Notes:

- Sequel to the fics For You, In The Daylight and Without You. You can read all of them here.

- I worked really hard on this chapter during these days I had no internet access. I even planned to make an interactive thing for the tablet scene, but it didn't really work here or on Tumblr.

- I also did my best with the Tarot scene, picking cards that had meanings related to the past/present/future of the characters. My bad if there's any inaccuracies, it's not really my area of expertise! 😂

- I'm very sorry for taking so long. Besides the family issues I previously mentioned, I also had trouble with my internet service.

- Already missing BB hours 💔😢


Kamilah

Standing paralyzed by the door of Liv's cabaret, Kamilah observed cautiously the scene in front of her. The floor was covered in ashes of many vampires that didn't survive the attack, mixed to human blood. A large amount of blood, that belonged to a group of around thirty soldiers, slaughtered in different manners, she noticed when she approached the bodies. Some of them had their hearts ripped off or their throats slit open. Others were killed by the heavy impact against the wall, caused by a strong psychic force. And a few, burned to death.

They only had one thing in common. Amy caused all their deaths.

"Her eyes…" Matsuo told Adrian, still in shock by the occurrences of that night, "they were glowing!"

"Like mine when I fought Vega?" Adrian furrowed his brows intrigued.

"Exactly. She… she wasn't herself."

Kamilah knew it. Though she couldn't blame her wife's actions against the Order Of Dawn, the way Jax and other Shadow Den residents described her behavior, made Amy sound like a completely different person. A person capable of the most violent atrocities. Cold, evil and ruthless.

No one had seem Amy ever since. Nobody saw as she left the place or had any clues about where she could have gone to.

"It's not like they didn't deserve it," Adrian walked to where Kamilah was standing. "If Amy hadn't stopped them, all vampires would be dead."

"I know," Kamilah nodded. More than any of them, she was familiar with the Order's actions. "What scares me is not her primary reaction of protecting herself and the others. What truly scares me is the level of brutality it was done. It doesn't match Amy's character."

"Jax said her eyes were glowing."

"Adrian, I fear the evil within her Serafine saw is finally unleashing and taking control of her."

"It's possible. When I fought Vega, I wasn't myself. I… I was capable of," Adrian glanced at the bodies, "anything."

Not so long later, Lily entered the place in a hurry.

"Guys," she told, struggling to breath. "When I noticed Amy wasn't anywhere… I-I… I returned. She killed them. All of them."

"Jax told us," Kamilah informed her.

"This isn't the scariest part. That woman, Rheya, she was also here. She watched the whole massacre with a proud grin on her face. And she… she was floating, with her arms open, like if she was absorbing all those lives as they left their bodies."

"Are you sure?!" Adrian asked.

"Wait," Jax joined the conversation. "Now you mentioned, I remembered. She healed me. I was dying from an UV light burn and Rheya saved me. She imposed her hands above the wound, making it disappear."

Kamilah walked away from them in silence. She remembered Lysimachus panic, attempting to convince her that Rheya was the First Vampire. If all of that was true, her brother was right. That woman had been playing all of them as her puppets for the last few weeks. The Order attack, as well as the situations with Priya and Lysimachus, certainly had her involvement.

She told the group goodbye and returned to their penthouse. It had no signs of Amy's presence. Then, Kamilah went to her brother's apartment, to search for the information he collected.

She checked his home office, looking inside every secret drawer, every shelf and even in a hidden safe on the wall. Such important data should be in somewhere even more secured, where the access was limited to Lysimachus himself or someone with a very similar DNA.

Kamilah made a small cut on her palm and pressed the blood against the device on the wall. She sighed relieved when it turned green, unlocking her brother's secret weapon storage.

And there was it, on a tablet. All his theories and information he gathered about Rheya, Amy and their connection.

Know more about… Rheya Apostolous Amy Sayeed The First Vampire Bloodkeepers

Kamilah first tapped the name of her employee, reading the entry Lysimachus wrote about her.

"The First shall walk again… Rheya Apostolous arrived in New York City on April 20, only a couple of weeks after Amy Sayeed was Turned. For Kamilah, she played the most skilled candidate to the job as Marketing Director. For me, she tried to present herself as a viable candidate to a Brand. Strange occurrances happened since her arrival, such as my own behavior at the night of Amy's debut party and the manipulation of Priya Lacroix's mind. After speaking to her on the phone last night, I concluded her voice matches the one from my visions. Rheya admitted her real identity when I confronted her. Her powers include mind-reading, accessing and manipulating memories and telekinesis."

In every mentioned occasion, strange things happened and Rheya was always around. At the debut party, none of them were at their best behavior. Kamilah and Amy were both stressed and tense, fighting several times that night. Lysimachus became so drunk he felt compelled to participate a small orgy in Priya's room. Lily flirted with Kamilah when they were alone, what she hid from Amy to prevent it from ruining their friendship. Serafine started acting weird after that night, not answering any phone calls. Kamilah remembered her long-time obsession with the First Vampire, wondering if they could be working together.

There was also the cocktail Rheya threw for her, in the same night as Priya's party. Her mysterious presence at the Tribunal. The set up against Lysimachus. And now, the Order attack.

Kamilah tapped her wife's name next.

"When the sap of the tree rests in the blessed chalice… Amy Sayeed was Turned under strange circumstances. After, seeing a woman standing in the middle of the road, she and my sister, Kamilah Sayeed were involved in a serious car accident. Amy didn't feel the effects of a hemorrhagic brain injury until the moment of her death. She has been having visions about the First Vampire since her involvement with the vampire community, and visions of an obscure form of herself, since her Turning. Amy was also known as "The Chosen One" by the Keaseth Cult in London, that believed her death would bring their Goddess back to life due to their connection by genealogy. Serafine Dupont has called her "Bloodkeeper" and reported to have seen a darkness within her. Her powers are unusual for a newly-Turned vampire, including telekinesis, mind-reading, accessing memories and telepathy."

Kamilah fought hard to admit her wife was no regular vampire. She shared her concerns with Adrian, who thought it was caused by her Bloodkeeper nature. Her abilities were very similar to Rheya's.

Tapping Bloodkeepers section, she expected to find more answers.

"Blood calls to blood… flesh draws to flesh… According to Scholar Jameson's reports, the Bloodkeepers are the secondary line that descended from the Tree Of Eternal Life. No one knows how they were generated, but it's speculated that the First Vampire's biological child is their first ancestor. Passed from generation to generation, they can access memories of every vampire that ever walked the Earth. Daughters can inherit the Bloodkeeper trait from their mothers."

The last tab, about the First Vampire, told information Kamilah already knew.

"Every step you take brings you closer to me, to reunification, to rebirth… Reported to have lived in Mydiea, Greece by the 8th century B.C. Became the First Vampire after drinking from the Tree Of Eternal Life. Turned two servants for advice and protection, Xenocrates (alias Erik Balthazar) and Gaius Augustine. Created a legacy of bloodshed and war. Being stopped by Xenocrates, the First Son, the First Vampire was trapped inside the Tree Of Eternal Life for over two millennia. The Keaseth Cult in London reported the First Vampire to have biological child/children. Her most recent descendant is Amy Sayeed."

Everything made sense now. Lysimachus had been right all the time and Kamilah couldn't believe him before. She was under Rheya's influence like a magic spell, trusting in every word she said. She called him and again it went to the voice mail.

"Stubborn as always," Kamilah complained.

She called Amy's cell phone next and the voice by the other side of the line send shivers down her spine.

"Kamilah, hi. It's Rheya. I brought Amy to my place, after the Order's attack. She was very exhausted."

"Rheya," Kamilah kept her voice firm and confident. That evil bitch would detect any hints of nervousness and use it against her. "Thank you, I was so worried. Listen, I'll be there in a minute to pick her up."

"Oh darling, she's still asleep. After she wakes up, I'll tell her you called."

"Okay."

After she hung up, Kamilah collapsed on a chair. Was Amy alright? What if darkness had consumed her to the point she didn't want to come home?


Amy

Though she had slept for hours, when Amy woke up her body was was still sore and exhausted.

Sitting down on the bed, she finally remembered the events from the previous night. The Order Of Dawn's attack at the Shadow Den, Jax getting severely injured to protect her and… her reaction. A great source of power emerged from the depths of her soul. Her body was burning like the sun. Her rage made the entire Shadow Den shake, like an earthquake.

And she took their lives. All of them.

"What…" she looked at her hands. "How?!"

This time, she didn't feel any guilt, any regret. If she hadn't stopped those soldiers, they'd have murdered every vampire they found.

"Lily, Jax…" she had no idea if they were fine. "And Rheya."

Examining her surroundings, Amy had no idea where she was. That was definitely not her bedroom. Or Lily's.

She was still covered in blood. However, fresh new clothes were left on the bed for her to shower and change.

After taking a long shower, Amy left the room silent and undetected, afraid to even know where she was, or who she could find. For her surprise, she immediately recognized the living room, and the woman sitting on the couch waiting for her.

"Amy, darling," Rheya dropped her phone when she saw her. "I was beginning to get worried."

"Yeah, I slept a little too much," Amy scratched her head, wondering what the hell she was doing at Rheya's apartment.

"Sit down. It's time for us to have a conversation."

"Oh fuck," Amy thought. She probably witnessed the whole fight. How she would even explain those powers? "Hey, can we talk later? Kamilah must be seriously worried. I should go home."

"It won't take long," Rheya insisted, tapping on the spot next to hers on the couch. "I even ordered some lunch for us."

"Okay…"

Shy and uncomfortable, Amy sat down by her side. Rheya looked at her directly in the eyes. A smile never leaving her lips. She suddenly remembered what happened before she collapsed in exhaustion. Jax was dying right in front of her. Nothing she did was able to help him. But Rheya… she kneeled by his side, energy irradiated from her hands and… she healed him.

"You healed Jax last night. How did you even do that? I mean, no vampires are capable of such a thing. Is it something the Order did to you too?"

"Amy, I beg your pardon but I've been lying. About who I am. About who you are."

"Excuse me?!" Amy was suddenly back on defensive mode. If she was actually working for the Order and kidnapped her, she was ready to fight for her life. "Are you w…"

"The First Vampire," Rheya answered before she even finished.

A lot came to Amy's mind in that moment. Her visions, her voice, their previous encounter in the Realm Of Death. Only now she realized Rheya looked a lot like the woman she saw on the road and then in the mirror. She was also very similar to the figures she saw at Mrs. Wright office in London.

"Y-You…" she stood up, trying to gather her powers but she was still weak. "You killed me. You lied to me. You pretended to be my friend. Why, Rheya? Why?"

"Darling, this isn't what you think," the woman stood up too. She was a lot taller than Amy. Only now she realized how intimidating she could be. "I only gave you what you desired the most. Didn't you desire to be a vampire? To have immortality and a goddess' strength?"

She caressed the girl's cheek.

Indeed. Since Amy started dating Kamilah, she started considering that option. She wanted more than a few decades by her wife's side, she wanted the eternity. She was also tired of being a burden to her friends, so frail and weak.

"It was still my choice! And you only did this so you could come back to life."

"Amy, if it wasn't me somebody else would have done it. That's what happens when you enter the vampire world, it's impossible to come out alive or remain a mortal."

"And what gives you this right, huh?" Amy's eyes filled with tears. "To change my life and then approach me, lie to me…"

"I'm your grandmother," Rheya entwined her fingers on Amy's hair. "You descend from my daughter, Iola."

"You told me Iola had died!"

"I only found out recently. My enemies captured and took her from me. I never had a chance of seeing her growing up but now… I have you."

That was getting extremely creepy. Amy had to find a way out of there. She reached for her purse, discreetly searching for her cell phone, but then she saw it on the coffee table, near Rheya's.

"Okay…" she sighed. "I hope you're not responsible for what happened tonight. Or what happened to Priya."

"Darling, I'd never do anything to cause you harm," that smile appeared on her face again. A smile Amy was starting to fear. "Trust me, I only want the best for you."

"And what do you want, Rheya? Why are you here in first place?"

"I want to build a better world for vampires. A world where we can live in peace among the humans. I want to rule with honesty and justice. I saw what Gaius and Xenocrates did, their twisted ideals. I can't help feeling guilty for that. But now it's about to change."

Amy wasn't sure if she believed her or not. Her voice was soothing and soft, involving her, calling for her. But at the same time, she remembered her face on the road. Covered in blood, she had a maniac grin on her face.

"Amy," she whispered her name again, "will you help me, granddaughter? Will you be my right hand?"

And for some reason she couldn't say no.

"I will," Amy answered, already regretting her decision.

"Great! To celebrate the new times and our partnership, I prepared us a special lunch."

She guided Amy to another room. It was not the regular Sunday lunch at Granny's house she was used to, back in her hometown. There was no table. There was no feast or a tasty dessert. Only two mortals on the floor, gagged and trapped by ropes.

"Rheya… what the fuck?!"

"You used too much of your powers last night, granddaughter. You must feed to feel restored."

"I fed from the Order soldiers," Amy lied. Too much time had passed. That wasn't enough to satiate her hunger or restore her strength. "Besides, here in New York we only feed from consenting humans. Killing innocents is against the Pact."

"There's no more Pact, Amy," Rheya insisted. "Not in the world we will build together. And who told you they're innocents? Take a look inside their minds."

Against her better judgment, Amy did as she told. She looked into those mortals' eyes. A boy and a girl, shaking in fear. Soon, she was already deep into their memories. That boy, appearing so frightened and weak, allured and drugged girls before taking them to bed. That girl, sobbing in desperation and trying to free herself, sent her ex-girlfriend to jail. Leaving her alone, scared and at her own fate, like she was right now.

"Go, Amy," Rheya touched her shoulder and leaned close to her ear. "Don't fight it, embrace the blood. Embrace the power."

Conflicted, Amy could hear their heartbeats, the blood running in their veins. She was starving. She was weak. She needed blood. She truly needed it. Like a flash, Rheya moved forward attacking the girl's neck. Upon that tempting smell, Amy couldn't control it anymore. With red eyes and fangs exposed, she joined her grandmother for lunch.

After that, she was finally free to go. She ran across the streets of New York, feeling sick about what just happened. Feeling horrible about what she had done. Yet, another part of her felt satisfied, accomplished.

She entered her penthouse, searching for Kamilah. She wasn't there, yet she could sense she was near. Taking the elevator, Amy went to Lysimachus' apartment and there was her wife, leaving the weapon storage.

"Kamilah…"

"Amy," she stood frozen in the living room, with a look on her face Amy had never seen before. A look of pure fear.


Lysimachus

Going to a placed named Island Of Death could never sound like a good idea. Even in the company of a supernatural group that included a vampire, a werewolf, a stone troll, a Fae and an undead, plus the two mortal Nighthunters. All of them were blessed with a protection barrier made by Lady Thalissa, the leader of the Fae Realm. The protection wouldn't last for too long they needed to be quick, or all their lives would be in danger. Especially Katherine and Nik's, the two mortals aboard the private boat Lysimachus bought for the occasion.

"If Ivy asks one more time if we are there yet, I'm going to cut my wrists," Katherine entered the pilot's cabin, throwing herself on a chair next to Lysimachus'.

"Almost," he told. "According to the map, in half an hour we should be there."

"Really, did you have to be such a rich boy even when we're going to this eerie Island inhabited by Ferals? Was that luxurious boat really necessary?"

"Oh right, I should've asked if we could use yours."

Displeased by the comment, Katherine blushed and looked away.

"Someday you should allow yourself to enjoy a little bit of your wealth, you know?" Lysimachus advised, still focused on the ocean ahead. "Your time is short. You should make the most of it."

"Thanks for reminding me my days are numbered. I appreciate that," Katherine replied, sarcastic. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "I may. After we defeat this ancient bitch of yours. I don't want to end up like her, wanting to destroy the world out of frustration for spending two millennia trapped inside a tree."

Lysimachus let out a laugh. Rheya had deeper motivations than that. If his theories were correct, she blamed the humankind for losing her family. Amy was still a missing piece of that puzzle. He couldn't figure out where she fit on Rheya's revenge plan.

Not so long later, he finally spotted the Island in front of them.

"We're close now," he pointed. "I suppose everyone is prepared."

"Yeah," Katherine said. "I mean, I suppose none of them is pissing on their pants yet, but you know… Ryder has his moments."

Near the shore, the entire group prepared themselves to leave the ship. They only had one hour until the protection disappeared. Lysimachus got his daggers and a map.

"Okay," he gave the group the instructions. "Everyone stay close and be careful. This place is inhabited by Ferals. They're everywhere, on the land and in the air."

They proceeded, entering the woods. So far, it was quiet. Too quiet. The Ferals should be hiding from the daylight, but it didn't mean they couldn't show up at any moment, in areas where the trees protected them from the sun.

"According to this ancient map, the Tree Of Death should be in the middle of the Island."

"What about the man?" Ivy asked. "Demetrius."

"Apparently he lives inside the tree."

"Why does everyone in their family dies and become a tree?"

"I wasn't aware that vampires were so concerned about saving the environment," Cal joked. "They die and a new tree is planted."

"What does killing them make me then, a conservationist?" Katherine added.

"You guys!" Lysimachus scolded. "Focus."

All that noise attracted attention. Unwanted attention. Hissing and screeching from the nearby Ferals started echoing around the forest. The entire group drew their weapons or prepared their magic.

Soon, they were surrounded by the creatures. Not regular Ferals as seen in New York or New Orleans, but different kinds, more evolved and adapted to the life at the Island.

"How does a thing can be so ugly?" Lysimachus asked, while in combat with a Feral with multiple pairs of arms. "And fast!"

"It's a Spiderferal," Ivy said. "And that one soaring in the skies is…"

"Let me guess," Nik interrupted, firing some arrows with his crossbow. "A Batferal?"

"For god's sake," Katherine rolled her eyes, while slashing through a couple of Ferals with her Sai.

When that huge wave of creatures were gone, Lysimachus looked down at his watch, noticing they didn't have much time left. Less than twenty minutes.

"Guys," he started running. "Stay here. I'll find the tree and get the blood."

Dodging any Ferals that tried to prevent him from making to the tree, Lysimachus could feel its darkness starting to weight on his body as he moved closer. Even with a protection spell, he began to feel weak, drained. He stopped and tried to catch his breath, but as that highly toxic air started to fill his lungs, he coughed.

The Tree Of Death was right in front of him. Lysimachus pulled one of his daggers to stab its trunk, when he got pulled into a void.

"What…" he looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. "Where am I?"

"There's no reason to fear, young man," a man approached him with a serene expression on his face. He wore a tunic, what made Lysimachus assume that was Rheya's betrothed, Demetrius.

"Demetrius?"

"And you're Lysimachus. One of Rheya's progeny."

"Aren't you… dead?"

"Not yet, but not alive. Something in between."

Lysimachus felt sorry for that man. Different from Rheya, there wasn't a single trait of evilness in his eyes. He appeared to have suffered a lot, being trapped somewhere between life and death for so long.

"I'd like to take some of your blood," Lysimachus exposed his intentions. "Rheya, she's back. And she has been causing trouble to me and my friends. I think she plans to eradicate the humankind."

"You have my full permission," Demetrius easily consented, for his surprise. "However, there's only one person whose mission is to end Rheya's reign of terror. My granddaughter, Amy."

"Amy… so she's really your descendant, huh? I don't know if she'll be the most appropriate person for the mission. She trusts Rheya too much."

"I know. But it will her choice to make. She's the blessed chalice. The junction between the lines of the Trees Of Death and Eternal Life. Mine and Rheya's."

Lysimachus sighed. All the visions and theories had been finally confirmed and explained. Not only Amy was truly Rheya's descendant, but she was also The Chosen One, to bring the First Vampire back to life and also destroy her once for all.

"I see," Lysimachus nodded respectfully. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Take my blood and hand it to Amy," Demetrius told. "Believe she'll do the right choice."

"Are we all going to survive this fight? Me, my sister, Amy… the rest of our friends?"

"This vision is dark and foggy. It's still being written. But I see my granddaughter falling on her knees, consumed by immense pain and anger. Her hands are covered in ash."

"Oh no," Lysimachus remembered the visions Amy shared with him, about a dark version of herself and Kamilah's death. "I-I… I won't let this happen. I won't!"

"Young man, if I can give you an advice," Demetrius spoke low and soft, "cherish the time you and your friends have left. Prepare for the battle. Do whatever you can. But in the end, it's in Amy's hands."

"I don't believe it. Any of us is capable of defeating Rheya, we only need the right tool."

"To believe it or not is your choice. However, you can't change fate. You can't change something that has already been written."

Lysimachus started to feel his time in the void was ending, he was being pulled back to reality.

"Demetrius, is there anything else you can tell me?"

"When you see Rheya, tell her I love her and I always will. And tell her I forgive her."

His mind started to spin, images of Demetrius, the Tree and the real life were mixed with visions. One of them specifically caught his attention. Lysimachus saw himself sitting down on a corridor. He sobbed in desperation. What was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, turned into a nightmare.

"What the hell?" He thought, trying to look further into the scene.

When he opened his eyes again, everything was a blur. Katherine was standing in front of him.

"Come on," she yelled. "We're running out of time."

Still dizzy, Lysimachus stabbed the tree's trunk with his dagger. Black poisonous blood dripped from the blade. Katherine handed him a plastic bag.

"The others have gone back to the boat. They're waiting for us."

She took his hand and dragged him away, while he tried to process everything that had happened.


Kamilah

As soon as Kamilah left her brother's secret storage, she met Amy in the living room.

For a second she stared at her wife in silence, afraid of who she had became after unleashing her powers.

"Kamilah…" Amy spoke softly, before embracing her tightly and starting to sob. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Amy," in her wife's arms Kamilah finally relaxed. "I was worried about you."

"The Order soldiers invaded the Shadow Den. They killed so many people, Jax was seriously hurt, but I… I fought them."

"I know. I tried to call you this morning but R…"

"Don't say it!" Amy's eyes went wide and she interrupted what Kamilah was about to say. "Don't say her name or even think about her. She can listen everything, every thought, every word, through the blood link."

Kamilah was pensive for a moment, she grabbed Amy's hand and went back to their penthouse. As fast as possible, they packed a couple of bags while she ordered one of her private jets. Then, they left their cat Beruthiel under Adrian's care. Warning him to not approach, or trust Rheya under any circumstances. The same message was passed to Jax and Lily.

Amy was very tense. In the airport she'd look around apprehensively, like if she feared the First Vampire would be coming after them at any moment. Kamilah wrapped her arms around her protectively. She'd protect her wife at any cost. If Rheya came any closer to her one more time, she'd be ready for combat.

She looked forward to meet Lysimachus in New Orleans and together, come up with a plan to defeat the First Vampire. She only voiced that aloud when they were inside the plane, miles above New York City. If Rheya could really read their minds, making such a revelation would only be safe distantly from home.

After hearing about Kamilah's plan, Amy was able to speak again and tell everything about the events at the Shadow Den, as well as what she learned about her origins and her powers.

"I'm her descendant, Kamilah. Her blood makes me who I am. Her blood makes me powerful. Her blood is the darkness inside of me. It makes me a monster… I don't wanna be a monster!"

Amy buried her head on her Kamilah's shoulder and sobbed, letting out all the emotion that seemed to be disturbing her mind. Kamilah gritted her teeth in anger, thinking how traumatic the conversation with Rheya must had been for the girl. She took a deep breath to recompose herself, trying to pass along some confidence to her wife.

"Amy, her blood may be in your veins but… you have your heart. This beautiful heart that has only brought joy to my life, that made me feel worthy of love and being loved. You're not a monster and you'll never be. You're not Rheya. You have a choice, just like her daughter did."

"What if I can't control it? The darkness inside me, those powers…" Amy gazed deeply into Kamilah's eyes.

"I'll be there to bring you back," she pressed a kiss on her lips. "And I won't give up. I'll never give up on you, Amy."

"Do you still want a future with me, knowing I'm Rheya's descendant?"

"A future?" Kamilah let out a small laugh, making obvious her answer. "Honestly, I didn't fought so hard, against everyone and everything, to not have this future."

"I want to have that garden with you," Amy embraced Kamilah again.

"And a daughter. I've been told you want to have baby girl with me."

"Only if you want to. I'm sorry for making you feel pressured yesterday."

"I guess I do," Kamilah grabbed Amy's hand firmly, entwining her fingers on hers. "Though the idea scares more than Rheya herself, Adrian has gave me some useful advice on this matter."

Amy let out a laugh.

"And she must have your gorgeous looks," she said.

"Okay," Kamilah agreed. "But she's having your personality. Do we have a deal?"

"Absolutely."

They spent the rest of the trip cuddling and discussing plans for their future. Kamilah made everything feel certain and secure, despise her own insecurities.

Arriving in New Orleans, she and Amy walked to a place she long knew, The Graveyard Shift. For Kamilah's surprise though, it was the first time she'd seen it closed.

"What?" She asked. "Come on, Amy. Let's take a walk and see if someone can inform us about my brother's whereabouts."


Amy

As Amy expected, Kamilah had contacts in New Orleans. Going to a fancy old house, a woman informed them Lysimachus had gone on a trip along with his group of friends. The female vampire didn't know any further details, but Amy and Kamilah assumed it had to do with Rheya.

"So," the girl asked, "what do we do until we wait for them to return?"

"Hmmm," Kamilah was thoughtful for a moment, "why don't I show you around?"

"Did you live here for too long?"

"Not really, I would only visit when Gaius sent us on missions."

Kamilah took her on tour to all her favorite places, a museum, the St. Louis Cathedral and Garden District. Then they followed to the French Quarter, where Amy had a lot of fun venturing on the stores and buying all kinds of souvenirs. Kamilah only watched everything with a fond smile on her face.

"We should come back more often," Amy said. "I absolutely love this place."

"Wait until you see all the fabulous jazz scene it has to offer," Kamilah added.

"I'm particularly interested in trying a beignet for now, can we?"

However another small shop called Amy attention, one that displayed artifacts said to be magical and had an advertising about fortune reading.

"Oh come on, Amy," Kamilah rolled her eyes, noticing into what she was being dragged to. "Really?!"

"It'll be fun," Amy insisted with a playful smile. "Don't you wanna see what your lucky stars hold for you?"

Doing her puppy dog eyes trick, Kamilah sighed and gave in.

"Whatever. I can't really believe these things, I don't think anyone is able to see what future holds for somebody else."

Inside the shop, they met a peculiar man. After paying him a few dollars, he guided them to the back of the shop and told them to sit at a table, in front of him. The room was fully decorated with elements and colors that, according to him, kept the harmony of the place. A strange smell was also exhaled from some burning herbs, to send all the negativity away.

"Who's first?" He asked, preparing a deck of cards.

"You go," Kamilah told Amy. "I'd rather watch."

The girl sat down and the man started to shuffle some tarot cards in his hands. He stared deeply at her while doing it, with a serious and scary expression. Next, he told Amy to draw three cards and placed them on the table, face down.

"The Fool. This first one represents your past," he explained, revealing the card. "You were surrounded by family and friends, but you always felt lonely. Like you didn't belong the place you were born. You've always sought for more. You wanted adventure, action, passion. In love, you were never capable of getting truly attached to a partner."

"Whoa!" Amy exclaimed. "This is completely correct."

The man pointed to the second card on the table.

"The Tower. This one represents your present. You're scared, insecure. Once again, this issue involves your family, your blood. You feel like you're living a double life, where a second part of you is trying to drag you into an opposite direction. One that will only brings misery and pain for all of those around you."

Amy became tense to that revelation, that described exactly her situation with Rheya and her powers. She exchanged a quick glance with Kamilah.

"What about…" she asked nervously, "my future?"

The last card was face down on the table, the man unfolded it and told her the meaning of the figure:

"Justice. You have two paths to follow. One choice to make. The first path will save all your loved ones and supply you with infinite power. You'll be able to get everything you desire. Except… that will have to give up on what you love the most."

"What?!" Amy shouted. "A-And… the other path?"

"The other path…" the man asked her to draw another card from the deck. "Death. Your life stays the same. There's a great happiness coming in your way. You'll finally feel complete, in peace. However, it comes with a price."

"What's that price?"

"A life. A life will be lost in this process."

"W-Whose life?" Amy wanted to know, concerned about her visions of Kamilah.

"I can't tell you," the man sighed. "It's beyond my limits."

Kamilah appeared behind her squeezing her shoulder in reassurance. She didn't have to say it aloud, Amy knew what she meant. She didn't believe any of that and promised everything would be okay.

"Are you next, Mrs.?" The man asked Kamilah.

"I don't think so," she replied.

"Please," Amy begged. "Your future is my future too. And I want to make sure we'll both share it."

Kamilah rolled her eyed and took Amy's place at the chair. As her wife, she picked three cards.

Amy stood in the corner listening to everything apprehensively.

"Four of Swords. I see a lot of pain and loneliness in your past. However, it never stopped you from fighting for your ideals. Fighting for justice. All this pain has only made you stronger and prepared for what came next."

By Kamilah's face, Amy could tell she wasn't even a little bit amused. All those things were pretty obvious, for anyone who had ever heard about her story.

"The Star represents your present… you've never been so happy before. You've finally got everything you always wanted. Yet, there's a hint of insecurity. A fear of losing what is more precious to your heart. You're also frustrated, because the situation is not in your control and because you blame yourself for trusting the wrong person."

"This is enough," Kamilah told with a nod.

"Your future…" the man proceeded, closing his eyes to keep himself focused. "The Wheel Of Fortune, reversed. There's a dark cloud covering everything. But I can tell you'll be facing a life or death situation, and my dear, this isn't up to you. Your own future depends on somebody else."

That was her the man was talking about. Amy knew it. She'd be the one to surrender to darkness and defeat Rheya, or find another manner to save… almost everyone. No matter she did, a death was in her future. Thinking about Kamilah and her friends in New York brought her a lot of agony. She couldn't bear the thought of losing any of them.


Lysimachus

Being on the plane headed back to New Orleans was a relief. Yet, Demetrius' words wouldn't leave Lysimachus' mind.

"Cherish the time you and your friends have left."

He couldn't stand the idea of losing anyone who was so dear to him because of Rheya. And there was also the terrifying vision he had of himself, before leaving the void. What was that supposed to mean? What situation could bring him so much joy and a tragedy, at the same time?

"Hey," Katherine poked him on the shoulder, "you've been acting strange since I found you speaking to that tree. Are you alright?"

"Yes," he sighed. "It's only… Demetrius has told me things. Showed me things too."

"The tree?!"

"You won't ever take this seriously, will you?"

"Sorry," the Nighthunter smirked, "I can't."

When they arrived, for Lysimachus surprise, Kamilah and Amy had been looking for him. He met them at the hotel they were staying. Before they even had a chance to speak, he knew what it was about. They had found out the truth about Rheya.

"Brother," Kamilah hugged him tightly, "I'm glad you're fine. Please forgive me for not believing you back in New York. She… she had gotten into my mind."

"This is okay," he messed up with her perfect lined hair. "I was only giving you time to figure it out by yourself. How did that happen anyways?"

Kamilah's expression changed. Her eyes showed concern and tension.

"Rheya planned a massacre in the New York community, attracting the Order Of Dawn direct to us," she told him. "Me, Adrian, Priya and Lester did just fine but she sent a larger group to the Shadow Den. They killed dozens of vampires until…" Kamilah looked down, with a dark expression. She even lowered her voice. "Amy stopped them. All of them. By herself."

"H-How?!" Lysimachus wanted to know. He knew the Order Of Dawn well enough to know that even himself wouldn't stand a chance against a large group of their soldiers. They were too skilled and carried powerful armory.

"Her powers. She unleashed them completely. Jax said her eyes were glowing like fire."

"Holy crap."

"Please, can you not mention anything in front of her? She's feeling terrible about it."

"I won't."

Later that night, the group reunited at the Graveyard Shift, expecting to work together and discuss a plan. Lysimachus wasn't the only one who was feeling completely stressed, Amy was in a miserable state.

"You know what?" He sighed, wrapping his arms around Kamilah and Amy's shoulders. "We should relax a bit, get some distraction."

"I'm in," Amy agreed.

"Whatever you two say," Kamilah smiled.

Garrus made sure to bring the most special stuff from his personal storage. After picking a table, they all agreed they needed something very strong to wash away all their concerns.

"And that's how it happened," Amy finished telling about her conversation with Rheya. "Grandma served me a criminal mortal for lunch, we said goodbye and she hopes to see me again, very soon."

She took a long sip of a bottle of tequila.

"Hey there," Katherine joined them at the table. "The Tree Whisperer, the Reaper of Pompeii and… Bella Swan."

Lysimachus gave her a censoring look, trying to hide away his embarrassment. Kamilah limited herself to roll her eyes and Amy laughed at the joke.

"Alice Cullen," she corrected, passing the bottle to Katherine. "I'd be Alice, with all those fucked up visions and shit."

"Well," the Nighthunter also took a sip, "at least you're not venting your problems to the trees… like some people I know."

"Katherine!" Lysimachus angered.

Kamilah finally broke into a laugh, playing along with the joke.

"Okay, if we're going to mock my brother, I need more details."

"Oh, we went to this Island Of Death to grab the poisonous blood that's able to kill Rheya. He not only stabbed the tree and got it, but before he was crouched on the ground, talking to it. There were tears in his eyes, I swear."

"There were not tears! And I was actually talking to Demetrius. He gave me some instructions and… showed me things."

"What sort of things?" Katherine insisted. "You don't speak about it. You're just brooding since we left the Island."

"Things about Rheya," he snarled. "And the terrible things she can do. He also said he loves and forgives her for all she's done."

Amy punched the table and shook her head in denial at the last part. Then, she grabbed her bottle back from Kamilah's hands.

"Never have I ever… had the most fucked up family in the world," she swallowed a good amount of tequila.

Kamilah also drank some, before passing it to Lysimachus, who understood the message.

"Really?" Amy asked curiously. "I mean, you two were Egyptian royalty!"

"You have no idea of what being Cleopatra's cousin was like," Lysimachus informed.

"Oh please," Kamilah whined. "Can we not talk about dear cousin of ours? I still have nightmares about her tantrums sometimes."

For the group's surprise, Katherine also drank from the bottle. They stared at her in surprise, expecting details. She'd never mention anything about her personal life, not even to Lysimachus.

"Since you're all wondering," she rolled her eyes, "my family disowned me."

There was an awkward silence at the table.

"Oh… I'm so sorry," Amy was the first one to open her mouth. "I… I had no idea."

"Don't be. I can assure you I'm way better off without them. My family, my only true family… is gone."

After the confession, she went to the back of the bar, pretending to me picking songs at the jukebox. Lysimachus decided it was better to leave her be.

"Hey, Amy," he said. "Can I talk to you, in private?"

"Sure."

The girl followed him outside. Following Demetrius wishes was the right thing to do, especially now Rheya had decided to show her true colors. He trusted his sister in law would be making the right choice when the time came.

"I spoke to Rheya's betrothed," he started to tell, "your…"

"Grandfather," she added. "I know."

"Amy, all those theories, myths and legends have finally connected. You're the blessed chalice. The junction between the two lines, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Death. You're the Chosen One."

"What does that mean? I'm so tired of all those titles."

"You're the only one who can finish this," Lysimachus revealed the bloodied dagger he was keeping inside his jacket. "Killing Rheya is your choice."

"The two paths…" Amy was pensive for a moment, recalling a memory. She told him about the tarot cards and what they showed about her present and future.

"Demetrius told me something similar. It seems like in end, a life… one of ours will be taken, no matter what we do."

Amy's eyes went red in anger and determination, she grabbed the plastic bag containing the dagger from his hands.

"Yes. One life will be taken… Rheya's. That bitch is going to die."