No extra chapters this coming week I think. Too much going on in terms of classes so I doubt I'll have much time to work on the next instalment. Sorry to leave it on a cliffhanger but keep in mind (AT ALL TIMES) that I love you all and Nikola and Helen. Remember it.

xx

"Sorry about the wait," a disembodied voice called out over the top of the music and instinctively everyone looked up to the small opening at the top of the cavern. "We got a bit lost and had to stop to ask for directions but we couldn't find an information kiosk. You really ought to think about installing one, or a map at the very least."

"You've got to be kidding me..." Kate said, rolling her eyes.

"The one and only," Helen acknowledged tightly.

"Drama queen was right," Nikola muttered, shaking his head as he tried to hide his grin.

"Don't quibble, Nikki," she chastised from somewhere above their head, the cavern too high to give any of them a proper view of the tiny hole from which she was climbing.

"How did she get in?" the male roared, turning to face the now cowering vampires.

"You left the back door unlocked," she replied cheekily. Then, suddenly the power keeping them suspended above the floor stopped, sending them tumbling to the floor much to the shock of the vampires.

"How?" the male breathed, eyes wide as he looked around the cavern.

"Now, now Pellex," Rose said, suddenly appearing at the top of the cavern, slowly descending to stand in front of the petrified looking vampire. Her wings were outstretched, guiding her descent, carefully putting her between the vampire and the team still picking themselves up from the hard ground. She smiled broadly and the male stepped back.

"You."

"You know, of all who could have survived that blast, I'm rather glad it was you," she said cheerily. "There's no one else's head I'd rather rip off."

"Nice timing," Nikola said, dusting himself off and coming to stand beside her.

"Yes, well, I'll chastise you about letting yourself get caught later," she replied tossing him a smile before rolling her shoulders, forcing her wings back in.

"And you can explain why you chose Queen for an entrance," he bit back scathingly. "I thought you had taste."

"Oh come on, that was perfect! Didn't you hear the lyrics?" she enthused, turning from the fuming vampire to grin at Nikola. "Plus you have to admit it's catchy."

"Anything the children can pick within a few seconds is rubbish by association," Nikola said. "When we get home remind me to show you what good music sounds like."

"That sounds like an offer if I ever heard one," Rose scoffed, smirking at him as Nikola rolled his eyes.

"Can we get back to the issue at hand please?" Helen called and Rose sighed, shaking her head before flashing her a grin.

"As you insist," she said replied, bowing slightly before tossing a gun in Helen's direction. "Nikola, if you wouldn't mind there's a bag up there that would be rather helpful."

"Why is it that I always feel like your slave?" he asked with a sigh but before she could respond a black bag came falling from the same small opening that Rose had appeared from, dropping to their feet with a resounding thud.

"Isn't he a good human magnet?" Rosie said indulgently, leaning down to scoop up the bag. Turning on her heel she threw it to Will, her face hardening for just a second as they all received a mental instruction.

Follow my lead.

Without a single word she turned back to the vampires before her, surveying them all with a stern gaze. Quickly Will unzipped the bag to find enough guns for them all and he handed them out, dropping the empty bag to the floor as he tucked the gun into his waist band. He wasn't entirely sure how much use it would be against the vampires but some protection felt better than none at all.

"Where's our friend?" Helen asked carefully, not sure of what had befallen her young HAP son.

"He's having fun with their shield generators. In fact he's the one who managed to undo your electrifying manacles," Rose replied, over her shoulder with an easy smile. "He's fine, don't worry."

"How did you survive?" Pellex hissed, hands balling by his sides as the blonde came to stand behind him.

"Is it really her?" she asked, voice shaky as she glared daggers at Rosie.

"Whiny bitch number 6!" Rose greeted happily, spreading her arms wide as if inviting a hug. "I haven't seen you in... gosh! It must have been at least a millennium. How've you been?"

The blonde growled, letting her eyes go black as her teeth and nails grew.

"Down," Rose commanded sternly and the woman sunk to her knees, grasping her throat with both hands as she struggled to draw breath. She clawed ineffectively in Rosie's direction but eventually gave up focusing instead on her inability to breathe. With a sigh from Rose the woman collapsed to the ground, gasping as she was given back control of her body.

"I take it you know these delightful miscreants," John drawled from behind her and Rose chuckled.

"Of course, where are my manners. Nikola, Will, Kate, Helen, John, may I introduce Pellex and whiny bitch number 6, minions of Afina and vampires."

"Pellex?" Nikola asked, raising and eyebrow as he smirked. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"It does indeed," Rose replied, turning to face the man in question, crossing her arms as she grinned up at him lazily. "Pellex means mistress or concubine. I'm sure he has a real name but that was the translation we used. After all, you had such a barbaric, painful language and Latin just rolls off the tongue."

"You mean to tell me for all he lorded his divinity over us, he's nothing more than the plaything he wanted us to be?" John asked quietly as he and Helen moved closer to Rose and Nikola.

"Exactly," Rose said with a nod, smirking at the speechless vampire.

"Enough," roared Pellex. "Try and kill us if you will but we have you outnumbered and I know you would not sacrifice yourself or your friends to destroy us."

"You're wrong," Rose said instantly, her voice steely as she stepped forward, barely a foot from the vampire. "I'd give myself a hundred times over if it meant I could wipe you from existence."

"But you would not give your friends," he hissed back, lips curling in a snarl. "I know you and your kind well. You are too human to sacrifice those who stand in your way."

"I have spent hundreds of years waiting to exact my revenge on you and your filthy kind," she snarled, hands balling into fists. "You have nothing but an army of part blood monstrosities who know nothing of fighting. I will destroy you all as you destroyed my kind."

And with that she launched herself at him, hands wrapped around his throat as she drove him backwards. The blonde was one her feet at once, launching herself at Druitt with an ear piercing screech. The other vampires surged forwards, coming to the aid of their rulers. The others drew their guns, firing madly into the oncoming swarm as confusion took hold of the scene.

"Stop!" Rose screamed loudly, fear colouring her tone and the vampires all flew backwards a few steps, seemingly being held at bay by their own bodies. In the centre of the cavern stood Nikola, his lips curved in a deadly grin as he held Helen in front of him, her body on an angle so he could show off his prize.

"Don't," Rose breathed, her body trembling as she stared into Nikola's eyes.

"Sorry darling," he drawled with a smirk.

"You bastard!" John growled, stepping forward and Nikola spun around, keeping Helen's struggling body pinned to his own.

"Not this time old boy," Nikola warned, tightening his grip. "Not if you want her to live."

"Nikola," Helen choked out. "You can't..."

"Have no fear beautiful," he crooned, holding her tightly across his body so she faced out. "I promise if you all agree to leave peacefully you'll live." He sighed. "I do wish this could have ended differently though, you and I really could have ruled the world."

"Tesla, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Kate called angrily, not daring to take a step forward. With one arm around her throat he could easily snap her neck and they all knew it.

"Joining my true family," he announced before turning to Pellex. "I have an intimate knowledge not only of her Sanctuary network but an understanding of how the world works now, I'm your best bet if you truly want to seize control."

Pellex stared at him for a moment before smirking softly.

"Nikki, please," Rose breathed, stepping forward. "Not like this."

"Did you really think I'd agree to this mission?" he crowed scornfully. "That I'd go against my own kind?"

"I'm going to kill him," John swore quietly but he didn't move.

"Me first," Will ground out.

"Not before me," Helen hissed, fighting once more his iron grip. Nikola chuckled, looking down at her fondly.

"Are you sure you don't wish to stay with me Helen?" he asked softly. "We'd have such fun." Her murderous glare up at him was the only answer.

"Drink."

The command came from the blonde and it was ordered with intensity, her eyes boring into Nikola's.

"Drink."

"Nikki," Rose whispered, a plea as she stepped closer to him. Her eyes were wide, begging him to stop without words. Her hands were trembling and she bit her lip. "For me."

Nikola merely smirked, his lips curling into a cruel smile as he lifted Helen higher, letting his transformation take over.

"I've dreamed of this moment for a long time Helen," he said, his voice deep and distorted.

Helen fought as he brought her higher, bending his neck down to drag his nose along the side of her throat.

And then, with one last grin, he sunk his teeth into her flesh.

Please don't kill me?