Last chapter. After this only an epilogue left.

Keep in mind I ALWAYS go for the happy ending. I am just taking the long way around. Consider this the long way. Sequel is already written and I will FIX this. But I felt this needed to be written. This is how I imagined it.

Chapter 24:

RPOV

I kissed my kids goodnight. We tried giving them their own room now that they were three years old but they would sneak in each other's bed each night, so we relented and just made one room for them. Lissa was on babysitting duty. Well it wasn't really babysitting. We kind of lived in the same house, the same very very big house. Our apartment was next to theirs so she would just take the baby monitor and sit in her own room.

"Sleep tight, my baby boy, be a good boy."

I moved over to Lera.

"sweet dreams my sweet baby girl, Mommy loves you both very much."

Dimitri kissed them too and we left their rooms. I looked back one more time, committing their features to memory. I didn't know why I looked back, I normally don't but somehow I needed that extra bit of time with them.

Maybe it was because we were going on a mission. We hadn't had many in the last few years, one because we had the twins and Hans wasn't going to bother us with minor stuff. Usually we were only called in when they found a nest close to court. Once the word got out that Court had two high powered warriors, the area around Court had gone eerily quiet. Most didn't know the extent of our powers, but we still functioned as a nuclear deterrent. And just like a nuclear deterrent small countries or in our case small town Strigoi stayed away, but larger countries or ancient Strigoi had risen to the challenge. We were getting reports of nests run by ancients that were looking to take down the Belikovs. When I brought up the fact I kept my own last name Hans had not been amused.

So tonight we were taking out a nest not far from here. We always went alone, because one, it was kind our fault they were there in the first place but also because if we had to take down a nest with a few ancients in there it wouldn't be easy. We would have to dig deep into our power. It meant we would have to move faster and fight harder than we normally would. Dimitri and I could feel each other but we didn't feel anybody else so it meant anybody helping us could end up as collateral damage.

We suited up and we were quiet. Normally we would talk or banter or help each other with our gear while feeling the other up, but that didn't seem to be happening today. Once we were in the car and crossed the wards I took Dimitri's hand and squeezed. We didn't say anything. We both had a bad feeling about this, but we always did. It was the fear of leaving behind our kids. Every time we went on a mission and away from them I would feel torn. I would feel like I was abandoning my children, because I was willingly walking out the door with a chance of not coming back. But we wanted a better world for them, wanted a saver world for them so we had to go out and do this.

We drove to the middle of nowhere. There was an old house which apparently held a nest of Strigoi. Seriously people should just take down old houses and we would have a lot less Strigoi on our hands.

We parked a little away, like we always did. We would move in silently on foot to fist stake out the place, get a reading on the number of Strigoi and the comings and goings of them.

We could see the house a little further away, but we didn't see any Strigoi. We transformed hoping at better visual and hearing but still nothing. Ever since we got the tattoos we could sort of feel them. We would get a rush of adrenaline when they were near, a primal response from a predator who was near their prey. But nothing. No adrenaline rush, no whooshing of blood. No breathing fueled by an undead body. Nothing.

"Well it looks like Hans was wrong. No nest here."

I whispered to Dimitri next to me. He had come to the same conclusion. But if there weren't any Strigoi here then why was I feeling anxious. I just wanted to get home to my children.

"let's go."

Dimitri took my hand and together we made our way back to the car. About half way through I stopped dead in my tracks. Red eyes were coming from me in the bushes.

We turned on our own red eyes and I saw that pair was joined by several more. I counted seven. Not going to be fun, but certainly not a death sentence. But why were we not getting the adrenaline rush. Why wasn't Dimitri getting worked up by his bloodlust.

We took a few steps back to a more open area. It would make it easier to fight when it came to it. But when we turned around we saw red eyes there too. As I turned around I saw red eyes in all directions. To many to count now. Now I understand why weren't getting the feelings associated with hunting our prey. Because tonight the tables were turned we were the prey and they were the predators. I didn't understand the shear amount of Strigoi that were here. We haven't seen such number since the St. Vladimir attack.

Dimitri and I moved back to back. He took my hand lacing his fingers with mine. I felt a shiver run down my body as a Strigoi stepped forwards. I actually felt my legs shake with fear. I wouldn't let him know it but by the way he was looking at me he knew. He knew because he was used to seeing his prey quiver in fear before him.

"So these are the famous Dimitri Belikov and Rose Hathaway. Husband and wife. The nightmare of every Strigoi. If we had children we would tell them stories of you if they didn't eat their vegetables. The sheer number of us that have fallen at your feet is astonishing. And before the night is over many more will have followed our brethren. But tonight we drag you back to hell with us."

The Strigoi erupted in cheers at his words. He was old to command such respect. I had fought many old Strigoi, I remember Isaiah, I remember how he felt different from Elena. I could always tell how old a Strigoi was. If you looked into their eyes you knew if they have walked this world for years or centuries. But the read I was getting from this guy was neither. It was eons. He had been a Strigoi for eons.

"Been there done that."

I told him in as much bravado as I could. I hoped he didn't hear the shaking in my voice. The slight pull of his lips told me I failed in my mission to hide it.

"Ah yes your talents for escaping death are legendary. I suppose it is what makes you so deadly. But everything must die eventually, death and taxes right. Well everyone except me of course."

He stepped a bit closer and I felt Dimitri stiffen beside me and move ever so slightly in front of me. As if he could protect me from the army of Strigoi we were facing.

"Any last words?"

"Bite me."

But to Dimitri I whispered my true last message. I love you. I could hear him reciprocate over the sound of Strigoi running at us. I pulled out my stake and we went to work. Even though I knew we were probably done for. I was going to take as many of them as I could with me. I would open a hellmouth right here and drag them all back to hell.

The first few fell easily. No doubt he was sending in the weakest first to determine our strength and strategy. Dimitri was feeding where he could. And I felt the effects of it permeating into me. Although I needed his actual blood to recover fully, our bodies were physically linked so increase in his strength meant an increase in mine.

We picked up the pace after that, but no matter how many we killed they kept coming. Dimitri and I were working in sync. We stayed close and we often took an opponent down together, but unlike the bodies of the Strigoi which were powered by their undead state, our mortal bodies were beginning to tire. I had two cracked rips and I noticed they were taking a long time to heal. I saw some gashes in Dimitri's face that were healing but very slowly too. He sank his teeth in another but we were burning off our power faster than we could replenish it. We slowed down too.

But I did see the sea of Strigoi was thinning. The ground was littered with their bodies. The ground was red with blood. Some it ours most of it theirs. But I don't know if it mattered that we had taken so many down when they were still so many upon us. I had seen the old Strigoi holding back. He had been watching us in the back. His red gleaming eyes never leaving us. I wondered when he would step in.

After taking down a few more Strigoi I would get my answer. He stepped forward and almost like a rehearsed dance all others backed off. I looked over the horizon. The sun would be up soon. But I doubt we would live to see another sunrise. I felt a small tear escape my eyes.

Dimitri looked at me and I saw determination in his eyes. We would go down fighting, if we could just stall. If we could just distract them long enough for the sun to come up. But I knew the man standing before us wasn't stupid. He wouldn't be around at sunrise.

"Well well, you are incredible. How you have mastered that stolen power is quit commendable. In my very long life I haven't seen anything like it. But all good things must come to an end. And seeing as I want to be out of here before even I meet my end I will get a move on things and finish you off myself. Personally I can't wait to taste you."

I shivered. The gleam in his eyes went from predatory to lustful and I heard Dimitri growl beside me. I also noticed his wounds and mine has seized healing. I was feeling sore but still okay. Mostly cuts and bruises, no major injuries yet. We would need every ounce of our strength to pull through.

"Nobody leaves even if you fry, nobody leaves. I want you all to see my glorious victory."

Every Strigoi was standing still as if bound to the spot. Not good. Strigoi might work together for a common goal but they were inherently selfish creature, their own safety above everything else. The fact they were willing to listen to him told me exactly the hold he had on them.

He charged and I swear even with our enhanced eyesight I didn't see him move at all. He punched me and I landed several feet away. Okay there goes rib number one and two. Dimitri engaged him but was met with a similar result.

We both stood up and moved towards each other. We needed to regroup. We had barely managed to come together when he charged again. But this time we were ready. He was too fast for us to see but having opponents be stronger and faster than us was nothing new. We used to fight opponents like that all the time. And it seemed the instincts were still there. We moved before he did and we were starting to get some punches in. Not that he felt them. Only when Dimitri swiped the point of his stake across his chest did he show any sign of discomfort.

The speed at which the wound healed was alarming but at least he was still affected by it. I had actually been expecting him to be unaffected by the stake. That is the kind of strength he exuded from every pore of his body.

He launched and we evaded. Dimitri would go high and I would go low. Or the other way around. We didn't need words to tell what the other one was doing. We knew. Years of sparring and marriage has formed an almost telepathic bond. But no matter how in sync we were, we were still taking a beating. But as I saw his lip heal I knew we were hitting getting some good shots in too. He was healing of course but we were hitting him. So we just had to find an opening to stake him. There were two of us and one of him. We had two stakes. Surely one could land.

I knew if we could kill him the others would leave. We had taken over thirty Strigoi already and although there were still at least that numbers left there I knew if we took this guy down they would flee in light of the approaching morning. I could almost taste the first sunrays. I wondered if they would welcome our victory or graze our dead bodies with their light.

There it was, the sliver of hope. An opening. Dimitri saw it too and took it. It had taken all his strength but he plunged the stake in the bastards heart. I felt the tension drain from me. We survived, we defeated him. We…

We were screwed. The light in the Strigoi's eyes didn't fade and when I looked down at his chest I saw why. The stake wasn't in far enough. Not because Dimtiri didn't have enough strength left to do it properly but because the Strigoi's body was hardened by eons of survival it simply didn't want to go any further. I didn't hesitate for a moment. I dropped on my hands and kicked my legs out. I kicked him in the chest and pushed the stake in with every fiber of my being. The momentum of my kick giving it enough force to move past the barrier of his chest and find its way into its heart.

I fell down and I saw Dimitri plummet to the earth in exhaustion. I laid down on the ground and I felt Dimitri next to me. I couldn't move a muscle, but Dimitri had enough strength to still grab my fingers and stroke them. We didn't speak we didn't need to.

I knew dawn was only moments away. I was imagining the rays on my skin. Their light touching us and warming us. It would tell us we were still here, that we were still human. That we would be fine. I felt Dimitri's fingers stiffen in my hand and when I opened my eyes I knew we wouldn't see another dawn. Neither would the Strigoi hanging over us. But the words of the ancient Strigoi were reminiscing in my head.

"And before the night is over many more will have followed our brethren. But tonight we drag you back to hell with us."

This wasn't a kill mission for them. It was a suicide mission. They knew that if they stayed they would die with us. But even in death this Strigoi had power of them.

I felt the first fang hit my skin. Now Dimitri has fed off me countless times. Both as Strigoi as well as our hybrid selfs, but even as Strigoi his penetration had been filled with pleasure underneath the pain. There was no pleasure now.

One was at my throat while I felt another on my thigh. A third one was at my wrist. There didn't seem to be a rush of endorphins. Probably our hybrid state had nullified that. But I was grateful. It hurt like hell but I wanted the last moments on this earth to be clear.

I focused on Dimitri's fingers still laced with mine instead of focusing on my own pain or the pain I could feel radiating from Dimitri. I started to feel cold. No doubt a sign of the massive blood loss, both by our fight and as a result of the gentleman and women who were scrambling for a piece of us.

Then I felt warm. I saw flickering light and it took me a moment to realize the Strigoi were on fire. The dawn had arrived. But they didn't release our veins, even as they scorched the earth with their bodies. I didn't even feel the pain of my own skin searing with flame. When the Strigoi were nothing more than ash at our feet I could feel the warmth of the dawn on my skin. The small light still coming through my blood-filled eyes. I felt one more squeeze from Dimitri before his hand lost all its tension. I couldn't feel him anymore. The connection was gone.

I am right behind your baby.

The last thing I felt before my body went numb and my mind went blank was a tear falling down my face and being warmed by the first rays of sunshine. For everyone else the day was beginning, but for us it ushered in the next life.

So I promised Katnipsc I would keep them together, I never promised to keep them alive ;).

Don't hate me. Just remember. Eventually… everything will be alright… Eventually. Tell me what you think.