Author's note: Well this is the end of our journey. I hope you liked it! A huge thank you to: Martho, FaBber0oZ, john6lisa, mileminnie, badwolfkaily, and crazycat9449. There is a small reference in this chapter but it's so subtle that I'll leave you a hint: it has to do with one of Jaime Murray's role. Thank for reading and until next time! :)

When Myka regained consciousness, she felt very weak and her neck was throbbing. She tried to get up but her legs wouldn't support her weight. She tried to look around to figure out where she was but the pain in her neck was too much for her to move.

Darkness was close to claiming her again and Myka fought it with all her might. Licking her dry lips, she tried to speak, "Hel...na..."

"I'm sure she'll be here any seconds now," a deep masculine voice said. "I made sure she saw me taking her pet."

The emptiness pressed in on her as a voice echoed through the room. "She is not my pet and get away from her!"

Myka smiled faintly, surrendering herself to the welcoming darkness. Helena entered the Donovan's almost empty barn and faced her enemy.

"I should have known you were the one who murdered Sam." Disgust filled Helena's tone, as she shook her head, muttering, "I should have left this town weeks ago. Step away from Myka this instant and I'll go back home with you and marry you."

Walter Sykes took Myka's limp body in his arms and then looked defiantly at Helena.

"Oh, you will come home with me and you will marry me and obey me." Offering the brunette a smile filled with maliciousness, Sykes trailed his fingers along Myka's ravaged neck, adding "But I will not step away from such a delicious meal."

Sykes planted his teeth back in Myka's neck and drank more of her blood.

Helena ran up to them and pulled Myka away from Sykes, which tore a part of Myka's flesh around her wound. Helena tried to place her gently on the ground but Sykes tackled her and Myka's body fell to the ground like a rag doll.

The two vampires started fighting and neither of them was holding back their blows.

Myka was fading in and out of consciousness. She could see Helena fighting with the blond man who had attacked her. Helena's nose was bleeding and her dress was torn in several places. The blond man had claw marks on his upper chest and he hit Helena on the jaw.

When Myka opened her eyes again, the blond man was biting Helena's throat. Helena was clawing at his neck to get him off her. Myka tried to get up to help her but the darkness swallowed her again.

Helena kneed Sykes in the groin and threw him against across the barn. She was weaker but she knew she had to fight to stay alive to save Myka. Spotting a pitchfork in a haystack, Helena elaborated a plan and put it into action.

"She's almost dead, you know. You can't save her." Taunting the woman that had scorned him, Sykes sneered, "Why would you want to save her? She's food."

Helena couldn't see Sykes but she could hear him circling her.

Tossing her hair back, she snarled, "She's the one I love, but you already know that, or you wouldn't have killed her husband or attacked her otherwise."

"To be fair, at first I thought he was the one you loved." Sykes' tone faded in and out as he moved around the barn, taunting, "I watched you for two whole weeks and you went to that house almost every single night. I thought you were spending your time with him. That's why I killed him. But tonight I realized that I had made a mistake. You weren't cavorting with him, you were cavorting with her! You are mine Helena, mine! I won't let you be touch by someone else, let alone a pesky Human!"

Sykes came from behind Helena, aiming for her head. Helena had expected his move and rolled on the ground to avoid him, getting closer to the haystack. She grabbed the pitchfork's handle and broke it. Sykes saw her move and jumped on her. Helena placed her stake upward and drove it right into his chest. Sykes stumbled backward, looking at the stake. He put his right hand on it and pulled.

Helena watched in horror as the wooden stick came out of her enemy's chest. Sykes brought the tip of the stake to his mouth and licked the blood.

"Missed," he snarled.

He dropped the stake to the ground and launched at Helena. She plunged to her side and Sykes fell into the hay. Helena quickly got to her feet and grabbed what was left of the pitchfork; planting its handle once again in Sykes' chest as he lunged towards her, this time right through his heart. Within seconds, Sykes body exploded in a cloud of dust.

Wrinkling her nose as though she smelled something foul, she declared, "Dead on, bastard!"

Tossing the pitchfork away, Helena hurried to Myka's side, feeling weak and very aware that dawn was coming soon. She didn't have much time. Myka was even weaker and Helena felt that her pulse was very slow and erratic. Helena placed Myka's head on her knees and gently touched the American's cheeks to awake her.

"Myka? Myka, my Darling, hang on." Tears trailed down the Helena's face as she whispered, "I might be able to save you, but I'm not sure it's going to work. Myka?"

Myka opened her eyes and smiled feebly at the Brit. "I... love... you..."

"I love you too, Darling. I can't live without you." Taking a deep breath, she met Myka's eyes, advising, "I will attempt something, but I've never done it before. It's going to hurt but I promise I'll make it better."

Helena delicately took Myka's broken wrist to her mouth and bit the swollen skin to draw the blood. Myka hissed under the pain but stayed still, waiting for the darkness to take her away from the pain. Helena drank Myka's blood carefully, not wanting to take it all. Then she released the broken appendage and tore the sleeve on her left arm with her teeth and bit her own wrist. The blood was rich, thick and flowing. Helena placed her wrist on Myka's mouth, begging, "Drink my love, drink!."

Myka obeyed first out of reflexes but soon willingly. Helena's blood felt like cold water after a hot and sunny day. Helena was caressing her hair, eyes closed, appreciating the feeling of Myka's lips on her skin. Only her acute senses made her open her eyes and turn around just in time to catch the quarrel coming at her.

"Step away from her."

Helena's eyes grew darker and her canines longer at the new threat. "You."

"Me."

Helena looked at the man who had been haunting her dreams for the last twenty-five years. "How long have you been here?"

"There's plenty of time for talking, Helena. Oh wait, there isn't, right?" Jerking his head towards the light seeping into the sky behind him, he taunted, "Dawn is coming and you... you'll be going. Forever. Now step away from Mrs. Martino!"

Helena gently placed Myka's head on the ground, unsure if her idea had worked. She rose shakily to her feet to face her opponent who kept his crossbow pointed at her. Taking a deep breath to steady her emotions, she inquired, "How did you find me?"

"I've been following your fiancé across Europe since you left. I arrived here about three weeks ago." A condescending sneer filled his face as he bragged, "These people had just lost their pastor a few days prior, so I had no problem making them believe I was the new pastor."

Helena started to move away from Myka as the man approached her.

"You lie, I would have known if a man named Arthur Weisfelt came to live here. And I would have fled immediately."

"That's why I told them my name was Arthur Nielsen. I've been watching you and your fiancé since I arrived." Glancing around the barn, he demanded, "I suppose he already left to hide?"

The Hunter was now directly in front of Myka, Helena opposite of him. The vampire smiled. "You could say that. Now I suggest you leave if you want to stay alive."

"Oh, I have no intention of leaving while you are still alive. I simply have to wait a few minutes and you will finally be dead." His smile turned self-assured and deadly as he added, "Just like your daughter ten years ago. You are an abomination and you will die!"

Helena's smile grew.

Rearing his head back at the woman's action, Arthur growled, "Smile all you want, the sun will be up in ten minutes and you will...AAAARGL!"

Myka sank her newly elongated canines into Nielsen's neck, drinking the Hunter's blood as fast as she could, desperate to calm her sudden hunger. Helena came to them, and with a smile, drank with her. The Hunter was quickly drained of all his blood. The two women dropped the body to the ground, looking at each other for several long seconds before crashing their lips together and kissing passionately. They separated as the sun rose.

Helena's eyes sparkled with moisture as she cupped Myka's face in her hands, whispering, "Hello Darling."

Epilogue

Claudia walked to the mailbox and was pleased to see her name on the package inside. She didn't wait to open it and tore its wrapping. It contained a new book of horror stories by Mike Wells and a book of historical stories by Harry Bering. She opened the cover of the first one, smiling brightly when she saw the dedication written inside.

For Claudia who saved our lives. Come to see us in the City by the Bay; the people are wonderful and the nights are magic! Forever- M&H.