Last (ish) chapter. This takes place during the third book (kind of a missing scene) when Raven and Alexander discovered Jagger and Luna's coffins in the tree house. After this, there will be an epilogue (Eighteen,) and then this story will be *sniff* over! Please enjoy and review!

OoO

Raven Madison ran her black-tipped fingers across the delicate silk of one of Luna's dresses.

"What are they doing here, I wonder," the goth girl murmured to Alexander Sterling, "in Dullsville, I mean. Not the tree house."

The dark-haired vampire examined the crumpled collection of maps piled around Jagger's coffin.

"They're planning something," Alexander answered at length, "I just wish I knew what."

"All you had to do was ask," a voice, cold as winter, froze Raven and Alexander in their tracks. Jagger Maxwell leaned against the tree-house opening, subtlety blocking the exit. Moonlight glinted off his dagger shaped eyebrow stud and red snakeskin jacket. He was grinning, but there was a cruel twist to his mouth.

A decidedly schoolgirlish giggle came from the tree-house's only window, where Luna was perched with one gazelle-delicate leg folded over the other. She wore a tight, sheer spiderweb-patterned dress over chunky black platform boots, and shimmering onyx earings that dangled like black stars against her snowy hair and flesh. She was grinning like a wicked child.

"Wow, it is just so great to see you two," Luna bubbled to the dark-haired couple before her, "Especially you, Alexander. No offense Raven, but we have history."

"Ancient history," Raven interjected through gritted teeth. Despite her waifish stature, Luna Maxwell was intimidating, but Raven wasn't the sort to back down.

"Luna," Alexander addressed the new vampiress sincerely, "I wish I could have told you—"

"Tsss," From the doorway, Jagger made a noise not unlike a snake's warning hiss.

"Let's not change the subject," Luna said airily, popping up from the window ledge and half-dancing across the wood floor.

You wanted to know our reason for being here," Jagger reminded Raven and Alexander. Like his sister, Jagger sauntered closer to the intruders. Casually and ominously, the Maxwells were closing in

"Right, right," Luna nodded enthusiastically, "so make yourselves comfy and I'll tell you the story."

Alexander was too diplomatic to resist when Luna shoved him down to sit on her cotton candy-hued coffin; too shocked to resist when she plopped down on his lap. Raven made an indignant sound and started forward but was stopped by a pair of hard, skinny arms crossing around her middle. She chould feel the cool slickness of Jagger's snakeskin jacket on the bare backs of her arms.

"Let go," Raven demanded tersely, glad for the rice powder make-up that hid her blush.

"Hush," Jagger chided gently. He rested his chin on Raven's head.

"Jagger..." Alexander's voice was low and uncharacteristically menacing.

If looks could kill, Jagger would be a smoking pile of ash, but they couldn't, so instead of disintegrating, the white-blond smiled beatifically at his nemesis. Alexander could do nothing about it with Luna propped up on his lap. Currently, the vampiress was playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"Please get off of me Luna," Alexander said in controlled tones, "Now."

"Hm," Luna looked up at her one time-betrothed through a fringe of babydoll lashes. She smiled drowsily, and Raven was hit with the terrible dichotomy Luna exuded—a cross between a little girl and a seductress.

"Okay," Luna agreed at length, "but you two have to sit down and listen nicely."

Alexander gave a near imperceptible nod, and Luna hopped back up. Jagger released Raven with a playful little spin that landed her on his coffin lid.

"You're in a good mood tonight," Raven remarked acidly as Jagger sat down beside her.

"I'm having a good night," He quipped back.

Assured that Alexander and Raven wouldn't be going anywhere, Luna stood herself begween the two coffins and began her promised story.

"Once upon a time," her sweet voice fluted, "there was a boy and a girl—twins. Two sweet, innocent, doe-eyed children."

At this, Raven's face twisted in surprise, Alexander quirked a brow, and Jagger choked on sarcastic laughter.

"Okay, so maybe they had a bit of a tendency toward mischief," Luna conceded with a huff."

"That's one way of putting it," Jagger muttered, amused.

"Anyway," Luna went on as though her brother hadn't spoken, "Unusual circumstances surrounded the children, for the girl had been born with a curse. A curse that made her different from everyone around her—even her parents. Even her twin brother.

"Luna..." Alexander murmured, almost involuntarily. Luna ignored him, her cobalt eyes narrowed.

"It was hard for the children. They had to grow up in separate worlds, never really understanding each other." Luna's gaze flickered to Jagger, who was watching her with unusual intensity, "Twins ought to be together."

"Amen to that," Jagger drawled.

Luna had a small smile on her lips as she continued, "The girl longed to be a part of her brother's world, but there was something else she longed for even more. Someone else."

The smile dissipated when Luna locked eyes with Alexander. The black-haired teen returned the gaze, steadily and earnestly. Raven's fingers tightened on the coffin lid. Jagger slipped his hand over hers to stop the motion.

"A boy who would make all her dreams come true," Luna pronounced each word distinctly, "her prince. Her knight in dark armor."

"More like a coward in aluminum foil," Jagger put in acidly.

"My story—no interruptions," Luna chided her twin before Raven or Alexander could protest, "Now where was I?"

"Your 'knight,'" Jagger reminded with a sneer.

"Oh yes. Her knight, he was the one who would save her. So she waited, like a good little girl, for her happily ever after," Luna's voice had gone hard, "But do you know what? It never came. Her knight, he—"

"Ran away," Jagger filled in coldly when Luna didn't continue, and this time she didn't scold him.

"Yes," she said quietly, "he abandoned her. Like he didn't know he was to remove her curse. Like he didn't know she loved him. Like he didn't care."

Alexander couldn't meet Luna's gaze any longer. Raven felt something inside her twist, responding to Luna's tale. For the moment, the white-haired girl seemed unable to speak.

"She was heartbroken," Jagger said in his twin's silence. He aimed the words like arrows at Alexander, who for once had nothing to say to his shock-goth nemesis.

"Yes," Luna said again, snapping out of her trance, "but her twin—he was a good brother, and he helped her pick up the pieces."

Raven and Alexander wore matching frowns. They found it hard to imagine Jagger being truly kind or gentle towards anyone, even his own sister.

"And then?" Alexander asked resignedly, "what happened next?"

"So glad you asked," Jagger said with a shark-like smirk. A similar expression found its way onto Luna's face as she went on.

"Well, the twins, they were a bit...put out. One might say they were bloodthirsty," At this, she flashed her fangs, "the girl was finished being the good little princess waiting in her tower. She did what she needed to make herself strong."

No one had to ask what it was the girl did, not with Luna's fangs bared in illustration.

"The only thing left was to find her runaway knight."

"Which she did," Jagger supplied.

"Mm. But she found him with another," Luna's eyes flashed like blue lightening at Raven, "A dark witch."

"I think your story's done," Alexander interjected coldly.

"No. You've got it all turned around," Luna hummed, "it'd only just begun."

"What does the other twin have to do with this?" Raven blurted, "The boy. What does he want?"

"The boy," Luna repeated thoughtfully, looking up at the wood ceiling, "well, he's there on his sister's behalf, that's part of it"

She paused to consider. Even Jagger seemed interested in what she would say next.

"The truth is, he's always been lonely too," Luna decided eventually, "it's time he had someone to share the night with."

"And as it turns out," Jagger added, giving Raven a playful squeeze, "he's got this thing for witches."

Alexander started to get up, but Luna stopped him by placing a well-manicured hand over his chest.

"You see," she smiled cooly "they're taking control of this f—d up fairytale."

"They've learned the secret to 'happily ever after,'" Jagger added in an irony-laden tone, "It's force."

"You have to make your happy ending happen," Luna agreed, "And believe you me, we will have ours."