Jiaz: *sigh* Where have you been all these while? Jasper is a vampire, not a witch. Vampires aint have any bolt-of-energies to shoot, except Nathaniel. But he relies on dark magic. My fighting scenes suck, so…

Amber: Well, here's the next chapter… hope you will like it. I know it had been donkey years since I last updated.

Yepz, guys, I don't know what am I doing early in the morning of my 18th birthday typing away on chapter 28… hehe… Here's a special thanks to Jac. Without your enthusiasm, this chapter may never have made it coz I am like… heh…. Burdened by *ticks list off fingers* drama prac, musicfest, common tests, tutorials, assignments, drama prac, musicfest… yeah you know the drill…

Anyhow, here's the next chapter. I'm wrapping up in 2/3 more chapters. Treasure them! Hehe!

But this aint… a happy chapter… =`(

         Nathaniel made his way up the stairs, not caring if he stepped on the bodies of the dead Daybreakers. His army had moved swiftly and successfully. Victory was soon his, once he got the Source.

         Now, now, he mused, where would the stupid girl be except at the bedside of her dying soulmate? He chuckled to himself and took a deep breath of the air that smelt heavily of blood.

         He had obtained Kyle's ward number off the computer at the counter easily. So sure had he been of his own guess on where Jade might be that he could hardly mask his disappointment when he walked into the ward. The Daybreaker was alone lying on the bed, his eyes shut as though asleep.

         "Where is the vermin?"

         His question drew no response from the vampire, and it made his cheeks burn in humiliation. He crossed over to Kyle's side and jerked him up by his collars. "I asked you a question and I expect an answer!"

         The eyes opened to reveal two black pupils. They stared back defiantly at Nathaniel and without any words spoken, the Daybreaker enraged him.

         "Bastard." Nathaniel swore. He drew a fist and brought it down hard on Kyle's left cheek, snapping his head to the right. Kyle erupted in a fit of cough, feeling disorientated and utterly at the mercy of the Blood Iris's leader.

         Nathaniel's eyes blazed down, "Let me ask you one last time. Where. Is. The. Vermin?"

         A slow smile tugged the sides of Kyle's lips. He whispered hoarsely, and Nathaniel leant closer to try and catch what he said.

         "Go. To. Hell."

         Nathaniel's features contorted in anger, his lips drawn back to reveal the sharp canines. His right hand flew to the buckle at his sides and drew out a stake. Sharpened to the tip.

         "Enough of your smart comments," Nathaniel growled, "I'm sick and tired of them all." He pushed his face right in front of Kyle's, hot breath down on the Daybreaker as he snarled, "And I'm sending you to hell now."

         His body pressed against Kyle's, he drove the stake right through his chest. Kyle's body convulsed wildly in pain, the wood burning in his heart.

* * * * * *

         Jasper glanced over his shoulders at his sister. Jade had totally given up trying to run, deciding to give in to the urge to walk the rest of the distance.

         "Come on, Jade, we won't be twice lucky if this time Nathaniel himself sneak up on us." Jasper hooked his arm to Jade's and tried to get her to quicken her steps.

         Jasper? Where are you guys? Russell's voice was terse as he broadcasted his thought-speak to the Finsters.

         In some corridor leading to the saferoom. Jasper replied since Jade could not thought-speak to others except to her soulmate.

         Where's Kyle? Russell queried curtly. Jasper looked surprised at Russell's impatience. In the ward.

         You left him there, alone?! The Finsters winced as Russell's voice blared in their minds. Don't you know he can't fend for himself now?

         A sharp, shrill scream made Jasper almost jump out of his skin. "What the…" Then he saw his sister had stopped walking a few steps behind, but sank down to the ground, clutching her left chest in agony. He ran to her side and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "What happened, Jade? What happened?" In his mind, Russell was asking the same question to him as he sensed Jasper's sudden worry.

         Whatever it was, Jade slowly recovered from the immense pain. "Kyle." She said, a haunting look in her big green eyes.

         Jasper's mouth formed an 'O' shape, then he understood immediately. It's Kyle. He told Russell. When he got no reply, he knew that Russelll had started towards Kyle's ward already.

         "Hey! Jade! Hey, wait for me!" He called out to his sister, who was already turning back the way they had came.

* * * * * *

         Kyle felt like his whole body was on fire. He fought for consciousness, but all was a blur in front of him. He felt the weight on his body eased as Nathaniel moved off him. He gripped the bed sheets hard blindly, biting back a scream.

         He tried to control his breathing, to levitate his mind off the pain, but his limbs were already starting to feel numb. He felt the warmth spreading on his chest and lifted his hand to touch the warm patch on his shirt. His hand came off wet and sticky, stained red with blood.

         The gun, Kyle, the gun! Skye's urgent voice spoke up. He felt a small burst of energy and knew that Skye was channeling some of his own energy to him. Kyle groped around for the gun and his fingers connected with it.

         Summoning up the last of his strength, he tried to focus the gun at the departing figure. For you, Jade.

* * * * * *

         Hot tears rolling down her cheeks, Jade ran blindly through the halls of the Daybreak Hospital. She did not want to think, did not want to scare herself. A sob escaped her throat and she pushed her legs to run faster.

         So blindly she had plowed into the ward that she almost tripped over a body at the entrance of Kyle's ward. She struggled to regain her balance, and then she heard the soft cries in the ward. Her eyes darted around feverishly, then she saw them.

         Her mind did not comprehend what was happening – or rather, it did not want to comprehend what was happening. She felt the reins, any control left over he sanity, broke loose as she threw herself down beside her soulmate. Russell lifted his head, his blue eyes red and tears streaking his face.

Jade cradled Kyle's head and sobbed, nothing coherent could come out of her mouth. "Kyle… Kyle… don't do this to me… no… not to me…" So much blood, so much blood, her hands were stained dark red and she tried to rouse her soulmate. Why wouldn't he respond? "Skye!" she screamed for the elder. Skye orbed in the ward, taking everything in a glance. Jade noticed that he had no other emotions on his face, other than a regretful one. He knew. The elder moved forward and took a look at Kyle's wound. He was bleeding in several places himself, but had not bothered to heal them yet.

         "A stake through." He muttered and closed his eyes. Dermot appeared beside Skye and Jade wondered why he was not, instead, engaged in the battle.

         Dermot sensed the question from the human girl, whose features were knitted with grief and worry. "It was rather abrupt. It was as if their switches went off and they simply turned and left. It was so sudden that the Daybreakers could only stood and watched as the Blood Iris's men left the building the way they had came in." All of them, except Skye, turned to look at the body at the door of Kyle's ward. In her grief, Jade had not noticed that the body she had nearly tripped over belong to Nathaniel.

         "How?" Jasper asked, confusion evident on his face. "The men of Blood Iris functioned selfishly. After Nathaniel died, they felt no sense in fighting. They were merely acting on the orders of him. Where's Mervyn?"  Dermot asked. Skye was simply not participating in the conversation, his eyes shut tight and a tranquil look took over his features.

         "We met him on our way to the saferoom. Strangely, he did not want Jade. Even told us not to tell Nathaniel that we saw him. What is he doing?" Jasper asked, indicating to Skye.

         Jade felt Kyle's body gave a shudder, and then his eyes fluttered open. His chest rose and fell slowly as he took each breath with difficulty.

         "Kyle… How… Is it bad?" Jade asked softly, her voice shaking dangerously.

         Kyle's eyes were glassy, and all present knew that he was not seeing anything as his hand searched for Jade's. Jade grasped it tightly and held it to her face, choking back her cries.

         "Jade…" There was no sound coming out of his mouth, but they knew that he was saying her name.

         "Don't leave me… please!" Jade cried, her desperate pleas breaking everyone's heart. Jasper turned away and swiped his eyes, he could hardly stand being in the ward. Something in him wanted to get away, to run away from all these grief and morbid sadness. He stole a glance at Russell, but the blond vampire did not look like he was in any state to talk. His shoulders trembled as he looked on helplessly at his best friend.

         Perhaps, he too, had accepted the doomed fate of Kyle. But it did not make him feel any better. Rising, Russell took a deep breath and tried to gain control over his voice.

         "Is there anything we can do… for you?"

         Kyle smiled, or at least he tried to. "Russ…" he called out hoarsely. Frowning with concentration, he tried to summon up some strength. "Take… take care of… Jade."

         Russell nodded and walked to Dermot. "I… I can't…" he choked and ran out of the ward. Dermot understood. Russell could not stay to watch Kyle die. He knew that if Skye was not transferring his own energy to Kyle, the latter would not have held out this long. The witch had grown paler, his brows knitted in concentration as his energy got drained faster by the dying vampire.

         "Skye." Kyle knew that the elder heard him. "Don't. I want… to go now…" Drawing a ragged breath, his heart felt relatively calm. Perhaps this is how death feels like. A calm ending. He tried to turn to Jade, but he felt no control over his body.

         It was soft, but he heard it. She heard it in her heart, and she knew it all along.

         Love you. With that, Kyle's black eyes glazed over and his body went limp.

         "He's gone."

* * * * * *

*takes leave silently*

Yeah, there will be a next episode. Okay, tell me how it went alright? Me being an unfeeling creature don't know if this is enough to draw tears. (my tears went dry long ago.).So do tell me alright? Thanks.

*gosh, I sound so… sad myself.*