Disclaimer: I am so terribly sorry about taking so long to post this part, I have no real excuse, bar the fact I cannot write fight scenes. I hope you will all enjoy it. The title of this part is in Latin and a translation can be found at the end of this chapter. Special thanks to Ten who sent me a wonderful e-mail, that really inspired me to finish this. As always, I own nothing besides the plot. Not, onto the Shout outs;

Ellina:- I try so hard not to be evil... oh who am I kidding, it's my only joy in life!

Iblis:- Glad you enjoyed it, I'm sorry it too so long to up-date.

Queerquail:- I'm scared... deeply, deeply scared by your laugh. Please don't hurt me... Lucy was always one of my favourite characters, which is why I chose her.

Funyun:- Well done, I'm very proud. Lucy channelling a fangirl? I... don't know what you mean... ::shifty look::

Graymoon74:- You are positively no fun ;)

freedomfighter82:- ::patpat:: There, there, just calm down, everything will work out in the end. Maybe not to anything good, but at least it will all work out. I may... not... have turned him into a Vampire, I'll guess you'll find out, won't you. Congratulations for guessing it was Lucy! Thank you so much for your amazingly long review, you are much too kind.

LotRseer3350:- Mwhahahahahaha... ::Evil laugh turns into a cough:: Some of your questions will be answered here!

Clez:- Mina's here to save the day! ... Honest.

Leigh S. Durron:- Yay, another person who guessed right! Yep, Mina has a tough choice to make, read on to find out more...

And now;

On The Wall

Marlene watches from the wall

Her mocking smile says it all

As she records the rise and fall

Of every soldier passing

But the only soldier now is me

I'm fighting things I cannot see

I think it's called my destiny

That I am changing

Marlene on the wall.

Marlene on the wall, By Suzanne Vega.

Chapter 7: Memento mori.

Lucy smiled as she possessively placed her hand on Tom's face. The young American turned his head to face her, the two gazing into each other's eyes. She ran her hand down his face, onto his shoulder and then down to his chest. She took her time while doing this and Tom did nothing but let her, gazing deep into her eyes. Mina was also frozen in place, unable to work out what had happened. How had Tom gotten out of the infirmary and past Nemo's men?

Suddenly Lucy stopped what she was doing, her hand resting on Tom's chest, just above his heart. There was a confused look on her face as if she had just been confronted with something new and she didn't know how to react to it.

"What?" She murmured. The spell on Mina was broken as a faint sound came to her ears. A faint sound that was the most wonderful thing she had ever heard. The sound of Tom's heart beating. As she moved towards the two, Tom hit out at Lucy. She staggered backwards, more out of surprise that actually being hurt. Tom himself stumbled slightly as his support was removed from him. In three long strides Mina had reached Tom and laid a hand on his shoulder, searching his eyes as she tried to understand. Tom stared back at her, his eyes bright, too bright.

"I could feel her calling to me, and at first I fought it." Tom said, the words falling over themselves in their haste to be said. "I tried so hard to fight it but I could feel myself dying, loosing, fading away and there was nothing I could do to stop it... until I realised that of I followed the call, I would find her and maybe, just maybe I could stop her before it is too late." He gave Mina a sly smile. It didn't sit well on his face and she was left with the uncomfortable feeling that stopping Lucy hadn't been Tom's only motivation. Perhaps, deep inside his heart there had been a grain of something else. Something dark, that had led him here. Otherwise, why would he have pulled Mina off Lucy? As if sensing the unspoken question Tom carried on talking.

"You're right. I couldn't stop myself when I saw you on her, it was as if someone else was in control... and someone else is, aren't they. It's her." Tom finished, his disgust audio in the last word. Mina wanted to tell him he was wrong, but she couldn't. She couldn't lie to Tom Sawyer, he deserved better. In any event, her answer – what ever it was – was rendered meaningless by the scream that came from Lucy's mouth.

She was rocking backwards and forwards on the spot, her head bowed, her hands clutching at her hair as a variety of sobbing sounds came from her. Slowly the sobs rose in volume, until they became a high pitched whine. The rocking became more violent as she balanced first on the very back of her heels then on the very tips of her toes.

"You're not supposed to be like that, you're supposed to choose me! Me, not her!" Lucy wailed, her eyes brimming with tears. She stared at the two in front of her. "She always got what I wanted but not this time. Not this time!" She screamed, lunging forward, intent on clawing Mina's eyes out. Mina side stepped the obvious lunge, her skirt curling around her as she spun to keep Lucy in her sights. Tom took a few steps away from the fighting women and watched them, an odd look in his eyes.

"The story doesn't end this way. I won't let it." Lucy snapped, stamping her foot. Mina stared at her without answering, pity in her eyes. This Vampire wasn't Lucy, she didn't posses the traits that had made Lucy who she was. This Vampire just looked like Lucy and with Lucy's memories. Where was the joy at giving simple little presents? Or the sanity? Where was all that was good?

It was dead. Just as Lucy was dead and something else was walking around in her corpse. Mina finally understood that she had lost Lucy forever, lost her to the darkness and to madness. Yet, there was still time to save Tom from the dark.

"Stop looking at me like that!" Lucy screamed. "Stop acting like you're better! You're not! You're nothing! Nothing, do you hear me? Nothing!" She ranted. "Tom! Help me!" She commanded. Mina looked over at Tom who was breathing hard, his gaze unfocused. He took a step backwards, shaking his head slightly.

"... No..." Tom muttered, bringing his hands up to his face. Lucy screamed again, looking every inch a screaming child who was throwing a tantrum. She charged forward again, yelling incomprehensible words as she aimed for Mina. The half vampire tried to side step her again, but this time Lucy was expecting it and she spun too, catching Mina's arm and digging her fingers in deep. The two struggled briefly as Tom watched, unable to move to help either. Mina kicked out, hitting Lucy hard and forcing her to let go of her arm.

Lucy moved away from Mina her chest heaving, giving her the appearance of being alive. She lowed her head, her blond hair creating a vale that covered her expression from the other two. When she looked up again, all traces of the angry little girl gone. Instead she radiated confidence and mystery. Her rich red lips curled suggestively as she looked at Tom, who stared back transfixed. Lucy stepped forward, opening her arms wide, her hips swaying.

"Come to me, my love." She commanded. "Come to me and we shall be together forever." Her words sounded like honey and Tom moved towards her, walking slowly. Lucy almost purred as he came closer and closer. He was almost within her reach before Mina even reacted. She sprung forward, desperately reaching for Tom, her hand finding his wrist and pulling him back. Tom made a sound, that almost sounded like a sigh as he stumbled backwards, his feet awkwardly. Lucy growled and swung her arm out, backhanding Mina hard and causing the half-vampire to fly backwards, hitting the wall. Tom was dragged back as well, falling to the ground a little way in front of Mina.

Lucy's eyed glowed their otherworldly red for a moment and Tom flinched, braking the eye contact he had been maintaining with the insane vampire. Lucy drew in a hissing breath, forcing the red to fade from her eyes. From her position by the wall, Mina groaned, trying to will some strength back into her limbs.

"Tom, my love. Come to me." Lucy whispered, her demonic side now under her control. Tom lifted his eyes back up to hers and pushed himself up from the ground, making his steady way towards Lucy who spread out her arms in a welcoming gesture. He reached her and dropped to his knees in front of her, his eyes shining with fevered devolution.

"My Queen." He said in a drugged sounding voice. Lucy lay her hand on the top of her head, bending her own head to kiss his hair. She half raised her head, still keeping it close to Tom's, in order to see Mina's reaction.

"Get away from him." Mina snarled, her rage at seeing Tom like this fuelling her energy. Lucy looked amused and even laughed out loud.

"The gloves are off?" She asked in a mocking tone. Mina didn't answer but pulled out one of her silver dagger's, holding it tightly in her hand as she growled. "Very well dear Mina." Lucy said. "Let us finish this."

Lucy stood up straight, a girlish smile on her face as she stepped around Tom who remained on his knees, swaying slightly, his gaze blank. She casually made her way towards Mina, confident of her victory. Tom's submission had given both of them renewed passion and Mina felt her energy returning to her, the anger filling her as she snarled again, charged towards Lucy, her old friend charging as well.

The two met in a fury of nails and daggers as they each fought to land a deadly strike on the other. Lucy grabbed Mina's hair and pulled hard, causing Mina to scream in pain. She flailed wildly, dropping her dagger as all thought left her mind, only to be left with the agony of her hair being pulled by a being of unholy strength. She was sure she could feel it rip out of her head as she struggled. Mina kicked backwards, her heel hitting Lucy just below her stomach. Lucy gave a gasp of pain, reflexes causing her to let go of Mina's hair. The two took a few steps away from each other, bodies tense.

Tom's swaying become more noticeable and without a sound he crumpled to the ground, his face draining of what little blood was left in it. Tom lay motionlessly on the floor, his breathing shallow and uneven. Both vampires turned to look at him, one smiling with joy, one disbelieving.

"You see Mina, you are too late." Lucy gloated. She turned back to face Mina, who was still staring at Tom in disbelief. "Besides you and I know that you would never have really been able to kill me..." She trailed off, her eyes widening in surprise. Mina stared back at her, panting slightly, her arm still flung out.

Lucy make a chocking sound as she looked down, Mina's second silver dagger was embedded in her chest, just under her heart. She gasped slightly, raising her head to look at Mina.

"Mina...?" She whispered, even as Mina ran forward, pulling a wooden stake from her clothes. Lucy shook her head, trying to move away, but the shock of the thrown dagger had sapped her of any strength. Mina rammed the stake into Lucy's heart, plunging it deep into her body.

"..." Lucy carried on staring at Mina, an expression of utmost betrayal on her face. She became to scream, a high pitched unearthly scream. On the floor Tom's body jerked and he screamed out as well, still unconscious. Lucy's body twitched as she screamed, feeling parts of her separate from her body and turn into ash. Her screaming became louder and louder as more and more of her body disintegrated in front of Mina's eyes.

For a spilt second Lucy remembered all of her past, of the days spent walking and laughing with Mina. She remembered a time of bliss and a time when she was happy as she was engaged to be married. She remembered the dreaded kiss of the vampire. Lucy wanted to thank Mina for ending her suffering but her voice was taken over by the screaming. Then she remembered nothing but the high pitched sounds of pain.

---

Nemo blinked a few times and looked around the room with faint bewilderment. Why was he standing in this room? He was supposed to be doing something... a burning pain had suddenly started in his chest and he gasped as a second sharp pain hit his heart. The Captain stumbled to the side, muttering curses in his native tongue. The fog that seemed to have covered his mind was lifting and he realised that he had left Madam Mina alone with the Vampire for who knew how long. Nemo pulled his sword out of it's sheath, stepping out of the room and into the hallway. Confused Sailors greeted him, wandering the hallways, uncertain of what had happened.

"The vampire must have used her thrall on us. No doubt she has been planning her attack on Agent Sawyer and Madam Mina for days..." Captain Nemo said, more to himself than to any of his men. They all seemed to be unhurt, thankfully and the Indian hurried past them, offering the odd comforting word as he passed, heading towards the sparring room, hoping he was not to late.

"Captain!" One of his sailors called out, running towards him. "Captain I'm sorry, I don't know what happened, one second I was checking on Dr. Jekyll and the next I looked over at Agent Sawyer and he was gone!" The feeling of dread increased and Nemo gave up any pretence of walking and ran instead. His feet pounded on the ground as he reached the hallway that led to the sparring room. Two of his sailors lay on the ground, bruises on the side of their faces. He paused briefly to bend down and make sure they were still alive.

"Have them taken to the infirmary." He ordered to one of the sailors that had followed him. The man nodded and Nemo moved forward, holding his sword in his hand, all of his sense straining out. He pushed open the ornate doors, not sure what to expect.

"It is over Captain." Mina's clear voice said and he stepped in, seeing his team mate standing by a small pile of ash. She bent down and lightly touched the ash for a second, her eyes closed as she muttered quietly.

"Requiescat in pace, dei gratia." She muttered, standing open and turning away from the ashes. She walked over to Tom and carefully brushed some of his hair away from his face.

"Are we too late?" Nemo asked her. Mina looked down at Tom and sighed.

"I do not know Captain. All I know is that one way or another... it is over." She said quietly. Tom stirred slightly and they waited, wondering if it would still be their friend that woke up or if they were indeed too late.

To Be Continued...

Just one chapter left now! Hope you enjoyed this part. For those of you interested, the Latin translations of both the title and also Mina's line are below.

Translations: 'Requiescat in pace, dei gratia.' – 'May she rest in peace, by the grace of God.'

'Memento mori.' – 'Remember you must die.'

- Sethoz