We ran, shortly after Viktor's death. The violence and the ensuing bloodbath were too obvious to be ignored by humans. Almost immediately after the last shot was fired, we heard sirens. We took the car, raced to the mansion, and taken as much necessary possesions that I could. Luckily, the House was in total chaos and I was, for the most part, largely ignored.

Someone had grabbed her arm. She lifted her hand, ready to strike, "Selene, it's me," someone said urgently. It was Kahn.

She stopped and addressed one of her oldest friends. But she turned them both into a corner. Even in the chaos of the House, a few had stopped, trying not-to-subtly to catch their conversation. Secrets were currency in the Coven. "What do you want, Kahn?" she asked, keeping her eyes alert.

"I just came from the city.. Amelia's dead, just as you predicted. We came back to the mansion for reinforcements. We left Viktor there.. Where's Viktor?" His eyes looked behind her, as if expecting the Elder to appear.

She sighed and shook his hand off. "I.. He's dead, Kahn."

His eyes widened at this. Like Selene, Kahn had been among the few personally turned by Viktor to become a vampire. Kahn had been one of the last before Viktor slept. Because of this, Selene trusted him as she would very few others.

"Kahn, I have to leave"

"How.. Why did Viktor die, Selene?" Kahn's voice was a furious whisper, as if saying the thought out loud would make the horror come true.

"Kahn, I have no time.. But Viktor.. Viktor isn't what we thought he was. He killed my family. He killed his own daughter!"

"What happened, Selene?" Kahn asked wildly. "Where's Kraven?"

"Kraven's dead, too. And Lucian was alive this entire time. But he's dead. The Lycans are scattered. Amelia is dead, and Viktor died tonight.. Marcus should be awakened soon. It is his time to reign"

Kahn must've noticed the bag she had slung over her shoulder, and the two huge leather-bound books she held in her hand. "Selene.. Selene, where are you going? What are you doing?"

"Kahn, I have to leave. Pretty soon, they'll be hunting for me-" She turned on her heel and started to walk away. Khan followed her and grabbed her arm again to stop her.

"Why, Selene? You are Viktor's favored one. Nobody can harm you here!"

She turned and looked at Kahn's eyes. "Because I killed Viktor, Kahn. He died by my hand."

Kahn's eyes changed, and he stepped back, head already shaking as if in denial. "No.. I can't believe you're saying that, Selene. You've gone insane!"

"No, Kahn, I haven't. But I haven't the time to explain it to you. I must leave before the Coven finds out. They will not let me live long enough to let me explain why" Kahn's eyes were still wide with shock and denial. "Kahn please, I have to leave. I will explain somehow, But I have to leave right now."

"Kahn, please. Brother-" she addressed him in the one name they called each other in secret. "You will hear many things about tonight. Do not believe any of them. I will contact you somehow. Marcus will wake tonight. I imagine he will want a full accounting of what has happened tonight. He will want to find me."

"Where will you go?"

She smiled sadly. "I can't tell you. But when we're safe, you will know"

"We?"

"Michael. He's the key to all this."

"That Lycan!"

"Yes. I have to get to the bottom of his story"

"It's not just because of that, is it?"

She smiled sadly. "You're right. I have to go. He needs me"


Memories, jumbled, tortured, came to me. This was not what I had expected. Amelia? Amelia, are these your thoughts?

"We must test and see this Michael... We must see if the hybrid exists.. My Lord needs it.. The time will come when we will defeat those bastard vampire hoards. It is our destiny."

Memories.. memories of the Hunt. Of being the Hunted.. I have been asleep far too long. Amelia. Where is Amelia? Viktor? Why do see memories of dark caves, of dank dwellings?

Blood drips from the chalice onto my lips. Yes.. yes! My time has come. But something is amiss. This is not the Blood of an Elder. This is not the taste of human blood. Not the taste of our Kind. This-

This is an abomination! But my body is too weak to reject it. Already my limbs are awakening. My heart pumps even as my mind revolts at the very substance that has Awakened me. I will get to the bottom of this. I will-

I am alive.


"Michael, you have to drink this," she told him briskly. She had left him in the car so that she could get her computer and books. She tossed a bag of blood at his lap, and revved the car up. He was still weak, still reeling from the events of the evening.

"Michael," she snapped, and slapped his shoulder. He was leaning heavily on the door and didn't respond. His skin color was returning to it's normal shade, but slowly.

"Yeah, I got it," he muttered, pulling himself upright, trying to breathe evenly. What was happening to him? What the hell was going on? He picked up the plastic bag on his lap, and stared at the liquid inside. Already his heightened senses could smell it, the metallic taste of blood. He would've preferred it hot, gushing out of-

Stop it, Corvin! This is blood you're talking about. Human blood! He shook his head.

"It's a different way of existence, that's all," Selene told him quietly. Though she had said it in a whisper, both of them knew the other heard.

"But.. how?" And why? He added to himself. He was now everything he couldn't understand to have existed: immortal, vampire, werewolf. Everything he studied in med school, everything he was, couldn't even begin to come near to what he was now.

"The first time I woke up- as a vampire- my first thought was to feed. The human in me remembered that I was in my parents' house. But the creature in me counted how many were there, and how many were still alive. Immediately, I was disgusted with myself.

You're just different now. You're not a monster, you're just not the same. That's all." she told him firmly.

"Now, drink."

How different? was what he wanted to know. He was neither vampire nor werewolf, that much he knew. He was almost tempted to tell Selene to go slow, to drive more carefully since no one was trailing after them. But he sensed that she was used to driving like this. He sensed that there was more to her than she was letting on.