My walk home was a quiet one. my mind was a mass of rolling storm clouds. Igor the storms center. There was so much I needed to know but so few answers. I had decided the best course was not to speak to Nick about what happened. What would be the point? The phantom would was in crisis and we need to keep our minds clear. Having Nick and Igor fighting due to an unknown misunderstanding wouldn't help anything.

A soft breeze lifted my blonde curls as I looked over the city. It was quiet, but I could see the bustle of vampires blow the Purebloods high perch. The clans were here, moving slowly to and fro as they prepared for the party tomorrow.

It was absurd to think there would be a party in this place. The air of tension was high and I felt it everywhere. Everyone was afraid... even me.

The walk was short as I made my way into the house, the butler opening the door. The house was quiet as I ask, 'Where is Nick?'

'He is in counsel right now with ???, in the parlour My Lady.'

My eyes shift to the doorway leading into the room. The large wooden sliding doors were shut and I could hear little. It was for me to disturb him as I make my way up the stairs.

I felt numb and uncertain. Igor was forefront in my mind. My eyes traveled to my wrist where he had touched me. it still felt like his hand was clamped there like a brand in my skin. It made me feel like I had betrayed Nick. But I hadn't, it had been a moment. Igor's words murmuring in my mind, why did it have to be you?Coming into the bedroom, I move backward from that moment. It was running I knew, but it was the only thing I was good at. Furlow had to taught me that. Run. Keep running.

Sitting down on the bed, my unfocused eyes looked out the window as I mulled over what I had learned. Zoran was after power. He could care less about the vampire race, he wanted nothing but apsolute power, and control.

I murmur, 'Absolute power is nothing if all there is left is ash.'

My mind gripped on those giggling voice in my head just days ago. Zoran hadn't been close, but he was powerful enough to infiltrate my mind from who knew how far away. He was beyond powerful. Thinking back, I murmur, 'Of course he is, he's eaten seven Purebloods, and for a ll I know Furlow too.'

My heart burned at that statement. Furlow had been a cool to meet Zoran. But maybe he didn't know the true nature about Zoran.

Shaking my head I whisper, 'No, not possible. Furlow was smarter than anyone I know. he must have known.'

Thinking back on Zoran's history, his journal. I hadn't reached the end yet and the man was cunning. He wouldn't write down his plans and I could imagine that one sentence I read would be the only revelation I would find about his thinking after that moment. I needed to go back and read more. Igor's surprise kiss and terror he had wrot had disengaged me from my search into his grandfather.

Suddenly it had become crystalline. My lips part numbly as I whisper, 'Igor... you... are the spy.'

He had done this all on purpose. He had thrown my investigation into chaos. What revelation was I truly about to uncover when thar all happened? My eyes widened as things start to click into place. Moments in the past weeks that left my gut churning with fear.

Jumping up, I knew I needed to get back to the library immediately. Rushing to the door, I swing it open and slam into a chest.

Familiar arms catch me before I fall back and I look up into the stunned blue eyes of my husband, my protector, my... my future.

-D-

Nick and I were rushing down the steps into the catacomb of dead vampire words as he says, 'Are you sure about all this?'

I had told him everything I could, how I had surmised that Zoran was the Phantasma. He had looked disbelievingly at me, but after a while I could see the horror register on his face. I had told him about Igor and seen the rage.

But I had cooled him down as I explained that it had been a ploy to stop me from searching further. His face turned to stone, in my mind's eye I could feel his rage. It was burning deep and painfully into me like the pits of hell themselves.

After that I told him I needed to finish reading Zoran's journal and so we had raced back to the library. He had seen the damage Igor and I had caused and the worry was etched deep in his face as he said, 'I should have never left your side.'

But I quieted him with a kiss as now we sat down at the empty table and looked at the journal, crumpled on the table.

Sitting down, I say, 'Nick tell me about your grandfather?'

'He wasn't alive for long when I was born.'

I pick up the journal and smooth the rumpled pages as I say, 'A hundred years is enough. Please.'

He nods as he looks down at his grandfather's journal and begins, 'When I was young he was frightening. He despised Igor, saying he was weak. He kept encouraging my father to eat him or have me eat him.'

'Good God!' I exclaim, my face parking at the thought.

Nick sighs, shaking his head as he continues, 'At the time, the world was so different. Two Purebloods born were unheard of. But my father refused, saying Igor was useful in his own way.'

'How so?'

'We looked much alike when we were young. So he tended to be my decoy at times to keep me safe as a youth. I was the next Dracul prince, I had to remain safe.'

I nodded absorbing this as he continues, 'My grandfather loved me though. He said some outlandish stuff I just shrugged off, but he wanted me to be strong and resilient.'

'Outlandish stuff?' I ask looking at his sharp features.

His blue eyes lift to mine as he said, 'He said to become stronger one must defeat his enemy and absorb his essence. My grandfather was the oldest vampire at the time and so his thinking was of the ancient times. I rarely listened to those sentiments, but others I did. He... he taught me swordsmanship, tactical warfare. He was everything I could hope for in a grandfather.'

Sliding the journal to him, I say, 'Read this entry.'

I hadn't told him about Furlow. For some reason I still felt I needed to keep that to myself. He had asked how I'd come to my conclusion regarding Zoran, but I had given vague clues. His I watched as his eyebrows rose and he whispered, 'He met Fideous?!'

I nod soberly as he says, 'Thats why you think...'

'Thats why I know Zoran is the leader of the Phantasma.'

I hadn't confided the fact Zoran had used his telepathy to contact me. That was something I intended to keep to myself. Nick nods, but frowns as he asks, 'But how does Igor fit into this? Zoran was never impressed by Igor, always shunned him.'

'That is the question isn't it. I need you to find out.'

Nick's eyebrows rose as he asks, 'Me?'

'Nick you know Igor the best. You have millennia with him as your brother. Please."

Nick leans back with a huff of breath before he nods and murmurs, 'I see your point.'

'I can't be sure, but tonight made me question everything. He didn't come to me until I had found this journal entry. He accused me of being the leader of the Phantasma even though we both know I couldn't be. Then that strange kiss, it was to jolt me from this...' I say firmly, stabbing at the journal.

Nick was quiet, face a mask of placid serenity, but our minds were linked I could senses outrageous rage for what his brother had done. Placing my hand over his, I whisper, 'It's all right to be angry but I need you now more than ever. Please.'

He nods solemnly before he looks at me. His blue eye stared into my soul and I knew that despite that moment of distrust and the Nights Templar we were still one. Taking a fortifying breath, he says, 'Very well, what now?'

'Now we need to read this and keep alert. Call me insane but I fear that Zoran has plans for us all... sooner than we think.