Author's note: Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews last chapter! Glad ya'll enjoyed it, and glad for the positive reaction to Sonja becoming the first female hybrid. I was originally going to have her simply become that, never be a vampire, but that's just one of the MANY things my muse changed. And thanks to Kristen and livingdfeadgirl with the support for Alexis/Adam! Well, I can actually see the end of this fic now, not too far off, but still several chapters away. Hope you all enjoy this chapter and as always, review!!

Disclaimer: Ok, if it was in Underworld the movie, the script, the novelization, or the comic book adaptation, I don't own it! Everything else, including the plot, is mine. Savvy?

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CHAPTER 20: THE TRUTH, THE TRAITOR, THE BACKUP

Rudolf and Zahra watched as the young lycans changed back into human form as the full moon slowly disappeared behind the mountains. They all were beginning to get restless, though they were used to being confined to set boundaries.

"I don't like it, something else is going on," Zahra stated, voicing what Rudolf had been thinking himself. "I just don't understand why Lucian doesn't call at least some of us there, to help."

"Zahra, I know how you wish you had been there when Raze died, but Lucian doesn't want us there for a reason. He may yet call us there," Rudolf told her. "He hasn't returned, and that means he may still end up needing us."

"He does," they heard from behind. Turning to face Erik, they saw him put away his cell phone. "And he needs us now."

***

Selene and Michael entered the small room where the Death Dealers and Adam were. The Dealers threw them wary glances, but remained silent. Selene avoided eye contact with Kahn. She knew they had to talk, but she was dreading it greatly.

"Selene," Erika's familiar voice called, and Selene turned to see the vampire walk up to her from the side. "I'd like to talk to you, privately."

Nodding, Selene walked away with Erika, curious of what she wanted to talk about. As long as it wasn't about why she killed Viktor. She was dreading that conversation, since she knew none of them would believe her.

"So," Erika started, "Michael's a hybrid?" At Selene's wary nod, Erika smiled softly. "I thought so. He smelled like Marcus, only his lycan scent was more prominent. Which makes sense, he was lycan first, and Marcus, well," Erika trailed off and Selene saw a familiar look pass over Erika's face.

The same look Michael got whenever he looked at her, when they were alone.

"You love him," Selene said, slightly surprised. Erika gave her a questioning glance. "Marcus, you love him."

"Oh," realization hit Erika and she nodded. "Yes, yes I do. I mean, what's not to love?" Erika asked. "He's gorgeous, powerful, was once in a very high position, and is great in bed," she went on, the last part making Selene's eyes slightly widen and she shook her head. Same old Erika it seemed.

"Anything else?" Selene asked.

Erika grinned. "Yes, actually. He loves me. And frankly, that matters more than the rest." A thoughtful expression came into Erika's eyes. "Except for maybe the gorgeous part." At Selene's sigh, she laughed. "I was kidding."

"I never expected this, but, I'm glad you're over Kraven at least," Selene said. "As far as I'm concerned, anyone is better than Kraven."

"Hell yeah," Erika declared, and Selene's eyes widened again. "Hey, you said it yourself, I'm over him." She winked. "Moved on to better things."

Selene smirked. She had to admit, it was strangely nice to be able to talk to Erika. She decided she had been around the men WAY too long.

"We should go back to where the others are," Selene finally said. "Unless there was something you wanted to talk about specifically."

No," Erika shook her head, "it's just, it was weird, you being gone, being the enemy. After all, you were there from the day I came, and well, it was weird when everything changed. Hard to take in," she explained. Sighing, she turned and Selene did as well. "You're right, time to head back."

***

Brian marched through the halls of Ordoghaz, pissed off. He stormed into Anya's room, where the serpent was engaging in sex with one of the many males in the mansion. She glared at him, her eyes shooting daggers, but Brian shot them right back.

"It's over, Anya. This whole thing. They have five of those, those things that Marcus has become. Somehow, they're hybrids. And a lot more powerful than any of us," he told her.

"Abominations? That's impossible," Anya scoffed, but fear flickered in her eyes.

Realization dawned in Brian's mind, and he picked up one of the expensive vases in her room, throwing at the wall right above her head. The other male moved to stand, but Brian glowered at him, his hand moving to the gun at his hip. When the other backed down, he faced Anya again.

"You knew, you knew all along that this was possible. I don't know how, nor do I care. But you knew somehow, and you kept it silent. You knew he was more powerful than normal, you knew something when he changed and you never informed me, when I needed to know. Why?"

Anya shrugged. "I knew it was possible yes. But," she continued, "I wasn't fully sure Marcus was an abomination until he changed, and even then, I didn't know how, or how much stronger it made him. Besides, we were forbidden from ever speaking of it," she explained, but Brian growled softly and threw her a robe.

"Get this on and come outside, this shouldn't be discussed in front of an audience," he stated and stalked out.

***

Selene and Erika entered the small room where the Death Dealers, Marcus, Adam, and Michael were, the Dealers talking to each other, while Marcus and Michael seemed to be discussing what powers hybrids had, while Adam listened intently.

Erika stared at Selene, the question she had been wanting to ask her for so long plaguing her and she couldn't help blurting it out.

"Why, Selene? Why did you kill Viktor?"

Selene looked and her abruptly, then sighed and closed her eyes, bowing her head in resignation. She obviously had known it was coming, but she also did not want to have to face the question, face the anger and refusal to believe her when she did answer it. She was about to answer, when someone else cut her off.

"Yes, Selene, I think we all would like to know why and how you could kill Viktor," Kahn stated, glaring at her with a betrayed expression.

Looking at her one-time fellow Death Dealers, Selene was met with expectant, questioning glares, all of them wanting to know the reasons for Selene's ultimate betrayal, the once fierce lycan hunter now practically a member of the wolfen clan.

If only they had known she wasn't the first.

"I sincerely doubt that, Kahn," Lucian familiar voice interrupted her thoughts, and everyone turned to see the lycan hybrid and his lover standing in the doorway. He stepped forward, Sonja right behind him. "Unless you are willing to accept the fact that your precious Elder was less than perfect, I sincerely doubt you do."

The Death Dealers' expressions turned hateful, and the tension in the air was becoming tangible practically.

"Kahn," Marcus spoke in a soft yet demanding tone. "Back down, let Selene answer the question, it is her right," the Elder instructed, and Kahn nodded reluctantly. "Selene, if there is any chance you have of giving reason for redeeming yourself to the vampires, now is the time for it."

Selene nodded, and felt a hand on her shoulder, opposite where Erika stood. She turned to see Sonja of all people, standing there with her hand comfortingly placed on Selene's shoulder. The vampire - wait, she was hybrid, Selene could smell it - smiled softly and nodded.

"Go on," she whispered. Lucian nodded behind her as well.

Selene turned and faced the Death Dealers, her expression proud but otherwise blank. "When we went to kill the lycans, and Michael, during the battle, I discovered the truth of my family's deaths. Kraven told me, and Viktor confirmed that it was indeed the truth. Viktor killed my family that night, butchered my parents, sisters, nieces because he was sick of animal blood."

Mason shook his head, disbelieving. "No, that's not true, Viktor is the one who made us stop feeding on humans!"

Marcus glared at him, but Michael spoke up first in Selene's defense. "How can you really know? You weren't there!" Michael shouted. "You haven't even heard everything, let her finish," he said, his voice lowering a bit. He finally sat down again when he was certain the Dealer had backed down.

"He did kill them, he would go out every so often, gorging himself on human blood. And that night, he, he came to my home, killing everyone, feeding on them to his stomach's content."

"Then why did he spare you?" Damien, another Dealer, asked coldly. "What made you so special."

"I myself don't know. I know why, but I don't know what it was that he saw in me that made him think of his daughter. Sonja," Selene turned and nodded towards the female hybrid standing next to her. "Something he saw made him think of her, and he spared me, changed me, made me believe he had saved me from ravening lycans."

Kahn stated at her, dumbfounded. "I don't understand."

Adam snorted. "Hey, I know the whole story and I still don't get it completely." He noticed the death glares the vampires gave him, and cleared his throat nervously, forgetting they had almost no way of killing him, unless they could surprise him incredibly quickly.

Lucian stared knowingly at Marcus, almost daring the Elder to speak up. The Elder stood, accepting the dare it seemed, and Lucian's grudging respect for the Elder grew slightly as Marcus called everyone to his attention. He would explain how the war truly began.

***

Brian leaned against the wall outside Anya's room, waiting for her to come out. He stood erect when she finally opened the door and came out, shutting it tightly behind her.

"Look give me one good reason not to go locate Marcus and the others, and simply give back command to the Elder. It's his right, and he's strong enough to claim it back by force," Brian hissed.

Anya though, simply sneered. "You go to him, and they will kill you, you've betrayed them as far as they are concerned. And if you even think about doing that again, I will kill you. Not have you killed, have you brought to my chamber and then I will personally slit your throat and bleed you dry," she threatened him, hissing as well with her viper's tongue.

Glaring, Brian nodded, admitting submission to her. Satisfied, she walked back to her door. "And Brian, after I'm done in here, I'll come find you and tell you everything I can about Abominations. That should make you happy."

Brian walked off before she could open her door again, glowering. He then smirked. He knew he would run into Marcus and the others again. And when he did, Anya was through. He was sick of being her errand boy and doing her dirty deeds.

And he wanted to erase the betrayed look in Alexis' eyes. He had hurt her more with this than he had with his silly infatuation with Erika.

***

The lycans silently stalked through the tunnels towards the old lair, Zahra, Rudolf, Xander, and Avery led the members of the pack that had been called back to Budapest. They turned down another tunnels, nearing the lair. They could faintly hear the sound of talking, so soft no human would have been able to hear it until perhaps maybe another mile or so.

The smell of vampires was thick, but they knew there were a few where they were heading, unfortunately. But then, this was what they wanted. An alliance between the clans, some sort of truce at least, and hopefully the rest of the covens would follow the few that had left.

Perhaps with Singe's memories, with lycan blood in him now, Marcus would be willing to finally put an end to the centuries old conflict. They all hoped so, for the war had long grown vexing and exhausting and both sides were losing their best fighters to the tiring battle.

***

"And that is the reason why this war began, that is the reason why Viktor created the hatred for the lycans, that is why he raised Selene to hate them more then he himself did nearly, to destroy and never follow in Sonja's footsteps," Marcus explained, finally finishing the long history as quickly as possible. Of course, he'd been forced to leave so much out. "When it was time for Amelia to be awakened, Viktor awoke us both, deciding all three Elders should be awake until the war ended, or at least was tipped so greatly in our favor that we would have little cause to worry." He glanced at Lucian. "And after Kraven came back from the Battle of the Alps, bearing the branded skin of Lucian, we thought it was again safe for Viktor and I to sleep, for the Chain to resume yet again."

The Death Dealers and Erika could hardly believe all that had been revealed, but they knew Marcus would not lie, would not tell them these things unless he knew for a fact that they were indeed true. But how could everything be so different then what they had believed for so long? How could the whole war be nothing but a lie as far as they knew. How could they have truly been the bad guys all along?

Kahn looked over at Selene. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and she nodded in acknowledgement. "I had no idea."

"None of us did, least of all myself," Selene replied. "We all believed Viktor's lies, all the lies the Elders told us." She glanced at Marcus warily as she spoke, but he remained silent.

Suddenly, the smell of lycans became incredibly powerful, and they realized more were present, it wasn't simply the leftover scent of the ones that had lived there for so long. They walked out of the room and were greeted by the sight of a large group of lycans entering the lair.

Lucian walked past the small crowd towards the new additions. "I hope nobody minds, but I called in backup." He turned towards Marcus. "I believe we'll probably need it."