Two nights later Shira was once more in that crowded room, waiting. She and Galen had arrived shortly after sunset and had taken up residence, so to speak, in a couple of chairs near the garden doors. They had been discussing the information on the piece of parchment, from two nights before, when Peter (another member of the family) had appeared in the gardens looking rather beat up and anxious. Galen had gone to talk to him, to find out what had brought him there since the rest of the family were supposed to be going to the manor.

So now she sat waiting. Waiting for Galen to report back. Waiting to see if Cain would grant her request. Waiting, and not very happy about it either.

She had watched as Galen escorted Peter out of sight, and then turned to face the gathering crowd. There were a couple vampires she needed to talk to about requests they had made to her family members. [The numbers on that parchment just don't add up, and I need to know why.] She saw the first of the ones she needed to talk to enter the room. After glancing out at the garden once more, in case Galen was on his way back, she arose and made her way through the crowd, well aware of the two pairs of eyes watching her every move.

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"You're sure that's all she said?" queried Cain, owner of one of the pairs of eyes, of Shido, owner of the other pair. "She didn't say anything specific about any of the others who could perform my request?"

"I told you, Cain, she never named anyone," came Shido's disgruntled reply. "All she said was that there was only one who could do as you asked and not damage my mind in some fashion while doing so. If you don't believe me, ask her yourself. I grow weary of repeating myself. Especially to you," abruptly turning away from Cain and adding silently [you monster!]

Cain did not reply right away, as he was intent on watching Shira's progress through the room. It appeared she was talking to the same vampires he had talked to two nights ago. [Is she trying to find out if I've already made a decision? She's wasting her time if she is.] He turned and pulled Shido back around for a kiss just as Shira looked their way. When he broke the kiss he said, "Don't push me, love. I can kill you just as easily as have your memories removed."

"Then why don't you?" Shido cried, although only loud enough for only Cain to hear. "I didn't want this and you know it! Why did you do this to me?"

"Because I love you" came Cain's soft reply, just before he kissed Shido again. Then pulled back sharply as Shido bit his lip in response. "Now Shido, that wasn't very nice" he said, licking the blood off his lightly bleeding lip. "I wouldn't do that again. You might not enjoy the consequences."

"What consequences? Nothing could be worse than this cursed life you've given me" Shido hissed, jerking his chin out of Cain's hand and turning away again.

Cain grabbed Shido's chin and turned him until they were face to face before stating forcefully "Don't turn away from me again, or you will suffer severely. I need to talk to a couple more of the masters before I make my decision. Try to get yourself under control. You're making a spectacle of yourself."

"Fine" Shido hissed as Cain descended the steps. "Although I don't know why I should," muttered to himself as he turned his eyes away from Cain to look at the crowd below him.

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Shira watched as Cain descended the steps and moved into the crowd. She had finished her last necessary conversation just as he had started down the steps and was now making her way through the crowd, politely turning away from those she did not want to speak with.

Eventually she found her way back to the only open space in the room, the space in front of the open doors to the gardens. She smiled as she felt the light summer breeze. [Summer, another reason for getting out of the castle -- not enough night and too many cranky vampires.]

She heard two people approaching her, one from inside [probably Cain] and one from outside [Galen, at last!] The one inside reached her first. [Shame, I would have preferred hearing what Galen had to say first. Oh, well!] And she turned to face the one who had stopped beside her.

"Shira" Cain said quietly in greeting.

"Cain" she replied in-kind, raising one eyebrow in query.

"I have reached a decision concerning our bargain. You have my permission to move your family to your manor house as soon as you take Shido's memories."

"Your phraseology leaves much to be desired, Cain. I told you , I won't take his memories, no matter what you give me."

"You wound me, Shira. I meant block his memories" as he reached out and gently caressed her cheek.

She had a clear view of Shido, where he sat above all the others watching her and Cain. She smiled and leaned into the caress, watching as Shido's expression changed from indifference to jealousy, and smiled even more as he started to stand, forgetting his place. She slowly pulled back from Cain and shook her head, smiling up at Shido.

"He still has a lot to learn, especially about controlling his emotions. Send word to the family's room when you retire for the night and I'll come and take care of his memories then" and she turned and walked out the doors.

She found Galen waiting just outside the doors. Nodding her head towards the gardens, she started moving before she said, "You heard, Galen?"

"I heard. I'll tell the others." as he walked the garden paths beside her, heading towards the door closest to the family's rooms in the castle.

"What did Peter want?" she asked when they were almost to the door.

"There had been an accident while they were moving some things from the family's rooms. He wanted to let us know," came his reply after he opened the door for her.

"You seemed to hesitate on that answer Galen. What happened?"

"Leo was injured. The others got him to the manor and are currently moving all his belongings for him. He is the last individual to be moved. There are still the common room furnishings. We left those for last to give the impression we were still living here."

"We won't be taking much from the common room. You sound worried about Leo. Would you like to go to the manor early?" she asked quietly.

"That's not necessary. I'll wait for you to finish with Cain and Shido as planned. Leo is in good hands with the others, for now. Were you able to get the answers you needed to make the numbers work correctly?" came his studied reply, as he opened the door leading into the common room for the family.

"Yes" she replied, sitting down at the desk and pulling out the parchment sheet that had been causing her problems two nights before. "Let's go over it again and I'll fill you in."

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Their discussion was interrupted a couple hours later by Cain himself. After knocking and receiving permission to enter, he stopped just inside the door and said "I sent Shido to our rooms. He started really losing control after you left, going so far as to start yelling at me when I returned to his side."

"Hmm. Sounds like you have a problem on your hands. I gather you want me to do something about that too" Shira replied, sarcasm thick in her voice.

"No" he replied, running his hands through his hair in a very uncharacteristic show of anxiety. "I think I'll be able to handle it once his memories are gone. Can you come take care of that now, or do you want to wait until he's asleep?"

"I can come now" she replied, rising from the chair she had been relaxing in. Galen rose as well, prepared to accompany her whether Cain liked it or not.

The three master vampires walked through the halls of the castle. The scowls on the faces of the two men effectively stopped anyone from approaching them. It didn't take the three long to reach their destination.

As Cain opened the door for her Shira asked, "Are you coming in with me, or do you trust me to do this alone?"

"I trust you" Cain replied, quietly closing the door behind her.

"I don't think you should have said that" Galen said from out of the blue.

"Said what, that I trust her alone with Shido?" queried Cain, slightly surprised that his brother was actually talking to him, and about her of all things.

"No, earlier."

"What are you getting at Galen?" Cain asked in a slightly angered tone of voice. "Are you saying I shouldn't have told her what happened after she left the audience hall? Or are you referring to my statement about being able to handle Shido after she deals with his memories?"

"Both" came the calm reply, followed shortly by "I don't want to fight you Cain. I warned you about hurting her once, ten years ago. You didn't listen well enough. She's liable to leave an unexpected surprise for you. You treated her rather badly."

"I don't think she will," came Cain's reply after a few minutes of silence. "She knows I trust her too much for her to do something like that."

Meanwhile, the one they were discussing was having doubts about her ability to do what she had been asked. Shira had walked into the bedroom only to find Shido lying on the bed crying, as if his whole world was gone.

Shira walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. She reached out, touched his shoulder and said, "Want to talk about it?"

Shido looked up at her in surprise. He had been expecting Cain, not her, and he was unsure of how to react.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought you might want to express your feelings before I put you to sleep." She smiled gently, and almost laughed, at the shocked look that came in response to that statement.

"Put me to sleep? I thought you were going to be blocking my memories," he said, having managed to stop his tears at her words.

"You don't expect me to work while you're awake do you?" she queried, tilting her head slightly to one side as if to study him more closely. "Or did you think I meant to kill you?"

"Cain said you wouldn't kill me; said something about you not being that type of person, … uh, … I mean, … vampire" he stammered, finally sitting up and facing her completely.

"He's right, but that doesn't mean I won't if I'm asked to," she replied calmly. "Feeling a little better now? Or do you want to finish crying?"

"I'm done, for now, I guess" he said, heaving a great sigh. "I'm sure Cain is in a hurry for you to finish this so let's get started."

"Cain can wait," she stated coldly. She smiled slightly at Shido's startled look before continuing in a more conversational tone "It's not like he won't have time to spend with you after I finish tonight. Do you want to talk about what upset you or do you want me to put you to sleep and block your memories?"

"Just put me to sleep and get it over with. I don't think I could explain to anyone why I was crying just now" he replied, lying down once more, only this time on his back. He turned his head to look at her and said "Shira, whether I remember you or not, I want you to know I wish I had gotten to know you better before this."

"Close your eyes and count slowly to ten" she said, a genuine smile gracing her face as she reached out to touch his forehead. As he did what she asked, she closed her own eyes and concentrated, and slowly a glow started to form around her hand, expanding until it encircled Shido completely.

As the glow enveloped Shido, Shira let her mind center on the one she touched, slowly connecting her mind to his. As she started sorting through his memories, she started seeing some of her own memories.

[So he has this ability too. It's a shame that it will have to be blocked as well. If I don't, he'll break the block quickly.] She sighed, and gently forced Shido to go to sleep completely, forcing the connection between their minds to be one-way only.

She quickly finished scanning his memories. [Guess two days ago won't work. It will have to be right now. I had hoped, … but with this unmentioned ability of his … ] Sighing once more, she mentally encircled all of his memories, and his mental abilities, and built a mental wall around, above, and below them, totally blocking Shido's access to them. She smiled sadly and pulled her mind back from his, returning slowly to awareness of the room she was in.

After what seemed like hours, but was really only about twenty minutes, the glow slowly faded and she started to move upon the bed. She removed her hand from Shido's forehead, stood up and walked towards the door to the rooms. She sighed softly and muttered to herself "I'll remember for you, Shido, all of it" somehow knowing that they would meet again.

She quietly opened the door to the hallway and stepped out, only to be greeted by a tense silence generated by the two men standing there waiting for her. She gave Galen a half-smile before turning to Cain and saying "He's asleep now. I've blocked his memories. All he'll know when he wakes is what he feels for you. Don't mess it up. Any mistakes you make with him are liable to crack the block. If that happens, I don't know what will happen, and I won't fix it. You're on your own now with him."

"Surprise!" Galen mouthed to Cain as Cain looked at him. Cain then turned to Shira and politely said "Thank you" before entering his rooms and closing the door behind him.

"Ready to go home Shira?" Galen asked.

"Yes" she replied, gently placing her hand upon his arm. "You may end up carrying me part of the way. I'm suddenly very exhausted. How close is it to sunrise?"

"Too close to walk to the manor above ground" he replied softly, as they walked the halls towards the audience hall.

"Guess we'll have to take the tunnel" she replied before falling silent for the rest of the trip through the halls of the castle.

As she walked the silent halls with Galen she contemplated what her next step would be, the first step of freedom. Freedom for her and her hunters, gatherers no longer. Freedom from the pain of seeing him with someone new. And someday, maybe, freedom from loving him.

As they stood in front of the hidden entrance to the main tunnel connecting the castle to her manor house Galen asked "Are you sure you want to go there tonight Shira?"

"Yes, Galen. It's time to start our new job. We have quite a long way to go, to get ready. Do you think we can succeed?" as they walked through the hidden door and started down the long staircase leading to the two mile long tunnel.

"We will, if we prepare, continue to watch our neighbors and arm ourselves better. We can do this much better from the manor than we could in the castle. We'll have to keep a presence at the castle, in some form, maybe have a couple of family members there each night" he replied after a long silence, during which they reached the bottom of the stairs and walked halfway through the tunnel.

"I'm aware of that," Shira said, and then continued in a thoughtful tone "your idea sounds good but I won't go back anytime soon. I'm sure you can understand why. From now on, you are officially my second in command."

"Haven't I always been?" he queried with a slight laugh. "Since you took over control of the family, that is. What's first on our list of things to do?" as they started up the stairs at the other end of the tunnel.

"Get everyone together in the red salon tonight. We'll discuss our plans then. In the meantime, go get some sleep" she smiled at him before turning down the hall leading to her rooms.