Chapter 21: Szent Janos Korhaz

Riea gasped and muttered, "Shit." She steadily made her way towards the forming crowd. It wasn't everyday some random person was thrown out of a car already unconscious in Budapest.

No, that's every other day. She tried to think but all thoughts came to her humorlessly.

She weaved her way through unnoticeably and kneeled down next to the girl. Instinctively, she pulled the collar of the girl's shirt aside, and peeked. What in the hell? There was definitely an unusual bite. Most likely from an immortal, but the round bite marks were small. Unlike the huge, messy, red lycan bites, and the wide, clean bites of a vampyre, it was small and round, but messy. The very odd thing was that it was not light or dark red. The blood, in fact, oozed a black, purple color, and the bite definitely wasn't recent; she could tell because of by the tiny traces of crusted, dried blood around the edges.

All focus was on this girl until Riea's attention was drawn elsewhere. A strong man in a navy blue suit pulled her away. He and three other likely-dressed males broke up the crowd and began testing the girl for vital signs.

"She's still breathing. She's alive," one called out to the rest. Riea couldn't hear anything after that because of the Hungarian police, backing everyone away from the obscene scene.

Another man checked her pockets of her jacket and whispered, this time loud enough for Riea to hear, "Her name's Elyse Corvin. She's an American."

Riea's eyes shot wide open in horror. She took a small whiff to make sure, before she was pushed out of reach. Hybrid? It didn't make any sense, but she could only trust one person at this time. At this thought, she ran like hell.

"So where is this so called secret hideout?" Riea asked curiously.

Charli looked at her with a secretive smile. She still limped, and her cuts were bleeding, but the ooze had been reduced tremendously. "You remember that oriental restaurant we tried?"

"Yeah, vaguely."

"Well it's about a street down from there."

"Oh, where all those really nice Victorian houses are?"

"Exactly! That same street with the so-called lycan street name."

She'd have to go to the lycan den. Fun times, ain't it? she thought with humor. That was all she had at this point. Humor. Great!

"Now which street was it?" she asked herself as she ran past the oriental restaurant and the convenience store. She translated the words into English as she read them.

"Joshua, no. Green crescent, no. Moonlight!" She remembered the time Charli spoke of the street and how it was an actual lycan who named the street. Riea turned on the street and it then hit her like a bomb. She could smell the lycans from here.

"Well Riea, it's nice to know you have a death wish when you go into places like this." She rolled her eyes. She was turning into Charli.

She lost the feeling in her legs somewhere between the porch steps and ringing the doorbell. She thought it was odd that the lycans had a doorbell. It was very easy for someone to break into a house like this. Why were there no guards to tell that a vampyre was here?

A large man with way too much muscle answered the door. That's why, she thought. Vampyres depended on guns, but with the kind of paychecks that they got, it was easy. The lycans however were slaves for the better part of their existence. They had always depended on their brute wolf-like strength.

The moment he had answered the door, three lycans came to his side. They all were different sizes, but all with a deathly glare. She whispered, "Parlé?"

In a flash, she was sent whirling through the air. Her head banged against the wall and she fell to the floor. A young man with natural dark red hair that shimmered orange in the light ran to Riea. He had a lean body, but he was definitely strong. He pinned her against the wall, his hand against her throat.

"I hope this isn't the welcome committee." It was stupid to make friendly with these lycans, but it was all she had.

"Only for you." The male grinned.

"Much appreciated, but not needed." Riea attempted to move, but it didn't work. The lycan had her pinned, and made no effort to make the situation/position comfortable. She winced as he pressed against her, harder now.

"What brings you to the dirty side of town, vampyre?" He spat out her breed like it was a disease.

"I need to see Michael." She forced herself not to sound desperate.

"Michael?" He spoke the name as if it was alien, but he seemed to tighten her grip with intense curiosity.

"It's urgent." She didn't really want to give specifics, merely because she didn't know exactly how things went on around here. She wanted to speak with Michael, just to be safe.

"Who are you?" The immortal asked, ignoring her pressing matter.

"Who are you?" Riea's eyes narrowed and she tried hard not to be cocky.

"Calvin, and that's all you need to know. Now I repeat myself. Who are you?" Calvin looked deep into her eyes as if he would find the answer there.

"Sabriella, but I've been called Riea since I can remember."

"What's up with you people and nicknames?" Calvin rolled his eyes, but didn't relent on the death grip. Riea thought she saw a flicker of amusement, but it didn't last more than a second.

"Can I just please speak with Michael?" Riea asked, still stubborn about being desperate.

"Let me hear you scream, and maybe I'll just see if I can reach him." He no longer hid the identity of his leader.

"Beg for it." Riea was not a person to be pushed far, and now her fear and anxiety was turned to a sort of anger.

"Enough! What is this about?" A young man walked into the room, and instantly Riea knew it was Michael. She was partly relieved to see him, but she also dreaded telling him the news.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" he demanded. He didn't seem to be in the best mood, which slightly disturbed Riea. He gave the slightest twitch with his fingers and the lycan let down no down off his death grip.

The young man put her down and she brushed herself off. She looked down. "Riea." She paused. "Sir."

"Sir?" Calvin looked from his leader to Riea in slight bewilderment.

Michael ignored this. "Riea?" he repeated the name and thought for a moment.

"Michael, there's no time to waste. They have another hybrid." Riea didn't want to say too much in the presence of the others, but she needed Michael's attention. And that certainly got his attention. In only a few steps, he was within inches of her face. She took a quick breath and held it.

Before Michael to force her to say anything else, the lycans attention was drawn to another subject, not her. Another vampyre. Selene, clad in her Death Dealer leather, walked towards Michael and Riea. It took Riea a bit of time to recognize who she was. She remembered the gatherings, and parties she had attended in Budapest. Selene was rarely seen at the parties, and was never seen in a dress, but Riea could recognize those calm, determined clicks of her boots anywhere. As Selene came closer, Riea could sense her hesitance.

A few of the lycans disregarded the newcomer, but for the majority, which appeared to be more than two dozen, they turned their heads, and from the disgusted looks and appalled feelings, Riea could tell it wasn't a welcome, but she couldn't really hold that against them because she knew all to well a vampyres welcome to a lycan would be much worse than this. Selene stepped next to Michael. She gave only a hint of surprise as she realized what stood in the middle of the room.

"Who are you?" Selene asked wonderingly, but her tone was soft and demanding with a strong British accent just as many of the vampyres had.

"Riea. I'm Griffin's daughter." Riea did not act as though Selene was superior. Although Selene was a Death Dealer and thought very highly of among the coven, she was no longer a part of it. But Riea did something that took Selene in complete and utter surprise. She put her hand out, which made Selene look at it as if it were a mythical creature rather than an immortal. Selene looked back at Riea warily and shook the hand with a questioning look. "It's an honor to meet you, and it's about time too, after all the stories I've heard."

"Why?"

"You killed Viktor," Riea said simply. She spoke with as much distaste as she could muster. She knew that Selene had viewed herself has his daughter, as did Viktor. The livid faces of the lycans changed somewhat, as if they were reminded why most of them are still alive.

"And you are a legend among my bedtime stories." Riea grinned.

"Griffin's daughter, huh?" Selene asked, again with much amusement.

Michael seemed to calm down a bit about the intruder. "What's this about the hybrid?" Selene looked up at Michael. Riea seemed to remember why she was there, and her anxious emotions all came rushing back. "Her name. It's something you don't hear everyday. Elisa, I think?"

Michael looked at her oddly, and then his eyes went wide. "Elyse?"

"Yes!" Riea cried. Everyone looked at them as if they had gone daft. "They're taking her to the ER! She's been bitten!"

"What?!" he asked incredulously. "Are you sure she's hybrid?"

"I don't recognize the bite," Riea answered, as if this was her explanation. Michael was quick to move out. He ran to the chair and grabbed his leather coat.

"What is this all about, Michael?" A new man entered with the same sort of wild red hair as Calvin

"Timothy, I have to run." Michael gave a split second thought. "It's my sister." Michael knew that the lycans would approve if it was for family.


Charli sighed heavily. She lay on her stomach, the silky green grass underneath her, her head cradled in her crossed arms. At her sigh, Gavin pulled her closer to him, his hand around her waist. He stroked her skin and kissed her shoulder blades. She turned, and his hand trailed to her stomach and he stroked her again. She jerked and began to laugh.

"Stop, that tickles."

"It does, does it?" Gavin asked, amused, and kept stroking. Charli jerked again and turned to him.

"It does." She acted as if it really did bother her, but Gavin was smarter than that.

"Mmhmp," Gavin grumbled, defeated, and rose to place a kiss on her lips. Gavin pulled away. "I think we should get back. It's going to be daylight soon." He spoke lazily.

"I guess." Charli sighed, but made no attempt to move.

Gavin laughed and lay back down next to her. Charli put her head on his shoulder, and he automatically played with the strands of her long hair.

"Hey Charli?"

"Hm?" she asked, eyes closed.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Her eyes opened slowly as she asked, although she already knew the answer.

"For leading you to believe that I was with someone else."

"Well, it wasn't as if I hadn't thought it could happen. Two centuries is a long time, even by immortal standards."

"Or when you're in love?" he suggested.

"Or when you're in love," she agreed.

"You know I love you?" he asked stupidly.

"If you didn't, I wouldn't be feeling this happy over sex," she responded sarcastically.

Gavin propped himself on his elbow. "And what gives you that much experience? You've only done it twice, and I don't call that experience." He laughed.

"Well, you know"

Gavin went quiet. She had told him a few nights ago that she had been raped years ago in New York. "Yeah you did tell me."

"Well it wasn't like†but" She paused nervously. "It was considered rape."

"I know. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Gavin partially hoped she wouldn't explain.

"You know if Marcus goes along with this plan that Riea's been talking to me about, I may have to go back to the States."

"Why? What's Marcus's plan?" Gavin shot up in surprise.

"He's been contacting every coven he knows of and every vampyre who has ever run away from a coven." Charli turned away, sadly.

"What is wrong with him?" Gavin asked incredulous while he dressed. "I think he's gone completely mental."

"Oh, he's far past mental," Charli said, and began dressing herself as well, "And I thought I was the only immortal to do that." She rolled her eyes.

Gavin smiled, and stepped up to Charli. "You dropped something." He took off her pendant and leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers as he snapped the pendant back around her neck. Charli drew away and she held the precious jewel. She smiled and looked into his eyes.

"I have something for you too," she responded.

"Really." Gavin raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but it's back at the den," she replied and gave a look of slight sorrow. "I never really knew what it was. I just knew I couldn't let it go."

Gavin smiled flashing brilliant white teeth.


"Yeah, Michael, I'll be here," Timothy assured his friend.

Michael looked at Riea to guide him. She gave a short nod and took a peek over at Selene. She had not said anything, but Riea saw her check for weapons. Selene knew not to say anything. This situation she was used to, and Riea thought silently that she may have wanted something like this to happen.

Michael headed toward the door when Riea cut him off. "We're going to need help."

"What?" Michael swerved around and stared blankly.

"A team of lycans." Riea said each word slowly.

"Why?"

"This is a bleeding hospital Michael. I don't think they'll let us take a patient away from them." Riea said exasperated.

Michael quirked an eyebrow up. "Which hospital did they take her to?"

"St. John's. Why?"

Then it dawned on Riea

A/N: God this is going SOOOOO slow and I want to get to something new something better.

Ah well

Adalon: Thanks, xenocharm told me all about it urg if she could only get through the first like 3 or 4 chapters sorry I'm going so slow.. You know how school is, and it's going to be slower now that you can't edit right away! Arg!

Khayla: Don't you get enough Gavin??? Uh stupid question well he'll be in here soon enough.

Damn now I'm pissed I just thought of a grand idea but it's going to take like 5 more freaking chapters or more URG!

I hate myself... but I love myself to much to end my life so do not fret people fret I love that word fret! Fret! FRET! Ok lets chill

Moosey