Yes I am fully aware it has been a long long time ! but sorry i have justm had so many things on and so many things happening both with school and my family and i am sorry! please for give me!

enjoy this chapter and review please i haven't had any in ages! :(

Vanity Storm

Skulduggery Took up his Usual spot in China's apartment while Valkyrie perched herself on the edge of the bed. China sat down in the other comfy arm chair and stared expectantly at Skulduggery clearing her throat.

"Don't ask me, Valkyrie is the one who wanted to come. I suggested we go to Kenspeckle to get those bite marks sorted out but no she…"

Valkyrie butted in "we want to know if you have information on Fire-hand Regan."

China stood and went to a file cabinet. "Fire-hand you say, haven't heard about him in ages. Last I knew he walked out on his wife and son to join with the shape shifters for life. But that was over five years ago. Why do you ask?"

Skulduggery picked up his hat off the arm rest and spun it on his finger lazily. "Well let's just say he hasn't been behaving to well."

China nodded and after a few seconds stepped triumphantly back from the cabinet holding in her hand a thick yellow file with name Fire-hand Regan printed on it.

"Regan is one of the few people we have built a whole life file on mainly because he was quite easy to track marrying a woman from a mortal background." She tapped a few symbols on the carpet and the floor opened up allowing a table to immerge. Once the flooring had settle China threw the case file down on the desk and pulled up her chair. Valkyrie and skulduggery shuffled in closer to the table to get a better look and the reading commenced.

China flipped the cover open. Inside was a profile of the man. China began to read aloud.

"Paul Chase given name, taken name Fire- hand Regan, previous spouses: Sandra Chase nee Vexen. Spouse: Emily Chase nee Stone (mortal). Offspring of Paul and Emily: Simon Chase and of Paul and Sandra: daughter whose given name is unknown. Her taken name is Alicia Crows." China Paused Brow Furrowed in concentration before continuing.

"Paul Chase/ Fire-hand Regan is an Elemental Sorcerer, he fought in the war beside Melovant and went on many undercover missions. He has the ability to shape shift and to change physical appearance. Paul chase Split with his Wife Emily who now has full custody of their Son Simon Who has taken on the name Darien Sneer." Valkyrie's Head snapped up.

"Darien Sneer did you say?"

China Nodded and read on "Darien has No Knowledge neither of his father's previous spouse nor of his Half Sister who is of the same age. The where about's of Emily Chase is unknown it is believed she fled Dublin after news of men trying to hunt her down for information on Paul. She left her 14 year old son in the care of a Mortal relative who recently died. The Where about's of Paul is unknown at this current point but all are advised to keep on the lookout. Paul is a useful asset to any plan and can and will be used against you at some point for double crossing. " She finished reading and closed the file turning the yellow cover back over.

"Well that certainly was on cheerful profile." Skulduggery said sarcastically. "Now we have even more people to hunt down. Darien Sneer, no idea who he is…"

"I do." Valkyrie said softly. "I received a letter from him a couple of weeks ago."

"Really?" Skulduggery asked surprised. "Why would he contact you?"

"He mentioned he was a friend of Vanity and Vintage's, by the sound of it he was really close and they had thought he was dead."

"Well that's one person off the list now, has anyone ever heard of Alicia Crows?"

Caelan's vision was blurry. The water was murky but at least it wasn't salt water otherwise he would have been suffocated within seconds.

He swam on desperately pushing past water reeds that blocked his path. A few meters ahead he could make out the retreating figure of Vanity. Her Usually curly hair was now straight and fanning around her. He swam on faster trying desperately to catch up to her.

Vanity knew that as soon as she had dived into his water the transformation would begin to take place. She'd heard her mother talk about it so many times that when she felt the itchiness between her toes she didn't panic but just kept swimming. As long as she stayed under the water the transformation would continue virtually painlessly. She swam through the murky water unaware of the longing eyes watching her from a far. She went deeper and deeper. She swam past stones stacked on top of each other and felt something touch her ankle, she wiped her head back but nothing was there so she continued on unfazed.

Her neck was begging to be sore and she could feel the little lines being pushed up like raised scars. She put her hand to them and felt the skin break. She had gills. She looked back down at her hands and saw that they had become webbed. She looked to where her legs should be and saw that they were beginning to mould together forming a tail. She found herself getting excited and did a few loops and summersaults. Just as she finished the somersault something caught her eye. She looked and saw something shimmering in the grey water. A tail it looked like. She swam closer and saw the rest of the body emerge behind a stone structure. It was a man, or more correctly a male water nymph. He had a gleam in his eyes. He caught her looking at him and swam out towards her enticingly.

"You are from above? The queen has claimed you, has she not?" he asked Vanity Nodded in response.

"You have our blood in you already, I can sense it, it is strong the same as our queen. You are her heir?" Again Vanity Nodded.

"You will make fine company. I shall have you as my spouse." Vanity furrowed her brow in confusion. There was no way she was going to agree to that. She had only just gotten here she wasn't about to accept his hand in marriage. She shook her head firmly and turned to go but he latched on and grabbed the end of her tail. She tried to wriggle her way out but it didn't work.

"You can't leave anymore the only choice is to accept or die." Vanity Shook her head more forcefully and tried to swim away clawing at pieces of stone piled up on each other to form pillars. It was no use the only thing she had managed to do was create a storm of bubbles and dirt, which nobody would take as a distress signal, let alone see at all. The Nymph Began to slowly pull her towards him trying to take control of her thrashing body.

Caelan who had been trailing Vanity for a while now saw a cloud of bubbles rise up off to his right. He swam closer for a better look at what was going on and saw vanity stuck in the middle of it all. Some creature had taken hold of her and was pulling her towards his cave whilst she thrashed around in his grip trying to break it. Caelan sped forward. He came up behind the creature and whacked it over the head with a rather large stone. The creature paused for a moment stunned and then floated to the ground unconscious.

Vanity finally felt the grip on her tail loosen just slightly and with one almighty heaved she broke away. Just as soon as she thought she was free from him something latched on to her tail again. She kicked out and felt it let go but then grab on again pulling her further down and then circling her waist. her back was pressed up against something smooth and soft. She twisted around in the grip and saw it was Caelan. Her eyes widened in horror. She couldn't let him break the surface. She couldn't breathe oxygen not just yet, it would halt the transformation. She began to twist and turn in his grip to get him to let go desperately as she saw him head towards the surface.

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Vanity Storm