(Also sorry if some parts go kind of fast. I'm not in the mood for writing speeches and such)

CHAPTER NINE

TIME FILLER

Selene awoke with a start, and stared startled into Michael's face.

"Whoa," Michael said, moving back.

"What are you doing in here?" Selene demanded as she sat up.

"I was just coming to wake you up. Erika's feeling bothered by the fact that she has to face the Lycans alone," Michael said.

Selene wiped at her sweat covered face. "Why doesn't she have Kahn with her?" She asked.

"He left about an hour ago to get Markus," Michael replied.

"What!?"

"Relax. Are you feeling alright? You don't look too good," Michael said with concern.

"I'm fine," Selene snapped. "Why did you let Kahn go?!"

"Selene, you have to trust them," Michael said.

Selene seemed taken aback. She said nothing, and pushed Michael out of her way. "Where is Erika?" She finally asked.

"Hiding out with Kailyn," Michael said.

"I thought you said Kailyn refused to speak with anyone else," Selene said.

"She won't. Erika just marched in there. She said that if Kailyn was going to force herself to be miserably alone, she would join her." Selene's jaw dropped. That didn't sound like Erika.

"Oh," She managed. "Can you show me to them, then?" She'd rather be with the snobbish vampire and strange human than with the Lycans. Michael nodded.

"Alright." He got up and the two marched to where Kailyn was staying. Michael knocked on the door.

"Go away!" Kailyn called.

Selene ignored the reply and pushed the door open. Crouching on the floor Kailyn and Erika were playing a card game. "What are you doing?" She demanded. Kailyn looked up. Her face hardened when she saw Michael.

"Please leave," She said, her voice almost trembling. Michael took the hint, and said goodbye to Selene as he left. Selene turned to the closing door, and then looked back.

"What are you doing?" She asked curiously.

"Kailyn's teaching me this card game," Erika said. She glanced up at Selene, and then looked back down.

"You could play if you want to," Kailyn said softly, not looking at Selene.

"I'll just watch," Selene replied, sitting on the bed.

Erika eyed the three cards on the floor, and then put another one down, a three of clubs. Kailyn grinned, and then snatched the card up, putting the three of spades over it and adding it to a small pile on the floor. Erika grimaced.

"What exactly are you playing?" Selene asked.

"SOMB," Kailyn replied. "Steal the Old Man's Bundle."

"But there's no old man," Selene pointed out. Erika grinned.

"That's what I said," She stated.

"Well what's the plot?" Selene asked.

Kailyn sighed with annoyance, and looked angrily up at Selene. "I thought you said you were going to watch," She snapped.

Selene sat back and said nothing as the two continued their game. In the end, Kailyn proclaimed that she had won.

"What?! I demand a rematch," Erika said. Kailyn shrugged.

"You'll lose," She threatened.

"We'll just see," Erika said. Kailyn started to shuffle the cards.

Selene fidgeted on the bed. She had to have something to do. Kailyn noticed this and looked at her. "Do you want to play?" She asked.

"No!" Selene snapped.

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to play the stupid game."

Kailyn bit back a grin and then dealt the cards out to Erika and then herself. She laid four cards out on the floor. Selene leaned in closer to try and understand what the game was about. She peered over Erika's shoulder at her cards. Erika looked thoughtful, and then took out an ace of hearts and picked up the ace of diamonds, and put them to the side, starting a pile. Selene looked over at Kailyn, who silently pulled a card out of her deck and put it on top of Erika's little deck. She then pulled them back, revealing the ace of spades now on top. It wasn't long before Selene had caught onto how to play the game. After a little while, Erika was looking at her cards, trying to find a card to put out.

"Use that one," Selene said, pointing to the King of Spades. Erika glared at her, and then pulled the card out and stole Kailyn's pack.

"I was going to do that anyways," Erika murmured. Erika managed to win the game by a card, since she had more cards in her deck than Kailyn did.

"Can I play?" Selene finally asked. Kailyn nodded, and Selene took a seat on the floor, getting ready to play a card game.

Elsewhere

Michael walked up to Simon, who now sat in the lounge reading.

"Taking a break?" He asked.

"Just a little one," Simon said stiffly. "I hear the council reached a decision."

"Oh?" Michael asked nervously. "When are they going to tell us about it?"

"They want to see you. Only you at the moment. They're in the meeting room." Michael nodded and started to walk away. "Oh, and Michael! Good luck."

"Thanks," Michael said. Then he disappeared out the door. Simon looked over at Derek.

"I think it would be best if you were to check on Kailyn," He said. Derek nodded and left. Simon looked around, and then returned to his reading.

Derek pushed open the door to Kailyn's new homestead, and stared in shock to see the two vampires on the floor playing a game with her.

"What's this!?" He bellowed, now looking furiously (and mistrustfully) at the vampires. Kailyn stiffened. Selene narrowed her eyes at him.

"Get out," She said.

"You can't tell me to get out," Derek told her, taking a step inside.

"Get out," Kailyn said.

Derek froze. "You'll let them in here, but not me? Or Nikki, or Dane!?" He shouted. Erika stood.

"She can't face you just yet," She said simply. Selene looked from Derek, to Erika, to Kailyn, and back again. Selene stood, and took Erika's arm gently, meeting Derek's eyes.

"Do you want to play with us?" She asked.

Erika's jaw dropped in shock. Selene had seemed to change over night. Lately she'd been becoming more ... humane. Erika resolved to ask Selene about it later, but now, she nodded in agreement.

"It's fun," She said.

"I don't think -," Kailyn started.

"Come on. We can try and work things out while we're at it," Selene said softly.

Derek's eyes were now practically bugging out of his sockets. "Uhh ..." He glanced at Kailyn, and then nodded his head. "Alright." The four sat down.

Michael sat nervously in a seat. "You've reached a decision?" He asked.

"Aiy," Kasper, an Irish Lycan with bright red hair said. He looked over Kia, and then the other Lycans, before looking back at Michael.

"And that would be ...?" Michael asked, hoping he wouldn't get in trouble for such ignorance.

"There doesn't seem to be much we can do. You've already signed the peace treaty, and we've been informed Markus is to arrive," Kia said gently.

Michael nodded, but Kia didn't continue. Instead, Paolo did. "We've all discussed it, and some of us have agreed to align ourselves with you. If what you say is true, then there is a major threat to handle."

"How many have aligned," Michael asked hesitantly.

"Thirty of our forty packs have aligned with you. The others wish to have nothing to do with any of this," Kasper finished. He, Kia and Paolo were obviously the three in charge. Michael nodded his head. "Thank you," He whispered.

No one seemed to know what to say, so there was silence. The meeting was adjourned.