WoM- I got this up in time, after all! You have no idea how proud of myself I am! YAY!

"Man will do many things to get himself loved; he will do all things to get himself envied."

-Mark Twain

Sacrifice

Neris swallowed, staring at the payphone in front of her uncertainly. She didn't want to make this call, but knew there was no other choice. So, with her heart pounding, she picked up the phone, put in her change at dialed a number she knew well.

"Hello." The girl almost flinched at the sharp voice at the other end.

"Milady Circe? It's Neris." The red head flipped her hair other her shoulder, switching the hand that hold the phone.

"Neris? Is your mission complete?" the voice softened very little, but it was enough to make Neris even more uneasy. Circe was rarely gentle with people, but when she was, it never meant anything good…

"No," Neris said firmly, her voice never quavering. "It's impossible for me to control Danny even slightly. Siren has caught onto my presence in the area, and she raided my apartment when I was out," Taking a deep breath, Neris finished, "The Sacredas is missing." There was silence at the other end.

"I see," Circe said slowly, "Well, I suppose it can't be helped. It's a good thing she cannot open it herself… Has she been able to control the boy?"

"As far as I can see, only little better then me," Neris said, grimly, "He was able to fight it off easily, but…"

"Strong-willed boy," Circe said in amusement. "I would've liked to meet him…" Neris felt her eyes narrow.

Circe relished in the challenge of chipping past the defenses of men with more spirit then most, taking her time to enjoy every aspect of them. Her voice a little colder, Neris continued.

"At any rate, Siren is developing an army out of all the capable men. I think she intends to go through with her plans, with or without Danny,"

"Doesn't matter," Circe said airily, "If the boy is useless to both sides, then we stand a better chance of defeating Siren if it came to an all-out war." Neris' lips pursed at the girl's words.

"I don't think so," She said, "I think Danny would help us on his own, if we just told him-!"

"Absolutely not!" Circe hissed. "As Advisor to the Chieftain, I forbid you from telling that boy anything! With his powers, there's no telling what he can do if he actually has knowledge of our talents!"

"I've been studying him very closely, Milady, and I can honestly say that he would never use his powers to disrupt our way of life, whether or not he agrees with it!" Neris protested. "So I'm sure if we could make him understand-!"

"He is a man, Neris," Circe said coldly, "Men do not seek to understand our powers, only destroy it so it will no longer be a threat to him." There was a short pause. "I'm starting to wonder if the third rule is what truly disrupt you powers in this mission, Neris…"

"Ma'am?" Neris said, stilling slightly.

"You love him, don't you?" The amusement was back in Circe's tone. Neris scowled.

"Of course not, Milady," She said softly, "You know I'd never be so foolish to fall in love,"

"And you now it's ridiculous and futile to make such empty claims." Circe snorted, "Every seductress falls in love at least once, Neris. Even the Chieftain Herself has fallen in love with a man before. And certainly you remember your elder sister…?" There was mockery in Circe's tone now, and the phone creaked in Neris' grasp.

"Of course," Neris said stiffly, "She was a fool who deserved her end,"

"If memory serves, you looked up to her."

"Before she killed herself for a man who would never return her feelings," Neris said coldly, despite herself. "She was a powerful seductress, but a weak woman at heart."

"Oh?" the amusement hadn't left Circe's voice, "Well, I'm off to finish the report. If what you say is true, we'll need you to come back to France immediately. We'll send the Songbloods to finish the job, since Siren's so fond of music-charm…" Neris opened her mouth to protest, but caught herself in time.

"As Milady commands," She said instead, replacing the phone. Then she slumped unceremoniously against the side of the booth, closing her eyes.

'Knock, knock!'

"Just a moment," Neris called out absently, deep in a mental debate.

Circe had told her she couldn't tell Danny about Seductresses, but she said nothing about saying goodbye to him, right? He might ask questions, and he might wonder why she would leave so soon after arriving, but Neris felt that just leaving without a word would be… unfair.

'Knock, knock, knock!'

"I'm almost done!" Neris said, slightly irritated.

But Danny was staying the night at the Manson house, right? There was no way in the eyes of Aphrodite that Samantha would let her within five feet of Danny on her property, to say nothing of the fact that she didn't know where Samantha lived. The simpletons she'd over spelled had tracked the girl down on scent, and since they were sent back to the Ghost Zone before she could contact them again.

"I said-!" Words died on the tip of Neris' tongue, as her eyes met vivid and painfully familiar blue ones.

It seemed seeing Danny again wouldn't be as hard as she'd originally thought…

"Danny?" Neris gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you," Danny said seriously. Neris felt her heart drop to her shoes at the look in his eyes.

'He knows,' She thought bleakly. She didn't know how she knew this, but no part of her mind disputed it. Danny had found out at least an element of her secrets. He knew she was lying to him about almost everything. But how he had found out…

'Valerie,' This thought came to her in much the same way as the first, and Neris doubted this one even less. Her nails bit into her palm as she berated herself for acting so stupidly in a fit of rage, before centering herself enough to leave the booth.

"Oh?" She said calmly, "Why do you need to see me, Danny?"

"Because," he said grimly, "We need to talk."

"About…?" Neris said, deciding she might as well figure out how much he now knew.

"About Siren," Danny said, "About you. About Seductresses. About why Tucker is suddenly one of Siren's mindless flunkies. And about where I fit into this mess, whatever it's all about," Neris flinched. That was quite a bit more then she was expecting…

"Come on," She sighed, "In my apartment. I'll explain everything in there, but we can't talk about this here out, it's not safe," Neris started up to the building, not missing when Danny sighed and shook his head.

"Tucker better appreciate all this…"

Sam groaned as she swam back into consciousness, her head throbbing painfully where Tucker had hit her.

Once she was fully coherent, she noticed she was in some creepy looking abandoned house, not only tied, but chained to one of the many large gargoyle statues that lined the long walls of what looked like an old fashion dining hall.

The table had been removed, though, along with a large circular part of the floor. From that circle came a swirling red mist, and echoing screams that sent shivers down Sam's spine sounded from the other side of the mist. Standing against the wall opposite of her was a line of men, mostly boys from Casper High, including Dash, Kwan and Tucker.

"Once we break this spell, I'm gonna kill you for giving me a knot on the head," Sam muttered to Tucker, who was still and silent as the statues her stood between, making Sam feel even more uncomfortable. How powerful was this spell if it could keep TUCKER quiet for more then five seconds?

"Confident, aren't you?" A smooth, crystal-like voice said on Sam's right. The girl twisted to meet amused scarlet eyes.

"Siren, right?" Sam said in a cool, confident tone. Ignoring the way her heart pounded in her ears, she met the woman's gaze soundly. "What are you? And what do you want with me?"

"Nice to meet you, too," Siren said, rolling her eyes and walking away in a smooth, exotic glide. "But I suppose I'll tell you since you asked so nicely." Sam scowled, knowing the woman was toying with her. "You see, Samantha, I am a Creature of Love, a Seductress." Sam's eyes widened, twisting to face the statue-like boys again.

"That's how you're controlling them!" She exclaimed accusingly.

"Yes," Siren smirked, a hint of pride sneaking into her tone. "As you can see, I'm talented in my trade."

"Not exactly how I would put it," Sam retorted. "Besides, it's nothing that special. Paulina has way more boys clawing for a chance with her, and she does it without magic," As much as she hated the speaking of preppy cheerleader, she did enjoy the look on Siren's face at that slight. "That still doesn't explain why you need me,"

"I don't," Siren said stiffly. "It's the ghost-boy I need."

"So now I've been reduced to bait…" Sam grumbled, "Oh, this is doing the ego wonders…"

"You're no good at the whole captor-captee thing, are you?" Siren observed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Sam glared at her dryly.

"Why do you need Danny, anyways?" Sam asked instead. She was desperate to know what Siren was planning…

"A Counter-spell," Siren explained, smiling slightly.

"Counter-spell?" Sam repeated, "To counter what?"

"The curse, of course," Siren shrugged. "I need someone with the ghost-boys power and stamina to recite the incantation and channel the energies needed to remove the Curse that damnable warlock put on my kind,"

"So, you've gone through all this trouble to get rid of some stupid curse?" Sam said skeptically.

"Would it surprise you to know I once had an older sister?" Siren asked Sam, "She was twenty years my senior, not that big a difference if you talk into account that we stop aging after a while. Anyways, when I was a child, I adored her with all my heart. She was strong, beautiful and smart. No person alive could withstand her charms, and her spells were perfect. Better then perfect, actually. Everyone expected her to become the next Chieftain."

"What happened to her?" Sam asked, watching Siren's face.

"She died," Sam flinched, a wave of sympathy passing through her.

"Sorry,"

"Don't be," Siren said shortly, "She did it to herself. She fell in love with some fool mortal, and because she was so powerful the spell look a different effect on him. Instead of forcing him to hate her, it made him forget she existed entirely. Still, the fact that it was so unusual gave my sister hope, and she pressed on with her relationship even though she knew no love of a seductress would ever end in anything but heartbreak. But when the spell began messing too much with his head, threatening his life, my sister slit her own wrists to save him."

"I still don't see what this has to do with Danny," Sam said softly.

"The ghost child has powers that even he doesn't know about or understand," Siren said, "And his untapped potential for magic is amazing. He would have powers to rival Merlin himself if he'd gotten the chance to train them. That is why the Sages and the Moonbloods all want him to know as little of our world as possible,"

"What?" Sam froze, fear tying her stomach in knots at the hidden insinuation in that statement.

"The spell I will make the boy perform is designed to destroy the one who incites it," Siren shrugged.

"You're gonna kill him?" Sam yelled, anger working into her voice, "Just so some stupid curse won't affect you? You selfish-!" Siren laughed as Sam called her words Mr. And Mrs. Manson would be mortified to hear she knew.

"Selfish?" Siren smirked, "No, I'm a visionary. And it won't kill him, it will annihilate him. No human, no ghost, no soul." Sam went dangerously pale, her pupils dilating as Siren's words clicked. "A pity, though," Siren pouted. "He's kinda cute. I wouldn't have minded having a little 'fun' with him. Unfortunately time is of the essence."

"You won't win," Sam promised, "Danny won't let you,"

"Confident in your little hero, aren't you?" Siren smirked, "Young love makes me sick."

"You've underestimated Danny if you think he'll be that easy to control." Sam said, struggling against her binding slightly, "He's broken from mind control before-!"

"I know." Siren said coolly. "Freakshow, the circus goth with the staff that controlled ghosts. He was the one who told me about Danny in exchange for a little help. You see, sweetie, Freakshow's staff showed him things about the young halfa's powers even he doesn't know. Did you know that your little boyfriend is immortal now? Incapable of aging, and since part of him is dead and you cannot kill what isn't alive…" Siren shrugged, "Really my offing him now is the best thing for everyone. Ten more years and that boy would've become more or less a God."

"Shut up!" Sam screamed, "Danny's not like that, okay? He's a good person, something you'd know nothing about!" Siren laughed.

"Well, at any rate, my mind control differs from Freakshow's. Besides, if he does fight me, you'll die." Sam scowled, "Don't worry, sweetie, from what I've seen, you have nothing to worry about. Once this is all over with, I'll let you and all these little boys go, and forget you ever existed."

Sam glared at Siren's back as the woman left, laughing on her way out. Blinking back tears of rage and worry, Sam turned her attention to the moonlight filtering in through the large window at the other end of the Hall.

'She's wrong,' Sam though to herself, 'I do have something to worry about…' Shaking that thought away, Sam hoped with all her heart that Danny would find a way to fight this. That there would be a way to make everything okay…

"As you've already figured out, Danny, I'm not human," Neris sighed, meeting Danny's gaze squarely.

"I know," Danny said, "And you know I'm not fully human, either, don't you?"

"Yes," Neris answered, "You have to believe me, Danny, I'm sorry I had to lie to you, but it wasn't-!"

"Just tell me why you're here," Danny said shortly. He didn't like being tricked. Neris flinched at his tone.

"Siren," Neris sighed, "I'm here to kill her. She's a seductress, too, my twin as a matter of fact. Though between us she's always been more powerful. Almost as powerful as our older sister…"

"And she's doing something bad, isn't she?" Danny asked, "Something the other seductresses don't like? Something that involves me,"

"She's going to perform the Sacre, a powerful spell that will make her immune to the Four Rules. But she needs a channel with a lot of untapped power to do it, both as the spell caster and the sacrifice."

"Three guesses who that lucky sap is," Danny said sarcastically. "And you were sent here to they and beat her to the punch, weren't you?" Neris seemed to suddenly Danny's shoes very interesting. "I thought so," Danny stood, getting ready to leave.

"Danny!" Neris called, "You need to leave town. Siren is more dangerous then you give her credit for. Please, for your own sake, take refuge with the other halfa or someone out of town until she's defeated!"

"Vlad?" Danny said incredulously, "You want me to go running to Vlad for help? Are you familiar with the saying 'out of the frying pan and into the fire?'"

"Siren is far more dangerous to you then Plasmius," Neris insisted. "I'm begging you, Danny, as a friend-!"

"My friends don't try and trick me into doing their bidding!" Danny snapped, glaring at her, "My friends have faith in me! They trust me to understand them instead of manipulating me like some damn puppet!" Neris flinched.

"I had no choice-!"

"The Hell you didn't!" Danny exploded. "you had a choice all along, Neris, you just didn't acknowledge it! Now Tucker is under your sister's spell and-!" That when it hit Danny how much trouble his friends were in. "Tucker! SAM!" Cursing, Danny went ghost and took off for his friends house at top speed, not knowing he was already much too late.

'I am so unbelievably dead…' Valerie thought grimly as she continued towards Sam's manor. She knew the old pillows-under-the-covers trick wouldn't fool her dad long. At the same time, though, she couldn't just sit around when her friend was possibly in danger…

All thoughts derailed as Danny Phantom shot by like the hounds of hell were at his heels, going in the same direction that she was.

Glaring, Valerie kicked up the speed on her jet sled, trailing after the ghost. Her glare darkened as he dived into Sam's house, and she landed and barged into the Manson Manor, completely ignoring the fact that what she was doing was technically a felony.

Taking the stairs to the basement three at a time, she stopped to find Phantom on his hands and knees in the middle of the room, not even looking up at her loud entrance. Immediately suspicious, Valerie pulled out her ectoguns and locked onto the ghost.

"Okay, ghost-boy, where's the three kids who were here? Don't even think of lying, or I'll blow you to oblivion!" Valerie snapped.

"They're not here." Phantom muttered, so low Valerie almost didn't catch it.

"What?"

"Siren must've taken them. I'm too late…" Valerie felt her heart speed up.

"What do you know about Siren?" She asked urgently.

"She's controlling the men in this town," Phantom said distractedly as he stood. "Look, I'd love to sit here and explain everything only to have my head blown off as thanks, but I don't have time for this. I have to find out were she's keeping them,"

"…I can tell you," Valerie said after a moment's hesitation. When Phantom turned to her, fully alert, Valerie continued. "My mask allows me to track humans who are being overshadowed by ghosts, and I think it might extend to the men Siren's controlling. But I won't tell you where they are until you tell me what you know about Siren." Phantom considered this for a moment.

"I'll tell you on the way," he bargained instead. "That way we both get what we want and we save time." Valerie's eyebrow kicked up.

"I could lead you to the wrong place and kill you, you know," She reminded him.

"Yes, but you don't have the resources to fight Siren," Phantom pointed out, "Besides, even if you destroy me, I'll put up enough of a fight to hurt you badly. Siren isn't someone you can fight at any less then 100 percent if you want to save your friends." Valerie scowled beneath her mask as she realized he was right.

"Fine," She said sullenly, lowering her guns, "Let's go."

After locating a small army of overshadowed humans in the old, abandoned district on the outer edge of the city, Valerie and Danny took off, Danny telling Valerie everything it was safe for her to know. Valerie didn't say a word as Danny spoke of seductresses, but Danny could almost feel her smug air when he'd told her Neris was Siren's twin.

"I knew that girl was up to no good!" She said after Danny finished. "Why does Siren need you, anyways? Can't she use someone else?"

"I'm not like most ghosts," Danny said with a sigh, "I'm… different."

"Does it have anything to do with this halfa thing? What is that, anyways? You never told me…" Valerie asked. Danny didn't say a word, and Valerie rolled her eyes, "Fine, I'll find out on my own sooner or later, Ghost-boy, count on it!"

"I'd rather not." Danny muttered as they approached the abandoned house Valerie had tracked the energies to. Danny phased them through the walls easily, immediately suspicious of a trap when he wasn't shocked by a ghost shield or something equally gruesome.

"Which way?" Danny asked, alert at every noise.

"Just down this hall," Valerie answered, "Come on," The ghost trailed after the girl hesitantly, trying to look everywhere at once. Once he got into the dining hall, though, his attention was focused on one spot.

"SAM!" He yelled, starting to fly over to where the girl was tied up. His way was blocked by the same two large thugs from before. At least, he thought they were the same. They were still wearing the masks, so it was hard to tell. The thing that kept him in his spot, though was when another person in black stepped up and put a dangerously sharp blade on Sam's throat.

"Now, now, Danny-dear." Siren said smoothly from behind the halfa, "let's not be hasty…"

"You!" Valerie said, pulling an ecto-gun on her. Before she could fire a shot, though, she was clubbed from behind by another thug in black. Before she could recover, three more thugs came out of nowhere, pinning her to the ground.

"You got here pretty fast," Siren said, "I'm impressed."

"Neris told me everything," Danny said softly. "I know what you want,"

"Then we can cut straight to the chase, can't we?" Siren said sweetly. "Now then, sweetheart, For some odd reason you're immune to myself and my sister. Logic suggests the second rule, so I have a proposal for you." Siren smiled cruelly, "You don't want either of these girls to die, do you? Well if you don't agree to put this on-!" Here Siren threw a necklace to Danny's feet, "-Then the next ghosts you fight might be theirs,"

"No!" Sam yelled, pressing forward slightly. She froze when the blade of the sword cut deeper into her skin.

'We're dead,' Valerie thought, stunned from where the thug was pinning her, 'There's no way he'd give himself up like that, not for a girl who hates him and some chick he doesn't even know. Sam and I are as good as dead…'

"Well?" Siren pressed.

Without a word, Danny bent and picked up the necklace, putting it on. He missed The pure shock that filtered across Valerie's face, and ignored Sam as she screamed his name. All he could concentrate on as his mind began to shut down into total darkness was Sirens sadistic laugher…

WoM- All done! How's that for a cliffie, ne? Ah well, Review please!

Thanks to-

DJ Rodriguez

Rachel

Tetsukon

Questions-

DJ Rodriguez 'Laughs' Who indeed...)

Next update- November 30th.

See you then!