New York



Khan slid his icy fingers across the barrel of his newly designed shotgun. He had to admit that he was overly impressed with the job he had done. He raised the weapon in the air and aimed it at a priceless statue, which was in shooting distance. He loaded the barrels with two silver nitrate shells and was about to shoot until Selene tore the weapon out of his grasp.

"What are you doing?" She demanded, staring him straight in the eye.

"Well, I was about to destroy one of Kraven's old pieces of work, but, apparently, you want to keep it as a memoir." He answered with a tone of annoyance in his voice.

Selene rolled her eyes as she began to unload his weapon. "I meant, what are you doing wasting these bullets?" She held the silver nitrate slug, expecting an explanation.

Khan looked at her as he took the shotgun back from her reach and laid it down on a table that was covered with silver nitrate shells. "We don't need 'em anymore, besides, we've got plenty more if you want to save 'em."

"We *do* need them, Khan, what if a renegade Lycan were to return here, looking for some sort of retribution?" She asked as a smirk crossed Khan's features.

"I doubt if that happens," He answered. "'Sides, what's got you all worked up about this anyway?"

Selene took in a breath of air as she looked away. "I don't know," She said as she began to walk over to the table. "I just have this feeling since Marcus never returned from his sleep . . . the Lycans could attack us when we are not ready."

"Hey," Khan reached out to touch her shoulder. "We're always ready, they aren't going to do anything . . . and if they ever attempt to, we'll shoot 'em down like dogs."

Selene forced a smile, but, nothing happened. "Okay," was all she said before she began to walk away.

"Selene," Khan called, causing her to turn around. "We'll be all right."

She turned once more and left the room, her mind pulsing.



Erika ran her bony fingers through her blonde locks as she applied her dark lipstick smoothly over her thin, frosty lips. The moonlight peered into her room from her balcony window as she implemented her gothic makeup. The vampire paused and began to smile as she turned around to view a silhouette at the doorway.

"She's not here," She said as she turned around, her back to the shadow. "I mean, she was . . . but, she left to go find her leads on where Kraven is." She put the lid back on the lipstick and stood up, her black dress flowing around her. "I don't blame her, I mean, I would *also* like to know where that boy is . . . "

"Do you know when she'll return?" The husky voice asked.

Erika pursed her lips as she forced an intriguing smile. "Why don't you come in from the dark?" She asked, moving forward. "I mean, your eyes . . . their glint looks very attractive in the light . . . " She reached for him, but, he caught her hand and gripped it tightly.

"Just let me know when Selene returns," He ordered darkly.

He threw her hand back toward her and turned to leave.

"Michael," Erika called.

The man turned around to face the vampire with a grim expression.

"She should be at the interrogation facility: it's at–"

"I know where it is." He turned around and left the vampire girl alone in the dimmed room.

She watched after him with a disconsolate look across her pale features.



The blue bar on the computer screen loaded slowly as Selene's mood started to grow very impatient. Her damp black hair fell to her face, as her eyes started to become heavy with drowsiness. As the screen loaded, she rested her head in her hands, tiredness overwhelming her.

Her mind began to race over her previous thoughts and her conversation with Khan. She was always a little worried about the Lycans regaining their strength and pursuing the vampires once more. She suddenly felt a hand on the back of her shoulder and her eyes jolted open. She quickly got up from her seat and turned, reaching for her gun. It was too late: the person grabbed her hand and slammed it against the table.

"Selene," The shadow called. His voice was filled with familiarity as the alarm quickly left her body.

"Michael," She breathed a sigh of relief as she removed her hand from his grasp. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

The man stepped into the light, beads of the city rain running down his smooth cheek. His blue eyes viewed the vampire woman as he took in a needed breath. "Trying to find you," He answered. "Erika told me where you were."

Selene nodded as she turned her head to the computer screen, the search engine still uncompleted.

"She also said you were searching for Kraven..." He finished darkly.

Selene turned to face him, looking into his gleaming yellow-blue eyes. "Yes," She said. "I am."

"Why the hell do you need to find him?" He demanded. "Shouldn't you be happy that he's gone after his betrayal?"

"Because," She said simply as she turned to look at the computer once more.

"Because why?!" He nearly yelled.

"Because I need him back!" She returned, becoming annoyed. "I need to know what else he knows...what else he knew about the war, my family..."

Michael turned away, walking over to the window. "What if he's dead?"

Selene glanced over at the man and then back to the screen. "He's not...he's hiding somewhere."

"In the city?" He asked, looking back over at her.

"No, we've searched...he's somewhere else, probably not nearby." She answered as the search completed on the computer. Her hand reached for the mouse as she moved it over a news link, which read: Sunnydale, CA: Campus Girl Found Dead. She then moved it down to the summary: Girl found dead on campus grounds. Officials say, severe loss of blood, caused by two unidentified punctures to the neck.

Her stomach began to knot as she clicked on the link and read the full story. Her lips pursed as she read the article. "It's him,"

Michael looked over at her and walked over, viewing the screen with her. "How do you know?"

Selene moved the mouse down over a black and white image: a crescent moon necklace.

"That's Lucian's necklace," Michael informed, taken by surprise. "Kraven must have taken it before he left..."

Selene stood up as she grabbed her coat from the chair. "He's in California..."

Michael looked at her as she was getting ready to leave. "How did he get there...it's on the other side of the country?"

"He could have done many things...most likely a transportation spell by the local enchantresses...trains...anything that moves." She answered.

"How are *you* going to get there?" He asked, watching her pause.

"I don't know..." She replied before looking at him. "I'll find a way,"