Here is today's chapter! Hope you guys like it. It was fun to write. I like writing stuff with Vala in it. She's a fun character to write. Anyways, I have a few ideas on where this story is heading, but I need to narrow it down to just one...maybe two. Not sure. Or by this time tomorrow I'll have come up with another direction for this story to go down. Who knows? I don't.

Some more good news (for anyone who cares): I am almost completely healthy again!

Muse/ViH: Not mentally though...

I heard that. The point is, I'm not coughing up a lung or constantly blowing my nose.

Muse/ViH: Three words: Too much information.

That's five words. BUT! The good news doesn't stop there. I'M SEEING WICKED AGAIN IN FIVE WEEKS FROM TODAY:ahem: Sorry. Thought you all should know that. Now, on with the story before I scare anymore readers away.

Muse/ViH: Too late.

Dang...oh well. If anyone's still reading this, enjoy. And I own nothing! Not even a brain...:breaks into song: If I only had a brain...With the thoughts I'd be thinkin' I could be another Lincoln if I only had a brain...

Muse/ViH: If this is the future of the human race you're all doomed.

Hey! I represent that statement.

Muse/ViH: My point exactly.

Somehow, I get the feeling I didn't win that argument...

Muse/ViH: I hate my job sometimes...


Several hours after explaining what had happened on Earth in the last two years, Elizabeth still couldn't believe what she had been told. "This is all…" she began.

"Strange? Bizarre? Sexy?" Vala supplied. Everyone slowly turned to look at her, strange looks on their faces. "What? I happen to like older men."

"Too much information," John said. "So what do we do about the Wraith? Can we find an antidote to this vampire drug?"

Dante shook his head. "The Alterans tried to come up with an antidote, but nothing ever worked. Not even changing the genes back to human. The vampire gene always infected new cells."

"Maybe we can come up with something," Beckett said.

Dante shrugged. "Good luck."

"Now we just need to talk about what you did back there," Elizabeth said.

"What do you mean?" Dante demanded.

"We don't torture enemies," she said. "It's not humane and it makes us no better than they are."

"I'm not human. Never have been," Dante returned curtly. "What's more, this city rightfully belongs to me."

"We outnumber you," Rodney said.

"I'm a very patient man," Dante said.

"I thought you just said you weren't a human," Ronon said.

"I may not be a human, but I am still male," Dante retorted.

"Not one word," Daniel hissed at Vala. She closed her mouth and slumped back in her chair. "Look, it doesn't matter whose city this is or not. We need to focus on fighting the Wraith."

"He's right. If the Wraith know that Atlantis wasn't destroyed, they'll come here," Elizabeth said.

"Which reminds me. How were you able to take down the Wraith with so few shots?" John asked.

Dante pulled out one of his Berettas and ejected the clip. He popped out one of the bullets and slid it over to John. The Lieutenant Colonel picked it up and studied it carefully. He passed it to Ronon and the others so they could have a look.

"Silver?" Teyla asked.

"I think the Alterans knew that there was a risk that the vampire and lycan serums could fall into the Wraith's hands, so they built in an allergy," Dante explained.

"Lycan?" Rodney asked, looking up from the bullet.

"Yeah. You know, werewolves," Sam said. "Everyone knows that."

"Well excuse me for not being up to date on dumb myths," Rodney shot back.

Sam grinned, the points of her canines lengthening slightly. "I find them to be...somewhat true," she said.

"You're a vampire too? But…we've seen you in the sun," Beckett said.

"She's a Dhampir," Dante answered.

"A what?" Weir asked.

"A human-vampire hybrid. We have the same mother, different fathers," Sam explained. "I have a lot of the same strengths as normal vampires…and some weaknesses they have."

"Like silver?" Ronon asked.

"Blood thirst," Dante said. "Any and all vampires have a certain amount of days they can go without drinking blood. After that they begin to starve and it…it's not a pretty sight to witness."

"Sounds like you experienced that," John commented.

Dante suddenly shifted uncomfortably. "I do," he said softly.

"Eh, well, it can't be that bad if you lived through it," Rodney said absently.

Dante's eyes hardened as he glared at the scientist. "My wife died from it," he growled. He rose to his feet and stalked out of the room.

"Go apologize," Weir ordered.

"How was I expected to know his wife had died? We barely know him! Besides, he'll kill me to drink my blood!" Rodney exclaimed.

"Don't worry about that. He doesn't drink things that are bad for him," Sam said as she headed out of the room. Rodney stared after her with a hurt expression while the others tried not to show their amusement.

Vampire Chronicles Vampire Chronicles Vampire Chronicles Vampire Chronicles Vampire Chronicles Vampire Chronicles Vampire Chronicles

Dante stood on the balcony of the tallest tower. He leaned against the railing as the city broke the surface of the ocean. It had been three hours since the Wraith hive ship had left the solar system. When the hive ship had arrived, Dante had made sure that not a trace of Atlantis could be detected. Upon finding no sign of the city or the Wraith that had been sent to see if Atlantis was still intact, the hive ship left without incident.

The vampire sighed as the cool night's breeze blew through his hair. He didn't even turn when someone joined him on the railing. "You left a lot of people worried down there. We've been trying to find you for hours," Vala said.

Dante looked at her, slightly surprised that it wasn't Sam. "How'd you know I'd be here?" he asked.

Vala gave him a faint smile. "I know what it's like to want to be left alone. You look for the place where no one expects to find you." She looked down at the city. "Besides, this is a fantastic view."

"What do you want?" Dante asked.

Vala shrugged. "Nothing actually. Which is surprising for me. Usually I always want something. Riches mostly," she said. She chuckled and grinned. "Maybe the company of a man now and then," she added.

"Didn't need to know that," Dante said.

"Sorry," Vala said. The smile faded from her face and she turned to him. "I'm sorry to hear about your wife as well."

"Thanks."

"You aren't the only one to lose someone you care about," she informed him.

"I know. It's just…I loved Karen. But seeing her die like that…it's not something I'd wish on any person."

"That bad?"

"Imagine yourself being so hungry that you ate your own flesh. But no matter how much you ate of yourself, you still weren't getting the nourishment you need," he said, the wind picking up slightly.

"Sounds…painful," Vala said. "Probably worse than having a Goa'uld in your head," she added softly.

"I guess so," Dante said.

She looked at him in astonishment. "You heard that?"

"Heightened senses," he said.

"Everything heightened?" she teased.

Dante couldn't help but smile and laughat her joke. "You are the strangest woman I've ever met," he confessed.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Vala said. They fell into silence for a while. "So…how long ago did she die?"

"Who?"

"You're wife."

"Around a century ago, maybe less." He smiled faintly and shook his head. "And as soon as I got over that, the next woman I fell in love with died."

"You mean Janet Fraiser?" Vala asked.

Dante nodded. "She is…was," he amended, "an incredible woman."

"They were lucky," Vala commented.

He frowned. "Who were lucky?"

"Your wife and Janet. You obviously cared for them more than life itself. Me, I never let myself get that close," Vala said.

"It isn't easy, but the rewards can outweigh the hazards," Dante said.

Vala shrugged. "Maybe someday I will find someone I actually want to get close to me. I just hope I don't push them away."

"Well, you have a friend if you ever want to talk about it," Dante informed her.

Vala smiled. "Just remind me never to piss you off. I like being alive and all in one piece," she said.

He grinned a little sheepishly. "I guess I did go overboard with the whole Wraith thing in the Gate Room," he admitted.

"Just a little," Vala confirmed. The two smiled and remained on the balcony talking for a long time.


Okay, maybe this chapter did get a bit shippy, but hey! Every character has a weakness. I think maybe the pairing for Dante will change...not entirely sure...who knows what the future holds? I don't. If I did I'd use the knowledge to win the lottery...