Solomon turns the corner, scaring the living hell out of me.

"What did you do?" I asked him. "She was screaming just a minute ago. How'd you quiet her down?"

"I . . . I compelled her. She won't remember the real way Amelia died. All she knows is that Amelia was outside, the Fangs got to her and killed her because The Fangs thought that little girl was mine. If she tries to kill anyone, it'll be me."

"SOLOMON!"

"I had to, Elora! I couldn't let her roam this house just to figure out new and horrible ways to kill you! I can't kill her, either! She's me niece, for Christ's sake! I'm going easy on her, and she might not go easy on me. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that you're safe. Mavis won't harm you. But, she'll be mourning again, so all you will hear is her crying. I need you to stay away from her, though. I don't know if she's going to have angry outbursts or just be depressed for a while. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

I nodded slowly. "You're risking your life to save mine?"

"You're forgetting that I'm stronger than her."

"And you're forgetting that she's stealthier than you. She comes up with the most deviant and absurd things when she's like this!"

"You shouldn't worry about me. You should worry about yourself. Now that you're pregnant, I'm going to have to keep you under strict watch out."

"What about that little girl Mavis turned into a vampire? What about her?"

"What I'm guessing is that Mavis kidnapped that little girl, turned her into a vampire, erased all of her memory from when she was human, and replaced her memories with Amelia's. And, half of the ashes from Amelia's urn is missing. I saw flecks of ashes on that little girl's mouth. Mavis made her eat Amelia's ashes." Solomon's face was of pure disgust. "I knew she'd mourn, but not like this. That was . . not right. Mavis robbed that little girl from her family and life."

"So, what're you going to do with her?" I asked him. "About the little girl?"

"I can't take her back to her family. I'm pretty sure they don't know about vampires, and just imagine when I bring their daughter back, and she's thirsty for blood. She might kill them. I think you know exactly what I have to do."

"You can't kill her! She's just a little girl!"

"She's also impulsive, blood-thirsty and incapable of controlling herself! How do you think it'll make me feel, having the blood of a child on my hands? I can't keep her here, Elora. She isn't my daughter. It's better if I just put her out of her misery, without any pain whatsoever, and I'll do it quick, too. I'll inject her with garlic oil, and when she's unconscious, I'll put a silver bullet through her head. She won't feel a thing. I promise."

I start to shake. "That's horrid, Solomon!"

"I know, but it's better that way! She won't be able to live like a vampire. I couldn't have the guts to turn a defenseless child into a vampire."

I didn't know what to say. Didn't know how to react. "Whatever, do whatever you think is right. I'll be in our room." I went upstairs, and laid flat on my back on the silky sheets Solomon has on the bed we share. I heard his foot steps, he was pacing back and forth in the kitchen. After a while of hearing his pacing, it all just stopped. A door opened, then shut. I closed my eyes, tried to sleep. Slowly, I started to fade into the blackness of slumber. Then, a gun went off.

I jumped in my sleep and woke up with my heart beating so fast, I thought it was going to pop out of my chest. I ran downstairs, towards the room where the little girl was, and entered the room, seeing Solomon pulling a blanket over the little girl's body, stopping shy under her chin, stroking her silky hair, whispering something, and lifting the blanket over her, draping it over her lifeless body. Solomon looked towards the doorway, at me. Our eyes locked. Mine were watering from this. Solomon stood up, making his way to me. He embraced me in a hug that I've missed for so long. "You killed her," I stammered, choking on the words as I cried. "You actually . . killed a little girl."

"It was the best thing for her. She won't have to live like that anymore. If I didn't put her out of her misery, she would live her life as a completely different person. As . . as Amelia."

"I know . ."

"Tomorrow morning, I'm taking the little girl out to bury her in the meadows. A beautiful little girl should be buried somewhere beautiful, right?"

"You're so horribly cheesy," I said, wiping my tears. "I'll come help."

He shook his head. "I can't have you stressing yourself. Tomorrow is your day. You get to relax. Mavis will be free from the attic. I'll compel her to forget about what she did with the little girl, and everything will be as it was nearly two weeks ago, okay?"

"Okay."

Solomon kissed my head, making his way into the kitchen. I proceeded to walk up the stairs, and I was halfway to our bedroom, until Solomon called out my name. I turned around. "What is it?" I asked.

"I forgot to tell you. About tomorrow, you see . . . Jonah is coming here to get Mavis. He said something about canceling his plans for New Orleans. If you'd like to say goodbye to him, you can."

I felt a lump in my throat. No way. Jonah is coming back. I felt light headed all of a sudden. And passed out.