Selene felt the pain in her gut, it started off as a small prickling feeling. Soon, however, it spread like wild fire through her whole body, making her quiver and shake. Her muscles stretched, and her limbs ached.
She started to open her eyes, desperate to see what was happening to her. Once she did open, she found Michael's concerned eyes staring back at her. She gave him a look of confusion. Thoughts began racing through her mind.
Like where were they? The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in their room. Now however, it was raining and lightening and the strong smell of smoke lingered in the air. Michael was no longer asleep as he had been, but now was covered in blood and cuts. His hair was soaked from the rain and he looked exhausted. What had happened while she slept?
The pain increased as she felt her body change, a powerful wrenching feeling in her gut made her moan. She felt her fangs get longer as they stretched her mouth a bit. Her eyes now saw better in the dark than she had ever seen, and her vision was crystal clear, crisp.
She could make out each individual raindrop as it fell from the sky and fell on her face. The pain was still unbearable as she clenched her fists into the soft mud. Her eyes shut tightly trying to block out the pain. Then it was gone.
All the pain disappeared and she took calm breaths. Finally she opened her eyes, Michael was looking at her in awe, but his eyes still held their concerned gaze. It seemed forever before he said anything.
"Selene..." The words tumbled out of his mouth, as if they were the most natural word he had ever said in his life. She still looked at him in confusion, not sure of what was going on. She did have a feeling that she missed some very important things.
Selene felt it, something powerful was coming. As soon as the thought left her mind Michael flew from her side and landed in the mud a good distance from her. Her ears caught the sickening thud when he landed, and even a cracking sound.
The power she felt, it was moving, quickly she moved and stood on her feet. It was at that moment that she caught a glimpse of her hands. Her eyes widened, what in the hell happened to her? She clenched and unclenched her hands.
"C'mon, you didn't think you killed me that easily did you? I'm a hybrid. Half vampire, half lycan, but stronger than both. We have more power than both of the races." Marcus voice rang out in her ears, she felt his gaze on her now and he shouted, "You should be dead you traitor!"
She didn't move, what did he mean by her being dead? What was going on? Her mind was reeling in confusion, there wasn't enough time to sort out all of these questions that she couldn't' answer.
"You didn't..." Marcus' voice trailed off, "You fucking changed her!" He growled.
Something in her brain clicked at that moment. This is why she felt different, this is why she looked different. She wasn't a vampire any longer, she was a hybrid now. But why, and how? She should have died, she didn't have Corvinus blood in her.
She heard Michael move behind her, "Your time is up Marcus."
"Is it really?" Marcus' smug voice asked through the rain, "I mean, I've lived through being burnt alive and a fatal stab wound, there isn't much more you could do is there?"
She heard a roar from behind her, and a painful moan. Michael was injured and yet he kept fighting. She froze up. Images replaying through her head.
"When will you learn to give up?" Marcus' voice asked as another roar sounded. His voice sounded almost like a whisper as Selene was wrapped in her thoughts.
Since when did Michael and Marcus fight already? They hadn't even met from the last time she remembered. The thunder knocked her away from her thoughts as she heard them moving.
Her eyes searched for where they were, she turned around and found them struggling on the ground. While she watched the fight, her mind tried to make sense of what must have happened.
'You should be dead you traitor...' Marcus' voice rang through her ears as clearly as the first time she had heard him.
Suddenly it all clicked. The virus, it was fatal, she must have been human. But why couldn't she remember? What happened? They must have found a way to save her, and that was why she was a hybrid. Michael bit her to save her life. That's why he was in that dream. She couldn't remember him at first but it was him.
He brought her back, he loved her.
"It looks as if your time is up." Selene snapped her head up. Her eyes widened as she let out a low growl. Within moments she was next to Marcus and she grabbed his hand before it could reach a barely there Michael.
He turned his head towards her and his eyes widened. Selene bared her fangs and pulled him away from the barn. He let out a low hiss that sounded like a growl as he paced around her.
Without warning she jumped towards him and punched him in the face, then dropped to one knee and tripped him, making the surrounding mud splash up onto her face. She stood, and wished at that moment that she had her guns, but she didn't. Marcus started to crawl back to his feet when Selene brought her foot up and connected with his face.
Blood from his nose spewed across the muddy ground, but quickly disappeared with the rain. "How in the world are you so powerful?" He asked rolling away from her and holding his nose.
Selene didn't answer him but only continued her mission to rid him from the world. Pulling her fist back she threw all her weight into it and punched him while he sat on his knees. His head snapped to the side as he started to fall backwards from the force of the blow.
She then brought her foot up again and kicked him between his neck and his chin. This sent him falling backwards all of the way. With a large growl Marcus jumped up punching her in the stomach and then again with his other hand.
The move caught Selene off guard as she tried to block it. Marcus only moved quicker, and soon he ended up behind her, he then brought his arm around her neck and began choking her. "It never ceases to amaze me how you idiots never give up."
Selene clawed at his arm trying to loosen his grip. He growled in pain when one of her long claws cut his flesh, "Bitch." He spat letting her go and spinning her around, he then slapped her with the back of his hand.
Fire burned in Selene's eyes as a cut appeared on her face, and blood slowly rolled out of the wound. Lightening flashed as Selene punched him in the chest, and then again, this time cutting him with her claws. She ducked a punch from him just in time, and then brought her hand back up and hitting him in the nose again.
She took this moment to regain her breath as she panted Marcus tried punching her again. She brought her arms up and blocked the hit, but was to distracted doing that to notice his other fist coming up and stabbing her in the stomach with his razor sharp claws.
She gasped as the pain shocked her body. Selene let out a painful cry as he retracted his hand from her stomach, she fell to her knees clutching her stomach. Marcus brought his hand down onto the back of her neck and began lifting her up.
It was then she heard a roar, muffled by the rain. The painful grip Marcus had on her neck was gone, and she saw Michael's feet standing in front of her, facing the other way. She looked up and saw that Marcus was laying on the ground holding his stomach, much like she had been doing.
Slowly she stood up, standing next to Michael who was hunched over slightly. Selene placed her hand on his shoulder as Marcus stood back on his feet.
"Obviously it will take two of you to beat me." Marcus laughed, although a trickle of blood spilt out of his mouth from the motion.
"It only took two of us to kill Viktor. What makes you think you have a chance?" Michael asked.
Marcus didn't answer, he just grinned.
"What is taking him so long?" Drake as shifting again in the van. Lydia shook her head but continued watching out of the window.
William was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, and Haley was sitting beside him. On her other side sat Charles who had his arms crossed over his chest. Erika sat on the other side, across from them, her hands behind her back and a scowl on her face.
Drake sat in the driver's seat, his eyebrows knitted together as he tried to see Michael through the rain. Lydia sat beside him her chin resting on her hand as she had her head tilted to the side.
"Give it a rest." William said sternly.
Almost everyone turned to look at him, he still had his eyes closed.
"We still don't know if it worked, Michael knows just as much. If I were him, I wouldn't be too excited at the moment."
"Still, what if something happened to him? It shouldn't take this long."
William's eyes flew open and he stood, as much as he could, with out making eye contact with anyone he pushed the back of the van doors open, for the second time that night, and stepped outside. Lydia glared at Drake, "What?" He asked.
"It wouldn't kill you to be more patient."
Drake turned his head and looked out of the front window, his eyes widened for a moment, "Always me." He mumbled opening the door and stepping outside.
Haley looked at Lydia, "Yeah, they're best friends and they bloody fight like a cat and a dog."
"For lycans, you think they would act more like a family," Erika said and both women turned to look at her, "Well, from what I've heard."
Lydia looked back out of the window, a loud crack sounded from in the distance, and a roar was heard not long after, "Somehow, I think Drake was right." She then pushed the door open and rushed out of the van, Haley running out right behind her.
Both of them met up with Drake and William who were glaring at each other, "C'mon." Lydia told them jogging past them. William was the last one to start moving when he did move, his footprint was left in the muddy ground, blood washing away in the rain.
They all stopped on a small hill, over looking the smoking barn. "Christ..." Drake whispered as he watched the sight in front of him, "She's alive."
"She's a hybrid..." William said limping a little as he shifted.
"Marcus is still alive." Lydia commented with a hint of concern in her voice, "Maybe we should help them," She said with a slight pang of panic in her voice as Marcus wrapped his arm around Selene's throat.
Drake held out his arm, "No, just watch." Selene got away, but was backhanded in the process.
"Christopher..." Lydia warned. Just then Michael was on his feet, roaring and moving quickly towards where Selene and Marcus were. Michael turned swiftly, bringing his fist into contact with Marcus' stomach. The force knocked the vampire hybrid back a few feet, where he laid clutching his stomach.
Selene stood and placed her hand on Michael's back. Marcus also stood, looking dazed.
"Obviously it will take two of you to beat me." Marcus laughed, but his weakness showing when blood started to come from his mouth.
"It only took two of us to kill Viktor. What makes you think you have a chance?" Michael asked.
Marcus grinned, making everyone who was watching squirm uncomfortably. The hybrid elder moved towards the two younger hybrids. Roars sounded from the two males, while Selene remained silent, with only a menacing aura around her.
"The battle of the hybrids." Drake said a slight smile on his face.
It was merely seconds before Michael had pinned Marcus to the ground and Selene shifted quietly a few feet behind them, still clutching her bleeding stomach.
The rain was coming down hard as ever as the two struggled on the muddy ground, slipping and falling. Selene turned her head slightly, she was greeted with a few familiar faces, and one unfamiliar face.
Her attention returned to the fight at hand when she heard Michael give a painful grunt. Marcus was behind him and had his hands over his throat and his knee in his back. He was pulling tightly, and Michael's back was cracking with a sickening sound.
She moved as quickly as she could, rushing towards them and digging her claws into the back of Marcus' neck, making him let go and spin around. His arm was raised and Selene blocked the hit with her forearm before bringing her knee up to his gut and then hitting him between his shoulder and his neck.
Marcus retaliated by grabbing a hand full of her hair and pulling her down to the ground. Grinning he brought his foot back and kicked her repeatedly in her stomach.
A loud ear-shattering roar rumbled through the sound waves as Michael stood back to his feet. Marcus only grinned and turned to face him.
As the lightening flashed Michael jumped onto the older hybrid; tackling him to the ground. Mud covered them as Marcus tossed Michael off of him and stood to his feet. Michael still laid on the ground, his face etched in pain.
"Is the poor little hybrid hurt?" He asked grinning as he brought his foot down across his neck and began choking him.
The sound of flesh splitting was heard and Marcus' eyes widened. A small piece of glass was now protruding from his chest.
Selene stood behind him the end of the glass shard still gripped in her fist.
Marcus stumbled a bit before regaining his balance and reaching around, trying to pull out the immobile object that was causing his pain.
Selene let go of it and kicked him in the back, making him fall to his knees. She quickly grabbed the glass and twisted it in his skin, trails of blood started to leak out of his flesh as the rain mixed with it and started to wash it away.
While Marcus fell face first into the mud, Selene ran over to Michael. He had converted back to his human form. "Michael..." She whispered.
His eyes opened and he gave her a smile dispite the pain in his back. Her black eyes looked at him questioningly.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." He said through clenched teeth. He sat up determination burning in his eyes. "We have to find something to kill him with." Selene nodded and turned around to look.
She spotted to glints of metal when the lightening flashed and rushed over to them. She found two swords laying, partialy covered by mud, on the ground. She grabbed them and ran back over to Michael who was standing now, although his fists at his sides were shaking.
Selene looked at him with concern as she handed him a sword, "This will do."
Michael took one from her grasp and looked at the ground, "He's getting back up."
Selene turned around and saw Marcus slowly crawling to his feet. Deciding that now was better than any other time she ran towards him, the sword out to her side. Once she reached him however he turned and grabbed her wrist; with a strong power he pulled her forward and away from him. She fell to her knees from the motion and Marcus cut her on the back of her neck with the glass he had pulled from his back.
The wound started to bleed and Selene cupped the back of her neck. Marcus used this as a distraction to punch her in the face knocking her to the ground as her head started to bleed also and she dropped the sword.
A growl came from Michael's direction as the thunder rumbled throughout the hills. He once again was in his hybrid form, but exhaustion was certainly taking it's toll on him. Baring his fangs he ran towards Marcus the sword pointed towards the ground.
As soon as he reached Marcus, he was stabbed in the shoulder by an on coming piece of glass that Marcus had thrown at him. Michael froze only inches from Marcus, neither of them moving. Michael had his eyes closed tightly, and Marcus' were wide with shock.
Michael staggered back a few feet finally to reveal the sword impaling Marcus who had both of his hands on it now and was hunched over.
"We could've been a great force you and I...c-cousin." He said menacingly.
Michael only growled, "I guess you're just to foolish though!" Marcus yelled jumping forward and pulling the sword out of his stomach; bringing it down in a strong slicing motion. The cut started at Michael's shoulder and went down to his abdomen, where Marcus stabbed him.
Michael suddered in pain as his mouth started to fill with blood. Marcus grinned.
Selene was panicing as she swiftly picked up the sword and ran towards them. Michael seen her over Marcus' shoulder, he had to distract him somehow. With one last burst of strength Michael spit his blood into the elder's face.
"What in the hell?" Screamed an angry Marcus trying to wipe the blood out of his eyes. He stopped Moving however when Selene suddenly appeared on the other side of him. For a moment time seemed to be frozen, until Michael's eyes closed and he fell backwards into the mud.
Marcus soon followed suit, except his head fell off first. It fell clean off of his neck; his body soon fell to the ground also, in a crumpled heap.
Selene fell to her knees by Michael's side, dropping the sword. Trying to keep her mind focused she pulled the sword from his stomach. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them they were their normal dark green. Her hand pulled the glass out also, as she examined him. He was now back in his human form, having changed when he had been stabbed.
His eyes were still closed as he laid a bloody mess. Whether Selene was crying or not as she cupped his cheek was almost impossible to tell as the rain made it difficult.
Drake bit his tongue so hard when Marcus sliced Michael that it started to bleed, "Oh no..." He heard Lydia whisper as she placed a hand over her mouth.
Then Selene was up and running, Michael spit blood in Marcus' face, and then it was over. Michael fell to the ground, and so did Marcus, but in more than one piece.
Selene collapsed next to Michael as they rushed down the hill towards her. She was removing the weapons that had injured him when they stopped next to her side, she was cupping his cheek.
They were all silent as they watched her, "Selene," William finally spoke up placing a hand on her shoulder, "We have to get him back to the den, to fix him."
She nodded wordlessly and stood up. Drake came up next to her and lifted Michael up over his shoulder gently, however, so he would injure him any more than he already was. Selene ran a hand through her wet hair and followed behind him as the storm seemed to have calmed, though the rain was still pouring.
Lydia and Haley exchanged worried glances as they followed behind her. William stood for a moment looking around the scene of destruction, he shook his head and followed behind them up the hill and towards the van.
They all arrived back at the van and Drake, with the help of William layed Michael in the floor of the van. Drake moved out of the van and gave Selene's shoulder a comforting squeeze before he moved to go to the driver's seat. Lydia sat beside him in the front of the van and Haley once again sat down by Charles who was watching Selene with a great deal of respect.
Selene was now sitting in the floor beside Michael, her hand holding his tightly as she stared at him. Erika shifted uncomfortably with the handcuffs on as she watched her former friend.
Drake started the van and pulled out, careful not to hit the dead bodies that were littered around the area. Soon they were on the road heading back to the den as the rain stopped and the clouds floated off into the distance above their heads.
Once they arrived back at the den; William and Drake quickly lifted Michael out of the van and raced him to the lab. Lydia pulled Erika in by her cuffs and Charles followed Haley with a scowl on his face. Selene was the last one out of the van still dripping wet as she made her way into the den and headed towards William's lab.
When she arrived there, Michael was laying on a bed, the white sheets stained with red blood. William was rushing about grabbing supplies and Drake was making sure Erika couldn't escape. Lydia was talking to Charles while Haley looked around the room.
William started working on Michael cleaning the blood as Haley helped keep pressure on it and hand him the things he needed. Soon William was working on his own stitching together some of his wounds to stop the bleeding.
Haley came up to Selene, "I'm gonna fix your cuts." She told her simply.
Selene nodded, she knew the girl since she was a child and she trusted her, so she sat patiently as Haley cleaned the cut on her forehead and on the back of her neck. With her healing abilities not much was needed to be done. The only thing else Haley had to do was clean the wound on her stomach and applied some pressure to it, so it would stop bleeding.
It was about two hours later when Michael was all finished. Lydia and Drake had taken Erika to a holding cell, while they also took Charles and Haley to a bedroom that had two separate beds for them to rest on. William was the only one left in the lab with Selene.
His eyes were closed as he tilted his head back and rested for a moment sweat dripping off his brow.
"What happened?" Selene suddenly asked.
His head snapped up, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, from the time I went to sleep, to when I woke up with Michael staring at me." She said looking over at Michael.
William sat forward in his chair, "You don't remember anything?"
"No..."
He scratched his head and took off his glasses, "Well, Michael woke up, and so did you, but you were human and you didn't remember anything except from the time you were bitten. Michael then tried to piece it all together using the memories he got from you...I-I really don't know if I should be the one telling you this anyhow. Maybe Michael should when he wakes."
Selene nodded, "That's okay, thanks."
"Well, I say we get him up to your quarters and you get some rest." William said standing and rubbing his eyes before walking over to where Michael laid. Clicking a few switches the bed's wheels were unlocked and he started to move him out of the room.
Selene followed him and they met Drake on the way there. One they were standing at the bottom of the stairs William and Drake picked Michael up gently and carried him up the stairs. It took them a good five minutes to reach the top and Selene opened the door for them.
Once inside they laid him on the bed and bid goodnight to Selene before leaving the room. Selene sighed as she felt sadness well up inside her.
She ran her hand over his jaw and up his face until it tangled with his hair. His eyes were closed peacefully as she looked at his body. Stitches crossed most of his chest, from his shoulder to his waist. There was also a bandage over the hole in his stomach and on his shoulder. She cringed when she remembered how William had to pop a bone in his back, back into place.
Selene bit her lip to keep from crying, not remembering the last week or so made her angry, and then she was sad knowing that Michael being hurt was part of her fault. Then there was not knowing what happened while she was human, why she felt so weak and tired.
Sighing she stood up and walked over to the wall by the door. She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against it. Her green eyes watched as Michael slept silently without a trace of worry on his face. That was probably the only thing good that had happened tonight. Marcus was dead, and the war looked to be finally over.
The fight had finally began to take it's toll on her as her eyes became heavy. She was amazed at how much the transformation also took out of her, Michael had to be aching, she didn't even remember how many times he must have transformed.
The guilt started sinking into her once again and she shook her head trying to think of something else. It seemed however that every time she thought of something different her thoughts always led back to him. She knew she felt something for him, but it seemed different now, like it was somehow consuming her very soul.
Running her hands through her hair she walked around to the other side of the bed and laid down on it. She smiled when she thought of when Michael made her lay with him. He had pouted like a little kid...and he had held her.
Turning over on her side she faced him, his breathing was steady and he was no longer pale from the blood loss. She closed her eyes and curled up next to his side.
Drake scratched the back of his head, "So, you want to go back? Back to them?"
Lydia stood up to face him, "Drake, they have no leader. Vampire rank by oldest and most powerful. If I don't go back..." She trailed off.
"You're afraid of some hot shot trying to lead the vampires back into revolt." He finished for her sighing.
Lydia only nodded, "You know, you can come back with me."
Drake's face lit up, "That's right the war is basically over..." He left his sentence at that and embraced her; putting on his best protective face, "No one will lay a hand on you."
"I think you should be more worried about yourself."
"A few puny vampires mean nothing."
Lydia punched him in the arm lightly and he grabbed his arm, "Hey that hurt!" She laughed and sat back down on the bed.
"How was Selene taking it?" She asked after a few moments of silence.
"As good as anyone could be in her situation I guess. William said she didn't remember anything though, so I'm a little worried."
"Well, her ceremony was different than your's in more ways than one." Lydia offered, "I'm sure she will remember things, it just might take a special someone to make her remember."
"Hey that's right, I did forget about you didn't I?"
Lydia rolled her eyes, "Thanks for making me feel real loved."
Drake smiled, "If you say it is part of your charm, I will strangle you myself."
"Oh c'mon, Lydia." He said sitting down next to her, "You know I love you...even though my charm plays a big part."
He growled playfully as she pinned him to the bed, "Is that why I want to kiss you right now?" She asked her voice low.
Drake swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at her, "I told you my charm plays a big part." He whispered kissing her full on the lips.
She grinned against his lips as his hands rested on her lower back. Her hands meanwhile moved up and cupped his face while her elbows rested on his chest.
"Love you." She whispered when they broke apart.
"Love you more." He said grinning.
"It is too late to be starting this." He gave her a knowing look, "Fine, love you most."
"Love you mostest." He grinned giving her a chaste kiss on the lips. She laid her head down on his chest and they went into a comfortable silence.
A/N: Very last chapter will be posted tomorrow evening. About 13 hours from my time now. I want to build up some more suspense before the end. Even though I think you all have suffered long enough. I'm just evil!