The oldest shadow man stepped slowly forward, taking his time, enjoying every step. He smiled the smile of a hungry crocodile.

"Oh dear," he said, in a voice as slow and as careful as his walk, "We seem to have found you. You weren't a very good hider, were you? Found so soon. Behind a sofa, honestly? Good job that your little friend here was there to help you, now, wasn't it?" he threw a glance at Julian who swayed slightly.

Jenny staggered up, backing slowly away.

"There's nowhere to go, you know," a second shadow man stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fire, "We'll find you. We'll catch you. It'll all be over soon." He stretched out his hand, gnarled and grey, to touch Jenny's hair.

"So young, so beautiful. Such a shame." Another shadow man added, without a morsel of regret in his voice.

Jenny ran over to Julian, hiding behind him. The shadow men all turned to him.

"You still have a chance," said the lead one to Julian, "You can still join us. Make the final kill. You've done it so many times before."

"Not this one," Julian shook his head, glancing down at Jenny - her face pleading, her eyes full of fear. "She's different."

"Why is she different? Because she's a child? But you've killed children before! Come on, little shadow man, come join us. You know you want to. There's nothing you can do to protect her."

"I know. I cannot protect her. But I will not kill her."

"So you'll watch her die?"

"No."

"Leave her then. Go and hide in another corner of the shadow world. Stop hindering us."

"No."

"Then what? What can you do? You cannot save her, you won't watch her die but you won't leave her to her fate! You must do something!" The shadow men were speaking as one voice now. One snatched forward, grabbing Jenny's arm. She screamed, the noise cutting through Julian like the sharpest knife.

And now Julian was angry – the fury rising up inside him like a bubbling volcano. Stories didn't have to have happy endings – this was something all shadow men knew – but this was not how it was meant to end. He grabbed Jenny's arm, pulling her away from the shadow men and…

The shadow main recoiled back. They looked as if they'd been punched. A strong mental blow had been struck, and Julian hadn't even realised he'd done it.

"You can't have her." Julian's voice was firm.

"You can't stop us. That blow was a fluke. She is our prey, and you are just weak. Blood must be spilled."

And suddenly Julian knew what he had to do. The thought of it lay heavy in what he could have called his heart, but he suddenly realised that it was the only way.

"Take me then."

All noise stopped. Jenny looked up at him, her green eyes brimming with tears. She didn't understand. The shadow men did.

"You would sacrifice yourself?" One said in complete disbelief, "For a human? For this vermin?"

Julian gulped, and took a deep breath. "Yes. I have lived for millions of years, and she has barely lived for five. Take me instead of her. Let her go."

Julian saw the runestave, saw it being passed from shadow man to shadow man, saw the knife being drawn, saw the huge slash…

And then it was over. Julian fell to the floor, his body shaking. The shadow men disappeared.

Jenny ran over to her saviour, where he lay shivering. His pupils were dilated, the blue fire that had once surrounded them dim.

"What's wrong?" Jenny asked, trembling.

"I'm dying Jenny. But that doesn't matter, you're safe now."

"You can't be gone. What if they come back?"

"They won't. You're not their prey any more. It's over. Go home, back to your own world. The way out his through that door." He nodded his head to the main door, and closed his eyes.

"Bye Julian," Jenny said, wiping away the tear that was rolling down her cheek. She bent over, and kissed Julian's cheek, before running back through the door and into safety.

Julian disappeared, his body vanishing into the space from where it had come. But he went happy.

Authors note: It had to be, and maybe you saw it coming. That's the end of this fanfic, I hoped you enjoyed reading it. All reviews were greatly appreciated. I'm sad that it had to end this way, and I'll miss writing it, but look out for more of my fiction in the future. Until then…