Yes, I am back! I got the sudden urge to update this story. Lady J and I talked everything over and I wrote down what would happen in the future. Sorry I had to delete that last chapter. It didn't go to plan. I got something way better.

In refreshing my memory I went back and corrected a butt load of errors in the previous chapter. I've also changed a few things, like ages and other small stuff.

Please, before you give up on this story, read this chapter to the end, and then decide if you still like it.

A groan was heard in the silence of the massive bedroom on the fifth floor of a hidden mansion. The room was very high quality; it had a crimson carpet with red lining, as were the curtains, the bed canopy and bed sheets. Going through the castle you would guess that red and gold were the owner's favorite colors. The mansion was miles away from where our teens were last seen, yet one of them was in this room.

Confused golden eyes peered out at the blizzard that was going on beyond her glass balcony doors. With the ruthless wind, went her hopes of ever being found. How could someone find her in this storm! Mariah was sitting up, hugging her knees to try and comfort herself, but she was still on the brink of a break down. She had woken up about ten minutes ago and upon remembering what had last happened, she ran for the door. But anyone could guess that the kidnapper had locked it. The balcony doors were also locked, but that was in vain. She was on the fifth floor!

She tried to concentrate on the positive. The fact that she was in a high-class room and not some cold, foul smelling cell was, great considering she was a capture. All she could do now is stare at the unexplained portrait on the wall. It was in the center of the main display wall, it was also the biggest thing. It seemed to rule over all the small certificates and newspaper articles that were hung along with it. Tears were silently streaming down Mariah's face. Her sadness drained the little she has energy to walk over and see what the papers said. Her puffed eyes just kept focused on the picture.

The picture frame was made from gold… real gold, so you can guess that the picture it held had to be pretty important. It took a special craftsman to make the tiger design around it; they were so defined and neat. The background was a lush forest, much like the forest Mariah had been taken from and would give anything to go back to. A girl sat in the middle of a meadow with the suns ray bathing her angelic face and she smiled at the sky. It was a lovely picture truly and must have taken days to create… this scared Mariah because the girl in the picture… was her.

Why would her captor take the time out to make this beautiful portrait of her?…

With Kai and them…

"This is way too hard! Why is your brother killing off people!?" Ray yelled, even though he said "your brother" he was directing it to both Russians.

"Ray, if we knew that, I'm pretty sure we would have this whole thing just about wrapped up." Tala responded calmly. "At least we know who it is… kinda."

Kai stayed silent, trying to come up with a plan or something else they could do besides walk blindly through the forest. Please be okay, Mariah… he thought while dragging in a long sigh.

"Tala, do that Sherlock Holmes thing you did before and think up something that can help us." The raven-haired male urged wanting to find his best friend as soon as possible.

"I can't just turn it on and off Ray, genius comes on its own," Tala responded haughtily, while trying to fight back the insult that was about to come out of his mouth, but the other teen had been working his nerves for the last thirty minutes, "You'd know this, if you had a brain."

"Did you just call me stupid?" Ray felt affronted.

"I rest my case." He replied smoothly, folding his arms and looking to the other direction.

"You know what Tala!" the redhead faced the teen with a challenging raised eyebrow. Ray felt like something seriously cruel and hurtful was about to come out of his mouth, but all that floated its way up was, "You're the stupid one!"

"Ouch, I'm so hurt." The Russian countered indifferently. Ray was about to try his hand again when they heard a gasp.

They both looked to Kai who was looking forward. Horror struck, the three guys stood, looking at where a crime scene had taken place. "Well, I guess we can cross another brother off the list of suspects." Ray joked, trying to make him self not feel like throwing up. A growing pin was in Kai's chest and his breathing was getting tougher. L.D. was hanging from a tree on a noose with blood covering his limp body. Kai was frozen in his place. It's hard registering that some who he had just seen yesterday was hang, bloody and battered from a tree… dead.

"Shut up, Ray." Was Tala's late retort. He studied the horror stricken look in Kai's eyes, knowing that without his help, Kai would be standing there staring for quite a while. "Kai…" he whispered, pulling Kai's arm. "We have to save Mariah." He glanced back at the body and gulped. A shiver went up his spine. "It's too late for him…" he trailed off.

The slate haired teen felt his blood run cold as he continued to stare, barely hearing the words his best friend was uttering. He didn't know the guy very well, but what he did know is someone was slowing killing off his flesh and blood, two who he never even got to meat and now L.D. who he never got the chance to sit down and really have a conversation with. Now he only had one brother left. "One brother left…" he whispered. L.K., the only one of his siblings who he had somehow gotten acquainted with during all this mess. "One brother left…" Tala and Ray just stared at Kai, wondering when he would snap out of it.

"That's right! One brother! Meaning L.K. is the killer!" Ray shouted, scaring some nearby birds away.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Tala snapped. "Do you want to get killed!?"

"Was that a threat?" he questioned.

Tala mentally slapped himself. "No bird-for-brain! I meant, that if you keep being so loud the killer will eventually find us! Jeeze!"

Ray was about to give up, when Kai shouted, "Quit arguing! Aren't you guys tired of that yet!" He turned to face them both. "Tala, if the killer did come and shoot Ray dead, right now, would you be happy with what you have been saying to him this whole time and Ray vise versa!" he yelled passionately at them both before storming off.

The bickering two lowered their mental guards walls and quickly followed their friend. Kai stopped after he was a good ways away from the scene. He fiercely yanked at his hair in frustration and hopelessness. Then let go and sighed while slowly dropping to the ground.

"Kai," he heard the redhead call from behind, but didn't answer. Tala sat down beside his best friend, but had no comforting words to speak. He gingerly placed his hand on Kai's leg as his only consoling action. Ray sat a ways away giving the two as much privacy as you can while being in a forest with a murderer after you. Tala turned to Kai who was looking down in Tala's direction. "What are you think?" he whispered.

Kai shook his head from side to side, but the other Russian stayed silent. He watched as the phoenix's faces started to turn a light shade of red. He averted his gaze to his hands that were placed in his lap. The pain in his chest was getting stronger and on top of that, there was a lump in his throat. He sucked in a sharp breath. Tala could see the liquid emotion in Kai's eyes that he wouldn't let spill over. He sympathized with him.

"Holding it in won't help, Kai." Tala spoke softly. It seemed that immediately after that sentence, a single tear fell from Kai's eye. Another followed that one… and another. Tala put his arms comfortingly around his sobbing best friend, wishing he could somehow make him feel better. Nothing came to mind… Ray stayed silent.

With Mariah

She doesn't know whether it was out of bravery or boredom mixed with nervous anticipation that she found the strength to get up and walk to the wall, but she was sure glad she did. Mariah had been reading a few articles that were hanging on the collage. Most of them seemed to be oriented around two people named LaKaiara Rasheme' and Lunar Hiwatari. She also noted that the newspapers came from Australia.

An extreme look of astonishment covered her face as she continued to read the article she was on. It was titled: There Goes The Bride:

Australia's princess LaKaiara Rasheme does not know if she hears those wedding bells anymore. She and her fiancé' were allegedly seen outside of her house boisterously arguing. Witnesses say that they heard Miss Rasheme' accusing her fiancé' of being unfaithful to her, claiming that the female he was cheating on her with, called saying she needed money for necessary baby items for their son. Other spectators say that Lunar Hiwatari has been seen around other countries with other women. They say that none of them looked at all like LaKaiara.

Mariah glanced over at a picture of a beautiful young woman with wavy black hair with blue highlights. She had a nice curvy figure and breathtaking crimson eyes. She was all together stunning. Mariah couldn't help but stare for a few more moments. Lunar's an idiot! She thought before continuing to read.

Australia is now wondering what will happen to the pride and joy of the Hiwatari family, 12-year-old Kai Hiwatari, who hasn't been seen with either of his, said parents, since the day he was born. He is said to be living in a secret mansion with his grandfather somewhere in Russia. There is a lack of evidence to say that LaKaiara is his mother, knowing Lunar Hiwatari's sexual background, there could be a number of candidates. We will keep you updated.

The shocked expression stayed in play on the pinkette's face as she began to read the next article, the questions in her mind over flowing. This article came out almost most a year after the other.

LaKaiara Rasheme', fiancé' of Lunar Hiwatari was found dead this morning in her home after ostensibly drowning herself in the upstairs bathtub. But she was not the only life that was endangered. Miss Rasheme' was seven months pregnant with a baby girl, said to be Lunar Hiwatari's. But when our news crew got to the crime scene it appeared that she had had an early labor because the baby was nowhere to be found. Another mystery that is on everyone's mind is: was it suicide? Police classified it as that, but Detective Winds evidence suggests other wise. Water was splashed at least ten feet away from the bathtub and Miss Rasheme also had a few bruises on her stomach.

Mariah suddenly gasped upon hearing someone behind her. She was so distracted reading the article that she didn't even notice someone coming inside the room. She turned abruptly to see a woman standing there. Silky black hair with blue highlights, mesmerizing crimson eyes, nice coke bottle figure… Shock drove through her body, freezing her to the point that she could do nothing but utter one word, "…Kai." Was her last plea for help before darkness consumed her.

Please, please PLEASE review and tell me if you are still interested in this story and want me to continue.