"Well, that's a stunningly inappropriate breakfast ensemble." Selina narrowed her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. She was barefoot, her dark hair was loose on her shoulders, and she wore a short purple silk bathrobe. "I would say 'thank you' but I don't want to encourage you." She elbowed Klaus aside a little and made it to the coffee machine, pouring herself a cup.

"I don't see why you can't just take a compliment," he said.

"Oh, please," Selina turned around. "I know you only compliment anyone if there's something in it for you, and I'm no longer some pathetic little girl who clings to the first person who gives her an ounce of approval. I've improved myself. I have standards now."

Klaus smirked and nodded. "Elijah, you mean?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I have a better thing going with him than I ever did with you. He loves me. He said so."

"Did he really?" Klaus asked, circling her. "Or is that just something you made up in your head as a reason why you shouldn't come back and be with me?"

"No, he has," Selina insisted. "And if I'm wrong and he hasn't, he will."

Klaus shook his head. "No, he won't. He hasn't yet and he probably never will. Why is it that you always find yourself attracted to men who can't make a commitment?"

"You're one of them," Selina said. "So why don't you tell me."

Klaus frowned. "I was willing to make a commitment," he said. "It was you who left me, remember, kitten?"

"I had my reasons," Selina said. "Someone was after me. I didn't want you to get hurt."

"After you?" Klaus said, coming up short. "Why? Who was it?"

Selina shrugged. "I don't know. I think he was some sort of vampire cop. I had a rash of bad luck before I went to Europe in '23, several bad relationships...the bubble-gum loving bum, the guy with six wives, the guy who accused me of cheating on him with the milkman, the artsy type who was always out looking for himself...the list goes on and on. Whenever I found out about what they did, I would kill them...slowly, horribly...without mercy. And finally, my bad girl ways caught up to me and the vigilante vampire cop showed up, wanting to either confine me or kill me for supposedly betraying our kind to those who want to destroy us...he caught up with me in '29 cause I guess you and I had a little too much fun. I left Europe, came back here and led a quiet life, and he must've lost interest in me." She shrugged.

"I had no idea," he said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She sighed. "Because I knew if I did, you'd try to stop me. And I couldn't afford that. I just couldn't." She paused. "But what's the good of dwelling on it, since it's over now and we can't do anything to change it? We just have to move on..."

"That's sort of a defeatist attitude, isn't it?" Klaus asked.

Selina shook her head. "No, it's not. I can't be with you anymore, Nicky. Back then, we were together because we loved each other. Why are we together now?"

Klaus' eyes got big. "Because we still love each other. Nothing's changed."

Selina shook her head. "No, we don't. You're just telling me what you think I want to hear. The reason why we're together now is because you got so mad at me for leaving you that you made me forget you when I came to try and apologize for what happened, and you hung on to that anger for so many years that when you needed somebody to have your hybrid babies, you picked me, not because you loved me, but because you knew it would make me miserable, and you wanted me to pay. But if you aren't mad at me anymore, if you really do love me, you should let me go. You should want me to be happy. Divorce me, please."

Klaus hiked an eyebrow. "You want me to divorce you so you can be with Elijah?"

She nodded. "And it's not like I'll be out of your life permanently if that's what's holding you back. We have three kids together and I can't ignore that."

"Are you sure you won't?" He asked her.

She nodded and took his hand. "Of course I won't. Especially because of Roxie. You can't turn your back on her for a minute. Not that I don't think Vince can hold his own against her. He definitely can. It doesn't hurt to be a little cautious though."

"I told Vince about what's going on with Myna," Klaus said. "I told him to take Roxie to the island. Myna won't look for them there."

Selina's eyes widened. "The island? Oh, dear. She doesn't know anything about that. It'll be a shock for her when she gets there. But at least she's away. Good thinking."

He nodded. "I try my best."

Selina paused. "What you said about Elijah...is it true, or are you just trying to cause trouble?"

"Ask him," Klaus said. "You probably won't believe anything I tell you about it."

Selina sighed and walked back to the bedroom where Elijah was waiting for her in bed. He saw her long look and as she climbed into bed beside him, he put a hand on her cheek. "What's the matter?" He asked. "Is something wrong?"

"You're going to think I'm stupid for asking you this, and it's probably none of my business, but Nicky and I were talking and he says you have...he called them 'commitment issues' but I don't think that's an accurate term. How do you feel about love?"

He looked a little uncomfortable now. "I can love," he said finally. "I love you and Lucy dearly, but it's been years since I was in love with anyone. I had a bad experience my first time and I guess I've never quite recovered." He gazed at her lovingly. "I admire you, though. You're just full of love, for anyone, no matter how they've hurt you. I wish I could be like that, but I can't. It doesn't come to me naturally."

"But could it again?" Selina asked. "If you found the right woman, that is."

He was quiet for a moment. "I suppose it could, if I was given time." He sighed. "Selina, I realize that you need mutual love in your relationship, and that we might be in jeopardy now that you know about my past, but I refuse to lie to you about it."

"It's all right," she said, grasping his arm gently. "It doesn't matter to me if you aren't in love with me now. You do love me, and I love you, and every relationship has to start somewhere."

He nodded. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for understanding."

She smiled. "It's all right," she said. "Now I just need to find something to do to occupy myself while you figure things out."

"Are you leaving?" He asked her. "You don't have to leave."

She left the bed and made her way toward the door. "We'll see. Would you like a coffee from the kitchen?" She asked. "Or tea?"

"I could take either one," he said. "Thank you, dear."

She nodded and headed to the kitchen to put some hot water and a teabag into a teacup, and just as she entered, she saw Adrian coming through the side door. He had a knapsack over his shoulder.

"Morning," Selina said to him. "What's the bag for?"

He looked up in surprise and the bag thudded on the hardwood floor. "Hi, Mom," he chuckled nervously and sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. "I didn't realize you were up."

"You seem nervous," she said pleasantly. "Please tell me what the bag is for."

"Okay, Adrian," Klaus said, coming in to the kitchen before Adrian had a chance to reply. "I have the car all ready for you and me to-" He stopped speaking when he saw Adrian's eyes widen as he gently tilted his head toward Selina. "Oh," he finished. "You're back here, are you?" He asked Selina. "I figured you wouldn't be."

"What's going on?" Selina demanded. "What are you two being so secretive about? You aren't going to do something that will get you both killed or in trouble, are you?"

Klaus and Adrian gave each other a long look before Adrian finally blurted out, "We're going to find Myna and kill her! It's stupid for us to be hiding this way! She's just a regular vampire for crying out loud. We could kill five or six of her at once and it would be nothing!"

Klaus shut his eyes. "Is keeping something secret new for you, Adrian?"

Selina's eyes widened. "You were just going to keep this from me and go off without a word? Well, that's hurtful. Not to mention incredibly stupid. Do you have any idea where Myna is now? At all? Do you know anything about her that would give you an edge?"

"You worry too much, Mom," Adrian said. "We'll be able to handle this in five minutes!"

"May I remind you that Myna kidnapped me, injected me with your father's blood and that caused me to nearly kill your sister?" Selina asked. "Not to mention the number of hybrids she's killed already. No, we can't do this on our own. We need help."

"What 'we'?" Klaus asked. "There is no 'we'. Just Adrian and me."

Selina shook her head. "If you want to go at all, I'm coming too," she said. "I know things that Aleksandr told me about Myna's plan. I'll be a big help."

"Are you going to keep nagging us about it until we let you come?" Adrian asked her.

"Pretty much," Selina said. "It's not like you have a choice. I just have to do two more things and then we can go." She made up some tea for Elijah and then brought it to him and told him her news while she packed her bags.

"You're seriously going with Adrian and Niklaus to look for Myna?" He asked.

"Of course," Selina said. "Can you see those two lasting long without someone with them who can think logically and strategize? I love Adrian and most of the time, he's like you and me, but it always seems like he turns into Nicky at the most inconvenient moments." She paused. "Or is that just a guy thing?"

"It could be both," he said, taking a sip from the cup. "But I think this will be good for you. Give you a chance to get out and experience something new, have an adventure. See what you can do on your own."

She turned to face him. "You know, that's exactly what I was thinking," she said. "I mean, I know that it will irritate Nicky and Adrian to no end that I'm there, but I'm the one who heard all the extra stuff from Aleksandr when he told me to get everyone hidden. I know it. They don't."

"Well, good luck," Elijah said.

Selina nodded. "Thanks. And if you don't feel like keeping Lucy by yourself the whole time I'm gone, I'm sure if you called Stefan and Anna, they'd be willing to give you a break occasionally."

"I'll keep that in mind," Elijah said.

"Well, goodbye." Selina paused by the door for a moment, then put her bag down, sprinted over to the bed and hugged Elijah hard, knocking the wind out of him and mussing his hair. "Sorry," she said when she pulled away. "I tend to be a little overenthusiastic at times, but you knew that." She cleared her throat, picked up her bag, gave him one last salute and headed out the door, leaving him alone in the bedroom, grinning and shaking his head indulgently. She was a sweet woman. Quirky, but sweet. Like a little puppy.

"Okay, I've packed up," Selina said when she got to the kitchen with the bag over her shoulder. "Let's go." Klaus and Adrian were still sulking and eyeing her resentfully. "What?" She asked.

"This isn't going to be so much fun with you along for the ride," Adrian said.

She frowned. "Adrian, we're getting rid of a woman who is trying to kill us. It's not supposed to be fun." She headed out the door first and they shuffled after her and sat in the backseat of the car. She looked at them in the mirror. "Come on," she said. "It won't be so bad. If things go the way I plan, we won't even have to see each other."

"What's your plan?" Adrian asked.

"As far as I'm aware, there are three people in on this plan," Selina said. "Aleksandr, Myna, and Helene. Now, each one of us has a connection with one of the three, so I suggest we split up and interrogate each person individually. What do you say?"

"Okay," Klaus nodded. "I'll take Aleksandr."

"No," Selina shook her head. "You will take Myna. I will take Aleksandr. Adrian, would you mind talking to Helene?"

Adrian shook his head. "Of course not. But where are they all now?"

"I remember where Aleksandr is," Selina said. "And I bet if I say the right things, he'll tell me about Myna, but I don't know about Helene. Ask Astrid. She might know."

"And what am I supposed to do?" Klaus asked. "Nothing?"

"I bet you can think of something to do with yourself," Selina said. "Be creative."

Klaus narrowed his eyes at her. "Why did I even bother coming?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "Why did you? You can go back to Stefan and Anna's if that would make you feel better."

"Fine," Klaus said. "That's what I'll do. You two have fun."

"It's the strangest thing," Alistair said to Astrid. "Selina and Elijah are together now. I really didn't see that coming."

"What?" Astrid asked, biting down on her thumbnail and pushing her blonde hair out of her eyes. "Say that again, dear. I didn't hear you."

"What's the matter?" Alistair asked. "You seem distracted."

"Truth is, I'm worried about Helene," Astrid confessed. "Ever since she moved out, I've barely seen her. The last time was when she was here with Adrian. Since then, nothing."

"Do you think she's fallen in with a bad crowd?" Alistair asked.

"I hope not," Astrid replied. "I just wish she and Adrian hadn't broken up. Something bad is going to happen very soon, and being with Adrian is the only thing that is going to save her, but she's not with him!"

"You never told me how you get those visions of yours," Alistair said. "How does it happen?"

"Hazel," Astrid said quietly. "Hazel sends them to me."

"Vanessa's sister? The one I killed?" Alistair said, looking amazed. "But why?"

"Because she's worried about her father," Astrid said. "And about you. Everything that's been happening, Helene dying, you being punished...that wasn't supposed to happen."

"Why not?" Alistair asked. "I did kill my tribal leader five-hundred years ago. I should pay for that."

"And you don't think you have with all the time you've spent with Klaus?" Astrid asked. "The man killed your entire family or threatened to, I can't remember which."

"Only threatened," Alistair said. "And after that, Hazel's father cursed me with immortality so I'd have to be in Klaus' service forever."

"Exactly," Astrid nodded. "You've paid enough for a mistake you made when you were young and it's time someone cut you a break."

"I suppose," Alistair said, looking skeptical. "But what good will all this talk do? It's not like Hazel's father will let me have my body back."

"He might if someone reasons with him," a voice said. "If someone said the right words. If only there were some way for me to reach Enid. I believe Father is with her."

Alistair and Astrid looked on in surprise as a young woman with pale blond hair, deepset blue eyes and pale skin appeared before them. "Hello, Astrid," she said. "It's nice to finally see you, instead of just giving you warnings from the other side."

"Hazel," Astrid said quietly. "Do you know where Helene is? Is something wrong with her?"

Hazel looked grave. "I cannot say she's doing well at present. But things will be better soon."

Just then, they heard a knock on the back door. "I wonder who that is?" Astrid asked, standing up. She looked at Hazel and Alistair. "Excuse me, you two. I'll be back in a minute." Astrid went to answer the door and was surprised to find Adrian on the other side. "Adrian!" she said. "If you're looking for Helene, she's not here, but come in anyway."

Adrian nodded. "Thank you." He followed her to where Alistair and Hazel were. "I'm sorry," he said. "Was I interrupting anything?"

"You're Adrian," Hazel said, grinning at him. "Ena, who you call Vanessa, has many bad things to say about you."

Adrian grinned. "Well, good. Who are you again?"

"This is Hazel, Adrian," Alistair said. "Enid and Vanessa's older sister who decided to stick. strictly to witchcraft like her father."

"Wait a minute, I know you," Adrian said. "Didn't you come after Mother once? With a necklace that gave her some sort amnesia?"

Hazel nodded. "I admit I did. That was wrong." She looked at Alistair. "You were right to kill me when you did. I was foolish to let myself get caught up in Ena's paranoia about the danger of werewolf-vampire hybrids."

"You don't think we're dangerous?" Adrian asked. "Well, that's good, because Vanessa has this follower who's trying to decimate the entire population. Couldn't you get her to stop?"

"I'm afraid I don't have that much authority on my own. I'd have to contact Enid. My father has apparently taken up residence in Alistair's body and is living with her."

"I know where Enid is," Adrian said. "I could take you."

Hazel nodded. "That is very kind. Thank you." She gave Alistair a look before heading out with Adrian. "Be sure you're out of the mirror before we get back. The body transfer will be easier that way."

Selina stood outside the door to Aleksandr's hotel room and knocked on it again.

"Back so soon?" He asked when he opened the door. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I need you to tell me where Myna is," Selina said to him. "I mean to kill her, but I have to find her first."

Aleksandr just shook his head and clicked his tongue at her. "Do you really think I'm going to just tell you where Myna is?" He asked. "Or do anything else that will wreck my only chance of being put back to rights?"

"Okay, fine," Selina said. "What do I have to do to get information out of you? Strip off everything and hop into bed with you? Not that I'd do that of course. I just want to know what the stakes are."

Aleksandr grinned, one side of his mouth up, pushing her up against the wall. "I don't think we need to go quite that far, my beautiful darling, although it would be pleasant."

"Well then, what?" Selina asked. "Tell me what you want from me."

He leaned forward and kissed her. Surprised, she stood frozen for a moment before her arms went around his neck and her fingers were in his hair. She pulled her lips away from his after a short while, and he kept kissing her neck. She moaned. "I don't know why you cut your hair," she said. "I liked it long. Made you look like a sexy pirate."

He held her at arms' length and smirked. "Is that so?"

"Well, yeah," she nodded. "Didn't you ever look at yourself in a mirror back then at all?" She released herself from his grip and stepped away from the wall.

"I would hope I had better things to do," he said. "Then spending endless hours reveling in my own reflection. I've read the myths, my dear, and I know all too well how Narcissus was punished for his vanity."

Selina turned. "Not to mention poor Echo. She was just a tragedy waiting to happen." She paused. "Speaking of tragedies, this doesn't have to be one. This whole vampire thing, I mean. It's really not so bad once you get used to it."

"I've had a thousand years to get used to it and my attitude hasn't improved with time," Aleksandr said.

"Well, there you go," Selina said. "We just need to fix your attitude. Help you see the glass half full. We can do it!"

Aleksandr rolled his eyes. "How long have you been so perky?" He asked her. "I don't know if I like it."

"Well, if you weren't such a Donny Downer, it would stop," Selina said. "How much did I tell you about my family when we were married?"

"Not much," he said. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"Well," Selina said, "I got an uncle who's a werewolf, see? He didn't want to be one, but after he became one, he used it. He researched practically every scrap of werewolf knowledge there was to know. His notes and records have been very helpful to us over the years. You have a scholarly bent. You could do the same for vampires, you know? Write vampire histories? And I have this son, Sam. Through a strange series of incidents, he's human, but Lucy is his twin sister and I think that having so many vampire siblings might create a temptation for him and I want to avoid him becoming a vampire if at all possible. Could you scare him with all your 'I-hate-being-a-vampire' horror stories so he won't get any ideas? And then maybe..."

Aleksandr put his head down on the table. "If I tell you where Myna is, will you stop talking?"

Selina stopped. "Yeah, sure. Of course. Where is she? Still at her apartment?"

He shook his head. "No. She and Helene have taken a house at the edge of town. I have to be over there in a few minutes, as a matter of fact. You could come with me, if you want."

"Sure," Selina said. "Just let me go to the bathroom real quick and then we can leave."

Once the bathroom door was closed behind her, she looked in her purse to make sure she had the matches and a small container of gasoline safely tucked inside, then she zipped up her purse, went to the bathroom, and left the hotel with Aleksandr.

"So this is the place," Adrian said to Hazel as he led her through the back door and up to his and Tessa's apartment.

"Who is this?" Tessa asked, looking curiously at Hazel.

"This is Enid's sister Hazel," Adrian said. "Is Enid around, by the way?"

"Yeah, downstairs by the bar, I think," Tessa said. "She was just listening to Vince regale her with stories about this island your father suggested he and Helene go to to get away from all the fuss with Myna."

Adrian smirked. "I can't believe Roxie is going to go to the island. I wish I could be there to capture the look on her face once she realizes what really goes on there."

"Is it a bad place?" Tessa asked.

"I wouldn't say 'bad' but my father founded it in the 1500s or something and nobody wears any clothes and everyone drinks and gets high all the time. Mom nearly had a heart attack the first time Dad dragged her there. But Roxie's tougher. I think she'll be able to handle it better."

Just then, there was a knock on the apartment door. "Come in," Tessa called. Enid entered and gave Adrian a grin. "I thought it was you," she said. "Glad you made it back in one piece and..." She started when she saw Hazel standing next to the bed.

"What's going on?" Enid asked her sister. "Why are you here?"

"I need to have a word with Father," Hazel said. "Enid, where is he?"

"I don't know," Enid shrugged. "I mean, I think he's still here in the bar, but I don't know precisely where."

Adrian rolled his eyes and gestured for Hazel to follow him. "Come on," he said. "We'll find your father. "Don't worry."

On the way down the stairs, they ran into Roxie, who said, "Guess what, Adrian? Vince and I are going to Hawaii for a week! We leave tomorrow! It was going to be a surprise for me, but I guess I figured it out too soon for him!"

"Oh, it'll still be a surprise," Adrian muttered under his breath as she ran off and gave Vince a hug. He watched them for a minute and then led Hazel around the bar until they finally found her father in the basement, staring intently at a book and muttering under his breath.

Hazel cleared her throat, which caused her father to turn around and stare. "What are you doing here?" he asked her. "You don't have to be here."

"Yes, I do, Father," Hazel said. "All of this, all you're doing...it has to stop."

"What am I doing?" he asked. "You act as if I'm in the wrong when I'm not."

"How are you correct?" Hazel asked. "Father, you had no business taking Alistair Fale's body and banishing him. You already cursed him to live an eternity in servitude. And you shouldn't have killed his daughter either. He has paid for his crime. Let us end this now."

"He killed you," her father said. "I can't let that go unpunished."

Hazel looked away from him. "He killed me because I put someone he loved in danger. It was my responsibility. There's nothing to punish. All we can do is move on. Now please, Father. Give Alistair his body back."

Conal reached out and touched her cheek. "You're so wise, Hazel. Even wiser than me. That's why I always knew I wanted you to lead the tribe. I only let your sisters have their chance because I didn't want to risk fighting between the two of them."

"That didn't exactly go according to plan, did it?" Adrian said wryly. "The species they created are still at war to this day."

Conal stood up from the desk and walked over to him, eyeing him intently. Adrian felt unnerved because Alistair had always looked like that when he suspected that Adrian and Helene were up to something, which had been quite frequently.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" He asked quietly. "Those creatures that are of both Ena's race and Enid's?"

Adrian nodded. "I wouldn't refer to myself as a creature, but yeah. I am. And my girlfriend, the one you killed, she was a witch, as you know. We could have had all-species unity between the two of us."

"I don't see why you're acting like she's gone," Conal said. "She's not. She's flittering about, alive, in the body of another when she should rightfully be dead!"

"But you gave Tessa another body, didn't you Father?" Hazel asked. "So what's the problem? Everyone has a body, everyone is alive, give Alistair back his body and let's move on." She paused, her eyes widening. "We have to go," she said. "All of us. I'll tell you where."

They reached the house where Hazel led them in record time and ran inside. "They're in the basement!" Hazel said. They heard a scream and Adrian turned to her. "You really called that one. And just who is in the basement?"

"I'll tell you as we run, but you aren't going to like it," Hazel said.

"Just tell me who, please," Adrian said shortly.

"Your mother...and Helene...and two others..." Hazel told him. This caused Adrian to run even faster, but when they reached the basement, they found something unexpected: Myna and Selina were exchanging punches, and Helene was curled up in the corner looking peaked.

"Are you hurt?" Adrian asked, running to her and pulling her up. "Please don't tell me you're hurt."

"No," Helene shook her head. "Adrian, I'm fine, I just...I just want to get this all over with."

"What do you mean?" Adrian asked, leading her out of basement into a smaller room nearby. "What do you mean you just want to get it over with?"

Helene sighed. "I just want to do what Myna asked of me so she'll kill me and free my father. It was a mistake coming back after I died. I shouldn't have. I should have just left everything alone. Even you thought that."

"Well, I was wrong," Adrian said. "I shouldn't have told you to go into the light just so I could be with Tessa. I was so stupid. So, so stupid."

"But I thought you liked her," Helene said. "What changed?"

"My mom wants to divorce my dad," Adrian said. "They were in a mate bond just like me and Tessa are. It's a werewolf thing. Everything Tessa's and my relationship is based on is purely physical. That's it. She heard about how crazy my family is, and I thought she was going to pass out."

"It figures," Helene said, nodding. "You have to be pretty tough to handle your family."

Adrian nodded and kissed her hand. "Hazel came with us to tell you that you don't have to die if you don't want to. Your father has paid his debt for killing his clan leader with all the time he spent being in servitude to my father, so please don't die if you don't have to. Don't give up."

"And what would you and I be if I stayed?" She asked him. "Would you stay with Tessa, or would you stay with me?"

"You," He said. "I know that now. I think I've always known that, even when I was blinded by animalistic stupidity."

"You're absolutely sure?" Helene said.

He nodded.

"Prove it," she said.

"All right," he said. "But don't you want to take a crack at Myna just for the fun of it?"

Helene grinned. "You know, I think I will." She went back into the basement where Myna was holding up remarkably well against Selina, but was shortly after put out of comission by a brain pain spell from Helene. Moaning and clutching her head, Myna fell to the floor, yet still managed to scream at Aleksandr, "Don't just stand there. Do something! Help me!"

But he did nothing. He just stood there watching her with a smirk on his face. It was then that Selina poured the gasoline on her, lit the match, and then Selina, Helene and Adrian watched as Myna's body burst into flames, her screams echoing on the basement walls.

"It's done," Selina said when everything had calmed down.

"Yeah, it is," Adrian agreed. They all stood there in silence for a moment before Hazel cleared her throat and nudged her father. "Is there something you would like to say to Helene, Father?"

Conal looked at Helene and nodded. "I would like to apologize," he said. "I overreacted a lot in my actions concerning you and your father and I'm sorry. It should never have happened."

Helene nodded. "Thank you, I suppose."

"Now there's only one thing left to do...return your father's body to him," Conal finished.

"We can go on our own, or you two could come with us," Hazel said whichever you choose.

"I think we'll stay here if you don't mind," Adrian said. Helene grinned and blushed a little. When everyone else was gone, Helene said, "So, what do you wanna do?"

Adrian grinned. "I think I want to do this," he said and kissed her. She pushed him against the basement wall and unzipped him, stroking him as he worked on getting off her skirt. "You aren't scared to touch me?" She asked after they finished making love on a red and blue Oriental rug on the basement floor. "That's why you backed away from me after you bit me in the park? You were afraid of hurting me?"

Adrian kissed her cheek. "A little," he said. "And I'd already done it twice. I didn't want to do it again."

"Both times were my fault," Helene said. "You told me the first time that it wouldn't be wise to let you feed on me, but I pressed you. And the second time, I was just forgetful. There was no excuse for that."

He grinned and kissed down her neck. "Well you were saving a tree, and isn't that your job as a witch or something?"

"Kind of, if I choose to believe that. Not everyone does," Helene said. "And some take it way too far and hurt every other supernatural race just because they can. Some would especially hurt you. Cause of the whole hybrid thing. Technically you can't be two different types of supernatural creature."

"Well, what can I say?" He winked. "I'm a rebel."

She laughed. "Yeah, but I'm not. I don't want to be a vampire. Ever."

"All right," he said. "I can work with that."

"It'll be easy," she said. "If Conal can curse my father to live for all eternity, being the same age and still a witch, why can't he do the same for me? Well, not the curse bit, but you get the idea. It's the last bit of restitution I'll ask for."

"Clever," Adrian said. "Clever. There might be hope for us after all."

By the time they got back to Alistair and Astrid's, Conal was just about to return Alistair to his original body.

"Wait," Helene said. "Before you do that, could you put one of those eternal life spells on me like you did on my dad? It would help me a lot."

Conal looked back and forth between Helene and Adrian and then nodded. "You watch out for her though," he said to Adrian. "Make sure she doesn't get in any more trouble. And tell your father that he better not make any more hybrids. Ones that are born are fine, in fact, your sister and that mate of hers would be excellent for bringing vampires and werewolves together, for stopping the feud. I would like them to marry. That would be best. Let your father know so he can tell one of them, would you?"

Adrian nodded and hugged Helene to him. "I'll do that," he promised. Then he put the spell on her and shut his eyes. Suddenly there was an explosion of silver light and a whoosh sound, and then everyone saw Alistair on the floor, looking dazed. "Am I back?" he asked.

"Yeah," Adrian said, giving Alistair his hand. "And Conal says he's sorry. Now that everything's been cleared up, what do we do?"

"Oh, wait," Alistair said. "Everything has not been cleared up. There's one more thing that I need clarification on."

"You're back so soon," Elijah said in surprise when everyone entered the library where he was reading.

"I don't know why we thought it would take awhile. Myna was an easy fight. With a little help from Helene, that is." Selina said, smiling.

"Now," Alistair said impatiently, glaring at Selina and Elijah. "Tell me how you two got together!"

"In a minute," Elijah said. He then looked deeply into Selina's eyes and got down on one knee, holding her hand. "When you left this morning, you told me that you loved me. You also said that you'd give me the time I needed to find it within myself to say it to you. Well, I spent the entire time you were gone having horrible thoughts in my head about what my life would be like without you. Your smile, your warmth, your touch. Looking at you now, though, all those thoughts are gone. All I can think about is you. And I guess that means...I love you, I think."

She grinned and hugged him. "Thank you," She said. "I'll take it."

Adrian turned to Helene. "So, we're together, Mom and Uncle Elijah are together, no matter how weird that is. I guess everything worked out for everyone, didn't it?"

"I'm so excited we're going to Hawaii," Roxie said to Vince as they made their way through the airport to Klaus' jet. "This is the first time we've really gone away together, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Vince said, hugging her to him. "It's gonna be a really good time." They made their way to the jet and Vince said to the pilot, "We want to go the island."

"What's the island?" Roxie asked. "I thought we were going to Hawaii!"

"We are," Vince said. "The island is just a nickname, you know, like 'the big island'?"

Roxie glared at him suspiciously. "Sure, all right."

The plane went into the air and about halfway through their flight, a waiter came by and offered Roxie a tray with a drink on it.

"What's this?" Roxie asked, picking a glass up and swishing the contents around.

"It's a specialty drink of the island," the waiter told her. "To help prepare you for the food and drink there. It's best to introduce it into your system en route."

"How come you're not having any?" Roxie asked Vince.

"I can't drink what's in that," he said. "I'm allergic."

Roxie scoffed. "You can't be allergic! Don't be ridiculous!"

"Fine," Vince said. "It's got...nutmeg in it, and I don't like nutmeg. But you should drink up. Those island beverages can really do a number on you if you're not used to them."

Roxie gulped the drink down, but suddenly began to feel very woozy. She fought to stay awake, however, and Vince ended up carrrying an extremely groggy Roxie off the plane.

When they reached the beach, he put Roxie down and she stumbled around a little, until a bronzed, dark haired young man caught her.

"Is this the Great One's daughter?" He asked Vince. Vince nodded.

"The Great One insists that you two marry," The young man told him. "I will tell the leader you have arrived."

Curious, Vince followed the young man into one of the larger huts, eager to strip off his clothes and be naked just like everybody else. The clear blue water looked so inviting...

They managed to get through the ceremony despite Roxie's wooziness and then they brought her back to their house and put her to bed. Then, Vince went for a swim. When he returned, Roxie was very much awake, and brandishing the hand with her ring on it at him. "What the hell is this?" She cried. "What the hell is this?"

A/n: Up next: Dark Angel 4: The Devil With Angel Eyes