A/N Well this is lasting longer than I expected! Lol. This chapter doesn't have much action, its more description, so for the next one, I'll try to make it more eventful. Thanks to anyone reading/reviewing. :)

Chapter 35: Gotta Be Somebody

Even as I was encouraging myself, I had a niggling feeling I was forgetting something; it was annoying me to no end. But I just couldn't put my finger on it.

Despite what Dwayne had predicted, I didn't have a plan, I had no clue as to what I should do; I had never been in this type of situation. I was useless, to be blunt, but I had no choice. It was do or die time. Personally, I didn't want it to be the latter.

I was scared. Scared of the consequences of what could conceivably be my failure. But, it's one of those moments, you have to do something, you can't sit around, and the longer you put it off, the more likely things will go wrong.

And this had to be the most defining moment, they had placed so much trust in me, trust I had had difficulty reciprocating.

But here I was going again, wasting time by thinking too much, but the scary thing was, I was alone, completely and utterly alone. I had finally gotten what I had strived for in the first place, silence...to have my head to myself. Yes, I had gotten my wish, but now I didn't want it.

Perhaps they were all dead and possibly I was just spending more time thinking than acting.

I wouldn't believe they were gone. I just wouldn't.

Taking a deep, shuddering, quite unnecessary breath, I began to scale the wall. It seemed more practical and human-like, important in case Vlad decided he wanted a view of outside.

It was harder than I expected, my arms were weak, my grip soft...it was through lack of blood, I had known it the whole time, but I still didn't want to acknowledge it, despite everything I'd always be a little more human than the rest. Was this a curse or a blessing? I think I'll let you decide.

"Hellooooooo!"

I very nearly fell of the wall in shock, luckily for me, I kept my wits and only just managed to grab the stone.

I twisted to face her, "what the hell are you doing? Do you want me to die? Permanently?"

She grinned toothily at me, "you're so melodramatic...of course you won't die, yet. It isn't time."

I watched as she clamped a hand onto her mouth, "uh, I mean...you're too young anyway."

Too late, the damage was done.

"What do you know that I don't?" I tried to hiss at her, without arising attention.

"Nothing...." her earlier buoyed mood had all but disappeared.

"Help me then!"

She looked at me with lifeless eyes, "I can't interfere in the course of things...I can only watch and try to sway the situation in your favour."

"Some help you are...forget it, I'll do it on my own."

"On your own? I think not. I'll get help...somehow."

I watched as she vanished away, she always appeared and left me more confused than ever....what type of assistance could a shadowliner call upon? Everyone hated them.

Well, except humans, every once and a while they catch a glimpse and then think they're ghosts, when a human sees one, they see who they most desire. I would know, I've had firsthand experience...and no, I'm not telling you who I saw.

Memories were clouding my head, I tried to focus; it was like I had no control over my head. Of course. Vampires have varying degrees of power, and all have a "special" ability, for all I knew, Vlad had figured out I was there, and rather than confront me, was playing with my mind.

What was my special ability? I didn't know that yet.....

Damn it. I shook myself, I just couldn't resist Vlad: I was too weak and young.

And David had known this, which was precisely why he had warned me off. But I'd ignored him.

I was paying for it now...my hands slid of their own accord from the stone and I watched powerlessly as I began to slide from the building.

No. I was not going to die like some squirrel up a tree. I had gone through far too much for it to end like this.

Taking a deep mental breath, I gathered my will power around me, like a cloak and pushed Vlad's influence off. It felt like a dark shadow, I pushed at it; it resisted and after a great heave, sighed as it slid off. I could almost feel Vlad's shock at being pushed off.

It was gone, but Vlad wasn't.

Quickly, before he could try again, I abandoned all pretence at surveillance and flew to the window, fortunately finding it unlocked.

There was no point pretending, I was in, Vlad knew I was in. Whatever happened, I could consol myself later, I hadn't gone down without a fight.

Either the boys were coming out with me, alive. Or I wasn't coming out at all.

Maybe I was being melodramatic, but you can't possibly understand, it was physically impossible for me to survive on my own. I couldn't do it. I wouldn't do it.

I was back in that dreaded room, only now I could see it. Dark, black, filthy, all are appropriate descriptions but not the first that came to mind. My first instinct was loneliness.

Absolute loneliness.

It went against the grain, the outer appearance of the house was that of a run-down, grand, unkempt mansion. This place resembled the set of a horror movie.

Blood was thrown and splattered in splodges, decorating the walls, so thickly; I couldn't have told you the original colour of the wallpaper.

There was, quite unmistakeably, hands, feet and other unidentifiable body parts strewn across the floor. Thankfully not looking as though they belonged to anyone I knew.

What was this place? A torture chamber? No, I discarded that idea, I was pretty sure Vlad would want something a little more sophisticated.

After my initial gawking and environmental check, I moved in the direction of the large, dark old oak door, nestled in the corner – it was the only blood-free surface.

I reached for the handle; then paused...I'm not entirely sure why I hesitated, maybe natural instinct? Perhaps I'd already subconsciously felt the presence of another? I didn't know, and nor did I care at that moment.

An amused, while oddly irritated, voice spoke from behind, "my, my, we took our time, didn't we?"