NoTe: Oh my gosh, maybe I made a mistake with killing Maria that early, but maybe I didn't. Are you guys really that upset? Oh I'm so terrible. I'll make it up to you though, you'll see. Some people think Charlotte and Jonas are kind of ominous, no need for these thoughts. Just think of the two ghosts from The Haunted Mansion. I loved those two. ^_^

Tears slid down her face and she bit back sobs on her way to the police station. Sophie didn't bother knocking as she bursted through the door.

"Officer! You have to help me please!" The man turned to face her with somewhat tired eyes.

"Miss are you aware that it's two in the morning?"

"Fully but please you must come see. It's my friend, she's been murdered!" His eyes lost the exhaustion and something similar to interest shone. He nodded and ordered two other officers to join him.

"Blackwell, Stewart, come with me." Sophie got into the car and directed them to the hat shop where they could instantly smell Maria's rotting flesh. All three of the men held their noses as they entered the shop. Sophie stayed outside hugging herself and thinking what could've happened to Maria. She was sleeping and Maria had been up working on a brand new hat design that was apparently to die for. And then she really did die.

"I should've been there." She whispered to herself. "I should've been the one killed, not Maria. She never hurt anyone." The officers came back outside and the one named Stewart shared their new information with Sophie.

"Well we looked over the body and it seems as though it was a wolf attack." Sophie shook her head with her wide eyes.

"No she had to have been killed. I heard someone knock at the door! She was talking with him, I heard them speak!"

"The man could've spoke with her then gone home. And the girl might have forgotten to shut the door and a hungry wolf comes in. I'm sorry for your loss. Patterson and Blackwell are putting your friend in the body bag now. We'll have you take a look at her in the morning alright?" Sophie nodded.

"Yes, thank you officer. I appreciate your help."

"Any time." Sophie watched as the men pulled Maria into the back of the car and undoubtedly to the morgue. Sophie held her collar when she remembered what lie beneath it. She quickly tugged out the silver necklace and stared at it. Sophie shook her head and tucked it back in.

"Maybe she was talking with Howl, he said he'd have a word with her. I don't suppose..." Her mind wondered to Maria's last hour and whoever it was spent with. "No, it couldn't of. He seemed far too kind to be the murdering type. But, now that Maria's gone, I have no where to live, no job, and no money. I guess there's not a choice here. I have to live with Howl now."

She walked along the concrete road, her heels clicking against the hard surface. "Do I really not have a choice? Perhaps the mayor will allow me to own the hat shop from here on out. Oh, but I don't know the first thing about financial resources and such!" She continued down the street when she saw something dart from the side. "Huh?"

She looked to her right and nothing was to be seen, same as the left.

"Is there someone here?" No answer. "Hm, that's strange. Probably the village boys." She shrugged it off and continued wandering the British streets. Another dart from the left this time and Sophie turned quickly to that side. She was begining to get scared but again, it was probably a little boy or maybe even an animal. Could it be the wolf that attacked Maria, stomach still growling for the feast of human flesh and blood?

She didn't waste another minute and ran but when she turned around she was surrounded by two people, dark silhouettes with beaming red eyes and their facial features sticking out ever so slightly. She backed up into something hard and quickly turned to face what she expected to be a dead end. Instead she was met with a cloaked figure with the hood pulled over, only leaving their mouth exposed to the moonlight.

He brought up his hand and reached to Sophie's dress collar, she gasped and was about to slap the hand away but the two others held hers arms, one for each. The fingers of what seemed to be the leader sunk into the fabric and brought out the vampiric medallion and ran his thumb across the wolf's bared fangs. He held it loosely in his palm and it began to glow red. The man winced and his lip curled back a bit.

When he let the symbol drop the mark was printed on his hand in the form of a bloody burn. "You are the eternal life, Sophie." Long claws grew to replace the man's nails and he tore at the sleeve, letting it fall the the cold ground without a care. The claws retracted and the blood-soaked burn glowed a slight orange and a deep red, almost the exact color of fire. He inched the mark towards her bare shoulder, that's when she began to struggle.

"Let me go! I have nothing to do with you! Let go now!" The feminine figure holding her left arm put her finger tips on the back of Sophie's neck lightly, and she felt a painful shock go through her body. She let out a small yell followed by whimpers. She fell to her knees, her arms held up by the other two people. She let a tear roll down her cheek as she sobbed. "Please." She sighed.

The hooded man knelt down by her, his faces inches from her. He leaned over and licked the tear from her skin. Sophie whimpered again. "Embrace it, Sophie, don't reject it." His hands went to her shoulders, the one with the bleeding injury held lightly over her shoulder rather then gripping it like the other one. "Release her." He commanded.

The two did as instructed while replying "yes master" in unison. He moved her collar down far and smelt the crook of her neck. The second his lips touched her skin he pressed the burn to her flesh with force.

She screamed but one of the servants covered her mouth with both hands to muffle it. The pain was intense and extended beyond any words possible, but then out of complete nothingness, she felt nothing. Was that what he felt when he got the burn? All he could do was wince from that fierce pain? Sophie felt something sharper then her kitchen knives pierce the skin of her neck. Then the man began sucking on the wound he inflicted on her, draining her of her blood and energy. The man who had his hands on her mouth brought them to his side in clenched fists and looked down upon them.

"Master, it is the witching hour, we must return." The one draining Sophie looked up, the hood casting a shadow over his eyes and showing his flawless, pale skin. The master nodded and lifted Sophie bridal style. Why can't he just leave me for dead? Why? I just want to die in peace. She had passed out along the way, his footsteps making no noise at all as well as his servants. Howl had turned into the mist along with Jonas and Charlotte and was able to get back to the castle in no time.

"Master Howl, what are we to do with the girl now?" Howl looked down at Sophie with his blue eyes frozen in a trance.

"I will take her to my room. I have no need for sleep. Charlotte?" The maid came to his side and bowed her head.

"Yes master?" Howl began trudging up the spiral staircase with Sophie in his arms.

"Change Sophie into more suitable clothing. She deserves more then the attire of a peasent." Charlotte bowed.

"Yes Master Howl. I will do so immediately." Howl's silent footseps continued to the top of the tower with Charlotte following close behind. He placed Sophie on the bed lightly and put his hand at her neck. Don't be afraid, Sophie, I beg of you. Please, do not fear me.

"You may dress her now. I will be in my personal quarters if I'm needed." Charlotte bowed to her master and proceeded to undress Sophie of her dark blue, long sleeved night dress and into a flowing white night gown that came just above the knees. Charlotte bowed her head and left for the parlor. She met with Jonas and sat next to him on the sofa. He held his head in his hands while a drink lay before him on the table.

"Are you alright, Jonas? You seem stressful." Jonas inhaled through his nose and raised his head to nod.

"I am, Charlotte. If this Sophie girl truly is who Master Howl says she is, then there is nothing we can do to stop her." Charlotte looked at him with confusion.

"What do you speak of? Jonas, Master Howl would never put his trust and love into someone so dangerous. He may pull certain stunts that put him in peril but you know him. What is wrong with the girl? I'm curious now." Jonas looked around for Howl and sniffed the air before starting the tale.

"Centuries ago, long before we found you, Charlotte, there was a girl. Her name was Eternity and she was beautiful in every possible aspect. Every single way. But she was very powerful, too powerful. At first Master Howl tried to start an alliance with her, knowing what damage she could inflict upon anything and anyone she so desired, and that was all. Just a partnership and nothing more. But then Master..." Jonas paused.

"Master Howl what?" Jonas took a sip of the red wine before continuing.

"He began to fall in love with her, and she for him. All was well until she began plotting against him. His senses were weak compared to her dark magic and he insists she did what she did to protect him. I still think it was just another way to get what she wanted. Anyhow, each day she would look at him less and less until he brought it up."

Flashback

Howl looked at Eternity as she pulled at her starlight hair.

"What troubles you my love?" She looked up at him, eyes wide and innocent.

"Hm? Oh it's nothing of concern. Nothing at all." She continued tugging at her silver locks nervously.

"I know you're lying." She blinked two times before replying.

"And I know what you're up to. If you want to play the I Know game I'll gladly play along." Howl chuckled. His attention was focused more on Eternity rather then his starving servant, Jonas. Jonas looked around frantically until he found a large black bear that had been wounded. He ran to it, ecstatic.

"Why do you stay here with me? I do not know how much longer the poor man can satisfy himself with raw animal meat and blood. Surely, you must miss the luxurious taste of human blood on your tongue do you not?" Howl looked at her with a tilted head.

"Jonas is fine as am I. Please what has your attention wrapped around its finger?" Eternity sighed.

"I can't tell you, it will be too dangerous. I don't want you put in harm's way because of my own foolishness."

"You know how well I handle danger, Eternity, why do you treat me as a child?" She laughed.

"Perhaps it is because you still have the mind of a mere child. But, I may have to do something...that I do not want to do. Howl, do you love me?" Howl's blue eyes widened.

"Of course, nothing else in the world could earn my love for you. Eternity, do you doubt me?" He held her hand in his with much care.

"You know as well as I, that is not true. But, your father does not approve." Howl's eyes filled with rage.

"I shall kill my own father for you! Eternity, there is nothing more in the world that I could ever ask for. You are the most magnificent thing that has ever happened to me. I love you, never deny that."

"I do not." She turned her head to the small wooden cottage they they called camp. "Deny you, that is. Don't deny me either, and if you do not forgive me, I will not blame you. I will beg for your mercy, should this go wrong." Howl tilted his head a bit in a confused matter.

"What do you mean?" Eternity held tears in her grey eyes that had refused to shed.

"Forgive me." She put a hand to the center of his chest, over his heart and exhaled. Before anything could be done Howl was enveloped in ice. Eternity sniffed and wiped a tear away as a coffin appeared before her, then her hand got heavier as a lock formed. "You will sleep until I am dead, Howl, I love you." She muttered as Howl was magically pulled into the coffin and the lock clicked around three silver chains.

Then she ran away before she could be discovered by her lover's faithful servant.

End Flashback

Charlotte's mouth was wide, her hand covering it. Jonas stated that, "Eternity knew that Master Howl would thaw out very quickly and that was the purpose of the lock and coffin. She never meant to hurt him but by the time I had found a spell that would unlock him I soon found out that Eternity had been killed."

"What happened to her, Jonas?"

"She had been accused of witch craft and was burnt to the stake." Charlotte gasped.

"How awful."

"The wench deserved it. She used Master Howl like a napkin and he knows it." He signed and sipped at his drink again. "He was furious with me rather then the witch, why I don't know but he blamed me for making her turn her back on him. I went after a bear when the event occured and I never spoke with her." Charlotte rubbed Jonas's shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

"Perhaps he was just shocked. Did you tell him of her death after he broke out in rage?" Jonas shook his head.

"After he was released he seemed as though he had been reborn. Asking all these questions and such he suddenly remembered everything. Eternity, he kept asking where Eternity was. So I had to tell him. That's when he smashed everything in sight, I'm lucky to be here now."

"Hm, as I would imagine. So...do you really think that the girl, Sophie, could she truly be evil?"

"Charlotte, Eternity was not evil. She was selfish and as far as I'm concerned she shall stay that way in my eyes. Your opinion is yours to keep but let me keep my own." Charlotte nodded and walked off to go check on Sophie. Mean while, Howl sat in his office like room. He stared at a picture of his brother, himself, and Eternity all standing together with smiles on their pale faces. Eternity was the happiest of all, she was always the happiest.

Howl let out a deep sigh and put his right hand to his temple. "Please don't let me screw this up. Please let her be the right one. I loved her long ago, let me love her again." He prayed to whoever out there happened to be listening. No one heard his prayer, well no one other then Sophie, that is.