Chapter Sixteen: Let the Rain Fall

He burst through Kraven's bedroom doors, bringing in a stream of lamp light. Kraven sat up with a jolt and covered his glowing blue eyes.

"What is the meaning of this?" He roared.

The figure pulled a chair next to Kraven's bed, brining his face into the shadows. "We have to talk." A low growl escaped as he smiled and bared his fangs.

Kraven gulped. "Good morning Flar."

Michael stuck his hands in his pockets as he rounded the corner that would place him in the tunnel to lead him home. Well, to his rooms anyway. The deserted tunnels of the Budapest underground were not exactly what he'd call a home, but it would do for now. He had been fortunate enough. Because of his almost instant status he was afforded the great luxury of having two rooms. Connecting through a single door, it had worked quite well for the façade he and Selene had wished to put on. To bad it's all a lie. He thought sadly. I certainly wouldn't mind making it a reality.

He let out a heavy sigh and ran his hand through his damp hair before entering the front room, her room. He opened the door slowly, knowing that Selene and Lily would be sleeping. He stepped inside and glanced around. He saw Lily, sleeping peacefully on the bed, but Selene was not to be found. Not unlike her. He sighed heavily and made his way to his room. He kept his head down as he entered, not even looking up as he pulled the chain of the soft lamp beside him. He then noticed the slender shadow of darkness that played upon the floor. Following it up he saw Selene leaning against the wall, arms crossed, eyes intently focused on nothing. She hadn't even heard him come in.

"Selene?" He said softly and took two steps forward.

She jumped and turned to look at him, the light casting strange shapes upon her pale face.

Walking to stand beside her he looked concerned. "Selene, are you alright? Is Lily?"

Selene stared at his eyes for a moment before answering. "She's not going Michael."

"What?"

"You heard me." She removed her crossed arms and placed them firmly at her sides. "We should never have brought her into this. This is not what I gave her that necklace for."

Michael was stunned. He'd never seen her care about anything so much as she did now. He was almost jealous that this girl should be able to pry Selene's emotions so freely from her, but he knew Selene better than that. One glance at her fiery brown eyes and he knew.

"What happened to your nieces won't happen to her. It's different this time Selene, I promise you."

She stared speechless at him. How could he say that to her? How could he promise what he knew nothing about? "Don't ever bring them into this again." Her voice was completely flat, calculating and serious.

Michael retracted a step at her chilling tone. He'd obviously said the wrong thing, but knowing Selene as he did, he knew that the one emotion he could always provoke from her was anger. If nothing else, he could make her mad, and to him any response was better than none at all. "Ok." He held up his hands. "I apologize." He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "Are you going to tell Lily?"

Selene looked at him.

He shrugged. "It just kind of occurred to me that she might be upset about doing all of this for nothing. Not to mention that you'll be denying her the chance to set right the circumstances that got her brother killed."

"I won't send an innocent to her death." Her voice wavered.

Michael stared her directly in the eye. "Well I have more faith in her than that Selene. I actually think she'll make it."

Selene bit her tongue. With sunken eyes she looked at Michael. He had seen right through her. On more than one account. She acknowledged. How? How could he crumble her façade so completely? He was the mystery. No one had been as open with their feelings as Michael was. He bore it for all to see, proud of his decisions to feel. She seemed empty next to the man before her.

"Michael." His name dropped from her mouth in a whisper. "Why are you still here?" She asked quietly while two tears dropped from her eyes.

Michael's eyes had gone wide at her sudden change in demeanor. His heart ached at seeing her beautiful dark eyes moist. His mind slowly began to get foggy as he watched himself in the reflection of her eyes. He saw her, and all the demons she had fought, that she still fought, for him. "Because I love you." He spoke it confidently and truly.

The words hit Selene slowly. For the first time in her immortal life she didn't close herself to them. She let the words wash over her and fill her. Inching forward she reached up with both hands and brought Michael's lips to hers.

The kiss was tender, exploding with more emotion than Michael had ever felt. He could feel her need in the way she gripped him, taste her desperation as she attempted to drown herself in him. He clung to her fiercely, accepting without thought the responsibility of holding her for the rest of his life.

She pulled away and looked at him with her enigmatic brown eyes. "You know why I bit you?"

His breath caught in his chest and he held it there.

"I saw an immortal life without you, and it frightened me." She looked at him and made no attempt to hide the pain in her eyes. "It was the first time I'd felt anything since they died."

Michael's chest burst. He leaned down and kissed her gently. Her body shook and he could sense her hesitation. He ran his hands softly down her arms and around her waist while he lowered his mouth to her neck.

A breath escaped as she involuntarily tilted her head back to expose more flesh to him. Her hands shyly ran over his back.

Michael felt her body tense beneath him. He halted his exploration and brought his lips back to hers. He drew a long sigh as he slowly brought his lips back. "Do you trust me?" He whispered against her ear.

She remembered asking him the same question in the car just before she rolled it. He had answered immediately, unabashedly confident in her. She returned his answer in the same manner. "Yes."

"Then let me love you." His eyes shined as he smiled and brushed the hair from her eyes. "For my immortal life, let me love you."

Cupping his face she kissed him, and set herself free.

Kraven sat up and relit the cigar sitting next to his bed. Once he had puffed on it for a moment, he blew the smoke out in front of him and faced his lycan foe. "So what seems to be the trouble my mangy friend?"

Flar roared, grabbing Kraven by the throat and smashing him into his head board. "I've had enough of your games." He growled inches from the vampires face. "We had a deal Kraven. I gave you your information, but that bitch is still running freely in my pack!" With every word his voice grew louder and louder.

Kraven's mouth contorted in anger as he brought his knees up into the lycan's chest. Flar released his grip and pulled back, the air slightly knocked out of him.

Kraven rose from his bed and stared menacingly at his informant. "Now pay close attention because I'm only going to tell you this once. Touch me again and I'll have your head mount my dinner table. Is that clear? Do not threaten me in my own domain again."

Flar's yellow eyes flashed red and he clenched his fists at his sides. "I've always known you were a spineless coward. I want her gone Kraven. Find a way to make it happen."

Kraven snickered. "You pathetical excuse for an immortal. If you had half a brain you'd realize that as soon as Ordoghaz is taken, Selene and Michael will leave on their own terms. Selene will want nothing to do with the lycan's or vampires, and her precious Michael will follow her like the puppet he is. You need only bide your time."

"That wasn't what I wanted Kraven and you know it!"

"Then you should have been more specific." He smiled wickedly and moved to get back into his bed.

Flar growled. "Kraven you gave me your word!"

Kraven turned at lightening speed and was inches from the lycan in seconds. "Look, I'm not interested in your little plot to advance in the lycan ranks. That's my game, and it served me better to let Selene and Michael do my dirty work for me. You'll get what I promised you, but not the way you expected. Now get out of my sight. Our association is done."

Flar's entire body quivered with anger. He dismissed me as nothing! He raged inside his mind. His eye twitched as he let himself out. He turned and looked at the door.

"If you won't help me Kraven, I know someone who will. And I'll bring you down with the rest of them." He vowed to the empty halls of the building, then stormed off to his next destination.

Lily kept pace with Tyran as they jogged through the outer farmlands of Budapest. She remembered when she first began how out of breath she'd been, and how far behind she always was. She smiled as she looked over at Tyran. He was perspiring quite a bit more than usual, and his breath seemed slightly quick. "Feeling alright Tyran?" Lily grinned smugly.

"Just fine." He panted out in between breaths.

She kept staring at him as they jogged.

Finally giving in he slowed down. "Oh fine! You win." He took a deep breath.

Lily bent over and laughed.

Tyran glared at her. "All right smart one." He glanced over his shoulder to the tree behind him. "See that low branch over there." He pointed. "Let me see you do some pull ups." He crossed his arms and grinned.

Lily stopped laughing. With a grumbling sigh she marched over to the tree and began her pull ups. Tyran followed and watched beside her, arms clasped behind his back.

"You know kid, you have excellent form I'll give you that."

"Thanks." She grunted through gritted teeth.

Tyran chuckled and took a seat on the grass. After Lily had completed her set of thirty she took a seat next to him, slightly out of breath. She took a drink from the bottle clasped to her hip. "Can I ask you a question Ty?"

"Of course."

She stared out at the plains of green before her. "What exactly do you 'hunt' when you and the pack go out at night?"

Tyran nodded his head and followed her gaze. "A relevant question. Mostly livestock. We swipe from the ranchers around here. We have to feed ourselves somehow."

Lily hung her head. "I thought maybe you hunted vampires."

"We're always hunting them Lily. That never stops."

"Do you think it can stop Tyran?" She turned to look at him. "I know you and your family would accept a treaty, but the rest of the lycans? What happens if we go through all this and nothing changes? What if the hatred runs too deep?"

Tyran sighed heavily and placed a friendly hand on her shoulder. "That is the truly great thing about mortals. Their hope knows no bounds. Even in the face of the greatest of odds, their inner optimism exists." He looked at her. "I don't see why we immortals should be any different."

The corners of Lily's mouth curved into a smile. "I suppose we just have to try."

"Very good my young Padawan."

Lily cast a strange look at him.

Tyran blushed. "Sorry, caught a snip of Star Wars playing in a window yesterday."

Lily rolled her eyes. "So tell me one more thing, Master." She nodded sarcastically at him. "Do any humans ever get in the way of your hunting?"

Tyran looked warily at her. "Sometimes. We lycans have a pretty iron clad rule that no humans be harmed unless we're provoked."

"Have you ever been 'provoked' Tyran?" She asked seriously.

"Just once." He lowered his eyes. "I was returning from a hunt with one of the younger lycans. He was known to have a hot temper. Everything had gone fine until we were returning home and a group of street thugs gave us some trouble. Before I could do anything Mikahi had changed. I followed suit, and all but two of the boys ran off. Mikahi made quick work of them." He sighed heavily. "It just happens sometimes Lily, can't always be helped."

Lily nodded and lowered her gaze to the grass beneath them.

Tyran smiled weakly at her. "There was another boy that night. Brave lad. He showed up right as Mikahi had finished. I tried to frighten him off, but he smacked me with a board." Tyran ran his hand along his cheek. "Hard as hell. Knocked me flat on my rump."

Lily's head flew up to meet the eyes of her lycan trainer. She could hear the echo of gun shots ringing in her ears as the nights lost images were suddenly thrown into place. On shaky legs she moved to her feet, keeping her face hidden from the lycan. "I have to go Tyran." She stuttered and began jogging back to the car.

Tyran rose confused. He began to jog after her, but wisely kept a good distance.

Selene emerged from her chambers as the sun began to set. She hadn't gotten much sleep the day before, but she neither cared, nor felt tired. A sly smile came to her face. Bloody hell I'm gushing. She scolded herself half heartedly.

She was casually making her way to the council room. There had to be one last meeting before they sent Lily into enemy lines. Selene still had qualms about sending her, but once again Michael had changed her mind. Besides, Selene could not bring herself to tell the girl that all her training had been for nothing. I have to let her finish what she started.

"Selene!" Shaken from her thoughts she turned to see a small boy running at her full tilt. His face was barely visible behind all the dirt, but his piercing blue eyes revealed his identity.

"Tyler?" She questioned.

"Save me!" The boy roared as he adhered himself to Selene's legs. "You've got to help me. She wants to give me a bath!"

Selene looked down at the young lycan and almost laughed. Who? Then she looked up to see Tamara charging down the hall with purpose. "Lose something?" Selene called playfully.

"Apparently I have." Tamara smiled good-naturedly as she faced the vampire, then glared down at her youngest son. "Come here Tyler."

The boy squeezed Selene's legs tighter and looked up at her with imploring moist eyes.

Selene laughed then looked at Tamara. "I'm sorry but I'm afraid I can't let you take him. I've sworn to protect him from all evils, including water."

Tamara raised an eyebrow at the young woman. "Is that so?"

Selene shook her head playfully. "I'm afraid it is, but I am a little confused. I thought it was only cats that didn't like water." She shrugged. "But I guess if a wolf wants to be like a feline..."

"I'm not a cat!" The boy bellowed from below.

"Of course not!" She teased. "But unless you keep clean you'll start to smell like one."

His eyes widened in horror. "That's not true is it?" He looked at Selene first, then his mother.

Tamara smiled. "I'm afraid it is son. I didn't want to tell you, but..." She looked at Selene. "Your warrior here has decided to be honest with you. A most grand quality."

Tyler lowered his head and released his grip on Selene. "Awe man." He fussed. "Some help you were."

"Oh, I'm sorry master Tyler. I couldn't save you from the bath, but if you need help again I'll be at your side in a heartbeat."

Despite having lost, the boy still grinned wildly at her. "Ok, cause there is these older lycans who I don't like very much."

Selene laughed. "I'll take care of them for you."

He smiled, then looked at his mother.

"Bath." She commanded and pointed back towards their quarters. He flashed Selene one last grin then took off for his destination.

Selene grinned after him. "He's an amazing kid Tamara."

"Thank you." The female lycan tilted her head, staring curiously at the vampiress.

Selene noticed the awkward glance. "What?" She asked a bit defensive.

Tamara brought her head back upright and smiled coyly. "Nothing dear. You have a different aura about you this evening. Has anything changed during the day?" Tamara would have felt guilty about being so nosey, if it had been in her nature to do so.

Selene stared at her for a moment. What is she fishing for? "No. I'm fine."

Tamara nodded. "All right. Well, before you head to the meeting you might want to cover that up." She pointed gently to a delicate mark that beamed against the pale skin of Selene's neck.

Selene's hands instantly flew to the spot. She stared at Tamara in utter embarrassment, but the lycan woman just laughed.

"It's about time anyway." Tamara said fondly. "Don't worry about it dear. There is nothing you can do. Even if you do cover it up, you've got lycan all over you. The boy's marked you now."

"In more ways than one it would seem." She smiled uneasily, unused to such frankness, but after a moment she just laughed. There would be no more doubts about there relationship now, but she still felt a bit hesitant about going into a meeting with Michael's scent all over her.

Understanding her expressions Tamara gave her a motherly smile. "Don't even give it a second thought. It's a huge pride thing for them. Michael will be in his prime when you walk in there, but be sure to watch how close you get to other males now. He'll be liable to challenge someone for no apparent reason now that's he's marked you." She chuckled, "Men" and rolled her eyes.

Selene laughed richly. "Thanks Tamara."

"Of course dear, anytime." She glanced behind her. "Well, I've got my own little lycan to take care of. Have fun, and do be sure to cross paths with Kendra." Tamara winked.

Selene grinned.

"Good luck dear." And with the grace and elegance that only a mother could master, Tamara turned and paced back to her quarters.

Selene shook her head and continued towards the meeting room.

Lily was seated next to Tyran as they waited for Michael and a few others to arrive.

Flar sat angrily in the corner, scowling menacingly at everyone around him.

"What crawled up his ass?" Lily whispered to Tyran.

"Kid, he's always been that way. Haven't you Flar?" Tyran tilted his heads towards the angry lycan.

Flar snorted and crossed his arms.

Just then Thayer entered the room. "Michael's been trapped by Kendra again. He'll be here in a second."

Tyran looked at Lily and rolled his eyes. "She'll learn someday."

- - - Kendra had once again cornered Michael outside the door. She posed as the concerned member, wishing to know what was happening, but her body was speaking a whole other language.

Selene was floating down the halls when she spotted the two. A wicked smile came to her mouth. With a kind of confidence she had never felt before she sauntered over to Michael, bypassing Kendra completely.

She heard Kendra inhale sharply, and allowed herself a moment's satisfaction, then she looked at Michael. Revenge forgotten, a genuine smile crossed her face. I missed you. She thought to herself.

Michael watched her face change as she looked at him. I will never get sick of that look. He vowed. "Good evening." He said, affection dripping from his voice.

"Evening." Selene said softly. Then quietly reached down and took his hand.

Kendra huffed and walked away. She knew when she'd been beaten. "Well there goes that." She muttered softly.

"Is something wrong, Kendra." There was a slight pause before he spoke her name, as if he was trying to get used to its sound.

"Hello Mark." She sighed heavily.

"Hello. Is something the matter?" He asked cautiously, then followed her gaze in the direction of Selene and Michael. His chest dropped slightly as realization came to his face. "I see." He said softly.

Glancing at her he saw her disappointment. He smiled regretfully. "Perhaps it is sometimes difficult to see the reasons for things when the outcome is not what we had expected."

Kendra continued to watch Michael and Selene, but her posture softened slightly. "I don't see any possible reason for a vampire and even a half lycan to be together."

Mark crossed his arms behind his back, once again taking a formal yet relaxed stance. "That is because you are looking with your eyes, not your mind." He extended his arm towards the unusual pair. "It is the bonding of those two that will end this blood feud. Hundreds of lives will be spared. Your kinsmen can move out of the sewers and live a semblance of a normal life. Does it not make since that it should begin with the joining of both sides?"

Now Kendra's green eyes turned to look at him. She shook her head in amazement. "You are a strange person Mark." She sighed and looked longingly at Michael. "But a smart one." She said softly, then gave him her full attention. "So what's with this habit of sneaking up on people?" She smiled gently at him.

"I'm sorry." His face looked slightly hurt. "Did I frighten you just now?"

Kendra laughed. "Of course not. I could smell you coming, but it's still rude to keep popping up behind people."

Mark crinkled his forehead, managing to give him a slightly older appearance. "You smelled me?"

"Yes." Kendra gave him a puzzled look. "I'm a lycan Mark. Nothing gets past our noses."

"Forgive my astonishment, but I've not been detected by someone in over a century."

A coy smile crossed her face. "Well you obviously haven't been stalking lycans."

His plain brown eyes flashed as he looked adoringly at her. "I guess not my lady."

She studied him for a moment, and took a relinquishing sigh. "It's Kendra. Just plain Kendra."

Mark grinned. "There is absolutely nothing plain about you Kendra."

Selene followed Michael into the meeting room. She watched the lycans stare at Michael as he walked in, then lowered their eyes as she took her place across from him. She caught the lingering eyes of Thayer, but when she turned to meet his gaze he abruptly lowered them. She thought she caught a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Ok. Let's go over this one more time." Appearing as if the exchange had gone unnoticed, Michael gathered the lycan's attention. "Thayer, why don't you show Lily what you've come up with."

The younger lycan rose, slightly timid of the open faith Michael had placed in him. "Well..." He stammered a bit. "All I can say is that were going to use the vampires snobbery to our advantage." He removed a small silver capsule from his pants pocket. "First off we have a small tracking device. We'll insert it right beneath the skin, completely undetectable by any scanners." He brought his blue orbs to Lily's. "Just in case." He assured her. "We'll always be able to find you."

Lily nodded her head in appreciation. "Thanks Thayer."

He winked and continued. "Now the next part is rather simple. Lily needs away to communicate with us, but any electronics she might be able to use could be to easily detected by the vampires." A strange grin crossed his face. "If the vampires think us such simple creatures then we best not disappoint them. Lily, you're going to use their trash as your conveyer belt. When you have a message for us, write it down and use your thumb to mark it with a small drop of blood." He glanced around the room. "Once you throw it away one of us will extract it when the vampires take out their garbage."

Flar snorted. "A small piece of paper in an entire trash can? You could pour over that trash for days and still miss it."

Thayer narrowed his eyes slightly at the elder lycan. "That's what the blood is for Flar. Even you know lycans can smell a drop from at least 100 yards." He turned to Selene, but quickly dropped his eyes. "A vampire has no where near that sense of smell. They won't detect a thing, but the girl's blood will lead us right to her message."

"How will you know when I actually send out a message?" Lily's eyes darted about the room. "I mean you could be going through piles before I actually send you something."

Thayer smiled slightly. "I thought about that." He now reached to the folder at his side and removed several drawings. "Thanks to Selene's sketches of the mansion we've managed to put together a detailed blue print. There is a window in the second story hallway that leads to the master quarters. This window is easily seen from the thicket that grows just outside Ordoghaz. If you open the blinds during the daylight hours, we'll know you've made a drop."

Lily nodded her approval, but Selene shook her head. "Too risky Thayer. Someone could see her out the window."

Keeping his eyes lowered he turned towards her. "If it is during the daylight hours there will be hardly anyone about, but should she get caught, she is human after all. She merely wanted some sunlight."

"They'll think her a fool for being so sentimental." Selene said roughly.

"Let them." Michael spoke up and smiled at Lily. "We know better don't we?"

Lily chuckled. "Let's hope so."

"So you know what to do once you get inside?" Michael asked her seriously.

Lily took a deep breath. "Like the back of my hand Michael. I'll send word as soon as I know when he'll want to attack."

The lycan alpha nodded. "Very good. Does anyone have any questions thus far?" He glanced around, meeting the eyes of every council member. "All right then, Lily." He glanced at the girl. "Why don't you head back with Selene and prepare. Tyran will take you in one hour."

"I'll be ready." She affirmed, despite the turning in her stomach.

Selene rose from the table and motioned for Lily to do the same.

"Now as for the rest of us..." Michael began his lecture as the human and vampire left.

Selene walked beside a downcast Lily. The girl's eyes were unfocused and her mind seemed to be somewhere else. "Are you nervous?" She asked softly, leaving any insult from her voice.

Lily shrugged. "As much as I expected." She shook her head. "I'm only human."

Selene stopped walking and stared at her. "I have something for you."

She led the girl down the halls to the weapons room. Lily stepped inside to see a pair of soft black leather pants that flared loosely at the bottoms, a black tank top that had almost a purplish hue, and a waist long black leather jacket hung about the hangers shoulders. Beneath the outfit sat a pair of ankle high boots with silver clasps. Beside that sat a black utility belt.

"I thought you should at least look the part." She smiled. "I mean the person who killed me had to look good why she was doing it, right?"

Lily chuckled, then walked over and picked up the belt. "And this?"

Selene crossed her arms and took a step forward. "That was one of my first utility belts. The design is old, see" She pointed to the gun holster at the side. "We don't carry them there anymore. Too bulky. At the thigh works much better." She took a breath and continued. "This belt saved my life once. I was on a roof top and I slipped. Lot's of rain you know." She smiled. "Damn thing snagged on a broken cable."

Lily reached inside the holster and removed a vile of bright red liquid.

"Its mine." Selene said calmly. "In case the necklace isn't enough. The only way a mortal ever obtains vampire's blood is by killing it."

Lily closed her eyes in understanding. She'd been around Selene enough to know it was what she didn't say that mattered. The bottle had been given for her protection and nothing more. It would ensure Markus's acceptance, and her survival.

Lily raised her stormy sapphire eyes to her teacher, her friend. She squeezed the vile. My enemy. The words left a hallow sound upon her mind. Tears threatened as her confused emotions ran rampant. She swallowed hard and took a steadying breath. "Thank you Selene."

"It takes more than being just human to do what you've done. You'd do well to remember that."

Lily stared at the vampiress with watery eyes. Her mind sobbed as she look upon what, in some strange way, had become her family. Selene, Michael, Tyran; She somehow began to see herself staying after it was over. She had belonged here. Why did it have to be you? She couldn't bear to look at Selene anymore. She lowered her eyes and tears fell. She shook her head roughly and sniffed loudly. Somehow she managed words. "I'll try Selene."

She nodded. "All right. Go put on your outfit. I'll come back to take you up."

Lily fidgeted anxiously with the vile in her hands. She caught Tyran's eyes in the review mirror. He wore a funny little cap and a long brown jacket. For all intended purposes he looked like a taxi driver.

"You alright kid?"

She nodded.

"You'll do fine Lily. I'm not even worried." He winked at her in the mirror.

Somehow, she managed a smile. Then the large metal gates caught her eye. Her entire body went cold as she glimpsed the mansion. The place seemed eternally dark. If I were the sun, I'd be afraid to shine here. She remarked silently. Taking a deep breath she clutched her necklace tightly. Here we go.

Without acknowledging Tyran she opened the door, but before standing she opened the vile Selene had given her and poured the contents upon her hands. A forbidden shudder ran through her as she literally washed her hands in blood. She left the smallest amount in the bottle, capped it, put it in her coat pocket and slammed the door of the cab shut. As Tyran drove away Lily's mind went ironically clear. She wasn't afraid. She moved slowly towards the gates, already hearing the dogs bellowing approach. She held her hands up in submission, and tried not to watch as blood dripped from her palms.

A foot away from the entrance the dogs pounced, snapping at her through the gate.

"Don't move!"

She heard the rather gruff voice shout from the darkness. As she remained perfectly still, three soldiers clad in black leather came into view. The lead warrior aimed his rifle directly at her. "State your purpose."

Keeping her hands in front of her she faced him. "I wish to speak to Lord Markus. I have something I think he'd like to see." She moved her hands higher so that the moon illuminated the red tarnish...

So? Not a nice place to end huh? But the chapter was 12 pages long already! So chapter 17 is well on its way. I'm on vacation right now, traveling around and believe it or not I'm writing like a fiend. I have an 8 hour flight to Chicago coming up and then a layover, and then a 5 hour flight to Florida. The same thing on the way home so I'll have PLENTY of time to see if I can finish this. Only a few chapters left guys, I calculate about 6 or 7. Hope I can do it all justice. I cannot thank my reviewers enough. This fic is nothing but the product of your support. ;) Hope you enjoyed. Let me know!

Adalon Ithilriel: Who is Kendra you ask? Hum...let's put it this way. She is my Erika. I need her for something, but I thought I would have a little fun with her character before I put her to use. As for the deal between Flar and Kraven, if it is not obvious now it will be in the next chapter...er...I think at least. :)

VampyricAngel: Thanks for reviewing. ;) I know you've been busy, me too and sometimes there just isn't enough time, but like you said it is the reviews that get you through the block, so thanks. You replied when I needed it most. And speaking of your story, I need to go catch up. Thanks again VA. ;)

AngryTolkienPurist: Yes, it has been an eventful month, but all around a good one. ;) I forgot to answer some of your questions from the previous review. I think you asked if I plan out my stories or just write them, well actually I'm a compulsive planner. You should see my notebook I scribble in. Especially with a story like this were there is so much I'm trying to keep track of it helps to plot it out occasionally. However, I do find that when I'm actually writing it, it doesn't always come out as I planned. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it not, but the creative mind seems to take me places I never really intended to go. That's the fun of it. ;) Anyway, thanks again for the review. Hope the rest works out.

vampirehuntr00: Now what book would you be reading that makes you feel sorry for people? Hum, wait...that would be most of the literary novels I've read! All so damn sad...eh, no worries. Don't worry, Lily will go back to Jacen in some form. (Evil smiles) Thanks again for the review dear. As per your request, I'll get on with it!

Redd: (smiles) So did Selene take care of Michael ok in this chapter? (wink) Thanks as always for your reviews. Help keep the chapters coming, now...don't you have a story that needs updating (nudges)

Merion: No worries about keeping up, life goes on. Thanks though for the dropping by. Glad I could make you laugh. It happens occasionally. ;)

Thiana: I'm so glad someone thought that was funny. I was just feeling goofy I think, but more importantly I sort of thought it would be interesting to show a vampire without the standard stereotypes ingrained in his mind. Mark is sort of what I came up with. I cannot thank you enough for all your reviews. They do me well. Thanks again.

Rayefire: The prodigal son returns! Er wait...nevermind. :) Hey thanks for coming back, but not at the cost of your eyeballs. You need those to finish your fic! Yeah, Mark is creepy, but for some reason my beta just loves him, and since she is my muse behind this thing I have to pay my dues.

Azira Morrgaine Vida: Yes, Selene is finally realizing some things. They all sort of came to a head in this chapter. As for Kraven, well...I haven't actually decided yet so we'll both just have to wait and see. Thank you for reviewing. Tis the food I feed off of. :)