A/N: Hello readers! I'm so glad that you guys are here! Totally got my worry of starting a new story to post under! Thank you for all the reviews and adding this story to your alert and favorites lists, it really REALLY makes me happy! So, here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, the awesome OC's that you see in this belong to MissXMagic, RoxyPony and EllieRanesburg66

Listening To: "Love The Way You Lie Part Two" by Rhianna ft. Eminem and "Want U Bad" by Travie McCoy ft. Kesha

I held Kayden's hand in a death grip, tightening my knuckles each time a couple of seconds went on, staring at the maze at it began to fill with water. My feet couldn't keep still, shifting from side to side, my knees bouncing up and down quickly, in time with my heart that felt it like it was going to pound out of my chest at any second. I remembered the look in Darren's eyes as they attached the stone to him, I wasn't even the one taking on the trial, but just watching Darren get ready to face the watery maze made me feel like I was going to pass out. No, thats an understatement, I felt as thought I was going puke, exactly like I felt right now.

"Ouch!" Kayden snapped, glaring at me as I tightened my grip on her hand once again, "Take it easy! I need this, and if you break my hand, I'm going to have to break both of your legs!"

"Sorry." I grunted through clenched teeth. How long had he been in there? The water had been filling up for at least four or five minutes, and knowing Darren's height the water would have to be up to his lower lip by now. Tears started to gather in my eyes. Now that I've come to think of it, I've cried and gotten teary eyed more in these past couple of years than I have in my whole life. I hate crying and when people cry, and Darren's turned me into a full on bawling baby. Wait, Ronnie that's not important right now. What if he didn't make it out of the maze? What if right now that stupid rock was caught on a corner and Darren was in there struggling to get it free. I winced at the image of Darren frantically trying to release himself. But then it happened, the cinderblocks that were placed on my shoulders were lifted when I heard the whoosh of water from the door opening. I looked at Kayden whose eyes were opened wide along with her mouth in a cheshire cat grin. I didn't know what to do with myself in my excitement, I let out a loud a high pitched scream and latched onto Kayden, who to my surprise joined in as we bounced up and down in our seats.

"Why are we still sitting here?" she yelled, the smile still present on her lips.

"I don't know! Lets go!" I responded standing up from my seat and following Mr. Crepsley out of the row we were sitting in, pushing him lightly on the shoulders to get him to move faster.

"Come on Mr. C, let's pick up the pace!"

I ran towards Darren with a bunch of vampires who were splashing through the pools of water, hollering and cheering as we did so. He shakily struggled to get onto his feet, outside the door of the aquatic maze, equipped with a foolish grin, rubbing the top of his head.

"You did it, Darren!" Mr. Crepsley roared, throwing his arms around him in a surprising display of affection. When I reached his side, I pulled him close to me, holding his limp weight with the strength I acquired from being blooded.

"Thank the gods!" I praised, pushing into a kiss and swiping the hair out of his face with my hand. He blinked water from his eyes, scanning all the vampires who stood around him.

"Ronnie? Mr. Crepsley? Kayden? Kurda?", he asked listing everyone who stood around him, "What are you doing at a beach in the middle of the day? You'll burn in the sunlight if you don't watch out!"

"He's delirious!" Someone hooted from the crowd, I laughed under my breath.

"Well duh! Who wouldn't be?" I grinned, smiling at Darren like a proud parent.

"I'm just going to sit down for a while." He murmured, "Call me when it's time to build sand castles. And then, Ronnie, we can go on a romantic walk on the beach..."

And with that he collapsed to the ground, laying on his back and staring at the ceiling as if it was filled with clouds, I snickered silently and began to laugh harder when I saw Kayden doing the same thing.

I woke up early in the morning, my neck was stiff because I fell asleep on the floor next to Darren's bed. Alright, I can be a little paranoid, I had to make sure that he wouldn't die in his sleep from exhaustion, even though I didn't do a very good job by falling asleep after watching him for an hour or so. I stretched, groaning each time I went up a level to standing up straight. My muscles and joints strained, I cracked my neck and shook out my arms and legs before turning towards the door. Poor Darren was probably exhausted to the point where a bomb going off couldn't wake him. I looked at him one more time, smiling to myself as I walked to the hall of Khledon Lurt and slid onto one of the benches next to Kayden. She was in a heated conversation with Kurda, Vanez, Paris and an Old General.

"You must be proud, Master Shan has done a spectacular job!" Seba congratulated. I nodded grabbing a mug of warm blood and taking a swig of it. Being in a mountain with a bunch of males for a couple of months totally swiped your etiquette from your brain. I listened for a moment, and learned about a rumor that was spreading throughout the halls, vampaneze tracks were found when one of the older vampires was arriving at the mountain.

"Two different tracks on the way to the mountain is NOT a coincidence, Kurda!" Kayden growled, slamming a fist down onto the table. Kurda jumped back a little, probably not wanting to get into the crossfire of Kayden's rage, but he still defended his purple faced friends.

"If they meant to attack us, they would have done it already!" He shouted.

"What if they want to attack us on the way back! Everything isn't black and white Kurda, there are shades of grey!" Kayden shot back.

"Why would they? They haven't attacked us before they wouldn't do so now!" He retorted, his brows furrowed and teeth clenched, I could see he was trying his hardest to hold onto his temper.

"What if it's something with the vampaneze lord?" I said under my breath, I didn't want to get into it, but of course my comment was heard.

"I believe in the myth as much as the vampaneze, but honestly, so far, I'm pretty sure it's nonsense." Kurda said softly, trying to make it a focal point of his argument. "They could be trying to get a hold of me, they are my friends and they can't just walk up to the gate. They'd be killed on sight they're probably trying to catch me when I leave."

"Alright, whatever helps you sleep at night, Kurda." Kayden grunted, "But what's with the human and the green kid that showed up today?"

"Wait, what?" I interjected, looking at her from my mug of blood.

"Yeah, some chick and this snake boy showed up this morning. They're going to be in some witness protection program or something." She answered, raising her eyebrows and then shrugging it off.

"Where!" I prodded, anxiety stirring in my stomach.

"They're in the west halls-Where are you going?" she called as I stood up and began to quickly run down the halls. I didn't even respond, I was going to find out if the people who arrived, were who I hoped they were.