Author's note: Thanks SO very much for all the reviews!! Wow, over two hundred, that's just so incredibly wonderful!! So glad ya'll like this story. I've really enjoyed writing it, and am sad to say that less then five more chapter most likely. Next chapter we'll get to the mansion, and well, can't spoil it. Anyway, thanks to all my reviewers, and hope ya'll enjoy this latest installment! And also, this includes the last loves scenes, or as my friend Kristen likes to call them "almost smut" scenes. And speaking of Kristen, thanks to you and Cat for your bugging on AIM and live journal!! Enjoy and please review!!

Disclaimer: I own only the characters not mentioned in Underworld in its many incarnations. Everything else belongs to Sony, Len Wiseman, Kevin Grevioux, and Danny McBride, and anybody else involved. Please do not sue me. Savvy?

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CHAPTER 21: ONE LAST REPRIEVE

"So, what's the plan then?" Marcus asked Lucian. "You seem to have thought of everything else, I'm guessing he already took care of the most important part," he added with a smirk.

Lucian nodded, smirking as well. "Actually, it's quite simple. You've already done it, for practice I suppose you could say," Lucian added cryptically. He grinned wolfishly at Marcus questioning glare. "We are all going to Ordoghaz, and we are g9oing to make everyone hear the truth, see the light, if you will. You are going to tell the covens EXACTLY what you just told the Death Dealers present," Lucian explained.

Marcus shook his head. "That's your plan? No. I won't."

The lycans moved to protest, but Lucian held up his hand, silencing everyone before a word could be spoken. He smiled knowingly at the Elder, his eyes gleaming. For several minutes, he and Marcus stared at each other, then Lucian walked by him, towards the blueprint of Ordoghaz on a table in the room.

"You will, Marcus. There really isn't any other choice now. The covens will not take you back, not while they believe the lies you and Viktor and Amelia fed them." Lucian turned back for a moment before spreading the blueprint out. "And you will not let Anya take control. Nor anyone else. You are an Elder, after all."

Marcus growled softly at the lycan hybrid, but kept his mouth shut. Sighing in defeat, he nodded.

Lucian smiled, satisfied. "I thought so."

***

Marcus felt like ripping something apart, but he also felt like chuckling at Lucian's remarks. He would be so glad when the lycan's memories and thoughts finally faded away. But he felt that would not be for a few centuries. The lycan's remaining thoughts were what had kept him from attacking Lucian during the lycan hybrid's speech, and it had been hard not to smile along as well.

"He is right, you know," Erika whispered softly, coming to stand beside him. "The covens should be told, and it is the only way to take back control."

Marcus looked down at her, his eyes softening. "I know." He searched her eyes, looking for any sign of betrayal, like the glares the Death Dealers were trying not to give him. He found none, but he knew she was quite the actress. "So, do you hate me now, now that you know the truth of what we Elders did?"

Erika shook her head. "No. Not really. Perhaps because I'm not even a hundred, perhaps because it hasn't really effected me much. Or perhaps," she continued, standing on the tip of her toes, kissing his nose, "it's because I'm incredibly biased, love can do that."

"Well, that keeps me from feeling like a complete bastard right now," he said dryly, kissing her quickly. "When this is all over, we're finishing this," he whispered in her ear, making her shiver visibly. "That's a promise." He walked away and followed Lucian into another room, the Death Dealers, a few lycan, and Selene, Sonja, and Michael going in as well.

***

Brian looked around at all the Death Dealers in the room, seeing their solemn faces and grim expressions. None of them had ever expected the war to come to this, least of all himself. But he here was, trying to correct the mistake he had made when helping Anya. And betraying not only Marcus and Erika but Alexis as well.

"As you all know, somehow, Lord Marcus, as well as the one known as Michael Corvin and the lycan master Lucian, have all become hybrid creatures. We do not know how this is possible or came to be, nor do we know what this means exactly. But I can tell you this: Anya is the real reason we are now divided," he told them, his eyes now ice blue. "I helped her, and it is something I will always regret, but we can fix this. I received a call earlier from Kahn. He and the others are coming to Ordoghaz tonight, and when they arrive, we will let them pass, we will let them do whatever they are coming to do. Even the lycans coming with them," he instructed, earning gasps, murmurs, glares, and shocked expressions.

"But, they're lycans," one Dealer ventured to state. "They hate us and only seek to destroy us."

Brian nodded. "I know it has seemed that way, but we must do as Lord Marcus wants, for he is the true leader, not I, not Anya, not Kraven, not anyone else in this mansion. It is his birthright, and as far as I am concerned, he is still in power." He stared at the Death Dealers warningly. "Do not disobey this command, or it may cost you more than you are willing to pay. Let them be, and do as they say."

The vampires all nodded silently, glancing at each other in confusion and concern. They all knew something big was going to happen soon, and they all knew that tonight could possibly change their lives more than that fateful night over two weeks ago.

***

Lucian stared lovingly at Sonja as she watched the excitement going on around her. They were sitting by Michael, Selene, Adam, Erik, and Marcus as everyone else prepared for the "trip" to Ordoghaz in only three hours. They were ready, and were quite comfortable simply watching as everyone else got ready.

Sonja seemed to be oblivious to Lucian's gaze, but she was well aware of his eyes practically boring holes into her.

And so was Marcus, who had noticed the way Lucian was staring at Sonja several minutes ago. He also was looking at Erika that way, and Michael seemed to be giving Selene the puppy version as well.

He figured it was probably because they were about to go into what could possibly be the final battle of the war, and they wanted to get laid just in case they ended up getting killed, but maybe he was reading more into it than there was. They may just all want to get laid just because it was the woman they loved and they were horny.

Odd how Singe and Kahn never thought in this manner, yet as he learned the new lingo of the new era, he began adapting it more and more.

Marcus got up from his seat and walked to where everyone could hear him. "Listen, here is what is going to happen. In about three hours, we are leaving for Ordoghaz for what may very well be the last battle in this war. Some of us may die, then again, maybe nobody will. Either way, I'm sure all those here with significant others, as they are being called these days, would like what may be the last time they can be together. So, as soon as you have everything you need ready, go, enjoy yourselves for about an hour."

Everyone stared him for a moment, then many of the lycans looked at Lucian, who shrugged. The lycans then nodded and then said a few "Thanks" and many quickly left the room. Marcus walked back over to the group, standing in front of Erika.

"That was interesting," Lucian stated, smirking slightly.

Marcus met the gaze. "You are just as happy with the order as everyone else is, including myself and the two puppies as well," he said, motioning at Selene and Michael, who both glared at the smug Elder. "Hey, I'll admit it, I enjoy making love."

Erika slapped his shoulder, then began dragging him to another room. Marcus eagerly followed, turning back and smirking at the four left sitting there watching them go.

Sonja and Selene glanced at each other, the nodded. Rising from their seats, they grabbed their "significant others" by the hands, leading them away to their own room. Adam simply kept on reading Singe's leftover notes on lycan/vampire DNA he had found in the lab.

***

Erika grinned playfully as Marcus closed the door, leaning against the wall. "You know, you're hornier than a teenage boy," she told him as he came up to her, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "But then, it has been a while since I was around any teenage boys. Maybe these days they are worse than you."

Marcus shook his head. "No, they are not worse than I am, not even close," he whispered huskily, leaning down and sucking her earlobe. His hands grasped her shoulders, pulling her close. "I am an Elder, I have to catch up on centuries without anyone, and I have finally found someone I can love and trust, you think a teenage boy can be worse than I?"

Erika bit her lip, muffling her moan. "No, now shut up and make love to me, we don't have that much time after all," she replied breathily.

"Yes ma'am," Marcus said cheekily, then pressed her against the wall. "I swear," he panted, kissing her before continuing, "I don't think I will ever be able to say no to you."

"You never tell a woman that."

***

Michael watched as Selene unbuttoned his shirt, a smile forming. "Wow, I didn't know telling me you loved me would make you this open with your affections," he quipped playfully. He shrugged when she glared up at him. "You expect me to be silent all the time?"

Selene kissed him passionately, her fingers undoing the last button and she pushed his shirt off. "No," she replied when they broke apart. "I don't. But could you wait and throw one-liners around after tonight?" she questioned rhetorically before putting his hands on the back of her corset.

Michael quickly untied the laces of the tight clothing, then laid it on a table near them. He felt Selene's nails rake against his skin, and he growled softly. He grabbed Selene's waist, pulling her tight against him. His fingers traveled up her back, then over her shoulders, up to her neck, to the zipper of the latex covering her body.

Selene leaned back her head, sighing as Michael began unzipping her outfit. She grazed his nape with her fangs, then moved to kiss him again.

"You think there's something in the air here?" Michael asked her after the kiss. "Or just the fact that tonight is very, very important and possibly extremely dangerous?"

"Latter," she replied, matter-of-factly.

***

Sonja led Lucian into what used to be his room, sliding the door closed once they were inside. She felt Lucian wrap his arms around her waist, and she sighed. "I have missed this so much," she told him. Turning around in his embrace, she jumped up a bit, wrapping her legs around him.

Lucian smiled and held her against him, carrying her over to the table. "As have I, my love," he whispered, kissing her neck. "As have I." He set her down on the table, his hands gripping her hips and he felt himself start to lose control. The scent of her, so uniquely her, now mixed with the scent of hybrid, made him crazy, he was finally making love to her again, this time as the same race of being as she was.

Sonja quickly pulled his coat off, throwing it across the room, then quickly lifted up his shirt. She noticed his eyes had turned black, but he had stalled the change. Leaning over to kiss his neck, she trailed her mouth up to his ear, smiling as his growled again, his fingers digging deeper as his grip tightened.

"Go on, let go," she told him, and almost immediately he let the change complete. Sonja felt his claws digging into her skin, yet not breaking it, his fangs grazing her shoulder though he did not bite. "You can, you know," she whispered, and he looked up, his dark, not quite bestial face questioning and unsure. She nodded, and he leaned down to bite her.

Lucian groaned as he drank in her blood, the tangy liquid gliding down his throat. He held her tightly, hungrily sucking her blood, the warmth it brought him intoxicating. After several moments, he finally tore his mouth away from her neck, leaving them both panting.

"Taste good?" she asked him, smiling softly.

"Yes," he replied, his voice deeper and more gravelly, yet still recognizable as his. "Very good." He reached up and let the back of his long, coarse fingers stroke her cheek. "Why don't you change?" he asked her, his black eyes staring into her emerald pair.

She stared at him a moment, then nodded and let herself change as well. Lucian watched in fascination and lust as she changed, her skin darkening and her form changing slightly as though entering the first stages of taking lycan form. Seconds later the change was complete, and Lucian stared at his mate.

"I have wanted this for so long," he whispered, and kissed her fiercely. She returned the vigor, wrapping her arms around him. Moaning and growling, they held each tightly, they claws ripping off the rest of their clothes.

"How much time do we have?" Sonja breathed when they parted briefly. Her mouth moved to his jugular, and he shuddered as she bit into his own neck.

"Enough," he managed to moan while she drank from him. Growling, he pinned her on the table, his hands roaming over her while he let her drink from him longer, the sensations arousing him more. "Never mind, not enough, never enough."

***

Adam turned the page of the journal, blissfully unaware of the couples running off for what probably wasn't their last night together.

"So, do you have a significant other?" a female voice asked, and Adam finally looked up from the fascinating book. He saw the Death Dealer Alexis standing next to him. Nervously, he pushed his glasses back up and motioned for her to sit in one the now empty chairs around him.

"Um, no, actually. I'm a doctor with crazy shifts and no hobbies outside the medical profession. That's not really the best qualities, nor is it anyone really looks for in their date, or possible date," he explained. "Besides, I haven't really been looking for a girlfriend, like my job, or, my old job anyway," he added, remembering he couldn't work anymore. At least, not there anyway.

"Oh," she replied as she sat down beside him. "But now that you don't have a job, what will you do?" she asked him.

Adam shrugged. "Become the lycan or hybrid or vampire or all three's local doctor, though I doubt they'll need my services for anything other than birth. Wait, do they give birth?"

Alexis smiled. "Yes, females of both species give birth, which probably means hybrid females would give birth as well. So you would be needed every so often at least," she told him. "It isn't so bad, once you get used to it, besides, you can still go in the sunlight at least," she consoled.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Adam stared at her for a moment, taking in her almost exotic features. "So what's your story? Were you born or turned?"

Alexis appeared startled for a moment, then smiled tightly. "I was born, but my parents were Death Dealers themselves, and they died in the war shortly after my birth. I was raised by Kahn, actually. Not much else to tell, only I've been a Dealer my whole life practically."

"And you don't mind being around all these lycans? You act fine with them," Adam said, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't go into that area."

"No, it's all right," she assured him. "I'm fine, because I killed the lycan that took my parents. And because now I realize that all this time, we've been fighting for a lie, persecuting these people for a crime they never committed." She met his eyes. "For what I have lost, they have lost so much more. And my parents lives, they were in vain if this does not end justly."

"Yeah, yeah I guess so," he replied quietly. Tentatively, he reached over and let his hand hold the back of her neck, pulling her closer. He moved slowly, giving her plenty of time to get away, but she stayed still, letting him pull her to him. Slowly, he kissed her, shyly and nervously, but she returned it, and he got braver. His other hand moved to cup her face, and he pulled her even closer, almost out of her chair. A moment later, they broke part, breath rapidly.

"Wow, that was," Adam began as he stared at Alexis. "That was wow."

Alexis laughed lightly. "I agree."