Author/Banshee Queen: "Now people...this is the what all six chapters have been leading up to and this is the chapter which ties in with the summary. Its quite long, but for a good reason. I don't want to give away anymore of the story so read on and please please review!

Disclaimer: "Don't own anything except my story." :D

Chapter 7: Only Time Would Tell...

I awoke to find myself lying in a lavish bed with grey coverlets.

Beyond my resting place lay a long silent hall. The wall's a colour of dull grey, rays of pale sunlight shining down through a single window in the middle of the hall.

I rose from the bed gazing about myself, confused as to where I was.

I felt that stake imbedded in my heart. I felt it. I know I did…

I know I had died…

…so why did I remain here still in Purgatory?

Suddenly something to the left caught the corner of my eye. I turned swiftly…

Only to feel my eyes welling up with tears.

With their trailing sleeves of feather-light material and endless folds of the gown, Marishka and Verona emerged from the shadows at the end of the hall, silently gliding towards me. As if in slow motion they ran to me, it felt as if I was reliving a dream.

I saw the ripple of their gowns, saw the creases in their faces as they lit up with a smile, saw every wave of hair fly with the motion of their soft and graceful dance towards me.

We reached each other in the middle, touching each others' faces, clutching each others' arms, laughing and cooing at each other, so overjoyed and yet confused as to how we were all reunited again after death.

"Sisters I do not know- "

Verona cut me off. A look of pain crossed over Marishka's face as she bowed her head.

"Aleera beloved, we know what you are thinking…"

There came a long silence. I waited with baited breath for an answer. The beating of my heart seemed to echo in the silent hall. Verona began again, her face pained.

"We saw. The Master-"

Marishka reached out to Verona's arm, immediately silencing her. She shook her head ruefully then turned away. My heart felt a sharp stab of dread, I knew something was wrong.

Verona gently took me by the shoulders.

"Aleera there is something you must see. Follow us sister."

I was confused. What did she mean?

Marishka led the procession down the hall, her head still bowed. Verona too was silent which was strange. I looked down at my feet, only aware that we had stopped when Verona had softly roused me from my thoughts with a hushed command.

I looked at my surroundings. This room was no different from the others. Its walls were too a dull shade of grey, the only exception being a large basin of water in the middle of the room.

My two sisters' heads were bowed. Verona rose her dark eyes to look at mine.

"You must look into the mirror."

Confusion sparked my mind, but I heeded her words and stepped towards the basin. Marishka said no word, silent as the grave. Verona's chest rose and fell rhythmically, each breath a labour.

I turned my view back to the basin, the water now rippling. At first I saw nothing, then as if in a mirage an image appeared.

Our Master was conversing with Van Helsing at Castle Frankenstein down in the laboratory. Right after my death…

"Some things are better left forgotten."

Van Helsing's remark puzzled me. What did he mean? I turned my head to look in Verona's direction. Her eyes glistened with tears staring back intently into mine. Why?

I swung my gaze back to the basin…

…Just in time to see Van Helsing and my Master morph into their creature forms…

Van Helsing lunged…

…Pinning my Master against the machinery. The werewolf plunged his canine fangs savagely into my Master's neck tearing flesh, black blood the shade of night seeping forth from his neck.

"Noooooooooooooooooo!"

I cried, reaching forward to swipe at the water. Verona ran to me in a desperate attempt to restrain me, nails digging into my arms.

"Do not touch the water Aleera!"

Marishka came to my side, aiding Verona. Her eyes were alight, a fluorescent yellow.

My Master uttered some words in Latin incoherent to the three of us, his corpse rapidly decaying.

I looked at my Sisters, though they tried to be strong for me their own tears ran down their faces.

My gaze returned to the basin, my Master was but a lifeless skeleton. The next vision stained my memory forever.

Our children flew aimlessly, spinning, twirling, exploding before my eyes in thin air, some hitting the surrounding pillars, others drawing their last breaths before they're lifeless bodies hit the ground.

"No no no!"

I screamed, re-living my grief once again, the childless mother song resounding in my head.

The image on the water slowly faded to black. The water lay still.

I buried my face into Verona's shoulder loudly sobbing. I felt Marishka lay her head on my shoulder, bestowing a warm and comforting hug upon me. Verona stroked my wavy curls, murmuring soft reassurances.

We stood there in silence for a time, the last of my sobs echoing down the hall.

"If we're here, then where is our Master?"

A single tear ran down Verona's cheek.

"I know not Aleera, I know not."

Marishka spoke for the second time since before I looked into the basin of water.

"We're in Purgatory Aleera."

A frown pinched my features.

"But how? Why? We were not entirely saints before we decided our fates, but we were not spawn of the devil either once we had began a life of immortality. What does this mean?"

Marishka stood staring out of the window, the soft rays of sunlight raining down upon her glowing skin. They did not burn her.

"We were…Noseferatu…but we were of human nature before our fall from grace. There was some good in us before we converted Aleera."

She whispered that. Marishka whispered. Marishka had never been one to express of show her emotions so easily, and the only other time I'd heard her whisper were the times when she had seen her children die. When she'd seen our beautiful children die. This was her rawest show of emotion yet.

I nodded at the last remark. Another question unanswered urged me to speak.

"If we are here, then where is our Master?"

Marishka turned her gaze at me, then returned to the window. Verona's voice trembled.

"We don't know…"

Marishka's shoulders shook, tears fell down Verona's face. I knew she would answer so and accepted the fact that I would never see my Master again.

I felt a wave of sadness wash over me as I remembered the touch of his pale palm against my cheek, the warmth of his body as he clung to mine, the sweet taste of his last kiss on my lips…

I was never to see him again…

But then one last question sparked my mind. My voice wavered, felt as if it were about to crack.

"How,' I paused, trying to gather my voice, 'how long will we remain here for?"

Both my sister's turned to face me. Marishka spoke-again in a whisper. This had hit her hard.

"Who can tell? Only time will…"

Verona sank to her knees burying her face in her hands, openly crying out aloud. Marishka bowed her head, tears silently making their way down her cheeks.

I turned my gaze back to the basin of water. It was still and moved no more.

If we were here, then where was our Master? How long would we stay here for? Only time could tell…

There were three of us…

Author/Banshee Queen: "This was my absolute favourite chapter above all the rest, and the most creative one of the lot. I wondered what Aleera would think of where herMaster was & why she had been reunited with her Sisters if she were to find herself in Purgatory. As you can see, the results speak for themselves.

So I shall ask you kindly since it being the end of this little story...would you please review? They would be so greatly appreciated." :)