Anastasia turned, her large black wings reaching up grabbing the air and lifted her up. She flew across the room, landing softly next to the glowing remains of the wall, slowly dripping to the floor. The floor scorched an unnatural black. The ground was covered what look like volcanic ash, slowly drifting, blowing across the floor as her wings gently hovered in the air.

The air was heavy with humidity as the stone became slick with sweat. Large splashes and gentle dripping, like a torrential rain then slowing down as the stone cooled.

She stared with her brow creased at the devastation then slowly reached out touching the glowing edge. Her finger burned then quickly healed.

"Hot… What the hell?" She wondered at the cause of the devastation.

There was no sound of gunfire, no yelling, no screaming, no growling, no sound of combat. But she felt the tension in the air from earlier dissipating as a greater concern filled her curiosity.

She stepped in front of the gaping hole, it reminded her of a mouthful of teeth as stalactites and stalagmites filled the area. The newly formed cavern slowly cooling as the hot air drew the cooler air from outside the castle, the gray white ash floating around her feet and legs flowing into the newly formed pathway.

"My queen…" Estella yelled with panic in her voice, her eyes filled with fear of the unknown, "step back…!"

Anastasia closed her eyes, sniffing, "I can't… I hear…" She paused with a look of concern, "crying… Someone is hurt…"

She quickly crouched, her wings reached out grabbing the cooling wall, then launched her into the hazy humid air.

"Anna!?" She heard the scream, "dammit girl…"

She didn't stop, she heard the footsteps behind her, trying to keep up. They were yelling and screaming her name as many remembered her mother, the day she died. She moved through the enemy with ease, getting separated from the pack. They arrived as she delivered the death blow to Lazaro, herself mortally wounded. The image playing over and over in the elder wolves mind.

"No!"

Estella and Diva running behind, ahead of the others, following the trails of floating ash.

They found her as she landed, her wings slowly disappearing slipping into her body. Her long blonde hair lifting up in the cooling breeze, her torn, burnt clothing fluttering against her body.

The fire pit was nearly out. The large black, crumbling logs crackled and popped as the fire's remains wormed its way, hoping to catch fire. The white ashes glowing like fireflies. Then a small fire came to life.

Anastasia eyeing the swath of destruction, walking towards what remained of the entrance to the royal chambers.

The massive stone slabs gone, melted in a large cooling pool across the floor, the blacken, burnt frays of the thick rope that held them. The thick iron loops were nothing more than glowing misshapen mounds.

The hallway now bore little resemblance to a large sphere, wider than the original. The ceiling, the walls and the stone floor was concave. The stone liquefied and cooled, slowly returning to its normal cold surface. Smaller versions of stalactites and stalagmites decorated the area.

In the middle, Francesca stood giving direction to those who arrived first. Her tall, regal features, soft face exuding confidence, bringing peace to this terrible moment. Her eyes looked at Anastasia as she tilted her head. Anastasia could see the worry.

Anastasia's heart stopped as her mouth gaped, her fangs suspended in the moment.

"Is?"

"Mikoto's fine…" Francesca spoke in a voice only she could hear. Anastasia's worried expression softened, "she's been undressed and put to bed…" She sighed softly. Anastasia's eyes shifted as she took a step into the hallway.

She could see the small frame of the young woman cowering next to Gwen's door. Her body shaking, like a terrified child. She didn't recognize the woman. Her skin was wet, glisten soggy, like overdone noodles. Her hair burned away. The entire back was burned away, her white bones charred black.

Anastasia listen to the woman, her lungs weak and wet with each breath, her voice garbled, trembling, "please… It hurts…" She spoke in a voice asking for death, "it hurts so much…" She sobbed.

"Who?" Anastasia spoke, then her voice caught her breath, "who is…"

She knew and her heart stopped as she moved towards the young woman. Anastasia's eyes watered, her hand rose covering her mouth, quickly sniffing the air. The air was hot, the smells of the cooling stone, burnt carpeting, the smell of flesh boiled and burned. She smelled her. She recognized her. She knew who it was.

Anastasia's face slowly twisted as the tears fell down her cheeks. She walked past the trembling body, then knelt in front of her.

She was covering her face, with blistered filled hands. The tattered remains of her elite guard uniform clinging to her body. What was left of her long dark brown beautiful hair fell covering her face and hands.

"Kill me… Please…" She whispered, "it hurts so bad…"

Anastasia gently took her hands into hers, slowly revealing her face. She was trying not to cry but she was failing. The strength inside her was fading as the woman resisted her queen, "don't… I'm_"

"Sylvia…" Anastasia spoke softly as the tears fell, "don't hide from me…"

Her once beautiful face, with that tomboy expression was there, barely recognizable. The skin was burned, red swollen, but her eyes looked up at her queen, solid dark brown. Her face covered with blood, sweat, mucus, tears running down her face.

Her begging lips trembling, "kill me… Please…"

She slipped her shaking hands around Anastasia's waist, leaning her chin on her shoulder, tilting her head to expose her slender neck, "please… It hurts so much…"

The memories flooded Anastasia as the warmth of their embrace overwhelmed her. Since she was a child, Emma and Sylvia had been by her side, yelling, screaming, fighting, laughing, teasing. She remembered it all. The constant questions she asked them, the temper tantrums she threw. The long crying sessions even longer talks of finding a mate, falling in love, giving birth to the next generation. Why was she not growing.

Anastasia took a very deep breath, forcing the tears to stop. She swallowed her anger, her pity and spoke, "no…" She paused, looking and sounding more like a queen, "I will not…" She slowly pulled away from Sylvia's grasp, then cupped her face, "I will not remember you this way… Don't you dare look at me asking me for death_"

"it hurts…" She begged.

"No…! Anastasia growled, "if it hurts then there's a chance, you told me that…" She stilled her emotions, as she looked at Sylvia with stilled eyes. "I have never really given you in order Sylvia… But today I will give you one now…" She slowly nodded, looking into Sylvia's eyes, "you will not die here… That is an order… I will not allow death to claim you. You are mine and only mine…" She tensed her jaws, slowly nodding.

Then she looked over Sylvia shoulder, as her hand stroked the remains of her hair, falling to the wet boiled skin at the back of her head.

"I can see your wounds are not healing…" Anastasia spoke, lifting her right arm up, her hand open wide.

A young vampire dressed in an elite guard uniform stood holding a medium-size bag, the bottles clinking as she opened it up reached in and took out a large bottle filled with crimson.

"It seems you two were in the hallway and left something…" Anastasia spoke.

The young vampire twisted the cap, a loud pop and then it opened. She gave the bottle to Anastasia. She took it, nodding her head with a confident smile thanking the young vampire.

Anastasia held the bottle in front of Sylvia, taking Sylvia's hand she put the glass bottle in her palm, wrapping her fingers around the glass.

"Drink…" Anastasia spoke softly as she raised her eyebrows, slowly tilting her head.

"But…" Sylvia spoke.

"Stupid vampire…"

Her voice was firm, shaking her head, Emma spoke as she stood behind her, her hands on her hips, "whining over a little burn...pfhht!"

She clicked her tongue as she reached out and poked the exposed charred bone, "that hurt… Little baby…"

Anastasia narrowed her eyes, attempting to hide the smile growing on her lips, "you would get here during this tender moment…"

Emma stood dressed in her elite guard uniform, her hands on her hips as she rolled her eyes.

"I thought I smelled you…"

She knelt behind Sylvia, reaching into the bag and opened another bottle, "I have seen you looking better" she chuckled, "not by much…" She grinned and then slowly pour the crimson liquid across her back.

"The anticoagulant is nearly dissolved from the intense heat and since much of your body is gone, "she spoke then sighed, "you should be all right…" She held the bottle over Sylvia's head, letting it drip into her scalp.

"Well look at that… Stubble…" She took a breath, "stupid bitch…" She whispered, "can't believe you… Begging for death… It will come one day… Not today but someday…"

She let the liquid dripped from the bottle then slowly poured as Sylvia drank. The wet sound of blood being absorbed, skin and muscle ligaments repairing filled the air.

"Anna…" Emma spoke as she slowly stood up. Anastasia nodded as she grinned, "best friends Huh…"

" ppfhht.." Emma blew out a breath as she moved in front of Sylvia, "I need someone's ass to kick…" She chuckled, standing in front of Sylvia looking at her, "over the shoulder or honeymoon…" She bit her lower lip waiting for her answer.

"I am not exposing my beautiful firm ass to anyone…" She whispered.

"Have you seen your ass lately…" Emma knelt, slipping her arm underneath Sylvia's legs and shoulders, "honeymoon it is…" She grinned, "but since I am carrying you…" She laughed, as she adjusted her grip, "I'm the Alpha…"

She straightened her back as she continued adjusted her grip. Sylvia's hands holding another bottle, her head was nuzzled against Emma shoulders, "if only you were a human or another vampire…" She spoke, the slowly smiled kissing Emma's neck.

"I'm perfect already…" Emma took a deep breath and started walking, "why change now…"