I wrenched open the door to my crypt only to find Hans sobbing in the corner, his voice barely rising above the sound of the rain outside and the timid dripping sound of a roof leaking in the corner.

"Hans, it's me…your parents are fine. I just spoke to them." I lied. He didn't need to worry about his father at the moment.

"Go away."

I stared at him from the doorway, one eyebrow cocked. I don't believe I have, or could ever, fully mention how awkward I am around children.

Seeing Hans crouching in the corner like that reminded me of my own childhood, the night my mother had been taken to St. Mungo's. I shook my head, fighting off the memory with as much will as I could muster at this point.

Seeing Hans cowering in the darkness like that reminded me of the overwhelming feeling I felt in the weeks and months that followed her departure. We had been about the same age, and I knew that being locked in a dark crypt and not knowing about his parent's well-being must have been nothing less than maddening, as I am certain there were times I had gone mad myself.

I stepped gingerly closer to Hans, offering a hand. "I'll take you to a soda parlor." I said, forcing a my voice to sound 'nice'. I wondered if I was trying too hard.

Reluctantly, he placed one small hand in my own, standing up and drying his eyes.

"What's a soda parlor?"

XxX

I admit I had an ulterior motive behind taking Hans out for soda, or whatever kids had these days.

I had never been to London's East End before, despite living in the damned city for nearly my entire unlife, and I wanted to get a good idea of Anna's possible whereabouts. Unfortunately, London is such a large city, I had little to no clue where to begin, save for conversations I had had with her that were carefully filed away in my memories, each more precious than the last.

Hans and I walked hand in hand, my course black hair carefully pulled into a knot in the back of my head and my bangs swept sloppily to the side. To those who were casually observing, I hoped I appeared to be his foreign governess. I couldn't be too careful in London. My face was far too familiar anymore.

We stopped at a small restaurant close to Hyde Park where I bought Hans a bowl of ice cream. This seemed to pacify him while I watched the street, hoping for some sign of the Van der Zanden's or their like and avoiding the Ministry. In this situation, the Ministry's aversion to Muggles was playing in my favor.

I found a map of London in a travelers pamphlet, looking over the street names and hoping to find her parent's address, or at least a vague idea of where to start.

Tonight, Lord willing, I would start with teaching Dante to hunt, and tomorrow…we would find Anna, providing she hadn't set off for Romania yet.

"Are you looking for Frau Anna?" Hans asked, leaning over the map, dripping strawberry slime all over the map of Highgate.

"Hans, sit down."

"I can help you." He said frankly, moving around the side of the table to sit beside me. "Papa made me study maps of every major city in Britain before me moved here." He paused for a second to take a bite out of his ice cream. I have to admit, I was impressed with Hans. He was dreadfully serious, even by my standards, but he was well educated.

"We're looking for London's East end, by St. Mary-le-Bow's church…"

"Here, Watling street…" He said frankly, placing one sticky finger on the map and tapping next to the icon for the church. "Anna mentioned a Japanese restaurant there."

"She was raised around there…if we go there tomorrow…"

"But what if she leaves tonight?" Hans made a grab for a paper napkin, the thin fibers sticking to his fingers.

"Go wash your hands. We'll talk about it when you come back, right?"

He nodded, leaping off the chair and disappearing into the room marked with the figure of a man.

I could smell the vampires of Highgate, coming and going from the cemetery, sleeping deep underground, some undisturbed for centuries.

I sighed as the waiter came around to fill my glass, giving me a strange look when he saw I hadn't drank any water.

I ignored him, staring out the window at the passing cars. I had to come up with a plan of action to stop Lillith, but could I do it alone? I could enlist the vampires of Highgate, teach them to fight, but could I really wake the dead? Could they help me? Or would they side with Lillith?

I could ask the Ministry…

But that would be grotesquely odd: a dead vampire coming back, prattling on nonsense about some ancient vampire out to get us all. I wasn't even certain what her threat was, save for a personal vendetta carried out on my clan. No doubt the Ministry would just as soon kill me.

It was foolish to get involved, and by extension, involve my clan in a stupid clan-war.

As an Englishwoman, I was more civilized than that. And we would no doubt lose, we were outnumbered and overpowered. But I was in this, whether I liked it or not.
Hans returned from the water closet, sitting down beside me.

"I was thinking, Frau Integra…." He began, but I stopped him with a look. Something wasn't sitting right with me, and it wasn't the fact that this was the first time he had addressed me with any degree of respect.

"Hans…" I shoved him under the table, crouching beside him as the glass shattered on the large front window, scattering all over the floor and splintering the antique furnishings.

"Out the back." I pointed as the breaking glass was followed by fire. Hans looked startled, unable to react with a clear head as I half carried, half dragged him out into the back alley.

Bad idea.

We had run straight into the arms of the Illuminati.

XxX

A/n: I only uploaded this part becuase it's the girl I based Anna off of's 21st birthday.

Even though she isn't reading this: Happy Birthday, my dear! You are loved dearly, though you may not believe so!