Chapter Seven

Confessions

Layla sat straight up in bed. She felt her head and shook off the dizziness from being unconscious for so long. The faint blue veil of the spirit world swirled around her threatening to burst and fill her mind with the demands of the dead. She struggled to regain her control which was difficult after being unconscious from using all of her abilities to conjure what she did. She began to recite allowed the little poem her mother taught her; that always seemed to help her concentrate.

"Layla Wayla Bumble Bee. Mummy's little cup of tea. I'm as happy as can be, with Layla Wayla on my knee." After several seconds of disciplined concentration the threat was gone and Layla was at ease to open her eyes. However, when she did she was startled by the sight of her parents sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Blooming Christ!" She gasped. "I thought we discussed you not doing that anymore!"

"Hello poppet, and yes", her mother agreed, "But this is urgent and couldn't be helped. Your patience is urged."

"Fine. You have my patience." Layla scooted back on the bed and propped herself up waiting for her parents' spirits to start talking again.

"You and your friends can no longer hide." Her father spoke up. "Not form the Brotherhood. And not from … the others."

Layla looked sternly at the spirit of her father seated by her covered feet. The blue wallpapered walls reflected the iridescence of the spirits' inarguable skin and cast an eerie glow around the room.

"What others? Surely you don't mean the …" Layla was interrupted by her mother completing her sentence.

"The Faithful? Yes. That's exactly what we mean."

Layla scoffed at the notion and waved her mother off like a prank was being played on her. "You're pulling my leg right! The Faithful are a myth! They were just a scary bedtime story for initiates to learn about the dangers of misusing magics! It would be like telling me boogie man existed!"

Her parents looked at each other and then back at her with raised eyebrows smiling, not speaking a word.

"Oh my Goddess, the boogie man is real!" Layla proclaimed in shock at the realization.

"Yes but, he really isn't into the whole hiding in the closet thing anymore. He has a donut shop in Pennsylvania somewhere." Her father instructed. "But we didn't come here to talk about what mythical creatures are bakery owners now."

"But The Faithful can't be real! For some weird reason I can totally see the boogie man, but The Faithful… They aren't even mentioned in any journals or in any of the sacred texts."

"That's because no one wants to admit that they were once Brother Abgal Das. That they share the same teaching as we do; they just twist them. It would be like admitting to being related to Hitler. It would change everyone's view of your family." He answered.

"But they were passed on in form of stories and anecdotes to children and initiates in darkness and quiet of the bedtime rituals that parents and children share." He mother added.

"But if you are telling me NOW that they are real then they …"

"Are the ones responsible for the attack on the house today." Her mother interjected again.

Layla's eyes grew wide in amazement. "The sashes." She mumbled. "Be wary of the Misled Ones. For they are great deceivers and can be recognized by their azure array… Their blue sashes…" Layla trailed off into thought. "But, what does this mean? Why are they attacking us?"

"Isn't it obvious? You met with Finch the other day what did he tell you?" He father prodded full knowing what the clandestine meeting was about.

Layla looked down and furrowed her brow. She didn't want to admit what he former teacher had let slip to her. He was the only one left in the Brotherhood who knew of her whereabouts. He risked his position by coming out here to meet with her in secret. If anyone found out that he had aided in spiriting her away, he would be in a great deal of trouble. Especially letting an AWOL Abgal Da know about the goings on in the collective, for that he could lose everything! She had been waiting for a good time to tell Jimmy and Emma what Howard had warned her of. And maybe she was just hoping that it wouldn't affect them at all with them being so special and virtually unknown to the Brotherhood.

"Howard told me that the spirit of the Ba Musal was dying, and so far the Brotherhood could find nothing to stop it or correct it. He wanted to warn me of the danger that my friends could be in if they didn't know." She spoke sheepishly.

"And why haven't you told them?" He mother asked sternly.

Layla looked over at the bedside table and saw the 5x7 frame that housed a whimsical picture of Jimmy and her in a romantic kiss. Her heart seized as the thought of harm coming to him again attacked her thoughts. She closed her eyes and tears began to well.

"I'll be damned. Adira, you have succeeded in rendering her silent!" Her father teased.

"Papa, please. I was wanting to tell them when I sure. I didn't want to scare them." She clutched the blanket that covered her as if it could keep her from feeling the guilt that threatened to grow in the pits of her stomach.

"You mean you were afraid of how they would react when they found out you lied to them about your appointment at the café and what they would do when they found out you still were in contact with a Brother. They would have many questions for you, and you were afraid of what answers you would have and those you wouldn't." Her mother knew her well. As mush as Layla boasted and hid it well, she was easily hurt. "There is no shame in your meeting with Finch, poppet. There is nothing wrong with keeping touch with him. What was wrong was lying about it and you should know by now that that will be the only factor that will upset Jimmy and Emma. That you didn't trust them enough to tell them."

Layla sniffled at the true words her mother had spoken. She wiped her tear-streaked face and smiled at her parents. The light they emanated began to wane and they looked about themselves. "It's time for us to leave." Her father announced. "Remember, The Faithful are relentless and they won't stop until they get what they want. Their secrets have been well hidden for centuries. Your only hope is to trust in the Kor Tant Yul, he is good man and can help. He knows where you are and will contact you soon. No matter how dire things may get, don't lose faith in yourself or your friends. They can handle it. What ever comes, even though it may seem that all is lost, it is only temporary. You have the strength to get passed anything!" And they began to fade into nothingness as they slipped back into the veil.

"WAIT! What do they want! Why do you have to be so sodding cryptic all the time! It would have saved a lot of time if you would have just come out and said it!" Layla yelled out to the empty bedroom.

"Fine, you're a mouthy bitch who takes up all the hot water in the shower." Layla turned to find Emma standing in the doorway with a cup of hot tea looking very concerned.

Layla shook her head and gestured for her to come in. "Sorry I was talking to my parents. They decided to pop in and have a little chat."

Emma handed her the mug and Layla gently blew on the steaming liquid before carefully taking a sip. "Hmm, perfect. Thanks."

"So what did they want to talk about? I imagine it didn't have anything to do with the economy or politics." Emma sat on the bed next to Layla and waited for her to answer. The bandage she had wrapped around the deep cut on her arm had soaked through and blood was beginning to drip down her arm again. She felt the warm fluid run down her bicep and reached over wipe it away with her hand. When she did, tenderness became apparent and she winced from the pain.

This affected Layla. She looked over at the clock and realized that she had been out for a couple of hours. Layla had never seen Emma take so long to heal. "Thanks also for what you did for me earlier. Your like my own battery charger you know that!" Layla chuckled uncomfortably and looked back at Emma's arm. "That's odd right? It not healing already."

"Yeah, well, maybe it had something to do with 'recharging your batteries.' Who knows? So, anyway, your parents. What did they say? I'm sure it was pretty important, you know, for them to cross planes of existence and all." Emma ignored her throbbing arm and looked back at Layla.

Layla rubbed her face and thought for a carefully. She could hear her mother's words echoing in her mind. Finding her resolve, she began to speak. "You might as well call Jimmy and tell him to stop looking in the journals for anything on the crazy ninja people. My parents know who they are and they won't be found in any journals that we know of." Layla could see the curiosity and confusion building on Emma's face. "They aren't ninjas at all. They're members of a radical faction that seceded from the Brotherhood almost a thousand years ago. They call themselves The Faithful." Layla paused and allowed Emma to react.

"What? Why are they considered radical?" Emma exhaled.

"They believe that man-kind was blessed with the ability to control and manipulate magics and that it was at the discretion of the individual not the responsibility of a collective to determine its uses."

"I wouldn't quit define that as radical, more like constitutional." Emma intervened.

"Yes, well it's not like I disagree with that all that much myself. But, I also believe that there should be limits or else the world would be in chaos. And that isn't so much why they are considered radicals. There was some sort of disagreement between the ones who would become the Faithful and the Abgal Da. While the Abgal Da devoted all of their time and efforts on creating the Great Army, the Faithful believed that well enough should be left alone. They believed that the Ba Musal was sacred and should not be shared with the world. If I remember my bed time stories correctly, they were looking for some sort of Sleeping Beauty thing. They wanted to wake the Ba Musal herself up from her slumber, I think. The line goes "…bring rise to the Ba Musal anew…" That could mean any number of things. But the point is the same, they did NOT agree in the prospects of 'incarnates' such as yourself. And they believed in attaining their goal by ANY means necessary. They would stop at nothing no matter what the cost. The Brotherhood believed in the sanctity of life and that that was what the Ba Musal wanted. She wanted to rest, but, she also wanted her followers to be safe from the threat of the Uradda. With that being their core belief system, the protection of life, they were never willing to risk the lives of an innocent person or thing anywhere. That is what caused the split.

They Faithful called themselves such because they believed they were being 'faithful' to the sleeping Goddess by 'saving' her essence from being tainted by a lower being.

"And for their disloyalties, dangerous magical practices and their unsavory indifference to those outside the confines of the Brotherhood, they were banished from the fold and warned never to make their selves troublesome or cause harm or they would be dealt with accordingly by the Brotherhood itself. Since then, no one has really heard a peep from The Faithful. They became myth; a legend. My parents told it to me as a fairy story before bed. They were basically erased from the Brotherhood who would have it that they never existed so that such a shameful situation never happened." Layla stopped and sipped her tea. The sensation of the warm brew slowly rolling down her throat relaxed her body and eased her mind. It reminded her of why England had a set time for tea everyday. "American's could learn a thing or two from the British tea time!" She thought to herself.

"But why now? And why us? And how are you sure that it was them?" This was very overwhelming for Emma. It seemed like things were falling in her lap one after the other these days. As soon as one obstacle crossed her path another rose up just to spite her. She glared at Layla with insistent eyes, demanding that she finish slurping her tea and answer her question.

"First of all, I have NO idea how they found you when the Brotherhood isn't aware of you. As for being sure that it was them, my parents said so and the fact that they donned the blue sash was an indicator. Part of the story told of how they could be recognized by their azure array. I used to think that that part was meant for people like me, mediums who can sense and sometimes see auras. The array meaning beacon. I thought it meant they had a blue aura. But array can be used to describe one's garments as well. So the blue sashes would make sense."

"But that doesn't explain why they all of the sudden have made a cinematic entrance in MY house and tried to slice and dice me!" Emma was becoming impatient and Layla was purposely dragging her feet on this one.

"I believe it or they for that matter, have something to do with the dying spirit of the Ba Musal." Layla waited and prepared herself for whatever was coming next.

Emma froze and took in the statement slowly. She wanted to absorb every syllable to make sure she wasn't misinterpreting anything. Her blood ran cold and her neck began to tingle. She was afraid that the increasing anxiety would cause her to become nauseous. "Wait. What do you mean the 'dying' spirit of the Ba Musal? Wouldn't that mean that there would be no more vampire slayers? That I would be out of a job?"

"That's it precisely. For some reason they can't explain, incarnate around the world are losing their abilities and many have died from the fact. The current Kor Tan Yul, figure head of the Brotherhood of the Abgal Da, has been conscripting Brothers to travel the globe collecting the incarnates to keep them safe and find a cure or something like a cure." Layla's heart began to beat faster in fear of what Emma would say or do at the reception of this.

Emma stood from the bed and back up a foot or two. Her eyes were wide with disbelief and she shook her hand at Layla. "When did you find this out? HOW did you find this out!" Emma gritted through her teeth.

Meekly Layla bowed her head and began to answer. "Two days ago. When I went to the Grove Café to meet an old friend. It was my old teacher, Howard Finch. He's the Head of the Indiana House. He's the one who helped me sneak away to here and helped keep me hidden. He's the only one who knows that I am here and that you exist." Layla pushed herself up farther and gripped the sheets. She was ashamed of herself for not telling them sooner. It wasn't easy getting Emma to trust her when she first arrived. And Layla feared that any indication that she was some sort of spy would give Emma just the excuse she needed to show Layla the door.

Emma's brow lowered; her nostrils flared. She could feel the tips of her ears burn as she accepted all that Layla has confessed. "How could you? How could you lie to us! You look me straight in the eye and say that we are family and you sneak around behind out backs! You have secret meetings with the very people our parents tried to hide us from? You learn valuable information and keep it from us? We both could have been killed! Did you not realize that? Or what you thought it would be funny to watch us struggle and possibly suffer? Because you think you're better than us? Fuck you you stupid cow! I shoulda let you rot back in the book store last year!" Emma stormed out and slammed the bedroom door so hard that it pulled through the frame and stuck on the wrong side.

Layla could hear Emma in the other room bellowing on the phone for Jimmy to back home immediately. Now Layla was the one who felt like her body was on ice! She wanted to hide so badly! She wished there was something she could say or do to make this whole situation disappear. Not only was Emma to the point of tearing her face off, but, Jimmy knew now and she feared this would create a gap that could never be closed again.

She slid from the bed and began to walk to the broken bedroom door. She stepped down with her foot and felt the softness of crumpled fabric beneath her. It was Jimmy's shirt. She picked it up and held it close to her face. The scent of his cologne still lingered. She buried her face in it and tried not to weep. She wished he was here right now to hold her and tell her that everything would be ok.

The knot in her stomach told her that it was time to face Emma and explain herself. Maybe there was someway for her to salvage what was left between them. She owed them that much.

Emma paced in the kitchen. Jimmy sounded utterly heart broken when he said he would be home straight away. She hadn't felt this confused in a long time. And she didn't like feeling confused. It was like being out of control of her information! She suspected that some people may enjoy it; like piecing together a puzzle or something. But this was too much for her! She hated being lied to! Deceived! "How could I be so stupid! What an idiot I was to buy all of her crap! She pretended this whole time to be so helpful and, in her weird aggressive way, caring about us! How could she do this to us? How could she hide all of this? How could I allow it? And the whole thing about the vampire slayers being no more! I don't if I can handle this! What would I do? Yeah I can see me becoming a secretary! I like being a slayer! There's nothing like hunting down a beastie and working out some aggression! I don't think I could go on with out it! Just be some ordinary person with a bum leg! No way! No way am I giving up the super-hero biz! I don't care if I can never carry on a normal relationship again! This is my heritage and I'm not going to let anyone take that from me! It's the one thing I have that makes me …special…"

Layla pushed on the door forgetting that it was pushed through all of the way into the hall. There was a thick snap and Layla jumped. "Well, it's already broken… Might as well." With a quick and hard shove, she forced the door through the rest of the way and it broke free from its hinges. Leaning it against the wall, she turned and entered the kitchen.

Emma stood there staring out of the hole where the small kitchen window used to be. Glass was sporadically swept into piles through the blue and white linoleum floor. The kitchen table still remained derelict against the far wall; broken legs and everything. Layla took a step forward and heard a crack and then a series hollow taps as bits and pieces of rubble fell to the basement below through the gaping hole that Emma created earlier.

"Careful. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself or anything." Emma stated flatly without turning around. "I don't think you want to be around me right now. Still working on that temper you know. Tends to get the better of me. But then again, if what you say is true, soon I'll be helpless as a bird with clipped wings."

The gravity of Layla's revelation was weighing heavy on Layla's chest. "Emma, please don't be cross with me. I …"

"Cross? CROSS?" Emma whipped around angrily and faced the defeated Layla. "You fucking lied… ABOUT EVERYTHING! You said you were 'sent' here! You weren't! You ran away basically following the instructions an all powerful Goddess who went all crazy like and almost allowed another psycho Vampire Goddess to roam free! Then you tell us that no one knows we are here, that somehow we were overlooked. And now you say that the HEAD of a Motherhouse DOES know we're here! You lied about your meeting with him, and you didn't even bother to tell us that we were about to lose the only family legacy we have left! Did you not think about Jimmy at least? I mean you claim to love him and all, but, who knows you've lied about everything else!"

Layla began to shake her head in vehement disagreement.

Emma continued waving off Layla's defensive head shaking. "Whatever. All I know is, come tonight, you are gone! I knew I shouldn't have trusted you! I knew it right form the goddamn start! I knew it! I told him not to let you stay here! But, what can you do? Jimmy's a man and they have penises! Beyond that, nothing else matters!" Emma turned back around and looked back out the window at the cloudy sky. The wind smelled metallic and fresh with just a taste of moisture. A late spring rain was about to pour down. "That's great." Emma nodded sarcastically. "Good thing most of the windows and doors were busted out by rouge ninjas."

"I'm so sorry, but, it's…" Layla began again.

"Please. Save it." Emma rolled her eyes and began picking up bits of glass and wood like she had been doing while Layla was unconscious.

Layla remained there in uncomfortable silence as Emma occupied her mind with tedious cleaning. Just as Layla bent down to help, the front door squeaked open and Jimmy walked in.

Layla stopped and stood to greet him with a shy smile. He could only glance at her. It hurt to look into her large chocolate orbs without feeling the pain of her deception. Jimmy shied away and walked directly passed Layla and towards his sister who continued to scoop glass into brown paper bags. He dropped his green canvas duffle and squatted down next to Emma. He grabbed her hands as she reached for another handful of glass. He turned them palms up and saw that they were covered in tiny cuts and blood.

"Emma, stop." He whispered to her. She looked up into his eyes and wanted to cry form all of the frustration. It felt like there was nothing she could do and it killed her.

"If I lose this, it would be like they died for nothing! Or like they died and now I can't stop it from happening again to another girl trapped in a closet. Everytime I miss one Jim, it's like I relive the whole thing for someone else! I couldn't cope with that everyday of my life!" Emma whispered. The red rims of her eyes became moist and a single tear fell from her right eye. Jimmy reached forward and retrieved it.

"I know Emma Bemma. But we're gonna fix it. I promise. Everything is going to work out. It's what we do!" He smiled and helped her stand. She turned and began rinsing her hand in the kitchen sink. Jimmy turned and forced himself to raise his head and face his beloved exotic princess standing in the kitchen doorway.

He couldn't stand this. He hated fighting with her. He didn't agree with her lying them, but it didn't change the fact that he loved her deeply. She looked like she was suffering so much inside. Her face looked like she had just walked in from the cold. She held her arms across her chest and she continuously rubbed her bare biceps as though she really were freezing.

If it were truly possible his heart would have leapt through chest at heart. It wanted close to her so badly. But his rational mind kept telling him to make her wriggle and not to trust what he was seeing because she has already lied. But, Jimmy's heart pounded relentlessly and its constant drumming was louder and more convincing than his rationality. He looked at her in the eye and began to walk towards her with his arm extended out.

As soon as she saw the gesture, she broke down. Her heart gave in and she wept. He held her tightly in his arms as he drove his face into her sweet smelling hair.

"Why didn't you just say something?" He asked holding back his own tears. "That was all you had to do was tell us! I don't know why you felt like you had to lie and keep things from me? I love you!"

"Oh Bullshit!" Emma exclaimed when she noticed what was going on behind her. "She fucking lied Jim! She's a goddamn spy!"

"You never let me explain!" Layla pleaded. "You're constantly acting instead of thinking!"

"You better watch your fucking mouth Layla, you're in my house remember!" Emma threatened.

"So what I'm just supposed to stand here like a bloody git and let you act all brassed off and continue to gut me? For once you should shut your yapper and let someone else talk!" Layla defended.

"Oh that's a hoot coming form you! I've tried everything to get you to shut the fuck up but it has proved an impossibility! You simply lack the capability!"

Jimmy had been stuck in the middle of the two warring women long enough. He swore to himself that his neck was going to be sore tomorrow from flipping his head back and forth. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" He yelled throwing his arms up. "STOP IT! Emma, let Layla explain before you condemn her!"

Layla smiled and raised an eyebrow cheering Jimmy for defending her right to speak.

"And Layla, you need to understand that by lying and sneaking around behind out backs you have placed us all at great risk! She has every right to be pissed off. Now, I love you, but, I really hope that what you have to say excuses that!" Jimmy stepped back and gave her room to speak.

Layla bowed her head and searched for the right context. She realized that too many times things she had just blurted out were completely misunderstood because of lack of proper context. "About meeting with Howard, I was afraid that you WOULD think I was a spy! And I'm not! I chose to be here! I had grown increasingly disillusioned with the Brotherhood; especially after me mum and dad were killed. I guess I had been looking for a way out when Aslyn told me about you two here. I was more than happy to go! I just needed a little help. The Brotherhood doesn't take members leaving too well and for good reason! People could blab all of the secrets to who ever would listen! Howard had been a friend of my family since well before I was born. He taught me much of what I know today. Taught me how to conjure portals and control my abilities. I knew I could trust him with anything! So, with his help I was able to leave the Indiana House and sneak off to Missouri to help you. Of course I was lied to by Aslyn why she wanted me to come here. But, still I stayed and I helped you! And have ever since then! As for keeping in contact with him, I felt that it was an advantage for us! If anything nasty was headed our way, he could let me know and we could be ready! And like I have already said, you would have thought that I was a spy so I never told you. About the waning power, I was waiting for the right time! I wanted to be sure. I guess I was hoping that it would pass over us being that no one else could sense you, or maybe the Brotherhood could fix it before it affected you! But I was wrong, and for that I apologize. Please believe me! I love this house! I love being a part of both of your lives! I would never do anything that I thought would jeopardize that!" Layla stopped her monologue with tears in her eyes and looked over at Jimmy. He smiled awkwardly and nodded. Emma on the other hand just stood there with her arms folded and her eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Well, isn't that convenient. How simply you have explained your LYING to us! All of that shows to me is that you don't trust us and you don't respect us. It just proves that you can't be trusted. How are we to believe anything you say anymore?" Emma looked at Layla with such contempt. "Worst thing in the world", she thought to herself, "being lied to. It's like telling someone their unworthy to hear the truth."

"I think you're worthy!" Layla spoke up abruptly and shattered the overwrought silence.

Emma stood up straighter, snapped her head back up and stared at Layla with vicious eyes. "You said you wouldn't do that unless you had permission!" She growled.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it! I just want to end this! We have more important things to be worrying about than your insecure crap!" Layla spat.

Emma began to storm across the room towards the fiery Brit. "You think you're so goddamn bad Layla? Take a shot then! You think you're so much better then me just because you grew up with all that privilege and special 'I talk to dead people' powers? You think because of all of that you can just say whatever the hell you want to people? You bitch constantly about how I'm just the muscle, how I don't know any better and blah blah blah… You complain how my staying at home all the time causes YOU problems with YOUR sex life! Well, guess what, I happen to like being a 'vampire slayer!' I like being 'a compatible vessel for reincarnation'! I like being this way!

I like staying at home and sleeping! I like going out and getting to kill bad guys! I get to kick the crap out of things on a nightly basis! And I'm good at it! How cool is that! I can run faster and jump higher better than any other person NOT a reincarnation of an ancient vampire killing Goddess! How many people get to work out all of their aggressions and frustrations by beating up the walking undead? And you sit there and call me the 'muscle' like it's a bad thing. I could give a shit Layla. I have enough trouble listening to myself bad mouth me, I don't need a chorus!"

Jimmy had been standing in-between them worried that things would get worse quickly. But he was growing weary of being in the middle of their little tiffs. Emma was really upset this time. Mostly it was just her shouting at Layla for her saying something rude or snide about Emma's intelligence of lack of a social life. This time it was Emma attacking Layla for her poor decision. And couldn't really blame her all that much for her anger. It was Emma's lack of self control that worried him. Emma is used to being able to beat, pummel, and even kill what ever she feels threatens or angers her and he was afraid she was about to forget that Layla wasn't and evil creature of the nocturnal and in fact a human being who made a mistake.

"Boo hoo. Emma is hard on herself." Layla mocked. "We are all supposed to feel so sorry for sad, pathetic Emma who's had such a rough go of it! Let's all pat her on the back for getting out of bed in the morning and being able to face the world! Wait a tick, YOU DON'T FACE ANYTHING! You couldn't even handle going to a pub and trying a little flirty-wirty with getting all gutted!"

Jimmy looked at Layla sternly trying to make it clear to her that this wasn't going to help any and then Emma leaned in to give her biting response.

"OH! Excuse the hell out of me for defending myself against some drunken date rapist who thought he could man-handle me! And you try flirting with a guy with 'hey hot stuff my name is Emma, I'm a freakishly strong vampire slayer with some assembly required' as a pick up line and see how long they stick around! Besides LAYLA, in this town, it's not likely that a gorgeous, single guy is going to conveniently walk up and knock the door looking for someone like me!"

As soon as she uttered the last word in the sentence, there was a hollow rap at the open front door and a voice of a young man calling out. "Hello, is this the home of Emma Hogan?"

The three stopped instantly and looked towards the door wide eyed and blinking. Silence took over the home as they stood in complete astonishment. There stood a tall handsome man with sandy hair and broad shoulders. He stood perfectly still on the outside of the doorway awaiting a response from the frozen and silent three.

The trio exchanged glances and of course Layla broke the hush. "Since when are you the bloody psychic?"

"I'm sorry, if I am interrupting something, but it's very important that I find the Hogan twins." The man continued in his song-like Irish accent.

"Holy crap." Emma stammered dumb struck under her breath. She couldn't believe her luck! She couldn't breathe! There stood the most attractive male specimen she had ever seen in her life in her very own doorway! Her heart struggled to keep its rhythm but she found it beating more and more erratic. He was almost beautiful! Time seemed to slow as she made permanent note in her mind of his striking attributes. His short tousled sandy hair, his flashing green, bedroom eyes perfectly crowned with long, full lashes. "Men always get that stuff women try so hard for!" She thought to herself, "Good hair, the ability to grow long nails, and always long full lashes!" His build was so broad and masculine that she felt that if she didn't run a hand down one of his well formed biceps that she would cry. Even though he was wearing a thick cotton shirt and brown leather jacket, his pectorals were well defined through the fabric. She almost quivered at the sight of his full, flawlessly shaped lips turn up into a suave, yet awkward smile showing a row of perfect, white teeth. "Perfect." She mistakenly said aloud.

"I'm sorry?" He asked.

Emma shook her head to bring herself back into reality. Suddenly, she was more aware of the sounds in the room and the fact that everyone was looking at her rather funny. Jimmy leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"Wipe your mouth; you've got a little drool there."

Emma shoved the chuckling brother back and instinctively wiped her mouth with the back of her hand to make sure. She stepped up a couple of feet and attempted to recover from her embarrassing remark.

"I meant you're in the perfect place! I'm Emma Hogan and this is my brother Jimmy. What can we do for you?" She could feel her face heat up and turn red as she stumbled over her words… and the living room rug. Trying to ignore the fact that she almost fell on her butt, she quickly gestured for him to enter. He stepped over the threshold and lowered his computer bag and duffle.

"Brilliant, we have much to discuss and little time. My name is Aiden MacAlister."

Layla stepped forward in shock as she pushed passed Emma. "You're an Abgal Da!" She announced.

"You're from the Brotherhood?" Emma asked carefully.

"Yes, actually. And I am afraid I need you to come with me, including you… Ms. Fellows." Emma and Jimmy jerked in shock, but Layla stood firm and squared her eyes. "There are some who believe you owe them a great deal of explanation."

Jacksonville, Illinois

Rebecca had always been careful. She didn't even drive off in her care without first buckling her safety belt and locking her doors. When it came to hunting, it was no different. She always carried a cell phone, extra stakes, a tazer, and plenty of knives. She even made sure that her short black hair was tightly pulled back and pinned down so that it would stay out of her eyes. But, tonight she had this odd sense about her. She felt uneasy and unsure. Both feelings she didn't like and definitely wasn't used to.

Rebecca walked cautiously through the park. Through the darkness, she squinted looking between trees and brush searching for her lurking prey. She could feel him; she could feel something, but the buzzing, dizzying feeling in her head stopped her from discerning what. It had been happening on and off for a couple of days now. This faint, dizzy feeling worried her. Ever since these "episodes" began, her confidence in her abilities and self had begun to fade.

The uneasiness had grown into a sour turbulence in her gullet. Her head began to swoon and slowly she was brought to her knees. She clutched the thick moist grass in her fist and held her heavy head with her other hand. The loose earth pushed up and under her nails as she struggled to regain her bearings. Her brain began to pound and her ears welled up with tears. It was like having someone reach into your head, rummage around and then start pulling things out! The pain became so intense; she was barely able to keep herself from sprawling out onto the cool, dew covered lawn. Rebecca tried not to moan from the pain but the sound found its own way and crept out of her throat. Her ears felt warm and the sensation of liquid running along her jaw provoked her to touch her neck and chin to be sure. When she brought her fingertips up to her eyes she was horrified by the sight of bright red blood covering them! She checked again and followed the trail up to her ear. Her ears were bleeding! She began to sob. She couldn't comprehend what was happening to her! Why couldn't she move or think! Why did she feel there was a tuning fork in her head trying to scoop her brain matter out?

"Wha… What's happen...ing?" She struggled to speak the words. It seemed her whole body was locked. Suddenly, a pair of black clad feet appeared out of no where infront of her view. She slowly forced her non-compliant head up little by little to either beg for help or look into the face of an attacker. As her eyes lifted a dark blue sash appeared and practically brushed against her nose.

"Do you know why you are in so much pain? Because, that pure and glorious spirit you possess is finally clawing its way out of that filthy, undeserving shell of yours! We are quite surprised you lasted this long with its power draining away from you over the past few days. Amazing, really, that you still held your own against the beastly Uradda without the advantages. Most of you False Ones die in combat before this final stage of the spirit ripping its core from your fragile brains. I know that this must be extremely painful. Not to worry, I'm here to end it for you." The man stood up and retrieved a sword with a Romanesque hilt. With one swift and fluid movement he pulled the sword up and left severing Rebecca's head from her shoulders.

"What are you waiting for?" The man addressed his cohorts who waited by his side. "Retrieve it and let's go." The two other's who were dressed in the same black tunics and blue sashes, knelt down to the decapitated corpse and began to chant holding a tear shaped bottle.

"Quickly, the Sanctus Unus awaits us. He has chosen a Carina but cannot complete the ritual without the collected spirit. We must finish our holy duty so that the Goddess may rise again."

The others continued their chant under the moonlight and it danced morbidly off of the collected pools of blood from Rebecca's headless neck. A soft white glow filled the tear shaped bottle and the sash bearing men all disappeared into the shadows with their task complete.