"I still can't believe this" said Verona, putting a hand on her heart, she Misha, Aleera, Marishka, Olivia and Corinthia were sitting in one of the grand rooms of castle Dracula, drinking...tea? And talking about the strange events of two days before. "When do you think they'll go and raid the T.O.S?" (Temple of Shadows)

"I have no idea" said Misha. "But if they don't hurry they'll loose him, and we really don't want that, he still has a awful lot of his men with him, he could be a problem"

"I don't know" said Marishka. "I just have a feeling that he wouldn't have stayed around for five minutes once he found that Viktor's army had lost, I...I don't know but I just think they'll find the place deserted, and probably ransacked, I bet you anything that if he left the only evidence he was there will be the caves, and the grotesque carvings. I wouldn't get your hopes up girls. Oh, and if I'm right I reserve the right to say; I told you so"

"Do you think that if he left they'll catch him?" asked Corinthia, she seemed to have grown up a grate deal since the battle, but this could well be to do with Ryan, one of members of the Holy Order, she had been taking a very great interest in him, and being only a half vampire, ( well now she wasn't a Vampire at all) this union would be fine.

"I doubt it" said Corinthia. "I mean, they never have caught him before and they've tried plenty of times"

"I suppose you have a point" said Aleera. "I can't wait to find out whether you are right, we should have the news by air any day"

"Do you think we're gonna miss being Vampires?" asked Misha suddenly.

"Maybe" said Verona. "But it'll be a very welcome change, I had quite forgotten how wonderful it felt to have a heart beat, to be able to feel, to love someone, but I'll miss the flying"

"I think we all will" said Marishka, smiling. "But I won't miss the killing-" they all gave her disbelieving looks. "-alright, maybe just a little"

"Mari, you are a hopeless lier" said Aleera.

"Hopeless is an understatement" said Misha, "But then aren't we all?"

"Yes" they all agreed.

At that moment Jenica came in, Giordano at her side.

"Any news yet?" asked Misha.

"No" said Jenica. "Well some, but nothing to do with The Skull"

"What is the news?" asked Marishka, though the girls were sure they knew.

"Giordano and I are getting married!" said Jenica happily.

"That's great news!" cried Verona. "You deserve each other!"

"God, I really can not believe that you were ever Vampires" said Jenica. "You just...I thought that vampires were all cold and lifeless, I didn't expect them to be so full of life!"

"Well, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover" stated Aleera.

"I know" said Jenica.

"By the way" said Giordano. "I expect all of you Lifesavers at the wedding, understood?"

"Certainly, it would be a pleasure" said Verona. "When will it be?"

"We haven't set a date yet" said Giordano. "When will you and Gabriel's be, Misha"

"I don't know, Spring, I think" said Misha.

"Not too long to wait then" said Jenica. "It's almost Christmas now"

"Yeah" said Misha happily. "I hope we find out about The Skull soon, if he has escaped it would be Hell, he still has many men who are loyal to him, and he probably has more HQs than the T.O.S"

"Well, we should have the news soon" said Jenica. "We sent a letter by air three days ago, they should have searched it by now, but if they haven't they'll loose him, he won't hang around once he thinks we'll come and get him"

"Yeah" said Marishka. "I think that too, I'd bet my life, now that I have one, that we've lost him"

"Oh well" said Giordano. "Nobody ever lives completely 'happily ever after', that's just impossible"

"I suppose, but it was always nice to read those fairy tales and imagine one's self as the heroine of the story" said Misha. "But those could never happen, besides, we rescued the princes, rather than them rescuing us, and that never happens in fairy tales"

The days flew by in this was, talking, and riding in the valleys; it was as though a huge shadow had left the cursed land, the sun shone, the birds sang and it really felt like they could live happily ever after, but this was not to last.

A week had gone by since they had sent a pigeon with the orders to search The Skull's headquarters, and now they finally received the news that had been so eagerly awaited:

Gabriel T. Van Helsing.

Dear Gabriel,

I'm very sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the Skull has escaped, we raided his headquarters but they had already been ransacked, there was nothing there save the many bodies in the prison, all had been murdered in haste. We think however that there may still be something of value in there as he had succeeded in blowing up one of the passages and the cave at the end, we are currently dividing forces between searching for him and trying to break the ruble apart and reveal what lies within. We think the Skull must have fled directly after you won the the battle though as there was only the lapse on one day before we had searched the caves.

I will write back as soon as we have more news,

Carl.

"Well, you were right Marishka" said Verona

"Yeah, but I wish I wasn't" said Marishka.

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A/N: Sorry for the delay, we had an OFSTED inpsection and lots of homework so naturallythat came first.

I would love you to reveiw, there will only be two more chappys after this.