It took me a while to notice the man posed against a wooden post on the outskirts of The Asylum, his back was against it with his right leg slightly raised, he was dressed in designer clothes, black trousers, a long, black coat and a red shirt. I thought he looked familiar as he walked past the club and I craned my head to stare but I was half-blind now, my human vision blurred, short and poor compared to my vampiric sight. He was hard to make out in the dark with the distraction of strobe lights and the shade of smoke. When he turned his beguiling grin and seductive grey eyes from the hopeful purple haired woman before him I realised who he was. He caught my glance like a shark snaps up a mermaid, and I could not break free. So this was what it was like to be lured in by a monster of the night. How often had I done this to so many supple minded mortals? So often just for fun, a respite from the boredom to please my demanding voices.

I felt Romero's tight grasp on my right arm as I turned towards the vampire, the Ghoul feared I was heading for the club. Then I heard him grumble a curse as he spied whom I did and he pulled me back more forcefully. Suddenly the man, no beast, was before me, weren't we beasts? We? No, no selves, them and us now, and the murky inbetween of Romero and the fleet-footed ghoul.

"Why are you here Kent?" Romero's words were cold and clipped as he pulled me back, away from the fascination, from the grey gaze that held me tight and shackled me the poet. It was horrible and wonderful all at once, I couldn't resist but I wanted to.

Kent looked to me in equal fascination, leaning in to sniff me as he glanced me over. "It is you," he murmured doubtfully, "but it is not. You're not Malk anymore."

"No, she's not," Romero said stiffly, "but you know that because you couldn't hypnotise a vampire."

Kent tore his gaze from me at last to glower at the Ghoul. "Well I could," he bragged though we all knew it was a lie, only the Ventrue could dominate.

I shook my head, had to loosen Kent's uncomfortable hold, it was unnatural, Kent shouldn't be in my head with everyone else, it was crowded enough! "Poet," I spoke at last, wary now of Kent and angry that I had to be, "why are you visiting the lady by the sea?"

"Did you think Isaac would let you wander without one of us?" Kent quipped quietly.

"She has me," Romero protested angrily but I could hear in his voice that he was not surprised. His grip remained tight upon me, ready to wrench me away from Kent's deadly bite. I knew if it came to it that sadly Kent would be too quick for the both of us.

Kent nodded agreeably. "Yes, but you're not enough to protect a Malkavian suddenly mortal who has decided to come to a place where she is recognised more than anywhere else. Seriously Ariadne, still a stupid lunatic then? Don't you think there will be questions? What if some Sabbat here recognises you? There will be torture too. What happened to you...shit it's not natural or safe."

"Would you bite me poet?" I queried innocently. "Because I denied the Baron he sends someone else. Is that it then? He permits me no time limit at all," I commented bitterly.

Kent scowled at me and clenched his fists slightly. "Like I would want you for a Childe," he muttered.

"Is that why you are here?" Romero demanded. "She's barely been human, can't she have that? After all this shit, shouldn't she of all people be entitled to normality and peace?"

"With you?" Kent snapped with an accusing look. "You're hardly human yourself Romero or normal for that matter."

I felt the grave guard flinch slightly and knew he had not thought it through, neither of us had. To be completely human would mean cutting ties with all of them, letting it all go and then... Then what? My family? Phil?

"It would only take one," Kent warned, "just one Sabbat or even one Camarilla fuck to see you and know you and that would be the end. You know too much, far too much and you've been involved in too much, you were no ordinary vampire kid, you fought an ancient, and had God knows what inside you to do it. You were known to a Prince and a Baron and you still are. Never mind the fact that you pissed off Jeanette here and are known to Therese as well, and Jeanette is a mad bitch like you, who knows what she would do to you if she found you human?"

"She's only had one day," Romero retorted quietly, "one damn day, give her more than that."

I looked to him this time, and saw the defeat in his olive eyes. "And then what?" I demanded softly. "Will you let me go?"

Romero looked back at me uneasily and shrugged. "To the humans? If you want, yeah of course I would but...fuck I hate to say it, especially about this asshole, but Kent has a point."

Kent gave a grunt of displeasure and folded his arms before glowering at me as he awaited my response.

I tugged free from Romero's grasp and shook my head angrily before clutching it tightly with both hands as the silent voices suddenly screamed again, a chorus of protests against me turning poet. "No!" I hissed out hatefully. "I won't be a Torry, poetry can't contain the voices, art doesn't quieten the madness, it just makes it worse and worse!" I turned from them both and ran.

I knew Kent could follow with ease so I forced myself into a crowd stumbling in and out of The Asylum, he would not dare use his powers in front of Kine. Kine? You are Kine now; you learn too much the masked men will come for you! I wanted to conceal myself, to shrink down and hide but that gift was gone from me, everything was gone, gifts and curses alike. I slipped down a damp alley, cursing as I skidded on a puddle before I forced myself to quicken, hurrying towards two smokers anxiously, desperate for witnesses lest Kent try to snatch me away.

Toreador was a gilded cage, beautiful but still a prison, I would spout nonsense in a beautiful fashion and sing as my mind tried to destroy me, the art would attempt to be an outlet for the madness but it would never be enough. The voices needed embraced not contained, they would never be contained!

I saw my opportunity just ahead, a chrome and black stallion ready to speed me away. I pushed his black clad rider away and won only out of surprise rather than strength, had to remember I no longer had the undead's strength. With a noisy cry I was off, into the night with a roar and a slightly nervous cry. It had been a long time since I had mounted a metal steed, my cousin's second hand inferior rust bucket to be exact, but I'm sure it would be just the same.

For a moment the roads became a blur, and the screams and curses became my travelling music as I journeyed up and out of the city to the houses up in the hills. I slowed as my steed shook and finally stopped and abandoned it in bushes by the road, it was too wild to be tamed and it gotten me far enough I could go the rest of the way on foot. I was near, they were near, my real kindred, it had been so long would they fear me a ghost, spurn me as forgotten or welcome me as lost? I was nearing the house, the two storey proud property of stone, our home, not our first, not the one where I learned to cycle and play hopscotch, this was after Rob had left, right before I was due to start college. Dearest mum and dad had wanted something new but they still made sure to have space for me and Rob and his family, still kept it big and familiar.

There it was on the left, I was overjoyed to see it and found myself quickening, the chill of the night forgotten with my elation. It was a beautiful house with palm trees and a water feature in the front garden with an angel statue who often told me I would burn in hell. You were close angel, so very close. The long living room window hung low hidden behind the fence and the trees but I could see a glow at the top of it, someone was home. I was home.

I grinned to see the blue post box, its paint chipped and the golden number 223a wonky, dad had always vowed to fix it and yet it remained. Did they miss me? They must miss me. They miss Sarah not Ariadne, they think Sarah's dead and they are right, Sarah died months ago, now Ariadne reigns! I froze at the voices and shook my head angrily. "Shut up, shut up wretches, you're dead now! I live, I breathe, I'm Sarah!" It sounded like a lie, poisonous and thick on my tongue, almost choking me. "Sarah Grey, Sarah Grey," I sang over the voices' jeering.

I was at the driveway now, there were two cars in it, both newish looking, one a polished red and the other a shining black. Red for blood Ariadne, remember blood? Remember the sweet, warm taste, sweeter than candy, warmer than piss. Black for death, black for your funeral Sarah, they've mourned you and moved on. No, no, couldn't mourn me, couldn't mourn her, no body, no funeral! Keep going, just a few more steps and you're home, we're home. NO! "I'm home, just me, my home, no one else's!"

The porch light flicked on and I froze, I heard the door opened and out stepped dad. I looked at him from the gloom, stepping onto the driveway with his keys out ready to go on an errand. He wore black trousers and a loose, linen shirt, it was as casual as he got, it was hard to make out his features from where I stood but I did not think he had changed much. It had not been long I supposed but it seemed a lifetime, well it was, Sarah's lifetime.

I took a step forward and saw him glance my way. Now or never, run back to the night or face the music, face home. I stepped forward again; two more steps and then I could go no more as I froze with nerves. "Hi dad."

Somewhere in the night air dull voices called her name, Ariadne, the lost princess, too late she's lost forever now but Sarah's not, Sarah's home.

It's over! A bit of an open ending I'll admit but I kind of feel in that world nothing would ever be certain. I guess it means there's potential for a sequel, who knows? Thanks to everyone who stuck with this fic and thank you for all the reviews, alerts and favourites, all very much appreciated!