Chapter Twenty-Five

"Blackbird fly, blackbird fly, Into the light of the dark black night."

- Blackbird by the Beatles

___

Neve looked at each of the four women as though she were a hostess welcoming them to a party. "I can't thank you enough for trespassing and interfering with my plans, but once you're out of the way I should be able to get back on track."

"What's that?!" Jaxon snapped, spying the kidney for the first. "Is that a—" she glared murderously at Neve. "You stole one of their kidneys?!"

Neve sighed impatiently. "No, you git, I made that kidney myself with Serenity's tissue and Xavier's blood samples. It won't be too long before I can harvest other organs, and eventually mold a whole body."

"Whole body?!" Natalya cried. "Then you—?!"

"How pathetic," Ivory said savagely. "Can't you weaklings get along without your leader?"

But Neve only laughed. "I could say the same of you Carpathians."

Izzy tugged on her ice chains, but they weren't budging at all. She knew it was about to get very ugly in there and she didn't want to be caught in the crossfire. She nearly screamed when a shadow fell over her and arms slid around her. "Are you hurt?"

Marach. Izzy nearly doubled-over in relief. "I'm fine, but please release me."

Marach looked up and saw the four women surrounding Neve. He was uneasy that the women were alone and none of the male hunters were around, but he said nothing and focused on the shackles chained to his lifemate. "Binds that hold this body/Weaken in strength and become shoddy/Release her and know this well/You may have compliance or the fires of hell."

The ice binds melted into water and splashed onto the floor. Izzy took the opportunity to throw her arms around Marach. "Are you okay? You're not injured anywhere, are you?"

"No, I'm fine dragă. Just so long as you're okay." He rubbed his hand over her cheek where Parn had hit her, and then kissed the spot. "Everything will be over soon." His tone dipped ominously as he surveyed the impending battle before them.

Neve kept her eyes on Ivory, but it appeared she held everyone under close scrutiny. Finally, she simply shrugged. "Are we going to fight or stand here all day?"

A gun materialized into Jaxon's hand and she pressed it to Neve's temple. "I don't murder people in cold blood, and you're human. I will show you mercy if you show genuine remorse for your sins."

"I've committed no wrong," Neve said flatly.

Suddenly, a sheet of ice rose up between the two women, forcing Jaxon to jump back. Her brown eyes were burgundy once more, and she kept her body poised as the other women came at her.

Her eyes found Lara first, whose Dragonseeker blue eyes as she tried to conjure up a spell. Neve thrust out a hand to her and spoke a lot more quickly.

"Frozen elements, you are my friend/

Come forth and heed my decree/

Trap this infidel who needs apprehend/

Under a frozen cage she cannot free."

Another sheet of ice rose from the ground, this one resembling a tidal wave, and flew at Lara. Lara threw a spell at it and tried to avoid the wave, but it sailed over her head and reconnected with the ground. Lara cried out and was forced to kneel as the wave shrank down deeply into a small arch over her, sealing her up in a cage.

"Lara!" Natalya cried, rushing to her niece's side. Lara's complexion had paled considerably and fury crossed Natalya's face as she turned towards Neve. "You bitch!"

"I hope this doesn't bring back any bad memories," Neve said mockingly. "But I can commend you for returning to your childhood home."

Natalya seethed, but it was Jaxon who came forward next. Being the lifemate to one of the legendary Daratrazanoff twins, and a fighter in her own right, she was already prepared for a lengthy battle.

Unfortunately, it couldn't be denied that they were all standing in an ice cave created by Xavier. Just before Jaxon could attack, the ice sank beneath her feet and she became stuck in the floor. It only deterred Jaxon though for a moment and she turned into mist and raised high into the air. Several feet from the floor she abruptly shifted back and opened fire upon Neve with her gun. Another wall of ice shot up to block the bullets, but that wasn't all. The sheet of ice suddenly formed into a giant hand and reached up for Jaxon. Jaxon shot the hand, and for her credit the bullets broke off several fingers. But it didn't stop the hand from grabbing both of Jaxon's legs. Jaxon tried to re-aim her weapon at Neve, but the ice limb began spinning her around violently all around the room. For a few moments nothing happened, but then the hand spun her straight into the walls, smashing her head and small body into the solid ice surface, splattering her blood everywhere.

"Oh my God!" Izzy cried, burying her face into Marach's chest. "Marach, stop her!"

"STOP IT!" Natalya screamed. She raised a hand as though ready to cast a spell, but then cursed loudly. It was a grim reminder to her over and over again that she could no longer cast spells.

"I'll try!" Marach shouted. He raised a hand, but Ivory shot forward first.

"Impure magic tainting the world/

Evil depths will be curled/

Release the huntress from your grasp/

To the Earth your being will be hasp."

The hand melted, as the chains had, and Jaxon's limp body fell to the floor. Inches from the ground she stopped falling and gently floated, settling upon the icy surface. Ivory rushed to her side, while Natalya whipped out her own weapons and lunged in fury at Neve.

"It will be the fate of you all!" Neve shouted. "That you—"

She cut off with a huge gasp, and clutched her hands to her throat, hunching her body over her knees. Natalya paused, but took the opportunity to sheath her weapons and attack Neve with her fists.

"Lucian Daratrazanoff," Marach told Izzy. "His retribution for the maiming of his lifemate."

"Is this over then?" Izzy asked. "The other warriors are coming?"

"They seem to be in a snag, but Lucian's hold won't falter. He will suffocate Neve."

Neve's face was turning red, and that had little to do with the bruises Natalya had laid upon it. She continued to clutch at her throat, at the invisible hand strangling her. Suddenly, she burst out, "End this now! Or I'll make you…guh…sorry!"

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Neve removed a hand from her throat and pointed it shakily at the imprisoned Lara. "Frozen cage, defiled by this creature/Hunger for the taste of blood/Close your halls in a horrific feature/With her, create a massive red flood."

Instantly, the walls of the icy archway encasing Lara thickened nearly a foot long. Lara cried out in alarm and jumped away. With a loud crunch, the walls thickened another foot, rapidly shrinking the space around Lara. It wouldn't be too long before the trap crushed her completely.

Natalya abandoned her assault on Neve and rushed to Lara's side. She pounded on the encasing with her fists, and looked at Ivory. "Can't you stop this?!"

"L-Let me think of a counter spell!" Ivory said, also rushing over.

The walls thickened even more. "There's no time, there's no time!"

"Marach!" Izzy cried, jumping to her feet.

"The spell's too fast, I don't know how to combat it!" he said with grave alarm. He threw a fireball at the barricade, but it did nothing.

Lara had so little room now inside her prison. But, when she was pressed so tightly into the floor for the lack of space, the encasing finally stopped shrinking. Izzy barely had the strength to sigh in relief.

"I always get my way."

They'd almost forgotten about Neve, and the possibility that Lucian might be forced to stop killing her to save Lara. The floor quickly snapped around Ivory's feet, as Neve herself jumped upon Natalya's back, no doubt looking for restitution for the injuries Natalya gave her. She smashed Natalya's head onto the surface of Lara's barricade and the two women tumbled to the ground.

The shackles would hardly be enough to hold Ivory for long, and they didn't. But it was long enough for Neve to summon an ice spear and stab Natalya straight through her left shoulder. And if that wasn't enough to "punish" the other woman, she added a spell to her attack.

"Shard, pierced in flesh/

Hunt for the red life flow/

Spread through her body like a net mesh/

Freeze her so she reaps what she sow."

Natalya let out a violent scream of pain, and her muscles and skin tightened. Neve left her alone and turned to face the last woman standing. "I've saved the worst for you."

"You don't impress me," Ivory said flatly. "All you've done is proven your own inferiority to me."

The two rushed at each other and began fighting ferociously. Marach took the opportunity to rush to Natalya's side and perform a counter to the spell wrecking her body. Lara was still imprisoned tightly, but she wasn't injured in any case. His eyes drifted over to Jaxon, who was lying unconscious and bleeding profusely in the corner. "Warriors, we are in need!"

"I am almost there." It was Lucian who responded to him, and Marach couldn't help but shiver at the venomous promise in his voice. He could almost pity Neve for what would await her.

Izzy briefly checked on Serenity, who was still unconscious. She was surprised and pleased to see that Serenity's breathing was good, and her pulse rate was steady as well. She wasn't so optimistic about Jaxon when she went to check upon her. "Marach, she has a fractured skull!"

"The healers are on standby," he reassured her. "But don't bother checking her vitals; she will have shut down her system by now."

It was true; Jaxon wasn't breathing and she had no heartbeat. But there was no denying she'd lost a lot of blood, and would need attention immediately.

Marach went to quickly break Serenity free, and laid her on the floor beside Jaxon. He too was pleased that her vitals were good, although none of them would be safe until they got out of this hellhole.

Neve suddenly screamed, and Izzy looked up. She hadn't been paying attention to the fight. Neve looked seriously injured, while Ivory only looked a little scoffed. Even as a mage for all her power, Neve didn't have the force to beat down an ancient woman warrior. One of Ivory's daggers was buried deep into Neve's side, and her blood gushed out all over her white clothing. Neve coughed up blood, and very slowly removed the knife sticking out of her body, cupping a hand to her gaping wound.

"Not bad," she hissed, staggering backward. "You are indeed Xavier's best student."

"I am my own student!" Ivory snapped, picking the dagger up off the floor. "To rely on scum like Xavier was your true downfall, mage!"

"Oh, but didn't you also rely on Xavier, Malinov?! You, the spoiled little princess who couldn't bear the thought that she was surrounded by ten men, all of whom who loved her, were that much stronger than her!"

"My brothers were not so strong! Their turning proves it, and not that I have to explain anything to you, but I had the RIGHT to pursue my own strength!"

"It was because of YOU that they turned!" Neve roared. "Or are you so bloody stupid that you refuse to see it?! They had no reason to turn vampire when they had you in their life! And how did you repay their love?! You run off in pursuit of your own power, knowing full well that your life was in danger, and yet you act so indignant that your supposed murder consumed them into turning vampire!"

Marach bit down on his lower lip. He couldn't ever deny the suffering Ivory had to endure, but he believed in a measure of Neve's words. They wouldn't be fighting any of the Maxim brothers as their enemies if she hadn't defied him. The brothers surely would've been able to hold on long enough to find their lifemates if Ivory had been with them. Now there were five women out there in the world who would suffer forever because of this…the same way Serenity was suffering, and perhaps Neve, if her story was true.

It would explain the fuel of her anger towards Ivory, and not just because Ivory killed Xavier.

But Ivory hardly seemed affected by Neve's outburst. "You speak very strongly for someone holding hate for my kind."

"I do hate you! If it weren't for any of you…" Neve coughed again, and her face looked very pale. "If it weren't…"

The room suddenly exploded in noise. Bodies filled the room almost to the brim, warriors rushing to the fallen women aides. Lucian scooped up his lifemate, and fixed angry eyes upon Neve, while Vikirnoff tended to Natalya. The warriors worked together and broke past the barricade holding Lara, and Nicolas picked her up. She seemed much shaken by what had happened to her.

Gregori had Neve cornered, who had fallen to her knees. "It is over," he told her coldly. "Isabel didn't speak an untruth, you know. Had you sought me out after Xavier was killed, we would've been more understanding to your predicament. Now you have put me in a position where I can show you no mercy."

Neve hissed out a laugh. "Ask for help? From you?! I would rather die!"

Gregori narrowed his silver eyes. "And it will come to that." He raised his hand towards her.

Neve suddenly screamed in fury. "I can't give up! I won't give up! Not now and not EVER!"

The ceiling seemed to explode once more, and a shower of ice shards fell upon the warriors. They were forced to shield themselves, even as none of them were seriously injured. Still, the attack was undoubtedly a diversion. Once it ceased it was clear that Neve was no longer present.

And neither was Serenity.

"Where is she?!" Izzy cried, jumping back up. The ice room's air was thick with the smell of blood. She could see drops of blood leading a line, right over to where Serenity had been laying, and leading out to a small hole in the wall. Neve was in such a hurry that she'd left her blood samples and even the kidney behind. Not heeding the dangers that she would face, Izzy took off for the hole.

"Isabel, hold on!" Marach shouted, chasing after her. "We will find her!"

"What of the other mage that was with Neve?" Gregori asked.

"We wounded him, but he escaped into the ice," Razvan said. "Unless we act quickly, the both of them will escape us."

Izzy turned into mist and flew through the hole. Marach followed suit, and many other warriors prepared to do the same. But no sooner did Marach fly in did the hole abruptly snap shut. It seemed as though every entry into the room abruptly closed, and the hue of the ice disappeared, leaving the warriors in darkness. It wouldn't stop them completely, but it was enough to stop them at this most vital time.

The hole was long and deep, and Izzy could feel the ice ready to rally against her. But as mist it couldn't ensnare either Marach or her and so she pressed forward. She didn't know how long this chase down this narrow tunnel lasted, but she was very surprised to see the ice fading around her. In its place was regular dirt and rock that would make up a mountain.

Did they…leave the ice caves?

"She's definitely trying to escape!" Marach told her. "We will head her off and stop her in her tracks!"

There was shouting up ahead at the mouth of the hole, and Izzy was more than relieved to find the end of it. It sounded like Neve was arguing with someone, and she faltered when she recognized the voice.

It was Parn she was arguing with.

"You will give her to me NOW!"

Izzy and Marach spilled out into this normal cavern and transformed back. It was a standard cave, though Izzy couldn't see the entrance at all. But torches were lit and hanging from the walls, indicating this was used often.

"You answer to me and ME ONLY! Now stand aside, you parasite!"

"Let her go right now!"

Neve was still bleeding, and her strength was such that she couldn't hold onto Serenity properly. She held her by her arm, and Serenity lay sprawled in the dirt.

Parn was squared off with Neve, blocking the way down a corridor. His dark eyes glared at her with hatred. "I won't tell you again. This is my lifemate and she's mine! Let her go!"

Neve laughed at him. "You stupid git! I've told you time and again lifemates don't exist!"

"YOU LIED!" Parn roared. "You're a liar, and I won't listen to you any longer!"

"Ungrateful scum! I gave you a place to stay, a purpose in your pathetic life, and this is the thanks I get?! I gave you back your brother! I gave you a place to belong! You owe me everything!"

"I owe you," he seethed. "A measure of the HELL that you've put me through!"

Serenity groaned on the ground, and Marach took the opportunity to rush forward. "Let her go, Neve! This is the end of it! We've taken your samples! Even with Serenity here, you'll never be able to revive Xavier now!"

Neve looked at him scathingly, and looked at Parn. She groaned in pain, and abruptly dropped Serenity. She stepped back, nursing the severe wound in her side. She almost looked close to tears from the pain of it.

Parn rushed forward, but Marach knocked him back and picked up Serenity into his own arms. He shook the woman awake, while Izzy ran over to her. "Serenity! Hang in there, please!"

Serenity groaned again, and her eyelids fluttered. After a few moments her eyes opened, with surprising clarity. "Izzy?"

"Are you all right?!"

"Yes, I'm fine." She wiggled a little in Marach's arms, and he set her down. Her standing was very wobbly, but she seemed to be fine. Neve's experimentation on her didn't seem to have had lasting effects on her body. She pressed a hand to her face, and she looked and felt very confused.

Then, she saw Parn, and dropped her hand away from her face. "Parn…"

"I'm sorry," he said abruptly, stepping forward. "I should've never delivered you to her…"

Serenity shook her head. "No, it's fine. I forgive you."

"You forgive him?!" Izzy shouted. "Just like that, after everything he's done to you?!"

"You…"

They all turned to Neve. The mage was using the wall as leverage to keep her standing. She looked at all of them with open hate, but Izzy could feel the frustration in her mind. And…something else. For a moment, she saw a brief glimpse of a face in Neve's mind. Of a young girl with champagne blonde hair, and deep turquoise blue eyes. This girl looked like Neve…but she wasn't.

Martha.

"I knew," she gasped, her breathing haggard. "That it would come to this. So I…am not ready to die." She raised a blood-soaked hand in their direction.

"Blood…offered freely by the master/

Formed into weapons of death/

Make their ends come ever so faster/

Of my life…I offer so this can be met."

It was a suicide spell. Bloody ice shards formed from the blood on Neve's hands, even upon her clothing. They lengthened into sharp, bloody spears. Within seconds, the spears flew at them. There were hundreds of them, thousands of them, and they seemed to be formed from every single drop of blood Neve had shed.

Izzy screamed, and threw her arms around Serenity. She didn't know how to block such an attack! Marach slammed his body over the girls and tried to throw up a spell as the thousands of sharp shards rained down upon them.

Neve wailed in pain, feeling death beckoning her as the shards ripped from her body and landed upon her foes. How useless this all seemed now. Her suffering and her hard work…it'd been for nothing. Even her death now amounted to nothing, because she was killing a bunch of insignificant people in the greater scheme of things. If only the Prince had come…then she could wipe them all out with her sacrifice.

Martha…Martha. She thought of her little girl home in Birmingham. Seventeen years old, and all she ever asked for was love and affection. Something Neve had never given her properly. This was her greatest regret of all. Forgive me, love…forgive me.

"Isolde."

Neve started. A hand jabbed hard into her side. It felt molten hot, and she screamed in pain once more. She saw flashes of light in her vision, and for a moment she thought she'd truly died.

Then, the hand moved away, and her vision cleared. Her side ached, but she could feel she was no longer bleeding. Delirious, she looked up to see a familiar face in front of hers. "Eis…"

"I told you, didn't I?" he said harshly. His face was also pale, and he looked very injured himself. But there was no denying the fury in his face. "That I wouldn't let you die?!"

"I…" Neve looked out at her foes, but the cavern had fallen dark. She couldn't see anything. "Are they dead?"

"Does it matter? We have to leave now, or there'll be no escape for us." Eis pulled her through the darkness towards the entrance of the cave. "We'll have to lie low for a long time, maybe even move."

"We…" Neve leaned her head into his shoulder. "We failed…"

"But we live. That will give us the opportunity to try again later." Eis paused once more before his voice grew harsh. "I cannot believe you intended to leave Martha motherless."

"I have my duties—"

"And you are a mother first and foremost." Despite his words, he hugged her tighter to him. "I know it's because of your suffering that you avoid her, and Terre is trying to help us in that. But Martha loves you, and wants your love, and you can't give that to her if you're dead. She…our daughter needs her mum."

Neve nodded stiffly. "Her mum needs a healer."

"I'll make all of the arrangements, then we'll go home to her."

Neve sighed once more. She'd been ready for death. She'd made the decision long ago to die for her cause. To die for the man who gave her her life back.

But…there were other opportunities. The Carpathians certainly hadn't seen the last of her.

___

Izzy's body felt like it was on fire. She wasn't aware she'd lost consciousness, and she was confused when she opened her eyes. But her arm and her leg were in so much pain!

But…they were alive.

"Serenity!" Izzy sat up, but she felt weight upon her body. She quickly shoved it away and turned to her left. Serenity was slowly sitting up, looking confused once more but uninjured. "Are you hurt?!"

"No, I—" Serenity looked around in the darkness. "What happened to the lights?"

"The spell." This was Marach. He waved a hand and the cavern became alit once more. Izzy realized he'd been the weight upon her and crawled over to him. "Marach!" His injuries were savage. He was bleeding from his arm and side, and his body had been ripped up. But…the injuries seemed only surface level. She threw her arms around him. "I'm sorry!"

"There's nothing to apologize for." Marach was too injured to move too much, but he looked around warily. "How badly are you injured, draga?"

Izzy looked down at herself. Gashes marred her arm and leg, and a strange substance covered her wounds and clothes. But she didn't think much of it. "I'll be fine. And Serenity's not injured."

"Where's Neve? Did she escape or die?"

"I hope she died," Izzy grumbled bitterly, even as she felt uneasy about saying it. "To do this to us…even with her past, I can't forgive her!"

"If she escaped, we'll get her," Marach said. "There's no place on Earth she can hide from us."

"Yes, that's…" Izzy trailed off when she saw Serenity. Her sister was seated frozen, her face full of shock and horror. "Serenity?" she followed her gaze, and saw the reason for her look.

Parn was kneeling on the dirt not too far away, blood gushing out of him. His flesh hung off of him like tattered clothing. She could see exposed bone, especially his ribcage, even as his hands tried to feebly cover the wounds.

He looked up and stared at Serenity. And his eyes…they didn't look evil. They looked calm, and…serene. "Are you hurt? Did you get hit by the spell?"

Serenity shook her head mutely. Izzy saw the blood on Serenity's clothes. She'd had blood on her clothes before the attack, but not like this. She looked down at her wounds, at the red substance on her, and knew it was blood.

But… "Parn?" she asked breathlessly. "You…you shielded us?!"

Parn said nothing to Izzy. He slowly stood up and started to walk away. But he didn't get far. He hunched over and became vomiting up dark blood, and then his body fell into a heap upon the ground. He rolled over onto his back and heaved out wheezing breaths, but then he moved no more.

Izzy looked at Marach with a gaping mouth. "Marach, he…he saved us! He saved us!"

Marach said nothing, and there was nothing that could really be said.

Serenity slowly climbed to her feet and stumbled over to Parn. She stood over his body, reaching for him. "Parn… Parn…"

"Don't…don't touch me." Parn shook his head. "My blood will hurt you…"

"C-Can we do something?" Izzy asked.

Marach shook his head. "He is vampire, and his blood loss and injuries are fatal. He has saved us, that is true. Somehow…Serenity's reach to him touched him enough to save all of us, and not just her. But…there is nothing that can be done."

Izzy turned around to look back at them. "Oh no…"

The tears were rolling down Serenity's face freely. She pressed both hands over her mouth, but Izzy could hear the sorrow building up from within her so quickly. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

Suddenly, Serenity threw back her head and let loose the most horrible noise Izzy had ever heard. It was a wail, a horrible blood-curdling scream that echoed in the cavern and reverberated right through everyone. She collapsed to her knees right next to Parn and screamed even louder, grief raw and exposed spilling out of her uncontrollably. It was almost reminiscent of when she had her meltdown; when she felt Parn give up his soul. And now here she was, with her vampire lifemate about to die…

"Please…please NO!" Serenity wailed. Her hands hovered over his mutilated body, her body shaking with the force of her sobs. "No, no…Parn don't! Oh God, don't leave me!"

"Serenity…" Izzy struggled to her feet. She couldn't stop her own tears as she stumbled over to her sister. "Oh, Serenity…" she was soon choking on her own sobs. "I'm sorry! Oh Serenity, I'm so sorry!"

Serenity didn't seem to hear her as she surveyed Parn's hideous wounds. Her sobs were reaching a higher pitch, and she seemed beyond the realm of comfort. "What can I—what can I do?!"

"Don't touch me." Parn shifted very slightly on the floor, but that was the most he could do. "M-My blood can still hurt you. Please…don't cry."

Serenity wiped at her face sloppily with the back of her hand. "Please let me do something! I don't want you to die!"

"Shh…please stop this. I deserve this end to my life. I don't deserve your sympathy, sívamet. I…I have killed many people as I am now. And I have betrayed my Prince…and most of all you. I don't deserve salvation, and I don't…" he coughed and wheezed very weakly, flecks of blood flying from his mouth. "This is my atonement, Serenity. I must accept it, and so must you."

"NO!"

Izzy jumped back slightly as Serenity pounded her fists into the floor. "Don't ask me to do that because I CAN'T! I know you're not evil, and I know what Cassander did to you! I know what Neve…I won't let you die!" Serenity shot to her feet and wrung a hand through her hair. "I can't let you die…I have to save you!"

Izzy noticed for the first time that held something clutched in her fist. It was an icicle, one of the ones Neve had tried to kill them with. A few of them were scattered across the dirt, not melting even under the summer heat.

Then what was Serenity…?

Parn shifted again against the floor, but he seemed…alarmed. "Serenity, don't you—"

"Don't give into death!" Serenity cried, pointing a finger at him with her free hand. "And don't ask me to accept your death because I won't! I wasn't in time to save you before—but I'll save you NOW!"

"ISABEL!" Marach shouted, but Isabel knew the warning he was issuing. Her body protested with her injuries but she hurried forward. "Serenity, no!"

Serenity raised the icicle high and stabbed herself deep into her left lower arm. Izzy screamed, the shock of this sight stopping her in her tracks. Within seconds blood was gushing out of her wound and spilling all over the dirt. Parn saw all of this happen, and trepidation was very clear on his face.

Serenity clenched her teeth, and her hand still gripped the icicle. But she still wailed in pain as she ripped the icicle straight through her arm right down to her palm. Izzy could hear the sound of her flesh tearing, and her stomach twisted. "Oh my God…"

Serenity's blood splattered everywhere, but she held her arm out over Parn's body, and most of the spray hit him. She dug her fingernails into her gaping wound as she knelt back down beside him, waving her arm so that the drop spread all over him. It was too reminiscent of her suicide attempts, and Izzy tried to get to her, to reach for her mind, to stop her. "Stop it, Serenity! Just stop it right now!"

"You want to stop." Marach's voice ripped through both women's minds, the compulsion behind his words incredibly strong. "You don't want to do this, Serenity."

"I DO want to do this!" Serenity shouted in response. She looked down at Parn, her eyes glistening with tears…and love. "I am your lifemate, and I failed you when I couldn't save you from turning. But I'm not going anywhere! I will save you, Parn, even if it means I have to drain my body of blood!"

The regenerative blood was hurting Parn; Izzy could see it. But he was too weak to move away. "Stop. Please…Serenity—"

"You need blood, right? You need to heal. I know—my blood has purified vampire blood."

Izzy froze. How did she know about that? She never told her!

"Our blood mixed with a vampire's purifies it. So if I…my blood will wash your vampirism away! And you…" Serenity faltered, and swayed where she sat. The blood loss was making her delirious. "I'll save you! I swear I will!"

"Serenity, STOP THIS!" Izzy finally reached her side and grabbed her arm. "Stop this right now! You can't save him! Even if you somehow manage to purify him, his soul is gone! He's an empty shell!"

"S-She's right," Parn hissed. He would've been screaming in pain if he had the strength. "Even now, I fight for control. But I am not me anymore. My soul has departed this decrepit body…and I have betrayed my Prince. I don't deserve to be saved."

"If that was true, I wouldn't be helping you. I just…" Serenity groaned and closed her eyes.

Izzy seized the opportunity to grab her wounded arm and try to seal the wound. But Serenity wouldn't be sway. She grabbed Izzy by her hair and forced her head back. "Stop it, Isabel, just STOP IT! Don't interfere! I want to save him!" Izzy was dumbstruck by the sheer determination in her eyes. "I want to save him! And I swear if you try and stop me I will hate you forever!"

She couldn't be controlled at this most vital time, when her life was starting to slip away with her blood. Izzy didn't want to believe that Serenity's sheer willpower was keeping them from stopping her, but it was. She tried to press upon her sister's mind, to force her to stop, but she wouldn't stop.

And…there was something else. As Izzy touched Serenity's mind, she felt Parn in there. Brief alarm turned to astonishment when she truly felt him. She couldn't hear what he was saying to Serenity, but the emotions needed no words.

Anger. He was angry with Serenity…and it was because she was trying so hard to save him! Because what she was doing was killing herself!

Izzy gaped at Parn, but his eyes were on Serenity. He was a vampire, and he could fake anything, but this?! To be angry because she wanted to save him? Serenity was truly acting upon her own, without her lifemate's influence!

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and pressed a hand to her mouth. Marach was right; Parn was trying to atone. He proved this when he shielded all of them and not just Serenity. But this…oh God, had she been wrong? Had Parn truly been seeking Serenity out for his own death?!

He wants to die now and is trying to stop Serenity as strongly as me. If this isn't atonement…

"Isabel, do not be fooled!" Marach told her sharply. "Parn may have saved us, but he is still a vampire! He—"

"He saved us and he wants to die!" Izzy snapped back at him. "He's not fooling me! These are his real feelings!"

"But he is still a vampire, and Serenity will die soon if we don't stop her! I cannot move easily, dragă, so it must be you who can stop her!"

Izzy looked at Serenity once more. Her sister's face was so pale…but the determination was still strong there, as was the love. She looked down at Parn again. And she knew…if Marach had been the one laying here she would do the same thing.

Izzy raised her wrist to her mouth. "Iubita mea!" Marach shouted. He finally was able to stand. "You will not betray our Prince!"

"You will stop this foolishness right now." Gregori's voice vibrated in her head like a pulse, and Izzy paused. As she was a Carpathian, he was judging her by the Carpathian standards. And if possible, he was going to definitely stop her himself if needed.

Izzy shook her head once more. No…none of that mattered. She was grateful to the Carpathians for everything they did for her, but Serenity mattered more. And Parn had saved their lives….

Ignoring the warnings, Izzy quickly ripped open her wrists and offered Parn her blood. By now his body was splattered with Serenity's blood, and it was sizzling under the regenerative blood. Her blood wasn't as strong now, but…it had some of the qualities.

"Isabel, stop this NOW!" Marach reached her side and grabbed her. "You will NOT give him blood!"

"He saved us!" Izzy cried, looking at him through her tears. "He saved us and he needs help!"

"Dragă, Parn is a vampire! What you are doing is against our laws! He is dangerous to us and to mankind and he must be stopped!"

But Izzy shook her head. "I don't believe that! I don't know what got him to this point, but I don't believe he's a bad person! He's never done anything to harm Serenity! Neve's vampire lifemate tortured her for months when she was fifteen!"

"Only Parn brought Parn to this point, Isabel! He's the reason Serenity was kidnapped, and he attacked YOU on numerous occasions! He's playing the victim now because he's dying! He doesn't deserve your sympathy OR your help!"

"You're wrong." Her reprimand ripped through his head. "You're wrong. I believe that vampires are evil, but Parn…can't you see something's different with him? Look at who he is now and who he was before he met Serenity! Can you honestly say it's all the same?!"

Marach had seen Parn openly mourn his brother, and he'd dismissed it as an illusion. But it hadn't been an illusion when he'd shielded them. "Isabel, stop this—"

"Stop them."

Marach froze. He looked down at Parn. The vampire wasn't looking at the girl any longer, but at him. Marach had to admit the flesh seen under Parn's filthy clothes looked cleaner…and fresher, but those eyes held him. "You must stop them, Marach! They will not accept my fate! And Serenity…her blood loss is now mortal because you both hesitated! Please, stop her! Don't heed if she scorns you, but she will live! I know I must die, and I know the Dark One will come for me, even if you three won't! But I will not drag my lifemate down with me! Kill me and tell them I controlled them, all right?! Just make them stop!"

Marach sucked in a breath. He felt no powerful pull of a vampire's compulsion; Parn didn't have the strength for it anyways. These weren't the traits of a vampire. They weren't even Parn's traits, even when he was a Carpathian cowering behind his brother.

He swallowed thickly, and looked at the girls. He tried to reach for their minds, but they refused him. And Serenity…she was dying. She was slumped against Izzy, unable to hold herself up any longer.

And Izzy…she looked tired, but determined. Serenity would be spared the wrath of the Prince because she was human, and in suffering, but not Izzy. Izzy was Carpathian, and didn't seem to grasp the gravity of her great crime.

It would be a miracle if she was shown mercy. The thought filled him with fear.

"Her fate will be determined later," Gregori told him savagely. "But you must stop them before Parn regains his strength and they die! This is an order on behalf of your Prince, Marach!"

Yes…he owed loyalty to the Prince, and he was loyal. But he looked at the sisters by his side. They were his family, his only family, and they were fighting to save the life of a vampire. He could feel their belief in his innocence…and now, Marach himself wasn't so sure what was right or wrong anymore.

But if Izzy was going to be punished for her crime, he sure as hell wasn't going to let her suffer it alone.

"Marach, you will NOT—" Gregori snapped.

Marach pulled away from Gregori and cut him off, just before ripping his own wrist or outrage and scorn rammed into him from various hunters, and he knew there would be dire consequences for him after this. But, it still didn't stop him. "I give of my blood freely and offer it to you."

Parn looked at the three of them like they were crazy, but he accepted the blood Marach presented. Marach kept his mind clear, but he could feel the physical battle Parn was waging within himself. The darkness was all but begging him to drain Marach's blood, and to drain the blood of the sisters. He was keeping it at bay somehow, and only trying to take a little blood.

The flesh around Parn's exposed ribcage was visibly repairing itself, but Marach didn't know if this was the effect of his vampire blood or Serenity's healing blood. He felt light-headed, and removed his wrist from Parn's mouth. Parn clamped his teeth shut, and Marach knew the vampire in him had wanted to snap those teeth around Marach's wrist.

"Serenity!" Izzy cried suddenly.

Marach quickly turned his head, but the world seemed hazy…and white. A wispy white aura had surrounded Serenity's body. Izzy tried to grab for her sister, but she slumped forward and fell upon Parn's body. The white aura grew larger around her, and began to expand outward.

Marach quickly realized what was going on. "Her soul is leaving her body, iubita mea!"

"NO!" Izzy screamed. Horror gripped her senses. She'd allowed this to happen. She could've stopped Serenity, but she didn't. And now Serenity had died…

No. No, no, NO! Izzy refused to accept this outcome. She wouldn't allow her sister to die under ANY circumstance! Even if it meant…

Marach cried out in alarm, but Izzy began to concentrate on detaching herself from her body. She had no idea what she was doing, but Serenity's departure was thankfully slow. I must save her. I must get her back! She knew the Carpathian's could leave their bodies to save a soul, and she intended to do this with Serenity. She imagined herself, not as her body, but as the soul she had beneath her skin. She concentrated on the love she had for Serenity, that which would make saving her stronger. But she also concentrated on her love for Marach…and this would help her come back to her body.

Marach knew once more he had no choice. He concentrated as well, and departed from his body. Serenity's soul had left her body behind, and Izzy's was almost out. But Izzy's soul grabbed hold of Serenity's, trying to keep her at bay. Marach similarly reached for both women to hold them still. But Serenity…something was driving her, and she wouldn't be stopped. And because she wouldn't be stopped, she succeeded in completely pulling Izzy out of her body.

Izzy felt light-headed, and she didn't want to look at herself. Her hands were clasped tightly around what could be Serenity's foot, even as Serenity floated away, and pulled her with her. Marach held them both to his mind, and that kept them tied to their bodies. But Serenity was still moving.

"Marach, stay there!" Izzy cried out to him. "Keep by our bodies and keep us tied to them! I'll try to stop her, I swear I will!"

Marach said nothing, but the sisters weren't travelling far. They floated around the perimeter of the cave, and it didn't seem like they were set on a certain path. But Serenity was acting strangely. She didn't seem to want to die, but she left her body…

"Fresh meat."

Izzy stiffened. They weren't alone on this plane. From the shadows many different souls approached them, hissing and laughing at them. Izzy knew these souls were vampires, and they found their plight amusing. Izzy prayed they would do no more than make fun of them, and held onto Serenity tightly.

Marach watched out for the sisters closely, and their bodies, all too aware of the lost souls in the room. He could do nothing for them, but if they tormented Izzy and Serenity further then he would definitely act.

"So, here you stand."

Marach did not give Cassander a glance as the vampire floated over to him. Cassander looked at his brother with open disgust and turned back to Marach. "Didn't I tell you he was nothing but trouble? He didn't aid me when I died, and now his lifemate and yours are on the fringe of death. All in the name to save him." He folded his arms over his chest. "You didn't quite go to these lengths to save me, now did you Marach? I was your best friend after all, and you KILLED ME! You killed me and now not only do you spare that weakling, but you betray the Prince to save his life!" he let out a hollow laugh. "Does this make YOU a vampire now?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Marach said harshly. "He may be vampire, but his intentions are sincere. I don't know what great crime you committed that Parn has mentioned, but he saved my lifemate's life. What I have done is futile and I will surely die for it, but I stand tall with conviction that I have done the right thing."

Cassander snorted. "Then I will see you soon, then. The Prince will surely never grant you mercy for this. Why, look what happened the last time the Prince turned a blind eye? His eldest-born turned vampire and we were massacred!" Cassander leaned in close, venom and promise strong in his blazing eyes. "I look forward to the reunion, Marach. I promise it will be…MOST unpleasant!"

Then Cassander left him alone, without even the slightest glance at Parn. Marach swallowed thickly and focused once more on his lifemate.

"Serenity, just stop!" Izzy wailed. "Do you want to die?! Get back to your body!"

"…He's here."

Izzy stiffened. "…He?"

"I can feel him, but he hides from me. He's here."

Izzy looked at Parn's body, and looked back at her sister. "…His soul?"

"I will find it, and I will save him."

Unease and elation filled Izzy's heart. If they found Parn's soul, then maybe they could restore it to his body!

"His body is vampire, Isabel," Marach said gravely. "Finding his soul will make no difference."

"But…but look at his body! Look at what Serenity's blood is doing to him! Maybe…maybe there's a chance!"

Marach said nothing. No matter what they would try, nothing would change in the end. And their fates were sealed, once the hunters caught up to them.

Suddenly, Serenity stilled. "There."

The room was now full of lost souls, all of them hissing at them threateningly. Izzy looked through all the twisted faces, but she couldn't see Parn. "Where?"

"There." Serenity began moving again. She was unmindful of the vampire spirits swirling around them. She simply floated past them and Izzy huddled close to her sister.

They left the main chamber and wound down a short corridor. It was then that Izzy saw it; the small white form huddled in a fetal position against the wall. Serenity floated over to him, and Izzy followed. She knew that this had to be Parn.

But Parn didn't look up when they came up to him. "Go away. Go back to your bodies and leave me be!"

Serenity sighed very deeply. "I found you. I really, truly found you."

"I-I never truly left. After I…" Parn shivered violently, even as a lost soul. "When I…departed, I stayed close to my body. I saw everything, felt everything. Oh…" he finally looked up and stared at Serenity with heartbreakingly sad eyes. "What have I done to you? What have I done to your LIFE?!"

"I'm fine," Serenity told him calmly. "And I'll be better once you come back."

"I don't deserve you!" Parn wailed. "I condemned you to HELL! I don't deserve your forgiveness or love! And I don't deserve mercy by the Prince! Oh, Serenity…" he shook his head furiously. "You don't know the things I've done! The enjoyment I took in these vile acts…I need to REPENT! I don't deserve restoration and you know it! Just leave me! Leave me to die and allow Gregori to restore your life to you!"

But Serenity shook her head. "I'm your lifemate, Parn. And I know everything that you've done. But I also know that it wasn't your choice."

"Don't shrug off my crimes—"

"I'm not. You said you need to repent, correct? Well, then repent. Repent and live to repent forever. I've given your body my blood, and my blood purifies vampire traits. I don't know what will happen once you get back in your body, but it doesn't hurt to try, does it?"

"Serenity…the things I've done—"

"You've never been twisted by the darkness as Cassander was. Your body hasn't decayed as a vampire would, and it hasn't twisted up into vile weapons. You've only been you. This darkness has tormented you even before we met, and I know your love for Cassander kept you anchored even as a vampire. You loved him so much, despite everything he's done, and that's kept you whole, even with your soul gone. But, now I'm here." Serenity held out her hand. "I love you, Parn. I've loved you since I first met you. Please…please don't leave me. Only you can make me whole again. You say you've ruined me…I don't think so. And if you think you've wronged me so, live to make my life better. Okay?"

Izzy looked at her sister. "Serenity…"

Parn said nothing for a long time. He looked at Serenity with open adoration and love.

Then…he reached for her hand. Their hands clasped and fingers entwined, and the world burst into bright white light.