Phoenix became aware. She did a mental check of everything. All intact. Flexing every muscle she made sure the pain was gone. Once that was done she focused on the world around her. Her breath caught in her throat when she realized she was buried alive. She tasted bile in her mouth as the begins of another panic attack started. She didn't want to die! She wanted out! Then the earth above her shuddered as it split open. She took a sobbing breath. For a long time she just sat there taking gulps of fresh air. Finally when she was sure she wasn't going to spiral downward into a panic attack did she come back to her immediate problem. How the hell was she getting out of this pit?

Will it. Gale's soothing voice caressed over her already frayed nerves.

Where are you?

Getting food. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke. However I'm proud you managed to move the earth without being told how. Phoenix looked at the soil. She had done this? All she had done was want to get out and nearly scared herself to death. She could feel Gale's silent offer to look at his mind. Tentatively she peered into his mind. There was a collection of memories about learning the different Carpathian skills. She watched fascinated as Gale struggled to take different shapes, willing objects into existence, moving earth had been especially difficult for him. Phoenix absorbed it all taking it into her mind. It gave her courage that he had struggled with the power.

Taking a deep settling breath Phoenix tried to float herself up out of the hole. It took several tries, but finally she managed to wobbly float herself out. Looking back at the pit that looked eerily like a grave. Shuddering she filled it back in with the soil that she had moved. Most of which was on opposite ends of the room. Once that was done she became aware of sounds from up stairs, forks scraping across plates and very little conversation.

She made her way up the stairs from the hidden chamber and back into the house. Upstairs smelt like cooked meat and some kind of sauce. It made Phoenix stomach rebel a little. She sucked in deep breaths to settle herself before entering the kitchen. Rose sat with her back to Phoenix, beside her to the left was Tad shoveling a mouthful of food into his mouth. Riptide then Snow sat picking at their food on Rose's right. Daisuke sat at the head of the table with a young woman standing off to the side of him. She wore a soft blue blouse and form fitting pants.

"Nina." she hadn't even realized she had spoken until all eyes snapped up to her. Riptide and Snow leapt up from their chairs knocking them over in their rush to hug her. Phoenix hugged her adopted siblings but couldn't take her eyes off her older sister. Nina was even more beautiful than she remembered. Her long black hair was braided down her back. Though Phoenix noticed there were lines etched into her sister's face. What had happened to her? Where had she been for so long?

"Ava?" Her old name. God, how long had it been since she heard it, since she thought about it? Phoenix smiled a sad smile.

"Ava wasn't strong enough to go on without you. It's Phoenix now." Her sister moved away from Daisuke who looked like he wanted to protest. She approached cautiously as if she thought Phoenix would strike at her.

"I'm so sorry. Will you forgive me for not coming to see you sooner?" Daisuke growled at her words. Phoenix noticed his eyes were glowing like a cat's. Her older sister looked like she was going to burst into tears. Riptide and Snow moved out of the way and then Phoenix threw her arms around her big sister, crushing her against herself. Sobs shook her frame and choked her as she clung to her older sister.

"Oh God, you are alive!" she sobbed into her older sister. "I missed you! I missed you so much, it hurt." Then Nina was crying and Rose silently directed Tad, Riptide, and Snow to the other room. Daisuke stayed firmly put in his chair watching Nina like he was feeling her pain. Gale slipped into the room. Phoenix could feel his soothing presence like a gentle breeze. Once she and her sister stopped crying they each turned to the men that were acting as their strength. Then something occurred to Phoenix.

"Wait, that's why you were watching over us." She said to Daisuke, who nodded, "You and her." she looked back to her sister. "You're married." Nina smiled wiping tears from her eyes.

"Yes. Daisuke found me while I was still a prisoner and set me free. " Phoenix felt her stomach drop. So the monster had taken Nina. "By then I was like him." The way she said him made Phoenix think she was talking about the vampire that had attacked them so many years ago. "I didn't want to bring the parasites near you so I asked Daisuke to help you where I couldn't." Phoenix turned to Gale.

"Is there anything that can be done?" Gale nodded slowly.

"There was a woman who had parasites in her. She had been changed by a vampire. I believe Gregori was able to purge them from her system." Nina and Daisuke looked hopeful. Phoenix got a glimpse of what the woman; Destiny, had said about the parasites from Gale's mind. "I can send you guys to him, but I have to stay here until the master vampire is hunted down. He can't be allowed to live anymore." Phoenix saw the squaring of her sisters shoulders and the slightly stubborn angle of her chin. She knew without a doubt her sister would not leave her, not now.

"We'll stay and help." Daisuke stiffened and Nina turned and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I can handle a few more days." Phoenix looked pleading to Gale. She had never known a smarter man than him. He smiled at her.

"In the mean time, I can study your blood and the parasites and come up with a way to if not get rid of them maybe quiet them and prevent the pain, or some of it." Daisuke looked grateful and Nina nodded in agreement.

"I'd appreciate it," she smiled ruefully, "Brother." Gale chuckled.

"Anything for a sister." Then he turned to Phoenix. "You need to feed love." She winced. "I can make it so you don't notice what is happening." she thought about it then shook her head.

"I think I'll experience it for myself." Gale nodded and lead her to bedroom.