yes i know it's been long but what can i say. My Grandmother had a heart attacxk recently and needs major surgery hopefully she can have it tomorrow and we need alot of time to recover. aslo we had to hand our school laptops (notebooks) back for re imaging to winodws 7 so i have nothing to wirte on until today when i comendered a computer.

so please no anger ! and enjoy the chapter there's a slight cliffy so yeah enjoy and review even though it's been soooooo long!
please :(

Vanity was sleeping once again; she could feel something cold on her cheek. She moved her head slightly and it rubbed up against something soft and freezing. The bed sheet shouldn't be cold she thought. All of a sudden loud knock sounded, she jumped up terrified and stared at the shut door. A few silent seconds passed as she felt her heart racing. Deciding it was her imagination playing tricks on her she plonk back down on the bed her head coming into contact with something solid. The solid being groaned and Vanity shot up again to stare down on to the bed.

"Aww my chest." Caelan groaned lifting a hand to rub where vanity head had landed.

"Oh my, i'm so sorry. I didn't know you were there… I…I" Vanity took in her surroundings. She was in the only bedroom in this factory, in a bed and with Caelan. She blushed furiously and quickly got up standing beside the bed looking extremely embarrassed.

"s'alright." Caelan mumbled sitting up. There was a knock once again and Vanity shot across the room and pressed her self to the wall terrified. Suddenly her head began to hurt, her vision went blurry and she began to sway. Caelan shot out of the bed tripping slightly on the sheets ran over to her and caught her in his arms before she could hit the ground. He carried her back to the bed her head flopped to rest on his chest and the warm fuzzy feeling came back. He placed her gently on the bed and watched silently as she tossed and turned mumbling about Regan and Dusk. A few seconds later she shot up again to stare him in the face. Quickly standing she grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the bedroom door.

"There here, we have to leave, have to get to the lake." She said pulling him through the door frame and towards the back door. More thuds could be heard from the front door as they made there way across the factory floor.

"Oi, Caelan open up you runt, we know you've got her hidden." Dusk's voice rang out echoing off the steel walls.

"Vampire. We have come for the girl and her only. Kindly hand her over to us and we will be on our way." Regan called from the door. Vanity could feel something vibrating in her hand she looked down. It was Caelan's hand. He was trembling from rage. She turned to him and touched his shoulder.

"Don't worry; I'm not going any where, just ignore them." With a small smile she turned back around and continued. Her hand came into contact with the handle and she tugged it open.

The sky had turned grey and there were clouds rolling in with the promise of rain. As on que the front door of the factory building bust open just as the sky let go a tremendous clap of thunder. Vanity Jumped Yelping at the sudden loudness. Quietly Caelan and her crept through the door and ran across the road into the trees beyond.

Pushing Past stubborn branches and tackling loose brambles that would catch at their clothing they finally made in to a clearing. In the centre was a lake. The Pair were exhausted. Breathing heavily Caelan slumped against a tree and slid to the ground. Vanity surveyed the waters surface muttering to her self.

"How did we do it last time? Mother told me, if I could just remember." She shivered in the cool breeze that whistled past the trees carrying the scent of fresh rain and pines. She began to wind a curl around her finger thinking. The leaves behind her began to rustle.

"wait." She exclaimed. "That's it!" She ran over to one of the trees and pulled off a leaf, then stepping back over to the lake she dropped it in and waited. The ripples spread out wide moving the water over an over. The creature beneath stirred answering her call and rose to break the surface.

Caelan, feeling slightly less tired and out of breath rose from his seat and came towards vanity uneasy. He could see the water gradually getting darker as though something were about to appear. Coming to stand next to her he placed a hand on her shoulder trying to ignore the fuzziness it created. Vanity turned her head towards him and smiled slightly.

"She's coming." She said softly just as the figure broke the surface.

"Vanity dear, how are you?" It asked spreading its arms wide.

"Aunt Sabrina." Vanity cried rushing past out of Caelan's grip and into the arms of the female.

"Darling, what ever is the matter?" Sabrina asked as she felt her niece begin to sob.

"Oh Aunt Sabrina. T...the most t…terrible thing has happened. After m…mother and father gave you t…the letter, we were hunted down. H….h...e killed them aunty and n…ow he's after Vintage and ….I." Vanity Sobbed holding her aunty closer.

"Dear me. Vanity why on earth didn't you come sooner. Hush, sweet heart, have you come to retrieve the letter?" Sabrina asked. Vanity nodded and let go of her aunt looking up into her face.

"I need it; I must keep it with me." Vanity stated. She looked back over her shoulder at Caelan and motioned him to come forward.

"Aunt Sabrina, this is Caelan. He's been helping me." Vanity said and saw as her aunt held out her hand towards him.

"Pleasure to meet you; i'm one of Vanity and Vintage's Mother's sisters." She then gestured to the water beneath her. "I' m a water nymph, actually we all were. But Sophie, Vanity's mother meet the mortal and left. Scarlet and Stephen found more enjoyment on land. So here I am the youngest and the only one who kept to the waters." She smiled weakly at Caelan before turning back to Vanity.

"Now darling are you sure you want the letter back?" she asked. Vanity nodded her head and watched as her aunt smiled in relief and slight satisfaction.

"My dear in order to receive the letter there needs to be a human sacrifice. Are you still prepared?" Caelan's eyes widened as he saw vanity nod once again. His arm shot out to grab her wrist.

"No, vanity you can't." he said turning her towards him. "There must be another way."

"I'm sorry Caelan but there isn't." She said shaking her head and smiling sadly at him.

He stopped and stood still, it suddenly hit him. "You've known it would come to this all along. You knew it's why you said good bye isn't it."

She nodded slowly still wearing the sad smile. "I knew you'd figure it out sooner or later." She turned to her aunt. "As soon as I go down please give the letter to Caelan." Her aunt nodded and Vanity turned to face him again tears in her eyes threatening to spill over.

"Take the letter and go to Skulduggery's house. Give it to Vintage."

"But Vanity, you can't sacrifice yourself. We could get someone else. Heck, capture Regan and use him."

"She'll be well looked after young man it's not as if she's going to die. She'll just live under the water. She is part nymph after all and we have plenty of young male sacrifices who i'm sure she would be happy with." Sabrina stated her brow furrowed grumpily.

Caelan huffed in frustration. "You can't vanity there's so much for you here, you can't leave." He pleaded reaching out for her hand. She looked up into his eyes and saw once again the mysterious orbs there. How she whished she'd had more time to figure them out. Blinking back tears she then said. "It's not worth it Caelan, I get to many people killed and involved. I should leave." She held up her hand to stop Caelan's counter argument.

"Give the letter to Vintage say good bye for me and give her this." She leant forward and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. She pulled away and tried to push aside the fluttering in her stomach.

"And….. well If you see Darien.." she paused and looked up again into his face, her heart racing as she went up on tip toe and leant forward " tell him I loved him and give him this." With that she cupped his face drawing it closer and watched as his eyes closed. She planted her lips on his and kissed him softly and slowly. A few slow and peaceful seconds passed until she broke apart from him

"Good bye" she whispered as he stood there his eyes still closed. Quickly she turned away and headed towards the edge of the water without even a look back over her shoulder she dove beneath the waves.

Caelan heard the splash and his eyes shot open. She had done it, she'd gone.

"Vanity!" he gave a strangled cry as he rushed to the waters edge. "No!"

"The letter young man." Sabrina said tossing it to him. He caught it and shoved it in his pant pocket. He tore off his shoes and shirt. Then he slid off his pants so he was only wearing his boxers. Dropping them on the ground he pulled his arms above his head and dove into the water desperately after her.

sorry for any spelling errors and please reveiw it'll make my day!

V.S